Author Guidelines

Journal Description

The Canadian Geriatrics Journal (CGJ) is an open access and peer-reviewed publication of the Canadian Geriatrics Society. Published online four times per year, the CGJ is the home for high quality and innovative aging research aimed at improving the health and the care provided to older persons residing in Canada and outside our borders. While we gratefully accept submissions from researchers outside our country, we are committed to encouraging aging research by Canadians. The CGJ is targeted to family physicians with training or an interest in the care of older persons, specialists in geriatric medicine, geriatric psychiatrists, and members of other health disciplines with a focus on gerontology. Learn more about the Journal’s Focus & Scope.

Introduction to Submitting to CGJ

Prior to submission, authors should review the Journal’s “Focus & Scope”. Only manuscripts of sufficient quality that meet the focus and scope of the CGJ will be reviewed.

Submission requirements for CGJ are in accordance with the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals formulated by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Publication Ethics and Editorial policies of the Journal are in line with those of the Council of Science Editors outlined in the White Paper on Promoting Integrity in Scientific Journal Publications.

Before submitting your manuscript, please read the guidelines below. Please note that manuscripts not conforming to these guidelines may be returned to the author.

Please also be sure to look over the Journal’s submission checklist before submitting.

Once ready to submit, visit our “Submit Manuscript” page to upload your submission to our online system. The Journal uses Open Journal Systems (OJS) as our online submission and peer review system. For instructions on how to submit your manuscript through the OJS system, please visit our “Submission Instructions & Process” page.

All inquiries about the Journal should be addressed to the:

Canadian Geriatrics Journal Editorial Office
Dr. Ken Madden MSc, MD, FRCPC, Editor-in-Chief
Mail: Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1M9
Phone: 604-875-4931
E-mail: Kenneth.Madden@ubc.ca

Types of Submissions

The CGJ publishes papers dealing with aging and the clinical care of older persons. The CGJ considers for publication original research, short reports, reviews (narrative reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses), guidelines, perspectives, editorials, commentaries, letters to the editor, and reflective pieces (book reviews and humanities). Unsolicited submissions of all these types of articles are encouraged, but please note that narrative reviews, commentaries, editorials, and book reviews are generally solicited. Case reports are not accepted.

When submitting manuscripts, the following maximum word counts must be adhered to. The word count excludes the Title Page, Abstract, References, Tables, and Figure Legends. The word, table, figure, and reference counts for an article are provided to keep manuscripts at a length that will maintain the interest of our reviewers and readership. For further details about the requirements of each article type, view the “Manuscript Preparation” section.

Manuscript Type

Description

Max Word Count

Other

Original Research*

Investigations and original research that represent new and significant contributions and advances to the field. Includes clinical trials.

3,000

Maximum of 5 tables/figures and a 40-reference limit

Short Reports*

Brief reports of preliminary or limited results of original research or observations. The intent is to provide a forum for smaller scale research projects that do not meet the review standards of full-length Original Research manuscripts but would still provide a valuable contribution to the academic literature.

1,500

Maximum of 3 tables/figures and a 30-reference limit

Reviews*

Includes narrative reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The Journal does not publish non-systematic reviews.

Narrative reviews are typically solicited and synthesize the existing knowledge about a particular topic. It is expected that the authors will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the relevant literature and provide advice to readers on how to apply the existing evidence in clinical practice.

Systematic reviews (including meta-analyses) should focus on clinical a specific topic and adhere to accepted methodology.

4,000

Maximum of 6 tables/figures and an 80-reference limit

Guidelines*

Includes clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements that are intended to guide clinical practice and patient care. Guidelines are based on high-level evidence and consensus statements are based on expert opinion and the best available research evidence for which consensus is sought.

3,000

Maximum of 8 tables/figures and an 80-reference limit

Perspectives*

Focused articles on topics of interest to a broad audience in the field but written from a personal viewpoint with arguments that are well supported, and describe innovative programs, new tools or approaches, current issues, or other aspects relevant to the field. Articles take the form of a review that provides the reader with an overview and background of the subject, gives personal insight into the advances and challenges, discusses opposing viewpoints, and makes recommendations for further investigation or actions. Different from a review, the Editors expect such pieces are forward-looking, thought-provoking, and informative about emerging ideas, treatments, and trends.

2,000

Maximum of 2 tables/figures and a 20-reference limit

Editorials

Lead Editorial for the issue, typically by the Editor-in-Chief, who may call on other members of the Editorial Board from time to time.

1500     

Maximum of 2 tables/figures and a 10-reference limit

Guest Editorials

Comments from recognized experts on a specific topic and related to an article published in the same issue. Editorials are generally solicited by the Editorial Team.

1500     

Maximum of 2 tables/figures and a 10-reference limit

Commentaries

Commentaries are opinion pieces on controversial and timely issues in health care or clinical medicine. Authors are encouraged to provide a lively but sound argument that supports a clear point of view.   

2,000

Maximum of 2 tables/figures and a 20-reference limit

Letters to the Editor

Comments on work previously published in the CGJ and provides constructive analysis/criticism. Letters must be submitted within one month of the online publication date of the article discussed to be considered. The Editors may invite a reply to the letter by the original author.

The Editor may also consider publication of a letter that comments on other matters of interest to the field. This section is not considered to be an appropriate venue for publishing new data without peer review.

500

Should not have tables or figures, and no more than 5 references

Reflective Pieces

Humanities* — Medicine and Society, History of Medicine

Short articles that examine the social analysis of the medical and health sciences. Pieces discussing the history of medicine relative to the field of aging are also welcome.

2,000

Maximum of 2 tables/figures and a 20-reference limit

Book
Reviews

A short critical analysis and evaluation of the quality, meaning, and significance of a book which addresses at least one of main topics of the Journal (authors should contact the Editor-in-Chief for approval before submitting).

1,000

Should not have tables or figures, and no more than 5 references

* Peer Reviewed Manuscript Type

For Trainees

CGJ encourages submissions from medical students, residents, fellows, and trainees. Trainee-authored submissions undergo the same peer-review process as all other submissions. In addition to traditional research reports, we encourage trainees to consider submitting other submission types.

Peer Review Process

All manuscripts are to be submitted to CGJ’s online submission system. The submitting author will receive an automated acknowledgment by email confirming the manuscript submission.

In their cover letter, authors are required to submit the names and e-mail addresses of up to three individuals, who could, in their opinion, expertly review their manuscripts. They may also indicate names of those whom they wish not to review their manuscript. The Editors, however, reserve the right to choose all reviewers.

All manuscripts are initially reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief, and if appropriate, will be assigned to an Associate Editor. If the paper is judged to be suitable for possible publication, it will be sent to two or more external reviewers using our database of experts. All articles undergo this process with the exception of Letters to the Editor, Commentaries, Editorials, Guest Editorials, and Book Reviews, which are based on the decision of the Editor, who may ask experts on the merit of their contents.

Where papers are not considered suitable for peer review, authors will be notified promptly so that the work can be submitted elsewhere as appropriate.

CGJ employs a single-anonymized review process. The identities of the reviewers are kept confidential, but the identity of the author or authors is made known to the reviewers. The manuscript under review is not revealed to anyone other than the reviewers and editorial staff. Reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality about the manuscripts they review.

Authors should expect to receive an initial decision on their manuscript within 12–16 weeks of submission. If revision of the manuscript is required, the authors must submit within three weeks of the request. If accepted for publication, articles will be published within 6-9 months of acceptance.

Manuscript Preparation

CGJ follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ (ICMJE) Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, which can be found at http://www.icmje.org. Authors should refer to ICMJE’s “Preparing a Manuscript for Submission to a Medical Journal” guidelines in addition to the guidelines provided below.

General Format and Presentation

Write the body of the manuscript as concisely as possible, adhering to the word limits specified for the given manuscript category. Use double-spacing throughout (with the exception of tables).

For section and subsection headings, please use the heading styles built into your word processing template. Headings are numbered, to a maximum of three levels:

LEVEL ONE HEADING

Level Two Heading

Level Three Heading

If further divisions of the text are required, use inline headings:

In-line Heading Level One: Paragraph text ....
In-line Heading Level Two: Paragraph text ....

Focus on the content rather than the look of a submission. Simpler is always better. Use a common typeface such as Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, or Times in a readable size (12 points). In running text, formatting other than the usual uses of italic, superscript, and subscript is discouraged. During the copyediting process all extraneous formatting will be stripped from the file to ensure smooth intake into the layout program used by the page compositor.

All papers must contain the following items, when applicable:

The linked sections below provide further instructions for preparation of these items.

Cover Letter

A cover letter must be included with each manuscript submission. It should be a single page and serves to assure the Editors that the article and the authors meet the conditions of publication. The authors are also welcomed to include a brief explanation of the findings of the paper, why it is suited for the Journal and any other information that may be useful to the Editors. The cover letter must include the following:

  • The affiliation and contact information of the corresponding author.
  • A statement that each author meets all four criteria for authorship recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), that all individuals who meet these criteria are listed as authors, and that all coauthors have reviewed and approved the manuscript prior to submission.
  • A confirmation that the manuscript has not been previously published, is not before another journal for consideration; nor will it be until after such time the manuscript has either been withdrawn from further consideration or it has been decided that the manuscript will not be published in CGJ, or an explanation has been provided to the Editor.
  • Declare and describe any use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technologies, such as generative algorithms, chatbots, or language models (if applicable).
  • The names and contact details (including email address) for three potential peer reviewers for your manuscript. Any submission without including peer reviewer suggestions will be returned to the author without a review.
  • The names of any referees you would like excluded from reviewing (if applicable).

Title Page

The title page is the first page of the manuscript and should include:

  • The title of the article.
  • The full names of the authors (written as first name, middle initial(s) and last name), with the highest academic degree(s) attained.
  • The affiliation or affiliations for each author. For each affiliation, include the name of the department (if any), the institution, the city, and the province (if Canada, using the official postal abbreviation) or the state (if applicable) and country where the work was done. Link the authors to their designations using superscript numbers.
  • A shortened version of the title for use as a running header (no more than 60 characters, upper case).
  • The usual full name of the corresponding author, with postal address, e-mail address, and phone number. (Please take note that all published work includes the corresponding author’s contact information to ensure the accountability and transparency of the work.)
  • The heading “Statements of Declaration” and include the following statements (Note: these statements must also appear within the text of your article, in the appropriate location, but should also be included in your title page so they are easily accessible to Editors and Reviewers):
    • Acknowledgements (even if there are none to declare – see journal policies on Acknowledgements)
    • Funding (even if there are none to declare – see journal policies on Funding)
    • Conflicts of Interests Disclosure (even if there are none to declare – see journal policies on Conflicts of Interests Disclosure)
    • Ethics Approval and Informed Consent - All papers reporting human studies must include a statement on ethics approval and consent (even where the need for approval was waived). If the research involves animals, a statement on ethics approval must be included (even if waived). If your manuscript does not report on or involve any animals, humans, or human data, please state “Not applicable”. See journal policies on Research Ethics and Informed Consent.
  • Full details on any possible previous or duplicate publication of any content of the paper (if applicable).
  • A word count for the text only (excluding abstract, acknowledgments, figure legends, tables, references and appendices).
  • The number of figures and tables.

Abstract and Key Words

For Original Research and Review Articles (Systematic and Meta-Analyses), include a structured abstract of no more than 250 words. Use these subheadings, or the headings suggested by the relevant reporting guidelines:

  • Background
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Conclusions
  • Trial Registration (for clinical trials only; include registry and number)

The Methods should describe the study design (e.g., case-control, cohort study, randomized controlled trial, meta-analyses, etc.), setting, subjects (including number and selection criteria), intervention and measurements where appropriate. The Results should report the main findings including numerical values where appropriate. Where possible, report the estimates of dispersion (e.g., standard deviation, range, or confidence interval) and p-value where appropriate. The Conclusions must relate to the primary hypothesis (when appropriate) and be supported by the data presented.

For Short Reports, Narrative Review Articles, Guidelines, and Perspectives, include an unstructured abstract of no more than 250 words that summarizes the objective, main points, and conclusions of the article.

Do not include abstracts for Editorials, Commentaries, Letters to the Editor, and Reflective Pieces.

An abstract is often presented separately from the article, so it must be able to stand alone. The abstract should not contain any undefined abbreviations or references.

After the abstract, list up to eight key words or phrases for indexing. The key words should be different from those used in the title. A list of key words is required for all articles, except for Editorials, Commentaries, Letters to the Editor, and Reflective Pieces.

Text

Organization

Organize the text using the applicable structure from the list set out here.

Original Research

Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, References, Appendices (Optional), Figure Legends, and Tables. Additional descriptive subheadings may be used if appropriate.

Reviews

For meta-analyses and systematic reviews: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, References, Appendices (Optional), Figure Legends, and Tables. Additional descriptive subheadings may be used if appropriate.

For narrative reviews: Introduction, Text (may include Results and Discussion), Conclusions or Summary, Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, References, Appendices (Optional), Figure Legends, and Tables. The headings for narrative reviews will vary with the topic.

Short Reports

Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, References, Figure Legends, and Tables. Authors may insert a short summary/conclusion section following the discussion section if they wish. In some cases, results and discussions sections may more appropriately be combined than separated (at the author’s discretion).

Guidelines

Introduction, Methods, Results (or Recommendations), Conclusions, Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, References, Appendices (Optional), Figure Legends, and Tables.

Additional descriptive subheadings may be used if appropriate. We recognize each statement will have unique features and the final format for optimal presentation may vary.

Perspectives

Introduction, Text (include headings in the text body), Conclusions or Summary, Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, References, Figure Legends, and Tables.

Commentaries and Guest Editorials

Text (with limited or no subheadings), Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, References, Figures Legends, and Tables.

Letters to the Editor

Text (with limited or no subheadings), Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures and References.

Reflective Pieces

For Humanities: Introduction, Text (include headings in the text body), Conclusions or Summary, Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, References, Figure Legends, and Tables.

Book Reviews: Introduction, Text (include headings in the text body), Conclusions or Summary, Acknowledgements, Funding, Conflict of Interest Disclosures, and References.

Spelling

Both Canadian and American spellings are acceptable but must be consistently used within the manuscript.

Use of English Language

All manuscripts are to be submitted and will be published in English, and authors who are not fluent in English are advised to seek editorial assistance before submitting their papers. This will help to ensure that the academic content of the paper is fully understood by the Journal’s editors and reviewers.

Special Characters

Certain symbols that are frequently used in biomedical publications (Greek and mathematical symbols primarily) do not usually import correctly from word processing files into page layout programs. Authors can feel free to use these symbols, but during the copyediting process, they will be changed into codes that the page compositor can locate in a search-and-replace operation to drop the correct symbols into the laid-out pages. On no account should the codes added by the copyeditor be altered by the author during the author’s copyedit review step. (Some examples of these codes are “xxa” for lower-case alpha, “xx>” for “greater than or equals,” and “xxby” for the multiplication symbol.)

Proprietary and Generic Names

Generic names must be used for all drugs. Include the proprietary name in the following cases: if it is more commonly known than the generic name; to differentiate among drug forms; if a specific trade preparation was used in a study or involved in an adverse effect. If the proprietary name is used, the name and location of the manufacturer must be given in parentheses in the text. Instruments and medical devices may be referred to by proprietary name; the name and location of the manufacturers must be given in parentheses in the text.

Abbreviations

Use abbreviations sparingly and keep to those commonly used in the field. All acronyms and initialisms are to be spelled out on first use in the abstract, the text, and in each table or figure, with the abbreviation following in parentheses. If the term is repeated less than five times in the text, all instances must be spelled out. Abbreviations used in the body of the article should be indicated in the abstract, tables, and figures, even if they are used only once or twice in these sections, spelling out the first instance. Avoid using abbreviations in the title.

Do not begin a sentence with an abbreviation. Spell the phrase out in full or rewrite the sentence. Do not explain abbreviations for units of measurement [3 mL, not 3 milliliters (mL)] or standard scientific symbols [Na, not sodium (Na)]. Do abbreviate long names of chemical substances and terms for therapeutic combinations, such as DNA. Abbreviate names of tests and procedures that are better known by their abbreviations than by the full name. Abbreviate units of measurement when they appear with numerals (measured in milliliters, but 10 mL). Use abbreviations in figures and tables to save space. Explain all abbreviations used in the figure legend or table footnote.

Units of Measurement

Use the SI system, and its standard symbols, throughout the manuscript. When units other than SI units are widely used, they can be indicated in parentheses after the SI unit. When a unit of measurement is mentioned outside the context of a specific quantity, spell out the full name of the unit (for example, “measured in milliliters”, but “aliquots of 10 mL were centrifuged”). In tables, specify the units for a column or row in the column or row stub rather than in every entry in the column or row.

References

CGJ uses the reference style outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), also referred to as “Vancouver Style”. It is based to a large extent on the standards used by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) for its databases. The ICMJE list of sample references is the authoritative style and can be found at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html. The complete guide to citing references can be found in the NLM’s Citing Medicine, 2nd edition (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7256/).

The accuracy of references is the responsibility of the author(s). Please ensure that every reference cited in the text is also present in the reference list (and vice versa). To allow the Journal to create links to abstracting and indexing services, including Crossref, PubMed Central and PubMed, please ensure that data provided in the references are correct.

General Rules

  • The manuscript’s reference list must be numbered (using Arabic numerals) consecutively in the order in which the references are first cited in the text. Citations appearing in tables and figures must fit into the numbering sequence from the point at which the table or figure is first mentioned in the text.
  • Within the text, use Arabic numerals as superscripts in parentheses. The first reference used in the manuscript should be listed first on the reference list.
  • List all authors when six or fewer; when seven or more, list only the first three and add et al.  
  • Use journal abbreviations as provided by PubMed/Medline. An authoritative list of journal title abbreviations can be found online by searching the NLM Catalogue: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals
  • Cite the version of the article that you saw. If you viewed an article on the Internet, do not cite it as if it were a print one.
  • The reference list should only include articles that are published or accepted for publication.
  • Include references to unpublished material in the text in parentheses, not in the reference list (for example, papers presented orally at a meeting; unpublished work [personal communication and papers in preparation]), and submit a letter of permission from the cited persons to cite such communications.
  • The digital object identifier (DOI) should ideally be included in the citation even if you are citing a print version of an article. When citing an article that has been published online but not yet in print, include the DOI if available.
  • Artificial intelligence and AI-assisted technologies must not be cited as a reference or other primary source or as an author of a reference.

Sample References

Samples of common reference formats are provided below. Additional guidance can be found:

For citing Statistics Canada, see “How to Cite Statistics Canada Products”.

Journals

Print Journal Article

Format:  Author AA, Author BB. Article title. Abbreviated Journal Name. Date of Publication (Include year, month and day when available); Volume Number(Issue Number):Pages.

Examples:

Standard
Heckman, Molnar FJ, Lee L. Geriatric medicine leadership of health care transformation: To be or not to be? Can Geriatr J. 2013 Dec 3;16(4):192-5.

Clément F, Belleville S, Bélanger S, Chassé V. Personality and psychological health in persons with mild cognitive impairment. Can J Aging. 2009 Jun;28(2):147-56.

Orchard TJ, Temprosa M, Goldberg R, Haffner S, Ratner R, Marcovina S, et al; Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. The effect of metformin and intensive lifestyle intervention on the metabolic syndrome: the Diabetes Prevention Program randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2005 Apr 19;142(8):611-9. 

With DOI
Heckman GA, Molnar FJ, Lee L. Geriatric medicine leadership of health care transformation: to be or not to be? Can Geriatr J. 2013 Dec 3;16(4):192-5. doi: 10.5770/cgj.16.89

Organization/Association as Author
Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Hypertension, insulin, and proinsulin in participants with impaired glucose tolerance. Hypertension. 2002;40(5):679-86.

Article not in English
Ellingsen AE, Wilhelmsen I. Sykdomsangst blant medisin- og jusstudenter. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2002;122(8):785-7. Norwegian.

Optional: Translation of article title (MEDLINE/PubMed practice):
Ellingsen AE, Wilhelmsen I. [Disease anxiety among medical students and law students]. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2002 Mar 20;122(8):785-7. Norwegian.

Electronic Journal Article (URL Only)

To the standard information for a print article, add the medium, date cited, and full URL to the reference. Include the DOI, if available (see below).

Format: Author AA, Author BB. Article title. Abbreviated Journal Name [Internet]. Date of Publication (Include year, month and day when available) [date cited – year month day]; Volume Number(Issue Number):Pages. Available from: URL

Example: Heckman, Molnar FJ, Lee L. Geriatric medicine leadership of health care transformation: To be or not to be? Can Geriatr J [Internet]. 2013 Dec 3 [cited 2017 Jan 4];16(4):192–5. Available from: https://cgjonline.ca/index.php/cgj/article/view/89

Electronic Journal Article (with DOI)

Format: Author AA, Author BB. Article title. Abbreviated Journal Name [Internet]. Date of Publication (Include year, month and day when available) [date cited – year month day]; Volume Number(Issue Number):Pages. Available from: URL doi:

Example: Cooper C, Sommerlad A, Lyketsos CG, Livingston G. Modifiable predictors of dementia in mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Psychiatry [Internet]. 2015 Apr;172(4):323-34. Available from: https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14070878 doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.14070878

Journal Article (Forthcoming or In Press)

In press material consists of journal articles accepted for publication but not yet published. "Forthcoming" has replaced the former "in press".

Format: Author AA, Author BB. Article title. Abbreviated Journal Name. Note.

For the note begin with the word ‘Forthcoming’, enter the year of intended publication (if known), and end with a period.

Example: Reich T, Gefen A. Effect of trabecular bone loss on cortical strain rate during impact in an in vitro model of avian femur. Biomed Eng Online. Forthcoming 2006.

Journal Article (Published Electronically Ahead of Print)

Format: Author AA, Author BB. Article title. Abbreviated Journal Name. Date of Publication (Include year, month and day when available) [date cited – year month day]; Volume Number(Issue Number):Pages. Epub YYYY Mon DD.

Example: Bo M, Bonetto M, Bottignole G, et al. Length of stay in the emergency department and occurrence of delirium in older medical patients. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2016;64(5):1114–9. Epub 2016 May 10.

Website

Format: Author(s). Webpage Title [Internet]. Place of publication: Publisher; Date of Publication [date of revision, date of citation]. Available from: URL

Example: Alzheimer Society of Canada. 2017 Awareness Survey Executive Summary [Internet]. Toronto, ON: Alzheimer Society of Canada; 2017 [cited 2020 May 12]. Available from: https://ilivewithdementia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017_AWARENESS-SURVEY_EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY.pdf

Examples of Other/Non-Journal Materials

Chapter in a Book
Note: Be sure to include the chapter title and pages.

Meltzer PS, Kallioniemi A, Trent JM. Chromosome alterations in human solid tumors. In: Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW, editors. The genetic basis of human cancer. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2002. p. 93-113.

Government Department/Agency as Author
Note: Be sure to provide agency name and city information.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. National opioid pharmacotherapy statistics (NOPSAD) 2017 [Internet]. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018 [cited 2019 Jun 16]. 20 p. Report no.: 11. Available from: URL

Tables

Authors are asked to keep each table to a reasonable size; very large tables packed with data simply confuse the reader. The same data should not be presented in both a table and a figure.

Tables are to be numbered using Arabic numerals in the order in which they are cited in the article text.

Tables should also have a title (above the table) that summarizes the whole table; it should be no longer than 15 words. Every table column and row should be provided with an explanatory title stub, with units of measure applicable to the row or column clearly indicated.

Tables must be formatted using the table tool in a word processing program to ensure that columns of data remain aligned when the file is sent electronically for review. Tables must not be embedded as figures or spreadsheet files.

Table legends follow the table body and should be as concise as possible. Footnotes follow the table legend and should be indicated using superscripted lowercase letters (a, b, c, and so on). Tables (together with their legends and footnotes) should be completely intelligible without reference to the text.

All tables (including their associated title, footnotes, and legends) should appear in consecutive numerical order after the references and any figure legends. All tables will be placed close to their text citations during article layout. All tables must be cited in the article text.

Figures

Format

Illustrations, pictures, and graphs should be supplied in the highest quality and in an electronic format that helps us to publish your article in the best way possible. All images MUST be at or above intended display size. The following resolutions are optimal:

  • Line drawings, minimum 800 dpi
  • Combination (Line Art + Halftone), 600 dpi
  • Illustrations and photographs, 300 dpi

Authors should supply electronic versions of the figure files in TIFF, GIF or JPEG (photo only) format. Other formats, such PDFs, may be used, but are not preferred. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint formats are discouraged, because the display of such drawings varies with the settings of each computer used to view the file. There is no guarantee that such figures will reproduce exactly as intended by the author. Figures are not modified or enhanced by journal production staff.

Save each figure in a separate file without its title or legend and use simple file-naming conventions (for example, Figure 1, Figure 2A).

Submission

All figures are to be individually uploaded in the online submission process, and not embedded within the manuscript.

Figure Legends

Figures are to be numbered using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, and so on) in the order in which they are cited in the article text. If a figure has several panels, each panel should be identified using an uppercase alphabetic character (A, B, C, and so on). Each figure should have a title and an explanatory legend that clearly identifies the meaning of any symbols, arrows, numbers, or abbreviations used in the illustration. The legend should permit the figure to be understood without reference to the text.

Title and legend information for each figure should be included with the article text, grouped, and placed at the end of the manuscript, after the reference list. All figures will be placed close to their text citations during article layout. Make sure that each figure is cited in the article text.

Appendices

Appendices appear at the end of the paper and allows an author to include more detailed information that would interrupt the flow of the main body of the article (ie. survey/questionnaire sample, large data sets). Appendices are reviewed, edited, typeset and part of the published version of record. This material must be important to the understanding and interpretation of the article.

If using appendices, label them with letters: Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. Start each appendix on a new page, and make sure each appendix is referenced in the text in alphabetical order. Appendices should be placed after the references. A maximum of two appendices are permitted and the total number of pages for all appendices combined cannot exceed 6 pages.

If content included as appendices is not essential to the understanding of a manuscript, the Editors may request that it be removed from the manuscript.

Permissions

Please note it is the responsibility of the author(s) to obtain permission from the copyright holder(s) to reproduce figures, tables, or excerpted text, that have previously been published elsewhere. This includes a full bibliographic reference to the original publication and an acknowledgement that the material is reproduced with permission from the rights owner. Authors are responsible for any fees that may be incurred by securing permission to reproduce or adapt material from other published sources. Permission should be obtained prior to submission, and evidence of permission should be supplied by the author at the time of submission. Any material received without such evidence will be assumed to originate from the authors.

Editorial Policies for Authors

CGJ follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors’ (ICMJE) Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, which can be found at http://www.icmje.org/ and the recommendations by the Council of Science Editors outlined in the White Paper on Promoting Integrity in Scientific Journal Publications. In addition, CGJ has specific requirements for the articles it publishes.

Authorship

Criteria for Authorship

Only those persons who contributed directly to the intellectual content of the manuscript should be listed as authors. Based on the ICMJE recommendations, authors must meet all the following criteria:

  • Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
  • Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content; AND
  • Final approval of the version to be published; AND
  • Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Holding positions of administrative leadership, contributing patients, and collecting and assembling data, are not, by themselves, criteria for authorship. Other persons who have made substantial, direct contributions to the work but cannot be considered authors should be listed in the Acknowledgements section.

When a large multi-author group has conducted the work, the group ideally should decide who will be an author before the work is started and confirm who is an author before submitting the manuscript for publication. All members of the group named as authors should meet all four criteria for authorship, including approval of the final manuscript, and they should be able to take public responsibility for the work and should have full confidence in the accuracy and integrity of the work of other group authors. They will also be expected as individuals to provide conflict-of-interest disclosures.

When a large, multi-center group has conducted the work, the group should identify the individuals who accept direct responsibility for the manuscript. These individuals should fully meet the criteria for authorship defined above. When submitting a group author manuscript, the corresponding author should clearly indicate the preferred citation and should clearly identify all individual authors as well as the group name. Other members of the group should be listed in the acknowledgements.

Role of the Corresponding Author

The corresponding author is the one individual who takes primary responsibility for communication with the Journal during the manuscript submission, peer review, and publication process. Only one author can be the corresponding author. The role of the corresponding author is to:

  • meet submission requirements and submit the manuscript to the Journal
  • ensure all authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript prior to submission
  • ensure that all the Journal’s administrative requirements are met – including submission of all required forms
  • ensure the Journal’s editorial and publication ethical policies are met by all authors
  • distribute decision letters, reviewer comments, and other messages from the Journal, and distribute proofs among co-authors for review
  • return corrections and ensure that all authors approve each version of the article
  • be available after publication to respond to critiques of the work and cooperate with any requests from the Journal for data or additional information should questions about the paper arise after publication

Author Affiliations

Authors should identify their institution(s) as the facility where the work was performed and executed.  Changes in an author’s affiliation after the work was completed but prior to the submission or publication of the manuscript should be noted by including an asterisk as a superscript to the name in the author listing, as well as a corresponding footnote on the title page indicating “Current Affiliation” listing the new affiliation.  Corrections to affiliations or contact information due to relocation after publication is not permitted.

Changes to Authorship

Authors should carefully consider the list and order of authors before submitting their manuscript and provide the definitive list of authors at the time of the original submission. Any addition, deletion, or rearrangement of author names in the authorship list should be made only before the manuscript has been accepted and only if approved by the Editor. To request a change, the Editor must receive the following from the corresponding author: (1) the reason for the change in author list and (2) written confirmation (email or letter) from all authors that they agree with the addition, removal, or rearrangement. In the case of addition or removal of authors, this includes confirmation from the author being added or removed. Only in exceptional circumstances will the Editor consider the addition, deletion, or rearrangement of authors after the manuscript has been accepted. If the manuscript has already been published in an online issue, any requests approved by the Editor will result in a corrigendum.

Use of Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Technologies

At the time of submission, Authors must clearly declare any use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technologies, such as generative algorithms, chatbots, or language models, and detail their usage in the manuscript and cover letter.

Contributions generated by AI-assisted technologies are not eligible for authorship recognition. The responsibility for the validity, originality, and accuracy of content produced with AI assistance lies with the human authors.

Authors are also responsible for ensuring that the work is original, including any text and images produced by AI-assisted technologies, and that all material is correctly attributed, including full citation where applicable.

The editorial process will utilize tools, when available, to identify AI-derived content, ensuring its appropriate use and integration into published work.

Duplicate Publication and Concurrent Submission

Duplicate publication is publication of a paper that overlaps substantially with one already published, without clear, visible reference to the previous publication. On the title page, give full details on any possible previous or duplicate publication of any content of the paper. Any reference to or use of previously published material must be explicitly acknowledged in the manuscript and the authors must obtain permissions where necessary. Previous publication of a small fraction of the content of a paper does not necessarily preclude it from being published, but the Editors need information about previous publication when deciding how to use space in the Journal efficiently; they regard failure of full disclosure by authors of possible prior publication as a breach of scientific ethics. Please send a copy of any document that might be considered a previous publication.

Duplicate or redundant submission is the same manuscript (or the same data) that is submitted to different journals at the same time. International copyright laws, ethical conduct, and cost-effective use of resources require that readers can be assured that what they are reading is original. Manuscripts that are submitted to CGJ should not have been previously published or under consideration elsewhere.

Plagiarism Detection

Authors should be advised that the Canadian Geriatrics Societyis a member of Similarity Check, a plagiarism detection initiative by Crossref and iThenticate. The CGJ uses software to randomly scan accepted articles for duplication of text from previously published sources. Editors may also initiate a scan of any submitted manuscript during the review process if duplicate publication or text recycling (self-plagiarism of an author’s own publications) is suspected. Any article displaying more than a 15% level of duplication (excluding references) will be investigated and further action will be decided upon by the Editors on a case-by-case basis. Editors handle cases according to the guidelines outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (http://publicationethics.org/) for duplicate publication and plagiarism.

We also encourage authors and researchers to use iThenticate to screen their work before submission by visiting http://www.ithenticate.com/.

Acknowledgements

Contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in an Acknowledgements section. Examples of those who might be acknowledged include a person who provided purely technical help, writing assistance, or a department chair who provided only general support. Because acknowledgment may imply endorsement by acknowledged individuals of a study’s data and conclusions, the corresponding author must obtain written permission to be acknowledged from all acknowledged individuals.

Any acknowledgements should appear within the title page of your manuscript under the heading “Statements of Declaration”, so they are easily accessed by Editors and Reviewers, as well as within the manuscript body (before the references). If you do not have anyone to acknowledge, please write "Not applicable" in this section. The acknowledgements statement will be published in the article prior to the references, along with the Funding and Conflicts of Interest Disclosure(s) statements.

Funding

CGJ requires all authors to declare the sources of funding that supported the conduct of the research and/or preparation of their manuscript. This includes financial or in-kind support from funding bodies, sponsors, industry, and other collaborators. The role of the funding organization, if any, in the collection of data, its analysis and interpretation, in the writing of the manuscript, and in the right to approve or disapprove publication of the finished manuscript must be briefly described. If the funding source(s) had no such involvement then this should be stated in the statement as follows “The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript”. If the article did not receive funding, this should also be stated as “This research did not receive external funding”. Please include this information under a separate heading entitled ‘Funding’ directly after any Acknowledgements and Conflicts of Interest Disclosure (if applicable) within the title page of your manuscript and within the body text (before references). The funding statement will be published with the article directly after the Acknowledgements and Conflicts of Interest Disclosure(s) and prior to the references.

Any involvement of medical writers/researchers, particularly those employed or supported by the pharmaceutical industry, in the writing of an article must be clearly defined and disclosed and included in the Acknowledgment statement.

Conflicts of Interest

Public trust in the scientific process and the credibility of published articles depend in part on how transparently conflicts of interest are handled during the planning, implementation, writing, peer review, editing, and publication of scientific work. A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (such as patients' welfare or the validity of research) may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain). Perceptions of conflict of interest are as important as actual conflicts of interest.

Financial relationships are the most easily identifiable conflicts of interest and the most likely to undermine the credibility of the journal, the authors, and of science itself. However, conflicts can occur for other reasons, such as personal relationships or rivalries, academic competition, and intellectual beliefs. Agreements between authors and study sponsors that interfere with the authors’ access to all of a study’s data or that interfere with their ability to analyze and interpret the data and to prepare and publish manuscripts independently may represent conflicts of interest and should be avoided.

In the interest of transparency, authors are required to disclose all relationships/activities/interests listed below that are related to the content of your manuscript. As per ICMJE, “related” means any relation with for-profit or not-for-profit third parties whose interests may be affected by the content of the manuscript. Disclosure represents a commitment to transparency and does not necessarily indicate a bias. If you are in doubt about whether to list a relationship/activity/interest, it is preferable that you do so. The time frame for disclosure is within the past 36 months. 

  • Grants or contracts from any entity
  • Royalties or licenses
  • Consulting fees
  • Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers’ bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events
  • Payment for expert testimony
  • Support for attending meetings and/or travel
  • Patents planned, issued or pending
  • Participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board
  • Leadership or fiduciary role in other board, society, committee or advocacy group, paid or unpaid
  • Stock or stock options
  • Receipt of equipment, materials, drugs, medical writing, gifts or other services
  • Other financial or non-financial interests

All authors must disclose if any conflict of interest exists or declare if they have none. The Conflicts of Interest Disclosure is required for all manuscripts and will be published. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to ensure that all co-authors adhere to this policy and to confirm whether they have any conflicts to declare.

The following statement must be included in the title page and within the body text of your manuscript under the heading “Conflicts of Interest Disclosure”:

“I/We have read and understood the Canadian Geriatrics Journal’s policy on conflicts of interest disclosure and declare the following interests: [list them or state that you have none].”

Examples:

No competing interests
“We have read and understood the Canadian Geriatrics Journal’s policy on disclosing conflicts of interest and declare that we have none.”

Competing interests disclosed
“We have read and understood the Canadian Geriatrics Journal’s policy on disclosing conflicts of interest and declare the following interests: AA has received speaker fees from BBB company. CC has received fees as an advisory board member for DDD company. EE’s institution receives funding from FFF Company for a trial in which he is co-investigator."

In order to assist authors in the formation of their disclosure statements, and to help standardize authors’ disclosures across journals, we recommend that all authors download and complete a copy of the ICMJE disclosure form, which is available from http://www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/. It is not mandatory to complete this form but encouraged. A summary statement derived from the information entered in this form can be provided to the corresponding author for inclusion in the manuscript.

Research Ethics and Informed Consent

In addition to CGJ’s policies below, please also refer to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Protection of Research Participants. Editors reserve the right to reject any submission that does not meet these requirements.

Human and Animal Rights

All investigators should ensure that the planning conduct and reporting of human research are in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration as revised in 2013. All authors should seek approval to conduct research from an independent local, regional, or national review body (e.g., ethics committee, institutional review board). If doubt exists whether the research was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration, the authors must explain the rationale for their approach and demonstrate that the local, regional, or national review body explicitly approved the doubtful aspects of the study. For those investigators who do not have formal ethics review committees, the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki must be followed.

When reporting experiments on animals, all research submitted for publication must be approved by an ethics committee with oversight of the facility in which the studies were conducted. Studies involving animals must be conducted and reported according to internationally accepted standards such as the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines.

All papers reporting animal and/or human studies must state in the methods section that the relevant Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board provided (or waived) approval. Please ensure that you have provided the full name and institution of the review committee, in addition to the approval number. If a study was granted exemption from requiring ethics approval, this must be detailed in the manuscript (including the reasons for the exemption).

If concerns in the conduct of research are discovered after publication, the Journal staff will investigate and, where appropriate, issue a correction or retraction. The Journal reserves the right to contact the author’s institution, ethics committee or other appropriate body in relation to these concerns.

Informed Consent

All individuals have a right to privacy that must not be infringed without informed consent. Identifying information, including patients' names, initials, or hospital numbers, must not be published in written descriptions, photographs, and pedigrees unless the information is essential for scientific purposes and the patient (or parent or guardian) gives written informed consent for publication. For manuscripts that include any personal information and/or images of patients, authors must obtain signed informed consent to publish from patients (or their relatives/guardians) before submitting to CGJ. If identifying characteristics are altered to protect anonymity, authors should provide assurance that the alterations do not distort the scientific purpose. In some cases, complete anonymity is difficult to achieve, and informed consent to publish must be obtained if there is any doubt. The process of obtaining consent to publish includes sharing the article with the individual (or whoever is consenting on their behalf), so that they are fully aware of the content of the article before it is published. Authors must disclose to these participants that the published content will be available via the Internet and might be available as well in print after publication and in sublicensed and reprinted versions (including translations). When appropriate, authors must state in the Methods section the procedure used to ensure adherence to ethical guidelines on informed consent and should affirm that written and signed informed consent to publish was obtained. 

Please do not submit the patient’s actual written informed consent with your article, as this breaches the patient’s confidentiality. The consent must be stored and archived by the authors/investigators themselves. A sample of the consent letter may be uploaded with your submission as a separate file.

Data Sharing

Authors of articles submitted to CGJ may choose to share their research data that supports the results stated in the manuscript, unless prevented by ethical, legal, privacy or confidentiality matters. Authors wishing to do so may deposit their data in a publicly accessible repository. Authors should ensure that data shared are in accordance with consent provided by participants on the use of confidential data. When data is available in a publicly accessible repository, a data availability statement should be included in the manuscript under a separate heading labelled “Data Availability Statement” in the Methods section. This should, wherever possible, include a link to and citation of any datasets analyzed or generated in the study.

Citation format of dataset in the reference list:
Authors. Dataset name [format]. Date of publication [cited year month day]. Data repository or archive name. Available from: URL [or DOI if available]

Sample Data Availability Statement if included in public repository:
The data presented in this study are openly available in [repository name] at [doi], reference number [reference number].

NOTE: As per ICMJE guidelines, data sharing is a requirement for Clinical Trials submissions. See our “Clinical Trials” section for details.

Reporting Guidelines

There are several reporting guidelines available for different types of studies. Authors are expected to adhere to the minimum reporting guidelines hosted by the Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research (EQUATOR) Network when preparing their manuscript. We have outlined some guidelines below, but for the full list visit the EQUATOR website. The EQUATOR wizard can help you identify the appropriate guideline, as well as the different extensions. Other resources can be found at NLM’s Research Reporting Guidelines and Initiatives.

Clinical Trials

The ICMJE defines a clinical trial as any research project that prospectively assigns people or a group of people to an intervention, with or without concurrent comparison or control groups, to study the relationship between a health-related intervention and a health outcome. CGJ follows and endorses the ICMJE’s clinical trial registration policy. The trial registry name and URL, and registration number must be included at the end of the abstract.

Authors of randomized trials are encouraged to adhere to CONSORT guidelines appropriate to their trial design and refer to one of the official CONSORT extensions (http://www.consort-statement.org/extensions), when applicable. The manuscript should include a CONSORT flow diagram as a figure. The CONSORT checklist should be completed and submitted with the manuscript as a separate support file. To help ensure the study is appropriately indexed, authors should use the word "randomized" in the title.

The ICMJE also requires the inclusion of a data sharing statement. All clinical trials submissions to the Journal must include a data sharing statement as a separate heading in the methods section. 

Observational Studies

Observational studies including case control, cohort, and cross-sectional studies. Authors are encouraged to adhere to the STROBE Statement and may optionally include a completed checklist as a separate supporting file.

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Reports of systematic reviews and meta-analyses should adhere to the PRISMA Statement or alternative guidelines appropriate to the study design and include the flow diagram within the manuscript as a figure. It is recommended to include a completed checklist as a separate supporting file, but it is not required.

Animal Studies

Authors of studies including animals are encouraged to adhere to the ARRIVE guidelines. It is recommended to include a completed checklist as a separate supporting file, but it is not required.

Publication Ethics and Policies

CGJ follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) core-practices. In addition, the Journal follows ICMJE’s Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, and as such it is expected of authors, reviewers and editors that they follow the best-practice guidelines on ethical behaviour contained within.

Appeals and Complaints

CGJ follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines on appeals to journal editor decisions and complaints about a journal's editorial management of the peer review process.

The Journal permits genuine appeals to editorial decisions within 30 days of the decision notification. An author may appeal a decision by following the steps below:

  • Send a rebuttal letter to the assigned Editor by email. Your letter should explain clearly why you disagree with the decision on your manuscript. Please provide specific responses to any of the Editor’s and/or reviewers' comments that contributed to the reject decision. Other items that may be included in your rebuttal letter are:
    • new information or data that you would like the Journal to take into consideration.
    • evidence if you believe a reviewer has made errors in their assessment of your manuscript.
    • evidence if you believe a reviewer may have a conflict of interest.
  • The Editor will consider your appeal. All appeal requests are handled on a case-by-case basis and the Editorial team’s decision is final.

If your appeal is granted, the following steps will occur:

  • Your manuscript will undergo further assessment by an independent reviewer.
  • The Editors will make a final decision on your manuscript.

Where you, as an author, wish to comment or place a complaint on aspects of the Journal's editorial management or processes, the complaint should in first instance be handled by the Editor-in-Chief. If they are the subject of the complaint, please approach an Associate Editor.

Publication Misconduct

The Editors of CGJ enforce a rigorous peer-review process along with strict Editorial Policies and standards to ensure the works published in the Journal are of high scientific quality and contribute to scholarly publishing. However, cases of plagiarism, data falsification, undisclosed conflicts of interest, inappropriate authorship credit, and other issues do arise.

In the event that the Editors are made aware of any allegation of research and publication misconduct relating to a published article in the CGJ, the Journal will follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines in dealing with allegations. If after an investigation there are valid concerns, the authors will be contacted and given an opportunity to address the issue. The Editorial Team will discuss the suspected cases, in consultation with the Canadian Geriatrics Society, and reach a decision. Authors who are found to have engaged in scientific misconduct will be removed from further association with the Journal (as an Editor, Reviewer and/or Author) and reported to their institution.

Corrections and Retractions

When errors are identified in published articles, the Editor will consider what action is required in consultation with the Canadian Geriatrics Society and/or Publishing Partner. Amendments (if actionable) will be published through a formal online notice since they affect the publication record and/or the scientific accuracy of published information. The online article is part of the published record, and the original published version is therefore maintained. For peer-reviewed material, the modifications fall into the following categories:

Corrigendum (Author Errors): Author corrections will be judged on their relevance to readers and their importance for the published record and ethical responsibilities. Author corrections are published after discussion amongst the Editors and publishing team. The Journal will not usually publish a correction that does not affect the contribution in a significant way or if the issue does not considerably impair the reader's understanding of the contribution, such as a spelling mistake or grammatical error. The erratum notice will be published in a journal issue and linked to the article of record that it corrects.

Erratum (Journal Errors): Includes mistakes introduced by the Journal in production. Errata are generally not published for simple, obvious typographical errors, but are published when the error is significant (ie. spelling of author name is incorrect). The erratum notice will be published in a journal issue and linked to the article of record that it corrects.

Addendum: Includes an Editor’s note or editorial expression of concern, which provides additional information about a paper that is crucial to the reader's understanding of the published contribution. The addendum may be published in cases where we receive inadequate evidence of misconduct, investigation has not been or would not be impartial or conclusive, or an investigation is underway and the decision may not be made for a significant amount of time. Dependent on the urgency, the addendum notice may immediately be linked to the published article that it refers to, prior to being officially published in a journal issue.

Retraction: The Journal will consider issuing a retraction notice if we have clear evidence that the published findings are unreliable because of misconduct or honest author error, the findings have been published elsewhere without the appropriate permissions or justification, the publication constitutes plagiarism, and/or the publication reports unethical research. The article of record will be digitally watermarked “RETRACTED” and the retraction notice will be immediately linked to the published article that it refers to, prior to being officially published in a journal issue.

Author Fees

All articles published the CGJ are open access and made freely available online immediately upon publication. There are no submission fees or colour charges, but article processing fees (APFs) apply to all manuscripts accepted for publication under the sections Original Research, Reviews, Short Reports, Guidelines, Perspectives, non-solicited Commentaries, Book Reviews, and Humanities. Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and invited Commentaries are exempt from paying this fee.

The APF is $900.00 CAD for members of the Canadian Geriatrics Society (CGS) and $1,150.00 CAD for non-CGS members, plus applicable taxes. The discounted rate for CGS members applies only if the corresponding author has a current membership.

In the Editor Decision email for accepted manuscripts, authors will be requested to pay the APF through the CGS’s storefront. The APF must be paid prior to assigning an article to an issue and starting production. If authors encounter technical difficulties with payment or require an alternate payment method, they may contact the secretariat (Email: cgs@secretariatcentral.com). 

If an author is unable to financially support the APF, it is their responsibility to inform the Editor by requesting a fee waiver, after their manuscript has been accepted for publication. The author is to submit this request through email to Dr. Ken Madden, Editor-in-Chief, at Kenneth.Madden@ubc.ca. In your request, please include the title of manuscript, manuscript #, corresponding author name, and reason for the request. The Editor will contact the requesting author by email to approve or deny the request. Given the number of high-quality submissions and the associated production costs, we are only able to grant a limited number of author fee waivers with priority given to students and residents.

Copyright of any article published in CGJ is retained by the author(s). Authors grant the Canadian Geriatrics Society (Publisher) a License to Publish their final article in the Journal and exclusive rights upon acceptance. The License to Publish agreement must be completed and returned upon article acceptance.

The article will be distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use and distribution, provided the original work is properly cited. Articles published under this Open Access model are made freely available online immediately upon publication, as part of a long-term archive, without subscription access restrictions.

Self-Archiving Policy

Submitted Article (Pre-Print)

The Author’s submitted version is the non-peer reviewed version of an article as submitted for potential publication in CGJ. Authors may make their pre-print article available through posting on their personal websites, an institutional repository, or their funding body’s designated archive, provided that upon publication, the Article Version of Record is acknowledged with a note or citation that includes author, year of publication, article title, journal title, digital object identifier (DOI), and a hyperlink to the Article Version of Record on the Journal website.

Accepted Article (Post-Print)

The Author’s accepted article is the version of the article that has been accepted for publication but has not undergone copyediting or layout. Authors may make their post-print article available through posting on their personal websites, an institutional repository, or their funding body’s designated archive, provided that upon publication, the Article Version of Record is acknowledged with a note or citation that includes author, year of publication, article title, journal title, digital object identifier (DOI), and a hyperlink to the Article Version of Record on the Journal website.

Published Article (Version of Record)

The final published article is the version of record. Authors may make the final published article available online e.g., to a preprint server, personal website, institutional repository, or their funding body’s designated archive, provided that upon publication, the Article Version of Record is acknowledged with a note or citation that includes author, year of publication, article title, journal title, digital object identifier (DOI), and a hyperlink to the Article Version of Record on the Journal website.

The Canadian Geriatrics Society sends all articles published in CGJ immediately upon online publication, without further intervention from the author, to PubMed Central (PMC), the National Library of Medicine’s full text article archive. Manuscripts deposited to PMC are freely available to the public, via the Internet, upon publication in the journal.

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