Instructions for Authors

For guidelines on BMJ Journals policy and submission please click on links below.
Manuscript Formatting
Editorial policies
Patient consent forms
Licence forms
Peer Review Process
Online First process

Editorial policy

The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) aims to highlight clinically-relevant orginal research, editorials and commentary that will be of interest to the field of sport and exercise medicine. The journal is aimed at physicians, physiotherapists, exercise scientists and those involved in public policy.

Open access/Unlocked articles

Authors are able to make their articles freely available online, immediately on publication, for a fee, using the Unlocked service. This service is available to any author publishing original research in a BMJ Journal for a fee of £1,200(+VAT)/€1,775(+VAT)/$2,220.

Article types and word counts

• Original reports
• Review articles
• Editorials
• Short Reports
• Correspondence [not in the print issue – only e-letters]
• Miscellanea / Occasional Piece
• Education reviews
• Fillers
• Head to Head
• Peer Review: Fair Review
• I-test – Sports medicine radiology/imaging
• Supplements

The word count excludes the title page, abstract, tables, acknowledgements and contributions and the references.

Please note: Maximum word counts are strictly enforced and manuscripts that exceed these guidelines are usually rejected.

Original reports

Papers should be a maximum of 3000 words in length.
Peer reviewed by 2 external reviewers.

Review articles

Review articles should provide concise in-depth reviews of both established and new areas in sports medicine.

Word count: up to 4000 words.
Peer reviewed by 2 external reviewers.

Editorials

These are written or commissioned by the editors, but suggestions for possible topics and authors are welcome.

Word count: a maximum of 1000 words.
References: up to 10.
Peer reviewed by 2 reviewers who may be external or by the Editorial Board.

Short reports

Short reports of experimental work, new methods, or a preliminary report can be accepted as two page papers; maximum length 1400 words including abstract, tables and legends. Short reports will usually be published as online only articles. [Articles published online only are exactly the same as articles also published in print. They are edited and typeset, fully searchable and citable. They are treated exactly the same as "print" articles by indexing services such as PubMed.]

Peer reviewed by 2 external reviewers.

Miscellanea / Occasional Piece

Contributions with a medical and sporting interest are welcomed. Papers should be a maximum of 2000 words in length.

Education reviews

These are written or commissioned by the editors and should follow the proforma guidelines that will be supplied by the editorial office.

Peer reviewed by 2 external reviewers.

Fillers

We try to make the best use of every page of the printed BJSM, so we use small gaps to publish fillers. Most fillers have the added advantage of entertaining readers and making them think. If the filler refers to an identifiable person we will need written consent to publication from that person or a relative. We welcome articles of up to 400 words (we also like and need much shorter ones) on topics such as:

• Any other story conveying instruction, pathos or humour.

Head to Head

"Head to Head" provides BJSM readers with both sides of a clinically relevant "hot and topic". The case for each side should be made inside two pages (1400 words, with a maxiumum of 10 references). "Head to Head" articles are solicited but authors are also encouraged to submit ideas with 200 word outlines for each side to the editorial office

Peer Review: Fair Review

"Peer review: fair review" provides authors who feel their sports medicine paper has been unfairly rejected (at any journal) the opportunity to share reviewer comments, explain their concerns, and have their paper reviewed for possible publication in BJSM. If you think this might be a section of BJSM for you, please read the BJSM Warm Up "Addressing conflicts of interest and clouding of objectivity: BJSM's "Peer review: fair review" section" (BJSM 42:79 (2008)).

I-test – Sports medicine radiology/imaging

I-tests aim to provide readers with a succinct imaging-based educational opportunity in a clinical context familiar to a sports medicine readership. The main thrust of the article is the diagnosis of the condition through imaging; however, the clinical presentation should be addressed as well as basic aspects of treatment (surgical or otherwise). The specific role of imaging in the diagnosis and management of the condition should be highlighted.

The "question" part of the I-test should comprise a short description of the clinical presentation (< 200 words) accompanied by up to 3 images; the "answer" should include a discussion of the clinical, imaging and management issues (<1200 words), supplemented by up to 3 additional images and 8 references.

The "question" and "answer" parts should be submitted online as a single article following the standard formats.

Supplements

The BMJ Publishing Group journals are willing to consider publishing supplements to regular issues. Supplement proposals may be made at the request of:

1. The journal editor, an editorial board member or a learned society may wish to organise a meeting, sponsorship may be sought and the proceedings published as a supplement.
2. The journal editor, editorial board member or learned society may wish to commission a supplement on a particular theme or topic. Again, sponsorship may be sought.
3. The BMJPG itself may have proposals for supplements where sponsorship may be necessary.
4. A sponsoring organisation, often a pharmaceutical company or a charitable foundation, that wishes to arrange a meeting, the proceedings of which will be published as a supplement.

In all cases, it is vital that the journal’s integrity, independence and academic reputation is not compromised in any way.

For further information on criteria that must be fulfilled, download the supplements guidelines (PDF).