Notes for Contributors
The African Journal of Nursing and Health Issues invites manuscripts which are directed to nursing: from nursing and other related disciplines. Manuscripts maybe stimulating research reports, short papers describing a new method of approach to nursing, theoretical formulations and other related articles relevant to nursing and health issues.
The following are guidelines for the preparation and submission of manuscripts.
Manuscript Preparation: Title Page
The title should be brief and specific, indicate author(s)’ qualifications and affiliation(s), indicate source of support if appropriate. Specify preference for authors’ description to be used in footnote on the first page of the published article.
Abstract
This should be typed double-spaced, on a separate page and is not to exceed 300 words. It should be factual, comprehensive, and meaningful on its own.
Key words
List three to six concise terms for indexing purpose on a separate page following the abstract.
Text
The text of the article should include the following sections: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results and discussion. Subheadings in the materials and methods, results and discussion sections should be used as necessary to aid organization and presentation, but sub-headings should not be numbered. All the section should be written in concisely. Word limit: 5000.
Format
Manuscripts should be typewritten and double-spaced on 81/2 x 11’’ white bond paper with ½’’ margins on all sides. Each page, including tables, legends, and references, should be numbered consecutively. Quotations must be accurate and give full credit to source. Permission to quote and reproduce material previously published must be cleared by the author, and a copy of the letter granting such permission should accompany the manuscript. When reporting units of measure, please use the International System of Units value, with the conventional unit equivalent in parentheses. The length of an article in printed form can be determined from the equation of 31/2 type written manuscript pages to one unbroken page of text in the Journal. Article length will necessarily vary according to subject matter and style, but authors should generally aim for manuscripts of between 1 and 15 pages unless the Editor has given specific approval otherwise. Submission of the final accepted manuscript in electronic form is encouraged by the Publisher. The preferred medium is a Microsoft Word file on a rewritable CD.
Tables
Tables should be typed single-spaced and placed appropriately. Excessive width and length should be avoided as they necessitate a considerable reduction in type size. Tables should be numbered consecutively, separate from the illustrations, and each should contain a brief, descriptive title. The data presented must be logically and clearly organized; it should be self-explanatory and supplement, not duplicate the text.
Illustrations
Illustrations are encouraged, for photographs, submit black and white glossy prints and on the back of each, lightly write in pencil the figure number, the last name of the senior author, and an indication of which is the top edge of the picture when not obvious. Drawings (including graphs and charts) should be done in black India ink on heavy white paper and, ideally, be approximately twice their intended final size. Lettering should be large enough to allow for size reduction, and preferably done professionally.
Author should submit art electronically, the images may be sent as a Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) or as an Encapsulated Postscript (EPS) file in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, or QuarkXPress. A laser proof must accompany the electronic art that is being submitted on disk.
Legends
Legends on the figures should be typed double-spaced on a separate manuscript page. They should be numbered consecutively, and should be brief and specific.
References
The references should be numbered consecutively, typed double-spaced, and follow the format outlined in American Medical Association Manual of Style, 9th ed. Journal titles should be abbreviated, without periods, as in Index Meniscus. Please carefully arrange bibliographic elements and apply punctuation and spacing as noted below:
· Journal article: Authors’ surnames and initials. Article title: subtitle. Journal Name. Year volume (issues number): inclusive page numbers
· Book: Authors’ surnames and initials. Book Title. Edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher; year: inclusive pages
· Chapter in an edited book: Authors’ surname and initials. Chapter title In: Surname and initials of Book Authors or Editors. Book Title Edition number. Place of Publication Publisher; year inclusive pages
· World Wide Web: e.g. Health Care Financing Administration 1996 statistics at a glance. Available at: http://www.hcfa.gov/stats/stathili.htm. Accessed December 2, 2009
Manuscript Submission
(i) Submit original and two copies of the manuscript to THE EDITOR, The African Journal of Nursing and Health Issues Department of Nursing University of Ibadan, Ibadan – Oyo State Nigeria.
E mail: uinursingjournal1965@yahoo.com
(ii) Authors, whose manuscript are accepted for publication, will receive one copy of the issue in which their articles appear. Authors can also order for offprints at their own expense.
Bibliographical Information: A brief biographical sketch of not more than 80 words should be submitted to give readers an insight into the specialization of and the authority with which each author writes on his chosen topic.
All articles submitted to the Journal becomes the property of the journal. The journal reserves the right to publish the submitted article in edited form.