EDITOR
Bruce H. Thiers, MD
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
DEPUTY EDITOR
Dirk M. Elston, MD
Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology
New York, New York
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Detra Davis
Managing
Editor
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
930 E. Woodfield Rd.
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: 847-240-1005;
Fax: 847-240-0101
E-mail: JAADManagingEditor@aad.org
PUBLISHER
Elsevier Inc.
3251 Riverport Lane
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
Susan M. Kell, Senior Journal Manager
Phone: 215-239-3380; Fax: 215-239-3388
E-mail: s.kell@elsevier.com
All manuscripts must be submitted via the Elsevier Electronic System (EES) (
The Information for Authors undergoes continuous revision. The most current version can be found at www.eblue.org. All manuscripts for the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology must be submitted electronically through the Web-based EES program. EES may be accessed by visiting
Editorial policies. The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology is a refereed journal designed to meet the continuing education needs of the Academy members and the international dermatologic community. The Journal bases its policies on the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (
Disclaimer. Statements and opinions expressed in the articles and communications herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Editor(s), publisher, or Academy. The Editor(s), publisher, and Academy disclaim any responsibility or liability for such material and do not guarantee, warrant, or endorse any products or services advertised in this publication, nor do they guarantee any claim made by the manufacturer of such products or services.
Conflict of interest. The Journal requires all authors to acknowledge, in the comments section of EES (
An authorship statement and conflict of interest statement must be submitted with each manuscript. Both forms are included in the January and July issues of the Journal (see last page of Contents for page number) and are available for download from the JAAD Web site(
Authorship. The Journal's authorship criteria are adapted from those of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and are delineated on the Authorship Statement, which must be signed by each author.
Role of writers, "ghost writers," and other "third parties" involved in manuscript development and production: The involvement, nature of involvement, and affiliation or support of any medical writers, "ghost writers," or other individuals or companies or third parties participating in the development or writing of any papers must be noted and explained in the cover letter and in a publishable statement on the manuscript title page. (This does not include tasks such as typing or photocopying.) This statement will be published as part of the first-page footnotes. All individuals involved in the preparation and writing of each paper who meet the JAAD's authorship criteria (see our Authorship Statement) must be listed as authors. The names, highest academic degree, and affiliations of any persons who contributed to writing the paper or analyzing the data who do not meet authorship criteria must be included in the paper's Acknowledgements along with a disclosure of any pertinent conflicts of interest. Individuals listed in the Acknowledgements because of such contributions to the work should provide written consent. The use of "ghost writers" or any author employed by an entity with a commercial interest in any product discussed is rarely appropriate for any manuscript and is strictly prohibited for any CME-accredited activity.
Special requirements for studies involving live human or animal subjects. Studies involving live human or animal subjects must have been approved by the authors' Institutional Review Board or its equivalent. A copy of the IRB approval letter must be included with the submission or sent to the Journal office under separate cover. If applicable, IRB approval must be mentioned in the methods section of all manuscripts. Patients must not be identified by name or initials; numbers should be used. No other information, including clinical photos or family trees, from which a patient could be identified is permitted unless express written permission from the patient/family is provided at the time of manuscript submission. All clinical investigations must have been conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki principles. If the Methods section is not sufficiently clear, authors may be asked to provide the editors with a copy of IRB-approved research protocols for the use of our reviewers.
Special requirements for submission of survey research. Submissions of survey research must include: 1. A copy of the letter documenting Human Subject Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. 2. A copy of the survey instrument. (The editors, in consultation with the authors, will determine if the survey instrument should be published and whether it should be published as an online-only Appendix.) The manuscript's Methods section must: 1. Attest that the use of any proprietary sampling contact information (eg, mailing list) was approved by its owner. 2. Provide IRB protocol approval number and date. 3. Describe how the survey instrument was developed and piloted, and whether/ how the survey was validated. During the review process, editors and reviewers may request a copy of the approved study protocol to aid in their evaluation of the study.
Randomized trials. Randomized trials must be submitted in a format consistent with the CONSORT statement, along with a completed CONSORT manuscript submission checklist. The word "random" or "randomized" should be in the title. The updated CONSORT guidelines can be accessed by visiting
Any reports of clinical trials submitted after January 1, 2008 must be registered by the time of submission; any study that enrolled the first patient after January 1, 2008 must have been prospectively registered, ie, registered before the first patient was enrolled. The registry must meet ICMJE criteria (available at
Undocumented claims (eg, "firstedness," "safe and effective"). Please do not claim that your report is the first reported case. If such a claim is deemed necessary, authors should explain their reasoning in the cover letter and provide a detailed Appendix describing how they came to this conclusion. Describe search strategies, search terms, databases queried, and how far back these were checked. Also list textbooks and monographs that were searched to substantiate the claim. Similarly, the phrase "safe and effective" should be reserved for FDA-approved product labeling based on registered phase III trials. In other settings, the term should be avoided entirely. Acceptable terminology for a case series would include the sentence "Our patients demonstrated positive responses and the treatment was well tolerated."
Trade names. Trade names and brand names of drugs and devices may not be used in the title of the paper. They may appear only once in the paper and should be placed in parentheses along with their manufacturer and the manufacturer's location following the first mention of the generic name in the text. Thereafter, only generic names should be used throughout the article.
On brevity and other matters of style. Brevity is appreciated. Authors should avoid repeating the same information in the abstract, introduction, and discussion.
Copyright transfer. In accordance with the Copyright Act of 1976, which became effective January 1, 1978, the following statement signed by each author must accompany the manuscript submitted: "I, the undersigned author, transfer all copyright ownership of the manuscript referenced above to the American Academy of Dermatology, in the event the work is published. I warrant that the article is original, does not infringe upon any copyright or other proprietary right of any third party, is not under consideration by another journal, and has not been published previously. I have reviewed and approve the submitted version of the manuscript and agree to its publication in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology." A copyright transfer form is included in the January and July issues of the Journal (see last page of Contents for page number) and may be downloaded from the JAAD Web site (
Special Subject Repositories: Certain repositories such as PubMed Central ("PMC") are authorized under special arrangement with Elsevier to process and post certain articles, such as those funded by the National Institutes of Health, under its Public Access policy (see elsevier.com for more detail on the policy). Articles accepted for publication in an Elsevier journal from authors who have indicated that the underlying research reported in their articles was supported by an NIH grant will be sent by Elsevier to PMC for public access posting 12 months after final publication. The version of the article provided by Elsevier will include peer-review comments incorporated by the author into the article.
Sections/article type guidelines
Continuing Medical Education (CME): In-depth, substantiated, educational articles presenting core information for the continuing medical education of the practicing dermatologist. CME articles should not be simply reviews but should present new information not readily available in textbooks. In order to avoid duplication, authors may wish to contact the managing editor (JAADManagingEditor@aad.org) early on in the development of the article.
Unless a specific exemption is granted by the Deputy Editor, all CME articles should be written in 2 parts and separately uploaded into the manuscript submission systems (EES). A bulleted capsule summary should outline the clinical significance of each part (see "Preparation of Manuscripts"). In addition, bulleted key points should precede each major section Summary tables should be included when possible, as should separate algorithms for evaluation and management when appropriate. Recommended tests should have an impact on therapy and should be supported by outcomes data. The word count for each part of the CME article should not exceed 3500 words excluding the abstract, capsule summary, references, figures, and tables. Authors who submit an article they wish to be considered for CME certification may not recommend peer reviewers.
The level of evidence should be cited whenever recommendations are made. Level IA evidence includes evidence from meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials; level IB evidence includes evidence from at least one randomized controlled trial; level IIA evidence includes evidence from at least one controlled study without randomization; level IIB evidence includes evidence from at least one other type of experimental study; level III evidence includes evidence from nonexperimental descriptive studies, such as comparative studies, correlation studies, and case-control studies; and level IV evidence includes evidence from expert committee reports or opinions or clinical experience of respected authorities, or both. All therapeutic recommendations should be accompanied by a table indicating their level of evidence, with a definition of the different levels included as a footnote.
For each part of the CME articles, authors must provide 3 learning objectives that identify practice gaps pertinent to the material being presented, and, in their cover letter, specify how the gaps were identified. The learning objectives should address those practice gaps. The learning objectives should be measurable and written in active terms. The following verbs are suggested for consideration in writing objectives: apply, assess, categorize, choose, compare, diagnose, differentiate, distinguish, manage, measure, prescribe, recognize, select, test, treat, use, and utilize. Learning objectives should be listed in the following format: Following this activity, the participant will be able to: 1. ____________; 2. ____________; and 3. ____________. (For example, Following this activity, the participant will be able to: 1. diagnose fungal skin diseases more effectively; 2. order the most appropriate test for herpetic skin infections; and 3. select the best treatment for the patient with impetigo herpetiformis.) Note that the learning objective must specify a change in physician behavior, not simply knowledge that was acquired.
As an example for a CME article on tropical dermatology, a pertinent practice gap might be that dermatologists believe they lack the skill to diagnose leishmaniasis, although they may now see it in travelers and soldiers returning from overseas. This gap became evident from discussions with a group of local dermatologists during a grand rounds session where such a patient was presented. Thus, one appropriate learning objective might be: At the completion of this activity, the participant will be able to... "take the appropriate steps to confirm the diagnosis of leishmaniasis."
In order to qualify for CME credit, authors must provide for each part of the CME article 2 clinical vignettes, each followed by 2 or 3 questions that evaluate clinical competence acquired as a result of the CME activity. The questions should reflect appropriate clinical practice rather than simply testing factual knowledge. Suitable questions assess the learner's ability to diagnose or treat a condition appropriately after reading the CME article. Guidelines for question writing can be found at
Original Articles: Original, in-depth clinical and investigative laboratory research papers. A structured abstract and capsule summary should be included (See "Preparation of Manuscripts"). Authors of randomized control trials are strongly urged to follow the guidelines presented in the CONSORT statement (
Reviews: A current review of a disease or treatment. The word count should not exceed 3500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables.
Dermatologic Surgery: Articles emphasizing the surgical aspect of dermatology. A structured abstract and capsule summary should be included (See "Preparation of Manuscripts"). The word count should not exceed 3500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables.
Dermatopathology: Articles emphasizing the histopathological changes in skin disease. A structured abstract and capsule summary should be included (See "Preparation of Manuscripts"). The word count should not exceed 3500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables.
Dermatoethics consultations: These articles examine ethical controversies faced by the practicing dermatologist. Two types of submissions are welcomed: 1) Short case-based articles (up to 1750 words and 5 references). Each submission should begin with a case scenario illustrating the ethical or professionalism issue to be discussed, accompanied by a multiple choice question offering four possible actions to deal with the problem. This is followed by a balanced discussion of the subject, with special focus on the ethical issues, and an analysis of the case based on the multiple choice options presented with the author's recommended resolution. 2) "Dermatoethics consultation requests", in which readers can submit short cases or scenarios for commentary and analysis. These will be selected for print or online commentary written by the editors or invited experts.
Editorials/Commentaries: Brief, provocative, opinionated communications, not necessarily documented, on a limited subject. The word count should not exceed 3500 words excluding the abstract, references, figures, and tables.
Letters: Notes & Comments, Research Letters, and Case Letters: The Letters department has three sections. Letters commenting on material previously published in the Journal will be considered for the Notes & Comments section. New or preliminary research findings and early reports of therapeutic trials in one or several patients may be considered for publication as Research Letters. Research Letters should not be subdivided into sections, eg, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, etc. Conclusions based on uncontrolled trials and/or limited experience should be stated in appropriately tentative terms. Concise descriptions detailing one or two patients and early reports of new drug reactions will be considered for the Case Letters section. A Case Letter should not merely describe an interesting patient but should have some inherent teaching value. Repetition of introductory, textbook type information should be avoided. Manuscripts should center on the case at hand, and should not take the form of a lengthy "Case and Review." All patient information in Case Letters must be adequately de-identified. If identifying information or figures are included, express written permission from the patient(s) must be provided at the time of manuscript submission. Letters must not exceed 500 words and should not cite more than five references. Up to two figures or tables may be included. Each part of a multi-part figure is counted toward the maximum allotment, eg, a figure 1A and 1B are considered 2 figures. Case Letters are designated for online only publication, although, at the discretion of the editors, some may appear in the print journal as well. Letters on articles that have appeared in the Journal will be sent for response to the authors of the article being commented upon. This response may be published or sent directly to the commentator at the discretion of the editor. Questions or comments that could be addressed directly to authors (including complaints about missed citations) should be sent directly to the author, rather than involving the Journal as an intermediary.
JAAD Grand Rounds: These articles consist of a brief case history and a series of multiple choice questions related to said case. Each question should include five possible responses written in the American Board of Dermatology question writing style (see
Book Reviews: Books and monographs (domestic and foreign) will be reviewed depending on their interest and value to subscribers. Send books to the Editor, Bruce H. Thiers, MD, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 903 E. Woodfield Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173. No books will be returned. Journal guidelines for writing book reviews are available online (
Images in Dermatology: This an online-only feature that consists of 1-3 clinical or histologic images along with a short (100 word or less) description of any relevant history. Short (up to 1 minute) video clips are also acceptable. Included are 3 questions, each with 5 answer choices. Each of the 5 choices must be accompanied by a 1 or 2 sentence discussion explaining why it is correct or incorrect. The discussion of all 5 choices is limited to a total of 250 words for each question. Authors may cite up to 5 references. The submitted title, consisting of less than 8 words, should be descriptive and not indicate the diagnosis or correct answer choice. All submissions must be through EES. If identifying information or figures are included, express written permission from the patient must be provided atthe time of manuscript submission. Material may not have been submitted or published elsewhere. If you are currently working on a submission for this feature, please contact the managing editor at JAADManagingEditor@aad.org for an example of the desired format.
Video
For editorial and peer review of an initial submission, submit videos according to the following specifications:
-
- Acceptable file formats: MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 (.mpg), Quicktime (.mov), or Compuserve GIF (.gif). Please contact the publisher about the use of other formats.
- Maximum file size: 10MB
- Maximum length: 8 minutes
- Verify that the videos are viewable in QuickTime or Windows Media Player.
- Concise legends (typed on a separate page) must accompany each video clip or computer graphic presentation.
- All videos or graphics submitted must be of the highest quality possible.
An original, edited CD-ROM or DVD-R in Windows-compatible format will be the standard format for submission of videos and computer graphics (ie, slide presentations with or without animation).
Three copies of the disk containing the video/computer graphics should be submitted by mail or courier when the manuscript is submitted. Be sure to include the manuscript title and date of submission so that the disks can be crossreferenced to the manuscript submission. Please indicate the video component on the submission cover page.
If the article is accepted for publication, the video will be digitized and permanently archived on the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology website (
Supplements
The Journal follows the guidelines for supplements established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. These guidelines are included in the document entitled "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals," which can be found at
Electronic publication at www.eblue.org
Articles in Press: Prior to print publication, most Original Articles are now published "online ahead of print" in our Articles in Press section in the JAAD Online at www.eblue.org. Some articles are published online only in our JAAD Online section ("online only publication"). More specifically, all Case Letters are designated for online only publication, although, at the discretion of the editors, some may appear in the print journal as well. Articles in other categories, especially those that may appeal to only a narrow segment of the readership, may be accepted for online-only publication. Please note that online publication is considered a bonafide form of publication and can be cited using the DOI number located in the footnotes on the first page of each article.
The full content of each regular monthly issue is routinely posted online at www.eblue.org.
PREPARATION OF MANUSCRIPTS
Original manuscripts will be considered for publication.
Correct preparation of the manuscript will expedite the review and publication procedures. Please note the following requirements.
The original page-numbered copy of the manuscript must be double-spaced. The title page should be numbered page 1. Please line number all submissions before creating the PDF. This continuous line numbering will help our reviewers with writing their comments and should speed the peer-review process. To add line numbers to your Word manuscript file, select File/Page Setup/Layout/Line Numbering/Add line numbering/Continuous, and save the changes.
Style
Manuscripts must conform to acceptable English usage. Consult the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style by The University of Chicago Press or the Manual of Style by the American Medical Association for current usage. Abbreviations must be limited primarily to those in general usage. Weights and measurements must be expressed in metric units. Temperatures must be expressed in degrees centigrade.
Title page: On the title page, include the title, authors' full names, highest earned academic degrees, and institutional affiliations and locations. Include a separate word count for the abstract, capsule summary, and text (excluding references, figures, and tables). The title page must also include a statement of all funding sources for the work as well as a publishable conflict of interest statement (see above for details). Designate one author as correspondent (provide address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address) to receive communications from the Editorial Office and galley proofs from the publisher. The name and address of the author who will receive reprint requests should be noted if different from the correspondent. The corresponding author should promptly inform the managing editor (JAADManagingEditor@aad.org) of any change in e-mail or mailing address.
Abstract: Unless otherwise stated, all articles must be accompanied by a typed, double-spaced abstract not exceeding 250 words. Abstracts of papers submitted for publication in the Original Articles, Dermatopathology, and Dermatologic Surgery sections should be structured as follows:
Background: What is the major problem that prompted the study?
Objective: What is the purpose of the study?
Methods: How was the study done?
Results: What are the most important findings?
Limitations: What are the limitations of the study?
Conclusion: What is the single most important conclusion?
Key words: A list of 6-10 key words (eg, Key words: sunscreen; UVA protection; UVB protection) should appear after the Abstract.
Classifications: Select at least 6 classifications to facilitate matching the manuscript with reviewers. You can do this in EES by clicking 'Select Document Classifications' to open a window containing a list of the classifications pertaining to the Journal. Then click the check-box next to any classification you wish to select. Click 'Submit' when you are done.
Capsule summary: Papers submitted for publication in the Continuing Medical Education, Original Articles, Review, Dermatologic Surgery, and Dermatopathology sections must include a capsule summary of up to 75 words. The capsule summary should be composed of 3 bulleted statements which address the following:
- (First bullet) What is already known on this topic
- (Second bullet) What this article adds to our knowledge
- (Third bullet) How this information impacts clinical practice and/or changes patient care
Histologic/microscopic figures: The legend must specify stain. Arrows and arrowheads should be used freely to clarify findings.
References: Personal communications should not be cited in the reference list but may appear parenthetically in the text. References must be identified in the text by superscript Arabic numerals in order of their mention. References should not be formatted as footnotes, but should appear in a list at the end of the text. The reference list should be typed double-spaced and in numeric sequence. The format should conform to that set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the National Library of Medicine (
EXAMPLES OF REFERENCES
List the first six authors followed by et al.:
For journal articles:
Kofler H, Wambacher-Gasser B, Topar G, Weinlich G, Schuler G, Hintner H, et al. Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment in therapy-resistant epidermolysis bullosa acquisita. J Am Acad Dermatol 1997;36:331-5.
For books:
Hunt TK, editor. Wound healing and wound infection: theory and surgical practice. New York: Appleton-Century- Crofts; 1980.
For chapters in books:
McNutt NS, Fishman PM. Metastatic tumors. In: Farmer ER, Hood AP, editors. Pathology of the skin. Norwalk (CT): Appleton & Lange; 1990. p. 465-78.
For electronic media:
Bhatia A, Prakash S. Topical phenytoin for wound healing. Dermatology Online Journal. Available at:
For articles published online ahead of print:
Adebamowo CA, Spiegelman D, Danby FW, Frazier AL, WillettWC, Holmes MD. High school dietary dairy intake and teenage acne. J Am Acad Dermatol doi:10.1016/ j.jaad.2004.08.007. Published online October 29, 2004.
Illustrations and tables: Tables, figures, and legends should supplement, not duplicate, the text. Clinical photographs should be of high quality without distracting backgrounds. Please visit our website (
Policy on image alteration: Any image alteration from the original using programs such as Photoshop must be explained and justified in the legend.
Black and white graphs must be legible and clearly printed. The fill for bar graphs or pie charts should be distinctive; avoid shading or dotted patterns. Use thick, solid lines and bold, solid type. Place lettering on a white background; avoid reverse type (white lettering on a dark background). All lettering must be done professionally and should be in proportion to the drawing, graph, or photograph. Typewritten or freehand lettering is unacceptable. Consistency in size within the article is strongly preferred. Any special instructions regarding sizing should be clearly noted.
For color photographs, if prints have been enhanced, a preference for reproduction should be noted. The quality of the reproduction depends entirely on the quality of the illustrations submitted. Please note that 35 mm transparencies are normally enlarged to twice their original size. If it is important to deviate from this standard, please indicate when file material is submitted. Top for each print (and transparency) must be noted.
Patient consent must accompany recognizable photographs of patients at the time of submission. Photographs and text (such as details in the case report or genetic pedigree) must be deidentified to protect patient confidentiality unless patient consent has been documented. In the event that patient consent has not been documented, please crop the photo and/or obstruct the eye region in such a manner that the patient cannot be recognized. The altered figure must be unidentifiable unless documentation of patient consent is provided.
Figures may be submitted in electronic format. All images should be at least 5 inches wide. Images should be provided in TIF, EPS, or JPEG format. Graphics software such as Photoshop and Illustrator, not presentation software such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, CorelDraw, or Harvard Graphics , should be used in the creation of the art. Color images must be CMYK and at least 300 DPI. Gray scale images should be at least 300 DPI. Combinations of gray scale and line art should be at least 1200 DPI. Line art (black and white or color) should be at least 1200 DPI.
Legends should be typed double-spaced and inserted after the references. If an illustration has been published previously, full credit to the original source must be given in the legend.
Tables should be self-explanatory and numbered sequentially in Roman numerals in order of their mention in the text. Tables should be submitted in Word, WordPerfect, RTF, or Text formats; Word and WordPerfect are preferred. A brief title should be provided for each. If a table, or any data therein, has been published previously, full credit to the original source must be given in a footnote.
Permissions and patient consent forms: Direct quotations, tables, or illustrations that have appeared in copyrighted material must be accompanied upon submission by written permission for their use from the copyright owner and the original author along with complete information as to their source .
Patient consent forms for publication of recognizable photographs must be sent to the Editorial Office upon submission of the article. Patients must be identified by numbers and/or letters, not by name, initials, or hospital record number. Institutional consent must also be available.
Reprints. Reprint order forms will be sent to authors after the manuscript has been accepted. The provision of reprints by the author is optional.
Procedure for review
The Journal employs a confidential and anonymous peer review process to evaluate submitted papers for possible publication. A small number of papers are rejected after in-house editorial review when editors deem that the paper is not appropriate for the Journal or is not of sufficient quality to warrant further evaluation. The overall acceptance rate is less than 50%.
The author may suggest several reviewers for the manuscript. We will attempt to use at least one suggested reviewer. The editorial staff will review the manuscript and will ordinarily send it to at least two reviewers. Reviewers will pay particular attention to scientific accuracy, relevance, novelty, importance, appropriate style, and quality of illustrations. First decisions (accept, revise, reject) are usually made within four to six weeks; longer delays are possible. Some degree of manuscript revision should be expected and regarded as constructive. A request to submit a revised manuscript does not guarantee that it will be accepted, only that it will be reconsidered, perhaps after additional peer review. Because space in the Journal is limited, the final editorial decision rests not only on the validity of the report and the opinions of the reviewers, but also on the editors' judgment of a paper's novelty, clarity, importance, and likely degree of interest to the readership.
Expedited review and publication
Authors who feel that their paper should receive expedited review and/or rapid publication should request it and explain their rationale in the Comments section of EES (
Updated October 2011
