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Journal
of the American Medical Informatics Association Instructions for
Authors
JAMIA Instructions for Authors are also available as a PDF . Click here for a PDF of the Special Guidelines .
These guidelines are in accordance with the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication" by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Updated October 2007. URL: http://www.icmje.org/.
Important topics covered in the ICMJE document include:
I. A statement of purpose regarding the Uniform Requirements
II. A discussion of ethical considerations in the conduct and reporting of research that supplements that JAMIA guidelines cited below. The discussion covers, among other topics: criteria for authorship and contributorship; conflicts of interest; privacy and confidentiality; and , protection of patients and study participants involved in research.
III. Caveats regarding publishing and related editorial concerns for Biomedical Journals, covering topics such as: corrections, retractions, and "expressions of concern": Copyright issues; avoidance of overlapping publications and duplicated submissions; and OBLIGATION TO REGISTER CLINICAL TRIALS.
IV. General procedures for manuscript preparation and submission that supplement the specific JAMIA guidelines detailed herein.
Documentation of Originality for Submitted JAMIA Manuscript (download prior to manuscript submission)
This policy does not preclude consideration of a much more complete
report that follows publication of preliminary findings elsewhere,
usually in the proceedings of a conference (unless prior publication
exceeded 400 words and had the same message); however, substantially
new
methods, results, and insights must differentiate a new submission from
any
previously published work, and there must be NO substantial repetition
of textual content. Electronic
copies of any possibly duplicative
material must be included with the manuscript at the time of its
initial submission to JAMIA.
Authors submitting a manuscript
previously reviewed by another journal should include a copy
of the previous critique and an explanation of how the manuscript was
changed in response to that critique. Questions about specific special
cases may be directed to the Editor.
To ensure that this policy is adhered to, the coresponding author will
be required to submit a "Documentation of Originality for Submitted
JAMIA Manuscript" form before a manuscript will be processed. Forms may
be obtained on the JAMIA website, www.jamia.org (see link above), or by
e-mailing the editorial office. Authors may fax signed originality
forms to the JAMIA editorial office at (615) 936-5900. The
corresponding author will be responsible for obtaining signed
originality forms from all other authors of the manuscript if the
manuscript is accepted for publication.
Authors should disclose to the editors any financial or commercial
interest that they have in products discussed in their manuscript at
the time that it is submitted. Information about such interests will
not influence the editorial decision, but a
mechanism will be found to disclose the interest to the reader if the
paper is published.
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TRANSFER OF
COPYRIGHT
If the manuscript is accepted for publication, authors will
grant copyright of their articles to the
American Medical Informatics Association, unless they are federal
employees performing the work as governmental activity at the time the
work is done, in which case there is no copyright. The American Medical
Informatics Association will license back to the authors the right to
use their articles for limited purposes as specified in the copyright
release form, which will be sent to you upon accceptance.
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TYPES OF JAMIA ARTICLES
The Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association
(JAMIA) will consider the publication of any original
manuscript that deals with the broad field of medical informatics. A list of the
sections and categories of JAMIA submissions follows below. Each reference in this
section is an example of one of the types (categories) of papers that
JAMIA considers for publication. The reference articles have been
published in prior issues of JAMIA. For manuscript
category-specific guidelines, click
here .
SECTION II: The
Practice of Informatics
The Practice of Informatics section targets the needs of people in the
biomedical and health professions who use informatics in their work.
Papers that further the development of medical informatics as a field
are given priority. Examples include application of information
technology, reviews, and development of novel methods or technologies.
The Practice of
Informatics section includes papers on the use of information
technology in real-world settings. A Technical
Milestone (5)
provides a detailed description of the development of an innovative
technology or information resource. It provides an archival foundation
for reports of the application or evaluation of the technology. A
Technology Evaluation Paper (6) reviews the basis of a new
technology together with qualitative or quantitative assessment of its
effectiveness, shortcomings, and cost. Full-length papers on the
Application of Information Technology
(7) show how to solve
practical problems relevant to health care research, health education,
or health care delivery. Although these papers are not research papers,
some aspect of the application must be original and the report must
emphasize generalizable concepts gleaned from specific experiences. An
Implementation Brief (8) is a case report of an
innovative implementation strategy or application. Such a report should
document the methods employed and the application's usefulness as
measured by the number of users, time saved, cost, or other relevant
parameters. A short Technical Brief
(9) provides a description of
a method or a helpful hint. These papers should give tips and tricks of
the trade that others can incorporate into their tool kits. A
Historical Perspectives (10) paper describes important
past events in the history of biomedical informatics.
Review Papers
(11) present and interpret the state of the art. Over time,
these works should serve as a multi-authored text on the practice of
medical informatics. Synthesis of Research Papers
(12)
review and interpret the work of an investigator or laboratory. They
place work that has been reported over time into a broader context.
Brief Reviews
(13) present a short overview or update on a hot topic.
Careers in Medical Informatics (14) provide insight into
curriculum requirements, training requirements, and career
alternatives. Book Reviews
(15) and
Software Reviews
(16) alert readers to new releases and comment on their
utility.
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SECTION
III: Original Investigations
The Original Investigations section presents original
hypotheses and findings.
Research Papers contribute to the scholarly archive detailing the development of new knowledge in the field of biomedical informatics. A wide range of original investigation report categories exist. The papers convey the formal evaluation of a technique. (17) The work may be a report of an approach together with preliminary findings (18) or a summarization of decades of work with evaluation of the most recent step. (19) Qualitative studies are suitable for full-length research papers if an appropriate methodology such as analysis of a case is used. (20)
As stated earlier, manuscripts will not be published if they have been paritally or wholly published, or are to be published, elsewhere. This does not preclude publication of material that has been published in preliminary form in the proceedings of a conference, provided the manuscript includes significant new material and the prior publication is submitted as documentation to JAMIA. The expansion can involve the addition of background material (21) or additional results. (22)
Preliminary work may be reported in a variety of ways. A Model Formulation (23) paper proposes a model or technique. A Methods Paper (24) proposes methods for a research project. A Case Report (25) explores a method or problem through an example.
Special Sections (Focus
papers) ( see
guidelines )
A Special Section of an issue of the Journal can be devoted to a
coordinated set of manuscripts that focus attention on an important
topic. (26)
Depending on
the length of the manuscripts, such sections would be restricted to
three to seven papers to permit inclusion of some of the Journal's
normal content. Special Section vs.
Supplement
Editorial
Comments (
see guidelines
) place a paper in context (27) or present a balancing view.
(28) Editorials are also
used as a vehicle for bringing attention to an issue that is important
in the field. (29)
Letters to the Editor provide another
forum for this type of information.
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PREPARATION OF MANUSCRIPTS
All submissions to JAMIA are in electronic format (see
details below). All communication is done via email.
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General
Layout
Set the format for the word processor as follows:
The header should include:
Insert a page break between each of the following sections: title page, abstract, text, acknowledgments, references, individual tables, and figures.
Title
Page
The title page should include the title of the paper; the
first name, middle initial, last name, and the academic degree(s)
attained by each author (do not include bachelor
degrees, fellowships, or professional associations); the name
of
the department(s) and institution(s) where
the work was done (including city and state). The
author list should be limited to seven (7) individuals. Other
contributors can be acknowledged in the Acknowledgment section of the
manuscript. Contact information for the one
author
who is responsible for all communication concerning the manuscript
should also be included on the Title Page. This information
should include the
person's name, mailing
address, telephone number, fax number, and email address.
Abstract
Abstracts for Research
papers and
Model Formulation papers
are limited to 250 words and should be structured as
follows:
Objective, Design, Measurements, Results, and Conclusion. A
Limitation(s) section should be added when relevant.
Abstracts for all other types of papers should be unstructured and
limited to 150 words.
An abstract should be factual, not descriptive. Below the abstract,
provide and identify as such three to ten key words or short phrases
that will assist indexers. Terms from the Medical Subject Headings list
of Index Medicus are preferred.
Text
The text of observational and experimental articles should
be divided into sections with headings such as Introduction,
Background, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.
The
Discussion section should include a subsection on limitations of the
current work. Long articles
may need subheadings within some sections to clarify their content.
Other types of articles, such as case reports, reviews, and editorials,
may use other headings. Detailed guidelines by type of paper
can be found here.
Major sections, and up to two levels of subsections, should be numbered for easy reference by reviewers, as follows:
All references in the text to a section should be to the section title because the section numbers will not be included in the published version.
Acknowledgments
Following the text, one or more statements should specify 1)
contributions that need acknowledging but do not justify authorship; 2)
acknowledgments of grant or other financial and material support,
specifying the nature of the support; 3) acknowledgments of meetings at
which the paper has been presented; and 4) financial or commercial
relationships that may pose a conflict of interest.
References
References should be double-spaced in the order in which
they are cited in the manuscript. All references must be cited in the
text, tables, or figure legends. The style of references is the
Vancouver style as used by Index Medicus . List
all authors when there are six or fewer; otherwise list the first six
followed by et al.
The following examples show how to reference an article that is first published online as a JAMIA PrePrint .
For the time the article is online as a PrePrint only :
[Authors].
[Article title]. J Am Med Inform Assoc (e-pub ahead of
print). Mar 1, 2002. DOI 10.1197/jamia.M####.
Available at:
http://www.jamia.org .
The DOI (digital object identifier) is assigned to the PrePrint by the editorial office on acceptance of the manuscript.
Once the article appears in its final version in print and online:
[Authors]. [Article title]. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2002;9(4):415-22. DOI 10.1197/jamia.M####.
Tables
Tables should be placed at the end of the manuscript, after
the references, with markers (e.g., [Table 1 about here]), placed in
the body of the manuscript to specify approximate placement in the
text. Tables should be double-spaced and include
a title/caption. There should be one table and its corresponding
title/caption per page. A page break should be inserted after
each table.
Illustrations
Photographs, drawings, graphs, and charts may be
computer-generated or scanned. Symbols, lettering, and numbering should
be of such proportional size that when the figure is reduced each item
will still be distinctly recognizable. If a figure consists of two or
more parts, the individual parts should have similar dimensions. Art
work submitted at a size suitable for publication +/-40% reproduces
best.
Illustrations should be placed at the end of the manuscript, after
tables and/or references, with markers (e.g., [Figure 1 about here]),
placed in the body
of the manuscript to specify approximate placement in the text. An
illustration and its corresponding legend should
be on the same page. There should be one figure and its corresponding
legend per page. A page break should be inserted after each
illustration. If an illustration has more than one part (i.e., Figure
1a and Figure 1b), then all parts and legends may be placed on the same
page. Legends for illustrations should be double-spaced.
If the manuscript is accepted:
A high resolution (at least 300 dpi) electronic copy of each figure saved in .tif format (preferred) will be requested. The capture of a direct screen image (often at only 72 dpi) is problematic, particularly when gray tones are employed.
****NOTE: JAMIA prints all figures in black and white/grayscale. For this reason, all figures should be shaded accordingly. The background of shaded text boxes should be as light as possible (or removed completely) to prevent the text from being obscured. Graphs using shading to differentiate between items should be different enough so that readers can tell the difference. Another option for graphs is to use patterned shading versus different shades of gray. If the figure(s) submitted is deemed inappropriate for reproduction, a new file(s) will be requested.****
Authors may be required to have low-resolution images recreated professionally at their expense after final acceptance of a manuscript. Authors may request printing of color figures at their expense.Online-only Appendices and Data Supplements
JAMIA publishes data supplements for accepted articles electronically via www.jamia.org (HighWire Press). All such materials are free-for-view, even when the articles citing them are not free-for-view.
All online-only appendices and data supplements should be submitted as a file separate from that of the manuscript, not placed at the end of the manuscript file. Authors should designate in their cover letter which Tables, Figures, Appendices, and other materials are inteded as online-only components of their submission.
Online-only data supplements allow authors to include a variety of content with their manuscripts. A supplement may be a text file, a PDF file, a spreadsheet, an HTML document, a table, a video, or an audio file. The supplement may consist of one file or multiple files. For usability, the files should be small enough to be downloaded fairly quickly. They should be of common file types that most readers will be able to open and use, such as PDF, HTML, GIF, JPEG files, QuickTime movies, or WAV sound files. If more than one data supplement is being submitted for consideration, each data supplement should be a separate file. Data supplements should be submitted to the JAMIA FTP server along with the manuscript at the time of submission, so that they can be considered during the normal review process.
Data supplements do not count against manuscript word/page limits and can be used to include less important, but pertinent, materials while allowing authors to adhere to manuscript guidelines. Data supplements are online only and do not appear in print, but are referenced in the print article. The proper way to reference a data supplement follows:
"see Appendix/Table/Figure X, available as an online data supplement at www.jamia.org"
where
X is the number of
the Appendix, Figure, or Table. References to data
supplements
should be included in the manuscript at the first mention of the data
supplement or the first mention of each data supplement if there is
more than one.
Use
of Abbreviations
Consult Scientific Style and Format: The CBE
Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers , by the
Council of Biology Editors Style Committee (6th edition, New York:
Cambridge University Press, 1994). The first time an uncommon
abbreviation appears, it should be preceded by the full name or phrase
for which it stands.
Permissions
Authors should indicate whether the work has been submitted
to an Institutional Review Board and whether approval was obtained.
If text, illustrations, or data supplements include information about individual patients, either the patients should not be identifiable or the material must be accompanied by written permission to use the identifiable material in print and online publication.
Materials taken from other sources must be accompanied by a written statement from both the author and publisher giving permission to the publishers of JAMIA to reprint the material in print and online. If clearances are required by the author's institution, statements concerning such clearance should be provided with the manuscript at the time of submission.
Obtain and submit written permission from authors to cite unpublished data or papers still in press.
If
the manuscript is accepted, the corresponding author will be
responsible for obtaining a signed
statement from each author indicating that the author takes
responsibility for the content of the manuscript and that the material
has not been published, simultaneously submitted, or already accepted
for publication elsewhere.
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ELECTRONIC
SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS
General Instructions
Electronic submission is required.
The host name of the ftp server is
"jamia.mc.vanderbilt.edu" this is NOT a website.
The login name is jamia and the password is submit. The
editorial
office must receive manuscripts (original and resubmissions) in both
Microsoft Word AND
PDF formats.
Advanced word processing features, such as
graphics and end notes, may cause problems and slow processing.
If using the "Track Changes" function in MS Word, please be
sure
to accept all changes and TURN OFF the "Track Changes" function before
submitting. Uploading to the server is the preferred method
of
delivery for
initial submissions and the submission of revised manuscripts.
Specific Instructions
1. Save your manuscript as a Word document AND as a PDF file.
4.
Log on to the Vanderbilt computer:
5. Indicate binary transmission:
6. Transfer the files containing the manuscript and if one exists, the cover letter. (The filenames should include the last name of the first author.)
If
no cover letter is included, the e-mail message will act as the cover
letter and will serve as a double check that we were able to read the
manuscript. Also, remember to fax the signed Documentation of
Originality for Submitted JAMIA Manuscript form to the JAMIA office at
(615) 936-5900. As soon as we have received the
manuscript, the corresponding author will receive an e-mail message
confirming receipt and whether or not we have
received the originality form (required to initiate review).
8.
Contact JAMIA office (by email: JAMIA@vanderbilt.edu) if the
corresponding author does not
receive confirmation of manuscript receipt via email in 3-5 business
days. All
correspondence will be sent to the individual listed as the
corresponding author. If the files are submitted by someone
other
than the corresponding author, please check with the corresponding
author before contacting the JAMIA office regarding confirmation of
receipt.
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REVIEW AND ACTION
Manuscripts will be reviewed by the Editor and Associate
Editors and sent to outside reviewers. Authors will be notified within four
to six
weeks if a manuscript is judged not ready or not appropriate for
publication in the
Journal prior to outside review. The corresponding author will usually
be notified
within an average of twelve to sixteen weeks post-submission whether
full review indicated acceptance,
rejection, or a need for revision. Manuscripts and letters
will be edited before publication. The corresponding author will
receive copies of page proofs before publication. Authors are
responsible for proofreading their articles.
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PUBLICATION OF
ONLINE PrePrints
PrePrints will be posted on www.jamia.org
during the month following manuscript acceptance and receipt of
copyright release. The PrePrint will be a PDF of the article as it was
accepted (i.e., not edited), and pagination in the PDF
will be in "page x of y" format, to clearly distinguish the PrePrint
from the final form.
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POSITION PAPER
Full-length papers presenting the position of an officially recognized body or organization on an important
issue in informatics. Justification for position taken should be presented with discussion of why conclusion
was reached, and possibly what alternatives were considered.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 15-20 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables, references.
Review Criteria:
1. The opinion is a valid one for the body or organization to hold.
2. Verification is made that the paper actually represents the opinion of the organization, and not the private opinion of the author.
3. The facts are correct (as contrasted to the opinion which just has to be reasonable).
4. The background and references acknowledge how the statement builds on and relates to prior publications.
WHITE PAPER
Full-length papers presenting the position of ACMI or AMIA on an important issue in informatics. Justification
for position taken should be presented with discussion of why conclusion was reached, and possibly what alternatives
were considered.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 15-20 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables, references.
Review Criteria:
1. The opinion is a valid one for AMIA or ACMI to hold.
2. Verification is made that the paper actually represents the opinion of the organization, and not the private opinion of the author.
3. The facts are correct (as contrasted to the opinion which just has to be reasonable).
4. The background and references acknowledge how the statement builds on and relates to prior publications.
VIEWPOINT
Full length papers presenting the author's perspective about a topic to provoke thought. The opinions must be tenable,
but scientific proof of their validity is not required.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 15-20 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables, references.
Review Criteria:
1. The opinion is a valid one for someone to hold.
2. Presentation of the opinion to the readership will lead to discussion or inquiry that will further the field of medical informatics.
3. The facts are correct (as contrasted to the opinion which just has to be reasonable).
4. The background and references acknowledge how the statement builds on and relates to prior publications.
TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
Full length papers reviewing the basis of a new technology together with qualitative or quantitative assessment of its effectiveness,
shortcomings and cost.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 20-30 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
Outline:
1. Introduction - A short statement that presents the purpose of the paper.
2. Background - Subsections might address the need for the technology evaluation, the environment in which the technology has been developed and tested, and/or previous evaluations of the technology. An analysis of the benefits and weaknesses of applying the technology is crucial.
3. Design Objectives - Key metrics against which the technology evaluation would occur. Examples include purpose, intended users, observed performance and benefits.
4. System Description - Subsections might address the overall technology, data structures and control mechanisms that implement the technology, user function or services that the technology supports, and observed benefits and drawbacks of the technology.
5. Evaluation Results - Measures of the degree to which the technology meets its goals and provides the desired benefits and the extent to which it is used in target communities. Examples include utilization and performance statistics.
6. Discussion - Subsections might address summary of evaluation, lessons learned, and future plans.
Review Criteria:
1. Some aspect of the evaluation must be original. The evaluation itself might be novel originality might come from applying the evaluation to an important new application of the technology.
2. The background and references must acknowledge how the evaluation relates to prior work, both in terms of building and applying the technology and evaluating the technology.
3. The level of detail of the technology description should permit the reader to understand how the technology works. The
description of the evaluation should be adequate to convince the reader of its strengths and weaknesses.
4. The summary and lessons learned sections should provide readers with key insights and general principles for applying the technology successfully.
APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Full length papers describing the application of information technology to solve practical problems relevant to health care,
biomedical research, or health education.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 20-30 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
Outline:
1. Introduction - A short statement that presents the purpose of the paper.
2. Background - Subsections might address the need for the application, the environment in which it is being developed or tested, or pilot studies that demonstrate need or feasibility. An analysis and integration of lessons from related work by others is crucial.
3. Design Objectives - Key objectives against which the performance of the application should be judged. Examples include purpose, intended users, or desired performance.
4. System Description - Subsections might address the overall architecture, data structures and control mechanisms that implement the architecture, and user function or services that are supported.
5. Status Report -Measures of the degree to which the application meets the design objectives. Examples include utilization and performance statistics.
6. Discussion - Subsections might address lessons learned and future plans. 7. References
Review Criteria:
1. Some aspect of the application must be original. The application itself might be novel; originality might come from applying a proven technology to an important new user domain; or a new technology can be used to enhance a proven application.
2. The background and references must acknowledge how the effort builds on and relates to prior work.
3. The level of detail of the application description should permit the reader to understand how the application works.
4. The lessons must glean from specific experiences key insights and general principles that will be of use to others.
IMPLEMENTATION BRIEF
An Implementation Brief reports the innovative application of informatics to meet a practical need or a strategy to overcome
barriers to effective use of an application in an environment. The report should document the methods employed and their impact.
Measure of impact might include number of users (actual as well as the number of possible); whether the users continue to use the
system over time; implementation effort; data quality; application utility or acceptability; cost/benefit; etc. to effective use of an
application in an environment. The report should document the methods employed and their impact. Measure of impact might include
number of users (actual as well as the number of possible); whether the users continue to use the system over time;
implementation effort; data quality; application utility or acceptability; cost/benefit; etc.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 5-10 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
3. Outline: Introduction, Methods, Observations, Discussion, References
Review Criteria:
1. The implementation problem must be important and recognized as challenging. The informatics methods need not be original.
2. Impact must be documented within the reporting site, but evaluation methods do not need to permit generalization beyond that site.
3. The level of detail of the application description should permit the reader to understand how the impact was achieved.
4. The references and discussion must place the work in context with other efforts to handle the problem.
TECHNICAL BRIEF
A Technical Brief presents a method or technique for developing an informatics tool or resource. It should show the reader how
to get around a problem or to do something in an easier way. It should read as a helpful hint and give tips or tricks of the
trade that readers can incorporate into their tool kits.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words
2. Length: 3-5 pages, double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of 0-1 figures or tables and 0-6 references.
Review Criteria:
1. The problem being solved must be important, i.e. the tool or resource must be needed.
2. The technique or its application must be novel or unrecognized. Originality is not required if the majority of the people responsible for solving the problem are unaware of the usefulness of the technique.
3. The method must be described at a level of detail that enables the reader to apply it in their environments.
4. The references and discussion must place the work in context with other efforts to handle the problem.
REVIEW PAPER
Full length papers presenting a comprehensive review and interpretation of the literature on a well defined topic that has significance
to medical informatics.
Style:
1. Abstract: Unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 20-30 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
Outline:
1. Introduction - A short statement that presents the purpose and scope of the review.
2. Background - Motivate the review and place topic in context. Subsections might address the significance of the topic to medical informatics, relationship of the topic to other topics, and prior efforts to synthesize information about the topic.
3. Process for selecting material for inclusion in the review.
4. Body of the review.
5. Discussion - Subsections might address implications of the review, limitations, directions for future work.
6. Conclusion - Short statement of findings and implications.
7. References
Review Criteria:
1. The review presents material that is current and is not already covered in textbooks, monographs or another review.
2. The material reviewed has adequate depth and diversity.
3. The review is well organized, facts are presented clearly, and discussion of differing findings is balanced.
4. The authors demonstrate expertise in the material, and relay new insight and perspective through the review.
5. The timeliness and significance of the topic to medical informatics is clear.
SYNTHESIS OF RESEARCH PAPER
Full-length papers presenting a comprehensive review and interpretation of the literature on a body of work by an individual
investigator or a single laboratory over an extended time period that has significance to medical informatics.
Style:
1. Abstract: Unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 20-30 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
Outline:
1. Introduction - A short statement that presents the purpose and scope of the synthesis of research.
2. Background - Motivate the review and place the topic in context. Subsections might address the significance of the body of work to medical informatics, relationship of the body of work to other topics, other important contemporary influences on the topic/field, and prior efforts to synthesize information about the topic.
3. Process for selecting material for inclusion in the synthesis of research.
4. Body of the synthesis of research (usually, but not always organized chronologically).
5. Discussion � Subsections might address implications of the body of work, limitations, directions for future work.
6. Conclusion � Short statement of findings and implications.
7. References
Review Criteria:
1. The synthesis of research presents material that is current and is not already covered in textbooks, monographs or another review.
2. The material reviewed is selected systematically with adequate depth and diversity.
3. The review is well organized, presents facts clearly, and contains a balanced discussion of differing findings.
4. The authors demonstrate expertise in the material, and relay new insight and perspective through the review. 5. The timeliness and significance of the topic to medical informatics is clear.
BRIEF REVIEW
Short papers that provide a timely update or overview of a hot topic or breaking news item that is important
to medical informatics.
Style:
1. Abstract: Unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 5-10 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
Outline:
1. Introduction - A short statement that presents the purpose the report.
2. Body of the brief review.
3. Implications for medical informatics.
4. References
Review Criteria:
1. The review presents material that is timely and not generally appreciated by the readers.
2. The review is well organized, facts are presented clearly, and discussion of implications is balance. The significance of the topic to medical informatics is clear.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The purpose of a Historical Perspectives paper is to describe important past events in the history of biomedical informatics,
either as verbatim previously unpublished documents1 or through interviews (such as verbal histories) with early pioneers in
the field.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, 150-250 words
2. Length: 15-20 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of figures, tables, and references.
Review Criteria:
1. Relate to the significance of the events described and the uniqueness of the publication.
BOOK REVIEW
The JAMIA book review series is intended to:
1) alert readers to work that is particularly important to the field of medical informatics; or
2) to place a work in context. The series is selective and is not designed to cover everything that is published.
Style:
1. Abstract: none
2. Length: 500-1000 words, exclusive of zero to three references.
Outline:
1. Title of book (exact), author(s) (full name as listed on cover), publisher's name, publication city, date of publication, number of pages, price.
2. Summary of content. General discussion of what the book covers, and its major topics. A chapter by chapter summary is not desirable.
3. Discussion of author(s): What is background and experience of author(s)? Why are authors qualified to write this book? Do authors present a particular perspective?
4. Strong points of book
5. Weak points of book
6. Who should read this book? Who is the prospective audience? What background is required to understand the material?
7. Why you should or should not buy this book? As a text? As a reference?
8. Comparison of this book to others in field.
9. Quotable Quote.
RESEARCH PAPER
Full length papers presenting original hypotheses and findings.
Style:
1. Abstract: Less than 250 words, structured according to Objective, Design, Measurements, Results, and Conclusion.
2. Length: 20-30 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
Outline:
1. Introduction - A short statement that presents the purpose of the paper.
2. Background - Motivate and place the work in context. Subsections might address the significance of the problem being addressed, other approaches to the problem, prior work on the approach being reported.
3. Research question or hypothesis.
4. Methods - Subsections might include selection of sites and subjects, intervention, measurements, analysis.
5. Results
6. Discussion - Subsections might address significance, limitations, future work.
7. Conclusion - Short statement of findings and implications.
8. References
Review Criteria:
1. The reported work is original and data have not been reported previously.
2. The background and references acknowledge how the findings build on, extend, agree with, or refute prior work.
3. The level of detail of the methods permits the reader to understand how to reproduce the results.
4. The results are presented non-ambiguously.
5. The discussion clarifies the generalizability and limits of the findings.
6. The findings represent a significant addition to the knowledge-base of the field of medical informatics.
MODEL FORMULATION
Full length papers proposing a model, frame work, or technique. The paper should clarify and validate the proposal through an example.
Style:
1. Abstract: Less than 250 words, structured according to Objective, Design, Measurements, Results, and Conclusion.
2. Length: 20-30 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
Outline:
1. Introduction - A short statement that presents the purpose of the paper.
2. Background - Motivate and place the work in context. Subsections might address the significance of the problem being addressed, other approaches to the problem, prior work on the approach being reported.
3. Formulation process
4. Model description
5. Validation through example
6. Discussion - Subsections might address significance, limitations, future work.
7. Conclusion - Short summary of the model and implications.
8. References
Review Criteria:
1. The model is original and the validation has not been reported previously.
2. The background and references acknowledge how the proposal builds on, extends, agrees with, or refutes prior work.
3. The formulation process is specified in sufficient detail to permit the reader to reproduce the results.
4. The model definition is clear enough that the reader can apply it to their work.
5. The validation example and discussion clarify the generalizability and limits of the model.
6. The model addresses a problem that is significant to the field of medical informatics.
METHODS PAPER
Full length papers presenting significant new methods for research or applications in the field.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words.
2. Length: 20-30 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables and references.
Outline:
1. Introduction - A short statement that presents the purpose of the paper.
2. Background � Motivate and place the work in context. Subsections might address the significance of the problem being addressed, other approaches to the problem, prior work on the approach being reported.
3. Method development process
4. Method description
5. Validation through example
6. Discussion - Subsections might address significance, limitations, future work.
7. Conclusion � Short summary of the method and implications.
8. References
Review Criteria:
1. The method is original and the validation has not been reported previously.
2. The background and references acknowledge how the proposal builds on, extends, agrees with, or refutes prior work.
3. The method formulation process is specified in sufficient detail to permit the reader to reproduce the results.
4. The method definition is clear enough that the reader can apply it to their work.
5. The validation example and discussion clarify the generalizability and limits of the method.
6. The method addresses a problem that is significant to the field of medical informatics.
CASE REPORT
A Case Report explores a method or a problem through an example.
Style:
1. Abstract: unstructured, less than 150 words
2. Length: 5-10 pages double spaced or one and one half type, inclusive of abstract, figures, tables, references.
3. Outline: Introduction, Case Description, Method, Example, Discussion.
Review Criteria:
1. Significance of the problem; and originality of the method or discovery of the problem.
2. The description of the case must allow the reader to understand if the situation applies to their work; and the description of the method must allow the reader to reproduce it.
3. The references and discussion must place the work in context with other approaches to the problem.
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
An editorial provides authoritative insight or evidence in any area that is of particular interest to our readers. It may
stand alone or may support, supplement, or criticize an article published in JAMIA or elsewhere, or set forth a contradictory position.
Style:
1. Abstract: none
2. Length: 500-1000 words, exclusive of 0-6 references. It may have one or two small tables or figures.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
A Letter to the Editor may support, supplement, or criticize an article published in JAMIA, or set forth a contradictory
position related to a JAMIA publication.
Style:
1. Abstract: none
2. Length: 250-500 words, exclusive of 0-3 references. It may have up to 1 small table or figure (not both).
SPECIAL FEATURES (ACMI Fellows)
Paragraph 1:
Name
current titles
current institutional affiliations
degrees & degree granting institutions
Paragraph 2:
Significant prior positions
Contributions to medical informatics
Paragraph 3:
Honors
National committees
Prestigious lectureships
Election to academies, etc.
SPECIAL SECTIONS
Special sections allow recruitment and coordinated publication of papers to provide an organized focus upon an important topic.
The section is published in the regular issues of the Journal, not as a supplement. 5-7 manuscripts in an issue can be part of
a section, leaving room for some of the Journal's unsolicited content. Alternatively, a section may be spread across multiple
issues, with 2-4 papers in each issue.
Process:
1. Individuals who are interested in coordinating these special sections within JAMIA submit a proposal to the editors. If the proposal is accepted, the individuals preparing it are designated as guest editors for the section. Their role is prominently highlighted in the issue and they are expected to contribute an editorial to introduce the section.
2. The proposal includes: the objective of the section; the anticipated number of manuscripts and the date at which they will be available for review; proposed topics and authors. Allow at least 6 months between receipt by the editorial office for review and the desired publication date.
3. The selection of topics and authors should be made with an eye toward achieving balance between disciplines and opinions. Any relevant commercial interests of potential authors should be disclosed in the proposal. The plan should reflect our experience that only about ½ of the people who agree to write a paper will produce an acceptable manuscript within a reasonable period of time. If the editors judge the balance to be inadequate, they reserve the right to solicit papers or editorials to correct the deficiency.
4. The editors will accept, reject, or ask for revision of the proposal. Once a proposal has been accepted, the editorial office and the guest editors work out a schedule of deadlines and a possible publication schedule.
5. The guest editor then issues a call for papers or specific invitations to individual authors. The invitations must be clear that acceptance is subject to the journal's peer review process. The guest editor should suggest the appropriate JAMIA "Tag" to the author and provide them with the detailed guidelines for that type of manuscript. We suggest that papers be submitted to the guest editors for an initial review and revision prior to submission to the editorial office for the journal's review process.
6. The guest editors assume the duties of the Associate Editor in the journal's review process. These duties include: recruiting, in consultation with the editors, one or two outside referees to review each manuscript; drafting of letters to authors regarding the results of the review; and commenting upon the adequacy of requested revisions. The guest editor must follow the review process and schedule established for the rest of the Journal.
7. Final acceptance decisions will rest with the Editor-in Chief. The Editor-in-Chief reserves the right to reject individual manuscripts which are submitted as part of the section.
Please
send all correspondence related to an
inital JAMIA
submission to the JAMIA office at:
jamia@vanderbilt.edu
Please send all other manuscript related correspondence to the JAMIA Editorial Assistant, Alexis
Broussard, at:
alexis.n.broussard @ vanderbilt.edu
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