BMJ (and co 'BMJ Open' 'injury prevention...') citations wrong

Fabie10
The BMJ and 'BMJ open' styles in the repository don't confirm to the BMJ group requirement concerning the number of authors:

They don't give the names and initials of the first 6 authors required by the journals

In the current styles only 3 authors are mentoned followed by 'et al' when there's more than 3 authors.
it should be:

The names and initials of all authors (unless there are more than six, when only the first six should be given followed by et al).

Hope it will get fixed soon
  • adamsmith
    where are you getting this from? We use the instructions at
    http://group.bmj.com/products/journals/instructions-for-authors/formatting#references
    List the names and initials of all authors if there are 3 or fewer; otherwise list the first 3 and add et al. (The exception is the Journal of Medical Genetics, which lists all authors.)
  • Fabie10
    Indeed, it's what I thought and had used to submit my manuscript that is in revision now. But the paperadmin ( Sue Minns
    BMJ Editorial Office, papersadmin@bmj.com via manuscriptcentral.com ) recently asked me in a mail (I can provide print screens) to change the format of the references, quoting the mail:

    "References should be numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. At the end of the article the full list of references should follow the Vancouver style.
    Please give the names and initials of all authors (unless there are more than six, when only the first six should be given followed by et al).
    The authors' names are followed by the title of the article; the title of the journal abbreviated according to the style of Index Medicus; the year of publication; the volume number; and the first and last page numbers"

    Maybe it's just for the revision/ review and not for the final version.
  • adamsmith
    obviously we can change that (no need for screenshots, I trust that you have better things to do than make up e-mails ;)), but could you ask BMJ to clarify? Are those guidelines just no longer correct? Only apply to some journals?
  • Fabie10
    The BMJ student seems to have the same format, could be handy if they ask for it for the submission of the article
    http://student.bmj.com/student/static-pages.html?pageId=2#ref
  • Fabie10
    I sent my revised mansucript using the Vancouver style, I will ask them and update this thread when it's clearer :)
  • Fabie10
    It seems that you they only ask you for the vancouver style format right before they accept your submission :-)
  • adamsmith
    I guess I'll leave this as it is then? It's still confusing that they'd have one thing on the webpage and tell their authors something else.
  • Fabie10
    Yes I reckon it should be left as it is, since the editor didn't comment on the citation format when I first submitted my article.
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