Writing Guidelines for the AANS Bulletin

The official socioeconomic publication of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Bulletin features news about the AANS and the field of neurosurgery. The Bulletin focuses on issues related to legislation, workforce and practice management as they affect the specialty of neurosurgery. For more information, see About the Bulletin.

Open Submission
The AANS Bulletin welcomes feature articles and occasionally articles for specific departments that are written by neurosurgeons and others who have knowledge of topics that directly affect neurosurgeons and the practice of neurosurgery. Original, nonpromotional articles that have not been published previously are considered for publication. The AANS Bulletin reserves the right to print accepted articles in the vehicle it deems most appropriate.

To encourage research into socioeconomic topics related to neurosurgery and to disseminate this valuable information among neurosurgery’s decision-makers, the AANS Bulletin also seeks submissions of hypothesis-driven research articles, which are evaluated by the Bulletin’s peer reviewers (see Peer-Reviewed Research, below).

The Bulletin additionally encourages submission of Letters, News Briefs or Calendar Items.

Article Length
Articles in the AANS Bulletin typically are 750 or 1,500 words. However, once an article is accepted for publication a staff editor will work the author to discern the appropriate length for the issue in which the article will be published.

Style and Organization
In general, articles published in the AANS Bulletin are written in the journalistic style of a magazine rather than in the academic style of a medical journal. Jargon should be avoided. Acronyms and abbreviations should be used sparingly, but if they are necessary, they must be spelled out on first reference.

Bulletin articles typically lead with a brief introduction that communicates the current significance of the topic or stresses what is current and newsworthy about the subject at hand. A topic sentence that follows the introduction clearly conveys the main idea of the article to the reader and previews what the article will cover. The article’s following paragraphs support the main idea expressed in the topic sentence, and assertions are supported by evidence. Articles include a brief (one or two sentence) author biography that includes name and relevant professional designation(s) as well as professional affiliation or role.

Endnotes are rarely published in the Bulletin, but providing a list of resources will assist editorial staff in fact-checking content. Resources also may be published with the article to assist readers interested in pursuing additional information. Please alphabetize resources by author last name and follow this format:

• Couldwell WT, Gottfried ON, Weiss MH, Popp AJ: Too many? Too few: New study reveals current trends in U.S. neurosurgical workforce. AANS Bulletin 12(4):7–9, 2003
  
  
• White C: Health care spending growth: How different is the United States from the rest of the OECD? (26)1:154–161, 2007

Online Article Submission
All articles must be submitted online through the AANS Bulletin’s secure electronic submission platform, available 24 hours a day and seven days a week at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aansbulletin. From this main page:

• If you have an account, enter your User ID and Password into the applicable boxes of the Log In screen and select "Submit."
  
  
• If you have an account but do not know your password, select the "Forgot Your Password?" link and a temporary password with additional instructions will be e-mailed to you.
  
  
• If you do not have an account, select the "Create Account" link and follow the three brief steps.

Submission Requirements

• Electronic Copyright Release Form: Authors are required to sign and submit the AANS Bulletin’s copyright release form for each manuscript submitted. The form is accessible at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aansbulletin by selecting the “Instructions and Forms” link in the Resources tool bar and then the link to the copyright release form. The form, which is in Microsoft Word format, should be saved to your computer and completed according to the brief instructions included within the form. You will be asked to upload the completed form during step 6 of the submission process. For manuscripts with multiple authors, each author is asked to download and complete a form and to e-mail the completed form to the submitting author, who will upload a form for each author during step 6 of the submission process.
  
  
• Conflict of Interest/Investment/Financial Disclosure: A conflict of interest is a circumstance or relationship of the author(s) or of the author(s) immediate family members that may influence the content of the manuscript being submitted. Conflicts may include: direct or indirect sponsorship by a pharmaceutical company, equipment manufacturer, public relations firm, or any other commercial entity; or a financial interest in or arrangement with an organization that may have direct interest in the subject matter of the manuscript. During step 5 of the online submission process, the submitting author must disclose whether any of the manuscript’s authors has a conflict as defined above. Any sources of support should be listed and must include the name(s) of the grantor(s), applicable grant numbers, and the name of the author who received the funding.
  
  
• Cover Letter: A cover letter certifying that the manuscript has been read and approved by all the authors and that each author believes that the manuscript represents honest work must be provided during step 5 of the online submission process. The cover letter should include:
  • the manuscript title.
  • the names, relevant degrees and professional designations, and primary institutional affiliations of all authors; and
  • an acknowledgement section that names all persons who have made substantial contributions to the work reported in the manuscript but are not listed as authors, including those who provided editing and writing assistance.
    
    
• Key Words: Two to six words or phrases that will assist in the indexing and retrieval of the work should be chosen from the available list or typed in the spaces provided.
  
  
• Abstract: For general submissions, an abstract is unnecessary. During the online submission process authors of general submission papers may leave the Abstract area blank or copy and paste the article’s first paragraph into that area.
  
  
• Manuscripts must be submitted as Microsoft Word files.
  
  
• Figures: If referenced within the text, figures should be cited in numerical order.
  
  
  • Tables, Graphs and Charts: Tables, graphs and charts must be submitted as native Microsoft Excel files. All data must be included in the Excel files.
    
    
  • Digital Photographic Images: To ensure the highest quality reproduction of photographic images, please carefully follow these instructions
    
    
    • Provide professional quality color images when possible.
      
      
    • Format: Low-resolution images (no greater than 150 dpi) should be uploaded for initial review purposes; JPEG and GIF files are acceptable. (Note: the submission Web site will not accept certain file types; please verify that your figures are viewable on the PDF and HTML proofs before submission).
      
      
    • Resolution: The quality of resolution is essential in the reproduction of your photographs. High-resolution jpeg or eps images should be submitted only if the editor has requested a revision of your manuscript after initial review. Please submit full-size files at 300 dpi.

Articles accepted for publication become the property of the AANS and the Bulletin unless otherwise stated in a written agreement between the author and the AANS Bulletin prior to publication. Two copies of the issue in which the article is published will be provided to the author(s) with thanks for participating in a developing dialogue that advances the specialty of neurological surgery.

Not Sure About Your Article Idea?
Send your idea to the Bulletin, bulletin@aans.org , with a brief outline (abstract) of what you intend to cover and how you will approach the material. If the idea sounds promising for publication in the Bulletin, you will be contacted.

Peer-Reviewed Research
The Bulletin solicits articles that discuss hypothesis-driven research related to the practice of neurosurgery. These articles are reviewed by peer-review panelists prior to the article’s acceptance and subsequent editorial process. Important details about article submissions for the peer-reviewed portion of the Bulletin are available at Peer-Reviewed Articles in the AANS Bulletin: Instructions for Authors. Please do not submit an article for peer review until you have reviewed these instructions.

Submitting Letters, News Briefs or Calendar Items
These items are edited for length, clarity and style without notice to the submitter. Acknowledgement of receipt is not provided, and inclusion in a particular issue is not guaranteed.

Letters: Comments regarding Bulletin articles or other topics related to socioeconomic topics in neurosurgery can be submitted to bulletin@AANS.org. If you are commenting on an item previously published in the Bulletin, please include the headline and issue information. Correspondence may be published in a future issue edited for length, clarity and style, and is assumed to be for publication unless otherwise specified.

News Briefs: News briefs for Newsline (legislative news, clinical news and socioeconomic items of interest to neurosurgeons) or News.org (organizational news related to AANS/CNS sections, and committees, associations and societies related to the specialty of neurosurgery must be submitted to bulletin@AANS.org. News briefs generally are 120-220 words.

Calendar of Neurosurgical Events: Calendar items for the Bulletin can be submitted to the online meetings calendar at http://www.aans.org/education/Meetings.aspx by selecting the "Submit Meeting" link.