Journal of Clinical Question

ISSN 2759-534X

Instruction for Authors

Table of Contents

Checklist
Manuscript Types
Original Research Articles
Review Articles
Short Communications
Case Reports
Preparing Your Manuscript
Components of Your Manuscript
Cover Letter
English Language Editing Services
Permissions
What to Expect After Submission
Acceptance and Publication
Online Publication
Open Access
Further Information

1. Checklist

Read the aims and scope to gain an overview and assess whether your manuscript is suitable for this journal.
Please use the Microsoft Word Template to prepare your manuscript.
Ensure that all issues related to publication ethics, research ethics, copyright, authorship, figure formats, data, and reference formats are appropriately addressed.
Confirm that all authors have approved the content of the submitted manuscript and that they have read the instructions for authors.

2. Manuscript Types

The journal accepts manuscripts of the following types: original research articles, review articles, short communications, and case reports. Below is a description of each article type, along with its specific requirements.

2.1 Original Research Articles

The original components and requirements for research manuscripts report on research or meta-analyses conducted to enhance knowledge of specific public health concerns, establish or confirm facts, reaffirm the results of previous work, address new or existing problems, or support existing theories or develop new ones. Authors should follow the relevant reporting guidelines applicable to the type of study being conducted.

Research Manuscripts:

Front Matter: Title, Running Title, Author List, Affiliations, Corresponding Author, Clinical Question Box, Structured Abstract, Keywords, and Graphical Abstracts (optional).
Text: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions.
Back Matter: Statements and Declarations: Acknowledgments (optional), Conflict of Interest Disclosures, Funding Statement, Institutional Review Board Statement, Informed Consent Statement, Data Availability Statement, Authors’ Contributions, List of Supplementary Materials (optional), and References.
Limitations: The manuscript must be limited to 3,500 words or fewer (excluding references, tables, and figure legends) and may include no more than five tables or figures. There is no limit on the number of references.
Peer Review: Required.

2.2 Review Articles

Reviews provide a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature within a specific field of study, highlighting current gaps and problems. They should be both critical and constructive, offering recommendations for future research. Additionally, no new or unpublished data should be included.

Components and Requirements:

Front Matter: Title, Author List, Affiliations, Corresponding Author, Clinical Question Box, Ustructured Abstract, Keywords, and Graphical Abstracts (optional).
Text: A literature review that is logically organized into specific sections and subsections (optional).
Back Matter: Statements and Declarations: Acknowledgments (optional), Conflict of Interest Disclosures, Funding Statement, Institutional Review Board Statement, Data Availability Statement, Authors’ Contributions, List of Supplementary Materials (optional), and References.
Limitation: The manuscript must be limited to 3,500 words or fewer (excluding references, tables, and figure legends) and may include no more than five tables or figures. There is no limit on the number of references.
Peer Review: Required.

2.3 Short Communications

Short communications are classified into two categories: 1) those that provide commentary on manuscripts published in the journal within the past 12 weeks and 2) those that offer brief observations or comments on topics relevant to the journal’s scope. Commentaries are opinion essays that initiate or focus discussions on current or emerging clinical questions, significant scientific or programmatic developments, new technologies, policy issues, or current scientific debates. Commentaries may present a personal viewpoint on a topic if appropriate.

Research Manuscript Components and Requirements:

Front Matter: Title, Author List, Affiliations, Corresponding Author, Clinical Question Box (optional) and Keywords.
Text: A literature review that is logically organized into specific sections and subsections (optional).
Back Matter: Statements and Declarations: Acknowledgments (optional), Conflict of Interest Disclosures, Funding Statement, Institutional Review Board Statement, Data Availability Statement, Authors’ Contributions, List of Supplementary Materials (optional), and References.
Limitations: The manuscript must be limited to 1,500 words or fewer (excluding references, tables, and figure legends) and may include no more than two tables or figures. A maximum of 10 references is permitted, including the article being commented on.
Peer Review: At the editor-in-chief’s discretion.

2.4 Case Reports

Case reports present detailed information regarding the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment (including all interventions), and outcomes of individual patients or groups of patients. They typically describe new or uncommon conditions that contribute to medical knowledge or highlight innovative diagnostic approaches.

Research Manuscript Components and Requirements:

Front Matter: Title, Author List, Affiliations, Corresponding Author, Clinical Question Box, Structured Abstract (including Background, Case Presentation, and Conclusion), and Keywords.
Text: Introduction, Case Presentation, Literature Review, Discussion, and Conclusion (optional).
Back Matter: Statements and Declarations: Acknowledgments (optional), Conflict of Interest Disclosures, Funding Statement, Institutional Review Board Statement, Informed Consent Statement, Data Availability Statement, Authors’ Contributions, List of Supplementary Materials (optional), and References.
Limitation: The manuscript must be limited to 1,500 words or fewer (excluding references, tables, and figure legends) and may include no more than five tables or figures. There is no limit on the number of references.
Peer Review: Required.

3. Preparing Your Manuscript

We do not have strict formatting requirements; however, all manuscripts must include the following essential sections: Title Page (including Author Information), Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, Figures and Tables with Captions, Funding Information, Author Contributions, Conflict of Interest, and other Ethics Statements for Original Research. Manuscripts should be formatted with page numbers, continuous line numbering, double spacing, 0.75-inch margins on all sides, and 12-point Times New Roman font. Upon revising your manuscript, you will be asked to format it according to the journal’s guidelines.

Acronyms/Abbreviations/Initialisms

These terms should be defined the first time they appear in three sections: the abstract, the main text, and the first figure or table. When defined for the first time, the acronym/abbreviation/initialism should be included in parentheses after the full written form.

SI Units

All measurements must be expressed in the metric system and/or the Systeme International d’Unites (SI). Use the capital letter “L” for liter in the units of measurement in the text, figures, and tables (g/dL, mg/dL, IU/L, mg/dL, and mEq/L).

The accession numbers for the RNA, DNA, and protein sequences used in the manuscript should be provided in the Materials and Methods section. Additionally, see the section on the Deposition of Sequences and Expression Data.
Equations

If you are using Microsoft Word, please use either the Microsoft Equation Editor or the MathType add-on. Equations should be editable by the editorial office and should not be presented in a picture format.

Statistics

Contributors should review the standards outlined in the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual to determine the appropriate presentation of statistics. The Journal of Clinical Question seeks to ensure that general epidemiologists can understand the statistical presentations within the journal. According to the AMA Manual, contributors should recognize that it is always preferable to present results in terms of point estimates and confidence intervals, as these convey more information than P values alone. Contributors must be careful to note that a result that fails to meet the criterion for statistical significance (such as P < 0.05) does not justify a conclusion of “no effect,” “no difference” in outcomes, or “no association” between an exposure or characteristic and an outcome. Inferences should be carefully reasoned and not based solely on statistical hypothesis testing.

Preregistration

Where authors have preregistered studies or analysis plans, they must include links to the preregistration in the manuscript.

Research Data and Supplementary Materials

Please note that the publication of your manuscript requires you to make all materials, data, and protocols associated with the publication available to readers. Disclose any restrictions on the availability of materials or information at the submission stage. For additional guidelines, please refer to the information regarding Supplementary Materials and Data Deposit.

4. Components of Your Manuscript

4.1 Title Page

Your manuscript should begin with a title page that includes the following elements:

A title (short and descriptive; a running title is not necessary).
The full names of all authors.
All authors’ institutional affiliations and job titles during the research (and current affiliation and title of the corresponding author if different).
The corresponding author’s name, affiliation, street address, telephone number, and email address.

All authors should provide their current affiliation as well as the affiliation where most of the research for their manuscript was conducted. We recommend listing as primary the affiliation where most of the research was conducted or supported; however, please check with your institution regarding any contractual agreement requirements. It is essential that author names and affiliations are accurate. Inaccurate information can lead to improper attribution or incorrect citations and may even result in complications with promotion or funding.

4.2 Abstract

Consult the journal’s article types to determine whether an abstract is necessary and how it should be structured. All types of abstracts, if required, are limited to 300 words. For a structured abstract, sections such as Introduction, Methods, Results, and Conclusion are necessary. Include clinical trial registration details (registrar, website, and registration number) where applicable. For more information, see Manuscript Types.

4.3 Keywords

Please provide 3 to 6 keywords that represent the key topics presented in the article.

4.4 Clinical Question Box

Question: Submit the clinical question in one sentence.

Answer: For original research or meta-analysis, the answer should include information about the patients, intervention, control, and outcomes. In the case of review articles or case reports, it is essential to summarize the major question solved or needs to be solved in practice. The combined content of the question and answer should not exceed 100 words.

4.5 Main Text

Using parentheses, cite each reference, figure, and table in numerical order (e.g., (4, 8–10); (Figure 2); and (Table 3)). The order of mention in the text determines the number assigned to each item. Place acknowledgments at the end of the text, just before the references. For more information, see Manuscript Types.

4.6 References

Gleam Publishing follows the style adopted by the AMA (pp. 39–79), which is based on the standards developed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors in 1978 in Vancouver.

Please note that authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of their references.

Text Citations: Cite references sequentially in the text, tables, and legends using superscript Arabic numerals without parentheses, e.g., 1, 3, 4, or 10–15. Numbers should be placed after punctuation marks; for example, .3, 4.

Reference List: List items numerically (e.g., 1, 2, 3, and 4) in the order they are cited in the text. For example: 4. Kapur NK, Musunuru K. Clinical efficiency and safety of statins in managing cardiovascular risk. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2008;4(2):341–353.

Reference Management Systems

Users of EndNote® software should select the JAMA reference style when preparing references for any Gleam Publishing journal. Avoid using Microsoft Word’s footnote/endnote function to build the reference list, as this may introduce errors during the typesetting process.

Commonly Used Sample References

Journal Articles

Standard Journal Article:

Kapur NK, Musunuru K. Clinical efficiency and safety of statins in managing cardiovascular risk. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2008;4(2):341–353.

Abbreviate the names of journals according to the list provided in PubMed

List all authors if there are six or fewer; otherwise, list the first three followed by “et al.”: Brandén E, Gnarpe J, Hillerdal G, et al. Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae on cytospin preparations from bronchiolar lavage in COPD patients and in lung tissue from advanced emphysema. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2007;2(4):643–650.

Group as Author:

Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Hypertension, insulin, and proinsulin in participants with impaired glucose tolerance. Hypertension. 2002;40(5):679–686.

Both Personal Authors and Organizations as Authors:

Munakata M, Honma H, Akasi M; for J-STOPMetS Study Group. Sexual dysfunction in 1,274 European men suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2007;4(2):415–420.

Volume without Issues but with a Supplement:

Geraud G, Spierings EL, Keywood C. Tolerability and safety of frovatriptan with short- and long-term use for treatment of migraine and in comparison with sumatriptan. Headache. 2002;42 (Suppl 2):S93–S99.

Issue with Supplement:

Glauser TA. Integrating clinical trial data into clinical practice. Neurology. 2002;58(12 Suppl 7):S6–S12.

Volume with Part:

Abend SM, Kulish N. The psychoanalytic method from an epistemological viewpoint. Int J Psychoanal. 2002;83(Pt 2):491–495.

Issue with Part:

Ahrar K, Madoff DC, Gupta S, Wallace MJ, Price RE, Wright KC. Development of a large animal model for lung tumors. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2002;13(9 Pt 1):923–928.

Issue with No Volume:

Banit DM, Kaufer H, Hartford JM. Intraoperative frozen section analysis in revision total joint arthroplasty. Clin Orthop. 2002;(401):230–238.

No Volume or Issue:

Outreach: bringing HIV-positive individuals into care. HRSA Careaction. 2002 Jun:1–6.

Type of Article Indicated as Needed:

Lofwall MR, Strain EC, Brooner RK, Kindbom KA, Bigelow GE. Characteristics of older methadone maintenance (MM) patients [abstract]. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2002;66 Suppl 1:S105.

Article Published Electronically Ahead of Print:

Yu WM, Hawley TS, Hawley RG, Qu CK. Immortalization of yolk sac-derived precursor cells. Blood. Epub 2002 Jul 5.

Foreign Language:

Virchow R. Aetiologie der neoplastischen Geschwulst/Pathogenie der neoplastischen Geschwulste [Etiology and pathology of cancerous tumors]. Die Krankhaften Geschwulste. Berlin: Verlag von August Hirschwald; 1865:57–101. German.

Books and Other Monographs

Personal Author(s):

Murray PR, Rosenthal KS, Kobayashi GS, Pfaller MA. Medical Microbiology. 4th ed. St Louis: Mosby; 2002.

Editor(s) and Compiler(s) as Authors:

Gilstrap LC 3rd, Cunningham FG, VanDorsten JP, eds.Operative Obstetrics. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2002.

Author(s) and Editor(s):

Breedlove GK, Schorfheide AM. Adolescent Pregnancy. 2nd ed. Wieczorek RR, ed. White Plains (NY): March of Dimes Education Services; 2001.

Chapter in a Book:

Meltzer PS, Kallioniemi A, Trent JM. Chromosome alterations in human solid tumors. In: Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW, editors. The Genetic Basis of Human Cancer. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2002:93–113.

Conference Proceedings (Published):

Harnden P, Joffe JK, Jones WG, editors. Germ cell tumours V. Proceedings of the 5th Germ Cell Tumour Conference; 2001 Sep 13–15; Leeds, UK. New York: Springer; 2002.

Conference Proceedings (Unpublished):

Eisenberg J. Market forces and physician workforce reform: why they may not work. Poster presented at: Annual Meeting of the Association of American Medical Colleges; October 28; 1995; Washington, DC.

Patent:

Pagedas AC, inventor; Ancel Surgical R&D Inc., assignee. Flexible endoscopic grasping and cutting device and positioning tool assembly. United States patent US 20020103498. 2002 Aug 1.

Other Published Material

Newspaper Article:

Tynan T. Medical improvements lower homicide rate: study sees drop in assault rate. The Washington Post. 2002 Aug 12; Sect. A:2 (col. 4).

Prescribing Information:

Ampyra® (dalfampridine) extended release tablets [prescribing information]. New York: Acorda Therapeutics, Inc; 2010.

Package Insert:

Coumadin® (warfarin sodium) [package insert]. Princeton, NJ: Bristol-Myers Squibb; 2010.

Dissertation:

Etsey AN. Effects of Regular Ingestion of Natural Cocoa on Testicular Histology in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats [dissertation]. Accra: University of Ghana; 2009.

Clinical Trial:

Pfizer. A study in patients with non-small cell lung cancer testing if erlotinib plus SU011248 (sunitinib) is better than erlotinib alone (SUN1058). Available from: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00265317. NLM identifier: NCT00265317. Accessed August 1, 2022.

Unpublished Material

In Press:

Tian D, Araki H, Stahl E, Bergelson J, Kreitman M. Signature of balancing selection in Arabidopsis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. In press 2002.

Electronic Material

Journal Article on the Internet:

Abood S. Quality improvement initiative in nursing homes: the ANA acts in an advisory role. Am J Nurs. 2002;102(6):23. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2002&issue=06000&article=00031&type=abstract. Accessed August 19, 2023.

Homepage/Website:

Cystic Fibrosis Mutation Database [homepage on the Internet]. Toronto: Cystic Fibrosis Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children; 2011. Available from: http://genet.sickkids.on.ca/app. Accessed August 19, 2023.

4.7 Table

Tables should present new information rather than merely duplicating content found in the text. Readers should be able to interpret each table independently, even if it is presented separately from the text. Additionally, ensure that every table is properly cited within the text.

Provide tables in their original, editable format (e.g., Microsoft Word or Excel). Our production team cannot accept tables in image formats (e.g., .jpg, .tif, or other image types).
Tables may be included within the manuscript or submitted as separate files (one file per table).
Present table legends above each table rather than including them as the first row. Table footnotes should be separate from the titles and placed beneath the corresponding table.
Explanatory notes or a key should be present if the table includes indicators, symbols, abbreviations, bold text, or any other formatting that signifies important data.
If you are using indicators for footnotes, please use superscript letters (a, b, c). These letters should follow alphabetical order, starting from the top left of the table and proceeding to the bottom right.
All reference citations included in a table must have the relevant reference list number presented (in superscript Arabic numerals). Please ensure that these numbers align with the reference list included in the manuscript.
When submitting multiple tables, consistency in presentation is advised.
When presenting numerical information, use as many decimal places as appropriate for your purposes. This number should be consistent throughout the column or table, if possible.
All text in the tables should be in English.
Tables must not contain images.

Consider the size of each table and whether it will fit on a single journal page. If the table appears cramped in a Microsoft Word document, where the default setting corresponds to an A4 page (210 x 297 mm), it will be difficult to represent it clearly on a B5 journal page (176 x 250 mm). If this is the case, please consider splitting the data into two or more tables.

4.8 Figure

Before submitting any figures, please check this list to ensure that your files meet our criteria.

Checklist

Files are provided in the required formats: .jpg, .tif, or .pdf.
If your figure is not in .jpg, .tif, or .pdf format, please convert it to one of these accepted file types to ensure the highest quality.
The artwork is of high quality (correct resolution, not blurred, stretched, or pixelated).
One file is provided per figure.
All figures have white space and unnecessary elements removed.
All text is in English and contains no spelling or grammatical errors.
All fonts used are embedded and conform to the journal’s standard font style, which is Times New Roman.
The font size is consistent.
Lines are a minimum of 0.3 pt.
Images do not contain any layers or transparent objects.
Files are named according to the naming convention (Figure [number]).
Figures are provided separately from the manuscript.
All multi-panel figure parts are labeled (e.g., A, B, C, and D).
All copyrights and permissions for the use of third-party content have been obtained. Graphics downloaded from web pages are not acceptable.

Preparation and Submission

Color photographic images must have a minimum resolution of 600 dpi. The manuscript should not contain any pasted figures. Please submit figures as high-quality .jpg, .tif, or .pdf files separate from the manuscript. Ensure that any files in .pdf format are not “locked,” as these are incompatible with our workflow software. If a figure or subfigure is copyrighted and you have obtained permission for its use, please include the necessary credit line or acknowledgment in the figure legend. If the image is the author’s property, this should be noted in the caption. A copy of the permission to reuse must be provided to the journal.

File Naming Conventions

Name figure files as Figure 1, 2, 3, etc., according to the order in which they appear in the text. In the case of multi-part figures, each part should be labeled (e.g., Figure 1a and Figure 1b). Please verify that all figures have been cited within the manuscript text.

Fonts

Please use the journal’s standard font, Times New Roman. If you are submitting a PDF file, ensure that your fonts are embedded. Maintain a consistent font size throughout your work. Avoid using effects such as outlining and shadows on any lettering.

Figure Legends

Figure legends must begin with the corresponding figure number (e.g., “Figure 1: ”). If subfigures are present, each subfigure must be labeled and described within the figure legend.

Captions should be succinct yet descriptive. Explanatory notes or a key must be included if the figure contains patterns, colors, symbols, or other formatting that conveys significant data. If symbols or alphabetical indicators are used (e.g., *, **, #, ##, a, b, etc.), a key should be provided in the figure legend.

4.9 Statements and Declarations

Acknowledgments

The purpose of this section is to thank everyone who assisted with the research but does not qualify for authorship (please check the target journal’s editorial policies regarding authorship). Acknowledge those who provided intellectual support, technical help (including writing and editing), or special equipment and materials.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures

When submitting a manuscript to the Journal of Clinical Question, all authors are required to disclose any financial relationships they have had within the past 36 months (3 years) with any biotechnology manufacturer, pharmaceutical company, or other commercial entity that has an interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript.

The matters that require disclosure are outlined as follows:

Employment/Leadership Position/Advisory Role: 1,000,000 yen or more annually.

Stock Ownership or Options: Profit of 1,000,000 yen or more annually or ownership of 5% or more of the total shares.

Patent Royalties/Licensing Fees: 1,000,000 yen or more annually

Honoraria (e.g., lecture fees): 500,000 yen or more annually

Fees for Promotional Materials (e.g., manuscript fee): 500,000 yen or more annually

Research Funding: 5,000,000 yen or more annually

Others (e.g., trips, travel, or gifts unrelated to research): 50,000 yen or more annually

Funding Statement

Journal of Clinical Question requires authors to specify any funding sources (institutional, private, and corporate financial support) for the work reported in their paper. This information, which should include the names of the funding organization(s) and the corresponding grant number, must be included at the end of the article under the heading “Funding” and provided at the time of submission.

Please include the statement “This research received no external funding” or “This research was funded by [name of funder] grant number [xxx],” as well as “The APC was funded by [XXX]” in this section. Check carefully that the details given are accurate and use the standard spelling of funding agency names as listed at https://search.crossref.org/funding; any errors may affect your future funding opportunities.

Institutional Review Board Statement

In this section, please add the Institutional Review Board Statement and approval number for studies involving humans or animals. Please note that the editorial office might ask you for further information. Please add, “The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of NAME OF INSTITUTE (protocol code XXX and date of approval).” OR “Ethical review and approval were waived for this study due to REASON (please provide a detailed justification).” OR “Not applicable” for studies not involving humans or animals. You might also choose to exclude this statement if the study did not involve humans or animals.

Informed Consent Statement

Informed Consent Statement: Any research article describing a study involving human participants must contain this statement. Please add, “Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.” OR “Patient consent was waived due to REASON (please provide a detailed justification).” OR “Not applicable” for studies not involving humans. You might also exclude this statement if the study did not include humans.

Written informed consent for publication must be obtained from participating patients who can be identified (including the patients themselves). Please state, “Written informed consent has been obtained from the patient(s) to publish this paper,” if applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data availability statements indicate whether data can be obtained upon request from the authors and specify instances where no data are available, if appropriate. All original research articles must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access the data that support the results and analyses presented in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets that were analyzed or generated during the study.

If research data cannot be shared publicly—such as in cases where individual privacy may be compromised—this statement should describe how the data can be accessed and any conditions for reuse. Participant consent must be obtained and documented prior to data collection.

“The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the [NAME] repository, [PERSISTENT LINK TO DATASETS]” or “The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.”

Authors’ Contributions

Each author is expected to have made substantial contributions to one or more of the following areas: the conception or design of the work; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; the creation of new software used in the work; or the work drafting or substantive revision of the manuscript. Additionally, each author must approve the submitted version (and the version substantially edited by journal staff that involves the author’s contribution to the study). Furthermore, each author agrees to be personally accountable for their contributions and to ensure that any questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work—regardless of their personal involvement—are appropriately investigated, resolved, and documented in the literature.

A short paragraph specifying individual contributions must be provided for research articles with multiple authors. The following statements should be used: “Conceptualization, X.X. and Y.Y.; Methodology, X.X.; Software, X.X.; Validation, X.X., Y.Y., and Z.Z.; Formal Analysis, X.X.; Investigation, X.X.; Resources, X.X.; Data Curation, X.X.; Writing—Original Draft Preparation, X.X.; Writing—Review & Editing, X.X.; Visualization, X.X.; Supervision, X.X.; Project Administration, X.X.; Funding Acquisition, Y.Y.”

Authorship should include only those who have contributed substantially to the work. Please carefully read the section concerning authorship in the editorial policies.

4.10 Optional Materials

Graphical Abstract

A graphical abstract is encouraged; it should be an image that accompanies the text abstract in the Table of Contents. In addition to summarizing the content, it should visually represent the article’s topic in an attention-grabbing way. Moreover, it should not be identical to any figure in the paper or merely a simple superposition of several subfigures. Please note that the graphical abstract must consist of original and unpublished artwork. The inclusion of postage stamps, currency from any country, or trademarked items is prohibited. The minimum required size for the graphical abstract is 560 × 840 pixels (height × width). The size should be of high quality to reproduce well.

List of Supplementary Materials

If you have included supplementary materials, Gleam Publishing will upload the unedited supplementary materials to the website https://www.gleampub.com/ and provide a link to your paper. Supplementary figures and tables should be submitted following our guidelines for figures and tables. We also welcome video files as supplementary data or as part of the actual manuscript to show operations, procedures, and other relevant content.

Appendices

The Journal of Clinical Question generally does not include appendices. If an appendix is accepted for publication, it will be edited and formatted by the Journal of Clinical Question’s scientific editors and published in the print version of the article. The journal follows the guidelines of the AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition, which states: “If the material is worthy of inclusion because it contains important information, it could be considered for online supplemental content.”

5. Cover Letter

Include a cover letter that contains:

A cover letter must accompany each manuscript submission. It should be concise and explain why the paper’s content is significant, placing the findings within the context of existing work. Additionally, it should clarify why the manuscript aligns with the journal’s scope.
All cover letters must include the following statement: We confirm that neither the manuscript nor any part of its content is currently under consideration or published in another journal.
All cover letters must include the following statement: All authors have approved the manuscript and agree to its submission to the Journal of Clinical Question.

6. English Language Editing Services

It is the author’s responsibility to submit their work in correct English. The APC includes only minor English editing conducted by native English speakers. The APC does not cover extensive English editing. If extensive editing is required, your paper may be returned to you during the English editing stage of the publication process, potentially delaying the publication of your work. Authors are encouraged to have their work reviewed by an experienced English-speaking colleague or to use a professional language-editing service before submitting their paper for publication.

The journal strongly recommends that all manuscript authors, especially those for whom English is a second language, have their work reviewed and edited by a professional scientific editor before submission. Many companies offer editing services. For more information about Gleam Publishing’s Service Center, please contact service@gleampub.com

7. Permissions

When is permission required?

Permission is required for any non-original material. As a general rule, written permission must be obtained from the rights holder to reuse any copyrighted content. Typically, the rights holder of published material is the publisher unless explicitly stated otherwise. Copyrighted material includes figures, illustrations, charts, tables, photographs, and text excerpts. Any reuse of borrowed material must be acknowledged appropriately, even if it is determined that written permission is not necessary.

When is permission not required?

Written permission may not be required in certain circumstances, such as the following:

Public Domain Works: These works are not protected by copyright and may be reproduced without permission, subject to proper acknowledgment. This category includes works for which copyright has expired (e.g., any US work published before 1923), works that are not copyrightable by law (e.g., works prepared by US government employees as part of their official duties), and works that have been expressly released into the public domain by their creators. However, permission is required to reuse a public domain journal article’s final formatted, edited, and published version, as the publisher retains ownership of this version.
Open Access Content: Content published under a CC-BY user license, as well as open access content published under other types of user licenses depending on the nature of your proposed reuse (e.g., commercial vs. nonprofit use), may not require written permission, subject to proper acknowledgment. Permissions vary depending on the license type, and it is recommended that users check the license details carefully before reusing the material.
Original Figure or Table from Data: Creating an original figure or table from data or factual information that was not previously presented in figure or table format typically does not require permission, subject to proper acknowledgment of the data’s sources.

8. What to Expect After Submission

Corresponding authors will receive an acknowledgment of receipt within 48 hours. Typically, decisions regarding external peer review are communicated within one week after submission. The Journal of Clinical Question submission gateway is located at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/JCQ. Please check whether you already have an account in the system before creating a new one. If you have reviewed or authored the journal in the past year, it is likely that an account has already been created for you.

9. Acceptance and Publication

Your Gleam production editor will keep you updated on the progress of your accepted article throughout the production process. Proofs will be sent as a PDF to the corresponding author and should be returned promptly. Authors are reminded to check their proofs carefully to confirm that all author information, including names, affiliations, sequence, and contact details, is correct, as well as to verify that funding and conflict of interest statements are accurate.

10. Online Publication

Nearly all articles for the Journal of Clinical Questions’ bimonthly issue are published online before print, as soon as they have completed the proofing process, through Gleam Publishing’s Online First. This substantially reduces the lead time between submission and publication.

11. Open Access

All articles published by the Journal of Clinical Question are made freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication, without subscription charges or registration barriers. As authors of articles published in the Journal of Clinical Question, you retain the copyright to your work and have granted any third party, in advance and in perpetuity, the right to use, reproduce, or disseminate your article in accordance with the Gleam Publishing License Agreement.

12. Further Information

Please do not submit pre-submission inquiries unless expressly noted as a requirement for your article type. We ask that authors determine the submission’s suitability based on the aims and scope outlined on the journal’s website.

Correspondence, queries, or additional requests for information regarding the manuscript submission process should be directed to the Journal of Clinical Question editorial office at the following email address: jcq@gleampub.com

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