Editorial policies
The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association is a peer-reviewed general veterinary medical journal that publishes manuscripts dealing with any subject germane to the practice of veterinary medicine. For scientific manuscripts, preference will be accorded to those that have clinical or practical value.
Authors who submit manuscripts to the journal should carefully read these Instructions for Authors when preparing their manuscripts, because compliance with these instructions will help reduce delays in manuscript processing. Authors submitting manuscripts for publication in specific features of the journal should also read recent issues of the journal for examples of how such reports and features are typically organized. Authors who have additional questions are encouraged to consult with an AVMA editor prior to manuscript submission.
A manuscript is received with the understanding that it and all revisions have been approved by all authors and that neither the manuscript nor any of its parts has been published, except as an abstract less than 250 words long, or is under concurrent consideration by any other publication. The corresponding author must provide a signed statement to this effect.
A manuscript containing information published in any compiled printed (eg, journals, symposia, proceedings, newsletters, books) or electronic (eg, Web sites, CD-ROMs, DVDs) format will be rejected on the grounds of prior publication. Publication of abstracts less than 250 words long does not constitute prior publication; however, publication of longer abstracts may. At the time of manuscript submission, the corresponding author must include copies of any abstracts of the manuscript that have been published or submitted for publication or that are expected to be submitted for publication. Authors preparing abstracts for publication in a proceedings are encouraged to review the Guidelines for Preparation of Scientific Abstracts.
Readers who submit letters to the editor must limit them to 500 words (longer letters will be condensed as needed) and 6 references. All letters are subject to editing.
The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association is covered by copyright. All authors will be required to sign a written statement transferring copyright to the AVMA prior to publication of any manuscript or letter. Requests to copy, reprint, or use portions of published material (including information in figures and tables) should be addressed to the editor-in-chief.
Manuscript submission
Manuscripts should be submitted online at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/avma. Manuscripts may also be submitted by conventional mail, but online submission is recommended to expedite processing of manuscripts.
Online manuscript submission — For online submission, manuscripts must be in Microsoft Word format (.doc) or rich text format (.rtf). The manuscript (including footnotes, references, figure legends, and tables) must be double-space typed, using 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, and left justification. Manuscripts should be arranged as follows: title page, structured abstract (when applicable), text, footnotes, references, figure legends, and tables. The title page must include the title and the first name, middle initial, and last name of each author, along with each author's professional degree, highest earned academic degree, and diplomate status (for authors who are diplomates of AVMA-recognized specialty organizations). Professional affiliations of the authors at the time of the study should be indicated. If an author's affiliation has changed since the study was performed, the author's new affiliation should be identified. If information in the text has been presented at a scientific meeting, this should be indicated on the title page. Acknowledgments, sources of funding, and the name of the corresponding author should also be included on the title page. Software programs that automatically create endnotes, footnotes, and references should not be used. Each line and page of the manuscript must be numbered.
Tables should be included at the end of the manuscript in the same electronic file; however, if necessary, they can be saved as separate files.
All figures should be saved as separate electronic files; figures should not be embedded in the manuscript. Simple figures such as line drawings, bar graphs, and line graphs prepared in Excel should be saved as Excel files (.xls). Line drawings and graphs that were not prepared in Excel should be submitted as .TIF files; however, .JPG, .GIF, .EPS, and .BMP files are also acceptable. Figures created with software programs that use proprietary graphic formats (eg, SigmaPlot, Statistix) cannot be used; most such software programs have the capability to save figures in one of the aforementioned formats. Minimum resolution for line drawings and charts is 1,000 dots per inch.
Images (eg, photographs, photomicrographs, and radiographs) that are not available in a digital format should be scanned on a flatbed scanner at a resolution of at least 300 dots per inch. Files should be saved as .TIF files; however, .JPG, .GIF, .EPS, and .BMP files are also acceptable. Color figures should be submitted in CMYK, rather than RGB, format to prevent color shift during production.
Once electronic files of the manuscript and all of its parts have been prepared, log on to AVMA Manuscript Central at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/avma. If you already have an account with the system, login with your user id and password, click on "Author Center," and select "Submit First Draft of a New Manuscript." Follow the instructions for submitting your manuscript. After submitting your manuscript, please check that your User Information (including mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address) is current. If you do not have an account with the system, click on "create a new account." Fill in all fields carefully; all fields in bold are required.
The corresponding author is also responsible for submitting required supplementary materials, including a completed Copyright Transfer Agreement signed by all authors; a copy of the Statement on Prior Publication, Concurrent Submission, Authorship, and Funding (PDF) signed by the corresponding author; copies of any references listed as "in press" or "submitted"; copies of any abstracts containing information from the manuscript that have been published or submitted for publication; and a copy of the signed permission form from the copyright holder if the manuscript contains any tables or illustrations that have been published previously. This supplementary material may be submitted electronically (eg, by scanning and uploading with the manuscript or by uploading the electronic file) or by fax. Manuscripts will not be considered for publication until both the Copyright Transfer Agreement and Statement on Prior Publication have been received.
During submission of your manuscript, you will be requested to supply up to 5 keywords for the manuscript. Lists of the keywords that can be used are available on the AVMA Web site.
Conventional paper submission — Manuscripts should be prepared as described for online submission and mailed to JAVMA, American Veterinary Medical Association, 1931 N Meacham Rd, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360. Three hard copies of the manuscript and three high-quality hard copies of each figure must be submitted, along with electronic copies of the manuscript and figures on a 3.5-in PC-formatted disk. Electronic files should be saved as Microsoft Word documents; electronic figures should be prepared as described for online manuscript submission.
Manuscripts must be accompanied by a cover letter from the corresponding author that includes his or her mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. Corresponding authors are also responsible for submitting required supplementary material, including a completed Copyright Transfer Agreement signed by all authors; a copy of the Statement on Prior Publication, Concurrent Submission, Authorship, and Funding signed by the corresponding author; three hard copies of any reference listed as "in press" or "submitted"; copies of any abstracts containing information from the manuscript that have been published or submitted for publication; and written permission from the copyright holder if the manuscript contains any tables or illustrations that have been published previously. Manuscripts will not be considered for publication until both the Copyright Transfer Agreement and Statement on Prior Publication have been received.
Authorship
Individuals should be listed as authors only if they 1) made a substantial contribution to the conception and design of the study, the acquisition of the data used in the study, or the analysis and interpretation of that data; 2) were involved in drafting or revising the manuscript critically for important intellectual content; and 3) will have an opportunity to approve subsequent revisions of the manuscript, including the version to be published. All three conditions must be met. Each individual listed as an author must have participated sufficiently to take public responsibility for the work. Acquisition of funding, collection of data, or general supervision of the research team does not, alone, justify authorship.
At least one author of a manuscript dealing with clinical interpretations or treatments must be a veterinarian. For multi-institutional studies, the individual who headed the study should be listed as an author, along with individuals who provided assistance with pathologic studies (eg, review of gross and histologic specimens) and statistical analyses and any other individual who had a substantial impact on the study design or made a unique contribution to the study. Individuals who submitted case material should be listed as authors only if they contributed at least 10% of the cases included in the study; individuals who contributed less than 10% of the cases should be listed in the acknowledgments. Requests to list a working group or study group in the byline will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments can be used to identify important specific contributions from individuals who do not qualify for authorship. In particular, individuals who have contributed intellectually to the study or report but whose contributions do not justify authorship may be named and their function or contribution described. In general, this includes individuals who provided technical assistance (eg, individuals who performed special tests or research) and individuals who provided assistance with statistical analyses.
Acknowledgments should not include individuals whose only contribution to the study or report involved the routine performance of their normal job duties and who did not offer any unusual intellectual contribution or technical expertise. The acknowledgments should not be used simply as a method of expressing gratitude to individuals who had a minor role in the study. Acknowledgments of nonspecific groups (eg, the intensive care unit technicians) and unidentifiable groups (eg, the anonymous contributors) are not allowed.
Individuals named in the acknowledgments must have given their permission to the authors to be listed, because readers may infer their endorsement of the data and conclusions.
Funding
Authors are expected to acknowledge all sources of funding or financial support and to disclose to the editor any financial interests (including ownership, employment, consultancy arrangements, and service as an officer or board member) they have with companies that manufacture products that are the subject of their research or with companies that manufacture competing products.
Humane animal care and use
All research studies involving animals must have been performed in compliance with guidelines outlined in the Animal Welfare Act, US Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, NRC Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, or Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching (Fass 1999) or with equivalent guidelines. A manuscript containing information that suggests that animals were subjected to adverse, stressful, or harsh conditions or treatments will not be considered for publication unless the authors demonstrate convincingly that the knowledge gained was of sufficient value to justify these conditions or treatments.
Manuscripts describing studies that involved the use of animals, including studies that involved the use of privately owned animals (eg, animals owned by clients, staff members, students, or private entities), must include a statement that the study protocol was reviewed and approved by an appropriate oversight entity (eg, an animal care and use committee or institutional review board) or was performed in compliance with institutional guidelines for research on animals. Manuscripts describing prospective studies that involved privately owned animals must include a statement indicating that owner consent was obtained.
If animals were euthanatized, the method of euthanasia must be indicated. Methods of euthanasia must comply with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia (PDF).
Style
For questions of style, refer to the latest edition of the American Medical Association Manual of Style. For anatomic terms, use anglicized versions of official terms listed in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria. Refer to the latest editions of the American Drug Index and USP Dictionary of USAN and International Drug Names for proper spelling of chemical and drug names and to the latest edition of Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary for proper spelling and use of medical terms. Refer to Bergey's Manual of Determinative Microbiology for spelling and correct taxonomic classifications of microorganisms.
Use of abbreviations should be kept to a minimum. Except for standard abbreviations and units of measure, all abbreviations used 3 or more times in the text, figures, and tables of a manuscript should be listed at the beginning of the manuscript, along with their definitions. These abbreviations should then be used without expansion. Abbreviations that appear only in the figures or tables should be defined in the table or figure legend. Abbreviations should not be used to begin a sentence. Except for the abbreviations ELISA, ACTH, EDTA, DNA, and RNA, abbreviations should not be used in titles. In addition, abbreviations in the structured abstract must be expanded at first mention, with the abbreviation given in parentheses after first mention of the expanded term.
Products, equipment, and drugs should be identified by chemical or generic names or descriptions. A trade name may be included in a lettered footnote if that specific product, equipment, or drug was essential for the outcome. A manuscript reporting results of a study that involved evaluation of the efficacy or safety of a pharmaceutical, biologic, or other product or in which such products were relevant to the diagnosis, treatment, or outcome will be considered only if the product is commercially available in the United States and can legally be used in the species of interest.
Body weights and temperatures must be reported in metric and traditional US (lb, oF) units. Dosages must be given on a mg/kg and mg/lb of body weight basis. All dosages must include route of administration and interval (eg, 10 mg/kg [4.5 mg/lb], IV, q 12 h).
Categories of manuscripts
Authors may submit manuscripts for publication in the Views, Veterinary Medicine Today, and Scientific Reports sections of the journal.
The Views section is a forum for exchange of ideas and includes the Letters to the Editor and Commentaries. Letters to the Editor may not exceed 500 words and 6 references. Not all letters are published; all letters accepted for publication are subject to editing. Those pertaining to anything published in the JAVMA should be received within one month of the date of publication. Submission via e-mail (JournalLetters@avma.org) or fax (847-925-9329) is encouraged; authors should give their full contact information including address, daytime telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. Commentaries can relate to any aspect of the veterinary medical profession and should be submitted online at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/avma.
The Veterinary Medicine Today section promotes continuing education through didactic exercises, case discussions, and updates on clinical topics. Not every feature is published in every issue. Authors who wish to contribute a manuscript to the following features should consult the instructions for those features.
Instructions for Authors of Veterinary Medicine Today feature articles:
Authors who wish to contribute a manuscript to another feature in this section should refer to recent issues of the JAVMA that contain that feature for general format.
The Scientific Reports section contains reports on important original research, clinical case reports, and concise reviews. A manuscript based on original research that involved animals with a naturally developing or experimentally induced disease or condition will be considered for publication as an Original Study. This includes a manuscript based on evaluation of case records accumulated during a specific period (ie, retrospective case series). A manuscript that describes features of 1 or more clinical cases will be considered as a Clinical Report. Reference Point articles are concise reviews concerning subject areas in which important advances have been made during the past 5 years and contain information that has, or will have, clinical application.
Manuscript preparation
With the exception of review articles, all manuscripts submitted to the Scientific Reports section must include a Structured Abstract of 250 or fewer words. For Original Studies, the structure abstract must be include the following headings: Objective, Design, Animals (or Sample Population), Procedures, Results, and Conclusions and Clinical Relevance. For Clinical Reports, the structured abstract must include the following headings: Case Description, Clinical Findings, Treatment and Outcome, and Clinical Relevance.
The text for an Original Study is organized under the following headings: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion. The Introduction should supply sufficient pertinent background information to allow readers to understand and interpret results. It must include the rationale for the study, the investigators' hypothesis, and a clear statement of the purpose of the study. The Materials and Methods section should describe the experimental design in sufficient detail to allow others to reproduce the study. A subsection detailing statistical methods used to summarize data and test hypotheses and the level of significance used for hypothesis testing should be provided. When citing software products, use a footnote to cite software (eg, PROC GLM, SAS Institute, Cary, NC) and a reference to cite a User's Guide (eg, SAS user's guide: statistics, version 5 edition. Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc, 1985;page number). The Results section should provide data that are clearly and simply stated without discussion or conclusions. Tables and figures should be cited parenthetically. Authors of manuscripts reporting gene sequences should submit those sequences to an appropriate data bank. The Discussion section should focus on findings in the manuscript and should be brief, containing only discussion that is necessary for interpretation of findings. The Discussion should concentrate on what is known in animals, not what is known in humans.
A retrospective case series must include a meaningful statement of purpose, clinically relevant data, and clinically useful conclusions or interpretations derived directly from evaluation of the cases described. Except for rare conditions, retrospective case series should contain information on at least 10 animals and include appropriate statistical analyses.
A Clinical Report begins with the signalment of the animal or animals, followed by a chronologic description of pertinent aspects of the diagnostic examination, treatment, and outcome, and ends with a brief discussion. When more than one animal is involved, a representative of the group should be described in detail; important differences among animals can be addressed separately. For reports in which there are 3 or fewer animals, pertinent abnormal findings should be summarized in the text. For 4 or more animals, one table that provides a summary of pertinent abnormal findings may be accommodated, provided that such findings are not repeated in the text.
Footnotes
Cite footnotes by superscript, lowercase letters in the order in which they appear in the text. List footnotes alphabetically just before the references. For products and equipment, provide complete information in the footnote, including manufacturer's name and location (ie, city, state, and country [if other than the United States]). Abstracts, personal communications, and theses should be cited as footnotes.
References
Authors bear primary responsibility for accuracy of all references. References must be limited to those that are necessary and must be cited in the text by superscript numbers in order of citation. Journal titles in the Reference section should be abbreviated in accordance with the National Library of Medicine and Index Medicus. For references with more than 3 authors, only the first 3 authors should be listed, followed by "et al." The following is the style used for common types of references:
Article in journal
1. Lamont LA, Bulmer BJ, Sisson DD, et al. Doppler echocardiographic effects of medetomidine on dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2002;221:1276-1281.
Book chapter
2. Muir P, Johnson KA, Manley PA. Fractures of the pelvis. In: Birchard SJ, Sherding RG, eds. Saunders manual of small animal practice. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Co, 2000;1126-1132.
Proceedings
3. Moore MP, Bagley RS, Harrington ML, et al. Intracranial tumors, in Proceedings. 14th Annu Meet Vet Med Forum 1996;331-334.
Electronic material
4. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Web site. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Available at: www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bse.html. Accessed Feb 18, 2003.
Figures
Limit figures to those that reduce or clarify the text. Text and symbols should be large enough that they will still be legible when the figure is reduced to one column width during publication. To ensure high-quality reproduction, symbols used in graphs should be limited to open and closed circles, triangles, and squares; axes should be labeled in Helvetica or Arial font. Keys to symbols may be placed in a small box inserted into the unused portion of graphs. Photomicrographs and electron micrographs must have an internal scale marker. To express magnification with an internal scale marker, divide the length of the marker by the original magnification. For figures that consist of multiple parts, individual parts of the figure should be identified by capital letters embedded in the figure, rather than by describing the location of the part in the legend (eg, top right).
For preparation of electronic copies of figures, please see the section on online manuscript submission. Hard copies of figures that are submitted must be identified on the back along the top margin with the first author's name, the figure number, and an arrow (or "top") indicating the top of the figure, taking care not to write in the area of interest. Radiographs and transparency slides will not be accepted for review or publication.
Figure legends must be given at the end of the manuscript. Sufficient information should be included to allow the figure to be understood without reference to the text. When applicable, stains used for histologic sections should be indicated in the legend. Authors wishing to use any previously published figures must submit written permission from the copyright holder.
Tables
Submission of excessive tabular data is discouraged, and tables should be limited to those containing data important to understanding and interpreting results of the study. Authors will be asked to delete tables containing data that could be given more succinctly in the text. Do not use tables that focus on findings in individual animals. Authors wishing to use any previously published tables must submit written permission from the copyright holder.
Peer-review process
The JAVMA reserves the right to reject any manuscript. Manuscripts submitted to the Scientific Reports section are subject to peer review, as are didactic exercises, case discussions, reviews of clinical topics, and features sponsored by specialty colleges or academies submitted to the Veterinary Medicine Today section. Manuscripts are reviewed initially by an AVMA scientific editor. Those with insufficient priority for publication are rejected promptly. Manuscripts considered for publication are sent to a minimum of 2 experts for external peer review. Instructions provided for external reviewers are available on the AVMA Web site for authors' perusal. Identity of peer reviewers is kept confidential; identity of authors is not.
Authors are expected to respond to reviewer comments and make appropriate revisions within 30 days. Revised manuscripts may be rereviewed. Manuscripts that pass peer review are accepted for publication provided that authors respond meaningfully to questions and concerns raised by an AVMA scientific editor. For manuscripts that are rejected, hard copies of the text and accompanying materials will not be returned to the authors.
Sequence of publication
The JAVMA is published twice a month. Manuscripts are processed for publication in the order that they pass peer review, except that manuscripts dealing with emerging or zoonotic diseases or biodefense are prepared for publication as soon as they pass peer review. Adherence to these instructions and expedient revision and return of manuscripts will minimize time from submission to publication.
Version: October 26, 2007
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