Manuscript Submission Guidelines: Acupuncture in Medicine
This Journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics
This Journal recommends that authors follow the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals formulated by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Please read the guidelines below then visit the Journal’s submission site https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aim to upload your manuscript. Please note that manuscripts not conforming to these guidelines may be returned. Remember you can log in to the submission site at any time to check on the progress of your paper through the peer review process.
Only manuscripts of sufficient quality that meet the aims and scope of Acupuncture in Medicine will be reviewed.
There are no fees payable to submit or publish in this journal.
As part of the submission process you will be required to certify that you are submitting your original work, that you have the rights in the work, that you are submitting the work for first publication in the Journal and that it is not being considered for publication elsewhere and has not already been published elsewhere, and that you have obtained and can supply all necessary permissions for the reproduction of any copyright works not owned by you.
1. What do we publish?
1.1 Aims & Scope
Before submitting your manuscript to Acupuncture in Medicine , please ensure you have read the Aims & Scope.
1.2 Article types
Editorials
Word count: up to 1000
Abstract: not required
Tables/illustrations: up to 2
References: up to 15
Original Papers
Articles will report primary research (clinical trials, prospective observational studies with a clear protocal or laboratory science) that is likely to have clinical relevance or make a significant scientific advance (as well as systematic reviews) of primary research (usually including meta-analysis).
The journal will consider articles with an emphasis on:
Acupuncture (penetration of the body’s surface by one or more needles), which encompasses manual acupuncture (MA), electroacupuncture (EA) or a combination of both (MA+EA). See Langevin HM, Schnyer R, MacPherson H, et al. Manual and electrical needle stimulation in acupuncture research: pitfalls and challenges of heterogeneity. J Altern Complement Med 2015; 21(3): 113-128.
• Reports of related techniques that are non-penetrating (including, but not limited, to transcutaneous electrical acupuncture point stimulation (TEAS), moxibustion, acupressure and laser acupuncture) may be acceptable in selected circumstances if deemed to be of significant clinical or academic interest.
Original papers should use the following headings: INTRODUCTION, METHODS, RESULTS and DISCUSSION in capitalised bold font. A maximum of two Subheadings may be used in the Methods, Results and Discussion in non-capitalised bold and italic font respectively. The discussion section should include a statement of the principal findings, identification of the particular strengths and weaknesses of the study, reflection on possible explanations and implications of the research for clinical practice and policy-making, recognition of unanswered questions and recommendations for future research. Clinical trials, systematic reviews and animal experiments should be reported in accordance with the CONSORT, PRISMA and ARRIVE guidelines, respectively.
Word count: up to 4000 words (includes main text, references, acknowledgements and figure legends).
Abstract (structured): up to 250 words
Tables/illustrations: up to 5 tables/figures
References: up to 40
Education and Practice
These articles are concerned with the provision or practice of acupuncture within a medical or allied clinical context. Their aim is to improve the theoretical understanding or practical application of acupuncture. Narrative review articles will generally fall into this category. This section also includes miscellaneous articles such as those presenting new hypotheses or discussing research methodology. Articles should use a conventional scientific approach, as those that simply describe traditional theory or practice are not acceptable. Authors should make it clear which statements are based on evidence and which constitute opinion.
Word count: up to 2500 words
Abstract (structured): up to 250 words
Tables/illustrations: 2
References: up to 25
Observation
This section contains substantial reports of patients’ responses to acupuncture, usually in the form of a case series or audit, and when clinical data is collected retrospectively. Reports may, for example, describe the response to acupuncture among patients with one particular condition, or using a particular type of acupuncture. Conclusions, if any, should be cautious because of the lack of controls.
Case series are often descriptions of a group of similar patients identified retrospectively based on clinical observation arising in routine practice, rather than addressing a research question.
Word count: up to 2000 words
Abstract (structured): up to 250 words
Tables/Figures: up to 3
References: up to 20
Letter
Letters to the editor are welcome and online access to letters is free. Letters may relate to an article in a previous issue, describe a case report that is relevant and of significant interest to the research community, or may report a small study. For case reports, you must have signed informed consent from patients (or guardians) before submitting to Acupuncture in Medicine. Please anonymise the patient’s details as much as possible, e.g., specific ages, ethnicity, occupations.
Word count: up to 700
Tables/illustrations: up to 2
References: up to 5
Review: letters are subject to editorial review
Obituary
We welcome obituaries of outstanding members of the BMAS who have contributed particularly to the development of Western medical acupuncture, or non-members who are internationally renowned for their work in the field, accompanied by a high-resolution colour photograph.
Word count: up to 500 words
Book and Media Review
Whilst some book and media reviews are commissioned, the journal welcomes the submission of both scientific and fiction reviews.
For scientific books, reviewers may wish to consider including the following points in their review: brief background to the subject matter; comments on the readability, accuracy and scope of the contents; the type of reader who would benefit from reading the book (e.g. general practitioner, specialist, nurse, trainee, layperson, etc.).
In the case of fiction books, reviewers should strive to highlight themes in the book that are relevant to the journal and professional practitioners.
Word count: up to 400 words (although longer reviews are occasionally accepted)
Illustrations/Tables: none
References: none
1.3 Writing your paper
The SAGE Author Gateway has some general advice and on how to get published, plus links to further resources.
1.3.1 Make your article discoverable
When writing up your paper, think about how you can make it discoverable. The title, keywords and abstract are key to ensuring readers find your article through search engines such as Google. For information and guidance on how best to title your article, write your abstract and select your keywords, have a look at this page on the Gateway: How to Help Readers Find Your Article Online
2. Editorial policies
2.1 Peer review policy
SAGE does not permit the use of author-suggested (recommended) reviewers at any stage of the submission process, be that through the web-based submission system or other communication.
Reviewers should be experts in their fields and should be able to provide an objective assessment of the manuscript. Our policy is that reviewers should not be assigned to a paper if:
• The reviewer is based at the same institution as any of the co-authors
• The reviewer is based at the funding body of the paper
• The author has recommended the reviewer
• The reviewer has provided a personal (e.g. Gmail/Yahoo/Hotmail) email account and an institutional email account cannot be found after performing a basic Google search (name, department and institution).
更多详情：
https://journals.sagepub.com/author-instructions/AIM
