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Instructions for authors
We welcome original articles from any part of the world. The papers are assessed by members of the Editorial Board and our international panel of expert referees, then either accepted for publication or rejected by the Editor. We receive over 1100 submissions each year and accept about 200 for publication, many after revisions recommended by the reviewers, editors or statistical advisers. A decision takes from six to eight weeks, the longer period being due to the multiple reviews needed for papers likely to be accepted or if reviewers are delayed in their response. Each paper is assessed by two reviewers with a special interest in the subject covered by the paper, and also by members of the editorial team. Controversial papers will be discussed at a full meeting of the Editorial Board. Publication is from four to six months after final acceptance. Proofs of the edited paper and illustrations are emailed to the corresponding author for correction and reply to any queries from the Editor. Fifty offprints will be sent free to the corresponding author within a few days of publication. Additional offprints or reprints can be reprints{at}jbjs.org.uk.
Submissions
All papers should be sent to submissions{at}jbjs.org.uk
Attached to the email should be an electronic copy of the complete article. Figures (no more than six) should be embedded in the Word document. High quality versions will be required upon acceptance. Papers cannot be processed without an electronic file. All submissions will be verified against the instructions to authors. Once approved an acknowledgement will be sent via email.
If you have any problems with the above, please contact the editorial office directly (+44 (0) 20 7782 0010; edit{at}jbjs.org.uk).
Each article must include the following:
- A letter signed by all authors stating that the article is original, that it is not under consideration by another Journal, and that it has not been previously published. This can either be scanned once all the authors have signed it or faxed after receipt of the acknowledgement email.
- The title page should contain the title, the names of the authors (no more than 6 unless there are exceptional circumstances), the source, and an address, telephone, fax and email address for the corresponding author.
- The names of the authors should include only major qualification such as FRCS or PhD, their current appointment and full postal address.
- Articles must be double-spaced throughout; do not number individual lines.
- Please ensure the word document includes all references, tables and figure legends.
- The text and figures must exclude all reference to the source of work and the authors, otherwise the paper maybe returned to the author for correction before it is sent out for review.
- Relevant permissions received, if appropriate (see below).
Please ensure you download our checklist which will give you essential information about preparing your paper.
PDF checklist
To read the PDF you will need the Acrobat reader software installed. If you do not have this installed, you can download it free by clicking the icon above
Guidance for layout and presentation
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The style should be simple and direct, free from ambiguity and jargon, and with minimal use of abbreviations.
- Abstract: No more than 150 words summarising the most important points in the article. It is unnecessary to include an introductory paragraph in the abstract.
- Main text: Should be divided under headings. For most papers the best sequence is Introduction, Materials (or Patients) and Methods, Results and Discussion. A maximum of 4,000 words from abstract to references is appropriate for most articles.
- Introduction: This should explain the problem which is to be addressed, with a definition of the hypothesis to be examined, outlining briefly its relevance to the current literature.
- Materials (or Patients) and Methods: The subjects of the study and the methods used in the investigation must be clearly described. The reasons for examining the particular group of patients should be made clear and reasons for exclusion of individuals from the study must be stated. Any group used as controls must be defined accurately.
- Results: These must be clearly expressed in simple language. Tables or similar diagrams can be used but must not duplicate material already expressed in the text.
- Discussion: This section must be succinct, pointing out the relevance of the work described in the paper and its contribution to current knowledge. The results must be interpreted clearly, and deficiencies expressed. Discussion of pertinent references must be concise and short.
- Figures must illustrate particular points and should be kept to a minimum. No more than a maximum of six figures (including a, b, c, which would equal 3 figures) is usually acceptable. Figures may be halftone photographs or black on white line drawings. Diagrams, charts, graphs and drawings should be produced to a professional standard. Three-dimensional bar charts and pie diagrams are unacceptable. Photomicrographs with no inset scale should have the magnification of the print in the legend; the stains used should also be reported. COLOUR illustrations will be accepted only where it is essential. We make no charge.
- Each table should have a short, descriptive heading. Tables must not duplicate information already given in the text.
- Acknowledgements should be made on a separate page at the end of the text.
References:
References in the text should include only those that are important and have been studied in full by the authors. All references will be checked by us; we will request photocopies of the first and last pages of referenced articles which we have been unable to verify.
References should only be used from published work. Proof of acceptance is required for references cited "in press".
They should be presented in the text by superscript numbers in the order of their appearance. The list of references at the end of the text should be in this numerical order with details and punctuation as follows:
1. Watson-Jones R. Fractures and joint injuries. Vol. 2, Fourth ed. Edinburgh: Churchill-Livingstone, 1955:744-5.
2. Allen GM, Wilson DJ. Review article. Ultrasound and the diagnosis of orthopaedic disorders. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 1999;81-B:944-51.
3. Winquist RA, Frankel VH. Complications of implant use. In: Epps CH Jr, ed. Complications in orthopaedic surgery. Vol. 1. Philadelphia, etc: JB Lippincott Company, 1978:99-129.
4. International commission on radiological protection. http://www.icrp.org (accessed 20/10/02).
5. Peterson L. Osteochondritis of the knee treated with autologous chondrocyte transplantation [abstract]. ISAKOS Congress, 2001.
Acceptance:
Upon acceptance please forward high quality versions of any figures. These should be the largest, best quality version available, as separate, individual files in tiff format. Do not embed in a Word or Powerpoint document except for information purposes, in which case jpegs are acceptable, but the original high quality files must also be sent. If adding labels to halftone photographs or radiographs please send a separate version without labels.
Permissions:
Permission to reproduce any material or illustrations which has been previously published must be obtained from the author and the publisher, and evidence of this must accompany the submitted article.
Case Reports:
Case reports and other short submissions should be sent in the format of a full paper including an abstract and captions. Authors are warned that these have a high rejection rate.
Correspondence:
We welcome letters to the Editor on matters of general orthopaedic concern or about recently published articles. To submit a letter relating to a published article, please go to the article online and click on the link to submit a letter. Where appropriate, the authors of the original article will be invited to submit a response. All letters should be under 300 words, fully referenced and will be subject to selection and editing.
Copyright agreement:
If the paper is accepted for publication we require the authors to sign an Assignment of Copyright before the article can be published. The form will be sent with the acceptance email.
Conflict of interest:
A conflict-of-interest statement will be required for each article which is accepted for publication. This statement will have no bearing on the decision to publish, or not to publish. A choice of one of the following statements will be requested when a decision has been made to accept the paper.
- The author or one or more of the authors have received or will receive benefits for personal or professional use from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
- The author or one or more of the authors have received or will receive benefits for personal or professional use from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article. In addition, benefits have been or will be directed to a research fund, foundation, educational institution, or other non- profit organisation with which one or more of the authors are associated.
- Although none of the authors has received or will receive benefits for personal or professional use from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article, benefits have been or will be received but will be directed solely to a research fund, foundation, educational institution, or other non- profit organisation with which one or more of the authors are associated.
- No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
- The author or authors choose not to respond to the above statements.
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