We welcome papers complying with the word limits (see Publication Categories) and written in English. Authors for whom English is a second language should have their papers translated into English and checked by a native English speaker before submission. Two copies need to be submitted: with and without identifying data on the title page.
Tasman Journals will hold the first author responsible for ensuring that all authors agree with the contents of the submission. Conflicts of interest must be divulged, and research papers involving patients or patient data should have received institutional ethics approval. Tasman Journals will request transfer of copyright from the submitting author.
Clinical research papers must follow the format Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion, but otherwise the format of submitted papers and the word limits specified under Categories are not fixed rigidly. All articles need to be set in the context of existing knowledge, and the implication of research findings requires broad discussion. All full papers require an Abstract containing sections labeled as above. The methods used, including statistical test methods, must be described in full and validated. Though authors of papers other than original research have discretion to format their paper as they wish, they agree that the Journal may require them to make changes or may make changes deemed to be required. Reviews require an abstract setting the review in context. Authors of Reviews must provide information on other reviews in the area and state how the submitted review differs from previous reviews. Citations must be in the Vancouver style with citation marks placed after terminal punctuation. In the reference list, include the names of all authors (formed as Surname1 AB, Surname 2 CD, etc as published) up to a maximum of 4; if more, add et al. References to internet pages must include the date on which the web-page was retrieved and examined. Tables and figures should have plain designs and graph axes should be adequately labeled. Figures and graphs should not have a title but the legend should be such that they can be understood independently (ie, without reading the paper). Tables should have a title and legend as a single block of text and as with figures, also independently understandable.
All manuscripts should be submitted via Manuscript Manager. The review process will be anonymous in both directions. Reviewers will receive only the copy of the paper from which all identifying information has been removed. The principal author will be requested to provide the names of two independent potential reviewers.
Reviewers will be appointed for their expertise and are expected to provide reviews dispassionately, avoid criticisms of a trivial nature and all comment that may be taken as prejudiced, insulting or defamatory. Their main task is to advise the Journal on whether the work is new and of a reasonable scientific standard. Tasman Journals undertake to assign due weight to points made by authors in response to reviewers. In the event that authors and reviewers do not agree on a point that must be satisfied for publication, the Journal will seek further review.
