Journal of Dance Medicine & Science

Manuscript Submission Guidelines: Journal of Dance Medicine & Science

This Journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics.

This Journal recommends that authors follow the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals formulated by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Please read the guidelines below then visit Journal of Dance Medicine & Science’s submission site [https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/dmsj] to upload your manuscript. Please note that manuscripts not conforming to these guidelines may be returned. Remember you can log in to the submission site at any time to check on the progress of your paper through the peer review process.

Sage Publishing disseminates high-quality research and engaged scholarship globally, and we are committed to diversity and inclusion in publishing. We encourage submissions from a diverse range of authors from across all countries and backgrounds.

Only manuscripts of sufficient quality that meet the aims and scope of the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science will be reviewed.

There are no fees payable to submit or publish in this Journal. Open Access options are available - see section 3.3 below.

As part of the submission process you will be required to warrant that you are submitting your original work, that you have the rights in the work, and that you have obtained and can supply all necessary permissions for the reproduction of any copyright works not owned by you, that you are submitting the work for first publication in Journal of Dance Medicine & Science and that it is not being considered for publication elsewhere and has not already been published elsewhere. Please see our guidelines on prior publication and note that the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science will consider submissions of papers that have been posted on preprint servers; please alert the Editorial Office when submitting (contact details are at the end of these guidelines) and include the DOI for the preprint in the designated field in the manuscript submission system. Authors should not post an updated version of their paper on the preprint server while it is being peer reviewed for possible publication in Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. If the article is accepted for publication, the author may re-use their work according to Journal of Dance Medicine & Science's author archiving policy.

If your paper is accepted, you must include a link on your preprint to the final version of your paper.

If you have any questions about publishing with Sage, please visit the Sage Journal Solutions Portal.

1. What do we publish?
   1.1 Aims & Scope
   1.2 Article types
   1.3 Writing your paper
2. Editorial policies
   2.1 Peer review policy
   2.2 Authorship
   2.3 Acknowledgements
   2.4 Funding
   2.5 Declaration of conflicting interests
   2.6 Research ethics and patient consent
   2.7 Clinical trials
   2.8 Reporting guidelines
   2.9 Research data
3. Publishing policies
   3.1 Publication ethics
   3.2 Contributor’s publishing agreement
   3.3 Open access and author archiving
4. Preparing your manuscript
   4.1 Formatting
   4.2 Artwork, figures and other graphics
   4.3 Identifiable information
   4.4 Supplemental material
   4.5 Reference style
   4.6 English language editing services
   4.7 Inclusive language
5. Submitting your manuscript
   5.1 ORCID
   5.2 Information required for completing your submission
   5.3 Permissions
6. On acceptance and publication
   6.1 Sage Production
   6.2 Online First publication
   6.3 Access to your published article
   6.4 Promoting your article
7. Further information
   7.1 Appealing the publication decision

1. What do we publish?

The Journal of Dance Medicine & Science (JDMS) is the official journal of the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS). The JDMS publishes scholarly, scientific articles on all aspects of dance medicine and science.

1.1 Aims & Scope

Before submitting your manuscript to Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, please ensure you have read the Aims & Scope.

The mission of the JDMS is to advance dance medicine and science knowledge to promote health for dancers, and dance for health.

The journal’s scope is multi-disciplinary, drawing from all fields related to dance medicine and science. These fields include, but are not limited to: anatomy, exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, biomechanics, epidemiology, kinesiology, rehabilitation, athletic training, physical therapy, general medicine, sports medicine and surgery, neuroscience, motor control, dance for health, dance education, psychology, and nutrition.

1.2 Article types

The JDMS accepts the following types of submissions: Original Research Articles, Case Studies, Case Series, Cohort Studies, Methodology, Letters to the Editor, Systematic Reviews, and Meta-analyses. All other submission types should be sent to Editor-in-Chief for approval. All submissions must be original contributions, not previously published (except as a conference abstract or proceedings), must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere, and, if accepted, must not be published elsewhere in similar form, in any language, without the consent of J Michael Ryan (JMR) Publishing Inc. Although the editors and referees make every effort to ensure the validity of published manuscripts, the final responsibility rests with the authors, not with the journal, its editors, or the publisher.

1.3 Writing your paper

The Sage Author Gateway has some general advice and on how to get published, plus links to further resources. Sage Author Services also offers authors a variety of ways to improve and enhance their article including English language editing, plagiarism detection, and video abstract and infographic preparation.

1.3.1 Make your article discoverable

For information and guidance on how to make your article more discoverable, visit our Gateway page on How to Help Readers Find Your Article Online.

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2. Editorial policies

2.1 Peer review policy

The JDMS is a refereed journal. All manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer-review process for new submissions, including review by a minimum of 1 peer-reviewer and 1 Associate Editor. Authors submitting manuscripts should include the names and email addresses of 3 possible qualified peer reviewers for their submission. The suggested peer reviewers should have demonstrated published expertise in the topic area of the submission. The Editors may choose these and other qualified reviewers for the peer- review process. 

All manuscripts are evaluated based on their scientific rigor, originality and importance to the field, using the following criteria: Is the topic area appropriate for JDMS, is the relevance clearly stated, does the manuscript achieve its stated purpose, is the writing clear, are the data accurate, and are the conclusions valid?  

NOTE: Before submission, remember to the review the Peer-Review Response Form at the end of this document to ensure you understand how the manuscript will be reviewed.

All final manuscripts are approved by the Editor-in-Chief, who may request additional changes or modify the decision. Authors are notified by e-mail as soon as possible about the acceptability of their manuscript. 

Reviewers may at their own discretion opt to reveal their names to the author in their review but our standard policy practice is for their identities to remain concealed. All manuscripts are reviewed as rapidly as possible, while maintaining rigor. Reviewers make comments to the author and recommendations to the Editor who then makes the final decision.

The Journal of Dance Medicine & Science is committed to delivering high quality, fast peer-review for your paper, and as such has partnered with Web of Science (previously Publons). Web of Science is a third-party service that seeks to track, verify and give credit for peer review. Reviewers for the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science can opt in to Web of Science in order to claim their reviews or have them automatically verified and added to their reviewer profile. Reviewers claiming credit for their review will be associated with the relevant journal, but the article name, reviewer’s decision and the content of their review is not published on the site. For more information visit the Web of Science website.

The Editor or members of the Editorial Board may occasionally submit their own manuscripts for possible publication in Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. In these cases, the peer review process will be managed by alternative members of the Board and the submitting Editor/Board member will have no involvement in the decision-making process.

2.2 Authorship

The JDMS adheres to the Uniform Requirements for manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE; www.icmje.org).

One author must be identified as the corresponding author, who is responsible for ensuring all authors meet the authorship criteria and complete all submission requirements including but not limited to: submitting the manuscript to the Journal, serving as the main contact during the review process, and performing any related activities if the manuscript is accepted, such as reviewing proofs of the edited manuscript and answering editorial queries. The corresponding author will be identified as the primary contact in the published article.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all listed authors have contributed significantly to the study by meeting all 4 of the below criteria. Authors who do not meet all the criteria should be acknowledged in the acknowledgments section.

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of the data for the work; AND
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
3. Final approval of the version to be published; AND
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

When a large, multicenter group has conducted the work, the group should identify the individuals who accept direct responsibility for the manuscript. These individuals should fully meet the criteria for authorship.

Acquisition of funding, collection of data, or general supervision of the research group alone does not constitute authorship, although all contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in the Acknowledgments section. Please refer to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) authorship guidelines for more information on authorship.

Please note that AI chatbots, for example ChatGPT, should not be listed as authors. For more information see the policy on Use of ChatGPT and generative AI tools.

2.1.1 Authorship and Name Changes

The JDMS follows the COPE guidelines (http://www.publicationethics.org/) for changes in authorship. Changing the author list after submission requires agreement from all authors. This includes additions, deletions, and changes in ordering. Requests must come from the corresponding author along with an explanation for the change. If the change is deemed to be appropriate, the corresponding author must receive and provide to JDMS the consent to the change from all the authors, including any being added, deleted, or reordered. Authorship issues identified after publication will not be corrected. In the case of an authorship dispute, the journal will not arbitrate.

2.3 Acknowledgements

All contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in an Acknowledgements section. Examples of those who might be acknowledged include a person who provided purely technical help, or a department chair who provided only general support.

Please supply any personal acknowledgements separately to the main text to facilitate anonymous peer review.

Per ICMJE recommendations, it is best practice to obtain consent from non-author contributors who you are acknowledging in your paper.

                   2.3.1 Third party submissions

 Where an individual who is not listed as an author submits a manuscript on behalf of the author(s), a statement must be included in the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript and in the accompanying cover letter. The statements must:

• Disclose this type of editorial assistance – including the individual’s name, company and level of input
• Identify any entities that paid for this assistance
• Confirm that the listed authors have authorized the submission of their manuscript via third party and approved any statements or declarations, e.g. conflicting interests, funding, etc.

Where appropriate, Sage reserves the right to deny consideration to manuscripts submitted by a third party rather than by the authors themselves.

2.3.2 Writing assistance

Individuals who provided writing assistance, e.g. from a specialist communications company, do not qualify as authors and so should be included in the Acknowledgements section. Authors must disclose any writing assistance – including the individual’s name, company and level of input – and identify the entity that paid for this assistance. It is not necessary to disclose use of language polishing services.

2.4 Funding

Authors must state all possible conflicts of interest on the Title Page of the manuscript, including financial, consultant, and institutional and other relationships that might lead to bias or a conflict of interest. If there is no conflict of interest, this should also be explicitly stated as none declared.

2.5 Declaration of conflicting interests

It is the policy of Journal of Dance Medicine & Science to require a declaration of conflicting interests from all authors enabling a statement to be carried within the paginated pages of all published articles.

All relevant conflicts of interest and sources of funding should be included on the title page of the manuscript with the heading “Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding Sources.”

If no conflict exists, please state that ‘The Author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest’. For guidance on conflict of interest statements, please see the ICMJE recommendations here.

Peer Reviewers

Peer reviewers are required to declare all potential competing, or conflicting, interests related to manuscripts they are invited to review. A competing or conflicting interest is anything that interferes with, or could reasonably be perceived as interfering with, the full and objective presentation, peer-review, editorial decision making, or publication of manuscripts submitted to the journal. Competing interests may be personal, financial, nonfinancial, intellectual, professional, political or religious in nature. They can be related to an organization or a person.

If a reviewer realizes a competing or conflicting interest during their review of a manuscript, either related to themselves or to the manuscript authors, they should contact the editorial office for additional guidance. If a reviewer suspects the identity of one or more of the authors, they should notify the editorial office if this knowledge raises any potential competing or conflicting interests.

Editors

If the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor submits a manuscript as author or co-author, they will not be involved in the peer-review or decision-making processes for the manuscript. Another Associate Editor will assume those duties. If an Editorial Board member or reviewer for the journal authors or co-authors a manuscript, that person will not be involved in the peer-review or decision-making process for the manuscript.

2.6 Research ethics and patient consent

Medical research involving human subjects must be conducted according to the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki.

Submitted manuscripts should conform to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals, and all papers reporting animal and/or human studies must state in the methods section that the relevant ethics committee or institutional review board provided (or waived) approval. Please ensure that you have provided the full name and institution of the review committee, in addition to the approval number.

For research articles, authors are also required to state in the methods section whether participants provided informed consent and whether the consent was written or verbal. The name of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee that approved the research protocol involving human participants must be included in the Methods section. The Methods section must also contain a statement that participant informed consent was obtained.

Information on informed consent to report individual cases or case series should be included in the manuscript text. A statement is required regarding whether written informed consent for patient information and images to be published was provided by the patient(s) or a legally authorized representative. Please do not submit the patient’s actual written informed consent with your article, as this in itself breaches the patient’s confidentiality. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science requests that you confirm to us, in writing, that you have obtained written informed consent but the written consent itself should be held by the authors/investigators themselves, for example in a patient’s hospital record. The confirmatory letter may be uploaded with your submission as a separate file.

Please also refer to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Protection of Research Participants.

2.7 Clinical trials

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science conforms to the ICMJE requirement that clinical trials are registered in a WHO-approved public trials registry at or before the time of first patient enrolment as a condition of consideration for publication. The trial registry name and URL, and registration number must be included at the end of the abstract.

The JDMS mandates that clinical trials initiated on or after January 1, 2013, be prospectively registered (i.e., the protocol was registered before the first participant was recruited) in a public trials registry. In these cases, authors should provide the name of the registry and the registration number on the title page. In all cases, it is the author's responsibility to ensure that a participant’s identity be carefully protected. Authors should mask participants’ identities and remove all participants’ personal data from all figures, photographs, and images.

2.8 Reporting guidelines

• Authors must use terminology based upon the International System of Units (SI). A full list of SI units can be accessed online at https://www.nist.gov/pml/weights-and-measures/metric-si/si-units
• The spread of the data should be expressed as either standard deviation (± 1 SD) and confidence intervals (95% CI - preferred).
• Within the methods section, in quantitative original research, power analyses to justify participant numbers should be included if appropriate. Within longitudinal studies, participant attrition should be reported within the methods section.
• Statistical significance is usually considered to be at 95% (p ≤ 0.05) but can be altered if appropriate and justified within the text (e.g., adjustments for multiple comparisons).
• Specifically for JDMS, please report the exact p value (e.g., p = 0.03) and not a non-equality e.g.,p < 0.05. Remember that the ‘p’ value is a probability and thus can never be 0. If the statistical software provides value of p = 0.000, report the value as p < 0.001.
• All significant statistical outputs should be reported in full as appropriate for the tests used, e.g., reporting f values and the appropriate degrees of freedom (df) in the case of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) study designs e.g., F(2,40) = 3.5, p = 0.02.
• When reporting results, avoid use of the word “significant” unless you mean “statistically significant”; in that case, use both those words.
• When reporting results and discussing findings, keep the order consistent as stated in the methods so that readers can follow your text.
• When discussing statistical data results, use reader-friendly language. This means that you should translate the statistical tests into biological meaningful sentences. For example, when reporting results of an ANOVA,
  • Rather than stating:
    • the ANOVA revealed a significant main effect [F(2,40) = 3.5, p = 0.02] for jump height between dancers and non-dancers’, state the following:
    • Dancers jumped significantly higher than non-dancers [F(2,40) = 3.5, p = 0.02]
  • Rather than stating:
    • The Pearson product moment correlation analyses showed that a strong correlation [r(129) = -0.80, p = 0.002] existed between hip muscle strength and balance errors in the dancers, state the following:
    • Dancers with greater hip muscle strength had significantly lesser balance errors [r(129) = -0.80, p = 0.002].

Writing in this manner will allow readers to understand the actual meaning of the statistical tests. Remember that the primary audience of the journal is not those with advanced statistical knowledge but rather a multi-disciplinary group of stakeholders interested in dance medicine and science (e.g., dancers, educators, practitioners). 

The relevant EQUATOR Network reporting guidelines should be followed depending on the type of study. For example, all randomized controlled trials submitted for publication should include a completed CONSORT flow chart as a cited figure and the completed CONSORT checklist should be uploaded with your submission as a supplementary file. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses should include the completed PRISMA flow chart as a cited figure and the completed PRISMA checklist should be uploaded with your submission as a supplementary file. The EQUATOR wizard can help you identify the appropriate guideline.

Original Quantitative Research

• Randomized Trials: Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT),
• Diagnostic and Prognostic Studies: Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD),
• Observational Studies: Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in
• Epidemiology (STROBE)

Original Qualitative Research and Mixed Methods Research

• Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR),
• Consolidated Requirements for Qualitative Research (COREQ)
• Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS) APA –JARS-QUAL-MIXED

Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses

• Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA),
• Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE)

Case Reports

• Consensus-based Clinical Case Reporting Guideline Development (CARE)

Other resources can be found at NLM’s Research Reporting Guidelines and Initiatives.

2.9 Research data

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science is committed to facilitating openness, transparency and reproducibility of research, and has the following research data sharing policy. For more information, including FAQs please visit the Sage Research Data policy pages.

Subject to appropriate ethical and legal considerations, authors are encouraged to:

• Share your research data in a relevant public data repository
• Include a data availability statement linking to your data. If it is not possible to share your data, use the statement to confirm why it cannot be shared.
• Cite this data in your research

Peer reviewers may be asked to peer review the research data prior to publication.

• Peer reviewers may be asked to assess compliance with the research data policy
• Peer reviewers may be asked to assess research data files

If you need to anonymize your research data for peer review, please refer to our Research Data Sharing FAQs for guidance.
 

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3. Publishing policies

3.1 Publication ethics

Sage is committed to upholding the integrity of the academic record. We encourage authors to refer to the Committee on Publication Ethics’ International Standards for Authors and view the Publication Ethics page on the Sage Author Gateway.

3.1.1 Plagiarism

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science and Sage take issues of copyright infringement, plagiarism or other breaches of best practice in publication very seriously. We seek to protect the rights of our authors and we always investigate claims of plagiarism or misuse of published articles. Equally, we seek to protect the reputation of Journal of Dance Medicine & Science against malpractice. Submitted articles may be checked with duplication-checking software. Where an article, for example, is found to have plagiarized other work or included third-party copyright material without permission or with insufficient acknowledgement, or where the authorship of the article is contested, we reserve the right to take action including, but not limited to: publishing an erratum or corrigendum (correction); retracting the article; taking up the matter with the head of department or dean of the author's institution and/or relevant academic bodies or societies; or taking appropriate legal action.

3.1.2 Prior publication

If material has been previously published it is not generally acceptable for publication in a Sage journal. However, there are certain circumstances where previously published material can be considered for publication. Please refer to the guidance on the Sage Author Gateway or if in doubt, contact the Editor at the address given below.

3.2 Contributor’s publishing agreement

Before publication, Sage requires the author as the rights holder to sign a Journal Contributor’s Publishing Agreement. Sage’s Journal Contributor’s Publishing Agreement is an exclusive license agreement which means that the author retains copyright in the work but grants Sage the sole and exclusive right and license to publish for the full legal term of copyright. Exceptions may exist where an assignment of copyright is required or preferred by a proprietor other than Sage. In this case copyright in the work will be assigned from the author to the society. For more information, please visit the Sage Author Gateway.

3.3 Open access and author archiving

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science offers optional open access publishing via the Sage Choice programme and Open Access agreements, where authors can publish open access either discounted or free of charge depending on the agreement with Sage. Find out if your institution is participating by visiting Open Access Agreements at Sage. For more information on Open Access publishing options at Sage please visit Sage Open Access. For information on funding body compliance, and depositing your article in repositories, please visit Sage’s Author Archiving and Re-Use Guidelines and Publishing Policies.

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4. Preparing your manuscript

4.1 Formatting

The preferred format for your manuscript is Word.

The Journal adheres to the latest AMA Manual of Style (currently 11th edition) for all submissions.

All submissions should be typed, double-spaced and in a font no smaller than 11 point. Begin numbering the pages of your manuscript with the Abstract Page as #1; then consecutively number all successive pages (top right). Include continuous line counts on each page to facilitate the review process. Do not right justify pages. See below documents required for all submissions:

1. Cover Letter stating that:
   1. The manuscript is not currently in review elsewhere and the authors will not submit the manuscript anywhere else until they receive a final decision from the journal
   2. All authors meet the criteria for authorship stated International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Author Inclusion Guidelines
   3. Declarations of any Conflicts of Interest
2. Copyright Transfer Statement: https://iadms.org/media/2937/jdms-copyright-agreement.pdf
3. Title Page citing:

• Title of the article
• Names, affiliations, and ORCID numbers (if possible) of all authors
• Corresponding author’s address, telephone, and e-mail address
• Conflicts of Interest Statement
• The title should be relevant, concise, and should contain a key phrase that accurately describes your submission
• For research articles, consider stating results in the title
• Consider adding details about the participants if appropriate
• Directional and specific titles are preferred rather than ambiguous or equivocal or question statements.
• For example, rather than stating:
  • A quasi-experimental examination on the effects of exercise on jump height in dance, state the following:
  • A 10-week resistance training program improves vertical jump height in healthy female professional ballet dancers
• For review articles, you may include “review” or “a review of ” in the title.
• Generally, use words that can expand the search indexing ability of the manuscript

1. A Separate Anonymized Title Page with Title Only
2. Structured Abstract with Word Count (see types for maximum word counts): All manuscripts must include an abstract that serves as a summary. Include the article title without authors’ names followed by the abstract two lines below. Word limits and required headings per manuscript category (see below).
3. 3 Key Points: Key points should serve as “take-home messages” for readers. Each key point should consist of a single sentence and no more than 30 words. All key points must be supported by the results of the current study.
4. Level of Evidence (if applicable): based on the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) guidelines
5. Main Body of Text (see types for maximum word counts and other information)
6. Acknowledgments: Acknowledge all forms of support, including grants, pharmaceutical and industry support, and institutional and other individuals who have assisted in the project but are not co-authors.
7. Tables: all tables should be typed within the manuscript using Word’s table creation functionality. Tables should be placed at the end of the manuscript immediately following the reference list.
8. Graphics (for example figures, charts, graphs, photographs, illustrations). Note: color illustrations are acceptable.
   1. Each graphic should be a separate, high resolution file
   2. Photographs should be submitted in TIF or JPG formats
   3. Drawn images should be submitted in TIF or JPG
   4. Graphs should be submitted as TIF, JPG, or as original Excel files that include both the data and the graphs
   5. All figure and captions should be listed in order and correspond to the relevant file
9. Supplemental files (where applicable)
10. All pages should be numbered (top right)
11. NOTE: If the manuscript is accepted, we may ask authors to submit a 250-character summary appropriate for dissemination on social media outlets

4.1.1Length Limits for Submissions

See below the length limits based on submission types.

These limits exclude Title, Abstract, Acknowledgments, Tables, and Figures.

If a manuscript exceeds the above word counts or number of references, the corresponding author should initially contact the Editor-in-Chief for approval before submission.

4.1.2.Manuscript Formats

Manuscripts should be organised in the following formats:

Original Research (Quantitative)

• Abstract: The structured abstract should include the Introduction, Methods (including but not limited to study design, participant characteristics, data sources with units of measurement, data analyses procedures), Results, and Conclusion (may include discussion of results and implications; maximum 300 words).
• Word Count: Number of Words (excluding references, tables, figures, and other supplementary information)
• Key points: 3 key points that highlight the practical or clinical applicability or research and clinical outcomes. Each key point should consist of a single sentence and no more than 30 words.
• Introduction: A succinct summary of previous research that sets up the study need and ends with the study’s purpose.
• Methods: Suggested headings: Participants (including power analyses where appropriate), provide evidence of Ethics or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, Study Design, Level of Evidence, Procedures, Data Analyses
• Results: Describe research findings including references to relevant tables and figures.
• Discussion: A succinct section that discusses the primary findings, meaning, importance and relevance of the results in relation to the introduction, research questions and comparisons with prior work. The discussion should also include a limitations and future recommendations section.
• Practical and Clinical Applications and Implications: How the study can be applied to or affect current practice in dance medicine and science, dance, and the wider community from a practical or clinical perspective.
• Conclusion: A concise summary of the study
• References: A maximum of 40 references; see below for reference style
• Legends: a list of Figure legends
• Supplemental Materials: (videos, tables, etc.)

Original Research (Qualitative)

• Abstract: The structured abstract should include the Introduction, Methods (including but not limited to theoretical framework, participant characteristics, data sources, and analysis procedures), Results, and Conclusions (may include discussion of results and implications; maximum 300 words).
• Key points: 3 key points that highlight the practical or the clinical applicability or the research and clinical outcomes. Each key point should consist of a single sentence and no more than 30 words.
• Introduction: A succinct summary that sets up the study need and ends with the study’s purpose.
• Methods: Summarize the research design including the rationale to your inquiry, Ethics or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, participants or data sources, recruitment process and selection, researcher-participant relationships, data collection identification process, recording and data transformation, methodological integrity and data-analyses strategies
• Results: Describe research findings, including quotes, excerpts of data that are compatible with the study design. Include figures, tables, and models if useful.
• Discussion: A succinct section that discusses the primary findings, meaning, importance and relevance of the results in relation to the introduction, research questions and comparisons with prior work. The discussion should also include a limitations and future recommendations section.
• Practical and Clinical Applications and Implications: How the study can be applied to or affect current practice in dance medicine and science, dance, and the wider community from a practical or clinical perspective.
• Conclusion: A concise summary of the major findings
• References: A maximum of 40 references; see below for reference style
• Legends: a list of Figure legends
• Supplemental Materials: (videos, tables, etc)

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

All review articles should filter, synthesize, and interpret information on the topic so that readers understand the consensus and controversies surrounding the issue. Where possible, practical recommendations should be made to place the information in context for the reader. Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses should follow Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines and employ an appropriate critical analysis methodology that examines the strength of evidence, such as Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE), Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), modified Downs and Black checklist (mDB), and/or Risk of Bias analysis. We recommend that meta-analyses are only carried out when total participant numbers reach a significant effect through power analyses.

• Abstract: The structured abstract should include the Introduction, Methods (including but not limited to study design, participant characteristics, data sources with units of measurement, data analyses procedures), Results, and Conclusions (may include discussion of results and implications; maximum 300 words).
• Key points: 3 key points that highlight the practical or the clinical applicability or the research and clinical outcomes. Each key point should consist of a single sentence and no more than 30 words.
• Introduction: A succinct summary of previous research and ends with the study’s purpose.
• Methods: PRISMA or other relevant guidelines (see above)
• Results: Describe research findings including references to relevant tables and figures.
• Discussion: Focus on the strength of evidence and methodologies of the included studies.
• Practical and Clinical Applications and Implications: How the findings can be applied to or affect current practice in dance medicine and science, dance, and the wider community from a practical or clinical perspective.
• Conclusion: Limited to the data and interpretations presented in the results and discussion sections
• References: A maximum of 70 references; see below for reference style
• Legends: a list of Table and Figure legends
• Supplemental Materials: (videos, tables, etc.)

Case Reports

Needs to meet the following criteria: Report a new syndrome, injury, or medical condition; report a new test or diagnostic technique or method; or report an interesting case study to inform fellow clinicians of complications or problems associated with a common condition.

• Abstract: The abstract should be a concise, one paragraph summary that focuses on the clinical relevance of the study (maximum 300 words).
• Key Points: 3 key points that highlight the applicability or research and clinical outcomes. Each key point should consist of a single sentence and no more than 30 words.
• Introduction: This should explain background of the case, including the disorder, usual presentation and progression. It should also include a brief literature review. This should give an introduction to the case report from the standpoint of those without specialist knowledge in the area, clearly explaining the background of the topic. It should end with a very brief statement of what is being reported in the article.
• Case Report including reference to 1-2 figures. Provide evidence of Ethics or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval
• Discussion: The discussion serves to summarize and interpret the key findings of the case report, to contrast the case report with what is already known in the literature and justify its uniqueness, to derive new knowledge and applicability to practice, or to draw clinically useful conclusions. This should also include limitations and a short conclusion section.
• Practical and Clinical Applications and Implications: How the findings can be
• applied to or affect current practice in dance medicine and science, dance, and the
• wider community from a practical or clinical perspective.
• References: A maximum of 10 references; see below for reference style
• Legends: Figure legends
• Supplemental Materials: (videos, tables, etc.)

Case Series

A case series is an extension of a case report but includes more than 2 participants. It is a descriptive study that provides details of the clinical experience of its participants.

• Abstract: The abstract should be a concise summary that focuses on the clinical relevance of the study. (maximum 300 words).
• Key Points: 3 key points that highlight the applicability of the research and the clinical outcomes. Each key point should consist of a single sentence and no more than 30 words.
• Introduction: This should explain background of the cases, including the disorder, usual presentation and progression. It should also include a brief literature review. This should give an introduction to the case series from the standpoint of those without specialist knowledge in the area, clearly explaining the background of the topic. It should end with a very brief statement of what is being reported in the article.

• Case Series including reference to 1-2 figures. Provide evidence of Ethics or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
• Discussion: The discussion serves to summarize and interpret the key findings of the case series, to contrast the case series with what is already known in the literature and justify its uniqueness, to derive new knowledge and applicability to practice, and/or to draw clinically useful conclusions. This should also include a limitations section and a short conclusion.
• Practical and Clinical Applications and Implications: How the findings can be applied to or affect current practice in dance medicine and science, dance, and the wider community from a practical or clinical perspective.
• References: A maximum of 15 references; see below for reference style
• Legends: Figure legends
• Supplemental Materials: (videos, tables, etc)

Cohort Studies

One group has a treatment, is exposed to a risk factor or has a particular symptom and the other group does not. The study follows their progress over time.

• Abstract: The abstract should be a concise summary that focuses on the clinical relevance. (maximum 300 words)
• Key points: 3-4 key points that highlight the applicability or research and clinical outcomes. Each key point should be just one sentence long.
• Introduction: Succinct review of applicable literature to identify key issues, debates, or theoretical framework to conclude with the objectives, aims, and research goals.
• Methods: Summarize the research design including the rationale to your inquiry, participants or data sources, recruitment process and selection, researcher-participant relationships, data collection identification process, recording and data transformation, methodological integrity and data-analytic strategies.
• Results: Describe research findings, including quotes, excerpts of data that are compatible with the study design. include figures, tables and models if useful.
• Discussion: A succinct section that discusses the meaning, importance and relevance of the results in relation to the introduction and research questions or hypotheses. This should also include a limitations section
• Practical and Clinical Applications and Implications: How the study can be applied to or affect current practice in dance medicine and science, dance, and the wider community
• References: A maximum of 30 references; see below for reference style
• Legend: Figure legends
• Supplemental Material (videos, tables, etc.)

Short Communications

The submission should be written as concisely as possible but should contain all elements necessary to allow interpretation and replication of the results.

• Abstract: The abstract should be a concise summary that focuses on the relevance of the study or other related concepts. (maximum 300 words)
• Key points: 3-4 key points that highlight the applicability of the study. Each key point should be just one sentence long
• Introduction: a short justification of the proposed methodology providing reference to previous literature and theory
• Method: including specific subsections for equipment, procedures, and statistics
• Discussion: a concise reflection on how the method builds on previous methodologies
• References: A maximum of 10 references; see below for reference style
• Legend: Figure legends

Methodology

The submission should be written as concisely as possible but should contain all elements necessary to allow interpretation and replication of the results.

• Abstract: The abstract should be a concise summary that focuses on the methodological relevance of the study or other related concepts. (maximum 300 words)
• Key points: 3-4 key points that highlight the applicability of the proposed method. Each key point should be just one sentence long
• Introduction: a short justification of the proposed methodology providing reference to previous literature and theory
• Method: including specific subsections for equipment, procedures, and statistics
• Discussion: a concise reflection on how the method builds on previous methodologies
• References: A maximum of 10 references; see below for reference style
• Legend: Figure legends

Position Statements

Position Statements may only be submitted after consulting the Editor-in-Chief. These succinct but comprehensive documents are typically prepared by a recognized association or society for the purpose of providing guidelines in important areas of dance medicine and science. A Position Statement should reflect both hard scientific evidence and the practical perspective of a controversial topic area. The authors should be recognized as leading figures within the discipline.

Consensus Statements

Consensus Statements may only be submitted after consulting with the Editor-in-Chief. These manuscripts are typically prepared by a Consensus Group and endorsed by a recognized body in Dance Medicine and Science or Sport and Exercise Medicine. Consensus Groups are typically formed in a systematic fashion including recognized experts within the field. The purpose is to provide a summary of up-to-date research or best clinical practice on a particular area of dance medicine and science. Consensus statements should be periodically revised to reflect best practice in the light of new research.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor and responses should be concise and include a maximum of 5 references. Acceptance is at the journal’s discretion. If a letter to the editor discusses an article appearing in the JDMS, then prior to acceptance for publication, it will be forwarded to the authors of the article for response. If accepted, and if practical, the journal will publish the letter and the response in the same issue.

4.2 Artwork, figures and other graphics

As a general guideline, any graphics and visual displays (e.g., tables, figures, charts, graphs, photographs, and illustrations) presented in the manuscript must be sufficiently clear, welllabelled, and described by its legend to be understood by the intended audience without reading the results section, i.e., it must be able to stand alone and be interpretable.

4.2.1 Tables

All tables must be formatted using Word’s table creation functionality and placed at the end of the manuscript immediately following the reference list. Tables should be numbered consecutively. All tables should be free-standing and have a title that describes the table’s content and purpose. Provide generous spacing within tables and use as few line rules as possible. Tables should enhance the text and so table information should not duplicate data in the text. Use footnotes to explain all abbreviations used in the table.

While different types of tables have different content, see below some universal components that you should include in all tables.

• Number: Data should be reported to the level they were collected; if age was collected in whole years, then the mean should be a whole number (e.g., mean age was 24 years); if stature was collected to 1 decimal place then the mean should be limited to 1 decimal place (e.g., mean stature was 168.2 cm); otherwise data should be limited to 2 decimal places. SD or SE should be kept to 1 or maximum 2 decimal places
• Title: Should be free-standing and may include population, dependent and independent variables, type of information delivered, and units of measurement to Row and Column Headings: Variables and Categories
• Body: Information (data, numbers, text, pictures, images)
• Symbols: Depicting items to emphasize in the body
• Notations and Footnotes: Descriptions of symbols or added footnotes

Also see some additional tips when creating tables

• Do not put too much information into a single table
• Try to include only 1 data point in 1 table cell
• Use white space well. Keep enough space so that readers can see data clearly
• Do not be redundant. If the data exist in the text, do not repeat in the table and

• vice versa
• Organize rows and columns in the same manner as referred in the text (e.g.,
• Dancers first, Non-dancers second; Right first, Left second)
• Provide summary statistics and provide comparisons along columns

4.2.2 Figures

All Figures and artwork need to be submitted as separate, high resolution graphics files in the following formats (jpg, jpeg, tif, tiff, png) with a resolution of at least 300 ppi. Name your image files uniquely using your last name and the figure number—example, “Smith et al Fig 1.jpg”). Please supply image files at least 100% of the intended printed size while maintaining a maximum width of 16.5 cm. For each image, provide a descriptive legend.

If the image is from another source (i.e., is not your original illustration but is from a previously published source or from the internet), in the figure’s caption provide a statement indicating where it came from (the credit if appropriate). Additionally, if the illustration is from a previously published source, documentation that permission for its reproduction must be submitted with your manuscript.

All figures, images, and photographs of individuals must conceal their personal data or identity. Do not blur faces in your illustrations, instead in the figure’s caption indicate whether the faces should be blurred; we will then alter the images appropriately and you will then review them when you receive proofs.

• Do not put too much information into a single graph
• Graphs should be horizontal rather than vertical
• Use Error bars (graphical representations of the variability of data)
• Label axes so that the letters lie horizontal along the vertical axes
• Confirm that the X and Y axes start at (0,0), and if not, make note of this in the figure

• with a double slash mark

For guidance on the preparation of illustrations, pictures and graphs in electronic format, please visit Sage’s Manuscript Submission Guidelines.

        4.3 Identifiable information

         Where a journal uses double-anonymized peer review, authors are required to submit:

1. A version of the manuscript which has had any information that compromises the anonymity of the author(s) removed or anonymized. This version will be sent to the peer reviewers.
2. A separate title page which includes any removed or anonymized material. This will not be sent to the peer reviewers.

See https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/Manuscript-preparation-for-double-anonymized-journal for detailed guidance on making an anonymous submission.

Figures supplied in color will appear in color online and in the print issue. There is no charge for reproducing figures in color in the printed version.

4.4 Supplemental material

This Journal is able to host additional materials online (e.g. datasets, podcasts, videos, images etc.) alongside the full-text of the article. Authors are encouraged to submit supplemental content that does not fit neatly into the manuscript. Supplemental material or data submitted with a manuscript will undergo peer review with the main manuscript. If the manuscript is accepted for publication and if the supplemental material is deemed appropriate for publication, the material or data will be posted online only with the article at the time of publication. Supplemental material will not be copyedited or formatted; therefore, the authors are responsible for the accuracy and presentation of the material. Supplemental material can be a dataset, coding program files, or any other content which supports and is pertinent to your submission. Supplemental material should be labeled as Supplementary Dataset S1, Supplementary Code S1,etc.

For more information please refer to our guidelines on submitting supplemental files.

4.5 Reference style

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science adheres to the AMA Manual of Style. View the guide here to ensure your manuscript conforms to this style.

Reference List:

• References are listed numerically in the order they are cited in the text. Two references should not be combined under a single reference number.
• Use the author's surname followed by initials without periods or spaces. The names of all authors should be given unless there are more than 4, in which case the names of the first 3 authors are used, followed by “et al.” Do not use the word “and” between names.
• References to material not yet accepted for publication or to personal communications (oral, written, and electronic) are not acceptable and instead should be included parenthetically in the text.
• Abbreviate names of journals. Use initial capital letters. Abbreviate according to the Index Medicus abbreviations as found  in the PubMed Journals database. For information on how journal title abbreviations are constructed, see https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-

• gov.proxy.cc.uic.edu/books/NBK7282/box/A33351/?report=objectonly

• If a journal is not found in PubMed and does not have an Index Medicus abbreviation, then include the full title of the journal. Do not create abbreviations.
• In article titles, capitalize only the first letter of the first word, proper names, and abbreviations that are  ordinarily capitalized in the reference.

In-Text Citations

Use Arabic superscript numerals outside periods and commas, inside colons and semicolons. When more than 2 references are cited at a given place in the manuscript, use hyphens to join the first and last numbers of a closed series; use commas without spaces to separate other parts of a multiple citation.

As previously,1,3–8,19

The derived data were as follows3,4:

If you use EndNote to manage references, you can download the Sage Harvard EndNote output file or the Sage Vancouver EndNote output file.

Minimum information required by type with examples

Scholarly Article

Electronic article: minimum information

Authors. Article title. Journal name. Year;vol(issue #):inclusive pages. URL.

Print article: minimum information

Authors. Article title. Journal name. Year;vol (issue #):inclusive pages.

Examples:

• Wheelis M. Investigating injury risk on raked stages in dancers. J Biomech.

• 2020;6(6):595-600.
• Lissarassa YPS, Vincensi CF, Costa-Beber LC, et al. Hydration treatment
• positively impacts metabolic profile in collegiate dancers: association with heat
• shock response pathways. Cell. 2020;25(3):467-479.

Book (print, electronic, or chapter)

Regardless of the book type, include any of the following elements that are known in this order: Author(s) (whole book or chapter), Chapter title, Editors (if second or above) and translators, Book title with subtitle, Volume number and title (when there is more than 1), Publisher name, Copyright year, page numbers. Examples below do not include all possible elements.

Print book: minimum information

Authors. Book Title (Volume or Edition Number if applicable). City of publication, State or

Country of publication: Name of publishing company, Year of publication.

Example:

Walker J, Pollard, J, Murray E. Research in Dance Sciences (Vol 2). Gainesville, Florida,

Arts Research Press; 2021.

E-book: minimum information (note when possible provide the print book’s information as

above)

Authors. Book Title (Volume or Edition Number if applicable). City of publication,

State or Country of publication: Name of publishing company, Year of publication.

Accessed date. URL.

Example:

Modell AH. Imagination and the Meaningful Brain in Dance. Boston, Massachusetts,

MIT Press, 2020. Accessed October 31, 2020.

http://site.ebrary.com/lib/uic/docDetail.action?docID=10173553.

Chapter within Book: minimum information

Authors. Chapter title. In: Editors names (ed). Book Title (Volume or Edition

Number if applicable). City of publication, State or Country of publication: Name

of publishing company, Year of publication, inclusive page numbers of the

chapter.

Example:

Sisk JE. Supplemental Training. In: Krapp K (ed). The Handbook of Dance Medicine &

Science. Philadephia, Pennsylvania, Performing Arts Group, 2020, pp. 407-412.

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science Author Instructions

Website

Minimum information

Author(s) (or, if no author is available, the name of the group responsible for the site).

Title of the specific item (or, if no title is available, the name of the organization responsible for the site)

 Name of the Web site. Date published. Date updated. Date Accessed. URL.

Example:

U.S. National Library of Medicine. Back Pain. MedlinePlus. n.d. Updated April 30,

2020. Accessed May 14, 2020. https://medlineplus.gov/backpain.html

4.6 English language editing services

Authors seeking assistance with English language editing, translation, or figure and manuscript formatting to fit Journal of Dance Medicine & Science’s specifications should consider using Sage Language Services. Visit Sage Language Services on our Journal Author Gateway for further information.

4.7 Inclusive language

The JDMS promotes the use of inclusive language in all submissions. Inclusive language acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities. Content should make no assumptions about the beliefs or commitments of any reader; contain nothing which might imply that one individual is superior to another on the grounds of age, sex, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability, or health condition; and use inclusive language throughout. Authors should ensure that writing is free from bias, stereotypes, slang, and reference to dominant culture and cultural assumptions. Please use gender neutrality by using plural nouns ("clinicians, participants") as default and wherever possible to avoid using "he, she," and never use "he/she." Please avoid the use of descriptors that refer to personal attributes such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability, or health condition unless they are relevant and valid.

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5. Submitting your manuscript

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science is hosted on Sage Track, a web based online submission and peer review system powered by ScholarOne™ Manuscripts. Visit [https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/dmsj] to login and submit your article online.

IMPORTANT: Please check whether you already have an account in the system before trying to create a new one. If you have reviewed or authored for Journal of Dance Medicine & Science in the past year it is likely that you will have had an account created.  For further guidance on submitting your manuscript online please visit ScholarOne Online Help.

Initial Submissions

All manuscripts will undergo initial processing checks for adherence to Journal guidelines. If accepted, they will be sent for peer-review.

Revisions

Manuscripts returned to authors for revisions must be resubmitted within 3 months of the date of the decision letter to be considered for publication. Revised manuscript submissions must include the revised manuscript highlighting in BOLD the responses to the reviewers and revisions made to the manuscript, a “clean” (i.e., changes-incorporated) manuscript, and separate files containing the itemized comments of each reviewer, followed by the response to each comment, indicating the revisions made to the manuscript or providing a justifiable rebuttal.

Copyediting and Author Proofs

All accepted submissions are professionally copyedited to adhere to the latest American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style (currently 11th edition). Proofs of the edited article are provided to the corresponding author for review and approval. Authors are responsible for all statements made in their work, including changes made during copyediting and production that are approved by the corresponding author. Proof reading is for the correction of factual and typographic errors; changes based on style preferences, word choices, and other elective changes cannot be accommodated. Articles are posted in advance of appearing in a numbered issue of the journal on the journal’s website in Online First.

5.1 ORCID

As part of our commitment to ensuring an ethical, transparent and fair peer review process Sage is a supporting member of ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID. ORCID provides a unique and persistent digital identifier that distinguishes researchers from every other researcher, even those who share the same name, and, through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between researchers and their professional activities, ensuring that their work is recognized.

The collection of ORCID IDs from corresponding authors is now part of the submission process of this Journal. If you already have an ORCID ID you will be asked to associate that to your submission during the online submission process. We also strongly encourage all co-authors to link their ORCID ID to their accounts in our online peer review platforms. It takes seconds to do: click the link when prompted, sign into your ORCID account and our systems are automatically updated. Your ORCID ID will become part of your accepted publication’s metadata, making your work attributable to you and only you. Your ORCID ID is published with your article so that fellow researchers reading your work can link to your ORCID profile and from there link to your other publications.

If you do not already have an ORCID ID please follow this link to create one or visit our ORCID homepage to learn more.

5.2 Information required for completing your submission

You will be asked to provide contact details and academic affiliations for all co-authors via the submission system and identify who is to be the corresponding author. These details must match what appears on your manuscript. The affiliation listed in the manuscript should be the institution where the research was conducted. If an author has moved to a new institution since completing the research, the new affiliation can be included in a manuscript note at the end of the paper. At this stage please ensure you have included all the required statements and declarations and uploaded any additional supplementary files (including reporting guidelines where relevant).

5.3 Permissions

Please also ensure that you have obtained any necessary permission from copyright holders for reproducing any illustrations, tables, figures or lengthy quotations previously published elsewhere. For further information including guidance on fair dealing for criticism and review, please see the Copyright and Permissions page on the Sage Author Gateway.

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6. On acceptance and publication

6.1 Sage Production

Your Sage Production Editor will keep you informed as to your article’s progress throughout the production process. Proofs will be made available to the corresponding author via our editing portal Sage Edit or by email, and corrections should be made directly or notified to us promptly. Authors are reminded to check their proofs carefully to confirm that all author information, including names, affiliations, sequence and contact details are correct, and that Funding and Conflict of Interest statements, if any, are accurate.

6.2 Online First publication

Online First allows final articles (completed and approved articles awaiting assignment to a future issue) to be published online prior to their inclusion in a journal issue, which significantly reduces the lead time between submission and publication. Visit the Sage Journals help page for more details, including how to cite Online First articles.

6.3 Access to your published article

Sage provides authors with online access to their final article.

6.4 Promoting your article

Publication is not the end of the process! You can help disseminate your paper and ensure it is as widely read and cited as possible. The Sage Author Gateway has numerous resources to help you promote your work. Visit the Promote Your Article page on the Gateway for tips and advice.

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7. Further information

Any correspondence, queries or additional requests for information on the manuscript submission process should be sent to Journal of Dance Medicine & Science of Dance Medicine & Science editorial office as follows:

jatin.ambegaonkar@iadms.org

tel: 703-993-2123

7.1 Appealing the publication decision

Editors have very broad discretion in determining whether an article is an appropriate fit for their journal. Many manuscripts are declined with a very general statement of the rejection decision. These decisions are not eligible for formal appeal unless the author believes the decision to reject the manuscript was based on an error in the review of the article, in which case the author may appeal the decision by providing the Editor with a detailed written description of the error they believe occurred.

If an author believes the decision regarding their manuscript was affected by a publication ethics breach, the author may contact the publisher with a detailed written description of their concern, and information supporting the concern, at publication_ethics@sagepub.com

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