Author Guidelines
Notice to All Authors
Submission of Manuscripts
The Nigerian Journal of Clinical Medicine (NJCM) is the official publication of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Association of Resident Doctors (LASUTH-ARD). It is exclusively owned by the LASUTH-ARD and published biannually.
All opinions, except otherwise stated, are those of the authors and do not in any way reflect the views of the NJCM, its Editorial Board or LASUTH-ARD. Consequently, NJCM, its Editorial Board and LASUTH-ARD bear no legal responsibility for such opinions.
Authors are encouraged to send their manuscripts to the LASUTH-ARD Secretariat addressed to: The Editor, Nigerian Journal of Clinical Medicine (NJCM). An electronic copy of the manuscript in Microsoft Word format should be sent as an attachment to: lasuthjournal@yahoo.com as this will ease the processing of materials for publication. An acknowledgment mail will be sent to authors to indicate receipt of manuscripts.
Communication
To facilitate communication, subscribers and advertisers are required to include their email addresses and phone numbers in all correspondences with the Editorial Board of te NJCM.
Writing for the Nigerian Journal of Clinical Medicine (NJCM)
We welcome any contribution that advances/illuminates medical science or practice extending to all aspects of medicine. Contributors are advised to follow the uniform requirements of manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals (BMJ 1991; 302:338-31 or N Engl J Med 1991; 324:424-428).
Contributions may be in the form of original articles, review articles, case reports, clinical practice materials, letters to the editor, short communications, commentaries, viewpoints review of books and medical educational materials. The NJCM also publishes articles on socioeconomic, political and legal matters related to medical practice, conference and workshop reports and medical news.
Case Reports and Short Communications
These should not exceed 1500 words with no more than 30 references and 2 illustrations and tables.
Letters to the Editors
Letters should contain a maximum of 1000 words, illustrations/tables and 10 references. The contents may be clinical observations or other relevant matters to medicine or comments on the material published by the NJCM.
Manuscripts
Manuscripts are reviewed for publication on the understanding that none of the materials has been published previously and none is currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
Each of the following sections should begin on a new page: title page, abstract, introduction, material and methods, ethics, statistics, results, discussions, references, tables, legends to figure(s) and illustration(s).
Manuscripts should be sent with a covering letter as Microsoft Word attachments to the editor online at lasuthjournal@yahoo.com.
Title Page
This should include the title of the article, names and initials of authors(s), the department and institution where the work was done,; name and address of the author to whom correspondence should be addressed; present address(es) of authors if different from that at which the work was done; keywords (not more than six); and running title. Use of abbreviations should be avoided in the title and abstract.
Abstract
Abstract should not exceed 200 words and should be written in a structured format, having a background, methods, results and conclusion.
Background
The objective of the study or review should be stated under this.
Method
The patients and material used should be described. The nature of the study (whether retrospective or prospective, etc.) should be stated. For reviews, this should state the data sources and mode of data extraction.
Results
This should state the main findings of the study.
Conclusion
The main conclusions of the study should be stated.
Tables and Illustrations
Tables should be typed and double-spaced on separate sheets of paper, numbered in Roman numerals. Their approximate positions in the text should be indicated.
All illustrations are to be considered as figures, submitted and numbered in Arabic numerals.
Photographs should conceal the subject's identity with written consent of same made evident.. If an illustration has been published previously, full credit to the original source must be given in the legend.
Abbreviation and Nomenclature
Non-standard abbreviations contained in the manuscripts (excluding references) should be listed in alphabetical order with definitions after the keywords.
Generic drug nomenclature is preferred to propriety (trade) names. And where this is not adhered to by the author, the Editor reserves the right to use appropriate generic names.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgement of general support, grants, technical assistance, etc. should be indicated. Authors are responsible for obtaining the consent of those being acknowledged.
Acknowledgement of Receipts
For every article received by the NJCM, an acknowledgement is dispatched immediately via email with a reference number for future enquiries.
References
Journal Articles
References should be in Vancouver style and should be numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. A full list of authors should be given except when they exceed six (6), in which case, three (3) should be given followed by et al. Authors' names should be followed by the title of the article, the title of the journal, abbreviated according to the style of the Index Medics, year of publication, the volume and first and last page numbers, e.g., Warren KS. Tropical Health: The Health Clarke Lecture, 1998. Rev Infec Disease 1990: 12:142-156. However, journals with abbreviations yet to be cited in the Index Medicus should be written in full. Articles in the press are not to be cited.
Textbooks
i. Author(s) of Books:
The surname and initials of all authors should be followed by the title of the book, edition (except if first), place of publication, publisher, year and pages, e.g., Goldberg SJ, Allen HD, Sahn DJ. Paediatric and Adolescent Echocardiography: A Handbook. Chicago: Year Book Medical Publishers, 1980:263-265.
ii. Author(s) of a Chapter in a Book:
The surnames and initials of all authors of the particular chapter should be followed by the title of the chapters, editor(s) of the book, title of the book, edition (except if first), and place of publication, publisher, year and pages, e.g.., Chen Y. Defects in metabolism of carbohydrates. In: Behrman RRE, Kliegman RM, Jenson HB (eds). Nelson Textbook of Paediatrics 16th Edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 2000:405-418.
Dissertations
For dissertations, the name(s) of the author(s) should be followed by the title of the dissertation, the fellowship, the name of the college, month and year e.g., Adebiyi A. A. Left Ventricular Systolic Function of Nigerians with Sickle Cell Anaemia Attending the University College Hospital, Ibadan. WACP Dissertation, West African Postgraduate Medical College. October 1996.
Unit of Measure
All measurements should be expressed in S.I. Units.
Peer Review
Two or more members of the Editorial Board read every article, including those solicited. All articles selected for publication (except items such as view points) are then sent to two (or more) Consultant Physicians or Scientists who are experts in the field of medicine under focus. Those who satisfy the requirements of this stage will undergo further evaluation by a Statistician if they contain statistical analysis.
Manuscripts are subject to editorial revision by the NJCM. Those considered worthy of publication but requiring changes or condensation will be mailed to the author(s) for revision.
Processing Fee
Author(s) who are not members of the LASUTH-ARD are expected to pay a processing fee of Ten Thousand Naira(N10,000:00) per articles submitted. All payments are to be made to: The LASUTH-ARD Journal at Skye Bank Plc (Acc No: 177 057 9083). Scanned copies of payment tellers should be mailed to: lasuthjournal@yahoo.com.
Reprints
These are not free and will be sent to author(s) on request. The author(s) may order reprint of 100 or more.
Revised Manuscripts
Two copies of revised manuscripts should be sent to the Editor.
Proofs
These may be sent to the corresponding author(s) for corrections only in request. If sent, such proofs must be returned to the Editor within eight days of posting by the Editor.
Copyright
On acceptance, the copyright of the paper will be vested in the Journal and the Publisher.
