The EDITORS of the African Journal of Paediatric Surgery welcome contributions from authors anywhere in the world. The Journal will consider for publication manuscripts of interest to readers in Africa in particular and around the world.
Articles submitted for publication in African Journal of Paediatric Surgery are accepted on the condition that they will be peer-reviewed, and have not been published elsewhere. The management reserves the copyright of the material published.
The author’s transmittal letter, containing the following statements, and signed by all authors must accompany the manuscript. The transmittal letter:
“We/I, the undersigned author(s) of the manuscript entitled --------------- hereby attest that the article has neither been published nor being considered for such elsewhere. We/I also confer the copyright on the management of African Journal of Paediatric Surgery once they publish the manuscript”. The date of receipt at the Journal office of articles for publish will be appended when they are published.
PREPARATION OF THE MANUSCRIPT
Articles considered for publication in African Journal of Paediatric Surgery should comply with “Uniform Requirement for Manuscript Submitted to Biomedical Journals” published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1979 (Vancouver style), as described in the Annals of Internal Medicine (1982; 96 [pt.1]: 766-71).
All manuscripts, including tables, references and figures legends, must be typewritten double-space on one side of size A4 paper, with a margin of 2.5 cm on the left hand side of the paper. Pages should be numbered consecutively, beginning with but not appearing on the title page, and continuing through the last page of typewritten material. One original and two photocopies of the entire manuscript should be submitted, along with three sets of photograph. Photocopies could be done on both sides of the paper to save postage cost.
Title Page. The title page must contain: 1) title of the article; 2) correct names of each author plus highest academic degree for each, 3) each author’s official academic and/or clinical title and affiliation, 4) name and address of the institution(s), 5) name and address, including telephone and fax numbers, of author to whom correspondence should be sent, if it differs from the first author.
Abstracts. All original articles must contain a structured abstract of not more than 250 words. The abstract should be divided into background, Patients and Methods, Results, and Conclusion, and key words not more than five, should be included.
Manuscript Format. Original articles must have the following format: Introduction; Patients and Methods; Results; and Discussion.
References. References should be inserted in the text as superscripts, and should be listed at the end of the article in numerical order. Do not list them alphabetically. It is the author’s responsibility to verify references from the original sources. References should be set out in the Vancouver style and only approved abbreviations of journal titles should be used; consult the January issue of Index Medicus (No. 1, Part 1) for these details. Names and initials of all authors should be given unless there are more than six, in which case the first three names should be given followed by ‘et al’. First and last page numbers should be given as:
(i) Adejuyigbe O, Jeje EA, Owa J and Adeoba EA. Neonatal Intestinal Obstruction in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.Niger. Med. J. 1992; 22(7): 24-28.
(ii) Pena A. Imperforate anus and cloacal malformations. In Ashcraft KW, Holder TM. Eds. Pediatric Surgery. 2nd Ed. Philadelphia W.B. Saunders Co. 1993; 372-392.
Unpublished observations and personal communications can be cited in the text, but not as references. Manuscripts accepted but not yet published should not be included as references.
Illustration. Figures consist of all material which cannot be set in type, such as photographs, line drawings, etc. (Tables are not considered in this classification and should not be submitted as photographs.) Photographs (in triplicate) should be glossy black and white prints, unmounted, untrimmed with a preferred size between 10 x 13 cm and 13 x 18 cm, and unmarked. Original X-ray films are not accepted; glossy prints must be submitted. As much as possible, all illustrations should be of the same size, using the same scale.
Line drawings should be on white board. Where possible, lettering on figures should be done by a professional artist or by means of a stencil, such that reduction to 80 mm for a single column or 170 mm for a double column should not render lettering illegible. Explanation should be included in the legend rather than on the figure itself.
Figure numbers should be clearly marked on the back, and the top of the illustration should be indicated.
Where identification of a patient is possible from a photograph the author must submit consent to publication signed by the patient, the parent or guardian in the case of a minor.
Three illustrations are allowed free. Additional material of this sort may be allowed at about N1400 or $10.00per illustration at the discretion of the editor. Colour illustration attracts an extra charge of N500 or $5.00.
Legends. Captions for the figures must be typed, double-spaced, and must not appear on the figures. For photomicrographs, the legends should include the original magnification and stain used.
Tables. Each table should be typed double-spaced including all headings. Verify tabular statistics to make sure they tally and match data cited in the text.
Units of measurement: All units of measurements and laboratory values must be expressed in SI units. Temperature should be recorded in degree Celsius and blood pressure in mmHg. Only standard abbreviations are accepted, and British English spelling should be adopted throughout the text.
Letters to the Editor intended for publication in the correspondence column should be marked ‘for publication’, and must comply with the above specifications.
Electronic Manuscript. The African Journal of Paediatric Surgery accepts manuscripts on personal disks. The file should be in Microsoft Word. Include the manuscript title and author name(s) on the disk label. Prepare art as camera-ready copy. Laser prints are accepted.
Submission of manuscript- Submission can either be by surface post or by email
Gallery proofs. Gallery proofs will be forwarded to the author in good time before publication. Proofs not returned within 2 weeks will be regarded as approved.
Reprints: An order blank for reprints, with a price list, will be sent to the author as soon as his article has been published.
Responsibilities of Authors: The Authors are entirely responsible for accuracy of all statements and data (including drug dosages) contained in the manuscript, accuracy of all reference information, and for obtaining and submitting permission from the author and publisher of any previously published material included in the submitted manuscript. The Editors do not necessarily agree with the published opinions, they are purely the views of the authors.
Informed Consent. All manuscript reporting the results of experimental investigation involving human subjects should include a statement confirming that informed consent was obtained from each subject or subject’s guardian, after approval of the experimental protocol by a local human ethics committee.
All Correspondences should be addressed to:
Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Uba, A.F.
The Editorial Office
The African Journal of Paediatric Surgery
c/o Department of Surgery,
Jos University Teaching Hospital,
P.M.B. 2076, Jos. Plateau State, Nigeria.
African Journal of Paediatric Surgery
