AuthorGuidelines

Manuscript preparation

Language: All manuscripts must be written in English. Ensure clarity, conciseness, and consistency throughout the manuscript.

Format: Submit your manuscript as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). Use a standard font (e.g., Times New Roman, 12-point) and double-space the text.

Tittle page: Include the title of the manuscript, the names and affiliations of all authors, and the contact information of the corresponding author.

Abstract: Provide an abstract of no more than 250 words summarizing the background, methods, results, and conclusions of the study. Avoid references in the abstract.

Keywords: Include 4-6 keywords that accurately reflect the content of the manuscript.

 

Types of manuscripts

Original research

Introduction

It consists of background, rationale and objective of your study. For background, provide a concise review of the existing literature that sets the context for your research. Highlight gaps or unresolved issues that your study addresses. For rationale, explain the importance and relevance of your study. Justify why the research was needed. And for the objectives, clearly state the primary and secondary objectives of the study. Formulate research questions or hypotheses if applicable.

Methods

Study Design: Describe the type of study conducted (e.g., randomized controlled trial, cohort study, qualitative research).

Setting: Provide details about the location and context where the study was conducted.

Participants: Detail the criteria for participant selection, including inclusion and exclusion criteria. Provide information on the number of participants, recruitment methods, and demographic characteristics.

Interventions: Describe any interventions or exposures in detail, including their duration, frequency, and delivery method.

Data Collection: Explain the procedures and tools used for data collection. Include information about the validity and reliability of instruments.

Outcome Measures: Define the primary and secondary outcome measures, including how they were assessed.

Data Analysis: Describe the statistical or qualitative methods used to analyze the data. Mention any software used and the rationale for choosing specific analytical techniques.

Ethical Approval: State that the study received ethical approval from an appropriate review board and provide the approval number.

Results

Participant Flow: Use a flow diagram to show the number of participants at each stage of the study (e.g., enrollment, intervention allocation, follow-up, and analysis).

Baseline Data: Provide a summary of the baseline characteristics of the study participants.

Outcomes: resent the findings for each primary and secondary outcome. Use tables and figures to illustrate the results where appropriate. Ensure all data are clearly labeled and include measures of variability (e.g., confidence intervals, standard deviations).

Subgroup Analyses: If any subgroup analyses were conducted, report their findings.

Discussion

Principal Findings: Summarize the main findings of the study in relation to the study objectives.

Comparison with Existing Literature: Compare your results with findings from previous studies. Discuss similarities and differences and provide possible explanations for discrepancies.

Implications: Discuss the implications of your findings for clinical practice, policy, and future research. Highlight the contribution of your study to the field.

Strengths and Limitations: Acknowledge the strengths of your study (e.g., robust methodology, large sample size) and discuss its limitations (e.g., potential biases, generalizability issues).

Future Directions: Suggest areas for further research based on your findings and identified gaps.

Conclusion

Provide a concise summary of the key findings and their significance. Reiterate the contribution of the study to the field and suggest practical applications if applicable.

 

Case Reports

Introduction

Background: Provide a brief overview of the condition or issue being presented. Highlight the relevance and uniqueness of the case.

Objectives: Clearly state the purpose of presenting this case report.

Case Presentation

Patient Information: Include the patient’s age, sex, and relevant medical history.

Clinical Findings: Describe the patient’s symptoms, signs, and any initial diagnostic tests or assessments.

Diagnostic Assessment: Detail the diagnostic process, including laboratory tests, imaging studies, and differential diagnoses considered.

Interventions: Describe the treatments or interventions administered, including medications, surgeries, or other therapeutic procedures.

Follow-up and Outcomes: Provide information on the patient’s progress, follow-up visits, and final outcomes. Include any complications or adverse events.

Confirm that informed consent was obtained from the patient or their legal guardian for publication of the case details. Include a statement to this effect in the manuscript.

Discussion

Analysis: Discuss the significance of the case, comparing it with similar cases in the literature. Highlight any novel aspects of the case.

Implications for Practice: Explain the implications of the findings for clinical practice. Provide recommendations or guidelines based on the case.

Literature Review: Conduct a brief review of the relevant literature to place the case in context. Discuss similarities and differences with previously reported cases.

Lessons Learned: Summarize the key takeaways and clinical lessons from the case.

 

Review research

Literature review

Literature reviews provide an overview of the existing knowledge on a specific topic, summarizing and synthesizing the findings from multiple sources. These manuscripts should include the following sections:

Introduction

Background: Provide an overview of the topic and its significance.

Objectives: Clearly state the aim of the review and the research questions it seeks to address.

Methods

Search Strategy: Describe the approach used to identify relevant literature, including databases searched and search terms.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Define the criteria for selecting studies for inclusion in the review.

Data Extraction: Explain how data were extracted from the selected literature.

Results

Overview of Literature: Summarize the main findings from the reviewed literature.

Themes and Patterns: Identify and discuss key themes and patterns that emerged from the literature.

Discussion

Synthesis of Findings: Integrate the findings, discussing their implications and relevance to the field.

Comparison with Existing Literature: Compare the findings with those from other reviews or studies.

Implications for Practice and Research: Discuss the implications for clinical practice and future research.

Strengths and Limitations: Address the strengths and limitations of the review.

Conclusion

Summary: Provide a concise summary of the main points and conclusions of the review.

Future Directions: Suggest areas for further research based on the review findings.

Systematic review

Introduction

Background: Explain the significance of the topic and the need for the review.

Objectives: Clearly state the research questions or hypotheses the review aims to address.

Methods

Search Strategy: Describe the databases and sources searched, search terms, and time period covered.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Define the criteria for selecting studies for inclusion in the review.

Study selection: Outline the process for selecting studies, including how disagreements were resolved.

Data Extraction: Explain how data were extracted from the selected literature.

Quality Assessment: Discuss the methods used to assess the quality or risk of bias in the included studies.

Tools: Specify the quality assessment tools or checklists used, such as the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) or CASP checklists.

Assessment: Describe how the quality assessments were conducted and by whom. Mention if the assessments were done independently by multiple reviewers.

Results

PRISMA Flow Diagram: Include a PRISMA flow diagram to illustrate the study selection process.

Diagram: The PRISMA flow diagram should detail the number of records identified, screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the review, along with reasons for exclusions at each stage.

Study Characteristics: Summarize the key characteristics of the included studies, such as study design, sample size, and main findings.

Synthesis of Results: Provide a narrative or quantitative synthesis of the findings. If a meta-analysis was conducted, describe the statistical methods used and present the pooled results.

Subgroup Analyses: Present the results of any subgroup or sensitivity analyses, if applicable.

Discussion

Summary of Findings: Summarize the main findings in relation to the review objectives and research questions.

Comparison with Existing Literature: Compare the findings with previous reviews or studies, discussing similarities, differences, and potential reasons for discrepancies.

Implications for Practice and Research: Discuss the implications of the findings for clinical practice, policy, and future research.Strengths and Strengths and Limitations: Highlight the strengths and acknowledge the limitations of the review.

Conclusion

Summary: Provide a concise summary of the key points and overall conclusions of the review.

Future Directions: Suggest practical applications of the findings and recommend areas for future research.

Tables and figures

Number tables and figures consecutively and provide titles and captions. Ensure high resolution and include any necessary permissions for copyrighted material.

Ethical considerations

Ensure compliance with ethical standards for research involving human or animal subjects. Include a statement confirming ethical approval from an appropriate review board.

References

Follow the [insert reference style, e.g., APA, Vancouver] format for all citations. Ensure that all references are complete, accurate, and formatted consistently. Include DOI numbers where available.

Conflict of interest

Disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research findings or interpretation.

Acknowledgement

Acknowledge any individuals or organizations that contributed to the study but did not meet the criteria for authorship. Mention any funding sources.

Supplementary materials

Indicate if there are any supplementary materials available online, such as datasets, multimedia files, or additional tables and figures.