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Deborah Holtzman, PhD

The Submission and Review Process at Peer Review Journals as Exemplified by the American Journal of Public Health. Deborah Holtzman, PhD. Department Editor, Framing Health Matters American Journal of Public Health and Associate Director for Science, Division of Viral Hepatitis

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Deborah Holtzman, PhD

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  1. The Submission and Review Process at Peer Review Journals as Exemplified by the American Journal of Public Health Deborah Holtzman, PhD Department Editor, Framing Health Matters American Journal of Public Health and Associate Director for Science, Division of Viral Hepatitis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention March 24, 2012 National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD & TB Prevention Division of Viral Hepatitis

  2. What You Need to Know • The Journal’s mission, reach, and audience • The Journal’s format • The Journal’s submission requirements • The Journal’s review and notification process

  3. The American Journal of Public Health

  4. American Journal of Public Health Official Journal of and Published by the American Public Health Association Mary E. Northridge, PhD, MPH, Editor-in-Chief Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, Publisher

  5. American Journal of Public Health Foremost mission of AJPH is to promote public health research, policy, practice, and education We aim to embrace all of public health, from global policies to the local needs of public health practitioners. We welcome contributions of original unpublished research, social science and policy analyses, scholarly essays, critical commentaries, departments, and letters to the editor.

  6. American Journal of Public Health In Year 2009, AJPHpublished 12 regular issues and 3 supplements: HIV/AIDS, Mental Health, and Diversity; Influenza Preparedness and Response; and Environmental and Occupational Justice. Formal Submissions: 2006 – 2032 manuscripts 2007 – 2063 manuscripts 2008 – 2236 manuscripts 2009 – 2779 manuscripts Currently <5% of all unsolicited papers received are published.

  7. American Journal of Public Health Year 2010 Theme Issues: Celebrating 100 Years of Publishing Integrating Public Health Across Sectors Gender and Sexuality Healthier America: One Community at a Time Asian American, Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander Health Public Health in a World of Scarcity and Abundance Modeling to Advance Tobacco Control Policy Promote, Prevent, Protect School-based Health Care Peak Petroleum Social Justice Mental Health Promotion and Protection April 2010 Supplement: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities

  8. Journal Format, AJPH

  9. General • Peer-reviewed • Monthly • General public health readership • Global distribution

  10. Categories of Papers • Letters to the Editor and Responses • Editor’s Choice • Editorials • On the Other Hand • Statistically Speaking • Field Action Reports • Going Public • Faces of Public Health • Commentaries

  11. Categories of Papers (continued) • Analytic Essays (designed specifically for 3 AJPHdepartments) • Health Policy and Ethics Forum • Government, Politics, and Law • Framing Health Matters • Public Health Then and Now • Voices from the Past • Images of Health

  12. Categories of Papers (continued) • Briefs (preliminary or novel findings up to 800 words) • Research and Practice Articles (results of original quantitative or qualitative public health research up to 3500 words)

  13. Submission Requirements, AJPH

  14. Manuscript Style, File Formats and Cover Letter • Style: The AMS Manual of Style, 10thEdition • File format: Word documents, all versions

  15. Manuscript Style, File Formats and Cover Letter • Cover letter • Authors must state compliance with Principles of the Ethical Practice of Public Health to which AJPH adheres • Disclosure of all possible conflicts of interest • Disclosure of all previous publications based upon the same material and value added of the submission beyond related previous publications • Brief indication of the importance of the manuscript to the field of public health • If manuscript based on a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) or Group Randomized Trial (GRT), the trials must have been previously registered

  16. Manuscript Components • Title page (authors names deleted to ensure double blind peer review) • Abstracts • Structured • Unstructured • Headings • References • Tables, figures, and images • Supplemental files • Reproduced material

  17. Submission Process, AJPH

  18. Editorial Manager • Set up an account • Register • Follow the prompts to enter requested information • Adhere to requirements for submission categories • Abstract type and word count • Article type and word count • Reference format and number of references • Number of tables, figures, and images

  19. Editorial and Peer Review Process, AJPH

  20. Evaluation Criteria by AJPH Editorial Team • Original and timely material • Clear writing • Appropriate study methods • Valid data • Reasonable conclusions supported by the data • Important information • Topic is of general public health interest

  21. Of note… • At this stage, if a manuscript is deemed of insufficient priority, it is rejected. Decisions about a manuscript are based only on its importance, methodological rigor, originality, clarity, and relevance to the AJPH mission. Studies with negative results, or those challenging previously published work or widely held beliefs, receive equal consideration.

  22. Words of Wisdom • It is imperative that authors prepare their papers according to the specifications outlined in the Instructions to Authors. By not doing so, a submission could be delayed. It also may be helpful to authors to peruse recent issues which can be informative regarding current Journal priorities and paper formats for the various categories and departments.

  23. Submission Screening Process • Each submission reviewed by Editor-in-Chief or designee • Review considerations • Appropriateness for Journal • Quality • Reader interest • Extent to which topic (or related topics) covered in recent issues

  24. Submission Screening Process (continued) • 80% of submissions rejected at this stage • Turnaround relatively short; authors notified within 5-10 days • If submission selected for further review, it is assigned to an Associate or Department Editor • At this stage about 50% of papers sent out for peer review are ultimately published

  25. Submission Screening Process (continued) • Time from submission to first decision averages 3 months • First decision typically requires a revision extending the time period an additional 3 months on average • Time from acceptance to publication varies depending on whether the paper is scheduled for a particular (e.g., theme) issue

  26. Examples of Publications using BRFSS Data • Holtzman D, Bland SD, Lansky A, Mack K. HIV-related behaviors and perceptions among adults in 25 states, 1997 BRFSS. American Journal of Public Health 2001;91:1882-1888. • Denny CH, Holtzman D, Goins RT, Croft J. Disparities in chronic disease risk factors and health status between American Indian and Alaska Native and white elders: Findings from a telephone survey, 2001 and 2002. American Journal of Public Health 2005;95:825-827.

  27. Thank you National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD & TB Prevention Division of Viral Hepatitis

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