The full text of all accepted BMJ research articles is published online in full, with open access and no word limit, on bmj.com as soon as it is ready. In the print BMJ each research article is abridged, with the aim of making research more inviting and useful to readers.

BMJ pico is our one page abridged format for research papers in the print journal, which some authors volunteered to help us pilot. We have designed BMJ pico with evidence based medicine experts to succinctly present the key evidence from each study, to help minimise delay between online and print publication, and to enable us to publish more research in each week’s print BMJ. See frequently asked questions (FAQs) about BMJ pico.

There is no need for authors to prepare a BMJ pico to submit along with their full research article. Authors produce their own BMJ pico, using a template from us, only after the full article has been accepted.

Because publication of research on bmj.com is definitive, rather than interim “epublication ahead of print”, authors who do not wish to abridge their articles using BMJ pico will be able to opt for online only publication.

Templates for BMJ pico

BMJ pico for case-control study

BMJ pico for cohort study

BMJ pico for cross sectional study

BMJ pico for diagnostic test study

BMJ pico for economic evaluation

BMJ pico for randomised controlled trial

BMJ pico for systematic review or meta-analysis

Published examples of BMJ pico 

Relation of study quality, concordance, take home message, funding, and impact in studies of influenza vaccines: systematic review. Jefferson T and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b354 BMJ pico

Randomised controlled trial of Alexander technique lessons, exercise, and massage (ATEAM) for chronic and recurrent back pain: economic evaluation. Hollinghurst S and colleagues. doi:10.1136/bmj.a2946 BMJ pico

Management of depression in UK general practice in relation to scores on depression severity questionnaires: analysis of medical record data. Kendrick T and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b750 BMJ pico

Patients’ and doctors’ views on depression severity questionnaires incentivised in UK quality and outcomes framework: qualitative study. Dowrick C and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b663 BMJ pico

Total mortality after changes in leisure time physical activity in 50 year old men: 35 year follow-up of population based cohort. Byberg L and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b688 BMJ pico

Migraines during pregnancy linked to stroke and vascular diseases: US population based case-control study. Bushnell CD and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b664 BMJ pico

Written informed consent and selection bias in observational studies using medical records: systematic review. Kho ME and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b866 BMJ pico

Effect of food intake during labour on obstetric outcome: randomised controlled trial. O’Sullivan and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b784 BMJ pico

Naftidrofuryl for intermittent claudication: meta-analysis based on individual patient data. De Backer and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b603 BMJ pico

Inequalities in maternal health: national cohort study of ethnic variation in severe maternal morbidities. Knight M and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b542 BMJ pico

Low intensity pulsed ultrasonography for fractures: systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Busse JW and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b351 BMJ pico

Effect of tobacco smoking on survival of men and women by social position: a 28 year cohort study. Gruer L and colleagues. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b480 BMJ pico