Acta Chirurgiae orthopaedicae et Traumatologiae čechoslovaca – Instructions for Authors
The Editor takes under consideration for publication research papers in the Czech, Slovak and English languages.
If the manuscript is submitted in the English language, the first/corresponding author is fully responsible for language editing of the manuscript. By signing the statement of originality, the author guarantees that the manuscript has been drafted, and/or reviewed by a native speaker. The English language standard of these manuscripts will be reviewed by the Editorial Board and in case of non-compliance with the English language usage/standard the manuscript will be removed from further administration of the journal.
The Editor will also consider for publication conference reports, international fellowship reports, book reviews, reports on activities performed by orthopaedic societies and associations and other associations in related disciplines, articles marking the jubilees of prominent figures in the disciplines as well as announcements of upcoming conferences and symposiums. The manuscripts include original scientific communications, namely: original papers, case reports, current concept reviews and continuing education papers. Each of these forms of manuscripts has its specific features and respective structure that shall be adhered to.
1. Original Paper is an article in which the author presents his own findings obtained through his own experimental or clinical study. The original paper is sub-divided into the following sections: Introduction, Patients and Methods (Materials and Methods), Results, Discussion, Conclusions, and Reference List. The paper shall be accompanied by a structured abstract in the English language (see below).
a) Introduction provide a background to the investigated topic, or the reasons why the author has decided to write the paper. It states the hypothesis to be confirmed, or disproved.
b) Patients and Methods (Material and Methods) section should provide basic information on the essential characteristics of the studied group of patients, or, in case of an experimental and/or theoretical study, also the material assessed by the author. The description of the method shall provide a detailed description of the procedure (e.g. indications, surgical technique, postoperative treatment), and an integral part of this section is also the method of evaluation, i.e. what the author assessed and how.
c) Results. This part of the original paper shall contain the facts ascertained by the study, including their statistical processing, i.e. answers to questions raised in the introduction.
d) Discussion serves to analyse the achieved results and to compare them with papers by other authors dealing with the same topic.
e) Conclusions sum up the significance of the study and state whether the objectives articulated in the introduction were achieved, or whether the original hypothesis was confirmed, or disproved.
f) Reference List (for more details see below).
The recommended size of the original paper is 10–12 pages of the manuscript and 20 to 30 references (citations). The maximum number of authors is six.
2. Case Report is a scholarly communication consisting in the introduction, description of the actual case or cases, discussion and reference list. It is accompanied by an unstructured abstract in the English language (see the Abstracts and summaries).
The recommended size of scientific papers of the Case Report type is a maximum 6 pages of the manuscript and 10 to 15 references (citations). The maximum number of authors is two authors from the department of the main author and one author from other departments.
3. Current Concepts Review is a paper drafted by an experienced and well-known author on the given topic, namely upon request of the Editor-in-Chief. The approach to the topic shall clearly express the personal opinion of the author. The paper shall provide an overview of the current state-of-play of the given topic, including controversial opinions. It includes a reference list. The summary is not requested. The size of the Current Concepts Review should be 10–15 pages of the manuscript, the reference list should not include more than 30 references (citations). The number of authors is one author, exceptionally one or two more co-authors.
4. Continuing Education Paper (continuing education, current concept). Papers of this type will be published upon request of the Editor-in-Chief. Upon agreement with the author, they should contain a comprehensive overview of the main topic in orthopaedics or traumatology, including the development in the respective area, the current situation, and the latest trends. The reference list shall contain not only the literature cited in the text, but also the recommended literature. No photographs will be included in the paper, only diagrams will be published. A summary is not requested. The paper should not exceed 10 pages of the manuscript.
The main body of the paper starts with a separate page with the title, names of the authors, their affiliations, and the names of the heads of the institutions (the names of the heads of the institutions will not be published). The following pages will contain the actual body of the paper, namely in line with the aforementioned structure. In PCs, double spacing should be used, with margins set at 2.5 cm, as well as a good quality printer and 11- or 12-point font size. Page numbers should be placed on the bottom right corner.
The captions to the figures, diagrams and charts shall be provided on a separate page, both in the Czech and English languages (in case of a paper in the English language, the texts can be provided in English only).
COMPONENT PARTS OF THE PUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS
1. Reference List. The reference list is provided on a separate page. The references shall be arranged in the alphabetical order and numbered. These numbers correspond with the numbers of in-text citations. Please ensure that the authors cited in the text appear also in the reference list, and vice versa. The reference list shall follow the standard reference style of the journal (an example of a reference list is attached at the end of the Instructions). At least 1/3 of cited papers should be less than 5 years old. Citing recent domestic literature is expected.
2. Abstracts and Summaries. For each original paper, the so-called structured abstract is required. It will be published in the English language only, but is shall be submitted together with the manuscript in the Czech, Slovak or English language. The translation will be provided for by the Editor, but can also be supplied by the author. The abstract shall be divided into the following sections:
Purpose of the Study - it briefly describes the topic addressed by the research, the purpose of the research, the hypothesis to be confirmed, and the concept applied.
Materials and Methods - it describes the studied group, how the subjects were included in the study, or excluded therefrom. Characteristics and description of the method used in the research, evaluation methods, description of the surgical procedure.
Results - achieved results, including numerical values.
Discussion - comparison of results with the conclusions and results of other cited authors.
Conclusions - conclusions of the author arrived at based on the submitted research, summary of the crucial points.
Key words - provide a maximum of ten keywords as stated in the Index Medicus.
Any references to figures and tables should be avoided in the abstract and the abstract should be between 300 and 500 words in length.
For case reports, the unstructured summary of 20 lines will be published in the English language only. For current concepts reviews and continuing education papers neither an abstract, nor a summary is requested.
An abstract, or a summary shall be provided on a separate page, starting with the title of the paper and the name of the author. The text in the Czech language should be as simple, clear and unambiguous as possible (also with respect to its subsequent translation into the English language).
3. Illustrations. Illustrations shall always be original. The number of figures should match the scope of the manuscript. In general, no illustrations from another research published in a journal or in a publication can be used. Publishing of non-original figures is possible only when they are redrawn and accompanied with the text: “adapted from (the name of the author of the original figure)“. Reuse of figures from other publications is possible only upon the consent of the copyright holder – mostly the original author and the publisher (compliance with the Copyright Act). Tables and charts shall also be supplied on a separate page and with captions, or explanatory notes. Illustrations shall be provided in the electronic form or in TIFF or JPG format with high resolution.
SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS
Manuscripts in the Czech, Slovak and English languages can be submitted to the Editor. The first author shall be responsible for the language aspects of the manuscript. The manuscripts are submitted only electronically to the following e-mail addresses: ivana.hanakova@fnkv.cz, achot@email.cz
Electronic submissions shall contain the following separate files:
- Text file containing the main body of the manuscript, the abstract (including keywords), the reference list, and the captions to illustrations (in Czech and English)
- Illustrations in TIFF or JPG format in print quality,
- Statement of originality of the manuscript and illustrations signed by the authors, and their consent to publication,
- Name and surname of the corresponding (first) author, full address, e-mail address, telephone number (it will not be published)
Format: double spacing, 11- or 12-point font size, page numbering.
The submitted manuscripts will be peer-reviewed (assessed in a review process) in terms of the quality of their content and form. The manuscripts not meeting the criteria of the journal will be returned to the author for redrafting, or rejected. The author will be notified of the acceptance or rejection of the manuscript. The accepted manuscripts remain with the Editor. The fee in the amount of CZK 8,000 + VAT shall be reimbursed for all the manuscripts with an acknowledgement included or supported by grants. The fee shall be reimbursed before printing the manuscript, namely through an invoice sent to the corresponding author by Galen publishing house. All correspondence shall take place only between the Editor and the first, or the corresponding author.
EXAMPLES OF REFERENCES
1. Lidder S, Masterson S, Grechenig C, Clement H, Gänsslen A, Grechenig S. The risk of neurovascular injury in minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) when using a distal tibia anterolateral plate: a cadaver study. Acta Chir Orthop Traumatol Cech. 2014;81:313-316.
2. Schatzker J. Fractures of the distal femur revisited. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1998;347:43-56.
3. Weber BG, Cech O. Pseudoarthrosen. Hans Huber, Bern, 1973.
4. Wood KB, Carrier CS. Assesment and avoiding complications in the scoliotic eldery patient. In: Yue JJ, Guyer RD, Johnson JP, Khoo LT, Hochschuler SH (eds). The comprehensive treatment of the aging spine. Elsevier, Philadelphia, 2011, pp 354-357.
Names of all the authors are listed. The abbreviations used for journal titles shall comply with the international standard. Note that each journal has its own formatting rules for the reference list that cannot be automatically applied also to the Acta journal.
