Instructions to authors.../ Instructions aux auteurs...

The African Journal of Reproductive Health is a multidisciplinary and international journal that publishes original research, comprehensive review articles, short reports and commentaries on reproductive health in Africa. The journal strives to provide a forum for African authors, as well as others working in Africa, to share findings on all aspects of reproductive health and to disseminate innovative, relevant and useful information on reproductive health throughout the continent.

Type of Articles

The journal will publish original research, review articles, short reports and commentaries. A cover page should accompany each manuscript and should include:
1. the title and sub-title (running title -- no more than 5 words);
2. the name(s) of the author(s);
3. the affiliation(s) of the author(s);
4. Abstract;
5. three to six Keywords for indexing and retrieval purposes; and
6. Corresponding author's email address and telephone number.

Original Research - The journal welcomes articles reporting on original research, including both quantitative and qualitative studies. Full-length articles should generally not exceed 35 typewritten, double-spaced pages, excluding tables, figures, and references. The subject matter should be organised under appropriate headings and sub-headings such as: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Acknowledgements.

Review Articles - Comprehensive review articles on all aspects of reproductive health in Africa will also be considered for publication in the journal. Reviews should provide a thorough overview of the topic and should incorporate the most current research. The length of review articles and the organisational headings and sub-headings used are at the author's discretion.

Short Reports - Brief descriptions of preliminary research findings or interesting case studies will be considered for publication as short reports. The length and organisation of short reports are left to the author's discretion.

Commentaries - Commentaries or editorials on any aspect of reproductive health in Africa will be considered for publication in the journal. Opinion pieces need not reference previous research, but rather reflect the opinions of the author(s).

Submission of Manuscripts

All manuscripts should be in their final form when submitted, and must be submitted online using journal management software available at http://www.ajrh.info/manager/. Authors who submit their manuscripts via email will be required to submit online so that they can track the status of their manuscripts from time to time. The comment to the Editor in the online manuscript submission form should include a certification that the article has not been previously published and is not being considered for publication elsewhere.

The journal will publish manuscripts written in English or French. AJRH will ensure that abstracts of all published papers are translated into English or French.

Uniform Requirements

Abstract - Articles and short reports should be accompanied by an abstract of not more than 150 words. The abstract should provide a concise description of the objectives of the study, methods used and major findings or conclusions.

Body - The body of manuscripts reporting on original research should be organised under appropriate headings and sub-headings such as Introduction, Methods, Findings, and Discussion. Authors of review articles and short reports are requested to organise the body of their manuscripts using headings and sub-headings appropriate to the material and discipline represented.

Tables and Figures - All tables and figures should be submitted on separate sheets of paper and should be clearly labelled. Coloured tables and figures may be reprinted in black and white. Authors should especially take care that all tables are clear and understandable by themselves, independent of the text. A reader should be able to read only the tables and easily grasp all information without the text.

Acknowledgements - Acknowledgements should be included on a separate sheet of paper and should not exceed 100 words. Funding sources should be noted here.

References - References should be numbered in the order in which they occur in the text. These numbers should be inserted above the line on each occasion a reference is cited (e.g., ...as noted in other studies.1-4). Numbered references should appear at the end of the article and should include the names and initials of all authors. The format of references should be as published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors in the British Medical Journal 1988, volume 296, pages 401-405. The following are sample references for an article published in a journal and for a book:

Nichols D, Ladipo OA, Paxman JM and Otolorin EO. Sexual behaviour, contraceptive practice, and reproductive health among Nigerian adolescents. Stud Fam Plann 1986; 17(2): 100-6.

Oppong C. Responsible fatherhood and birth planning. In: Oppong C (Ed.). Sex Roles, Population, and Development in West Africa. New Hampshire: Heinemann, 1987, 165-78.

Author(s) Guarantee Form

All authors will be asked to complete and submit an author(s) guarantee form certifying that all authors named have contributed sufficiently to the work submitted and that the content of the manuscript has neither been previously published nor being considered for publication elsewhere.

Last updated, September 25, 2012