Submission of Papers

Instruction to Contributors

Contributions should be original and not published or submitted for publication in any other journal, electronic or otherwise. Articles of NOT MORE THAN 4000 words will be accepted. The format and style of the article, including referencing, must follow current American Psychological Association (APA style) recommendations. Articles should be sent as files attached to an email communication. Papers will be peer reviewed anonymously. Papers to be reviewed will be sent, via email to at least two members of the editorial board or members of the editorial panel. The use of email will speed up the review process and minimise delays in publication.

Papers should be submitted, as email attachments, to the editor via email: D.M.Johnston@massey.ac.nz.

This journal has been established to provide a resource for the Australasian region ( New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific), and as such we prioritise and seek contributions from Australasia. We will occasionally consider contributions from other parts of the globe but only if the articles cover issues directly relevant to an Australasian readership.

Authors are requested to supply an abstract of about 100 words when submitting an article. The abstract should be a condensed, accurate representation of the rationale, methodology, significant results, conclusions and recommendations obtained within the article. Authors should also provide 4 - 5 keywords that clearly describe the subject matter of the article. Key words will serve to advise readers of the content and will be used by the editor to facilitate the organisation of the content of each edition of the journal.

Authors should supply an email address to facilitate contact and requests for information. In the case of multiple-authored papers, one author should be designated to receive communication. Their email address should accompany their submission. As an electronic journal, reprints will not be provided in the accepted sense. Authors wishing to distribute copies of their article may do so with the proviso that they clearly acknowledge the source of the publication in any copy distributed.

Figures and tables should be numbered consecutively, referring to them as "Figure 1" or "Table 1", etc. using Arabic numerals. Notation on tables and figures should be inserted into the text at an appropriate position within the paper. Each table and figure should possess a brief title and a concise description of its content. Care should be taken to ensure that tables and figures will be viewable within the limitations of web browsers. Any embedded pictures or other graphics required for the article should be attached as separate files. A preference for the web compatible GIF or JPG formats is desired although other formats may be accommodated.

The world wide web site for this e-journal is:

http://trauma.massey.ac.nz/

Peer Review Process

On receipt of an article, the editor will assess its appropriateness for inclusion in the Journal. If the content of the article as appropriate and in an acceptable format, the editor will send the article out, via the Internet, for review. A final decision on acceptance will be made after the submission has been reviewed.

Acceptance or rejection of a contribution will be based on the "blind" peer review of a submission by at least two members of either the Editorial Board or by others invited to review the article on the grounds of their particular expertise. The editor will make a decision to accept, seek revision, or reject a contribution based on the reviewers’ comments and recommendations. Contributors will receive a copy of the reviewers’ comments at the same time as they receive a response from the editor. Copies of reviews and the editors’ decision will also be sent to each reviewer. It is anticipated that the review process should take from 4 to 6 weeks. If the content or format is inappropriate, the article will be returned to author for revision or advised of its unsuitability for publication.

The Editor will assume that the paper is an original contribution. Papers appearing in the journal should not be published elsewhere without the written consent of the Publisher of the journal. A copyright declaration will be required of all papers accepted for publication.