GUIDE LINES FOR AUTHORS

Writing for Physiotherapy Professional articles are the essential element in the official journal of The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Their standard is crucial in a journal of record. These guide lines are intended to encourage readers to submit their work for publication,T and to help them ensure that it is appropriate in quality and format for this kind of periodical.

Before You Start The most important feature in wri t ing professional articles is clarity. The paper must be readily understood

not only by physiotherapists and other professionals working in your field, but also by others whose skills lie in other specialties and by those whose first language is not English. A clear, concise paper helps the editor and the referees t o assess the article and more importantly helps the reader.

I t has been said that the four most critical features in an article are the length of the paper, the introduction, the first f e w sentences of the discussion and the summary. A im t o produce a paper you would like t o read yourself.

If the paper has not been specially commissioned, it is wise t o telephone the editor t o make sure that another article on the same subject has not already been accepted by Physiotherapy. A literature search should be made t o ensure that a similar paper has not been published elsewhere.

If the article has been commissioned, please keep t o the agreed t ime scale. Failure t o produce a paper on schedule can lead t o articles by other authors being delayed or t o publication of an incomplete symposium.

It is essential t o identify the type of article envisaged before starting t o wr i te it. The following are the main types published in Physiotherapy.

Specific Types of Paper Research Report

A report of the results of an original research study, involving more than one subject, that was designed to answer a research question or test an hypothesis. There is an accepted format for research articles:

1. Introduction: This tells the reader why the work was done. It should include a clear statement of the research objective/purpose of the study and outline the research question or hypothesis. There should be a review of recent relevant literature which includes the author‘s critical evaluation of the existing knowledge. Finally this should relate reported work to the stated research question/hypothesis.

2. Methodology: There must be a detailed description of the experimental design and methodology used in conducting the study. Where the design is original, there should be sufficient detail to enable others to duplicate the experiment, otherwise quote the source. Details of statistical tests used to analyse the results should be included.

3. Results: A factual report of the results of the study. Where appropriate this should include examples of raw data with explanations of data reduction. Raw data should be presented in a clear and concise form, and in a logical order, using tables and figures if required. The information

in the text and tables should be complementary and one should not duplicate the other.

4. Discussion: An interpretation and explanation of the findings of the study should be given. The results should be related to other work in the field and to the original research questionihypothesis. Explanations to account for discrepancies should be offered.

5. Conclusion: This should summarise specific new information revealed by the study and state the implic- ations of findings for practical or theoretical application or for future studies.

Summary: A summary is designed to ’sum up‘ the paper. I t enables the reader to establish: why the work was done; how it was done; what was found; what it means. Therefore, it must include the research objectives, the method, key data and a conclusive statement. It should be clear, concise and to the point, encouraging the reader to read on.

Key words: These sum up the content of the paper and are used for referencing and indexing. They should not be a duplicatisn of the title. Three words are sufficient.

References: These should be included (see ‘Presentation’ overleaf).

physiotherapy, April 1990, vol 76, no 4 225

Descriptive Article A non-research report, an instructional or theoretical

paper which is related to physiotherapy practice, to education or administrationhnanagement.

These articles also have a recognised format, although it is less strict than that for research papers:

1. Introduction: This should contain a clear statement of the purpose of the article, supportive rationale and where appropriate a review of current relevant literature.

2. Content: This section is equivalent to the method and results sections in research papers. Length and content will obviously vary according to the subject but all information should be appropriate and relevant. There should be a critical evaluation of other works cited.

3. Discussion: This must include interpretations and explanations of the information presented, relating it to the work of others. Recommendations for theoretical or practical application of the results should be made, indicating possible studies for the future.

4. Conclusion: A summary of the main points revealed by the study and their implications.

A summary and key words are also required for a research paper. References should be included (see ‘Presentation‘ below).

Review Article Provides a comprehensive overview of a subject which

includes reference to past and current literature on the subject. I t should detail arguments both ‘for‘ and ‘against’ and the author’s synthesis of the work done by others.

The format of a review article is similar to that of a descriptive article except that the discussion should include the author’s synthesis of the work done by others as reported in the paper.

The summary should be the same as detailed above. Key words are also required. References should be included.

Case Report

management or a research study involving one subject.

research article respectively. Key words are required.

This is a paper describing one subject’s clinical

The format should be similar to that of a descriptive or

Treatment or Equipment Note A short descriptive paper about a treatment approach,

a clinical technique, clinical equipment or patient aid. The format is flexible but should include a clear statement

of the purpose of the paper; brief details of, the topic; and a statement of the clinical implications of the information. A summary and key words are not required.

Guide lines on preparation of abstracts are available on request from the editor.

Presentation Presentation of articles is important as a well laid-out document helps the reader and can influence the

reviewer. Articles that are poorly laid-out are difficult to read and their contents less easily digested. The editorial staff wil l deal with grammar and spelling but authors should pay attention t o these and the

general style of the text. It is worth aiming to write the sort of article you would like to read, ie with clarity of thought and easily digestible language.

1. Layout

Articles should be typed, double spaced, wi th wide margins, on one side of good quality paper. The article should be preceded by a front sheet. This should give details of the writer’s name, qualifications, professional post, and addresses a t home and a t work, with telephone numbers for both if possible.

Each article (except treatment and equipment notes) should start with key words, a summary and, if desired, a biographical paragraph about the author(s) stating how they became involved with the subject.

The length may range from 1,000 to 4,000 words. Manuscripts which are longer than this should be discussed with the editor. It may be more appropriate to publish longer articles in two parts. All pages should be numbered.

2. Illustrations and Tables

Whenever appropriate, articles should be accompanied by illustrations (line drawings are best). Rough sketches can be redrawn by our medical artist if required.

Black and white photographs are best for printing but coloured photographs can be satisfactory. They should be of good quality and taken in well-lit surroundings as some of the clarity is invariably lost in the printing process. Transparencies are not suitable and X-rays should be presented as photographic prints. Illustrations should be separate and not pasted on to the text pages. Please identify each picture on the back and show which is the top. It is advisable to protect all photographs with cardboard in the post.

It is often useful to tabulate results to avoid lengthy descriptions and highlight the key results. Tables should complement rather than duplicate the text. Use of column headings eliminates the need to repeat information within the columns. Data should be presented consistently and sections kept to a minimum. Jumbo-size charts and graphs full of extraneous figures make tedious reading and will not f i t on the page.

226 Physiotherapy, April 1990, vol 76, no 4

3. References

These should be pertinent to the text and comprehensive. Only references cited in the text should be listed a t the end. Physiotherapy uses the Harvard style of referencing, in alphabetical order of authors.

For books, give the name of the author or authors wi th initials, date of publication, title, publisher and place. eg Green, J H (1990). The Autonomic Nervous System, Chapman and Hall, London.

For articles, give the name of the author or authors with initials, date, title of paper, title of journal in full, volume number, issue number and'first and last page numbers. eg Ide, L (1990). 'Recent developments in electrotherapy', Physiotherapy, 76, 1, 7-8.

See also the examples overleaf.

4. Legal Considerations

, All articles must be original and no paper in the same or similar terms should be submitted to any other journal without informing the editors of both publications; authors are asked to confirm in writing that their paper is offered exclusively to Physiotherapy.

Once an article is published in Physiotherapy the journal holds the copyright, not the author. Photostats may be taken for personal use but anyone (including the author) who wishes t o duplicate or reprint an article for any other purpose should apply in writing to the editor. Permission is usually freely given, provided the source will be acknowledged.

Procedure The author should retain a copy of the article and it is helpful if three copies are sent to the editor of

Physiotherapy, a t 14 Bedford Row, London WCIR 4ED.

Following an initial evaluation by the editor, all articles are sent t o t w o assessors, a t least one of whom will be a specialist, before a decision is made on acceptance. Frequently detailed suggestions are made for revision of the original article; this often results in a very good paper and authors should not be deterred if their work is not accepted initially.

Assessors will look for specific points according to the type of paper offered, but they will include the following considerations. Authors would do well to use them as a checklist before submitting their work.

Importance of the subject or research question.

Originality of the work.

Appropriateness of approach or experimental design.

Relevance of discussion. Soundness of conclusion or interpretation.

Relevance and accuracy of references. Clarity of writing and organisation of the paper.

Adequacy of the summary as an indication of content.

Suitability of the title.

Proofs are sent to the authors before publication. An opportunity is given to check the text and any redrawn diagrams, and reprints may be ordered a t a small charge.

After publication the author receives a complimentary copy of the journal, illustrations are returned, and reprints are sent directly from the printers. If any letters to the editor comment on the article, the author is if possible forewarned in case he wishes to offer a reply.

Authors are reimbursed at the rate of f15 per published page, from which the cost of any reprints ordered is deducted.

physiotherapy, April 1990, vol 76, no 4 227

Select Bibliography Books Gower, E (1985). The Complete Plain Words: Know, say and convey what you mean, 2nd edn, Penguin,

Hawkins, C and Sorgi, M (1985). Research: How to plan, speak, and write about it, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg. Day, A (1983). How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, IS1 Press, Philadelphia. De Bakey, L (1986). The Scientific Journal: Editorial policies and practices: Guide lines for editors, reviewers

Cormack, D F S (1984). Writing for Nursing and Allied Professions, Blackwell, Oxford. Lock, S (ed) (1985). horne’s Better Medical Writing (2nd edn), Pitman Medical, Tunbridge Wells. Out of print. Partridge, C J and Barnitt, R E (1986). Research Guidelines: A handbook for therapists, Heinemann, London.

Hicks, C M (1988). Practical Research Methods for Physiotherapists, Churchill Livinystone, Edinburgh.

Harmondsworth.

and authors, C V Mosby, St Louis.

Chapter 11 ’Writing the research report and publishing the results‘, pages 84-91.

Chapter 13 ’Writing up the

Articles Lister, M J (1984). ’Writing for 5, 3, 147-155.

research for publication‘, pages 235-245.

publication: Writing manuscripts for a scientific journal’, Physiotherapy Practice,

Parahook, K and Reid, N (1988). ’Writing up a research report’, Nursing Times, 84, 42, 63-67. Bohannon, R (1988). ‘How to find relevant articles for a publication’, Physiotherapy Practice, 4, 1, 41-44. Shilling, L M (1984). ‘Ten myths about professional writing: Writing tips’, Physical Therapy, 64, 10, 1417-23. Shilling, L M (1985). ’Twenty tips for conquering writing anxiety‘, Physical Therapy, 65, 7, 1113-15.

228 Physiotherapy, April 1990, vol 76, no 4