title: Do journals publishing in the field of urology endorse reporting guidelines? A survey of author instructions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reporting guidelines aim to ensure adequate and complete reporting of clinical studies and are an indispensable tool to translate scientific results into clinical practice. The extent to which reporting guidelines are incorporated into the author instructions of journals publishing in the field of urology remained unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the author instructions of uro-nephrological journals indexed in 'Journal Citation Reports 2009'. Two authors independently assessed the author guidelines. We evaluated additional information including whether a journal was published by or in association with a medical association. Discrepancies were resolved by re-checking the respective author instructions and by discussion with a third author.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recommendations of the International Committee of Journal Editors were endorsed by 32 journals (58.2%) but were mentioned in 12 (37.5%) only to give general advice about manuscript preparation. Fourteen journals (25.5%) mentioned at least one reporting guideline, with CONSORT the most frequently cited. Journals with high impact factors were more likely to endorse CONSORT (p < 0.009). Other reporting guidelines were mentioned by <6% of the journals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All key stakeholders involved in the publication process should more frequently promote the awareness and use of reporting guidelines.
authors: German Cochrane Centre, Institute of Medical Biometry and Medical Informatics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg/Br., Germany. kunath @ cochrane.de
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Kunath
authors: Henrik R
authors: HR
authors: Grobe
authors: Gerta
authors: G
authors: Rücker
authors: Dirk
authors: D
authors: Engehausen
authors: Gerd
authors: G
authors: Antes
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Wullich
authors: Jörg J
authors: JJ
authors: Meerpohl
mesh_terms: D001319:Authorship / Q000592:standards*; D001364:Awareness; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000592:standards*; D035081:Editorial Policies; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D014572:Urology / Q000592:standards*