Submissions

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Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
  • Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
  • The text is double-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
  • Conflict of interest disclosures for authors must be made on the title page during the submission process.

Author Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in submitting to the Canadian Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence the official publication of Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada. Please carefully read and adhere to these guidelines to ensure a smooth submission and review process. Manuscripts that do not comply with these guidelines may be returned for revision before peer review.

  1. Scope of the Journal

The journal publishes peer-reviewed articles on topics related to wound, ostomy, and continence care. We welcome original research, review articles, case studies, clinical practice guidelines, and perspectives relevant to advancing knowledge, education, and practice in these fields.

  1. General Submission Requirements
  • Language: All submissions must be in English or French and written in clear, professional language.
  • Originality: Submissions must be original, unpublished work and must not be under consideration elsewhere.
  • Ethical Compliance: Research involving human or animal subjects must adhere to ethical standards, and authors must provide evidence of ethics committee approval when applicable.
  • Word Count: Editorial submissions must be kept to a word count of less than 250 words. There is a maximum of 5000 words for all other manuscript types including abstract and references.
  1. Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts must adhere to American Medical Association (AMA) format (11th edition). Below are the specific requirements for each section of the manuscript.

3.1. Title Page

  • Title: Concise, informative, and reflective of the content.
  • Author Information:
    • Full names and academic credentials of all authors.
      • E.g., Jane Doe, BScN, NSWOC, WOCC(C)
      • E.g., Lucie Tremblay, Inf., B.Sc.Inf., ISPSC, PSCC(C)
    • Institutional affiliations and address.
    • Corresponding author’s contact details, including email.
  • Funding and Conflicts of Interest: Disclosure of funding sources and any potential conflicts of interest.
  • Keywords: 3-5 keywords preferably terms which may be searched within the MeSH database found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/
  • Acknowledgements: Recognize individuals or organizations that contributed to the research but did not meet the criteria for authorship (e.g., technical support, financial or material contributions).
  • Availability of Data and Materials: Provide a statement on where and how the data supporting the findings can be accessed (e.g., public repository link, supplemental files, or available upon request from the corresponding author).

3.2. Abstract

  • Provide a structured abstract of no more than 250 words. 
    • If desired, you may provide a structured abstract in English and a structured abstract in French. The abstracts must be no more than 250 words per abstract for each language, respectively.
  • Use the following headings where applicable: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.

3.3. Keywords

  • You must include 3–5 keywords that accurately describe the content of the manuscript.
    • If desired, you may provide 3–5 keywords in English and 3–5 keywords in French. 

3.4. Main Text

Manuscripts should follow the IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) structure:

  • Introduction: Provide context, state the research question, and highlight the study's relevance.
  • Methods: Clearly describe the study design, participants, interventions, and analysis methods.
  • Results: Present findings concisely, with tables and figures as appropriate.
  • Discussion: Interpret findings, relate them to existing literature, and discuss implications and limitations.

3.5. References

  • Format references in AMA style, numbered consecutively in the order they appear in the text.
  • Use superscript numbers for in-text citations.
  • Example of references format

3.6. Tables and Figures

  • Tables and figures must be placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • Each table and figure must have a descriptive title and legend if applicable. Table titles should start with the table number followed by the description i.e. “Table 1. Participant Characteristics”.
  • Clearly indicate where tables/figures should appear in the text (e.g., “Insert Table 1 here”).
  • Images and Illustrations should be referred to as Figure (i.e. Figure 1) within the text.
  • All photos should be provided in high resolution (minimum of 300 dpi)
  • Images should be submitted in .jpg, .pdf or .tiff format to ensure publication quality 
  1. Ethical and Legal Considerations
  • Authorship: All listed authors must meet authorship criteria and agree to the final manuscript. As per the Committee on Publication Ethics AI cannot be listed as a manuscript author as they do not meet the requirements for authorship given they cannot take reasonability for the submitted work.
  • Use of Artificial Intelligence: Authors who utilize artificial intelligence (AI) within their manuscript are fully responsible for all works submitted including those parts of the work are prepared by an AI tool. Authors must be transparent and note within their manuscript how AI has been utilized such as within the methods section or similar.
  • Plagiarism: Submissions will be screened for plagiarism. Any manuscript found to contain plagiarized material will be rejected.
  • Copyright Transfer: By publishing with the journal, authors agree to transfer copyright to the Canadian Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence. The work will be licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
  • Industry partner submissions on basic science and disease are allowed. 
  • Studies and publications that are evaluations of skin, wound, ostomy, or continence products, will not be allowed, unless it is a randomized controlled trial.
  • Authors must state all possible conflicts of interest including financial, consultant, institutional and other relationships that might lead to a conflict of interest or bias.  All sources of funding should be acknowledged in the manuscript.  If there is no conflict of interest, this should also be stated as none declared.
  • Ensure copyright and patient authorization forms have been completed and uploaded along with submission where applicable. Journal copyright and patient authorization forms can be found: https://www.nswoc.ca/cjwoc
  1. Submission Process
  • All submissions must be made through the journal’s online submission system at https://cjwoc.ca/index.php/cjwoc/about/submissions
  • Ensure that all required files are included:
    • Times New Roman, 12 Point Font, Double Spaced
    • Manuscript (Word format)
    • Title Page
    • Tables and Figures (if applicable)
  1. Review Process
  • Submissions undergo a double blinded peer-review process.
  • Authors will be notified of the decision post peer review, which may be: Accept, Minor Revisions, Major Revisions, or Reject.
  • Should revisions be requested please complete and upload the revisions within the deadline provided. Should this not be possible please contact the editor to request additional time to complete revisions.
  • Access to the final version of the manuscript will be provided prior to publication.
  1. Post-Acceptance
  • Accepted manuscripts will be copyedited and typeset before publication.
  1. Retraction
  • Articles may be retracted post-publication if significant issues are identified, such as errors, misconduct, or ethical violations that compromise the integrity of the research.
  • Retractions will be clearly marked and linked to the original publication with a detailed explanation of the reasons for the action, ensuring transparency and accountability.
  • Authors are expected to cooperate with the editorial board during investigations leading to potential retractions.
  1. Contact Information

For questions about submission or manuscript preparation, contact the editorial office at:
Email: cjwoc@nswoc.ca

Adhering to these guidelines ensures an efficient review process and increases the likelihood of successful publication. Thank you for choosing the Canadian Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence as the platform for your work!

Copyright Notice

1. Originality, Prior Publication & Third Party Material
1.1  The Author(s) warrant that all submitted materials which will now be titled "the Work" is original, has not been previously published in whole or in part, and is not under consideration elsewhere.
1.2  The Author(s) own—or have secured written permission for—all text, figures, photographs, tables, data sets, and any other third party content included in the Work, and will supply those permissions to the Journal on request.

2. Transfer of Copyright
2.1  Upon formal acceptance for publication, the Author(s) hereby assign to Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC) all economic rights in the Work, worldwide and for the full term of copyright, including any extensions or renewals.
2.2  If the Journal withdraws the Work or does not publish it within 24 months of acceptance, all rights granted under section 2.1 automatically revert to the Author(s) without further action.

3. Creative Commons License for the Published Version
3.1  NSWOCC will publish the Version of Record under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits unrestricted sharing, adaptation, and commercial use provided proper credit is given and changes are indicated. For more details about the license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

4. Author Retained Rights
Notwithstanding section 2, the Author(s) may, without seeking further permission:
a. deposit the accepted manuscript (post print) in an institutional or funder repository;
b. use the Work in future scholarly or professional works (e.g., books, lectures, theses);
c. reproduce the Work for classroom or training purposes;
d. present the Work at meetings or conferences;
e. comply with any open access mandate of a research funder—provided each use cites the Journal as the original source and links to the CC BY 4.0 license.

5. Moral Rights Waiver
To the fullest extent permitted by Canadian law, the Author(s) irrevocably waive all moral rights in the Work—including the right of integrity—so that NSWOCC may edit, translate, adapt, or re format the Work for publication and dissemination.

6. Conflict of Interest & Funding Compliance
6.1  The Author(s) have disclosed all financial or personal relationships that could be viewed as potential conflicts of interest.
6.2  The Author(s) confirm that publication under CC BY 4.0 satisfies any funder open access requirements applicable to the Work.

7. Indemnification
The Author(s) shall indemnify and hold harmless NSWOCC, the Journal, its editors, and agents from any loss, liability, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of a breach of the warranties in sections 1 and 6 or any claim of infringement, defamation, or violation of privacy or confidentiality related to the Work.

8. Authority of the Corresponding Author
The Corresponding Author certifies that all listed authors have:
a. read and approved the final manuscript;
b. agreed to be listed as authors; and
c. consented to the terms of this Agreement.

9. Governing Law
This Agreement is governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Canada and the province of Ontario, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Privacy Statement

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