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Instructions for Authors
MANUSCRIPT CRITERIA AND INFORMATION
The Archives of Dermatology is an international, peer-reviewed, dermatologic journal, with distribution to readers in more than 95 countries.
Manuscript Submission.—All manuscripts should be sent to June K. Robinson, MD, Editor, Archives of Dermatology, Section of Dermatology, Level 2, Bldg 11, Room 503, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756 USA; telephone: (603) 653-9477; fax: (603) 653-9478. Manuscripts may be sent electronically as Word files; figures and tables must be sent as separate attachments. When submitting figures electronically, each figure should be separately numbered and submitted as a JPG or TIFF file. Send to the editor by e-mail: archdermatol{at}jama-archives.org.
Manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have not been published previously in print or electronic format and are not under consideration by another publication or electronic medium. A complete report following presentation or publication of preliminary findings elsewhere (eg, in an abstract) can be considered. Include copies of possibly duplicative material that has been previously published or is currently being considered elsewhere.1 Authors submitting manuscripts or letters to the editor regarding adverse drug or medical device reactions, reportable diseases, and the like should also report such to the relevant government agency.
Electronic Submission.—We encourage authors to submit manuscripts via e-mail to archdermatol{at}jama-archives.org. Manuscripts submitted by e-mail should not be submitted by mail or fax. Please note that the required author responsibility form must still be submitted by mail or fax. To ensure that the electronic submission is usable, please adhere to the following guidelines when submitting your manuscript electronically.
- In the subject line of the e-mail, type "Electronic submission." In the e-mail message include your full name, e-mail address, mailing address, and telephone and fax numbers, and the title of the manuscript as it appears on the cover page of the attached file.
- Text and tables should be in the same file, if possible.
- Text: Save the text in Microsoft Word.
- Tables: Save any tables in the same file. Make certain that each item in the table sits in its own table cell. Do not use paragraph returns (to start new rows) or tabs (to start new columns) to format the table.
- Figures: Images should be saved as separate files in either JPG or TIFF format, indicating the author name and submission date in the file name. Please note that some e-mail systems will not process large attachments, so these files may need to be e-mailed separately. Please refer to "Digital Art Submissions" elsewhere in these Instructions for proper formatting and resolution requirements. Digitally enhanced images must be identified in the figure legends as electronically enhanced or manipulated. Please include and clearly label the enhanced images and the original images for review by our reviewers. Enhanced images are also to be submitted by mail as 3 hard copies of the enhanced images and 3 hard copies of the original images for review by our reviewers.
- Copyright Form and Patient Consent: Upon submission, the corresponding author should fax the completed author responsibility forms for all authors to the editorial office: (603) 653-9478. On the fax cover page, please indicate that these forms are for a manuscript submitted electronically and include the date of submission. At the same time, please send a signed statement of informed consent to publish (in print and online) patient photographs and pedigrees from all persons who can be identified in such photographs and pedigrees.
- Manuscripts submitted by e-mail should not also be submitted by regular mail or fax; however, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, we will need 4 hard copies of the manuscript. Four copies of each figure may be submitted as either high-quality color prints from a desktop printer or glossy photographic prints. We will also need the text, tables, and figure legends on a diskette or CD. In addition, the figures may be submitted electronically, with each figure as a JPG or TIFF file on a CD or as positive color transparencies (35-mm slides).
Embargo Policy.—Information regarding the content and publication date of accepted manuscripts is confidential. Information contained in or about accepted articles cannot appear in print, radio, television, or in electronic form or be released to the media until 3 PM CST on the third Monday of the month.
MANUSCRIPT CHECKLIST
 1. Include original manuscript, 4 photocopies, and diskette, if submitting by mail.
2. If submitting by e-mail, include text, tables, and figures in a single file (if possible), as well as mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address.
3. Include statements—signed by each author—on (a) authorship criteria and responsibility, (b) financial disclosure, (c) copyright transfer or federal employment, and (d) acknowledgment statement.
4. Indicate general and specific contributions from each author (see authorship checklist).
5. Include statement signed by corresponding author that written permission has been obtained from all persons named in the acknowledgment.
6. Include research or project support/funding in an acknowledgment.
7. Double-space manuscript (text and references) and leave right margins unjustified (ragged).
8. Check all references for accuracy and completeness. Put references in proper format in numerical order, making sure each is cited in the text.
9. If submitting by mail, send 4 sets of all illustrations. If submitting electronically, send JPG or TIFF files. NOTE: The file cannot be larger than 2 MB. If larger, then please send as separate e-mail attachments.
10. Provide and label an abstract.
11. Include written permission from each individual identified as a source for personal communication.
12. Include informed consent forms for identifiable patient descriptions, photographs, and pedigrees.
13. Include written permission from publishers or other copyright holders to reproduce or adapt previously published illustrations and tables in print and online editions of Archives of Dermatology and its licensed versions.
14. On the title page, designate a corresponding author and provide a complete address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, and word count.
Categories of Articles
The Archives of Dermatology publishes original contributions (Studies), case reports and series (Observations), review articles, brief reports, special communications, commentaries, letters to the editor, and many other categories of articles. Topics of interest include all subjects that are related to the practice of dermatology and the betterment of public health worldwide. The most frequent categories of articles are described below.
Studies.—Randomized controlled trials (see "Instructions for Preparing Reports of Randomized Controlled Trials"), intervention studies, studies of screening and diagnostic tests, outcome studies, cost-effectiveness analyses, case-control series, and surveys with high response rates. Each manuscript should clearly state an objective or hypothesis; the design and methodology (including the study’s setting and time period, patients or participants with inclusion and exclusion criteria, or data sources and how these were selected for the study); the essential features of any interventions; the main outcome measures; the main results of the study; a discussion placing the results in the context of published literature; and the conclusions. For more information, see "Instructions for Preparing Structured Abstracts." Typical length: 8 to 20 double-spaced manuscript pages (not including tables, figures, and references).
Observations.—Short reports of original studies or evaluations. Clinical cases (individual or a series) that are unique and of high didactic value. Typical length: 3 to 9 double-spaced manuscript pages (not including tables, figures, and references).
Reviews.—Systematic critical assessments of literature and data sources pertaining to clinical topics, emphasizing factors such as cause, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, or prevention. All articles and data sources reviewed should include information about the specific type of study or analysis, population, intervention, exposure, and tests or outcomes. All articles or data sources should be selected systematically for inclusion in the review and critically evaluated, and the selection process should be described in the paper. Meta-analyses also will be considered as reviews. For more information, see "Instructions for Preparing Structured Abstracts." Typical length: 15 to 20 double-spaced manuscript pages (not including tables, figures, and references).
Cutting Edge.—Clinicians, local and regional societies, residents, and fellows are invited to submit cases of challenges in management and therapeutics to this section. Cases should follow the established pattern. If submitting by mail, submit 4 double-spaced copies of the manuscript with right margins nonjustified and 4 sets of the illustrations. Photomicrographs and illustrations must be clear and submitted as positive color transparencies (35-mm slides) or black-and-white prints. Do not submit color prints unless accompanied by original transparencies. Material should be accompanied by the required copyright transfer statement. Material for this section should be submitted to George J. Hruza, MD, Laser and Dermatological Surgery Center Inc, 14377 Woodlake Dr, Suite 111, St Louis, MO 63017 (e-mail: ghruza{at}aol.com). If submitting electronically, please see guidelines under "Electronic Submission" elsewhere in these Instructions.
Critical Situations.—Readers are invited to submit examples of acute or potentially life-threatening disorders that highlight important, new, or difficult diagnostic or therapeutic challenges. Case reports should be submitted using the established "Critical Situations" format, with "Report of a Case," "Challenge," and "Comment" sections. Material should be submitted to Anita G. Licata, MD, University of Vermont, Division of Dermatology, Fletcher Allen Health Care/University Health Center, 1 S Prospect St, Burlington, VT 05401-3444 (e-mail: Anita.Licata{at}vtmednet.org). Manuscripts may be submitted electronically via e-mail (see "Electronic Submission"). If submitting by mail, submit 4 double-spaced copies of the manuscript with right margins nonjustified, 4 sets of the illustrations, and a diskette.
Off-Center Fold.—Clinicians, local and regional societies, and residents and fellows in dermatology are invited to submit quiz cases to this section. Cases should follow the established pattern and be submitted double-spaced. Photomicrographs and illustrations must be clear and submittted as 3 positive color transparencies and as 3 color prints. Material should be accompanied by the required copyright transfer statement. Material for this section should be submitted to Michael E. Ming, MD, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System, 2 Maloney Bldg, 3600 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283.
On the Horizon.—Readers are invited to submit short reports of research topics likely to be of interest to practicing dermatologists now or in the future. Each piece will begin with a reprinted abstract, followed by commentary about its clinical relevance. A key figure or table, a few references, and optional Web links may be included. Prospective topics should be discussed in advance of submission with the Section Editor or an Assistant Section Editor (see the masthead in each issue). Typical length: 1 published page, or about 800 words, and the abstract from the original paper, with possibly 1 figure or table and 3 to 5 references. Material should be submitted to Gary S. Wood, MD, Johnson Professor and Chairman, Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, One South Park, Seventh Floor, Madison, WI 53715 (e-mail: gwood{at}dermatology.wisc.edu).
skINsight.—Readers are invited to submit visually compelling images with striking patterns whose recognition enhances our diagnostic and therapeutic abilities. The submission may include up to 3 figures and the text must be no more than 200 words. You may submit your manuscript by mail or e-mail to James M. Grichnik, MD, PhD, Duke University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, PO Box 3135, Durham, NC 27710-3135 (e-mail: grich001{at}mc.duke.edu). If submitting by mail, submit 4 double-spaced copies of the manuscript with right margins nonjustified, 4 sets of the illustrations, and a diskette.
Correspondence.—The Correspondence section of the ARCHIVES is meant to provide a forum for exchange of ideas about cutaneous medicine and surgery and is divided into 2 sections. The Comments and Opinions section is intended for responses to articles previously published in the journal or for comments on philosophic and practical issues pertaining to dermatology. If an ARCHIVES article is discussed, the letter should contain this reference and be received within 4 months of the article’s publication. The Vignettes section contains short studies, very short case reports, rapid publications, and preliminary observations that lack the data to qualify as full journal articles. Acceptance is contingent on editorial review and space available. Correspondence should be typewritten, double-spaced, submitted in triplicate, and clearly marked "for publication." Correspondence should not exceed 500 words, should not contain more than 5 references and 2 figures, and must include a copyright transfer statement when submitted.
Criteria for Manuscript Acceptance
Manuscripts submitted to the Archives of Dermatology should meet the following criteria: the material is original; the writing is clear; the study methods are appropriate; the data are valid; the conclusions are reasonable and supported by the data; the information is important; and the topic has general medical interest. From these basic criteria, we assess a paper’s eligibility for publication. We receive approximately 800 papers each year, but publish only about 40% of unsolicited manuscripts. Because of this competition for space in the Archives of Dermatology, we advise authors to follow these instructions and to keep papers as brief as possible while still meeting the quality criteria described above.
Authorship Information
Designate 1 author as corresponding author and provide a complete address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. Manuscripts with 6 or more authors should include a justification or explanation of each author’s contribution. Authors may add a publishable footnote explaining order of authorship and specific contributions.2-3
Data Access and Responsiblity. For reports containing original data, at least 1 author (eg, the principal investigator) should indicate that he or she "had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis."4 For industry-sponsored studies, the data analysis should be conducted by statisticians at an academic center rather than only by statisticians employed by the company sponsoring the research.
Funding/Support and Role of Sponsor. All financial and material support for the research and the work should be clearly and completely identified in an Acknowledgment. The role of the funding organization or sponsor in each of the following should be specified: design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.
Group Authorship. If authorship is attributed to a group (either solely or in addition to 1 or more individual authors), all members of the group must meet the full criteria and requirements for authorship described in the following paragraphs. A group must designate at least 1 or more individuals as authors or members of a writing group who meet full authorship criteria and requirements and who will take responsibility for the group, in which case the other group members are not authors, but may be listed in an acknowledgment.5
Authorship Requirements. With the cover letter include (1) the statement on authorship criteria and responsibility and (2) the statement on financial disclosure and (3) either the statement on copyright or the statement on federal employment. Each of these 3 statements must be read and signed by all authors.6 (4) The corresponding author must sign the acknowledgment statement. (See the form at the end of these Instructions.)
1. Authorship Responsibility, Criteria, and Contributions Checklist.
Each author should meet all criteria below and should indicate general and specific contributions by reading criteria A, B, C, and D and checking the appropriate boxes.
A. I certify that
- the manuscript represents valid work and that neither this manuscript nor one with substantially similar content under my authorship has been published or is being considered for publication elsewhere, except as described in an attachment; and
- if requested by the editors, I will provide the data or will cooperate fully in obtaining and providing the data on which the manuscript is based for examination by the editors or their assignees; and
- for papers with more than 1 author, I agree to allow the corresponding author to serve as the primary correspondent with the editorial office, to review the edited typescript and proof, and to make decisions regarding release of information in the manuscript to the media, federal agencies, or both; or, if I am the only author, I will be the corresponding author and agree to serve in the roles described above.
B. I have given final approval of the submitted manuscript.
C. I have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for (check 1 of 2 below)
part of the content.
the whole content.
D. To qualify for authorship, you must check at least 1 box for each of the 3 categories of contributions listed below.
I have made substantial contributions to the intellectual content of the paper as described below.
1. (check at least 1 of the 3 below)
conception and design
acquisition of data
analysis and interpretation of data
2. (check at least 1 of 2 below)
drafting of the manuscript
critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content
3. (check at least 1 below)
statistical expertise
obtaining funding
administrative, technical, or material support
supervision
no additional contributions
other (specify)
2. Financial Disclosure.
- I certify that all financial and material support for this research and work are clearly identified in the manuscript.
- I certify that all my affiliations with or financial involvement (eg, employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, royalties) with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or in financial conflict with the subject matter or ma terials discussed in the manuscript are completely disclosed here or in an attachment.
I have no relevant financial interests in this manuscript.
3. Copyright Transfer.— "In consideration of the action of the American Medical Association (AMA) in reviewing and editing this submission, the author(s) undersigned hereby transfer(s), assign(s), or otherwise convey(s) all copyright ownership to the AMA in the event that such work is published by the AMA."
Federal Employment.—"I was an employee of the US federal government when this work was investigated and prepared for publication; therefore, it is not protected by the Copyright Act and there is no copyright of which the ownership can be transferred."
4. Acknowledgment Statement. —The corresponding author must include the following statement in the cover letter: "All persons who have made substantial contributions to the work reported in the manuscript (including writing and editing assistance), but who are not authors, are named in the acknowledgment and have given me their written permission to be named. If I do not include an acknowledgment, that means I have not received substantial contributions from nonauthors." (See the form at the end of these Instructions.) Authors should obtain written permission from all individuals named in an acknowledgment, since readers may infer their endorsement of data and conclusions.3
Editorial Review and Processing
Peer Review.—All submitted manuscripts are reviewed initially by an ARCHIVES editor. Those manuscripts with insufficient priority for publication are rejected promptly. Other manuscripts are sent to expert consultants for peer review. Peer reviewer identities are kept confidential. Author identities are not kept confidential.
The existence of a manuscript under review is not revealed to anyone other than peer reviewers and editorial staff. Information from submitted manuscripts may be systematically collected and analyzed as part of research to improve the quality of the editorial or peer review process. Identifying information remains confidential.
Rejected Manuscripts.—Rejected manuscripts will not be returned to authors unless specifically requested in the cover letter. Original illustrations, photographs, and slides for rejected manuscripts only will be returned.3
Editing.—Accepted manuscripts are copyedited according to AMA style7 and returned to the author for approval. Authors are responsible for all statements made in their work, including changes made by the copy editor and authorized by the corresponding author.
Reprints.—Reprint order forms are included with the edited typescript sent for approval to the corresponding author. Reprints are shipped 3 weeks after publication.
All published manuscripts become the permanent property of the AMA and may not be published elsewhere without written permission from the AMA.
Manuscript Preparation
- Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the American Medical Association Manual of Style7 and/or the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals." 8
- Submit the original manuscript and 3 photocopies; use 1 side of standard-sized white bond paper and 1-inch margins. Please include a diskette containing the text of your manuscript and any tables, figures, and line art. Specify the following on the diskette: first author, computer operating system, and word-processing software used. For digital images, submit as CDs (see guidelines under "Digital Art Submissions").
- Double-space throughout, including title page, abstract, text, acknowledgments, references, legends for illustrations, and tables. Start each of these sections on a new page, numbered consecutively, beginning with the title page. Use only standard 10- or 12-point font size. Do not use proportional spacing; use unjustified (ragged) right margins and letter-quality printing.
- On the title page, include a word count for text only, exclusive of title, abstract, references, tables, and figure legends.
- On the title page include the full names, highest academic degrees, and affiliations of all authors. If an author’s affiliation has changed since the work was done, list the new affiliation as well.
- Conventional units of measure are preferred, with Système International (SI) units given in parentheses. Exceptions to this rule include calories, hematocrit, blood cell counts, and ejection fraction, for which conventional units alone are sufficient. In tables and figures, use conventional units and give the conversion factor for SI units in a footnote or legend. The metric system is preferred for the expression of length, area, mass, and volume.
- Use generic names of drugs, unless the specific trade name of a drug used is directly relevant to the discussion.
- Do not use abbreviations in the title or abstract and limit their use in the text.
Abstract.—Include a structured abstract of no more than 250 words for reports of studies, reviews (including meta-analyses), and consensus statements and no longer than 200 words for observations. (See "Instructions for Preparing Structured Abstracts.") For other major manuscripts, include a conventional, unstructured abstract of no more than 150 words. Abstracts are not required for Editorials, Commentaries, and special features of the Archives of Dermatology.
Informed Consent.—For experimental investigations of human or animal subjects, state in the "Methods" section of the manuscript that an appropriate institutional review board approved the project. For those investigators who do not have formal ethics review committees (institutional or regional), the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki should be followed.9 For investigations of human subjects, state in the "Methods" section the manner in which informed consent was obtained from the subjects.
Patient Descriptions, Photographs, and Pedigrees.—Include a signed statement of informed consent to publish (in print and online) patient descriptions, photographs, and pedigrees from all persons (parents or legal guardians for minors) who can be identified in such written descriptions, photographs, or pedigrees. Such persons should be offered the opportunity to see the manuscript before submission. (See patient consent form.)
Personal Communications.—Include a signed statement of permission from each individual identified as a source of information in a personal communication, either written or oral communication.
References.—Number double-spaced references in the order they are mentioned in the text; do not alphabetize. In text, tables, and legends, identify references with superscript arabic numerals. When listing references, follow AMA style,6 abbreviating names of journals according to Index Medicus. Note: List all authors and/or editors up to 6; if more than 6, list the first 3 and "et al."
Web References.— Please keep a print copy of any reference to Web-only information. If the URL changes or disappears, interested readers may contact the corresponding author for a copy of the information.
Examples of Reference Style:
REFERENCES
1. Chung JH, Yano K, Lee MK, et al. Differential effects of photoaging vs intrinsic aging on the vascularization of human skin. Arch Dermatol. 2002;138:1437-1442
2. Arndt KA, Dover JS, eds. Controversies & Conversations in Cutaneous Laser Surgery. Chicago, Ill: AMA Press; 2002.
3. Kinsella K, Velkoff VA. An Aging World: 2001. Available at: http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/p95-01-1.pdf. Accessed November 8, 2002.
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their references and for correct text citation.
Tables.—Title all tables and number them in order of their citation in the text. Double-space each table on separate sheets of standard-sized white bond paper. If a table must be continued, repeat the title on a second sheet, followed by "(cont)."
Illustrations.—Submit 4 sets of all illustrations: (1) 5 x 7-inch matte-finish (or glossy) photographs for all graphs and black-and-white photographs (computer-generated graphs produced by high-quality laser printers also are acceptable); (2) high-contrast prints for x-ray films; (3) color slides (and corresponding color prints or high-quality color prints generated from a desktop printer) for color illustrations. Number illustrations according to their order in the text. Affix a label with figure number, name of first author, short form of the manuscript title, and an arrow indicating "top" to the back of the print. Never mark on the print or the transparency itself. Original illustrations, photographs, and slides from rejected manuscripts will be returned to authors. For accepted manuscripts, these will be returned on request only.
Digital Art Submissions.—RGB color submissions are preferred. Calibrated color proofs should be submitted with color digital files, if possible. The canvas size of continuous-tone images should be at least 5 inches wide (depth not important) with an image resolution of at least 350 ppi. Line art images should have a minimum resolution of 1270 ppi. Formats accepted are TIFF and JPG. Digital art may be transferred by CDs or e-mail if it is not larger than 2 MB. Compress the files using software, such as WinZip or StuffIt.
Legends.—Double-space legends (maximum length, 40 words) on separate pages. Indicate magnification and stain used for photomicrographs. Digitally enhanced images must be clearly identified in the figure legends as enhanced or manipulated, eg, computed tomographic scans, magnetic resonance images, photographs, photomicrographs, x-ray films.
Adapting or Reproducing Tables and Illustrations.—Acknowledge all illustrations and tables adapted or reproduced from other publications and submit written permission to reproduce (in print and online) from the original publishers. (See permission form.)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING REPORTS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS
The checklist (Table) should be completed and submitted with the manuscript. In addition, include a flow diagram illustrating the progress of patients throughout the trial (Figure).
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Flow diagram of subject progress through the phases of a randomized trial. Adapted from Moher D, Schulz KF, Altman D, for the CONSORT Group. The CONSORT statement: revised recommendations for improving the quality of reports of parallel-group randomized trials. JAMA. 2001;285:1987-1991.
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Trial Registration.—As a member of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), Archives of Dermatology will require, as a condition of consideration for publication, registration of all trials in a public trials registry.8 Trials must be registered at or before the onset of patient enrollment. This policy applies to any clinical trial starting enrollment after July 1, 2005. For trials that began enrollment before this date, registration will be required by September 13, 2005, before considering the trial for publication. For this purpose, the ICMJE defines a clinical trial as any research project that prospectively assigns human subjects to intervention or comparison groups to study the cause-and-effect relationship between a medical intervention and a health outcome. Studies designed for other purposes, such as to study pharmacokinetics or major toxicity (eg, phase 1 trials), are exempt. (See the editorial by by Drs Callen and Robinson [Callen JP, Robinson J. Clinical trial registration: a step forward in providing transparency for the positive and negative results of clinical trials. Arch Dermatol. 2005;141:75].)
The checklist and flow diagram will be reviewed along with the manuscript. If the manuscript is accepted, the flow diagram will be published.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING STRUCTURED ABSTRACTS
All reports of original data, reviews, including meta-analyses, and consensus statements should be submitted with structured abstracts as described below. The following is adapted from Haynes RB, Mulrow CD, Huth EJ, Altman DG, Gardner MJ. More informative abstracts revisited. Ann Intern Med. 1990;113:69-76.
Reports of Original Data
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