These guidelines help authors prepare manuscripts that meet our editorial and ethical standards. Please read them in full before submitting. Individual journals may add scope-specific requirements, which are noted on the journal’s page.
Before you submit
- The manuscript is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal.
- All authors have approved the submission and meet authorship criteria (see Publication Ethics).
- Any conflicts of interest and funding sources are declared.
- Required ethical approvals and informed consent have been obtained for studies involving humans or animals.
Manuscript types
- Original research — full reports of original studies.
- Review articles — systematic or narrative syntheses of a topic.
- Case reports — instructive clinical cases with appropriate consent.
- Editorials & commentaries — usually by invitation.
Manuscript preparation
Structure
Research articles should generally follow the IMRaD structure: Title, Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References. Include a structured or unstructured abstract (typically 150–300 words) and 4–8 keywords.
Formatting
- Submit editable text (e.g. Microsoft Word or LaTeX); double-spaced with line and page numbers is preferred for review.
- Use SI units, define all abbreviations at first use, and use generic drug names.
- Figures and tables should be cited in order, numbered, and accompanied by clear legends. Supply figures at sufficient resolution for print and online.
References
Cite primary, peer-reviewed sources where possible and include DOIs where available. A consistent recognised citation style should be used throughout; reference accuracy is the responsibility of the authors.
Ethical requirements
- Authorship — all listed authors must have contributed substantially; contributorship should be transparent.
- Conflicts of interest — declare any financial or non-financial interests.
- Consent & approvals — state the approving ethics committee and that informed consent was obtained.
- Data availability — include a data availability statement; we encourage open data and reproducibility.
- Originality — manuscripts are screened for similarity; see our Plagiarism Policy.
The submission & review process
Submitted manuscripts are checked for completeness and scope, then sent for double-blind peer review (see Peer Review). Authors receive a decision with reviewer feedback and, where applicable, an invitation to revise.
After acceptance
- Accepted manuscripts are copy-edited and typeset; authors approve proofs before publication.
- A permanent DOI is registered with Crossref, and the article is published open access under CC-BY 4.0.
- Structured metadata is made available for indexing and discovery.
Article Processing Charges may apply — see Publication Charges and our Waiver & Refund Policy.
Manuscript Specifications
To ensure consistency and a smooth review, please observe the following before submitting:
- Title: concise and specific — ideally no more than 28 words; avoid abbreviations.
- Abstract: 200–250 words summarising background, methods, results, and conclusions.
- Structure: Cover letter, Abstract, Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results & Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgements, References.
- References: Vancouver style — numbered in order of appearance; list up to six authors then "et al."
- File format: a single Microsoft Word file, double-spaced, pages numbered, with figures and tables embedded or supplied separately.
Indicative word limits
- Original research: 4,500–5,000 words
- Review articles: 4,000–5,000 words
- Case reports: 1,200–1,600 words
- Short communications: 1,200–1,300 words
- Clinical images: up to 2 images with ~150 words
Figures & images
Supply high-resolution figures (TIFF, PDF, EPS, or high-quality JPEG/PNG): approximately 300 dpi for halftones and colour, and 600–1000 dpi for line art. Number figures sequentially (e.g. "Figure 1") and cite each in the text.