Genitourinary Medicine

Advice to authors Papers for publication, which will be accepted on the understanding that they have not been and will not be published elsewhere and are subject to editorial revision, should be sent in duplicate to Dr A McMillan, Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Royal Infirmary, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9YW. All authors must give signed consent to publication. The editor should be notified of any change of address of the corresponding author. Manuscripts will only be acknowledged if a stamped addressed postcard or international reply coupon is enclosed. Full details of requirements for manuscripts in the Vancouver style (Br Med J 1982; 284:1766-70) are given in Uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals, available from the Publishing Manager, British Medical Journal, BMA House (50p post free). Briefly details are as follows: (1) Scripts must be typewritten on one side of the paper in double spacing with ample margins. Two copies should be sent; if a paper is rejected, one copy will be retained. (2) Each script should include, in the following order: a brief summary, typed on a separate sheet, outlining the main observations and conclusions; the text divided into appropriate sections; acknowledgements; tables, each on a separate sheet; and legends for illustrations. (3) The title of the paper should be as brief as possible. (4) The number of authors should be kept to the minimum, and only their initials and family names used. (5) Only the institution(s) where work was done by each author should be stated. (6) SI units are preferred. If old fashioned units are used SI units should be given in parentheses or, for tables and figures, a conversion factor given as a footnote. (7) Only recognised abbreviations should be used. (8) Acknowledgements should be limited to workers whose courtesy or help extended beyond their paid work, and supporting organisations. (9) Figures should be numbered in the order in which they are first mentioned, referred to in the text, and provided with captions typed on a separate sheet. (Diagrams: use thick, white paper and insert lettering lightly in pencil. Photographs: should be marked lightly on the back with the author's name and indicating the top, and should not be attached by paper clips or pins. They should be trimmed to include only the relevant section (sizes 23⁄4/4" or 53⁄4/4" wide, maximum 53/4 x 7") to eliminate the need for reduction. Photomicrographs must have internal scale markers. X ray films should be submitted as photographic prints, carefully prepared so that they bring out the exact point to be illustrated. (10) Tables should be numbered, have titles, and be typed on separate sheets. Please avoid large tables. (I 1) References should be numbered consecutively Ithe first time they are cited and identified by arabic numbers in the text, tables, and legends to figures. Authors must take full responsibility for the accuracy of their references, and the list should be kept as short as practicable. It should be in the order in which references are first mentioned, and should include (in the following order), journals: author's name and initials, title of paper, name of journal (in full or abbreviated according to the list in Index Medicus, year of publication, volume number, and first and last page numbers; books: author's name and initials, full title, edition, place of publication, publisher, and year of publication. When a chapter in a book is referred to, the name and initials of the author of the chapter, title of the chapter, "In:", name and initials of the editor, and "ed" should precede book title, etc as above. In references to journals or books, when there are seven or more authors the names of the first three should be given followed by "et al. ".