Mission

The mission of the ANNALS OF VERTEBRAL SUBLUXATION RESEARCH (Annals) is to disseminate to its reading audience peer-reviewed research and other information dealing with the concept of vertebral subluxation. It is devoted primarily to serving the chiropractic profession, other health care providers, the scientific and scholarly communities, and the public at large.

Scope and Aims

Annals will publish contributions germane to the chiropractic concepts of vertebral subluxation, health, wellness, non-therapeutic and meta-therapeutic approaches and the myriad variables that interconnect these constructs as they relate to clinical practice. Articles dealing with the anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, philosophical, clinical, epidemiological, legal, policy, theoretical, administrative, technical, and practice realms which relate to models of chiropractic subluxation are within the domain of its publication interests.

All levels of research, from double blind randomized clinical trials to case studies, case series, pilot studies, and observational reports will be considered for publication. Selected information regarding conferences, seminars, and other colloquia promoting or enhancing understanding of the chiropractic subluxation will be published.

Annals will also print book reviews, commentaries, brief communications, research in progress, and letters to the editor. Annals will serve as a limited source of advertising, promoting items or information which contribute to subluxation-related chiropractic. This will include, but not be limited to, products, instruments, academic positions, and practice opportunities. It is intended that Annals will serve as a medium through which new information will increase the overall understanding and appreciation of the role of the chiropractic subluxation in health and disease. Papers exploring the role of chiropractic subluxation within a non-pathophysiological model are encouraged.

Annals is a publication usable by chiropractors and other health care providers for patient education, personal edification, improvement of methods for chiropractic management, and a source of publication for case studies and other practice-related information. As a cross-disciplinary journal with international distribution, submissions are encouraged from all health care and science areas as well as other areas including; the legal profession, governmental agencies, policy experts, and educational and quality of life programs from the United States and abroad.

Authorship

All authors appearing on the manuscript assume responsibility and accountability for the results. Authors and co-authors should be responsible for a significant part of the manuscript and should have been involved in writing, reviewing, and revising the content of the manuscript.

Preparation of the Manuscript

Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted for Biomedical Journals,” with the exceptions noted herein. Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced on regular 8-1/2″ by 11″ paper, with 1.0″ margins. The manuscript, when submitted for peer-review, will be blinded. Therefore, only the title page should include the author(s) name. The usual format for a journal research article is: title page, abstract, acknowledgments, the body of the text, references, reprint address, legends, and tables. The format for other types of articles may vary, but require approval before acceptance of an article or paper is granted by Annals.

Pages should be numbered consecutively in the lower right-hand corner.

• Title Page: In addition to the title, Include the names of all authors and their respective affiliations and a running head of about 45 characters, typed at the bottom of the page. One address, for correspondence, should be placed on the title page.

• Abstract: A Structured Abstract of no more than 300 words must be provided. The abstract should summarize the purpose of the study, the main findings, and the principal conclusions. It should be self-explanatory without reference to the text. A short list of key words should follow the abstract.

• Acknowledgments: The author(s) should only acknowledge those people and/or organizations who made significant contributions to the study.

• Text: The text is generally organized under the following headings: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions or (Summary and Conclusions). This format may differ, based on the nature of the submission. If the author wishes to vary from this style, the editor of Annals should be consulted.

• Introduction: The introduction should present background information relative to the area studied as well as the rationale for the submitted work. A review of the literature should be used to present opposing points of view and to support the rationale for the work.

• Materials and Methods: This section describes all materials, protocols/procedures, and information pertaining to study design, in sufficient detail to allow the work to be repeated by others. In human subject studies, an explanation should be provided regarding the acquisition of appropriate informed consent. All analytical methods, measurements, and statistical procedures should be described.

• Results: All observations germane to the conclusions should be presented logically, and succinctly. This information should be supported by graphs, illustrations or tables where appropriate. Actual or raw data should not be included but should be available upon request. Interpretation of results is not included in the Results section.

• Discussion: This section serves to review the results as they relate to the purpose of the study. It is appropriate to interpret the results in this section. In addition, a discussion of the study, its implications, and how the work may have been improved should be included. A discussion of negative findings, as well as positive findings, should also be included. It is appropriate to include some literature review in this section related to the interpretation of findings or recommendations for further study of the work submitted.

• Conclusions: Conclusions should include a summary of the results and interpretations of the study.

• References: References should be typed double spaced and beginning on a separate page after the text. They should be numbered consecutively (not alphabetically) as they are cited in the text (using superscript numbers). References appearing for the first time in tables/figures must be numbered in sequence with those cited in the text where the table or figure is mentioned. Journal abbreviations as appear in Index Medicus or the Index to Chiropractic Literature should be used. All authors should be listed when there are three or less. For more than three authors, list the first three, followed by et al. Unpublished data or personal communication should be cited directly in the text (e.g. Smith LM, unpublished data), not in the list of references. Papers accepted, but not yet published, are designated along with the journal title as “In Press.” Consult the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals for details on proper referencing.

• Reprint Address: Provide the name and complete address of the person to whom reprint requests should be sent. This information should be on a separate sheet, after the Reference Section.

• Tables: Tables should not display raw data, but rather display trends. Tables should be typed double spaced. Each table must be on a separate sheet with a title and number at the top of the Table above a horizontal line. Footnotes should be at the bottom of the Table, below another horizontal line, explaining symbols and or abbreviations. Do not use any other vertical or horizontal lines on the table. Tables should be cited in sequence in the text. If the table is taken from a copyrighted publication, credit must be given in a footnote.

• Illustrations: Illustrations should be submitted as unmounted black and white glossy prints, or professionally drawn depictions no larger than 8 by 10 inches. Letters, symbols, and numbers should be in proportion to the size of the print so they will remain recognizable when the print is reduced. The number of the figure and the author’s name should be indicated on the back of each print by a label or soft lead pencil. Figures should be cited consecutively in the manuscript within parentheses, e.g. (Fig. 1). Digital images of x-rays may be submitted. When digital images are prepared, it is advisable to place arrows or other markers which will clearly highlight the points of interest. Do not place written statements on the images.

• Legends: Explanatory information regarding figures or illustrations should be numbered and typed double spaced on a separate page. Figures and legends will be placed in proper position before the final layout of the article. Credit must be given in the legend for illustrations or figures taken from copyrighted material. Permission from the copy right holder to reproduce the material must accompany the manuscript.

Submission of Manuscript

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically via e-mail to drmatthewmccoy@gmail.com  They can also be submitted by regular mail as long as an electronic copy of the manuscript is also included. If using regular mail, manuscripts should be submitted to:

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor in Chief, Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research
4390 Bells Ferry Road
Kennesaw, Georgia
30144 – USA.

The author should keep an exact copy of the manuscript and submit the original and two clear copies including illustrations and tables.

Submissions should be accompanied by a covering letter that designates one of the authors as the correspondent and includes telephone, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses. The letter should also state that the material is an original work and has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Annals include an “About the Authors” page for the manuscript, so we ask that the author(s) provide a concise biography/vitae along with a good quality color photograph. Upon receipt of a manuscript, the Editor will mail a confirmation to the sender indicating the manuscript identification number for reference when making inquiries.

Consideration to Publish & Peer-review

Manuscripts are accepted or rejected for consideration to publish based on the suitability to the editorial objectives of Annals, e.g. originality of work, manuscript preparation, and overall quality of the study. Initial acceptance means the manuscript merits processing through Annals’ review process. Manuscripts accepted for consideration are processed through blind review (author’s name is withheld) by experts in a related field.

Reprints

Annals is copyrighted in its entirety with all rights reserved. Except for reprinting permitted by the Fair Use Statute, all requests for reprinting published articles should be submitted in writing, directly to the publisher and/or follow instructions for subscribers and non-subscribers on the Annals website. Authors are encouraged to make abstracts available to the chiropractic profession at large, as well as the academic, scientific, and clinical communities.

Copyright Assignment

All authors and researchers must submit a signed copyright assignment form at the time of submission. Click the copyright assignment form link below and either e-mail it to the editor or fax it to 678.445.1459

Informed Consent

Click here for a copy of informed consent for case studies.