Content Types

To submit one of the following content types, please read the formatting details below, then follow the submission guidelines:

  • Article
  • Brief Communication
  • Resource
  • Analysis
  • Correspondence*
  • Review*
  • Perspective*
  • Comment*
  • Matters Arising – see specialist submission process here.

*These content types should not include original (previously unpublished) research findings and may only contain minimal new supporting data. As they are non-primary articles they are not eligible for Open Access and can only be published using the subscription-based publishing route.

For more information on these content types, please contact Nature Medicine:

  • News & Views*
  • News Features*

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Article

An Article is a report of a complete new study in any area of translational or clinical medicine.

Format

  • Main text – up to 4,000 words, excluding abstract, Methods, references and figure legends.
  • Abstract – up to 150 words, unreferenced. 
  • Display items – up to 6 items (figures and/or tables). 
  • Article should be divided as follows: 
    • Introduction (without heading) 
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Online Methods. 
  • Results and online Methods should be divided by topical subheadings; the Discussion does not contain subheadings.
  • References –  as a guideline, we typically recommend up to 60.
  • Articles include received/accepted dates. 
  • Articles may be accompanied by supplementary information. 
  • Articles are peer reviewed.

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Brief Communication

A Brief Communication is a format intended for reporting of timely new results that, while limited in scope, are of substantial clinical or public health importance, and that therefore need to be quickly vetted and shared. 

Format

  • Abstract – up to 150 words, unreferenced. 
  • Main text – up to 2,000 words, including abstract, references and figure legends, and contains no headings. 
  • Display items – up to 2 items, although this may be flexible at the discretion of the editor, provided the page limit is observed. 
  • Online Methods section should be included.
  • References - as a guideline, we typically recommend up to 20. Article titles are omitted from the reference list.
  • Brief Communications should include received/accepted dates. 
  • Brief Communications may be accompanied by supplementary information. 
  • Brief Communications are peer reviewed.

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Resource

A Resource presents a large data set of broad utility, interest and significance to the community.

Format

  • Main text – up to 4,000 words (excluding abstract, online Methods, references and figure legends).
  • Abstract – 150 words, unreferenced. 
  • Display items – up to 6 items (figures and/or tables). 
  • Resource should be divided as follows: 
    • Introduction (without heading) 
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Online Methods. 
  • Results and online Methods should be divided by topical subheadings; the Discussion does not contain subheadings.
  • References – as a guideline, we typically recommend up to 60.
  • Resources include received/accepted dates. 
  • Resources may be accompanied by supplementary information. 
  • Resources are peer reviewed.

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Analysis

An Analysis is a new analysis of existing data (typically large genomic, transcriptomic or proteomic data sets, or meta-analyses of clinical studies) that lead to novel and arresting conclusions of importance to a broad audience.

Format

  • Main text – up to 4,000 words (excluding abstract, online Methods, references and figure legends).
  • Abstract – 150 words, unreferenced. 
  • Display items – up to 6 items (figures and/or tables). 
  • Resource should be divided as follows: 
    • Introduction (without heading) 
    • Results
    • Discussion
    • Online Methods. 
  • Results and online Methods should be divided by topical subheadings; the Discussion does not contain subheadings.  
  • References – as a guideline, we typically recommend up to 60.
  • Analyses include received/accepted dates. 
  • Analyses may be accompanied by supplementary information. 
  • Analyses are peer reviewed.

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Correspondence

The Correspondence section provides a forum for discussion or to present a point of view on issues that are of interest to the readership of Nature Medicine. Correspondences should not contain new research data, nor should serve as a venue for technical comments on peer-reviewed research papers, which would be considered Matters Arising.

Correspondences are initially screened for general interest, and may be returned to the authors if the topic, angle or content is deemed not to be of high interest to the journal’s readership or when the topic has already been covered in other pieces. Nature Medicine receives a very high volume of correspondence and the editorial team reserves the right to return submissions to authors without further feedback. After screening, correspondences are edited for concision and clarity, and additional changes may be requested from the authors. 

Format

  • Main text – up to 1,000 words.
  • Display items – up to 2 items.
  • References – up to 10 references. Article titles are omitted from the reference list.
  • Correspondence may be peer-reviewed at the editors’ discretion. 

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Review

A Review is an authoritative, balanced and scholarly survey of recent developments in a research field. The requirement for balance need not prevent authors from proposing a specific viewpoint, but if there are controversies in the field, the authors must treat them in an even-handed way. 

The scope of a Review should be broad enough that it is not dominated by the work of a single laboratory, and particularly not by the authors' own work.

 Format

  • Main text – 4,000 words.
  • Illustrations are strongly encouraged.
  • References – up to 100.
  • Citations – these should be selective and, in the case of particularly important studies (≤ 10% of all the references), we encourage authors to provide short annotations explaining why these are key contributions.
  • Reviews include received/accepted dates. 
  • Reviews are peer reviewed.

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Perspective

Perspective is a format for scholarly reviews and discussions of the primary research literature in which the authors may express a particular point of view on the topic being covered.

Format

  • Length – up to 4,000 words. 
  • References – up to 100.
  • Illustrations are strongly encouraged.
  • Perspectives include received/accepted dates.
  • Perspectives are peer reviewed.

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Comment

Comments are discussions of important aspects of science and medicine, usually interfacing with policy or society, that are generally limited to a particular point. The main criteria are that they should be of immediate interest to a broad readership and should be written in an accessible, non-technical style. A good Comment will have a clear bottom line, captured in the title and in a stand first, and will cover a topic of broad interest to Nature Medicine readers, or that is particularly timely. Comments do not normally contain primary research data, although they may present 'sociological' data (funding trends, demographics, bibliographic data, etc.).  

Format

  • Main text – 1,500-2,000 words.
  • The use of schematic figures is encouraged.
  • References should be used sparingly – up to 15.
  • Article titles are omitted from the reference list.
  • Peer review is at the editors' discretion.

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Matters Arising

Matters Arising are exceptionally interesting and timely scientific comments and clarifications on original research papers published in Nature Medicine. These comments should ideally be based on contemporary knowledge rather than subsequent scientific developments.

For detailed information on how to submit a Matters Arising, please follow instructions here.

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News and Views

News and Views articles inform readers about the latest advances in medicine, as reported in recently published papers or at scientific meetings. They are by prior arrangement only. They may be linked to articles in Nature Medicine, or they may focus on papers of exceptional significance that are published elsewhere. 

News and Views are not peer reviewed.

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News Features

News stories are commissioned on an ongoing basis and cover a wide range of topics, including policy developments and funding trends that directly affect biomedicine. The specific article types within the news section include news features – longer pieces of investigative journalism – and Q&A pieces with scientists and leaders within medical research.

Writers interested in pitching News stories should contact the Magazine editor directly by email.