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Home > Periodicals and Publications > CJOT > Author's Guidelines |
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Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy Author's Guidelines This entire document can be downloaded as a pdf file by clicking here. Manuscripts are submitted to the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy with the understanding that they are not simultaneously under consideration by any other publication and have not been previously published. Authors will be required to assign copyright ownership of their manuscript to CAOT Publications once the manuscript has been submitted for review. The copyright assignment form will be send to the corresponding author together with a letter acknowledging the submission.
Please submit an electronic version (e-mail preferred) of the manuscript, together with a cover letter to the CJOT editor:
A hard copy of the paper is not required. Papers submitted to the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy must comply with the established guidelines from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Click here to read these guidelines. The manuscript must be sent as a single file, collated in the following order:
Electronic submissions that are sent as multiple files will be returned to the author to collate. Cover Letter
The cover letter needs to identify a primary and secondary (when possible) corresponding author and provide full contact for these individuals. The secondary author will only be contacted by the Editor when the primary author does not respond to time-sensitive communications. Manuscript submissions fall into two major categories: the Full-Length paper and the Brief Report. Full-Length submissions present new and important information that has the potential to advance occupational therapy research, education or practice, or to offer insights into policies that affect the discipline or its members. Full-length papers should extend existing knowledge within the field through:
A Full-length manuscript should be approximately 4000 to 4500 words in length, and must not exceed 6000 words including abstract, references and acknowledgements. Tables and figures should be restricted to ones that are essential to the manuscript and add substantially to the content of the paper. Brief Report submissions present information and ideas that have the potential to identify promising new directions for thinking in occupational therapy research, education or practice. Brief reports should be used to share:
Papers in this category should be approximately 1500 to 2500 words in length, and must not exceed 3000 words including abstract, references and acknowledgements. Brief reports must include no more than two tables, charts and/or figures (any combination). Authors are encouraged to contact the editor if they have questions about the category of submission best suited to their materials. Manuscripts should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document file. Format the document using 12 point font and double spaced lines on standard 21.5 cm (11 in) x 28 cm (8 ½ in) paper with 2.5 cm (1 in) margins. Times Roman or Arial fonts are preferred. Use single spaces between individual sentences throughout the manuscript. Pages should be numbered sequentially in the bottom right corner, starting with the second title page (no author information). Abbreviations or acronyms are to be used sparingly throughout the text, and when used they must be written in full the first time. It is not acceptable to use the acronym ‘OT’ in a manuscript. Instead, use occupational therapist or occupational therapy, as appropriate. Authors should familiarise themselves with the CJOT style guide, The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (Sixth Edition) (2009), as well as the style guide for CAOT Publications available on the web site. With the exception of the abstract, the heading format used in CJOT is as follows:
Findings Urban/rural differences Manuscripts should be free of any sexual or social remarks. Choice of terminology used to describe a person with a disability should reflect respect (avoid the use of 'an autistic', 'the epileptics'), should protect dignity (avoid the use of 'suffering', 'case'), and should be free of stereotypes (avoid the use of 'confined to a wheelchair', 'victim'). For further guidelines refer to: A way with words: Guidelines and appropriate terminology for the portrayal of persons with disabilities (2002). Available from the Office For Disability Issues, 25 Eddy St., Suite 100, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M5. Tel: 1 (800) O-Canada or 1 (800) 622-2632 or can be downloaded from : http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/. Title page with all author information The manuscript title should reflect its content, be succinct and informative, and should not contain any abbreviations or acronyms. The title should not exceed 12 words. List the first and last names and middle initial of each author together with highest degree held, professional credential, title or position, present affiliation, and full mailing address including postal code. A telephone number for the corresponding author and e-mail address should also be included. Author information should be formatted as follows:
The main title page will be removed by the editor prior to the review process. Title page without contact information The Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy uses a double-blind peer-review system. Therefore, each manuscript must include a second title page that contains only the title. Page numbering should start on this page (page 1). All manuscripts must include a structured abstract. Headings within the abstract can follow one of two formats:
Headings must be in bold and followed by a period. The abstract must not exceed 150 words and should be presented as a single paragraph without breaks between the sections. If the manuscript is accepted for publication the abstract will be translated into French or English, as appropriate. Authors who are able to provide their own abstract translations are encouraged to do so. Provide between three and five keywords that are indexed to the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). The format for the main body of the text will vary depending on the type of manuscript submitted. Randomized control trials should follow the CONSORT guidelines (http://www.consort-statement.org/). Nonrandomized trials of behavioural interventions should follow the TREND guidelines (www.trend-statement.org/). Although CJOT does not currently require that trials be registered as a condition of publication, potential authors are strongly encouraged to register their studies at: http://prsinfo.clinicaltrials.gov/. This registry can accommodate treatment, prevention, diagnostic, screening and quality of life (supportive care) trials. Registration should occur before the first participant is recruited into the study. Authors who have registered their trials should include the registry number and registration date at the end of the abstract. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses should follow the QUORUM guidelines (http://www.consort-statement.org/mod_product/uploads/QUOROM%20Statement%201999.pdf). All other types of research papers (either full-length or brief report) should contain the section headings listed below.
Additional headings can be added at the discretion of the author(s). Sub-headings in the introduction and discussion should be used sparingly, if at all. Theoretical and policy manuscripts should be logically organized in a pattern parallel to that outlined above for Research Manuscripts, using headings relevant to the nature of the paper. All papers must have a conclusion section. Specific references to the authors (name, initials) or other information that could identify the authors (institution, location) should be removed from the body of the paper. If necessary, this information can be added to the manuscript after the peer-review process is complete and the paper is accepted for publication. Authors are asked to provide two or three bullet points that succinctly summarize the key or main messages emanating from their work (75 words maximum). These points should on a separate page, at the end of the manuscript. Authors are reminded that the mission of the journal is to advance excellence in occupational therapy research to inform education, practice and policy. Key messages should reflect the journal’s mission. Acknowledgements Authors should provide digital object identifiers (DOIs) for electronic sources if one is assigned. These references should be provided in the following format:
Electronic sources retrieved from the internet no longer require retrieval dates, unless the source material may change over time. However, the complete URL should be provided in the reference. Use the format: Retrieved from http://www.xxxxxxxx When formatting the reference list, when authors number 8 or more, include the first six authors’ names, then insert three ellipses, and add the last author’s name. When a reference has up to seven authors, spell out all authors’ names in the reference list. Consistent with the guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, authors should:
Each table, figure, chart, graph or photograph must be presented on a separate page in the submission. These materials should only be used to supplement, not duplicate the text. Indicate the placement of each item clearly in the body of the paper, using the following convention: <Insert Table 1 here>. Cite tables, figures, charts, graphs and photographs in numerical order. If a paper is accepted for publication, all tables, figures, charts and graphs must be provided in either Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel format. Figures, charts and graphs that are produced in SPSS and then copied and pasted into Microsoft Word are not acceptable. Tables, figures, charts and graphs must follow APA style for content, lay-out and titling. When data are presented in a table, the unit of measurement and the number of decimals used within a column must remain consistent. Figures, charts and graphs must be clearly labeled. Backgrounds of charts and graphs should be white. Bars and lines must be clearly distinguishable, and provided in shades of gray scale. Legends for the figures, charts and graphs should be presented on the same page rather than a separate one. High resolution, black and white digital photographs should be provided. For peer review, provide each photograph on a separate page. If the article is accepted for publication, individual digital files for each photograph will be required in either TIFF or JPEG format, with a minimum of 300dpi. The CJOT photo release document must accompany submissions that contain photographs of identifiable subjects in photographs. The CJOT photo release document is available here. Line drawings should be prepared professionally and with appropriate computer software, if applicable. Permission to reproduce previously published figures and tables must be obtained from the copyright holder and must be included at the time of submission. Manuscript review Manuscripts that do not fit with the mission of the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy or that have significant methodological flaws will be returned to the authors without peer review (rejected without review). Manuscripts that comply with submission guidelines, fit with the mission of the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy and have adequate scientific rigor, will be processed for double-blind peer review. Manuscript disposition will be communicated to the primary author in writing, typically within 3 to 4 months. Decisions can include:
Back to top Authors submitting manuscripts to the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy have the right to appeal a manuscript disposition decision. The appeal must be made in writing to the Chair of the Editorial Board and submitted within 30 days after the decision. The decision of the Appeal Board is final. Copyediting Accepted Manuscripts |