Writer’s Guidelines

Impact magazine, published 11 times a year by the Private Practice Section (PPS) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), is a primary source of information dedicated to fostering the growth, economic viability, and business success of the physical therapist in business. The mission of Impact is to provide valuable, thought-provoking content and cultivate encouraging, diverse resources for the physical therapy business community. Impact also provides a forum to discuss professional issues and ideas and encourages all members of the PPS community to contribute. Below, you’ll find Tips for Writing Success to help drive your points home, information about the article you’re writing (ideal word counts, etc), submission standards, the editing process, and more. We thank you so much for your contribution to section, its members, and the profession.

Tips for Writing Success:

• Write with empathy. Anticipate where the reader is on your topic; what do they know, what do they want to know, what barriers do they have, are they emotionally attached to the topic, etc. Can you anticipate any questions they may have on the topic?
• Show readers how your message applies in the real world – how does it add value to people’s lives, reduce burdens, and meet needs?
• Provide specific, actionable information. Readers should walk away knowing 1-3 things they could do right away to improve in the content area.
• Back up any claims with references.
• Write in a style that suits you – don’t hesitate to incorporate emotion or humor. Let who you are shine through in your writing.
• Enjoy it! The Impact Editorial Board is here to help with any questions you have. Thank you so much for the role you play in shaping the future of our profession.

Article Types and Information:

Feature Articles (~1500 words):

• Each issue of Impact will have 5 Feature Articles; one of which will be published exclusively online.
• References – It’s ideal for Feature Articles to pull from sources of evidence – including research articles, books, other magazine articles, etc. Cite these using AMA format.
• Writing style – While Perspectives Columns may feature a more personal approach, it’s best for Feature Articles to focus on the reader as opposed to the writer.
• Action Item – All Feature Articles should have a take-home message or action item. This will help make the most important elements of the article memorable for readers and give them something they can implement.

Member’s Perspective Columns (~700-1000 words):

• Perspectives: This article is a thought-provoking article based on the author’s viewpoints, opinions, insights, and ideas about private practice and the profession.
• Lessons Learned: Lessons Learned articles will spotlight one PPS member and how they approached a specific task or problem in their practice and explain the outcome.
• Point/Counterpoint: These articles are new to Impact. They are designed to highlight different perspectives on the same topic. Two authors are usually working together to highlight differences and similarities between their views and actions. The tone of Point/Counterpoint articles should be respectful. Disagreements are welcome; attacks are not.

Regular Columns (~500 words)

• Quick Fix/Quick Fix Pro: These columns feature a brief background of a problem faced and a solution from two different perspectives. A Quick Fix is a solution designed for novices or one that may not require as much depth or time. A Quick Fix Pro is a solution designed for experts or people willing to spend more time or resources to achieve an advanced result.

Submission Standards:

• Submission should be typed and submitted within the article submission form. Please do not use all-cap or italic type.
• Authors should provide byline and contact information, including: full name; title; degree(s), designator(s), and other credential(s); agency affiliation; location; and email/twitter and USPS addresses.
• Authors must include complete references when discussing particular concepts, principles, or statistics, cited in AMA format.
• Digital photographs may also be submitted in either black-and-white or color and must be of at least 300 dpi resolution
• The author may provide a link to a supporting podcast that provides complimentary information to the article if the following guidelines are met:
• The podcast is hosted/recorded by a section member
• The podcast contains no self-promoting content
• The podcast provides supporting information to the article and offers additional content
• Articles and supporting resources may not be self-promoting, nor may they promote products by name. When determined to be relevant and of interest to other PPS members, product reviews by members may be allowed at the discretion of the managing editor.
• Articles requested and written for a specific assignment should be sent to the Editorial Board member who made the request and who is responsible for the assignment.

Copyright and Usage:

• Author represents and warrants that all submitted materials are the unpublished and original work of the author, the author has no knowledge of any third-party claims regarding any rights to the materials submitted, and that none of the materials submitted violate any rights of others including, without limitation, any copyrights or privacy rights, and that the materials are factually accurate.
• Author agrees that upon submission of the article and any related materials that the same become the property of PPS.
• Authors must complete a disclosure statement if appropriate. The above requirements also are summarized in checklist format for the author’s final review. The disclosure responses do not impact whether an article is ultimately accepted for publication.

Editorial Process:

• Author submits completed form and article to Editorial Board member by requested date
• Editorial board member edits the article for grammatical errors, abbreviations, content review, and to check references. Editorial Board member will also review for self/product promotion.
• If significant modification is required, Editorial Board member will submit back to author for review/adjustment. If the Editorial Board member makes significant changes to the document, it should be sent to author for review.
• By submitting an article, including graphs, charts, sample forms, photographs, or other similar information, the author thereby consents to publication by Impact of any and all such submitted materials.

Disclosure Statement:

The Private Practice Section does not endorse, approve, guarantee, or warrant any articles, products, or services in Impact magazine or the effectiveness, quality, or safety of any such products or services. Topics discussed and information provided in any articles or as to any products or services is intended to be for informational purposes only and not to be relied upon by the reader for any purpose. Acceptance by PPS of advertisements of such products does not indicate or imply any preference over other similar products or services. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or members of PPS / APTA. We invite and encourage you to share your expertise and perspective while contributing to the body of knowledge related to physical therapy private practice. Articles, ideas, and manuscripts should, whenever possible, reflect real and specific experiences.

Copyright 2019 by PPS / APTA.

Materials may not be reproduced without permission.

Requests for reprint permission: editor@ppsapta.org