Running head: JOURNAL SELECTION

Rationale for Journal Selection

Susan Molendyk Athabasca University January 23, 2012

JOURNAL SELECTION Rationale for Journal Selection The purpose of this paper will discuss the signs and symptoms of Clostridium difficile infection and current nursing treatments and practices. A target market analysis provided an outline to determine which journal is most suitable. The target audience for this article submission is novice and/or student nurses. Target Journal Selection Process Canadian Nurses (2012) author submission requirements sought new and practical information and insights that would help nurses in the work setting. It is peer-reviewed. This journals readership appears to target management and nurse educators due to its focus on new

nursing research information and changing nursing practices. The last review done on C-difficile appeared in a dated article under emerging threats (Stirling, Littlejohn, & Willbond, 2004). While my proposed article will not contain original research and resulting implications, changing my article topic with an update on emerging threats might work. However, my articles current purpose renders it inappropriate for this journal. Nursing Older Patients (2012), a British journal, remains promising as a secondary backup. It is also peer-reviewed. This journal accepts reviews of current thinking and descriptions of practice. The editors encourage submissions from overseas. Its target audience suggest a general but also scholarly readership. A recent article discussed the prevention and control of C-difficile infection and was featured within their continuing professional development section (Gould, 2010). However, it is postulated that the focus of my article content may garner some interest, particularly as it is coming from a Canadian source.

JOURNAL SELECTION Nursing Made Incredibly Easy! (2012a) is a peer-reviewed journal and although it is American, its readership includes Canadian nurses. Articles are written to appeal to both experienced and novice nurses. This journal calls for the voice of experience as an author submission requirement. It has an informal and light-hearted approach to clinical topics, procedures and drugs, and patient responses. Its easy-to-read format can be used as an effective

teaching prop for clinical instructors or nurse educators. It was selected as the one most likely to accept my proposed article.

JOURNAL SELECTION References Canadian Nurse. (2012). Write for us. Retrieved from http://www.canadiannurse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=11&lang=en Gould, D. (2010). Prevention and control of Clostridium difficile infection. Nursing Older People, 22(3), 29-34. Retrieved from http://nursingolderpeople.rcnpublishing.co.uk/ Hathaway, L. (2009). A wrinkle in time: Assessing the skin of older patients. Nursing Made Incredibly Easy, 7(4), 9-12. doi: 10.1097/01.NME.0000359601.86237.fc Nursing Made Incredibly Easy. (2012a). About the publication. Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/nursingmadeincrediblyeasy/Pages/aboutthepublication.aspx Nursing Made Incredibly Easy. (2012b). Author guidelines. Retrieved from http://edmgr.ovid.com/nmie/accounts/ifauth.htm Nursing Older Patients. (2012). Author guidelines. Retrieved from http://nursingolderpeople.rcnpublishing.co.uk/global/author-guidelines Stirling, B., Littlejohn, P., & Willbond, M. L. (2004). Nurses and the control of infectious disease. Understanding epidemiology and disease transmission is vital to nursing care. Canadian Nurse, 100(9), 17-20. Retrieved from http://www.canadiannurse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=405&Itemid=2&lang=en

JOURNAL SELECTION Appendix A: Target Journal Market Analysis Form THEME AND AUDIENCE Publication name and date: Nursing Made Incredibly Easy! published July/August 2010 Journal theme: Check all that apply: x x General Specialty In house (newsletter) Other Journal type: Check all that apply:

x x x

General Scholarly Scientific Research

Audience (readers of journal): check all that apply: __x__ clinicians _____ researchers ___x__ educators __ managers/ administrators

___x__ other novice and student nurses

===================================================================== Work setting of readers __x___ in-patient hospital/clinic _____ community health ___x__ extended care ___x__ out patient hospital/clinic _____ physicians' office

____ home care _____ industry

____ other =====================================================================

JOURNAL SELECTION Title of article: A wrinkle in time: Assessing the skin of older patients

===================================================================== STYLE AND TONE Block off a section of 100 words in the article and count the following: ___non-fiction: teaching through sequence of selective facts ___ Fiction techniques such as stories, dialogue, faction __1st person____ Point of view (1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person) __informal, light-hearted, active verbs___ Style & tone (forceful, passive, formal, informal, lively) ___8___ Adjectives per 100 words

___1___ Adverbs per 100 words

___19___ Words of more than two syllables per 100 words

___0___ Quotes per 100 words

____3__ Kinds of transitions

___0___ Statistics per 100 words

__12-13____ Average sentence length

__4-5____ Average paragraph length (number of sentences in ten paragraphs) =====================================================================

JOURNAL SELECTION STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK Length of article (number of words) ____________________________1500___________________________________

Reference style (footnoting, bibliography, APA style, Chicago) _________________Modern Language Association (MLA)______________________________

Framework (look at headings) Italicized, informal________________________________ Number of points covered in article 5 distinct points ________________________________________________________________

Sources/authority (1- experts, ____0__ reports,

____6__ reference list)

===================================================================== ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIALS ___0__ charts ____0__ graphs ___1_ photographs ____1__ color, ____0__ models ___0___ black and white 2__ other (cartoons)

Kinds of photographs (___0__ action, ___1__ close up, ____0_ portrait, ____0_ head) Subjects of photos (___0__ landscapes, ___0__ buildings, ____0_ people, ___0__ wounds, 1 cross-section of body part- skin layers) Use of sidebars ___3__ yes _____ no describe use supplement material in text

Sources of illustrative materials (see captions and credits) professional artists hired by the journal

===================================================================== PERSONAL APPEAL Is the publication refereed? ___x__ yes _____ no_____ can't tell

JOURNAL SELECTION Circulation - bi-monthly 6 issues per year (reaches American and Canadian nurses), online and print access

===================================================================== Would you like to have an article published in this journal? ___x__ very much _____ OK _____ it's better than nothing _____ never

This journal places emphasis on breaking down challenging clinical concepts that might be difficult to grasp and presents them within an easy-to-read, easy to understand and engaging format. The tone is lighthearted but not simplistic and thus, makes learning fun and effective. While the humorous and colourful drawings, and fun subtitles would appeal to nursing students and can provide clinical nursing instructors with an excellent teaching prop, this journals presentations would appeal to nurses in general. Since articles are contributed by experienced clinicians and reviewed by internal and external blind peers, it ensures content is based on evidence-based principles and hands-on expertise. ===================================================================== What prerequisites (if any) would you need to meet to have an article published in this journal? (e.g. completed research study to write) Articles selected for publication are those which explain complex clinical concepts in an understandable way. Articles need to be useful and of interest to nurses and add value to clinical practice. Potential contributors are advised to review recent issues to see the kinds of articles that are accepted. Submissions must contain new insights or information and focus on nurses actions or roles. Contributors should be aware that submissions may be heavily edited to accommodate the journals distinctive writing and presentation styles. If the submission is too specialized for this publications general readers, it would be rejected. ______________________________________________________________________ Adapted from Sheridan & Dowdney 1985

JOURNAL SELECTION Appendix B: Author guidelines

Author Guidelines
Please dont submit your manuscript to more than one publisher at a time. Thanks for your interest in writing for Nursing made Incredibly Easy! We hope these guidelines will help you get started. Nursing made Incredibly Easy! is an evidence-based, peer-reviewed journal that focuses on practical clinical information nurses can readily use at the bedside. All manuscripts must be submitted online through the journals Web site at http://www.edmgr.com/lwwesubmissions/. See submission instructions under "Online manuscript submission." WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT We look for the voice of experience to help readers cope with the following challenges: Clinical topics: Describe a specific disease, disorder, or condition, emphasizing relevant nursing interventions. Or focus on assessment techniques, such as assessing heart sounds. Procedures: Provide step-by-step instructions on performing a technique. We'll illustrate the steps. Drugs: Focus on preparing and administering drugs, potential adverse reactions, and evaluation of the patient's response. HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOUR TOPIC MEETS OUR NEEDS Write us a topic query letter and e-mail it to Managing Editor coleen.stern@wolterskluwer.com. In a few sentences, explain what nurses will learn from your article and why it's important. Tell us your background and what qualifies you as an authority (or attach a rsum). WRITING STYLE Nursing made Incredibly Easy! has an informal, easy-to-read style. Here's how to achieve it when you write: Talk to the reader. Refer to yourself as I and the reader as you. Use active verbs and commands to indicate who does what: Clean the wound rather than the wound is cleaned. Avoid unnecessarily dense language. Be specific and give examples for key points. Instead of saying, look for signs of infection, specify what to look for. Don't try to cover too much. Journals have limited space, so focus in depth on one aspect of a problem. For example, instead of writing about all types of shock, cover a specific type, such as septic shock. Write from experience. Show that youve been there by giving practical advice based on your own experience rather than totally relying on research. Use case histories of real patients. (Well change names and some details to protect privacy.)

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SUBMITTING THE MANUSCRIPT

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Online manuscript submission: Manuscripts must be submitted online through the Web site at http://www.edmgr.com/lwwesubmissions/. Online submission will expedite review and feedback. If you have difficulty submitting online, please contact Senior Editorial Coordinator Barbara Miller at barbara.miller@wolterskluwer.com.

First-time users: Please click the Register button on the main menu and enter the requested information. On successful registration, youll be sent an e-mail indicating your user name and password. Print a copy of this information for future reference. Note: If youve received an e-mail from us with an assigned user ID and password or if youre a repeat user, dont register again. Just log in. Once you have an assigned ID and password, you dont have to reregister, even if your status changes (that is, author, reviewer, or editor).

Authors: Please click the log-in button from the menu at the top of the page and log in to the system as an Author. Submit your manuscript according to the author instructions. Youll be able to track the progress of your manuscript through the system.

Title page: Include on the title page (a) the complete manuscript title; (b) full name, academic degrees and credentials, and affiliations for you and any co-authors; and (c) the name, address, home and work phone numbers, a fax number, and e-mail address for the corresponding author (you or one of your co-authors).

Text: The manuscript must be double-spaced using a 12-point font size and 1-inch margins. Make sure each page and line is numbered, then submit the manuscript in a Word (.doc) or text (.rtf) file. Don't put your name on the pages because the article will undergo blind peer review.

Additional pages:

y y y y y

List references used to prepare the article (none more than 3 years old). If youre submitting a potential continuing education article, include four or five more recommended readings. List four or five Web sites youd recommend for reliable information on your topic. List 3 to 5 keywords for indexing purposes. Briefly describe your professional education and each authors present employer and position or attach rsums. Include a signed statement that no other publisher is considering your article and that you wont send it to another publisher until you hear from Nursing made Incredibly Easy!

Figures and tables: Visual aids, such as charts, illustrations, and photographs, may be added if appropriate. Each chart, illustration, or photograph should have a caption/label on a separate page at

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the end of the manuscript. Create charts using word-processing software (eg, Word or WordPerfect). Dont use Excel or comparable spreadsheet programs. Dont embed charts within the body of the manuscript. Charts should be self-explanatory and should supplement, rather than duplicate, the material in the text. High-resolution camera-ready images may be submitted electronically as either a Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) or an encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, or QuarkXPress. Please save files in the application in which they were created (ie, Adobe Illustrator) and as either EPS or TIFF files. Use computer-generated lettering. Do not use screens, color, shading, or fine line. We cannot accept art that has been photocopied, is embedded in a Word document (has a .doc extension), was downloaded from the Internet, is supplied in JPEG or GIFF formats, or was created in PageMaker or PowerPoint. Hard copy must accompany art that is being submitted electronically. Permission may be required to use photographs and is the authors responsibility (we can supply the forms). Please note that professional artists often redraw submitted illustrations, but we welcome rough sketches. Electronic photographsradiographs, CT scans, and so onand scanned images must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi. Line art must have a resolution of at least 1200 dpi (dots per inch). If fonts are used in the artwork, they must be converted to paths or outlines or they must be embedded in the files. Color images must be created/scanned and saved and submitted as CMYK files. If you dont have the capability to create CMYK files, please disregard this step. Indicate in your cover letter that youre unable to produce CMYK files. Detailed Figure Instructions: For a step-by-step guide for submitting digital art, please visit http://www.LWWonline.com. Click For Authors, and then click Artwork. Next, click Digital Art Checklist and 5 Steps for Creating Digital Artwork on the menu to the right. WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOU SUBMIT A MANUSCRIPT Your manuscript will undergo internal and external blind peer reviews. Well try to notify you within 6 to 8 weeks whether its accepted or rejected. If we accept it:

Youll receive an author agreement to sign, transferring all rights to your article to Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc., the publisher of Nursing made Incredibly Easy! At this point, you arent legally permitted to submit the manuscript to other publishers. To have your article conform to our distinctive style, we may edit heavily by rewriting, condensing, and reorganizing the text. Our clinical editors may add concepts or illustrations. However, well make every effort to retain the original content. Youll get a copy of the edited article for your approval before publication.

If we reject it: We cant write to explain why we reject each manuscript, but heres why it might not meet our needs:

Weve recently published or solicited similar material from another author.

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y y

It doesnt contain new insights or information, doesnt appeal to our readers, or doesnt focus on nurses actions or roles. Its too specialized for our general readers and would be more appropriate in a specialty journal.

AFTER PUBLICATION Shortly after your article is published, the primary author will receive an honorarium (to be divided among co-authors, if any) plus complimentary copies of the issue. The amount paid varies, depending on the length, quality, and uniqueness of the article, but we average about $50 per printed page. (We cant estimate published length in advance.) Although we usually grant authors requests to reproduce copies of their articles for their use, a reprint service for authors is also available. For more information, call 215-521-8557 begin of the skype highlighting 215-521-8557 end of the skype highlighting. SPECIFIC ARTICLES AND DEPARTMENTS: Articles selected for publication are those that explain complex clinical concepts in an understandable way. They need to be useful and of interest to nurses, and add value to clinical practice. Before submitting a manuscript, review recent issues to see what kinds of articles we publish. Continuing education feature articles are about 3,000 to 3,500 words in length, and regular feature articles should be about 2,000 to 2,500 words. Both types of features should discuss key topics of interest to nurses today, including the most current practice information available. Clinical components include, but are not limited to, etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatments, nursing implications, and patient teaching. Writing for one of our departments is a great way to start professional writing. These are all 1,200 to 1,800 words. I.V. Essentials. Discusses the most current I.V. information applicable to the practicing nurse. Covers topics in I.V. therapy that may pose a challenge to the nurse in the clinical setting. Peak Technique. Explains an aspect of nursing assessments and procedures that the nurse can apply in the clinical setting. Patho Puzzler. Explains the pathophysiology of a disease process. Deciphering Diagnostics. Reviews the results of various diagnostic tests and what they mean for patient care. Med Check. Reviews information about commonly used classes of drugs. Red Flags. Helps the nurse spot a patient whos in trouble by explaining the clinical presentation and signs and symptoms of serious complications of various surgical and nonsurgical procedures, diseases, traumatic injuries, etc. Heart Matters. Covers a wide variety of issues related to the cardiovascular care of patients and various cardiovascular diseases. Wound Wise. Gives the nurse information regarding the care of wounds. Pain Pointers. Offers the nurse the latest evidenced-based information in pain management. On the Horizon. Presents current trends, issues, or challenges being faced by nurses, such as the nursing shortage, an increasingly aging workforce, regulatory requirements, compassion fatigue, etc.

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We also feature a 1-page department called Ask an Expert, which briefly answers a question a nurse may have about a practice technique or other application in the clinical setting; note that this department is only 450 words. Mailing address: Nursing made Incredibly Easy! Editorial Department, 323 Norristown Road, Suite 200, Ambler PA 19002.

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(Nursing Made Incredibly Easy, 2012b)