Guide for Authors
- Article Categories
- How to Submit a Manuscript for Peer Review
- Author Responsibilities
- Manuscript Preparation
- Journal Style
- How to Submit Commentary and Letters
- Editorial Process
To download a copy of the Guide for Authors in PDF format.click here.
Pour télécharger le Guide de rédaction en français, cliquez ici.
The Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research is the official peer-reviewed publication of Dietitians of Canada. The Journal considers manuscripts for publication that focus on applied food and nutrition research and other contributions to best practices in dietetics. Manuscripts may be in English or French.
Article Categories
The Journal accepts manuscripts in the following four peer-reviewed categories: Original Research, Review, Perspectives in Practice, Reports/Case Studies.
Original Research (not to exceed 3,000 words)
Manuscripts describing original research should include the following sections:
- Abstract - Provide a brief overview of the study and its findings. Prepare a structured abstract for manuscripts submitted to the Research category. Include the following key headings in the abstract in bold: Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusions (offer main conclusion(s) and relate to practice applications)
- Introduction - A brief statement of the background, relevance and purpose of the research supported by pertinent references only. Extensive literature reviews should be avoided, although discussion of key issues/variables to support purpose and methods should be provided.
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Methods - Describe clearly the selection (eligibility, inclusion/exclusion criteria) of the subjects/research participants and sample size used in the analysis. Identify the methods, apparatus and procedures in sufficient detail to allow other researchers to reproduce results: give references to established methods; provide references and brief descriptions for methods that have been published but are not well known; describe in detail new or substantially modified methods, give reasons for using them and articulate their limitations. When reporting studies with human subjects, indicate whether study procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional or regional committee responsible for approving the procedures for the use of human subjects in research. Describe statistical methods in sufficient detail to enable a knowledgeable reader with access to the original data to verify the reported results. When possible and appropriate, quantify findings and present them with appropriate indicators of measurement error or uncertainty (such as confidence intervals).
For qualitative research:
Provide contextual information on the participants. Describe and give the rationale for the sampling strategy and methodological/theoretical approach (e.g. ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology etc.). Describe data collection procedures incorporating inclusion of the interview guide. Describe the appropriateness of the data collection procedures. Describe the process of analysis in detail, emergence and evolution of themes, use of qualitative analysis software. Describe the steps taken to ensure trustworthiness of the findings. Describe the author's perspective, theoretical orientations, values, interests, assumptions and how these may have been changed during the research process. - Results - Present results in logical sequence in the text, tables and illustrations. Restrict tables and illustrations to those required for clarification. Present data only once. When data are presented either in a tabular or graphic form, emphasize or summarize in the text only important observations.
For qualitative research:
Use examples from the material gathered to illustrate the meaning. Present the findings in a way that is coherent and integrated while preserving the nuances of the data. Examples should allow readers to form alternative meanings and understanding. Describe negative cases. - Discussion - Emphasize the new and important aspects of the study and the conclusions that follow from them. Do not repeat, in detail, data or other material given in the Introduction or Results section. Include in the Discussion section the implications of the findings and their limitations, including implications for future research. Relate the observations to those of other relevant studies. Link the conclusions with the goals of the study and avoid unqualified statements and conclusions not completely supported by your data. Recommendations, when appropriate, may be included.
For qualitative research:
Specify considerations for extending the findings to other contexts and informants. May include questions and/or hypotheses generated by the study or emerging theories. - Relevance to Practice - Relate the findings to practice.
Review (not to exceed 3,000 words)
Manuscripts presenting a review of previously published literature should include: 1. unstructured abstract (without headings); 2. introduction; 3. body, which develops the subject in a logical order using appropriate subheadings and presents a balanced review of the literature and, where relevant, balanced recommendations; 4. relevance to practice.
Perspectives in Practice (not to exceed 2,000 words)
Manuscripts describing innovative programs, new tools or approaches, current issues or other aspects of practice should include: 1. unstructured abstract (without headings); 2. introduction; 3. body, which includes a statement of purpose, reflects a systematic approach to the investigation of the issue or description of the program, including supporting information and a statement of conclusions; 4. relevance to practice.
Reports/Case Studies (not to exceed 1,000 words)
Short reports of preliminary research, evaluations of a program or service and additional data from work already published should include the same subheadings as research articles. Case studies or professional observations should illustrate useful new approaches to the nutrition assessment and management of an individual or situation, or identify unexpected findings or offer new insight into dietetic practice. The acceptable case report must present a credible hypothesis and clearly explain the rationale for developing the hypothesis from the evidence of the case.
Top of PageHow to Submit a Manuscript for Peer Review
- " Authors must submit each manuscript using the online manuscript submission system at: http://www.editorialmanager.com/dcjournal Follow the instructions provided on the web site. Hard copies of manuscripts are not required.
All submitted manuscripts are acknowledged and will be judged by at least two anonymous peer reviewers for soundness, intrinsic merit, interest, value, clarity and readability. Manuscripts are accepted at the discretion of the reviewers and the Editor. After peer review, the corresponding author will be notified whether the manuscript is accepted with revision or rejected. The corresponding author will receive the reviewers' comments to assist in revision, if the article has been accepted, or to assist in future endeavours, if the article has been rejected. Manuscripts that have been accepted pending revisions are to be resubmitted using the online manuscript submission system by clicking on the web link sent in an email to the corresponding author by the Journal office.
Authors will be advised if their revised submissions are accepted for publication.
Top of PageAuthor Responsibilities
Manuscript content and accuracy are the responsibility of the author(s). Credit for authorship requires substantial contributions to: a. conception and design or analysis and interpretation of data and b. the drafting of the article or critical revision for important intellectual content.
Manuscripts submitted to the Journal must not have been published, submitted or accepted for publication elsewhere. Manuscripts in the research category must be original contributions. However, a manuscript adapted from work published elsewhere may be considered for one of the remaining categories at the discretion of the Editor. When submitting an article in any of the four categories above, the author should always make a full statement to the Editor about all submissions and prior reports that might be regarded as prior or duplicate publication of the same or very similar work. Copies of such material should be included with the submitted manuscripts.
Transference of Copyright
Manuscripts submitted online are required to consent to the following statement: "I, the author(s) hereby transfer all copyright ownership to Dietitians of Canada in the event this article is published in the Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research." Where there is multiple authorship, all authors must agree to this statement by consenting to include their names where indicated on the online manuscript submission system. The manuscript submission must include a statement of any permissions to reproduce published material, to use illustrations, to report sensitive personal information about identifiable persons, or to acknowledge persons for their contributions.
Once an article is accepted for publication in the Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, consent must be obtained from the Editor before the manuscript, or parts thereof, may be published elsewhere in the same form.
Acknowledgments
Authors may wish to acknowledge, with their permission, persons who have made a substantial contribution to the work through technical help or advice. Authors must inform the Editor that such permission has been obtained by including the names of individuals where indicated on the online manuscript submission system. Authors should also disclose financial support in the form of grants, gifts, equipment or supplies in the acknowledgement. Sources of financial support should be identified on the Author's Page (see below).
Top of PageManuscript Preparation
The manuscript should be typed double-spaced in Microsoft Word using standard 12-point type, left margin justified. File names of all attached Word documents must contain the extension ".doc". The body of the manuscript should not exceed 3,000 words, excluding the abstract, references and tables/figures. Perspectives in Practice should not exceed 2000 words and Short Reports/Case Studies should not exceed 1,000 words plus one or two short tables and pertinent references. Start each of the sections on a separate page and number each page of the manuscript consecutively. Start each of the sections on a separate page and number each page of the manuscript consecutively.
- Author's Page - All manuscripts must include a separate author's page that lists: 1. the title of the manuscript; 2. full names including first name, highest academic degree(s) and the institutional affiliation for all authors in the order they should appear in the published article; 3. the name and contact information (address, telephone and fax numbers and e-mail address, if available) of the corresponding author (responsible for correspondence about the manuscript during the publication process); 4. the name and address of the author who will handle requests for reprints, if this is different from the corresponding author, or a statement that reprints will not be available from the authors; 5. the source(s) of financial support; 6. short title (eight words or less); and 7. three to 10 key words or short phrases that will assist indexers in cross-indexing your article.
- Title - The title should be specific and informative, conveying the findings of the research or review. The manuscript title should appear on the author's page, abstract, first page of the manuscript text and all correspondence.
- Abstract - The abstract should not exceed 200 words. Manuscripts submitted to the Original Research or Short Report/Case Study Category should contain structured abstracts that include the key headings: Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusions. Manuscripts submitted to the Perspectives in Practice or Review categories should contain unstructured abstracts. The abstract should emphasize new and important aspects of the study or observations and relevance to practice. Record the exact word count of the abstract at the bottom of the page.
- Text - The text should be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the manuscript category to which it is being submitted for publication, as described above.
- Footnotes - Number footnotes in the text consecutively, including those indicated on the title page. All the footnotes, except those on the title page, should be typed in consecutive order on a page separate from the text. For electronic files, they should be included at the end of a document in the same document file.
- References - References should be cited numerically in the text, numbered in parentheses in order of citation. The full references are listed at the end of the manuscript. Cite the makers of software parenthetically in the text after the first mention, not in the list of references. Software citations should include the name, version number and release date, as well as the name and location of the manufacturer. List databases, but not software, with the references. Personal communications may not be cited as references but may be noted parenthetically in the text if a date is included. Permission must be obtained from the person quoted. Articles accepted for publication but not yet published can be designated in the list of references with the notation "in press" within parenthesis marks. If the date of future publication is known, this should be included. Information from manuscripts submitted but not yet accepted should be cited in the text as "unpublished data". Authors are responsible for the accuracy of all references cited in the manuscript. For more information on references see the Reference Style section.
- Tables and Figures - A table is a list of numbers or words. A figure is the graphical depiction of data. The terms are not interchangeable. Tables and figures should be numbered in order of their appearance in the text. Set up each table or figure on a separate page of the document at the end of the file. Number tables and figures separately in the order that they are cited in the text. Supply a brief title for each table or figure. For tables, give each column a short or abbreviated heading. Place explanatory matter in footnotes, not in the heading. Indicate the approximate position of tables and figures in the text thus: "Table 1 (Figure 1) near here".
- Numbers, Abbreviations and Units of Measure - Spell out numbers from one to nine, except for units of measure or statistical data (e.g. nine men, 9 g). Numbers that begin a sentence are always spelled out, as are any accompanying units of measure. Use standard abbreviations, including statistical notations. Length, height, weight, volume, temperature and clinical chemistry should be reported inmetricunits according to the International System of Units. Energy values should be expressed in both kilocalories and Joules.
Journal Style
Editors of the Journal have the right to edit articles for clarity and style.
The Journal uses the following resources to guide on style, usage and spelling:
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals.
http://www.icmje.org/index.html. Updated February 2006. - Huth EJ. Scientific Style and Format. The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. 6th ed. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1994.
- Barber K (ed.) Canadian Oxford Dictionary. Waterloo, ON, 2004.
Reference Style
The Journal follows the Uniform Requirements style for references. List all authors when six or fewer; when six or more, list only the first six and add "et al." Abbreviate periodical titles according to Index Medicus; if a title does not appear in Index Medicus, provide the complete title. The Journal of The Canadian Dietetic Association is abbreviated J Can Diet Assoc and the Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research - Can J Diet Prac Res.
Journal article:
French MR, Moore K, Vernace-Inserra F Hawker GA. Factors that influence adherence to calcium recommendations. Can J Diet Prac Res. 2005;66:25-29.
Book:
Gibson RS. Principles of nutritional assessment, 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Chapter in a book:
Heubi J, Carlsson. Celiac Disease. In: Ekvall WS, Ekvall VK, editors. Pediatric nutrition in chronic diseases and development disorders. Prevention, assessment and treatment. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press; 2005 p. 493-515.
Agency publication:
Health Canada. Nutrient value of some common foods. Ottawa: Public Works and Government Services Canada; 1999.
Electronic Material:
Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D and Fluoride .Washington: National Academy Press; 1999 [cited 2005 3 Mar]. Available from: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309063507/html/index.html
Top of PageHow to Submit Commentary and Letters
Letters to the Editor written in response to an article published in the Journal should clearly outline the writer's point of view and be accompanied by supportive evidence. Such letters should be educational and provide constructive criticism or support to the authors. Original authors will review letters in a timely manner; their response may also be printed in tandem. Critiques of articles presented in the Journal should be received within three months of the publication and, if accepted, will be published in the forthcoming issue of the Journal. Letters should be no longer than 400 words, with a maximum of five references (including the article under discussion). Send submissions using the online manuscript submission system as outlined under "How to Submit a Manuscript for Peer Review". Follow applicable sections of this Guide for Authors regarding reference style. Submissions should be double-spaced and provide permission for publication in the Journal. The Editor reserves the right to reject submissions.
Top of PageEditorial Process
Accepted manuscripts are copy-edited to conform to the Journal style and space limitations. The copy editors reserve the right to make editorial changes and these changes should not be altered by the corresponding author unless a scientific error has been introduced. The corresponding author will receive a galley proof of the article and have an opportunity to review editorial changes and to double check accuracy of content. Any change, other than typographical errors, at this stage should be minimal and may be charged to the author.
Resource for Writing Manuscripts
Day RA. How to write and publish a scientific paper. 4th edition. Phoenix: Oryx Press. 1994 (revised 2005).
Raymon H. Mulford Library. University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus.
Instructions to authors in the health sciences; 2004. Available from: http://mulford.mco.edu/instr/
Canadian Medical Association. Medical writing centre. Available from: http://www.cma.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/8452/la_id/1.htm
Top of PageLast updated May 23, 2007.