| Instructions for Authors The Consultant Pharmacist®, the official monthly journal of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, welcomes original, sound manuscripts to be considered for publication. To ensure uniformity of manuscripts under consideration, authors are asked to adhere to the following guidelines. Manuscripts submitted for publication in The Consultant Pharmacist® should be consistent with the “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals” established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. All manuscripts are peer reviewed. The following are the requirements for submission. Online Submission Manuscripts should be submitted for review via The Consultant Pharmacist manuscript submission and review Web site at http://tcp/msubmit.net. Manuscripts should only be submitted through the online system and should not be submitted by mail or e-mail. Step-by-step instructions for formatting and uploading manuscripts are available on the login screen of the Web site under Author Instructions. In preparing for the manuscript submission, place the text and tables in a single file and figures in separate files following the format guidelines listed below. At the time of submission, we require complete contact information (mailing address, e-mail address, phone and fax numbers) for the corresponding author. Cover Letter In a cover letter to the editor, the corresponding author should:
Preparing the Manuscript General Guidelines The entire manuscript should be typed double-spaced (including abstract, references, and tables) using 12-point font size in a format compatible with Microsoft Word for Windows. Use margins of at least one inch all around. Do not use all uppercase letters in text, headlines, subheads, or tables. Descriptive headings are used to identify major sections of the text; and all references, tables, and figures must be cited in the text in their numerical order. Spell out all abbreviations on first mention, both in the manuscript and when used in tables and figures. Use generic names whenever drug products are identified. Brand names may be used when they are important to describe a product (e.g., single-source product, generic name not well known); product manufacturers should be identified only when necessary. The use of error-prone abbreviations, symbols, and dose designations should be avoided. Please see www.ismp.org/tools/abbreviations for more information. The manuscript should include (in this order):
Copies of any permissions to reproduce published material, to use figures or to report information about identifiable people, or to name people for their contributions, must accompany the manuscript. If human subjects research is involved, appropriate institutional review board approval is required and should be so stated. For those investigators who do not have access to formal ethics review committees, the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (JAMA 1997;277:925-6) should be followed. For investigations of human subjects, state in the Methods section how informed consent was obtained from the study participants. Tables and Figures Tables and figures (illustrations) are used to present complex or difficult-to-read information, such as dosage regimens for many different medications, statistical charts, or diagrams. The information presented in the table or figure is referenced in the text, but not duplicated.
References should be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text. References should be typed, double-spaced, on a separate page. It is critical that references not appear at the bottom of text pages. Do not use automatic footnoting software (e.g., Microsoft Word, Reference Manager, Endnote, others) that embeds references in text. Examples of reference style are listed below; additional information is available in the Uniform Requirements at www.icmje.org. Examples of reference style (note capitalization and punctuation format): 1. Schumader KE, Hanlon JT, Pieper CF et al. Effects of geriatric evaluation and management on adverse drug reactions and suboptimal prescribing in the frail elderly. Am J Med 2004;116:394-401. 2. Hogan RC. Personality testing instruments. In: Dunnette M, Webster RT, eds. Handbook of industrial psychology. Palo Alto, CA: Psychology Press; 1995:672-9. For up to three authors, all are named; for more than three, list three and then use et al., as in the example above. A list of journal abbreviations form the National Library of Medicine is available at the National Library of Medicine Web site (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez) To cite reference information from a Web site, use the following format: Kaufman SR. Scientific problems with animal models. Perspectives on Medical Research 1993. Available at http://curedisease.com/Perspectives/vol_4_1993/sc-prob.htm. Accessed January 3, 2006. Ensure that URLs used as references are active and available. Do not use ibid or op cit. Preparation of Structured Abstracts The following are the categories of manuscripts published in The Consultant Pharmacist and the requirements for their structured abstracts. Research and Reports Manuscripts containing original data concerning the prognosis, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, or economic analysis of a clinical disorder or an intervention to improve the quality of health care are considered. The manuscript should include a structured abstract of no longer than 250 words; it should contain as many of the key words (cited below) as possible. It should contain the following headings and information: Objective: State the main question or objective of the study and the major hypothesis tested, if any. Design: Describe the design of the study indicating, as appropriate, use of randomization, blinding, criterion standards for diagnostic tests, temporal direction (retrospective or prospective), etc. Setting: Indicate the study setting, including the level of clinical care (for example, primary or tertiary; private practice or institutional). Patients, Participants: State selection procedures, entry criteria, and numbers of participants entering and finishing the study. Interventions: Describe the essential features of any interventions, including method and duration of administration. Main Outcome Measure(s): The primary study outcome measures should be indicated as planned before data collection began. If the hypothesis being reported was formulated during or after data collection, this fact should be clearly stated. Results: Describe measurements that are not evident from the nature of the main results and indicate any blinding. If possible, the results should be accompanied by confidence intervals (CI)—most often the 95% interval)—and the exact level of statistical significance. For comparative studies, CIs should relate to the differences between groups. Absolute values should be indicated when risk changes or effect sizes are given. Conclusion: State only those conclusions of the study that are directly supported by data and explain their clinical application (avoiding overgeneralization) or whether additional study is required before the information should be used in usual clinical settings. Equal emphasis must be given to positive and negative findings of equal scientific merit. (Further details can be obtained from: Haynes RB et al. More informative abstracts revisited. Ann Intern Med 1990;113:69–76.) Key Words: List in alphabetical order key words and concepts covered by the manuscript using the following format (note capitalization): Geriatrics, Infection control, Long-term care, etc. Abbreviations: Explain all abbreviations used in the manuscript in alphabetical order using the following format: BP = blood pressure; MAR = medication administration record; etc. Clinical Reviews Clinical Reviews offer an in-depth report based on a literature review concerning the prognosis, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, or economic analysis of a clinical disorder or an intervention. An abstract, of no more than 250 words, should include the following headings and information: Objective: State the primary objective of the review article. Data Sources: Describe the data sources that were searched, including dates, terms, and constraints. Study Selection: Identify the number of studies reviewed and the criteria used for their selection. Data Extraction: Summarize guidelines used for abstracting data and how they were applied. Data Synthesis: State the main results of the review and the methods used to obtain these results. Conclusion: State primary conclusions and their clinical applications, avoiding overgeneralization. Suggest areas for additional research if needed. (Further details can be obtained from: Haynes RB et al. More informative abstracts revisited. Ann Intern Med 1990;113:69–76.) Key Words: List in alphabetical order key words and concepts covered by the manuscript using the following format (note capitalization): Geriatrics, Infection control, Long-term care, etc. Abbreviations: Define all abbreviations used in the manuscript in alphabetical order using the following format: BP = blood pressure; MAR = medication administration record; etc. Clinical Notes Clinical Notes are short case reports of previously unknown adverse drug reactions or other clinical experiences related to drug therapy. Brief clinical reviews of limited scope also are acceptable for Clinical Notes. Manuscripts should include an abstract of no more than 250 words under the following headings: Objective: The abstract should begin with a clear statement of purpose describing the particular practice or innovation that is the main point of the paper. Setting: The type of pharmacy, facility, or other institution should be described in this section, such as community or nursing facility pharmacy, a small independently owned for-profit nursing facility, or independent consultant pharmacy practice. Details about the setting should be included under Practice Description. Practice Description: Relevant characteristics of the practice or facility should be included here. These might include such facts as pharmacy volume, type of patients served, numbers of pharmacists and technicians employed, and types of nursing facility residents involved in the manuscript. Practice Innovation: The types of unique activities and other advances in practice that are the primary subjects of the manuscript should be summarized here. These could include new techniques for inservice education, better ways of distributing or handling medications, or management innovations in purchasing, scheduling, marketing, or personnel relations. Main Outcome Measurements: The types of data that reflect the impact of practice innovations should be stated in this section. These could include learning achievements during inservice programs, medication error rates, or profit margins. Results: This section should be similar in content to that described for research papers, noted earlier. The actual outcomes of the practice innovation are summarized in this section. All relevant types of results described in the paper should be stated briefly. Conclusion: This section states the conclusions that may be definitively (without conjecture) drawn from the manuscript. If appropriate, applications to other practice settings should be stated if appropriate. Key Words: List in alphabetical order key words and concepts covered by the manuscript using the following format (note capitalization): Geriatrics, Infection control, Long-term care, etc. Abbreviations: Define all abbreviations used in the manuscript in alphabetical order using the following format: BP = blood pressure; MAR = medication administration record; etc. Case Studies This regular series, Case Studies in Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, is coordinated by Case Series Editor Jeffrey C. Delafuente, MS, FCCP, FASCP. Authors are solicited for this series; however, inquiries regarding potential contribution are welcome. For additional information, please call or e-mail him at 804-828-7831 or jcelafu@vcu.edu. You may also e-mail or call the Editor-in-Chief, H. Edward Davidson, at edavidson@inther.com or 757-625-6040. Letters to the Editor The journal welcomes letters commenting on previously published articles. These are shared with the corresponding author, who many submit a response. The letter to the editor and the author's reply will be published together in a subsequent issue and may be edited for length. General Procedures On receipt of a manuscript, the editor either accepts the paper for peer review and initiates the peer-review process, or rejects the paper. Authors will be sent notification of the receipt of manuscripts and editorial decisions via e-mail. Receipt of manuscripts is acknowledged immediately, and a final decision is reached in 6 to 10 weeks. If, based upon comments by peer reviewers, the manuscript is accepted for publication, comments by peer reviewers will be compiled and returned to the corresponding author to be addressed. During the review process, authors can check the status of their submitted manuscript(s) via the online manuscript submission and review system at http://tcp.msubmit.net. The corresponding author is responsible for all necessary communications among coauthors, and will make necessary changes and submit the revised manuscript, including figures and tables. All accepted manuscripts are subject to copyediting to improve clarity and achieve consistency of style and formatting of journal content. A proof reflecting the editing is sent to the corresponding author for approval. Editors will work with authors to arrive at agreement when authors do not find the revisions acceptable. Authors of articles published in The Consultant Pharmacist are responsible for the accuracy and validity of all information presented in the article, including changes made during the peer review process and copyediting changes made by the editorial staff. Statements and opinions are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an endorsement by the editors, officers, or members of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. Copyright and Exclusive Publication Manuscripts written for, and published in, The Consultant Pharmacist® become the property of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. Accordingly, the journal requires that authors transfer all copyright ownership to ASCP at the time a manuscript is submitted. One of the following statements must be signed by each author and submitted with the manuscript: “In consideration of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) taking action in reviewing and editing this submission, the author(s) undersigned hereby transfer(s), assign(s), or otherwise convey(s) all copyright ownership to ASCP in the event that this work is published by ASCP.” or “I was an employee of the United States Government when this work was investigated and prepared for publication; it is therefore not protected by the Copyright Act and there is no copyright that can be transferred.” The journal also asks authors to certify that none of the material in a manuscript (or substantially similar information) has been published previously or is being considered for publication elsewhere. This restriction applies even if the author already holds the copyright to the material in its published format. Statement of Financial Interest In a cover letter, the nature and extent of any financial interest or affiliation with any company, product, or service discussed in the manuscript, must be identified for each author. This information will be held in confidence during the peer-review process, but published papers may include a disclosure statement agreed to by the editor and authors that describes such affiliations and interests. Final Checklist
The Consultant Pharmacist® Editorial Office Insight Therapeutics, LLC 740 Duke Street, Suite 120 Norfolk, VA 23510 Phone: 757-625-6040 Fax: 757-625-4538 E-mail: edavidson@inther.com Revised July 2006 |
