JNSW Author Guidelines

Call for Manuscripts

The Editorial Board of The Journal of Nephrology Social Work encourages the submission of original manuscripts. The next issue of the journal will contain articles addressing contemporary issues/topics relevant to nephrology social work. Authors may wish to address any of the following topics, which are listed as guidelines:

  • Social Work Outcomes
  • Kidney Transplant
  • Pediatric Issues
  • End-of-Life Concerns
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Sexual Functioning
  • Aging and Gerontological Issues
  • Disaster Preparedness
  • Comorbid Illnesses
  • Home Dialysis Modalities
  • Professional Roles
  • Rehabilitation
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Quality of Life
  • Ethics

Please e-mail manuscript to: jnsw@kidney.org
Questions? Contact Co-Editor Steve Bogatz
Questions? Email: sbogatz@aol.com
Questions? Phone: (203) 639-2880 x24

Instructions for Authors

The Journal of Nephrology Social Work (JNSW) is the official publication of the Council of Nephrology Social Workers of the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Its purpose is to stimulate interest and research in psychosocial issues pertaining to kidney and urologic diseases, hypertension, and transplantation, as well as to publish information concerning renal social work practices and policies. The goal of JNSW is to publish original communications and research that maintain high standards for the profession and that contribute significantly to the overall advancement of the field.

The JNSW is a peer-reviewed publication. Manuscripts are accepted for review with the understanding that the material has not been previously published, except in abstract form, and is not concurrently under review for publication elsewhere. Authors submitting a manuscript do so with the understanding that, if it is accepted for publication, the copyright for the article, including the right to reproduce the article in all forms and media, shall be assigned exclusively to the National Kidney Foundation. The Publisher will not refuse any reasonable request by the author for permission to reproduce any of his or her contributions to the Journal.

Exclusive Publication: Articles are accepted for publication on the condition that they are contributed solely to The Journal of Nephrology Social Work. Authors should secure all necessary clearances and approvals prior to submission. All manuscripts are peer-reviewed by two reviewers. Receipt of manuscripts will be acknowledged within two weeks, and every effort will be made to advise contributors of the status of their submissions within six to eight weeks.

A submitted manuscript should be accompanied by a letter that contains the following language and is signed by each author: "In compliance with Copyright Revision Act of 1976, effective January 1, 1978, the undersigned author(s) transfers all copyright ownership of the manuscript entitled ______ to The Journal of Nephrology Social Work in the event this material is published."

To qualify as an original manuscript, the article or a version of the article must not have been published elsewhere. Author(s) must inform the editor if the manuscript is being reviewed for publication by any other journals. Once accepted for publication by the editor, the author(s) cannot make revisions on the manuscript.

Types of articles being sought

Research and Review. The JNSW welcomes reports of original research on any topic related to renal social work. The Editor will also consider articles that document the development of new concepts or that review and update topics in the social sciences that are relevant to professionals working in the field of renal social work.

Reports and Commentary. The JNSW welcomes articles that describe innovative and evaluated renal social work education programs, that report on viewpoints pertaining to current issues and controversies in the field, or that provide historical perspectives on renal social work.

Reviews. Review articles-in traditional or meta-analysis style-are usually invited contributions, however, letters of interest are welcome.

Original Research. Full manuscript format should include: introduction, methods, results, and discussion of original research. Length usually should not exceed 15 double-spaced pages, including references.

Clinical/Research Briefs. Abbreviated manuscript format presents clinical practice experience, preliminary research findings (basic or clinical), or professional observations in a shortened report form. Length usually should not exceed six double-spaced pages.

Practical Aspects Section. Contributions to this section are detailed protocols, forms, or other such materials that are successfully utilized for delivery of outcomes-based clinical social work services.

Case Studies. These detailed scenarios should illustrate a patient care situation that benefited from clinical social work intervention. Typically, they should consist of a brief clinical and psychosocial history, and a detailed intervention plan with discussion of recommendations focused toward practical application.

Letters to the Editor. Letters should be restricted to scientific commentary about materials published in the JNSW or to topics of general interest to professionals working in the field of renal social work.

Manuscript Submbmission

Manuscript Format Manuscripts should be formatted according to the rules laid out by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Fifth Edition. What follows is a brief synopsis of the broader style points used by the APA.

Paper and Type. Hard copy manuscripts should be submitted on standard-sized (8 1/2" x 11"), white paper. Both hard copy and electronic versions should confirm to the following guidelines: Text should be double-spaced, set in 12-point type (preferably Times New Roman) and have 1-inch margins along all sides of every page. Starting with the title page, pages should be numbered in the upper, right-hand corner and should have a running head in the upper left-hand corner. The running head should be a shortened version of the manuscript's title and should be set in all uppercase letters. The first line of every paragraph in the manuscript should be indented, as should the first line of every footnote.

Order of the Manuscript Sections

  • Title page
  • Abstract
  • Text
  • References
  • Appendixes
  • Author note
  • Footnotes
  • Tables
  • Figure captions
  • Figures

Title Page. The manuscript's title page should contain the title of the manuscript and the name, degree, and current affiliation of each author. Authors are generally listed in order of their contribution to the manuscript (consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological association, Fifth Edition, the APA style guide, for exceptions). The title page should also contain the complete address of the institution at which the work was conducted and the contact information for the primary author. A running head (a shortened version of the manuscript's title) should be set in the upper left-hand corner of the page, in all uppercase letters. Page numbering should begin in the upper right-hand corner of this page. With the exception of the page numbers and running heads, all text on the title page should be centered.

Abstract. The manuscript's abstract should be set on its own page, with the word "Abstract" centered at the top of the page. The abstract itself should be a single paragraph with no indentation and should not exceed 120 words. All numbers-except for those that begin a sentence-should be typed as numerals. Running heads and page numbers should continue from the title page.

Text. The text (or body) of the manuscript should begin on a new page, after the abstract. The title of the manuscript should be set at the top of the first page, centered and double-spaced. Running heads and page numbers should continue from the abstract.

References. The reference list should begin on a new page, with the word "References" centered at the top of the page. Entries should be listed alphabetically, according to the primary author's last name, and should conform to APA style (see sample references provided). Running heads and page numbers should continue from the text. Do not use software functions that automatically format your references. This can cause the references to be lost when the manuscript is formatted for typesetting.

Appendixes. Each appendix should begin on a new page and should be double-spaced. Running heads and page numbers should be continued from the text of the manuscript. The word "Appendix" and the identifying letter (A, B, C, etc.) should be centered at the top of the first page of each new appendix. Running heads and page numbers should continue from the references.

Author Note. If there is an author note, it should begin on a new page with the words "Author Note" centered at the top of the page. Each paragraph should be indented. Running heads and page numbers should continue from the last appendix. Consult the APA style guide for further details on the structure of an author note.

Footnotes. A footnote should be indicated in the text of the manuscript with a superscript Arabic numeral to the right of the pertinent material. The footnotes should be listed on a separate page with the word "Footnotes" centered at the top of the page. They should be listed sequentially, with the first line of each note indented. Running heads and page numbers should continue from the author note. Do not use software functions that automatically format your footnotes. This can cause the footnotes to be lost when the manuscript is formatted for typesetting.

Tables. All tables should be double-spaced and each should begin on a separate page. Tables are numbered sequentially according to the order in which they are first mentioned in the manuscript (Table 1, Table 2, etc.) and are given an appropriate title that is centered at the top of the page. Table Notes should be a single, double-spaced paragraph, set after the last line of data. The first line should be flush and begin with the word Note.

Table footnotes should be set in lowercase, superscript letters, immediately to the right of the pertinent data. The footnotes themselves should appear below the table, after the Table Notes (if any). Table footnotes should begin anew with each new table. If a table has been previously published, the author is required to submit a copy of a letter of permission from the copyright holder, and must acknowledge the source of the table in the manuscript's reference section. Running heads and page numbers should continue from the footnotes.

Figures. Figures are also numbered consecutively, according to the order in which they appear in the manuscript. The convention Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, etc. should be followed. In cases where the orientation of the figure is not obvious, the word TOP should be placed on the page, well outside the image area, to indicate how the figure should be set. If any figure has been previously published, the author is required to submit a copy of a letter of permission from the copyright holder, and must acknowledge the source of the figure in the manuscript's reference section. Running heads and page numbers should continue from the tables.

Figure Captions. Each figure in the manuscript must have a caption, formatted as follows:

Figure 1. Exemplary formatting for all figure captions.

All figure captions should be listed on a separate page, according to the order in which they appear in the manuscript. Multi-line captions should be double-spaced.

Reference Examples

Journal Article, two authors
Wassner, S. J., & Holliday, M. A. (1989). Protein metabolism in chronic renal failure. Seminar in Nephrology, 9, 19-23.

Journal Article, Three to Six Authors
Gartner, J., Larson, D. B., & Allen, G. D. (1991). Religious commitment and mental health: A review of the empirical literature. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 19, 6-25.

Journal Article, More Than Six Authors
Larson, D. B., Sherrill, K. A., Lyons, J. S., Craigie, F. C., Thielman, S. B., Greenwold, M. A., et al. (1992). Associations between dimensions of religious commitment and mental health reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry and Archives of General Psychiatry: 1978-1989. American Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 557-559.

Journal Article in Press
Odaka, M. (in press). Mortality in chronic dialysis patients in Japan. American Journal of Kidney Disease.

Complete Book, Edited
Levine, D. Z. (Ed.). (1983). Care of the renal patient. Philadelphia: Saunders.

Chapter of an Edited Book
Nixon, H. H. (1966). Intestinal obstruction in the newborn. In C. Rob & R. Smith (Eds.), Clinical surgery (pp. 168-172). London: Butterworth.

Article from a Journal Supplement
Paganini, E. P., Latham, D., & Abdulhadi, M. (1989). Practical considerations of recombinant human erythropoietin therapy. American Journal of Kidney Disease, 14 (Suppl. 1), 19-25.

Abstract
Bello, V. A. O., & Gitelman, H. J. (1990). High fluoride exposure in hemodialysis patients [Abstract]. American Journal of Kidney Disease, 15, 320.

Editorial
Piantadosi, S. (1990). Hazards of small clinical trials [Editorial]. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 8, 1-3.

Review Process

Manuscripts submitted to The Journal of Nephrology Social Work are peer-reviewed, with the byline removed, by at least two professionals in the field of renal social work. The length of the review process will vary somewhat depending on the length of the manuscript, but generally takes two to three months. The Journal of Nephrology Social Work reserves the right to edit all manuscripts for clarity or length. Minor changes in style and clarity are made at the discretion of the reviewers and editorial staff. Substantial changes will only be made with the primary author's approval, prior to typesetting.

After Acceptance

If a manuscript is accepted for publication, the author will be required to send the following to the editorial office:

  • An electronic copy of the final version of the manuscript. All components of the manuscript must appear within a single word processing file, in the order listed previously. Any features that track or highlight edits should be turned off. Do not use automatic numbering functions, as these features will be lost during the file-conversion process. Formatting such as Greek characters, italics, bold face, superscript and subscript, may be used, however the use of such elements must conform to the rules set forth in the APA style guide and should be applied consistently throughout the manuscript.
  • Most other file formats (Powerpoint, JPG, GIF, etc.) are not of sufficient resolution to be used in print. The resolution for all art must be at least 300 dpi. A hard copy of each figure should accompany the files.
  • In addition to the images that appear in your word processing file, it is important to send the images as individual files too. These images should be grayscale (black and white) only. They should be TIF or EPS file formats only.
  • We would prefer a printed copy of the final version of the manuscript to be sent to verify contents.
  • A copyright form signed by at least one of the authors.