Submissions

Author Guidelines

Please read the About the Journal section before offering submissions to ensure this Journal is appropriate for your work. Understanding the bibliographic and formatting standards used for items submitted to JCanPA is essential.

CONCISE STYLE GUIDE FOR AUTHORS

This style guide provides a summary of key formatting and style elements based on the AMA Manual of Style. Please refer to the full AMA Manual of Style for more comprehensive guidance.

SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

Please log in to submit a new manuscript. If this is the first time submitting a manuscript to JCanPA, please register to create an account. If you have submitted a manuscript in the past, an account has already been established for you. If you have forgotten your password, type your email address into the Forgot my Password box on the JCanPA homepage and a temporary password will be emailed to you.

Once logged in, click on Submit a New Manuscript and follow the instructions for submission. You will receive an automatic acknowledgement of submission.

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION

Submissions are accepted in English. If English is not your first language, please have your manuscript edited by an English-speaking professional. JCanPA reserves the right to make editorial changes if necessary.

MANUSCRIPT FORMATTING

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically as Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) files. They should be double-spaced throughout (including the abstract, text, references, tables, and figure legends) with a 1-inch margin (2.5 cm) on all sides and use a standard 12-point font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri). Number all pages consecutively, starting with the first page of the main text (do not include page numbers on the title page or page(s) with author identifying information).

Manuscripts should include:

Title Page (Submitted Separately)

• To ensure a double-blind review process, the title page should be submitted as a separate document (but uploaded along with the primary manuscript).
• This title page should include:
  • The full title of the manuscript
  • Author(s)' full names (including academic degrees) and affiliations (department and institution)
  • Contact information for the corresponding author (including email address and phone number)
  • Acknowledgement of any grant support

Abstract

• The length of the abstract must adhere to the specifications outlined for the type of submission under consideration

Manuscript Body (For Review)

• The main manuscript document should not include any identifying information, such as author names or affiliations
• Ensure that the manuscript is anonymized to facilitate a fair and unbiased review process (remember to delete the file metadata prior to submitting the manuscript)

References

• Ensure all cited references are accurate and complete
• Number references consecutively in the order they appear in the text. Use superscript Arabic numerals within the text to cite references
• Follow the AMA Manual of Style for reference formatting. Examples include:
  • Journal Article: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):page-page.
  • Book: Author DD, Author EE. Title of Book. Edition number (if applicable). Publisher; Year.
  • Website: Author FF or Organization. Title of specific page. Name of website. Published [date]. Updated [date]. Accessed [date]. URL.

Text should be formatted as follows:

• Headings: Use clear and concise headings and subheadings to organize the manuscript. Follow a consistent hierarchy. Examples of heading levels include:

• Level 1 Heading: Left-justified, Bold, Title Case (e.g., Introduction)
• Level 2 Heading: Left-justified, Bold, Italic, Title Case (e.g., Methods)
• Level 3 Heading: Left-justified, Italic, Sentence case (e.g., Study participants)
• Level 4 Heading: Left-justified, Bold, Sentence case, followed by a period and the text begins on the same line (e.g., Data Analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using...)

• Abbreviations: Define all abbreviations upon first use in the text, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Use standard abbreviations whenever possible
• Numbers: Generally, spell out numbers one through nine and use numerals for 10 and above. Use numerals for units of measurement, percentages, and statistical terms
• Units of Measurement: Use the International System of Units (SI) as the primary system of measurement. Provide other units in parentheses as necessary
• Statistical Notation: Follow standard statistical notation and provide sufficient detail to allow readers to understand the analyses

Tables and figures should be formatted as follows:

• Tables: Number tables consecutively using Arabic numerals (Table 1, Table 2, etc.) and provide a concise title for each table. Include all necessary footnotes below the table
• Figures: Number figures consecutively using Arabic numerals (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) and provide a concise title as well as a brief legend for each figure. Ensure that figures are of high resolution and clearly labeled
• Placement: Indicate the preferred placement of tables and figures in the text (e.g., "Insert Table 1 about here").

AUTHORSHIP AND AUTHOR ATTESTATIONS

Clearly define the contributions of each author according to established ICMJE guidelines in the separate title page document. As stated in the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, credit for authorship should be based on the following criteria:

• Significant involvement in the conceptualization or design of the study; or the procurement, analysis, or interpretation of the data; AND
• Active participation in drafting the manuscript or providing substantive critical revision of its intellectual content; AND
• Provision of final assent to the version intended for publication; AND
• Acceptance of responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of all facets of the work, including the appropriate investigation and resolution of any related inquiries

Any change in authorship after the initial submission must be approved by all authors and explained to the co-editors. The co-editors reserve the right to contact any of the authors to confirm that they agree with such changes.

Each listed author is required to submit a written declaration detailing their fulfillment of the four authorship criteria outlined herein. Recognizing the diversity of authorship teams, Journal of Canada's Physician Assistants accommodates situations where individual authors may face barriers (e.g., cultural or linguistic) to completing this declaration independently; in such cases, the corresponding author may complete an Author Attestation Form on behalf of their co-author, provided a suitable rationale is offered. Individuals who have contributed to the work but do not satisfy all four authorship criteria should be acknowledged in a dedicated acknowledgements section at the end of the manuscript.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Include a statement in the Methods section detailing ethical approval (if applicable)

USE OF GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

To ensure transparency and maintain the integrity of the scholarly record, authors must provide a comprehensive disclosure regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) tools in the research and manuscript preparation process

This disclosure, which must be included within the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript, should explicitly state whether genAI was utilized and, if so, detail the specific manner and extent of its application

This information is crucial for readers to understand the respective contributions of human authors and genAI technologies, allowing for appropriate consideration of authorship responsibilities and delineating the contributions of genAI from those of the human authors