Journal Information
Editor-in-Chief:
Theerapong Krajaejun
Instructions for Authors
Below are the guidelines that authors should follow while preparing and submitting their manuscripts to Ramathibodi Medical Journal (RMJ). The guidelines cover various aspects such as formatting, styles, tables, figures, required statements, reference style, and statistical software citation. The authors can download the complete instructions for reference while preparing the manuscript.
Manuscript Preparation and Submission
Ramathibodi Medical Journal (RMJ) accepts submissions in both English and Thai for various article types, including Original Articles, Review Articles, Special Articles, Case Reports, and Letters to the Editor. The manuscripts should be prepared in Microsoft Word, set to A4-size paper, with left and right margins of 2.5 cm. The text should be typed in a single space between lines. Preferably, the Angsana New font type should be used at 16-point size. Specific components required for each article type are described in the "Formatting and Styles" section. Information on other journal formats and styles (such as tables, figures, required statements, and references) can be found below.
Once the manuscript is ready, the authors can submit it with the necessary documents, including a submission checklist, cover letter, and author contribution form, for initial screening and peer review through our online submission system. In the cover letter, the authors may suggest potential reviewers who are knowledgeable and have no conflict of interest in their work. The authors could also list opposing reviewers who might have a conflict of interest and potentially cannot provide an unbiased review. The selection of suitable reviewers is at the discretion of the editor. For manuscripts describing case reports or case series, the authors must provide informed consent along with the documents mentioned. Manuscript templates and other required forms are available for download.
Formatting and Styles
1) Original Articles [Template]
Title Page:
• Title of the original articles
• Authors (List all authors' names involved in the study)
• Affiliations (List all authors' affiliations)
• Keywords (List 3-6 keywords representing the article's main content)
• Corresponding author (Provide the name, address, telephone, and email)
Abstract: Provide a constructed abstract, 250 words at most, of the case report or series, following the below topics.
• Background
• Objectives
• Methods
• Results
• Conclusions
Introduction: Explain the background of the study, the research problem, and the objective of the manuscript.
Methods: Describe the study design, setting, participants, interventions, methods of analysis, and statistical analyses.
Results: Present the findings of the study with appropriate statistical analyses and significance. Include an appropriate number of figures and tables supporting the manuscript, each with a descriptive title and legend. See the instructions for authors (below) on how to prepare the figures and tables.
Discussion: Interpret the results, compare them with existing literature, and discuss the implications of the findings.
Conclusions: Summarize the main findings and their importance and suggest areas for further research.
2) Review or Special Articles [Template]
Title Page:
• Title of the review or special article
• Authors (List all authors' names involved in the study)
• Affiliations (List all authors' affiliations)
• Keywords (List 3-6 keywords representing the article's main content)
• Corresponding author (Provide the name, address, telephone, and email)
Abstract: Provide a summary, 250 words at most, of the review, highlighting the main points and conclusions.
Introduction: Begin with a clear statement of the topic of the review and its relevance to the field. Outline the scope and purpose of the review and the methodology used for selecting the literature.
Review Contents:
1) Describe the methods for selecting and reviewing the included studies. Detail the databases searched, the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the data extraction and synthesis process.
2) Provide a subtopic or theme and describe/discuss the current state of knowledge, including recent developments and key studies.
3) Provide another subtopic or theme to continue exploring different aspects of the review topic, critically evaluating the literature, and identifying gaps or controversies.
4) Additional sections as necessary for further subtopics or themes.
Figures and tables can be included at minimum to support the manuscript, each with a descriptive title and legend. See the instructions for authors on how to prepare the figures and tables.
Conclusions: Summarize the review's main findings, their implications for the field, and potential directions for future research. Conclude with a statement that reflects the overall significance of the review.
3) Case Report or Case Series [Template]
Title Page:
• Title of the case report or case series
• Authors (List all authors' names involved in the study)
• Affiliations (List all authors' affiliations)
• Keywords (List 3-6 keywords representing the article's main content)
• Corresponding author (Provide the name, address, telephone, and email)
Abstract: Provide a constructed abstract, 250 words at most, of the case report or series, following the below topics.
• Background
• Case Presentation (Describing case details, interventions, and outcomes)
• Conclusions
Introduction: Explain the context and importance of the case, including a brief literature review and the novelty of the case report or series.
Case Presentation: Describe the patient's demographic information, medical history, symptoms, diagnostic assessments, treatment interventions, and follow-up. Include an appropriate number of figures and tables supporting the manuscript, each with a descriptive title and legend. See the instructions for authors (below) on how to prepare the figures and tables.
Discussion: Discuss the case's implications, compare with existing literature, and suggest potential areas for further research.
Conclusions: Summarize the key findings, clinical implications, and recommendations based on the case report or series.
Tables and Figures
Tables
Tables should be numbered in the order depending on when they are cited in the text. A descriptive table title must be provided. The table header should be concise and include measure units when describing numeric data. The table contents should be typed in a single space between rows.
Figures
All figures should be submitted in separate files apart from the manuscript. The resolution of each figure should be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) prepared in JPG, TIFF, EPS, or PDF file format. Figures are numbered in the order they are mentioned in the text. A descriptive legend must be provided for each figure. In-figure descriptions or labels should be concise and in a uniform style.
[Example 1] [Example 2] [Example 3]
Other Guidelines
1) Abbreviations, including names of symptoms, diseases, anatomic and pathological characteristics, long chemical names, therapeutic interventions, tests, and procedures, can be used when necessary, given that the full term is previously described in the text.
2) The journal uses the SI units for all measurements. The other measurement units can be shown, if necessary, by placing them in the parenthesis following the SI units.
3) Generic names are used to describe all drugs reported in the manuscript.
4) The proprietary name, model, and version of tools or equipment required for the study can be used, and the associated information on manufacturers, cities, and countries should be provided in parentheses.
Required Statements
Statements of acknowledgments, ethics approval, financial support, and conflict of interest must be provided at the end of the manuscript.
Acknowledgments: Recognize individuals or organizations, if there are any, that contributed significantly to the study but do not qualify as authors.
Ethics Approval / Informed Consent: State the approval of the study by the relevant ethics committee or institutional review board, including the reference number and date of approval. If not applicable, state that the study did not require ethics committee approval or was exempt. For manuscripts describing case reports or case series, the authors must define and provide a patient's informed consent that permits the reporting of case details.
Financial Support: Disclose any financial grants or other funding supporting the work, or state, "No financial support was provided for the study."
Conflict of Interest: Declare any potential conflicts of interest or state, "The authors declare no conflict of interest."
References Style
Manuscripts submitted to RMJ are required to use the American Medical Association (AMA) citation format. The AMA citation guidelines for writing and citing sources for reference manager software (such as EndNote) are available online. Below are examples of how to cite different types of references.
Journal Article:
1) Viglione G. How many people has the coronavirus killed? Nature. 2020;585(7823):22-24. doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02497-w
2) Morgan RW, Fitzgerald JC, Weiss SL, Nadkarni VM, Sutton RM, Berg RA. Sepsis-associated in-hospital cardiac arrest: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and potential therapies. J Crit Care. 2017;40:128-135. doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2017.03.023
3) Nabozny MJ, Kruser JM, Steffens NM, et al. Constructing high-stakes surgical decisions: it’s better to die trying. Ann Surg. 2016;263(1):64-70. doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000001081
4) Guggenheim JA, Williams C; UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium. Role of educational exposure in the association between myopia and birth order. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2015;133(12):1408-1414. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2015.3556
Abstract:
1) Kelly MS, Benjamin DK, Puopolo KM, et al. Potential cytomegalovirus infection and the risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. JAMA Pediatr. 2015;169(12):e153785. Abstract republished in: JAMA Pediatr. 2015;169(12):1095.
Entire Book:
1) Mullany P, Roberts AP, eds. Clostridium difficile: Methods and Protocols. Humana Press; 2010.
2) American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
Book Chapter:
1) Boushey CJ. Application of research paradigms to nutrition practice. In: Coulston AM, Boushey CJ, Ferruzzi MG, eds. Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease. 3rd ed. Academic Press; 2013:99-105.
Meeting Presentations:
1) Pasternak B. Carvedilol vs metoprolol succinate and risk of mortality in patients with heart failure: national cohort study. Paper presented at: European Society of Cardiology Congress; August 31, 2014; Barcelona, Spain.
2) Resnick ML. The effect of affect: decision making in the emotional context of health care. In: Proceedings of the 2012 Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care: Bridging the Gap. Human Factors and Ergonomics Society; 2012:39-44.
Dissertations and Theses:
1) Maiti N. Association Between Bullying Behaviors, Health Characteristics, and Injuries Among Adolescents in the United States. Dissertation. Palo Alto University; 2010.
2) Neel ST. A Cost-Minimization and Policy Analysis Comparing Immediate Sequential Cataract Surgery and Delayed Sequential Cataract Surgery From Payer, Patient, Physician, and Surgical Facility Perspectives in the United States. Master’s thesis. London School of Economics and Political Science; 2013.
Electronic Material or Website:
1) Shuster C, Hurlburt A, Tam P, Staples JA. Unplanned hospital readmissions in British Columbia. BCMJ. 2018;60(5):263-267. Accessed January 4, 2021. https://www.bcmj.org/sites/default/files/public/BCMJ_Vol60_No5_hospital_readmissions.pdf
2) Guyatt G, Rennie D, Meade MO, Cook DJ. Users’ Guides to the Medical Literature: A Manual for Evidence-Based Clinical Practice. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill Education; 2015. Accessed December 1, 2020. https://jamaevidence.mhmedical.com/book.aspx? bookID=847
3) World Health Organization. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public. Updated November 23, 2020. Accessed December 1, 2020. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
4) Guber S. When music is the best medicine. New York Times. September 26, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/26/well/live/music- therapy-cancer.html
5) Khan Academy health and medicine YouTube page. Accessed December 1, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/user/khanacademymedicine
6) Gray T. Advice after mischief is like medicine after death. AMA Style Insider blog. February 11, 2019. Accessed December 1, 2020. https://amastyleinsider.com/2019/02/11/advice-after-mischief-is-like-medicine-after- death/
Statistical Software Reference
Examples of how to cite the statistical software (ie, SPSS and Stata) are shown below:
SPSS
SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0. Chicago, SPSS Inc; 2007
SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 17.0. Chicago: SPSS Inc; 2008
PASW Statistics for Windows, Version 18.0. Chicago: SPSS Inc; 2009
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 19.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2010
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2011
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2012
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2013
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2015
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2016
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2017
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2019
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2020
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2021
IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29.0.2.0 Armonk, NY: IBM Corp; 2023
Stata
StataCorp. Version 12. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP; 2012
StataCorp. Version 13. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP; 2013
StataCorp. Version 14. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP; 2015
StataCorp. Version 15. College Station, TX: StataCorp LLC; 2017
StataCorp. Version 16. College Station, TX: StataCorp LLC; 2019
StataCorp. Version 17. College Station, TX: StataCorp LLC; 2021
StataCorp. Version 18. College Station, TX: StataCorp LLC; 2023
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