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Types of Articles
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Following are brief descriptions of the various types of articles
published by Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD). We recommend that
prospective authors read not only the description of the type of article
they plan to submit but also our Peer
Review
Checklists. These checklists present the criteria by which peer
reviewers judge whether or not to recommend publishing a paper.
Original Research Reports
Subject to Peer Review
These articles present important research results of broad significance
to public health professionals. They explain the value of the research to
public health and the meaning of the findings to chronic disease prevention.
A statement indicating that the research was approved by the appropriate
institutional review board must accompany every submission of a report on
original research.
We welcome articles from many disciplines (e.g., economics, public
policy, social and behavioral science) as long as the research results are
pertinent to preventing or reducing the effects of chronic disease. Below
are some examples of suitable articles:
- An economic analysis of a public health intervention.
- A randomized trial of a behavioral intervention to reduce the effects
of diabetes.
- A focus group analysis of reasons why people in retirement homes do
not exercise.
- An analysis of a multifaceted intervention to remove barriers to good
health for an immigrant population.
Use the following subheadings in the body of the text:
- Introduction
- Describe clearly the main purpose of the research and the main
hypothesis to be tested or the main question to be answered. Include
information about what is already published on this topic in the science
literature.
- Methods
- Describe the methods used to conduct the research. Include details
about the study design (e.g., randomized, case-control, prospective).
Describe how the research and control subjects were selected and the
criteria used to include them in the final cohort or exclude them from
it. Give information about the setting in which the study was conducted
(e.g., rural, suburban, or urban; health care facility, school,
workplace). Describe the planned outcome measures, but do not give
results.
- Results
- Describe the findings of the study, but do not discuss or interpret
those findings. For quantitative studies, provide 95% confidence
intervals and the level of statistical significance.
- Discussion
- Interpret and discuss the implications of the study's primary
conclusions. If appropriate, point out the limitations of the study and
suggest areas for further research.
We encourage the use of photographs, illustrations, short audio or video
clips, and interactive pieces. Before submitting your manuscript, we suggest
you check it against the Reviewer
Checklist for Original Research (PDF–119K). Articles reporting results of
randomized controlled trials must conform to the standards of the CONSORT
statement, available at www.consort-statement.org*.
Number of words: text, no more than 4000 words; abstract, no more than 250
words.
References: no more than 40.
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Editorials
Usually solicited, editorials provide commentary or analysis on an
article in the current issue. They explore ideas in chronic disease
prevention from a researcher's or practitioner's point of view and express
opinions in an analytical way. Editorials may include illustrations or
tables, and they are not subject to peer review.
Number of words: text, no more than 2000 words; abstract, no more than 150
words.
References: no more than 20.
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Essays
Essays are not necessarily tied to an article in the current issue. They
are usually solicited, and they provide thoughtful discussion of
contemporary issues in public health. They raise issues of interest to
researchers and practitioners, initiate or focus discussion, or propose a
position or consensus statement. Essays are written with a more personal
point of view than Editorials, and with a "broader brush." They
can report on unusual cases or personal experiences, and they may include
figures, tables, slides, or other supporting graphics. Not suitable are
reviews, methods, how-to papers, or responses to specific published papers.
Essays are not subject to peer review.
Number of words: text, no more than 2000 words; abstract, no more than 150
words.
References: no more than 20.
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Letters to the Editor
May be subject to Peer Review
This section is intended primarily for comments on articles published
previously in PCD, but letters reporting
original research or case reports are also welcome. Letters must cite
published references to support the writer's argument. If warranted, journal
editorial staff will solicit a reply from the author of the corresponding
article; both letter and reply may appear in the same issue. Letters require
statements of authorship responsibility and disclosure of conflicts of
interest. They may include a limited number of figures, tables, slides, or
other multimedia support. Letters should not be divided into sections. List
authors and affiliations at the foot of the letter. Letters may be subject
to peer review, and they will be edited by PCD editors for clarity,
sense, and style. Authors have the right to refuse publication after
editorial revisions have been made. Please note that some
indexing/abstracting services do not include letters in their databases.
Number of words: text, no more than 750 words.
References: no more than 6.
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Reviews
Subject to Peer Review
These articles provide systematic assessments of literature and data
sources pertaining to our Scope of
Interests. Reviews are usually solicited, but authors may contact the
editorial staff with manuscript ideas. Authors are required to describe
their methods for performing the review, including ways of searching for,
selecting, and summarizing information. Use a structured abstract with the
following headings: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. Meta-analyses
also will be considered as reviews. Mini-reviews provide brief
historical perspectives or summaries of developments in fast-moving areas
(less than 2000 words and 40 references).
Number of words: no more than 4000 words.
References: no more than 80.
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Community Case Studies
Subject to Peer Review
These articles describe disease prevention activities such as community
programs, community-based interventions and evaluations, and field
observations. They emphasize the context (community) in which the activity
occurs and should offer special insight and commentary. Community Case
Studies must use the following structure:
- Background
- Briefly describe the scientific knowledge on the disease and the
intervention, including a few references. For example, an article that
describes a physical activity program for women might report the
frequency of physical activity by women in the state or in the
community. It could also include examples of other physical activity
programs that were reported as effective for women.
- Context
- Describe the context of the topic in the community illustrated in your
article. What are the characteristics of the local population? What
other aspects (such as economic base, recreational facilities, common
diet, or support systems) of the community might be relevant to the
program you are describing? Why is the health problem you are addressing
so prevalent in this community?
- Methods
- Describe the program, activities, or intervention. What was the
timeline? How were participants recruited? What staffing skills were
required? What materials were used to educate or reward? How was the
program evaluated?
- Consequences
- What got better; what got worse; how did things change? What barriers
or advantages did you encounter, especially unexpected ones? What was
learned through evaluation or field observation? What actions were taken
based on the findings? How was feedback provided to the
community?
- Interpretation
- Was the activity worthwhile? What would you do differently next time?
How does the context affect the consequences? What advice would you offer
to other communities interested in setting up a similar program?
Before submitting your manuscript, we suggest you check it against the
Reviewer Checklist for Community Case Studies (PDF–123K).
We encourage the use of photographs, illustrations, newspaper clippings,
short video or audiotapes (5 to 10 minutes), or other information that
complements the article and that can be delivered or linked to via the Web.
Number of words: text, no more than 2500 words; abstract, 250 words.
Number of
references: no more than 15.
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Tools and Techniques: Practical Problem-Solving
These are instructional materials for professional development that focus on the practical
application of methods. Statisticians, for example, might show when to use
specific statistics tests, qualitative researchers might explain how to
structure the use of focus groups, economists might discuss new theories
that would help public health practitioners evaluate economic effects, and
policy analysts might describe the likely impact of proposed legislation.
These are not generally subject to peer review.
Number of words: text, no more than 3000 words; abstract, no more than 250
words.
Number of references: no more than 40.
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Step-by-Step: Making Your Communities Healthier
These articles address issues related to one or more of the original
research reports in the current issue. They focus on an aspect of population health
that has a particular impact on a specified community. Examples include how
to start a community walking program, how to define a community's role in
participatory research, or how to assess whether a community is at risk for
a certain disease. Authors should write these articles in plain language and
avoid technical terms and jargon. Important readers of these articles
include community advocates. We encourage the use of photographs and
illustrations. These articles are not subject to peer review.
Number of words: text, no more than 2000 words; abstract, 150
words.
Number of
references: no more than 20.
Book Reviews
We welcome short reviews (500 to 1000 words) of soon-to-be-released and recently
(within six months) published
books on issues related to public health and the prevention of chronic disease.
As part of the evaluation, answer these questions: Who is the intended
audience (e.g., physicians, scientists, public health practitioners, general
public)? What is the author's purpose for writing the book, and is his or
her argument convincing? Is the factual evidence correct, and does it
support the author's argument? Does the author present an objective point of
view? Provide an evaluation
of the book's overall quality relative to similar works, and support any negative or positive comments
with evidence. Please include the name of the book, name of the author, publisher's
name and location, number of pages, price, and ISBN.
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Announcements
We welcome brief announcements (25 to 75 words) of events of interest to
our readers. In this section, we also include information (no more than 100
words) about upcoming conferences related to preventing chronic disease.
Announcements should list the topics to be covered during the conference and
may refer readers to a Web site with a full description of conference
activities. These announcements will be put on our Web site within two weeks
of approval for publication. All announcements must be submitted through Manuscript
Central.
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* Links to non-Federal
organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not
constitute an endorsement of any organization by the CDC or the Federal
Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for
the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.
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