Changes to the format of the MJA

Here at the MJA, our centenary celebrations of 2014 are over and we are turning to what lies ahead.

By now you will have noticed that recent issues of the MJA have incorporated changes to the design that are intended to make it modern and easier to read. We are making these changes to the format of the Journal in response to surveys of readers and observation of international best practice in medical journal publication.

Among the changes we have already introduced are the addition of colour-coded article types and page numbers, removal of the reference lists from the print edition (these are published online), and an increase in visual impact through greater use of images.

Further changes are also in the works. From July this year, the MJA proposes to publish all research articles fully online, with a summary page published in print. The purpose of the one-page summary is to convey the main points of the research to readers in an engaging way. Summaries will be requested from contributors whose manuscripts proceed past the initial review stage. Further details on the requirements of research summary pages are available in our instructions to authors: https://www.mja.com.au/journal/mja-instructions-authors-types-articles-published-mja#Research.

We also propose to make several small changes to our editorial format for articles other than original research. These changes are intended to make access to the contents of the Journal easier both in print and online.

We will keep you informed of these proposals and hope that you will let us know how well they serve your needs as a reader and contributor.