INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
The Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology publishes reviews, original articles
and short communications in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, with the goal of promoting and improving women's health. It is published
quarterly.
The Journal requires authors to be in compliance with the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical
Journals (URMs); current URMs are available at 
http://www.icmje.org
1. Manuscript Submission
Three
copies of the original manuscript, one copy of each of the applicable supporting documents detailed in Section 1.2., and two checklists
(available at the end of these author instructions) should be addressed to:
Dr Chih-Ping Chen
Editor-in-Chief,
Taiwanese
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology
5/F, No. 70, Min-Chuan W. Road, Taipei
104,
Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel: (+ 886) 2-25684819
Fax: (+ 886) 2-21001476
E-mail: cpc_mmh@yahoo.com
1.1.
Important Information
- Articles submitted should be in Microsoft Word document format and prepared in the simplest form possible. We will add in the correct font, font size, margins and so on according to the journal's style.
- You may use automatic page numbering, but do NOT use other kinds of automatic formatting such as footnotes, headers and footers.
- Put text, references, and table/figure legends in one file.
- Figures must be submitted separately as picture files, at the correct resolution. The files should be named according to the figure number and format, e.g., "Fig1.tif", "Fig2.jpg". Also see section 9.6.
1.2. Supporting Documents
The following documents must be included (refer also to the Checklist that follows these author instructions):
(1) Cover Letter. This must include the name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the corresponding author.
(2) Authorship Statement. You may use the form that follows these author instructions. ALL the authors' signatures must be included.
(3) Conflict of Interest Statement. See Section 2 below.
(4) Ethics Statement. Articles covering human or animal experiments must be accompanied by a letter of approval from the relevant review committee or authorities. Also see Section 3 below.
(5) Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) flow chart for randomized controlled trials submitted for publication. Also see Section 4 below.
(6) Copyright Transfer Agreement. You may use the form that follows these author instructions.
(7) Articles where human subjects can be identified in descriptions, photographs or pedigrees must be accompanied by a signed statement of informed consent to publish (in print and online) the descriptions, photographs and pedigrees from each subject who can be identified. Also see Section 5 below.
(8) Where material has been reproduced from other copyrighted sources, the letter(s) of permission from the copyright holder(s) to use the copyrighted sources must be supplied.
2. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
All authors are required to sign and submit the following financial disclosure statement at the time of manuscript submission:
- I certify that all my affiliations with or financial involvement in, within the past 5 years and foreseeable future, any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript are completely disclosed (e.g., employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, royalties).
3. Ethical Approval of Studies and Informed Consent
For human or animal experimental investigations, appropriate institutional review board or ethics committee approval is required, and such approval should be stated in the methods section of the manuscript. For those investigators who do not have formal ethics review committees, the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki should be followed (World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. Available at:
http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b3/index.html).For investigations in humans, state explicitly in the methods section of the manuscript that informed consent was obtained from all participating adults and from parents or legal guardians for minors or incapacitated adults, together with the manner in which informed consent was obtained (ex. oral or written).
For work involving experimental animals, the guidelines for their care and use should be in accordance with European Commission Directive 86/609/EEC for animal experiments (available at
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/lab_animals/legislation_en.htm);
this should be stated in the methods section of the manuscript.
4. Reporting Clinical Trials
All randomized controlled trials submitted for publication should include a completed Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) flow chart (available at
http://www.consort-statement.org). This Journal has adopted the proposal from the International Committee of Medical
Journal Editors (ICMJE) that require, as a condition of consideration for publication of clinical trials, registration in a public trials
registry. Purely observational studies (those in which the assignment of the medical intervention is not at the discretion of the investigator)
do not require registration. Further information can be found at http://www.icmje.org.5. Identification of Patients in Descriptions, Photographs and Pedigrees
A signed statement of informed consent to publish (in print and online) patient descriptions, photographs and pedigrees should be obtained from all subjects (parents or legal guardians for minors) who can be identified (including by the subjects themselves) in such written descriptions, photographs or pedigrees. Such persons should be shown the manuscript before its submission. Omitting data or making data less specific to de-identify patients is acceptable, but changing any such data is not acceptable.
6. Previous Publication or Duplicate Submission
Submitted manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have not been published previously in print or electronic format (except in abstract or poster form) and are not under consideration in totality or in part by another publication or electronic medium.
7. Basic Criteria
Articles should be written in English (using American English spelling) and meet the following basic criteria: the material is original, the information is important, the writing is clear and concise, the study methods are appropriate, the data are valid, and the conclusions are reasonable and supported by the data.
8. Article Categories
8.1. Review Articles
These should aim to provide the reader with a balanced overview of an important and topical subject in the field, and should be systematic and critical assessments of literature and data sources. They should cover aspects of a topic in which scientific consensus exists as well as aspects that remain controversial and are the subject of ongoing scientific research. All articles and data sources reviewed should include information about the specific type of study or analysis, population, intervention, exposure, and tests or outcomes. All articles or data sources should be selected systematically for inclusion in the review and critically evaluated.
Typical length: 2000-4000 words, 50-100 references.
8.2. Original Articles
These may be randomized trials, intervention studies, studies of screening and diagnostic tests, laboratory and animal studies, cohort studies, cost-effectiveness analyses, case-control studies, and surveys with high response rates, which represent new and significant contributions to the field.
Section headings should be: Abstract, Introduction, Materials and methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments (if applicable), and References.
The Introduction should provide a brief background to the subject of the paper, explain the importance of the study, and state a precise study question or purpose.
The Materials and methods section should describe the study design and methods (including the study setting and dates, patients/participants with inclusion and exclusion criteria, or data sources and how these were selected for the study, patient samples or animal specimens used, explain the laboratory methods followed), and state the statistical procedures employed in the research.
The Results section should comprise the study results presented in a logical sequence, supplemented by tables and/or figures. Take care that the text does not repeat data that are presented in tables and/or figures. Only emphasize and summarize the essential features of any interventions, the main outcome measures, and the main results.
The Discussion section should be used to emphasize the new and important aspects of the study, placing the results in context with published literature, the implications of the findings, and the conclusions that follow from the study results.
Typical length: 2000-3000 words, 40-80 references.
8.3. Short Communications
These should be concise presentations of clinical or preliminary experimental results. Section headings should be: Abstract, Introduction, Materials and methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments (if applicable), and References.
Typical length: 1000-1500 words, 20-40 references, with no more than four figures or tables. The Editors reserve the right to decide what constitutes a Short Communication.
8.4. Case Reports
These are short discussions of a case or case series with unique features not previously described that make an important teaching point or scientific observation. They may describe novel techniques, novel use of equipment, or new information on diseases of importance. Section headings should be: Abstract, Introduction, Case Report, Discussion, Acknowledgments (if applicable), and References.
The Introduction should describe the purpose of the report, the significance of the disease and its specificity, and briefly review the relevant literature.
The Case Report should include the general data of the case, medical history, family history, chief complaint, present illness, clinical manifestation, methods of diagnosis and treatment, and outcome.
The Discussion should compare, analyze and discuss the similarities and differences between the reported case and similar previously reported cases. The importance or specificity of the case should be restated when discussing the differential diagnoses. Suggest the prognosis of the disease and possibility of prevention.
Typical length: 800-1500 words, 20-40 references.
8.5. Research Letters
These typically include interesting cases that do not meet the requirement of being truly exceptional.
Typical length: 600-1000 words, up to 10 references.
8.6. Correspondence
Correspondence is welcome in response to previously published articles or relating to a topical subject in the field, as well as other communications of general interest. Correspondence should have a title and include appropriate references, and include the corresponding author's mailing and e-mail addresses. They are edited, sometimes extensively, to sharpen their focus, and they may be sent for peer review at the discretion of the Editors.
Typical length: 300-600 words, up to 10 references.
8.7. Editorials
Editorials are invited comments concerning a specific paper in the Journal or a topical issue in the field. While normally invited, unsolicited editorials may be submitted.
Typical length: 1000-1500 words, 15-30 references.
9. Manuscript Preparation
Text should be typed double-spaced on white A4 (297 x 210 mm) paper, with outer margins of 2.5 cm. A manuscript should include a title page, abstract, text, acknowledgments (if any), references, and figures and tables as appropriate. Each section of the manuscript should begin on a new page. Pages should be numbered consecutively, beginning with the title page.
9.1. Title Page
The title page should contain the following information (in order, from the top to bottom of the page):
• category of paper
• article title
• names (spelled out in full)* of all the authors, and the institutions with which they are affiliated; indicate all affiliations with a superscript lowercase letter after the author's name and in front of the appropriate affiliation
• corresponding author details (name, e-mail, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers)
*The name of each author should be written with the family name last, e.g., Jing-Lin Chang. Authorship is restricted only to direct participants who have contributed significantly to the work.
9.2. Abstract and Keywords
The first page following the title page should contain a structured abstract of no more than 250 words and up to six keywords listed in alphabetical order.
For Original Articles and Short Communications, the abstract should use the following headings: "Objective" should state the main purpose of the work; "Materials and Methods" should briefly describe the study subjects and outline the methods used; "Results" should summarize the most important data; and "Conclusion" should briefly state the conclusions which are directly supported by the data, along with any clinical implications.
For Case Reports, the abstract should use the following headings: "Objective" should state the specific purpose of the work; "Case Report(s)" should summarize the pertinent features of the clinical findings, important laboratory abnormalities, treatment, and outcomes; and "Conclusion" should summarize the principal findings.
Abstracts for Review Articles should be in a single paragraph with no section headings. No abstract or keywords are required for Research Letters, Correspondence and Editorials.
9.3. Main Text
The text for Original Articles and Short Communications should be organized into the following sections: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and References. The Introduction should discuss the objective of the reported work and provide relevant background information. The Materials and Methods should identify the population or patient samples in the study and explain the methods used. The Results should explain all the important findings and provide information about the accuracy and reliability of the results. The Discussion should state the implications of the findings and any conclusions based on the findings.
The text for Case Reports should be divided into the following sections: Introduction, Case Report(s), Discussion, and References.
The text for Review Articles should be divided into logical sections with appropriate headings.
The text For Research Letters, Correspondence and Editorials should be in one single section with appropriate paragraphs, but there should be no section headings.
Please note that writing errors will result in immediate rejection of the paper.
9.3.1. Abbreviations
Where a term/definition will be continually referred to, it must be written in full when it first appears in the text, followed by the subsequent abbreviation in parentheses. Thereafter, the abbreviation may be used. An abbreviation should not be first defined in any section heading; if an abbreviation has previously been defined in the text, then the abbreviation may be used in a subsequent section heading. Restrict the number of abbreviations to those that are absolutely necessary.
9.3.2. Units
Système International (SI) units must be used, with the exception of blood pressure values which are to be reported in mmHg. Please use the metric system for the expression of length, area, mass, and volume. Temperatures are to be given in degrees Celsius.
9.3.3. Names of drugs, devices and other products
Use the Recommended International Non-proprietary Name for medicinal substances, unless the specific trade name of a drug is directly relevant to the discussion. For devices and other products, the generic term should be used, unless the specific trade name is directly relevant to the discussion. If the trade name is given, then the manufacturer name and the city, state and country location of the manufacturer must be provided.
9.3.4. Statistical requirements
Statistical analysis is essential for all research papers except case reports. Use correct nomenclature of statistical methods (e.g., two sample t test, not unpaired t test). Descriptive statistics should follow the scales used in data description. Inferential statistics are important for interpreting results and should be described in detail.
All p values should be presented to the third decimal place for accuracy, unless they are less than 0.001. The smallest p value that should be expressed is p < 0.001, since additional zeros do not convey useful information; the largest p value that should be expressed is p > 0.99.
9.3.5. Personal communications and unpublished data
These sources cannot be included in the references list but may be described in the text. The author(s) must give the full name and highest academic degree of the person, the date of the communication, and indicate whether it was in oral or written (letter, fax, e-mail) form. A signed statement of permission should be included from each person identified as a source of information in a personal communication or as a source for unpublished data.
9.3.6. Acknowledgments
General acknowledgments for consultations, statistical analysis, etc., should be listed concisely at the end of the text, including the names of the individuals who were directly involved. Consent should be obtained from those individuals before their names are listed in this section. All financial and material support for the research and work from internal or external agencies, including commercial companies, should be clearly and completely identified. Ensure that any conflicts of interest (financial and/or nonfinancial) are explicitly declared.
9.4. References
9.4.1. In the main text, tables, figure legends
• References should be indicated by numbers in square brackets in line with the text, and numbered consecutively in order of appearance in the text.
• References cited in tables or figure legends should be included in sequence at the point where the table or figure is first mentioned in the main text.
• Do not cite uncompleted work or work that has not yet been accepted for publication (i.e., "unpublished observation", "personal communication") as references. Also see Section 9.3.5. above.
• Do not cite abstracts unless they are the only available reference to an important concept.
9.4.2. In the references section
• References should be limited to those cited in the text and listed in numerical order, NOT alphabetical order.
• References should include, in order, author surnames and initials, article title, abbreviated journal name, year, volume and inclusive page numbers. The last names and initials of all the authors up to 6 should be included, but when authors number 7 or more, list the first 6 authors only followed by "et al". Abbreviations for journal names should conform to those used in MEDLINE.
• If citing a website, provide the author information, article title, website address and the date you accessed the information.
• Reference to an article that is in press must state the journal name and, if possible, the year and volume.
Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their references and for correct text citation.
Examples are given below.
Standard journal article:
Kanamori C, Kanamori T, Tanaka Y, Kanzaki H. Three-cycle fentanyl patch system contributes to stable control of plasma fentanyl concentration in gynecologic cancer pain patients. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol 2011;50:79-84.
Journal article with more than 6 authors:
Chen CP, Wu PC, Lin CJ, Chern SR, Tsai FJ, Lee CC, et al. Unbalanced reciprocal translocations at aminocentesis. Taiwanese J Obstet Gynecol 2011;50:48-57.
Journal supplement:
Kaplan NM. The endothelium as prognostic factor and therapeutic target: what criteria should we apply? J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1998;32(Suppl 3):S78-80.
Journal article not in English but with English abstract:
Nakayama H, Ishikawa T, Yamashita S, Fukui I, Mutoh T, Hikichi K, et al. CSF leakage and anosmia in aneurysm clipping of anterior communicating artery by basal interhemispheric approach. No Shinkei Geka 2011;39:263-8. [In Japanese, English abstract]
Book: Bradley EL. Medical and surgical management. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1982, p. 72-95.
Book chapter in book with editor and edition: Greaves M, Culligan DJ. Blood and bone marrow. In: Underwood JCE, editor. General and systematic pathology. 4th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2004, p. 615-72.
Bulletin:
World Health Organization. World health report 2002: reducing risk, promoting healthy life. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2002.
Company/manufacturer publication/pamphlet:
Eastman Kodak Company, Eastman Organic Chemicals. Catalog no. 49. Rochester, NY: Eastman Kodak; 1977, p. 2-3.
Conference proceedings: Pacak K, Aguilera G, Sabban E, Kvetnansky R, editors. Stress: current neuroendocrine and genetic approaches. 8th symposium on catecholamines and other neurotransmitters in stress, June 28-July 3, 2003, Smolenice Castle, Slovakia. New York: New York Academy of Sciences; 2004.
Electronic publications:
Duchin JS. Can preparedness for biological terrorism save us from pertussis? Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2004;158(2). Available from: http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/158/2/106. Accessed June 12, 2004.
Smeeth L, Iliffe S. Community screening for visual impairment in the elderly. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002(2):CD001054. Doi:10.1002/14651858.CD1001054.
Thesis:
Ayers AJ. Retention of resin restorations by means of enamel etching and by pins [MSD thesis]. Indianapolis: Indiana University; 1971.
Website: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Wisdom teeth. AAOMS website. http://www.aaoms.org/wisdom_teeth.php. Published 2008. Accessed November 15, 2009.
9.5. Tables
Tables should supplement, not duplicate, the text. They should have a concise table heading, be self-explanatory, and numbered consecutively in the order of their citation in the text. Information requiring explanatory footnotes should be denoted using superscripted lowercase letters in alphabetical order (a, b, c, etc.). Abbreviations used in the table must be defined and placed after the footnotes. If you include a block of data or table from another source, whether published or unpublished, you must acknowledge the original source.
9.6. Figures
9.6.1. General guidelines
The number of figures should be restricted to the minimum necessary to support the textual material. They should have an informative figure legend and be numbered in the order of their citation in the text. All symbols and abbreviations should be defined in the legend. Patient identification should be obscured. All lettering should be done professionally and should be in proportion to the drawing, graph or photograph. Photomicrographs must include an internal scale marker, and the legend should state the type of specimen, original magnification and stain.
Figures must be submitted as separate picture files at the correct resolution (see Section 9.6.2. below). The files should be named according to the figure number and format, e.g., "Fig1.tif", "Fig2.jpg".
The cost of printing color figures may be charged to the author.
9.6.2. Formats
Regardless of the application used, when your electronic artwork is finalized, please "save as" or convert the images to one of the following formats (note the resolution requirements for line drawings, halftones, and line/halftone combinations given below):
• EPS: Vector drawings. Embed the font or save the text as "graphics".
• TIFF: Color or grayscale photographs (halftones): always use a minimum of 300 dpi.
• TIFF: Bitmapped line drawings: use a minimum of 1000 dpi.
• TIFF: Combination of bitmapped line/half-tone (color or grayscale): a minimum of 600 dpi is required.
• DOC, XLS or PPT: If your electronic artwork is created in any of these Microsoft Office applications, please supply "as is".
Please do not:
• Supply files that are optimized for screen use (like GIF, BMP, PICT, WPG); the resolution is too low;
• Submit graphics that are disproportionately large for the content.
A detailed guide on electronic artwork is available at
http://www.elsevier.com/artworkinstructions.
10. The Editorial and Peer Review Process
As a general rule, the receipt of a manuscript will be acknowledged within 2 weeks of submission, and authors will be provided with a manuscript reference number for future correspondence. If such an acknowledgment is not received in a reasonable period of time, the author should contact the Editorial Office.
Submissions are reviewed by the Editorial Office to ensure that it contains all parts. The Editorial Office will not accept a submission if the author has not supplied all the material and documents as outlined in these author instructions.
Manuscripts are then forwarded to the Editor-in-Chief, who makes an initial assessment of it. If the manuscript does not appear to be of sufficient merit or is not appropriate for the Journal, then the manuscript will be rejected without review.
Manuscripts that appear meritorious and appropriate for the Journal are reviewed by at least two Editorial Board members or expert consultants assigned by the Editor-in-Chief. Authors will usually be notified within 6 weeks of whether the submitted article is accepted for publication, rejected, or subject to revision before acceptance. However, do note that delays are sometimes unavoidable.
Before publication, all manuscripts will be reviewed by a native English-speaking editor with a biomedical background. Manuscripts which require extensive modification will be returned for retyping. Fees for English correction must be paid by the authors.
11. Preparation for Publication
Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, the authors should submit the final version of the manuscript in MS Word format, with all tables/figures as applicable, to the Editorial Office. Accepted manuscripts are copyedited according to the Journal's style and PDF page proofs are e-mailed by the Publisher to the corresponding author for final approval. Authors are responsible for all statements made in their work, including changes made by the copy editor.
12. Reprints
Authors receive 20 stapled offprints of their articles free of charge, which will be sent by the Editorial Office to the corresponding author. Professional reprints (which include a cover page for the article) may be ordered from the Publisher at prices based on the cost of production. A reprint order form can be downloaded from the journal website at www.tjog-online.com.
13. Copyright
Authors submitting a manuscript do so with the understanding that if it is accepted for publication, the exclusive copyright of the paper shall be transferred to the Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Published manuscripts become the permanent property of the Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and may not be published elsewhere without written permission. Authors wishing to use material from their own papers published in the Journal should apply to the Association for permission. Non-authors should first obtain permission in writing from the corresponding author and enclose this with their request to the Association.
CHECKLIST
Only complete manuscript submissions will be considered for publication. Complete submission must include:
___ Cover letter for manuscript submission
___ Signed authorship statement
___ Signed conflict of interest disclosure statement
___ Signed copyright transfer statement
___ Manuscript in MS Word format
AND, where applicable
___ Letter of approval from review committee for use of human samples in research and human experiments
___ Letter of approval from relevant authority for use of animals in experiments
___ Signed consent to publish (in print and online) from human subjects who can be identified in your manuscript
___ Letter(s) of permission from copyright holder(s) to use copyrighted sources in your manuscript
In the actual article, ensure that the following information is provided:
___ Title page
- ___Article category
___Article title
___Name(s) and affiliation(s) of author(s)
___Corresponding author details (name, e-mail, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers)
___ Up to 6 relevant keywords in alphabetical order: required for Review Articles, Original Articles, Short Communications, and Case Reports
___ Main text
___ References in the correct format
AND, where applicable
___ Acknowledgments
___ Conflict of interest statement
___ Table headings and tables, each on a new page
___ Figure legends, on a new page
___ Electronic picture files of all figures; resolution of 300 dpi for halftone images, 600 dpi for combination art (halftone + line art), and 1000 dpi for line art
Further considerations:
___ Manuscript has been spell-checked and grammar-checked
___ All references in the List are cited in the Text/Tables/Figur