Author Assist
It is the aim of the African Journal of Emergency Medicine to be representative of all parts of the African continent; we recognise within this that some African researchers in emergency care may be disadvantaged in the available range of journals into which they can publish their work. We are aware that this is due to many reasons, including that topics are concerned with conditions which are largely irrelevant to other audiences.
AfJEM is dedicated to supporting all authors who wish to make an attempt at publication on an African emergency care topic. In order to maintain and produce a high quality, international standard Emergency Medicine journal, AfJEM has devised Author Assist. AfJEM uses a team of experienced volunteers (Author Assistants) to help improve the quality of manuscripts before peer-review submission.
Author Assist was recently in the news following a publication about the process in Annals of Emergency Medicine. You can access the post-print version here.
AfJEM is dedicated to supporting all authors who wish to make an attempt at publication on an African emergency care topic. In order to maintain and produce a high quality, international standard Emergency Medicine journal, AfJEM has devised Author Assist. AfJEM uses a team of experienced volunteers (Author Assistants) to help improve the quality of manuscripts before peer-review submission.
Author Assist was recently in the news following a publication about the process in Annals of Emergency Medicine. You can access the post-print version here.
What would you like to do
- I would like to apply for assistance with my manuscript
- I have not started my manuscript and need help on how to go about doing that*
- I have not started a research project but need help on how to develop my ideas*
- I am an inexperienced author who would like to collaborate on a systematic review
- I'd like to become an assistant
* AfJEM does not provide research development per se. However, we recommend the Science Supercourse ran out of the Library of Alexandria (YouTube clip) if you want to develop a research project from the ground up. If you have already done the research and want to write it up you can use Authoraid. AuthorAID helps researchers in developing countries to publish and otherwise communicate their work. It also serves as a wider global forum to discuss and disseminate research.
Author Assist, general rules and regulations:
- AfJEM’s Author Assist functions independently from peer-review, and assistance rendered does not constitute an automatic indication of publication; it is rather a process to improve an author’s chances in succeeding at peer review.
- A manuscript may be referred to Author Assist by the editor in the following instances:
- When offered by the editor following a desk reject (pre-peer review),
- When offered by the editor following a reject post-peer review
- By making use of Author Assist, authors agree to submit their revised manuscripts to AfJEM in the first instance.
- Reasonable measures are in place to ensure that peer reviewers and section editors are blinded to whether Author Assistance was provided. If a manuscript had been referred for Author Assist following peer review, the original peer reviewers may not review the manuscript when the manuscript is subsequently resubmitted. An Author Assistant may not be involved in peer review or section editing of a manuscript he/ she assisted in. In the case of section editing, the case will be referred to the international adviser or vice versa by the editor to maintain blinding.
- Published material will contain no reference to whether Author Assist was used.
- Responsibility for a manuscript rests with the principal author (who can not be the Author Assistant). Authors should complete a Memorandum of Understanding and submit this to the editor within ten days of being assigned an Author Assistant but before commencing the process. Authors should engage Author Assistants on a regular basis in order to avoid a protracted process. Author Assistants should endeavour to provide clear and succinct advice starting within ten days of the date of agreement on the memorandum of understanding. An Author Assistant may reasonably expect his/ her name to be included on the published manuscript as a co-author should the assistant fulfil the ICMJE criteria.
- Should creative differences exist between the author and the Author Assistant, authors may request a replacement by writing to the editor, motivating why a replacement is necessary. The editor may contact the Author Assistant for clarification in order to make a decision. The editor’s decision in this situation is final. An opposite scenario is managed similarly.
- Authors may withdraw from Author Assist at any time during the process and should inform the editor as soon as a decision has been made to withdraw. If assistance has already been rendered at the point of withdrawal an assistant may have a reasonable case to be included as an author. The editor’s decision in this situation is final.
- Author Assistants may withdraw from Author Assist in exceptional circumstances and only with the explicit consent of the editor.
- AfJEM do have English/ French Author Assistants although availability cannot be guaranteed in all circumstances.
- The editors of AfJEM adhere to the ethical guidance provided by the publisher, Elsevier and the Committee on Publication Ethics. Records for Author Assist, including peer review and editorial comments are maintained by the editors and are available for third party quality assurance and ethical conduct reviews on request.
- Authors and assistants furthermore agree to data involving them in this process to be used for internal auditing purposes (not for publication) or to be contacted for research projects involving the Author Assist programme. Authors and assistants that do not agree to use of their data for these purposes can opt out by writing to the Author Assist coordinator, clearly stating that they do not wish for their data to be included in audits or to be contacted.
Download the Author assist memorandum of understanding:
| afjem_author_assist_policy.doc |