Guidelines for Authors

BACKGROUND

The Canadian Journal of Infection Control (CJIC) is a leading international peer review journal providing a platform for knowledge transfer and academic discourse in the field of infection prevention and control, and hospital epidemiology. The journal accepts manuscripts outlining original research that examines, informs and advances this professional field. Manuscripts are accepted in English and French and should be submitted electronically by clicking on SUBMIT NOW.

PUBLICATION CATEGORIES

Reprints of articles published elsewhere (abstract submissions not counting) will not be accepted. All articles for publication in CJIC will appear in one of the following categories, all of which (except Letters to the Editor and Errata) undergo the same peer review:

  • Original Articles
    • This category is intended for the detailed presentation of original research and studies in infection prevention and control, and hospital
    • Include a title page, a structured abstract (max. 300 words), a text (max. 3,000 words), tables and figures (max. 5 combined), and references (max. 40);
  • Review Articles
    • This category is intended for structured, systematic reviews, qualitative or quantitative meta-analyses, guidelines and position statements.
    • Include a title page, a structured abstract (max. 300 words), a text (max. 3,000 words), tables and figures (max. 5 combined), and references (max. 40);
  • Outbreak Investigations
    • This category is intended for narrative review of outbreak investigation/control.
    • Whenever possible and appropriate, authors are encouraged to follow the ORION statement: guidelines for transparent reporting of Outbreak Reports and Intervention Studies of Nosocomial infection (https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkm055)
    • Include a title page, a narrative abstract (max. 200 words), a text (max. 2,000 words), tables or figures (max. 3 combined), and references (max. 20);
  • QI in IPAC
    • This category is intended for the detailed presentation of original research and studies on quality/safety of health care as it relates to infection prevention and control. Manuscripts should outline problems in quality of practice, define measures of outcome, and describe alternative approaches to improving quality/safety of care.
    • Whenever possible and appropriate, authors are encouraged to follow the SQUIRE guidelines (Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence), which provide a framework for reporting studies on interventions to improve the quality/safety of care.
    • Include a title page, a structured abstract (max. 300 words), a text (max. 2,500 words), tables and figures (max. 4 combined), and references (max. 40);
  • Emerging Technologies
    • This category is intended for the presentations of novel technological solutions in the field of infection prevention and hospital epidemiology; for example, emerging technologies for medical device reprocessing, hand hygiene compliance monitoring, environmental management, automated surveillance systems, etc.
    • Manuscripts submitted under this category may contain detailed specifications of novel technologies and technical terminology.
    • Include a title page, an abstract (unstructured acceptable; max. 300 words), a text (max. 2,500 words), tables and figures (max. 4 combined), and references (max. 40);
  • Concise Reports
    • This category is intended for the presentation of evidence-based experimental observations in a concise, focused format. While similar in structure to Original Articles, these articles do not warrant a longer presentation.
    • Include a title page, a narrative abstract (max. 100 words), a text (max. 1,200 words), tables or figures (max. 2 combined), and references (max. 10);
  • IPAC Practice
    • This category is intended for the presentation of novel or significantly improved practices of infection prevention and control and related applications of hospital epidemiology.
    • Include a title page, a narrative abstract (max. 100 words), a text (max. 1,200 words), tables or figures (max. 2 combined), and references whenever appropriate (max. 10);
  • Letters to the Editor
    • This category is intended for publication of letters pertaining to articles published in the CJIC or the issues of current interest to readers. They will be reviewed by the Editor-in- Chief and may be subject to response by authors of the pertinent paper.
    • Include a text (max. 900 words), tables or figures (max. 2 combined), and references (max. 10);
  • Errata
    • This category is intended for corrections of previously published articles (e.g. production error during the publishing process or an author's error).

 

DOUBLE-BLIND PEER REVIEW

CJIC utilizes double-blind peer review which requires authors to submit an anonymous version of their manuscript file. Author details should be only in the Title Page document. The manuscript file should NOT include:

  • Any author names (including header and footer)
  • Author affiliations
  • Author contact information
  • Acknowledgements
  • Conflicts of interest (if applicable)

 

PREPARING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

Title Page

Complete the Title Page (full title of your manuscript; running title; key words; author names and affiliations; contact information for corresponding author, acknowledgements, and conflict of interest disclosure) and submit as a separate attachment.

Format

Authors should follow the ICMJE Recommendations (formerly "The Uniform Requirements") in preparation of their manuscript. Manuscript must be submitted as a Word document in the following format: single column text, double-spaced, left justified, 1” margin, standard font (e.g. Times New Roman, Calibri, etc.) size 12 (tables and text), and all pages numbered. Units of measurement should be in a metric format. Abbreviations must be spelled out and provided in parentheses after first appearance in the text of manuscript (not in abstract). Manuscripts must conform to the APA Style. 

Title

Title should capture the essence of the manuscript and be concise (max. 100 characters).

Abstract

  • Background: brief background and study purpose
  • Methods: study participants, settings, measurements, analytical methods
  • Results: effect size, statistical and clinical significance
  • Conclusions: principal findings and conclusions

 

Introduction

  • Provide context, background and what the study will add to the literature/body of knowledge on subject

 

Methods

  • Research involving humans should include information on ethical conduct
  • Selection and description of participants (if applicable)
  • Study design
  • Primary and secondary outcome measures
  • Statistics
  • No results should be presented in Methods

 

Results

  • Do not repeat data from tables and figures in text, instead state the most relevant and most important findings
  • Provide all findings for primary and secondary outcomes
  • Extra material should be provided in an appendix
  • Provide numerical results as derivatives but also as absolute numbers. State statistical significance where appropriate.

 

Discussion

  • State new findings and how they add to the existing body of knowledge
  • Summarize the findings, compare and contrast results with other relevant studies
  • State limitations of study
  • Indicate areas for future research and clinical practice implications

 

References (see Publication Categories for maximum number of references per article)

  • Follow APA referencing style
  • Authors must include an in-text citation when they refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another source. For every in-text citation, there must be a corresponding entry in the reference list.
  • APA in-text citation style uses the authors' last name and year of publication, for example: (Field, 2005).
  • The reference list at the end of the manuscript must follow the following format.
  • Last Name of Author, Initials. (Year of Publication). Title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range.

 

Tables/Figures/Appendices (see Publication Categories for maximum number per article)

  • Emphasis should be made on providing graphs over tables
  • Place tables, figures and pictures in the body of text in the order in which you would like them to appear
  • Figures and tables are numbered consecutively as they appear as cited in the main manuscript
  • All titles are short and self-explanatory
  • All tables/figures must provide enough detail that the reader does not need to refer back to the manuscript
  • Provide only tables and figures that explain your argument of the paper and support data
  • No duplication of data between tables and figures
  • Appendices should be titled consecutively as A, B
Details
Hits: 3115