ICMJE | Recommendations | Sending the Manuscript to the Journal

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class="icon-angle-right"></i> Sending the Manuscript to the Journal </div> <h1>Sending the Manuscript to the Journal</h1> <p>Manuscripts should be accompanied by a cover letter or a completed journal submission form, which should include the following information: </p> <p><em>A full statement to the editor about all submissions and previous reports that might be regarded as redundant publication of the same or very similar work.</em> Any such work should be referred to specifically and referenced in the new paper. Copies of such material should be included with the submitted paper to help the editor address the situation. See also Section III.D.2. </p> <p><em>A statement of financial or other relationships and activities that might lead to a conflict of interest, if that information is not included in the manuscript itself or in an authors’ form</em>. See also Section II.B. </p> <p><em>A statement on authorship</em>. Journals that do not use contribution declarations for all authors may require that the submission letter includes a statement that the manuscript has been read and approved by all the authors, that the requirements for authorship as stated earlier in this document have been met, and that each author believes that the manuscript represents honest work if that information is not provided in another form. See also Section II.A. </p> <p><em>Contact information for the author responsible for communicating with other authors about revisions and final approval of the proofs, if that information is not included in the manuscript itself. </em> </p> <p>The letter or form should inform editors if concerns have been raised (e.g., via institutional and/or regulatory bodies) regarding the conduct of the research or if corrective action has been recommended. The letter or form should give any additional information that may be helpful to the editor, such as the type or format of article in the particular journal that the manuscript represents. If the manuscript has been submitted previously to another journal, it is helpful to include the previous editors' and reviewers’ comments with the submitted manuscript, along with the authors’ responses to those comments. Editors encourage authors to submit these previous communications. Doing so may expedite the review process and encourages transparency and sharing of expertise. </p> <p>Many journals provide a presubmission checklist to help the author ensure that all the components of the submission have been included. Some journals also require that authors complete checklists for reports of certain study types (for example, the CONSORT checklist for reports of randomized controlled trials). Authors should look to see if the journal uses such checklists, and send them with the manuscript if they are requested. </p> <p>The manuscript must be accompanied by permission to reproduce previously published material, use previously published illustrations, report information about identifiable persons, or to acknowledge people for their contributions. </p> </div> </div>  <div id="sidebar"> <div class="inner">  <nav> <div id="nav_toggle"> <i class="icon-reorder icon-large icon-light"></i> </div> <ul> <li class="recommendations-link"><a href="/recommendations/">Recommendations</a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li class="browse"><a href="/recommendations/browse/">Browse</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/">About the Recommendations</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/purpose-of-the-recommendations.html">Purpose of the Recommendations</a></li> <li><a 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ICMJE | Recommendations | Sending the Manuscript to the Journal