| |
AIMS & SCOPE
The Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
(JSAT) features original reviews, training
and educational
articles, special commentary,
and especially research articles that are
meaningful to the treatment of nicotine,
alcohol, and other drugs
of dependence.JSAT is directed toward treatment practitioners
from all disciplines (medicine, nursing,
social work, psychology,
and counseling)
in both private and public sectors,
including those involved in schools, health
centers, community agencies, correctional
facilities, and individual practices. The editors
emphasize that JSAT articles should
address techniques and treatment approaches
that can be used directly by contemporary
practitioners.
It is the policy of JSAT that treatments
for individuals who abuse
substances should
meet the same standards of evidence for efficacy
as treatments for those with any other
condition or illness. Thus,
research articles
submitted for publication in JSAT are expected
to meet scientific standards of reliability,
validity, and
empiricism. Theory,
clinical experience, and case vignettes are
recognized as important supplements to,
but not as substitutes for, empirical
evidence.
It is recognized that empirical evidence may
take many forms, such as a randomized,
placebo-controlled, experimental trial;
a
case-controlled field evaluation; or a time
series evaluation (to name a few). Regardless
of the specific type of study, authors
of
research articles should
- use one or more reasonable comparison
or control conditions in the design and
analysis of collected
data.
- use data collection methods and measures
that have been previously validated
in the subject population, and
-
analyze data (qualitative or quantitative)
with the use of appropriate statistical
methods.
Authors are expected to use
a cautious
and conservative approach in the interpretation
of project findings. Hyperbole and
overgeneralization of findings are considered
irresponsible. Indeed, authors are encouraged
to include a candid presentation of
project limitations within the final discussion
section
of all articles.
The editors of JSAT will not consider
articles that use pejorative and stereotypical
expressions when discussing
individuals
who abuse or are addicted to drugs and
alcohol. Authors should ensure that discussions
about individuals who abuse substances
do not inadvertently perpetuate
negative stereotypes by the use of
labels such as "junkie" and so forth.
TYPES OF ARTICLES
Three types of articles will be accepted for
publication in JSAT:
- Regular Article: Typically a research
study of approximately 16-25
pages, exclusive of abstract, references,
tables, or figures.
- Brief Article: Typically
a research study of
less than 16 double-spaced pages, exclusive
of abstract, references, tables, or figures.
-
Special Article:
Any one of several types
of articles, such as a
• critical review of research in a clinical
or treatment area.
• invited
commentary on a topic of
special import to the substance abuse
treatment field.
• training or educational article designed
to provide guidelines or basic instruction
for delivering a type of therapy or
intervention.
Authors who are considering
submission
of a manuscript to be published as a Special
Article should contact the Editor-in-Chief
before preparation to determine the
feasibility
of the topic and publication.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Electronic Submissions:
The Journal of
Substance Abuse Treatment is no longer
accepting manuscripts via hard copy or
e-mail. JSAT is now using
the Elsevier
Editorial System (EES), an online submission
and review system, which can be found
at: http://ees.elsevier.com/jsat.
The system is
quite user-friendly but detailed instructions
and a 'Tutorial for Reviewers' are available
at the same site: http://ees.elsevier.com/jsat
To work online, please go to http://ees.elsevier.com/jsat, "Author Login" section and
register your user name and password.
If you
have authored a manuscript through JSAT in
the past, you may have received an e-mail with
a username and password. You may use
that
information to register or register with a new
user name and password. From this point the
instructions are prompted to the submitting
author and are self-explanatory. If you should
have questions feel free to contact the
Managing Editor, Tanya Faranda-Diedrich, at Seaken@
tresearch.org or the Elsevier Support Department
at Tfaranda@tresearch.org.
Mailed Submissions:
JSAT is no longer
accepting hard copy submissions. If you do
not have access to the worldwide web, please
contact Managing Editor, Tanya
Faranda-Diedrich, atTfaranda@tresearch.org or by phone at 215-399-0980, ext. 124 for further instructions.
Format
of the Submissions:
The Elsevier Electronic Submission system allows authors to upload documents (cover letter, abstract, manuscript,
and any tables and figures) in their original formats (Word, WordPerfect, TIFF, EPS, etc). This should be time-saving and less troublesome
for authors as they will not have to convert their manuscripts to PDF format before logging into the EES system.
Upon completion of the
submission/ re-submission process, the EES system will generate a pdf file containing all of the submitted materials. Authors will be
prompted to view and approve the submission. After a submission has been approved, authors will be e-mailed a confirmation that the
manuscript is in process with instructions for tracking the progress of the review through the Elsevier system.
STYLE
Resources:
JSAT follows the guidelines of
the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association
(4th edition,
1994). Authors should use this manual for
most aspects of manuscript preparation. The
following resources are also useful
to
authors: Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
(10th edition, 1998) for spelling and
hyphenation of nonmedical terms: Dorland's
Illustrated Medical Dictionary (29th edition,
2000) for medical terms: and The Chicago
Manual of Style (14th edition, 1999)
and
The Elements of Style (by Strunk and White;
4th edition, 1999) for general style (grammar,
punctuation, capitalization).
Numbers:
Authors should use numerals for all
units of measure and time and for all enumeration
(e.g., 3 mg, 55%, 2 hours, 9 months,
Journal of
Substance Abuse Treatment
Instructions for Contributors
20 years, 1 of 19 patients). The numbers one
through nine are to be spelled out
only for general
usage (e.g., "We considered only two
possibilities."). Numbers beginning a sentence
are spelled out. In most figures
of 1,000 or
more, commas are used between every group
of three digits in text and in tables.
Abstract and Keywords:
Each manuscript
requires an abstract. Your abstract should precede
the manuscript (typically page 2 of your
submission). The abstract
should be no longer
than 150 words and should succinctly state
the purpose of the study, basic procedures,
most important findings and
principal conclusions
with an emphasis on the new aspects of
the study. The abstract is to be prepared on
one continuous paragraph and
not divided
into sections or by headings. All abbreviations
should be spelled out the first time they
are mentioned, followed by the
abbreviations
in parentheses. Authors should provide five
key words for indexing purposes (the EES
system will prompt authors for key
words as
part of the online submission process).
Text:
- Manuscripts should be organized in the
following
format (and sections numbered
or unnumbered as indicated): 1.
Introduction, 2. Materials and methods, 3.
Results, 4. Discussion, Acknowledgments,
References, tables (each on a
separate page), figure legends (listed as a
group on one page [or more pages if
necessary]), and figures
(each on a separate
page). Other descriptive headings
and subheadings may be used if appropriate,
and these would be numbered
accordingly
(e.g., 2.1., 2.2.,).
- Every effort should be made to avoid
jargon, to spell out all abbreviations the
first time they are mentioned,
and to
present the contents of the study
as clearly and as concisely as possible.
- The methods, apparatus (including
manufacturer's
name and address), and
procedures should be identified in sufficient
detail to allow other investigators
to reproduce the result.
-
For experiments in which human subjects
were studied, authors should indicate
whether (1) subjects provided informed
consent and (2)
the procedures followed
were in accord with the standards of the
Committee on Human Experimentation
of the institution in which the experiments
were done or in accord with the
Helsinki Declaration of 1975.
- For drugs and chemicals, the generic
name should be used at first
mention
and preferably thereafter. Trade names
may appear in parentheses and should
be capitalized.
- Patients' names, initials,
or hospital numbers
should not be used.
- References should be given for all discussions
of previous studies and for all
nonstandard
methods used. Authors
should ensure that reference citations
follow the style outlined in the Publication
Manual of the American
Psychological
Association and that all names and
dates cited in the text have been checked
against and match the information provided
for the respective citations in the
References to ensure spelling and year
of publication are correct. Authors
should also ensure that
every text citation
has a corresponding entry in the
References and, conversely, that every
entry in the References list is cited in
the
text. Finally, authors should ensure that
References are complete and accurate
by comparing the information provided
against the
original source.
- The approximate positions of all tables
and figures must be called out in the
text, numbered according to
the order in
which they appear. Data appearing in
the tables or figures should be summarized,
not duplicated, in the text. All data
cited
in the text should be checked carefully
against data displayed in respective
tables or figures to ensure that they correspond.
Any ambiguous
symbols (e.g.,
the letter "O" versus the numeral "0," the
letter "l" versus the numeral "1") should
be clearly identified.
Acknowledgments:
Authors should describe,
in a section titled Acknowledgments
and preceding the References list, (1)
any
financial support for the study or paper and
(2) (if applicable) individuals who were involved
in the study or of direct help in
preparation
of the manuscript. In addition,
authors should acknowledge if a limited
portion of the manuscript was presented, for
example,
as an abstract at a scientific conference
or meeting or in a report form.
References:
Citation of literature will
follow
the format outlined in the Publication Manual
of the American Psychological Association.
Text citation follows the author/date
system, and entries in the References at the
end of the manuscript are listed in alphabetical
order. The References section is to be
double-spaced, and entries should contain
the following:
- all authors of the work, with surnames
and initials (not full name)
in inverted
order.
- year of publication in parentheses (followed
by ending period).
- title of journal article, chapter,
or book.
- facts of publication: (a) for journals: journal
name in full, typed in Italics; volume
number, typed in Italics; inclusive
page
numbers; and (b) for books: city of publication
and publisher's name.
Examples of correct citation (including
capitalization
and punctuation) of commonly
cited media are as follows:
Book:
Cahalan, D. (1970). Problem drinkers.
San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Chapter in Book:
Heller, K. (1979). The effects
of social support: prevention and treatment
implications.
In A. P. Goldstein & F. H.
Kanfer (Eds.), Maximizing treatment gains:
transfer enhancement in psychotherapy (pp.
302-314).
New York: Academic Press.
Article in Journal:
Jackson, J. K., & Connor,
R. (1953). Attitudes of parents of alcoholics,
moderate drinkers and non-drinkers.Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 14,
596-613.
Tables:
Each table
should be typed on a
separate page and double-spaced. If the table
must exceed one typewritten page, all
headings are to be duplicated
on the second
sheet. Very wide tables are difficult and expensive
to typeset and should be avoided by
dividing the data into smaller
tables. Tables
are to be numbered in the order in which
they are cited in the text. Every table should
have a title, and every column
in the table,
including the left-hand (stub) column,
should have an abbreviated heading. All abbreviations
should be defined (even if
they
have been defined previously in the text).
And units of measurement should be indicated
for all values. Vertical rules are not to
be used, and horizontal rules are to be used
only to separate sections (e.g., table title
from column headings). All empty spaces or
dashes should be explained. Footnotes to
the table should be designated with superscript
letters (a, b, c. etc.) cited in alphabetical
order as the table is read horizontally.
Asterisks (*, **, ***, etc.) are to be used for
statistics in the table body and footnotes.
If
data obtained from any other source, published
or unpublished, are used, permission
for their use must be obtained (and submitted
to the editorial office). In addition, appropriate
credit must be provided as a footnote
to the table.
Abbreviations:
Abbreviations that appear
as word entries in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate
Dictionary do not need to be defined
the first time
they are used. Abbreviations
are to be used for standard Latin terms, statistics,
and reference terms in parenthetical
material (e.g.,
i.e.,) as well as for metric
units. Terms appearing frequently within a
manuscript may be abbreviated, but they
should be spelled out
at first citation, with
the abbreviation following in parentheses.
Title Page (Page 1 of Manuscript):
Should
include
(a) title of manuscript (80 spaces
maximum); (b) authors' full names with
degrees; (c) affiliations (department [if any],
institution,
city, state, ZIP or postal code, and
country where the work was done), indicating
which authors are associated with which
affiliations;
(d) name, address (including ZIP
or postal code and country), telephone and
fax numbers, and e-mail address of the corresponding
author;
and (e) if other than the
corresponding author, name, address (including
ZIP or postal code and country), telephone
and fax numbers,
and e-mail address of the
person to contact for reprint requests.
Figures:
Please prepare all figures as PDF
files
prior to submitting online. Ensure that letters,
numbers and symbols are clear throughout
and large enough to remain legible. Also
ensure
that there are no broken letters or
uneven type and that abbreviations are used in
a consistent fashion (with those in the text).
Figure Legends:
Type double-spaced and
numbered with Arabic numerals corresponding
to the number of the illustration.
If symbols, arrows, numbers, or letters are
used to identify parts of the illustrations, explain
each clearly in the respective legend.
Define all abbreviated terms the first time
used (even if the term has been defined in
text). The legends should permit the figures
to
be understood without reference to the
text. Include the appropriate credit line (for
permission to reprint and to acknowledge
the original
source) if an illustration has
been published previously.
MANUSCRIPT REVIEW
Manuscripts are examined by the Editor
and at least two reviewers in two steps.
- Initial Review: As a service to authors
who wish to have a quick response,
the
Editor-in-Chief reviews the abstract and
first few pages of the manuscript within a
few days of receipt. This review includes
a check
for topic areas for which JSAT
already has covered substantially in previous
issues, as well as for obvious problems
with the manuscript
or research.
Any problems of this nature will prohibit
publication and lead into a rejection decision
within several days. Although never
a welcome decision, an early rejection
will at least allow authors to rapidly submit
the manuscript to another journal.
- Full
Review: After Initial Review, the
manuscript is assigned to one Review
Editor and to at least one other reviewer
who is experienced
in the topic areas of
the manuscript. Reviewer guidelines are
presented below as a service to authors.
Review Editors and reviewers make
recommendations to the Editor-in-Chief,
who makes the final decision on acceptance
and type of article.
All material accepted
for publication is
subject to copyediting. Authors will receive
page proofs of their articles before publication
and should carefully
proofread, check
all editorial changes, and answer all queries
at this point. Authors are responsible for
the scientific content of their
articles. TheJSAT editorial office is not responsible for
any final manuscript changes; this is the responsibility
of authors.
If author proofs are
not returned within 48 hours of receipt,
publication of the article may be delayed.
Authors who submit manuscript
toJSAT will be given access to Elsevier's Online
Article Status Information System
(OASIS). They will receive a personal identification
code together with the acknowledgment
letter sent on receipt of their
manuscript. This code will grant authors
access to the OASIS site
on the Internet,
allowing them to track the status of their
manuscript.
ACCEPTED ARTICLE PRODUCTION
AND REPRINTS
On acceptance of a manuscript for publication,
a copyright transfer form will be sent
to the authors from the publisher of JSAT.
GUIDELINES FOR REVIEWERS
Reviews:
Editors will invite potential
reviewers via e-mail through the EES
system.
Reviewers will be asked to respond to
the e-mail, indicating acceptance or rejection
of the request. Those accepting will be
asked
to go directly to the website to:
- Log in with a user name and password.
- Read the manuscript on the site or print
the PDF for later review.
- Complete the review forms on the site.
- Write a review of the manuscript directly
on the
site or cut and paste it into the prepared
area from a separately prepared
Microsoft Word document.
Reviewers will be automatically
notified
of the Editor's decision and will receive a
copy of other reviewers' comments.
Technical Tips:
- Please
ensure that your e-mail server
allows receipt of e-mails from the domain
"elsevier.com", otherwise you may not
receive vital e-mails.
- We strongly advise that you download the
latest version of Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
- For first-time users of Elsevier Editorial
System (EES), detailed instructions and a
'Tutorial for Reviewers' are available
at:
http://ees.elsevier.com/jsat
If you have any technical difficulties whatsoever,
please do not hesitate to contact
Elsevier's
Support Department at: reviewersupport@elsevier.com
Treatment Relevance of the Subject:
The
first goal for JSAT is to provide useful information
that will help the full range of clinicians
and treatment practitioners treating
individuals who are substance dependent.
Two important questions for reviewers in
this area are the following:
- Is the topic
relevant to the treatment of
addiction as it is currently practiced? Or
as it may be practiced in the future?
- Is there sufficient
background and rationale
to engage clinically experienced
treatment practitioners?
Failure of the manuscript to show relevance
or rationale will be grounds for rejection.
Relevance and rationale are not easily
corrected in revisions.
Client and treatment
Descriptions:
JSAT
strives to provide useful and empirically validated
guidelines for treatment providers in the
real
world. Thus, there should be a clear
description of the patients/clients with whom
the study was conducted. There should be adequate
information about the treatment situation
and the specific elements of the clinical procedures
(if this is a treatment study). The level
of
detail expected here is that which would
enable clinically experienced readers to understand
important procedural elements of the
study. Better studies will have sufficient detail
to enable sophisticated practitioners to replicate
the treatments or interventions
described.
Important questions for reviewers in this area
are the following:
- Are client characteristics adequately
described?
- If the clients are a very select group, do
the results from study of this group offer
some important treatment information
for a practitioner?
- Are relevant aspects of the treatment
environment and the treatment elements
described in sufficient detail
to provide an
informative picture?
Failure to describe patients or treatments
adequately is quite serious and must be clarified
if the manuscript is to be published.
Research Design and Methods:
JSAT requires
that appropriate scientific
methods be used in
the study of treatments for substance dependence.
Of course, judgment will be required
regarding the appropriateness
of some scientific
methods. Thus, the first decision will be
whether reasonable and appropriate methods
were used. Clearly, it is not
possible or even
desirable that randomized controlled trials be
used in all treatment research. At the same
time, a clinically experienced
reader should be
able to understand the rationale for the design
and methods and should be given sufficient
detail to permit replication
of the essential
aspects of the study. Important questions for
reviewers in this area are the following:
- Is the rationale
for the study clear? Do
the procedures, measures, measurement
points, and subject selection criteria follow
from that rationale?
-
Are the methods appropriate to the question
being asked? Does the study use
appropriate measures?
- Will the data collected by
using this design
and methods advance the understanding of
substance abuse treatment?
Failure to describe analyses adequately
or to use appropriate analyses should be
communicated to authors and must be
corrected before publication of the manuscript.
Statistical
analyses are very important
but often subject to the particular tastes
of specific reviewers and readers. Of most
importance is whether
the analytic strategy
and individual analyses make sense, not
whether the most contemporary analysis
was done.
Conclusions:
It is a particular disservice to
the reader and to the treatment field in general
when the conclusions of a study go
beyond the logical
limits of inference from
that study. This is an especially important,
but usually correctable, part of a manuscript.
Important questions
for reviewers in this
area are the following:
- Is there a section describing the limits of
the study procedures or of the findings?
- Is there an attempt to couch the conclusions
within the logic and limits of the
design, measures, and patient sample?
-
Are the limits on generalization described?
- Are any erroneous impressions conveyed?
Failure to understand the
bounds of what
the result can realistically say to practitioners
should be reviewed closely. Authors should be
asked to confine generalizations
within reasonable
limits and to be judicious in what they
recommend from the data presented. This is an
important but usually correctable
section of
the manuscript.
Writing Style and Grammar:
JSAT favors
clear organization, an economical writing
style,
and a modest tone. There should be an
obvious and appropriate organization to the
work. If these aspects of style are seriously
deficient,
this can be grounds for rejection.
Repetitive phrasing and discussion of unnecessary
or unrelated material should be suggested
for deletion.
Exaggerations and
hyperbole should also be suggested for deletion
or rephrasing. Spelling, grammar, and
choice of phrasing are editorial
responsibilities;
comments on these elements of style are
helpful but not necessary and not part of the
substantive review.
ACCEPTED
ARTICLE PRODUCTION
AND REPRINTS
On acceptance of a manuscript for publication,
a copyright transfer form will be sent to
the authors
from the publisher of JSAT.
All material accepted for publication is
subject to copyediting. Authors will receive
page proofs
of their articles before publication
and should carefully proofread, check
all editorial changes, and answer all queries
at this point.
Authors are responsible for the
scientific content of their articles. The JSAT
editorial office is not responsible for any
final
manuscript changes; this is the responsibility
of authors. If author proofs are
not returned within 48 hours of receipt,
publication
of the article may be delayed.
The corresponding author of an article will receive a PDF of the article at no charge. Authors who
wish to order paper reprints may do so by using the form that is sent with page proofs.
Authors who submit manuscripts to JSAT
will be given access to Elsevier's Online
Article Status Information System (OASIS).
They will receive a personal identification
code
together with the acknowledgment letter
sent on receipt of their manuscript. This
code will grant authors access to the OASIS
site on
the Internet, allowing them to track
the status of their manuscript. |
| |
|
