Instructions to Authors

The Philippine Journal of Pathology (PJP) is an open-access, peer-reviewed, English language, medical and health science journal that is published continuously online and semi-annually in print by the Philippine Society of Pathologists, Inc. (PSP, Inc).  All manuscripts must be submitted through the PJP Official Website (Open Journal Systems) at http://philippinejournalofpathology.org. All other correspondences and other editorial matters should be sent via electronic mail to philippinepathologyjournal@gmail.com.  

Articles and any other material published in the PJP represent the work of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions of the Editors or the Publisher. Articles that do not subscribe to the Instructions to Authors shall be promptly returned. You may want to download the Submission Checklist and the PJP Guide for Authors to guide you.

COVER LETTER

A cover letter must accompany each manuscript citing the complete title of the manuscript, the list of authors (complete names, position/designation and institutional affiliations), with one (1) author clearly designated as corresponding author, providing his/her complete institutional mailing address, institutional telephone/fax number, and work e-mail address. The PJP Cover Letter Template [updated] must be used.

PJP AUTHOR FORM

For submissions to the PJP to be accepted, all authors must read and sign the PJP Author Form consisting of (1) the Authorship Certification, (2) the Author Declaration, (3) the Author Publishing Agreement, and (4) the Statement of Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest. The complete PJP Author Form shall be scanned and submitted along with the manuscript. No manuscript shall be received without the PJP Author Form.

ICMJE COI DISCLOSURE FORM

GENERAL FORMATTING GUIDELINES

  • Authors must use the standard PJP templates for each type of manuscript.  These templates are aligned with the most current versions of the EQuaToR Network guidelines and checklists (http://equatornetwork.org).
  • The manuscript should be encoded on the template using Microsoft Word (2007 version or later version), single-spaced, 2.54 cm margins throughout, on A4 size paper.  Preferred fonts may include Century Gothic (template default), Times New Roman, or Arial.
  • The manuscript should be arranged in sequence as follows: (1) Title Page, (2) Abstract, (3) Text, (4) References, (5) Tables, and (6) Figures & Illustrations.
  • All the sheets of the manuscript should be labelled with the page number (in Hindu-Arabic Numerals) printed on the upper right corner.
  • References should pertain directly to the work being reported. Within the text, references should be indicated using Hindu-Arabic numerals in superscripts.

 

SPECIFIC FORMATTING GUIDELINES

Title and Authors

  • The title should be as concise as possible.
  • A running title (less than 50 characters) shall also be required. The running title is the abbreviated version of the title that will be placed in the header. The running title should capture the essence of the manuscript title.
  • The full name of the author(s) directly affiliated with the work should be included (First name, Middle initial and Last name). The order of authorship shall be the prerogative of the author(s).
  • There are 4 criteria for authorship (IMCJE recommendations). These are captured in the PJP Author Form.
    • Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
    • Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
    • Final approval of the version to be published; AND
    • Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
  • The highest educational attainment or title of the authors should be included as an attachment whenever appropriate (MD, PhD, et cetera).
  • Name and location of no more than one (1) institutional affiliation per author may be included.
  • If the paper has been presented in a scientific forum or convention, a note should be provided indicating the name of the forum or convention, location (country), and date of its presentation. 

Abstract

  • For manuscripts under the “Original Article” section: the abstract should contain no more than 300 words with a structured format consisting of the following standard headings: objective/s, methodology, results and conclusion.
  • For manuscripts under the “Feature Article,” “Review Article,” “Case Report,” “Brief Communications,” and “Autopsy Vault” sections: the abstract should be no more than 200 words and need not be structured.
  • Letters to the Editor and editorials do not require an abstract.

Keywords

At least three (3) keywords but no more than six (6), preferably using terms from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) list of Index Medicus, should be listed horizontally under the abstract for cross-indexing of the article.

Text

  • The text should be organized consecutively as follows: Introduction, Methodology, Results and Discussion, Conclusion (IMRaD format), followed by Disclosures, Acknowledgments and References.
  • All references, tables, figures and illustrations should be cited in the text, in numerical order.
  • All abbreviations should be spelled out once (the first time they are mentioned in the text) followed by the abbreviation enclosed in parentheses. The same abbreviation may then be used subsequently instead of the full names.
  • All measurements and weights should be in System International (SI) units.
  • Under Methodology, information should be provided on institutional review board/ethics committee approval or informed consent taking (if appropriate).
  • Acknowledgements to individuals/groups of persons, or institution/s who have contributed to the manuscript but did not qualify as authors based on the ICMJE criteria, should be included at the end of the text just before the references. Grants and subsidies from government or private institutions should also be acknowledged.

References

  • References in the text should be identified by Hindu-Arabic Numerals in superscript on the same line as the preceding sentence.
  • References should be numbered consecutively in the order by which they are mentioned in the text.  They should not be alphabetized.
  • All references should provide inclusive page numbers.
  • Journal abbreviations should conform to those used in PubMed.
  • A maximum of six authors per article can be cited; beyond that, name the first three and add “et al.”
  • The style/punctuation approved by PJP conforms to that recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) available at http://www.icmje.org. Examples are shown below:
One to Six Authors

Krause RM. The origin of plagues: old and new. Science. 1992;257:1073-1078. 

Mokdad AH, Bowman BA, Ford ES, Vinicor F, Marks JS, Koplan JP. The continuing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the US. JAMA. 2001;286(10):1195-1200.

More than Six Authors

Rhynes VK, McDonald JC, Gelder FB, et al. Soluble HLA class I in the serum of transplant recipients. Ann Surg. 1993; 217 (5): 485–9.

Authors Representing a Group

Moher D, Schulz KF, Altman D; for the CONSORT Group. The CONSORT statement: revised recommendations for improving the quality of reports of parallel-group randomized trials. JAMA. 2001;285(15):1987-1991.

Book

Byrne, DW. Publishing your medical research paper: What they don't teach in medical school. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1998.

World Wide Web

Barry JM. The site of origin of the 1918 influenza pandemic and its public health implications. [Commentary].  JTranslational Med. January 20, 2004;2(3):1-4. http://www.translational-medicine.com/content/2/1/3. Accessed  November 18, 2005.

 

Tables

  • Cite all tables consecutively in the text and number them accordingly.
  • Create tables preferably using Microsoft Excel with one table per worksheet.
  • Tables should not be saved as image files.
  • The content of tables should include a table number (Hindu-Arabic) and title in capital letters above the table.
  • Place explanatory notes and legends, as well as definitions of abbreviations used below the table. For legends, use small letters (i.e., a, b, c, d).
  • Each table must be self-explanatory, being a supplement rather than a duplicate of information in the text.
  • Up to a maximum of five (5) tables are allowed.

Figures and Graphs

  • Figures or graphs should be identified by Hindu-Arabic Numeral/s with titles and explanations underneath.
  • The numbers should correspond to the order in which the figures/
  • Figures & graphs should not be saved as image files. For illustrations and photographs, see next section.
  • Provide a title and brief caption for each figure or graph. Caption should not be longer than 15-20 words.
  • All identifying data of the subject/s or patient/s under study such as name or case numbers, should be removed.
  • Up to a maximum of five (5) figures and graphs are allowed.

Illustrations and Photographs

  • Where appropriate, all illustrations/photographic images should be at least 800 x 600 dpi and submitted as image files (preferably as .png, .jpeg or .gif files).
  • For photomicrographs, the stain used (e.g. H & E) and magnification (e.g. X400) should be included in the description.
  • Computer-generated illustrations which are not suited for reproduction should be professionally redrawn or printed on good quality laser printers. Photocopies are not acceptable.
  • All letterings for illustration should be of adequate size to be readable even after size reduction.
  • Place explanatory notes and legends, as well as definitions of abbreviations used below the illustration/photograph.
  • Up to a maximum of five (5) illustrations/ photographs are allowed.

N.B.: For tables, figures, graphs, illustrations and photographs that have been previously published in another journal or book, a note must be placed under the specific item stating that such has been adapted or lifted from the original publication. This should also be referenced in the References portion.