CARING Author Guidelines

The editors of CARING magazine invite the submission of manuscripts intended to add to the general body of knowledge and to improve practice methods in the fields of home care and hospice. Articles should have a clear application to the home care or hospice industry. Manuscripts should be directed to the Editor, CARING, 228 Seventh Street, SE, Washington, D.C., 20003-4306. Authors may submit an original hard copy of the article, and retain a copy, or manuscripts must also be submitted in electronic format in Word or WordPerfect on a 3.5" floppy disk or CD-ROM, or emailed as an attachment to cat@nahc.org. Manuscripts and disks will not be returned.

It is understood that manuscripts submitted to CARING are not simultaneously submitted to any other publication. Submission of a manuscript will be considered as consent by the author to relinquish all copyright privileges and rights the author possesses to CARING magazine. CARING will retain exclusive publication, reproduction, and sales rights to all articles. All manuscripts are accepted on a non-remunerative basis. Manuscripts will be published at the sole discretion of the editorial staff.

Types of Articles Published

Feature Articles - CARING will consider original works that focus on each issue's specific topic and that shed new light on the topic in question. A current editorial calendar provides a list of these scheduled topics by month. Feature articles should be important conceptual treatments of subjects of timely interest to home care and hospice. They should focus on content of interest to home care decision makers, including supervisors, managers, executives, and policy makers. Topics of interest may include special areas such as the use of technology in home care, long-term care, pediatrics, the development of new agency programs, fee for service, and agency success stories. Articles delineating the organization of care delivery, models of care, best practices, quality management, resource utilization, financial issues, and policy analysis are especially of interest.

Case study articles profiling agencies, programs, and research projects are also appropriate if they contain information that readers can use in practical application. CARING encourages authors to approach these articles from a "how to" perspective for the benefit of readers wishing to expand or improve program offerings. CARING also welcomes articles that explore the experiences of home care and hospice patients and their caregivers, told from their own points of view. These stories can sometimes illustrate issues in home care and hospice that need addressing at the legal or regulatory level.

Articles should be between 1,000 to 2,500 words in length, although quality lengthier pieces will also be considered. Figures, tables, photos, and sidebars should be included if appropriate.

Manuscript Selection

Query Letters - Prior to submitting a manuscript to CARING, authors may send a query letter or email (to cat@nahc.org) with a tentative content outline to allow the editor to gauge interest in the topic.

Deadlines - For consideration in a particular issue of CARING, manuscripts must be received at least three months in advance of the publication date (e.g., articles for the April issue must be received by January).

Review Process - Qualified staff at CARING and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice review articles. CARING reserves the right to accept, reject, or modify all manuscripts. The editors reserve the right to edit for style, structure, consistency, and mechanics. CARING is not a refereed journal; authors are encouraged to have their papers read by expert peers and colleagues prior to submission.

Manuscript Preparation

Submission Format - Manuscripts may be submitted in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect format on a 3.5" floppy disk or CD-ROM, or emailed as an attachment to cat@nahc.org. Authors should include an original printout of the manuscript and one copy when sending by postal mail.

Cover Sheet - A cover sheet should be included containing the article's title, author's name(s), address, phone and fax numbers, email address (primary author listed first), and a brief biographical sketch of each author. Unless otherwise noted, correspondence will be with the primary author. Author email addresses will be printed at the end of the article for ease of reader inquiry.

Titles and Figures - Titles and subheadings should be structured appropriately within the article to designate major sections. Accompanying figures should be called out within the text but submitted on separate pages with appropriate headings and legends if necessary.

Institution/ Product References - Information included in articles pertaining to the experiences of particular agencies or institutions should be described in a general manner. Generic rather than brand names of drugs and equipment should be used at all times. It is CARING magazine's policy to delete specific product names or, if the article heavily promotes a product, to reject the manuscript.

References - Authors should limit references to those essential to the article. References should be listed in alphabetical order, at the end of the manuscript. CARING adheres to a citation style similar to that found in the MLA Handbook. Reviewing previous magazine issues is advised.

Photographs

The editors greatly appreciate photos pertaining to the subject matter. The preferred format is color prints, slides, or high-resolution (at least 300dpi in jpg or tif format) digital images. Photos submitted with a manuscript should be accompanied by a brief description of the subject matter, identifying subjects, location, photographer, and/or the individual organization to be credited. Authors are responsible for obtaining the permission of individuals in photographs. Authors should protect photos well for mailing. Photos will be returned. Authors are also to submit a color headshot of at least 300dpi to run next to their biographies.

Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for securing any necessary authorizations for a manuscript, including illustrations, photographs, and lengthy quotations. The statements and opinions expressed in published articles and communications are those of the author(s). The editors and publisher of CARING disclaim any responsibility for such statements. Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of statements made in their manuscripts and for the accuracy and completeness of all references.