Writing for FAMILY MEDICINE:
an author's guide

FAMILY MEDICINE always welcomes original, unpublished contributions. If you are interested in submitting an article, the following information will be helpful.

• Articles
  Leading articles are either 450 words (one page) or 800-900 words (two pages), with a maximum of four references and should focus narrowly on a particular topic or issue in Family Medicine. More general feature articles are 900-1000 words with with a maximum of eight referencesÑon clinical topics related to the health care of children (including adolescents), and the family. The majority of our readers are general practitioners, so your text should focus on their community-based concerns.

• Presentation
  We encourage authors to present information in the form of tables, charts and figures, which we will redraw from your clear roughs. Colour transparencies or prints are welcomed and will be returned after the article is published. All contributions must be cleanly typed with double spacing and wide margins on one side of A4 paper. Pages should be numbered. Please also send a copy of the article on disc (saved in Claris works or Asci) or email it to 'harriett@medpress.co.uk'. References (Vancouver style) should be listed at the end of the article, clearly numbered and presented in the order in which they appear in the text. Please also try to include a conclusion to summarise the article and a short list of key points

• Approval
  All articles are sent to our Medical Editors for assessment, and we aim to write with our decision and/or comments within one month of receipt of the article. All submissions are edited as necessary to achieve suitable length and style. Authors are sent a proof of their article for approval prior to publication.

• Copyright
  Authors will be asked to sign an agreement transferring copyright to Medpress. All requests to reproduce or make available anything in Medpress publications, in whole or in part, in electronic or any other form, including translation, must be sent to the address below.

• Internet
  Published articles may also be published on Family Medicine's internet site

Harriett Ainley, Editor, Family Medicine, Tubs Hill House, 8th Floor, London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1BL
Tel: +44 (0) 1732 464190; Fax: +44 (0) 1732 464939; email: harriett@medpress.co.uk