Lead times

Time from submission to first decision: average 3 weeks About 20% of submissions are rejected without external peer review Time from acceptance to publication: approximately 6-8 months (original papers).
Acceptance rate: 70 %

Guidelines for Authors

Zagazig University Medical Journal is pleased to consider original articles on the clinical practice of medicine. We publish research studies or speculative material.

Preparing your manuscript

Manuscripts should be typewritten and double-spaced. The right margin should not be justified. Manuscript pages should be numbered.

Submit one original and three photocopies, along with a computer disk or CD containing the manuscript in Microsoft Word file format.

Style

Our journal style closely follows the American Medical Association Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors (9th ed. Baltimore, Md: William & Wilkins, 1998). The writing style should be clear and scientific, avoiding jargon and colloquialism.

Cover letter:

Include a cover letter stating that the article has not been published previously and is not being submitted elsewhere; that the manuscript is the original work of the authors; and that all authors have approved its submission. The letter must disclose any potential conflict of interest, listing any financial interests the authors have with the manufacturer of a product discussed in the article or a competitive product. This includes, but is not limited to, grants, honoraria, consulting fees, royalty fees, ownership, or support in preparation of the manuscript.

Manuscript format:

Arrange manuscript elements in the following order: cover page, text, summary, reference list, tables, figure legends, and CME objectives and questions.

Cover Page:

Include full title of the article and the full name of each author, his/her highest degree(s) attained, title of current position, address, and office phone and fax numbers. Designate a corresponding author and include e-mail address.

References:

Key sources must be properly credited and referenced. References should be current (past 5 years) and should not exceed 25. References must be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are cited in the text. Use Index Medicus for journal abbreviations. Format references as shown in these examples:

• Journal: Cohen MD. Raising expectations for arthritis treatment: biologic response modifiers are making remission possible. Postgrad Med 2004;116(5):41-50
• Book: Williams GH. Approach to the patient with hypertension. In: Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Kasper D, et al, eds. Harrison's principles of internal medicine. 15th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001:211-214.

Tables and figures:

• Original tables and figures are encouraged. If a table or figure was published previously, include the complete reference along with a photocopy of the table or figure from the published source.
• Type tables double-spaced, number consecutively according to citation in the text, and provide a title for each. Provide a descriptive legend for each figure, numbered to match the figure number.
• Illustrations, photographs, and radiographs should be submitted as color slides or black-and-white prints. If images taken with a digital camera are submitted, they should be captured at 1600 x 1200 pixels and, if possible, saved as TIFF or EPS files. Do not submit thumbnail-sized images, as enlarging them reduces their resolution below the acceptable limit.
• For photomicrographic material, indicate stain and magnification or use an internal scale marker. A signed release from the patient is required for photos that show identifying features.
• Send four complete sets of illustrations (or copies of digital images), one for each copy of the manuscript.

Review process:

• All review articles, solicited or unsolicited, will go through the same peer-review process. Revisions may be required as a condition of acceptance.
• Every author whose name appears on a submitted manuscript will be asked to sign a Copyright Agreement and Financial Disclosure form before the manuscript will be considered complete.