Morbidity
and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
(Recommendations and Reports / Surveillance Summaries)
Instructions for Contributors
Instructions for Format,
Clearance, and Submission
Report Text
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Software: Microsoft Word only.
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Line
spacing: 2.0.
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Font:
Times New Roman.
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Type
size: 11 or 12 point.
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Headings: Times New Roman, 11 or 12 point; bold and
bold/italics may be used, but no other formatting.
Summaries and Abstracts
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A
summary (maximum 275 words) is required for Recommendations
and Reports.
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A
structured abstract (i.e., Problem/Condition, Reporting
Period, Description of System, Results and Interpretation,
and Public Health Actions Taken) is required for
Surveillance Summaries.
Tables
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Software: Word table function or Excel.
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Must not
have tabs, extra spaces, or returns within the cells.
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Must be
submitted in a separate file, not embedded in the text.
Figures
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Required
software: Created in (not pasted into) PowerPoint,
CorelDraw, or vector format files (e.g., .cdr, .cgm, .eps,
and .wmf); no other formats will be accepted.
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For bar
and line graphs, also include data in tabular form.
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Use of
color is acceptable.
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Photographs (high resolution [300 dpi]) that enhance or
clarify the text are encouraged.
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Numbers,
symbols, and lettering should be large enough to remain
legible when reduced.
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Place
keys and legends within the figure.
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Must be
submitted in a separate file, not embedded in the text.
Formatting
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Will be
done by MMWR staff; contributors should not waste
their time formatting the report to resemble a published
MMWR nor the project editor's time deleting that
formatting.
Methods (Recommendations and Reports)
- All CDC guidelines should provide a methods section that transparently discusses the
following:
- How do the guidelines add to or differ from what was available previously?
- Who was involved in the production of the guidelines and how?
- What information base was considered?
- What was the rationale for considering this evidence base?
- What potential information bases were not consulted?
- How does the information considered support or relate to the conclusions or recommendations?
References
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Authors are responsible for the
accuracy and completeness of their references and for
correct text citation.
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References should be cited according to
instructions contained in
The Uniform Requirements for
Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals.
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Reference numbers must be cited in the text in parentheses
and italicized, not superscripted. All citations included in
the reference list must be cited at least once in numerical
order in the text only. Sources for information in figures
and tables must be spelled out with each figure and table.
Abbreviate names of journals
according to the journals list in PubMed (available at
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/).
Note: List up to
six authors and/or editors; if more than six, list the first
three, followed by "et al."
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Reference numbers must be manually inserted in the text, not
linked to an endnote function or reference manager software.
Footnotes
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The
order of footnotes is *, †, §, ¶, **, ††, §§, ¶¶, ***, †††,
etc.
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For
footnotes in the text, place the footnote symbol as needed
in the text, but place the footnote text in a separate file.
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For
footnotes in tables and figures, place the footnotes in
order (including any footnotes in the title) from left to
right (i.e., in the order a person reads).
OMB Peer Review
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If
applicable, must be completed before submission for
publication.
Clearance
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Must be
completed through the ADS level of the originating CIO.
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Cross-clearances must be submitted also, if applicable.
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Signed
clearance forms (CDC 0.576) must be submitted before the
report is assigned for production.
ACIP Statements/Other Task Force
or Committee Recommendations
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Must
reflect the names of ACIP members who were active at the
time the statement was adopted.
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Authors/contributors are responsible for obtaining an
accurate list from ACIP Coordinating Medical Officer, Jean
C. Smith, MD, MPH.
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Other
recommendations (e.g., from a task force, working group, or
committee) must include the members' full formal names,
their highest academic degrees, and their affiliations,
including city and state for non-CDC members.
Continuing Education (CE)
Activities
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Will be
coordinated through MMWR staff in conjunction with
OWCD.
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Planning
for continuing education activities should begin while the
draft is being prepared.
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Procedures for including a CE activity are available upon
request.
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The
report's goal, three to five objectives, 6–10 draft content
questions, and the correct answers should be included in the
package when the draft is submitted for publication.
Authorship
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Attributed only to persons who write Surveillance Summaries.
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Author
attribution is not given in MMWR Recommendations and
Reports. The report lists the CDC persons who prepared the
report, but this list does not confer authorship (see
previous instructions regarding authorship).
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A list
of authors/contributors must be submitted with each report.
The list must include each person's full formal name,
highest academic degree, and affiliation, including city and
state.
Review
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Authors/contributors will be allowed to review and comment
on their reports only two times during the production cycle:
— They will
be asked to review the edited draft, on which any substantive
changes can be made.
—
Authors/contributors will see the report again in the layout
proof stage (i.e., galleys). Layout proofs should be used to
correct egregious errors in format or layout. Proof stage is not
the appropriate time to make extensive content changes. MMWR
assumes that a correctly cleared report will have undergone that
level of scrutiny before it is submitted for publication. If
reports require substantial content changes in the proof stage,
authors/contributors will be asked to reschedule their
publication.
Production
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Production includes editing, entering changes to electronic
files, coding for typesetting, typesetting, proofing, review
by established list of reviewers, and printing, which
usually requires 12–16 weeks from the date of assignment to
the project editor. Authors/contributors can help avoid
unnecessary delays by meeting deadlines and following the
instructions of the project editor.
Costs
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Printing
costs are charged to the originating CIO.
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Charges
cover the cost of printing copies for the established
MMWR mailing list (approximately 10,400 copies) and for
any additional copies the CIO might desire for their own
inventory. Contact MASO for cost estimate.
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The
project editor prepares the print request and coordinates
with the author/contributor to have any additional copies
printed and stored at CDC's publication warehouse, if
desired.
Scheduling and Submitting Reports
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The
Editor, MMWR, and the Managing Editor will determine
if articles are accepted for publication.
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Scheduling must be done by contacting the Lead Technical
Writer-Editor of MMWR Recommendations and Reports and
Surveillance Summaries.
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Draft
files should be submitted via e-mail (no zipped files,
please), and the clearance form and reference face pages by
interoffice mail. Printouts of the text, tables, and figures
are not required.
If you have any questions regarding these instructions,
please contact:
Teresa F. Rutledge
Lead Technical Writer-Editor
MMWR Recommendations and Reports and Surveillance
Summaries
MS E-90
Phone: 404-498-2371
E-mail:
txr7@cdc.gov
Author/Contributor
Checklist
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List of
authors/contributors reviewed to ensure that each person
meets MMWR authorship criteria.
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List of
authors/contributors with each person's full formal name,
highest academic degree, and affiliation (including city and
state) included in the text file.
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Text
prepared in Word.
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Text
double-spaced.
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Summary
(Recommendations and Reports) or structured abstract
(Surveillance Summaries) included.
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Tables
created with Word table function or Excel and placed in a
separate file.
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Original
figures created in (not pasted in) PowerPoint, CorelDraw, or
vector format and placed in a separate file.
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All
references cited in order and italicized numbers placed in
parentheses in the text.
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All
reference manager or endnote formatting deleted from file.
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Photocopies of MEDLINE citations or first pages for each
reference assimilated.
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Clearance form (CDC 0.576) signed by all reviewers through
the CIO ADS level and initialed by all authors/contributors.
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ACIP or
other committee, task force, or working group membership
list prepared, if applicable.
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Report
goal, objectives, content questions, and answers included,
if a continuing education activity is planned.
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Electronic files (unzipped) sent by e-mail to txr7@cdc.gov,
and clearance form and reference pages sent by interoffice
mail to Teresa F. Rutledge, MS E-90.
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