Write for Us
iOH welcomes writers, new and established, who would like to contribute to OH Today and meet our mission of providing support to the professional community that is evidenced based, relevant and improves the health of the working age population.
If you are interested, please contact the editor, Lynn Pratt, using the form. Include a short pitch for your article – it doesn’t have to be written already.
We aim to include a diverse range of articles in OH Today. We know that many people don’t have extensive writing experience but we would still be happy to hear your ideas. Please take a look at the submission guidelines and writing guide below for help.
Submission Guidelines
- Please contact the editor, Lynn Pratt, with a short pitch for your article using the form above.
- Submit your article using a Word document if possible. The document format should be as simple as possible – use a font such as Arial or Calibri. Ensure references are correctly hyperlinked.
- Only include essential graphics in your document, such as graphs or images that are referenced within the article. Ensure these are also attached as a separate file in your email. Graphics must be high and resolution.
- Do not include non-essential graphics such as photos for illustrative purposes. The editors will usually choose appropriate images during the production process, such as rom a stock image library.
- It is the author’s responsibility to obtain permission to use any graphics you send us and reference them appropriately (see the sections on referencing and plagiarism below). We may decide to reproduce graphics to fit in with our style – we may ask for the necessary data to do this so please ensure it is accessible.
Writing Tips
- As a guide a discussion opinion piece, blog or book review would range from around 300 to 700 words. Practice articles such as a literature review, case studies or research findings, between 1,500 and 3,000 words, including references.
- Discuss your ideas with a friend or colleague. Ask them to read it to sense check it.
- Use a “hook line” at the beginning of the article to draw the attention to the reader.
- Use clear language without jargon. Simple, concise sentences work best.
- Check references are complete and accurate.
- Ensure your article is your original work.
- Ask yourself- Do you think it will interest the readers?
- Revise the article for flow and structure.
- End with a concluding statement; perhaps a thought-provoking question.
- Proofread, checking spelling and grammar.
Target Audience
Ensure you keep in mind who you’re writing for. Our target audience is anyone with an interested in health in the workplace, such as:
- Occupational Health professionals from a number of differing specialities such as Nurses; Physicians; Physiotherapists, Physiologists, Psychologists; Psychotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Technicians etc
- Employers including HR professionals and managers
- Policy development
- Organisations such as Public Health, Vocational Rehabilitation, Education, Health and Safety
Make sure your article is able to be understood by all of the above groups. However, also keep in mind the aim of your article and ensure your submission succeeds at this goal. For example, you may write an article trying to persuade OH managers to pay more attention to an emerging issue within workplaces. In this case, use persuasive language and ensure you include information which is directly relevant to OH managers.
Referencing
Referencing your work gives credibility. It allows readers to verify your data, information, and arguments, as well as explore a topic further if they are interested. We expect all article submissions to be accurate and fully referenced.
Cite your work. References should be included using hyperlinks to the source wherever possible. For example, use a link to a webpage for an electronic resource, a DOI link for a published research article, or a link to somewhere like Google Books, Amazon or AbeBooks for a book.
If it is not possible to hyperlink a source, such as when referencing an interview you conducted or an email exchange, try to refer to it within the article if possible.
If you can neither hyperlink nor adequately refer to the source within the article, footnotes may be considered if agreed with the editor, however this is intended to be the exception rather than the norm.
Plagiarism
Do not plagiarise any work within an article you send us.
The University of Oxford defines plagiarism as “Presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, with or without their consent, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement.”
Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional, and includes both text and accompanying images, figures and more. Although the editor will check the article for referencing and plagiarism, the responsibility lies with the author to ensure all sources are cited and all work and ideas are their own.
What happens after I submit?
All articles will be acknowledged, and feedback given to the writer. Antiplagiarism software will check the articles for unreferenced passages from other published articles.
Some editing may be necessary to enhance the flow of the article and graphics will be added to enhance the reader’s experience.
Submissions may not be used in the next edition but may be kept for a future theme.
