CMI CMI Publication & Editorial Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When submitting figures to a journal, 'figure callouts' refer to which editorial requirement?
- Color correction marks on proofs
- In-text citations that reference each figure in order (Correct answer)
- Captions placed beneath figures
- Permission letters for adapted images
Correct answer: In-text citations that reference each figure in order
Figure callouts are mandatory in-text references (e.g., 'Fig. 1') that must appear in the manuscript in sequential order before each figure is introduced.
Question 2: Which Creative Commons license allows reuse with attribution but prohibits commercial use?
- CC BY
- CC BY-NC (Correct answer)
- CC BY-SA
- CC BY-ND
Correct answer: CC BY-NC
CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial) permits sharing and adaptation with credit but explicitly prohibits commercial exploitation of the work.
Question 3: In a multi-panel figure, panels are conventionally labeled using which convention in biomedical publications?
- Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3)
- Uppercase Roman letters (A, B, C) (Correct answer)
- Lowercase letters (a, b, c)
- Greek letters (α, β, γ)
Correct answer: Uppercase Roman letters (A, B, C)
Biomedical journals conventionally label multi-panel figure components with uppercase Roman letters (A, B, C) placed in the corner of each panel.
Question 4: Which publication standard specifies color accessibility requirements to assist readers with color vision deficiency?
- CMYK gamut specification
- WCAG contrast ratio guidelines (Correct answer)
- APA style manual
- NLM citation format
Correct answer: WCAG contrast ratio guidelines
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) contrast ratio standards help ensure figures are perceivable by readers with color vision deficiency when published online.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of a 'proof' stage in the journal publication workflow for medical illustrations?
- Final color calibration by the printer
- Author and illustrator review for errors before final printing (Correct answer)
- Peer review of scientific content
- Copyright registration
Correct answer: Author and illustrator review for errors before final printing
Proofs are pre-publication copies sent to authors and illustrators to catch errors in layout, figure quality, and labeling before the article is printed or posted online.
Question 6: Which statement about figure permissions is correct when adapting an illustration from a previously published paper?
- Adapting a figure requires no permission if the source is cited
- Written permission from the copyright holder is required before publication (Correct answer)
- Permission is only needed for figures older than 10 years
- Open-access articles never require permission
Correct answer: Written permission from the copyright holder is required before publication
Adapting or reproducing figures from published works requires written permission from the copyright holder (typically the journal or publisher) regardless of citation.
CMI CMI Publication & Editorial Standards 2
When submitting figures to a journal, 'figure callouts' refer to which editorial requirement?