EPIDEMIOLOGIC INQUIRY AWARD Series

Beginning January 2006, The Journal will regularly announce a series of "Epidemiologic Inquiry Awards" for best original investigations in epidemiology and clinical medicine from among new published papers in each award period. The award categories are:

"Epidemiologic Inquiry Accolade: Original Investigation of the Month"
Eligible papers are original epidemiologic studies of observational design, excluding reviews.

"Epidemiologic Inquiry Accolade: Meta-Analysis of the Month"
Eligible papers are original systematic reviews with a meta-analytic component. A systematic search of at least one major biomedical database is required. Meta-analyses of either randomized or observational studies are eligible. Pooling projects are not eligible.

"Epidemiologic Inquiry Accolade: Randomized Trial of the Month"
Eligible papers are original investigations of randomized interventions. Trials must be of sufficient size and duration to have significant impact on clinical medicine and public health.

top-awards:
"Epidemiologic Inquiry Award: Best Original Investigation" (annual)
Eligible papers are original investigations of any study design. The winning paper may be selected from among previous weekly/monthly winning papers or from any new paper published during the eligible semi-annual time period (January-June).

"Epidemiologic Inquiry Award: Best Methodologic Innovation" (annual)
Eligible papers must contribute a novel method or an innovative approach to epidemiologic investigation.

Papers are judged overall based on the following criteria:
1) quality of study design and analysis
2) clinical and public health significance
3) innovation in understanding disease etiology
4) innovation and novel approaches in analysis

The body of journals from which articles are selected is comprised of leading epidemiology journals, leading general medicine journals (e.g. NEJM, JAMA, BMJ, etc), as well as leading journals in substantive fields (e.g. J Nat'l Cancer Institute, Diabetes / Diabetes Care, Circulation, Am J Clinical Nutr, etc).

No monetary prizes are bestowed. Each winning paper will be featured in the newest issue of the Journal. Press releases for the paper named "Best Methodologic Innovation" will be distributed to schools of public health and the journal in which the article appears. Press releases for the paper named "Best Original Investigation" will be distributed to media outlets, schools of public health, and the journal in which the article appears.

With exception of "Epidemiologic Inquiry Prize" top-awards, decisions are made by the editorial board of the Journal. The Prizes for top investigation are decided after peer consultation with editors of leading epidemiology and clinical journals and experts in epidemiology methods and biostatistics, for respective prizes.

Nominations. Nominations from readers are considered, though self-nomination of an article on which one is a co-author is prohibited. However, official press releases sent from institutions' communications offices are acceptable. All nominations must be accompanied by the nominator's name, contact informations, URL to the nominated article's webpage, and a brief letter (or press release) describing the significance of the article's contribution to epidemiology and/or medicine. Nominations may be emailed to epidemiologic@gmail.com.