Manuscript Preparation

  • The manuscript should be submitted in Microsoft Word (use double-spacing).
  • Arrange the manuscript with the following sections and begin each section on a separate page: (1) title page, (2) abstract, (3) keywords, (4) text, (5) acknowledgments, (6) references, (7) glossary (if needed), (8) tables and table captions (each table on a separate page), (9) figures captions (figures should be submitted in separate files and not embedded in the manuscript).
  • Authors who have a conflict of interest or have received financial support should disclose this support on the title page of the article or on a separate sheet. If no conflict exists, please state that “no conflict of interest is declared.”
  • All pages should be numbered consecutively, beginning with the title page. A page number should be included in the upper-right corner of each page.
  • Abbreviated terms are spelled out at first use and followed with the abbreviation in parentheses. Avoid overuse of contrived abbreviations.
  • Written permission to use nonoriginal material—including figures, tables, and quotations exceeding 100 words—is included from both author and publisher of the original, and the source is credited in the manuscript. No article will be accepted as a submission without all required permissions.
  • Title page: Include (1) the full title of the paper—short, clear, and specific; (2) the authors' full names; (3) the degrees and institutional affiliations of all authors; (4) the names, addresses (including zip codes), e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of all contributing authors; and (5) a running title of 3 or 4 words. Indicate the author to whom communications should go regarding the manuscript and reprint requests.
  • Abstract: Provide an article summary of 300 words or less.
  • Keywords: Include 3 to 5 keywords.
  • Grant and other acknowledgments: Specify support of any work discussed, by a grant or otherwise, as well as any meeting at which the paper was presented (including place and date).
  • Exclusive license to publish to SAGE Publications is a condition of publication—once the manuscript is accepted for publication, authors will receive a copyright transfer form (electronically).
  • Institutional review board approval is required for any studies involving human or animal subjects.

Tables

Tables must be submitted in Excel or Word table format and not as images. They should appear at the end of the manuscript and not be embedded throughout the text. Table callouts should appear throughout the text. Each table should have a table caption, and all symbols should be explained in the legend. Tables should not duplicate material in text or illustrations. If a table is copied from previous publication, permission from the copyright owner must be submitted, and the original source must be referenced in the table legend.

Figures

Figures should be submitted as high-resolution figure files and not be embedded in the manuscript. Figures may be in color or black-and-white. Credit for any previously published illustration must be given in the corresponding legend, and permission from the copyright holder must be obtained by the author and submitted with the manuscript. Each figure should have a figure caption, and figure callouts should appear in the text. Figures should not be submitted in Microsoft Word. Acceptable file formats include

  • TIFF (.TIF), Tag Image File Format;
  • EPS (.EPS), Encapsulated Postscript File;
  • JPEG (.JPG), Joint Photographic Experts Group; and
  • PDF (.PDF), Portable Document Format.

File requirements include the following:

  • Line art (black-and-white) should be scanned at 1200 dpi at 1 bit.
  • Color and grayscale images should be scanned at 300 dpi at 8 bit.
  • Save each figure as its own file and do not include any extra text (ie, figure captions).
  • Save the image to the size of the final printed version, with an extra allowance of no more than 10%.

References

Double-space references throughout; number them in the sequence in which they appear in the text; and identify them in text by superscript Arabic numerals. Accuracy and completeness of references are the authors' responsibility. References follow the MLA style.

Examples:

  • Colquitt, Jill L., et al. "Surgery for obesity." Cochrane database of systematic reviews 2 (2009).
  • Horsley, Victor. "Brain-surgery." The British Medical Journal 2.1345 (1886): 670-675.

Weiser, Thomas G., et al. "An estimation of the global volume of surgery: a modelling strategy based on available data." The Lancet 372.9633 (2008): 139-144.