The scope of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology® (JCM) includes the laboratory diagnosis of human and animal infections, the role of the laboratory in managing infectious diseases (including antimicrobial and diagnostic test stewardship), and the role of the laboratory in elucidating the epidemiology of infections. The three principal attributes required of papers published in JCM are significance, relevance to the practice of clinical microbiology, and quality science. The significance of a paper depends on novelty, timeliness, and potential for impact on patient outcomes or clinical microbiology laboratory practice. These standards are applied to all papers, regardless of the specific technology studied.