|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Journal issues
|
International Journal of Obesity
Instructions for authors
Manuscripts submitted for publication should be sent to:
Manuscripts from Japan and Australasia may be sent via:
Letters to the Editor, suggestions for Review Articles, Supplements and Book Reviews should be
sent to: Short Communications. Studies that fall short of the criteria for full research papers (eg preliminary experiments limited by sample size or duration, novel hypotheses or commentaries) may be submitted as Short Communications. They should contain no more than 1000 words of text, a maximum of two display items (tables and/or figures) and a maximum of 20 references. Apart from the Abstract (one paragraph of maximum 150 words) and Keywords, there is no obligation to divide the text into sections. In all other respects, the directions for full papers should be followed. Manuscripts. Four copies should be submitted, including the top copy, and should include a full set of illustrations (photocopies acceptable). An additional set of high quality illustrations (see below) should be submitted with the manuscript, along with a covering letter confirming that the work described is original and is not being submitted for publication elsewhere. All copy, including references, tables and legends should be typed with double spacing (preferably on A4 paper: 297x210mm, 12.7 x 8.3in) and with generous margins. Number each page following the title page, and include line-numbers (every 5 lines is sufficient) if this option is available. Please make spelling consistent with current editions of either Webster’s Dictionary or Oxford English Dictionary. (NB adrenaline / noradrenaline / isoprenaline are preferred to epinephrine / norepinephrine / isoproterenol). Text. A separate title page is required giving the full title, which should be short and informative but not make a statement or conclusion, or be interrogative. A short running head containing not more than 50 characters (including spaces) is also required, together with the names of all authors and the institution(s) (with full postal address) where the work was carried out: please indicate the author for correspondence, proof-reading and reprint requests. The telephone and/or fax number of this author will assist the editorial and production process and to encourage greater exchange between researchers the journal will publish the e-mail address of this author (if provided). In most cases, text will comprise: Structured Abstract and Keywords (provide three to six words or short phrases), Introduction, Methods (or Experimental), Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements, References, Tables, Figure Captions and Figures. Structured Abstract. All regular papers (ie not Reviews or Short Communications) should be prepared with a structured abstract designed to summarise the essential features of the paper in a logical and concise sequence. Authors are free to choose the most appropriate structure for the abstract but should produce something along the lines of the example given below.
Examples of a Structured Abstract Objective: To investigate whether fat distribution or sex hormone status in overweight postmenopausal women influences the response to treatment of overweight. Introduction. This should give a short, clear account of the background and reasons for undertaking the study. It should not be a review of the literature. Methods (Experimental). This section is where the experimental design and protocols should be described, although if there was a complex sequence of experiments, it is permissible to describe individual protocols immediately before presenting the results (see below). The methods must be described in sufficient detail to allow the experiments/data collection to be repeated by others. Common, routine methods need only be described in outline with an appropriate reference to a full description. Manufacturers of equipment, and sources of chemicals and drugs must be identified. Calculations and the statistical methods employed must be described in this section. Experiments involving animals or humans must conform to normal ethical standards, and approval by the appropriate Ethical Committee should be stated, if applicable. Results. The description of results should not simply reiterate data that appear in tables and figures and, likewise, the same data should not be displayed in both tables and figures. The results section should be concise and follow a logical sequence. If the paper describes a complex series of experiments, it is permissible to explain the protocol/experimental design before presenting the results. Do not discuss the results or draw any conclusions in this section. Discussion. Do not recapitulate the results, but discuss their significance against the background of existing knowledge, and identify clearly those aspects that are novel. The final paragraph should highlight the main conclusion(s), and provide some indication of the direction future research should take. Acknowledgements. These should be brief, and should include sources of support, sources of material (eg novel drugs) not available commercially. References. References should be cited numerically in the order they appear in the text. Identify references in text, tables and legends by arabic numerals in parentheses or as superscripts; authors of unpublished work which has not yet been accepted for publication must be included in the text only (eg J-P Després & MJ Stock – unpublished data). Please give names of all authors and editors. References should be listed and journal titles abbreviated according to the style used by Index Medicus, examples are given below.
Examples of journal references: 1 Castonguay TW, Dallman MF, Stern JS. Some metabolic and behavioural effects of adrenalectomy in obese Zucker rats. Am J Physiol 1986; 251: R923-R933.
Examples of book references: 1 Lissner L, Bengtsson C, Lapidus L, Larson B, Bengtsson B, Brownell KD. Body weight variability and mortality in the Gothenburg Prospective Studies on men and women. In: Bjorntorp P, Rossner S (eds). Obesity in Europe 88: Proceedings of the First European Congress on Obesity. Libbey: London; 1989. pp 55-60. Tables. Type each table double spaced on a separate sheet and number consecutively in the order of the first citation in the text. Supply a brief title for each, but place explanatory matter in footnotes (not in the heading). Explain all non-standard abbreviations in the footnotes, and identify and explain all statistical measures (eg standard deviations and standard errors) and analyses (eg ANOVA, unpaired t-test, etc). Do not use internal horizontal and vertical rules, and make sure that each table is cited in the text. Illustrations. These should be placed at the end of the manuscript together with a separate typed sheet for figure legends and footnotes. All explanatory details should be provided in the legend, not the figure. Number all illustrations (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc) and make sure that each is cited in the text. Half-tone photographs: send glossy prints without heavy marks on the back; show in pencil or on an overlay any portion to be omitted. Line drawings: (including graphs, histograms, formulae): these may be original drawings, glossy prints or high quality (laser) computer-generated graphics, but must be suitable for direct reproduction; all lettering and symbols should be clear and even throughout and of sufficient size that when reduced for publication each will still be legible. On the back of each figure indicate the figure number, first author’s name and the top of the figure. The cost of coloured figures will be borne by the author. Units and abbreviations. Use metric units (SI units) as fully as possible (followed by non-SI units in parentheses). Preferably give measurements of energy in kiloJoules or MegaJoules with kilocalories in parentheses (1 kcal = 4.186kJ). Use % throughout. Very common abbreviations such as FFA, RNA, need not be defined; on first using an abbreviation place it in parentheses after the full item. Note these abbreviations: gram g; litre l; milligram mg; kilogram kg; kilojoule kJ; megajoule MJ; weight wt; seconds s; minutes min; hours h. Do not add s for plural units. Proofs, offprints and copyright. Page proofs, which will normally reproduce any illustrations, will be sent to you for marking printer’s errors. The journal does not impose page charges, and alterations of subject matter at proof stage are therefore inadmissible beyond a strictly limited extent, and must be approved by an editor. An order form for offprints and a copyright transfer form will be sent with proofs and should be returned with your corrections: 25 offprints are supplied free of charge. Reprints may be ordered after the journal has been published.
Submission on disk
Any illustrations that have been prepared on a computer may be submitted in electronic form, but to ensure optimum quality please follow these guidelines and submit the material as:
Business correspondence and enquiries relating to advertising, subscriptions, backnumbers or reprints should be addressed to the relevant person at Nature Publishing Group, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS, UK.
Last Updated 21 March 2001 |
