Author Instructions
Scientific Papers, Brief Scientific Reports, Case Reports
Review Articles
Transmittal Letter
Title Page
Abstract
Text
Nomenclature
Units
Abbreviations
Human and Animal Experiments
References
CME Questions
Illustrations
Digital Image Submission Specifications
Tables
Disposition of Manuscript
Letters to the Editor
Scientific Papers, Brief Scientific Reports, Case Reports
The American Journal of Clinical Pathology (AJCP) is devoted to prompt publication of original studies and observations in clinical and anatomic pathology. Original papers relating to laboratory use, management, and information science will be considered. Case reports must be based on novel observations that introduce timely and relevant diagnostic or clinical concepts. An article is received with the understanding that it is submitted solely to the AJCP, and that no substantial portion of it has been submitted elsewhere. A manuscript based primarily on data published previously is not acceptable.
To facilitate the submission and review processes of all manuscripts, we have incorporated Scholar One's Manuscript Central browser-based manuscript submission software. The following are a few of the advantages authors gain by using Manuscript Central:
- Upload full text and graphics without the limitations of e-mail
- Submit a variety of different file formats
- Instantly learn the status of submitted manuscripts currently in the review process
- Receive automatic e-mail messages as your manuscript travels through the review process
Once you create a Manuscript Central account and submit a manuscript, you will have immediate access to information regarding your submission at any time, day or night. Click for author instructions and information on how to create an account in Manuscript Central.
Please submit your manuscript here: mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ajcp.
Click here for AJCP Permissions information
Review Articles
AJCP publishes review articles dealing with practical topics in clinical and anatomic pathology. Although many of these are solicited by the associate editors, unsolicited submissions are welcome. The associate editors encourage contact from individuals interested in authoring reviews on specific topics to discuss their merits and possible conflict with other upcoming reviews. Comments are also welcome from the readership regarding potential topics for review. Direct comments to the appropriate associate editor. Mark unsolicited manuscripts intended for review articles as such and submit to the Editorial Office. All review articles are subject to peer review before publication.
Transmittal Letter
Send with the manuscript a cover letter signed by all authors that states
(1) all authors have read and approved the final manuscript;
(2) when individuals who have contributed significantly to the study are acknowledged by name, their permission has been obtained. Also, in conformance with the Copyright Revision Act of 1976, include the following statement, signed by all authors (except federal employees): "In consideration of the American Journal of Clinical Pathology taking action in reviewing and editing the above-named Article, effective upon acceptance of the Article by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (hereinafter referred to as ASCP), the Author(s) hereby assign(s) to the ASCP, its legal representatives, successors and assigns, all publishing rights and each and every other right to the Article throughout the world, in any language and in any medium, whether as an audiovisual work, collective work, compilation, derivative work, joint work, literary work, phonorecord, pictorial, graphic or sculptural work, sound recording, work of visual art, computer program, or any other medium now existing or which hereafter may come into existence, including the copyright and the right to register the copyright as well as the right to secure any renewals, reissues, and extensions of any such copyrights in the United States or in any foreign country. Author(s) may request permission to reuse the manuscript or portions thereof. Such requests must be in writing and permission by the ASCP shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Author(s) appoint(s) the ASCP as the Author's(s') attorney-in-fact to execute any documents the ASCP deems necessary to record any of these grants with the United States copyright office or elsewhere. The Author(s) also warrant(s) to the ASCP that the Article is the original work of the Author(s) except for material in the public domain and such excerpts from other works as may be included with the prior written permission of the copyright owners; that the Article has not been previously published, submitted, or accepted for publication elsewhere; that the authors have contributed significantly to this paper, understand it, and endorse it; and that the authors have no relationship, financial or otherwise, with any manufacturers or distributors of products evaluated in this paper, or alternatively any such relationship has been disclosed in a footnote to the paper, or the requirement is irrelevant to this paper."
Title Page
Include
- a concise title;
- first name, middle initial, and last name of each author, as well as his or her highest academic degree;
- institutional affiliation of each author;
- (name and address of author to whom reprint requests should be addressed;
- telephone, fax, and email information;
- acknowledgment of sources of support;
- a brief title (up to 40 characters total, including spaces);
- disclaimers, if any; and
- 3-10 key words.
Abstract
The Abstract, not exceeding 150 words, should state the study's purpose, procedures, and significant findings, with emphasis on new observations.
Text
The Introduction should state clearly the purpose and rationale of the study being presented. In Materials and Methods, established techniques may be referenced; however, new or modified methods should be described in sufficient detail to allow duplication of the study by an independent observer. Describe Results concisely and logically. The Discussion should emphasize novel or significant aspects of the study. Conclusions should not be based on unpublished observations or data derived solely from the previous literature. Case Reports should not exceed 4 printed AJCP pages (about 12 double-spaced manuscript pages) and must describe a new entity or shed new light on an existing process.
Nomenclature
Use current editions of Dorland's Medical Dictionary and Webster's International Dictionary as references. Use the nomenclature of bacteria given in Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. Identify all drugs by both their generic and trade names, and chemicals by generic name, followed in parentheses by the chemical formula when deemed appropriate. The TNM method for staging tumors is required (see American Joint Committee on Cancer. Cancer Staging Manual. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1997).
To conduct a search for preferred, internationally accepted terms and definitions, refer to the "Harmonized Terminology Database" available at www.nccls.org.
Units
All quantitative measurements must be expressed in conventional metric units, followed in parentheses by SI units. pH, gas pressure measurements (eg, PO2 and PCO2), and osmolality should be reported in conventional units only. Express temperature in degrees Celsius. Express enzyme activity in international units per liter (IU/L). Base all SI concentration units on a volume of 1 L. Express as amount of substance (mole) or mass (gram) units, with the appropriate prefix (eg, milli- [m] or micro- [µ]). In describing reagent preparations, give weights and volumes in conventional metric units only (eg, Stock 500 mmol/L glucose standard; add 0.900 g of glucose to 10 mL of water in a 100-mL volumetric flask, dissolve, and fill to the mark with water).
Abbreviations
Use standard abbreviations whenever possible (see Council for Biology Editors.
Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. 6th ed. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1994). The full term for which the abbreviation stands, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses, should precede the first use of the abbreviation in the text, except for standard units of measurement.
Human and Animal Experiments
When reporting results of experimental investigations in human subjects, include a statement that the procedures followed were in accord with the ethical standards established by the institution in which the experiments were performed or are in accord with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975 (see Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Vol 4. New York, NY: Georgetown University, Free Press, Division of Macmillan Publishing, 1978;1769-1773). Experimental investigations in animals must include a statement indicating that the institution's or the National Research Council guide for the care and use of laboratory animals was followed.
References
References should include only articles cited in the text and should be listed in order of citation. List all authors if there are 3 or fewer. When there are more than 3, list the first 3 and add "et al." Abbreviate journal titles according to Index Medicus. Use the following format, and include inclusive page numbers:
1. Rosen PP, Kimmel M. Juvenile papillomatosis of the breast: a follow-up study of 42 patients biopsied before 1979. Am J Clin Pathol. 1990;93:599-603.
CME Questions
Authors may be asked to supply questions in support of AJCP-based CME.
Illustrations
Upon acceptance of a manuscript, high-resolution illustrations should be provided to the editorial office. Images should be submitted as 35-mm transparencies (not as prints) or as digital files (see Digital Image Submission Specifications below). Grayscale images should be provided as clean, high-quality glossy prints. Color photomicrographs and ultrastructure photographs are to be labeled and numbered as "images"; line drawings and illustrations are to be labeled and numbered as "figures." Include 3 copies of each image or figure (unless supplying digital images). Artwork and graphics must be of professional quality and legible. Indicate image/figure number, orientation, and list first author on the top-back of all art. Submit legends on a separate page. Stains and magnifications must be included. Photographs of persons should render them unidentifiable or include their written permission.
Digital Image Submission Specifications
Help keep the production of your article running smoothly
and on time by submitting your digital files as suggested. Here we offer some
tips you can use to help digital output jobs run efficiently.
There are many considerations
to account for if you want to achieve a quality image. Considerations that are
unique to the printing process are resolution, file format, and RGB to CMYK
conversion. The following is a brief outline of those considerations for
digital images to be printed in AJCP.
General Submission Requirements
Resolution
The original source file must be high resolution (400 dpi). Unless the digital image is dimensionally very large at 72 dpi when submitted (say 8" x 10"), a digital image that has been resampled in Photoshop from 72 dpi to 400 dpi is not adequate.
File Format
Use Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) for photographs and
photomicrographs and EPS for vector graphics. Although there are many graphic
file formats to choose from, it is safest when printing to a PostScript device
to use EPS for vector graphics and TIFF for raster/bitmap graphics.
Vector graphics are object-oriented files that contain
drawing instructions created in applications such as Illustrator. Fonts in
these EPS files should be converted to "create outlines" or
"convert to paths," as this will eliminate the need to download the
fonts for outputting. Raster graphics are bitmapped files such as scans or
screen shots. When using TIFF files, be sure to have the correct amount of data
in the file for the line screen to which you are printing. Use an image-editing
program such as Photoshop or Live Pictured to rotate the TIFF, then bring it
into your page as a "straight" image. Don't rotate TIFFs within your
page layout application, as the printer will have to recalculate new positions
for each pixel. Also crop graphics closely with no unnecessary white borders
beyond actual image to help control accurate placement and file sizes.
Image Size Specifications
Pixel Dimensions (6.9 MB or less)
Width: 1450 pixels
Height: 1250 pixels
Print Size
Width: 3.6 inches
Height: 3.1 inches
Digital Image Specifications
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Type
|
Format
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Mode
|
Resolution
|
|
B+W line art
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EPS
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Vector
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N/A
|
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Halftone
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TIFF
|
Grayscale
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400 dpi
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|
Color
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TIFF
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CMYK
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400 dpi
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Tables
Cite tables in the text in consecutive order. When designing, keep in mind the overall size of an average page and how well they will fit accordingly. Type each table on a separate page. Each column should contain a short heading. Place explanatory material (with nonstandard abbreviations and their expanded forms) in footnotes to the table. Do not use internal horizontal and vertical lines. Limit use of footnotes. Use symbols in the following order: *, †, ‡, §, ||, ¶, #.
Disposition of Manuscript
Receipt of manuscript will be acknowledged and a decision regarding disposition made as soon as possible. Accepted manuscripts are subject to editorial revision and will not be returned. The corresponding author will receive proofs for review and an order for reprints. Queries should be through the editorial office: ajcp@ascp.org or 312.738.1336 x1314
Letters to the Editor
Only communications referring to an article recently published in AJCP are eligible for consideration as letters to the editor. All submissions will be evaluated by the Editor, and those deemed suitable for further consideration will be forwarded to the original authors for a reply. Some correspondence of this type will be deemed unsuitable for publication. Proofs and reprints will not be provided to correspondents. Elaborate communications including complicated tables or figures cannot be considered for publication in this section of AJCP.
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Copyright © 2006
American Society for Clinical Pathology
33 W Monroe, Suite 1600
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Last Modified: February 3, 2006 |