CAB REVIEWS
Instructions and Guidelines for Authors
CAB Reviews is an international review journal that aims to provide comprehensive and timely reviews on the latest developments in the fields of animal science, global health, veterinary medicine, nutrition and food science, applied plant sciences, agriculture and natural resources and environmental science.
CAB Reviews produces a mix of review types, with articles that cover the latest developments in the field as well as articles that provide a comprehensive overview of particular aspects of the subject areas.
Review Format
CAB Reviews reviews follow the same format regardless of length (there is separate guidance for mini reviews, but these are by specific invitation only):
Title
Author Name(s)
Address
Correspondence
Abstract
Keywords
Review Methodology
Review Text - subdivided by headings
Conclusion/Summary
References
Acknowledgements
We will provide authors with 3 months' access to CAB Abstracts to help them with their resource discovery needs.
Title: This should be succinct and informative, and in lower case except for proper names.
Author Name(s): Please use the following format;
FirstName Initial(s) Surname and FirstName Initial(s) Surname or
FirstName Initial(s) Surname, FirstName Initial(s) Surname and FirstName Initial(s) Surname etc.
(Note: Initials are optional)
Authors are requested to supply ORCID digital identifiers in order to maximise exposure and the retrievability of their articles. Visit for details.
Address: Please precede each author address with appropriate superscripted numbers and list the author addresses in the same order as the author names, to indicate the association between the author and their address, except where all authors are at the same address.
Correspondence: Please provide one email address for a corresponding author
Abstract: The abstract should be no more than 250 words in length and should aim to inform the reader of the scope and content of the review, with an indication of the summary/conclusions where appropriate.
Keywords: Please provide between 3 -7 keywords preferably for a controlled vocabulary source (such as CAB Thesaurus [available via your CAB Abstracts access] or MESH terms). Please list these in order of importance.
Review Methodology: To enable readers to stay up-to-date with the area covered by the review, please include a short statement that indicates the search and selection criteria used in selecting the literature for the review, as well as any other steps or sources used to derive information. An example is shown below;
We searched the following databases: CAB Abstracts, CAB Heritage, Agricola and Medline (Keyword search terms used: X, Y, Z). In addition we used the references from the articles obtained by this method to check for additional relevant material. We also spoke to colleagues and checked for any upcoming studies not yet published.
Review Text: Reviews covering the latest developments should be 2,500 to 3,000 words in length.
Comprehensive reviews can be up to 5,000 words in length, not including the references and tables.. Whilst personal opinions and discussion of areas of content in the research on the subject area under review are welcome, please do be careful not to be prejudicial or to write in a way that could be interpreted as biased. The main body of the review can be subdivided by headings but please avoid sub-headings unless it is absolutely necessary. Headings within the main body of the text should be short and informative. There should be at least two sentences between any two headings. Please start each section of text under new heading on a new line. Please add line numbering to all text pages to assist with peer review comments.
Conclusion/Summary: Please supply a short paragraph or two that sums up the review and provide conclusions (if appropriate). Future directions for research can also be included in this section.
References: References should be numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text. Use Arabic numerals in parentheses e.g. [1] to identify the reference. Multiple references should be identified as follows [2–5] (meaning references 2, 3, 4, and 5). Any references cited ONLY in figures or tables should be numbered according to the location of the first reference to the figure or table in the text. References to papers that have been accepted but not yet published are acceptable providing that; permission has been obtained to cite the paper and verification of acceptance for publication has also been obtained. It is the responsibility of the author to ensure that these two conditions have been met. Unpublished papers should be cited as "in press".
Authors can cite a "personal communication" so long as the information is important enough to justify the use of an unpublished piece of research AND they can obtain permission from the source. The name of the person and the date of the communication should be cited in brackets next to the information e.g. (personal communication:
Firstname Surname, 2005). Such citations should NOT form part of the standard reference list at the end of the article.
Please use full journal titles in the reference and follow the Vancouver style for reference formatting. An appendix containing details of the Vancouver style can be found at the end of this document.
Acknowledgements: Please list those professional colleagues who provided assistance in the production of the article. Financial and other material support can be acknowledged as well.
Tables and figures: Tables and figures should not be incorporated into the body of the text. Please supply them as separate items and clearly identify them. Please supply tables as individual word processor documents NOTimages. Figures should be supplied in a suitable image format (see below for details).
Tables: Each table should be numbered consecutively in the order of first citation within the text. Each table should have a succinct and informative title, in the style "Table 1: A table summarising the key results" Columns (and where appropriate, rows) should have a brief heading (abbreviated if necessary). Please do NOT use internal horizontal and vertical rules. Table entries that need explanation should be referenced by use of superscript Arabic numerals (e.g. 1 2 3). The referenced explanatory text should be placed under the table, in numerical order (e.g. 1) "This is an example of some explanatory text." Please use this system to define any non-standard abbreviations used in the table.
Tables can be up to 16 cm wide by 25 cm deep (portrait layout) including the associated title, or 25 cm wide by 16 cm deep (landscape layout), again to include the title. If a table is to be used from another source then permission must be obtained and the proper acknowledgement given.
Figures: Each figure should be numbered consecutively in the order of first citation within the text (e.g. Fig. 1). Each figure should have a succinct and informative title, starting with the figure number (e.g. "Figure 1: An example of a figure title)".
As CAB Reviews is an exclusively electronic product, we welcome colour figures, but please be aware that many readers may print out the articles in black and white. If possible, please check that the figure retains the important detail when viewed in black and white. If a figure is to be used from another source then permission must be obtained and the proper acknowledgement given.
Submitted figures should be submitted in their final form to ensure that they can be incorporated into the final version as easily as possible. Figure dimensions can be up to 16 cm wide by 25 cm deep (portrait layout) including the associated figure caption, or 25 cm wide by 16 cm deep (landscape layout), again to include the figure caption.
Technical Requirements:
Size: up to 16 cm by 25 cm (portrait or landscape orientation)
Resolution: At print size, the resolution should be 300 dots per inch (dpi)
Image Mode: Images can come in two basic ‘modes’; RGB and CMYK. Please try to supply your images in RGB mode (usually this is the default mode for most image programs and formats).
Fonts: Please use Arial for any text that accompanies the figure (this includes the figure caption). The font size should be between 6 points and 10 points.
File formats: we prefer the following formats; tif/tiff (tagged Image File Format), jpeg/jpg (Joint Photographic Experts), png (Portable network graphics). We can accept additional formats, but please do check with the editorial office first so that any potential problems can be identified and sorted out. This biggest problem is usually that of figures with a screen resolution (typically 72dpi) being submitted for print, the resulting images are not of a high quality.
Reference format
Articles in journals
1. Standard journal article
List the first six authors followed by et al.
Vega KJ, Pina I, Krevsky B. Heart transplantation is associated with an increased risk for pancreatobiliary disease.
Annals of Internal Medicine 1996;124:980–3.
More than six authors:
Parkin DM, Clayton D, Black RJ, Masuyer E, Friedl HP, Ivanov E, et al. Childhood leukaemia in Europe after
Chernobyl: 5 year follow-up. British Journal of Cancer 1996;73:1006–12.
2. Organization as author
The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand. Clinical exercise stress testing. Safety and performance guidelines. Medical Journal of Australia 1996;164:282–4.
3. No author given
Cancer in South Africa [editorial]. South African Medical Journal 1994;84:15.
4. Article not in English (but use translation or romanized version for non-roman script languages)
Ryder TE, Haukeland EA, Solhaug JH. Bilateral infrapatellar seneruptur hostidligere frisk kvinne. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 1996;116:41–2.
5. Volume with supplement
Shen HM, Zhang QF. Risk assessment of nickel carcinogenicity and occupational lung cancer. Environmental Health Perspectives 1994;102 Suppl. 1:275–82.
6. Issue with supplement
Payne DK, Sullivan MD, Massie MJ. Women's psychological reactions to breast cancer. Seminars in Oncology1996;23(1 Suppl. 2):89–97.
7. Volume with part
Ozben T, Nacitarhan S, Tuncer N. Plasma and urine sialic acid in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Annals of Clinical Biochemistry 1995;32(Pt 3):303–6.
8. Issue with part
Poole GH, Mills SM. One hundred consecutive cases of flap lacerations of the leg in ageing patients. New Zealand Medical Journal 1994;107(986 Pt 1):377–8.
9. Issue with no volume
Turan I, Wredmark T, Fellander-Tsai L. Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical
Orthopaedics 1995;(320):110–4.
10. No issue or volume
Browell DA, Lennard TW. Immunologic status of the cancer patient and the effects of blood transfusion on antitumor responses. Current Opinions in General Surgery 1993:325–33.
11. Pagination in Roman numerals
Fisher GA, Sikic BI. Drug resistance in clinical oncology and hematology. Introduction. Hematology OncologyClinics of North America 1995 April;9(2):xi–xii.
12. Type of article indicated as needed
Enzensberger W, Fischer PA. Metronome in Parkinson's disease [letter]. Lancet 1996;347:1337. Clement J, De Bock R. Hematological complications of hantavirus nephropathy (HVN) [abstract]. Kidney International 1992;42:1285.
13. Article containing retraction
Garey CE, Schwarzman AL, Rise ML, Seyfried TN. Ceruloplasmin gene defect associated with epilepsy in EL mice [retraction of Garey CE, Schwarzman AL, Rise ML, Seyfried TN. In: Nature Genetics 1994;6:426-31]. NatureGenetics 1995;11:104.
14. Article retracted
Liou GI, Wang M, Matragoon S. Precocious IRBP gene expression during mouse development [retracted in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 1994;35:3127]. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science1994;35:1083–8.
15. Article with published erratum
Hamlin JA, Kahn AM. Herniography in symptomatic patients following inguinal hernia repair [published erratum appears in Western Journal of Medicine 1995;162:278]. Western Journal of Medicine 1995;162:28–31.
Books and other monographs
16. Personal author(s)
Ringsven MK, Bond D. Gerontology and leadership skills for nurses. 2nd ed. Albany (NY), USA: Delmar Publishers; 1996.
17. Editor(s), compiler(s) as author
Norman IJ, Redfern SJ, editors. Mental health care for elderly people. New York, USA: Churchill Livingstone;1996.
18. Organization as author and publisher
Institute of Medicine (US). Looking at the future of the Medicaid program. Washington, USA: The Institute; 1992.
19. Chapter in a book
Phillips SJ, Whisnant JP. Hypertension and stroke. In: Laragh JH, Brenner BM, editors. Hypertension:
pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management. 2nd ed. New York, USA: Raven Press; 1995. p. 465–78.
20. Conference proceedings
Kimura J, Shibasaki H, editors. Recent advances in clinical neurophysiology. Proceedings of the 10th International Congress of EMG and Clinical Neurophysiology; 1995 October 15-19; Kyoto, Japan. Amsterdam, Netherlands:
Elsevier; 1996.
21. Conference paper
Bengtsson S, Solheim BG. Enforcement of data protection, privacy and security in medical informatics. In: Lun KC,Degoulet P, Piemme TE, Rienhoff O, editors. MEDINFO 92. Proceedings of the 7th World Congress on Medical Informatics; 1992 September 6-10; Geneva, Switzerland. Amsterdam, Netherlands; 1992. p. 1561–5.
22. Scientific or technical report
Issued by funding/sponsoring agency:
Smith P, Golladay K. Payment for durable medical equipment billed during skilled nursing facility stays. Final report. Dallas (TX): Dept. of Health and Human Services (US), Office of Evaluation and Inspections; 1994 October Report No.: HHSIGOEI69200860.
Issued by performing agency:
Field MJ, Tranquada RE, Feasley JC, editors. Health services research: work force and educational issues. Washington: National Academy Press; 1995. Contract No.: AHCPR282942008. Sponsored by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
23. Dissertation
Kaplan SJ. Post-hospital home health care: the elderly's access and utilization [dissertation]. St Louis (MO): Washington University.; 1995.
24. Patent
Larsen CE, Trip R, Johnson CR, inventors; Novoste Corporation, assignee. Methods for procedures related to the electrophysiology of the heart. US patent 5,529,067. 1995 June 25.
Other published material
25. Newspaper article
Lee G. Hospitalizations tied to ozone pollution: study estimates 50,000 admissions annually. The Washington Post 1996 June 21;Section A:3 (column 5).
26. Audiovisual material
HIV+/AIDS: the facts and the future [videocassette]. St. Louis (MO), USA: Mosby-Year Book; 1995.
27. Legal material
Public law:
Preventive Health Amendments of 1993, Pub. L. No. 103–-183, 107 Statute 2226 (December 14, 1993).
Unenacted bill:
Medical Records Confidentiality Act of 1995, S. 1360, 104th Congress, 1st Session (1995).
Code of Federal Regulations:
Informed Consent, 42 C.F.R. Section 441.257 (1995).
Hearing:
Increased Drug Abuse: the Impact on the Nation's Emergency Rooms: Hearings Before the Subcommittee. OnHuman Resources and Intergovernmental Relations of the House Committee. on Government Operations, 103rdCongress, 1st Session (May 26, 1993).
28. Map
North Carolina. Tuberculosis rates per 100,000 population, 1990 [demographic map]. Raleigh: North Carolina Department. of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Epidemiology; 1991.
29. Book of the Bible
The Holy Bible. King James version. Grand Rapids (MI), USA: Zondervan Publishing House; 1995. Ruth 3:1–18.
30. Dictionary and similar references
Stedman's medical dictionary. 26th ed. Baltimore, USA: Williams & Wilkins; 1995. Apraxia; p. 119–-20.
31. Classical material
The Winter's Tale: Act 5, Scene 1, lines 13-16. The complete works of William Shakespeare. London: Rex; 1973.
Unpublished material
32. In press
Leshner AI. Molecular mechanisms of cocaine addiction. New England Journal of Medicine. In press 1996.
Electronic material
33. Journal article in electronic format
Morse SS. Factors in the emergence of infectious diseases. Emerging Infectious Diseases [serial online] 1995
January-March [cited 1996 June 5];1(1):[24 screens]. Available from: URL:
34. Monograph in electronic format
CDI, clinical dermatology illustrated [monograph on CD-ROM]. Reeves JRT, Maibach H. CMEA Multimedia
Group, producers. 2nd ed. Version 2.0. San Diego, USA: CMEA; 1995.