Submissions

Author Guidelines

Authors Guidelines:

The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Health Sciences (IJMHS) invites authors to submit their valuable research, in English, covering both fundamental and clinical aspects across a wide range of healthcare disciplines. Below are the categories of articles published by the journal, and we encourage you to select the section that best suits your submission. If your manuscript does not fit within any of the listed categories, please reach out to the Editorial Office for guidance.

 

Article Categories

The categories of articles that are published in the Journal are listed and described below. Please select the category that best describes your paper. If your paper does not fall into any of these categories, please contact the Editorial Office.

Editorial:

An editorial is typically written by a member of the editorial board or an invited expert. It is an unstructured piece with no limitations on word count or references, allowing the author to provide commentary, insights, or reflections on relevant topics within the journal's scope.

Original Research

This category of articles addresses research topics and/or hypotheses with comprehensive study design and methods. The complete document, encompassing the abstract, tables, figures, and references, must not surpass 15 typed pages in double spacing or 2500 words, and should contain no more than 25 references. By default, a maximum of six authors from the same institution will be permitted; however, this may be adjusted for network, collaborative, or multi-institution studies.

Research protocol

Only prospective proposed fundamental and clinical research studies that have received ethical clearance from the appropriate ethics review board will be accepted in this submission category. The document must furnish a comprehensive description of the hypothesis, motivation, methodology, anticipated outcomes, and future applicability of the study within the domain of clinical dentistry.

Short communication

This category encompasses concise statements regarding intriguing, innovative ideas or hypotheses in the field of dentistry. The document must not exceed 2000 words, inclusive of an abstract (200 words), two figures, one table, and five references. A maximum of two writers is permitted in this category. 

Review

This category requests structured reviews (systematic review and meta-analysis, scoping review) of fundamental and clinical subjects pertinent to the readership. In exceptional instances, a narrative or thematic review on an intriguing, innovative subject will be considered for acceptance. Review papers must not surpass fifteen typed pages in double spacing or 4000 words; the abstract is limited to 250 words; references are capped at 100. While there are no explicit guidelines for the structure of a review paper, it should encompass an abstract, introduction, methods, results, limitations, conclusion, references, and tables/figures.

IJOMHS seeks Review Articles authored by area specialists who are directly committed to manuscript preparation, hence restricting authorship to a maximum of four individuals.

Case Report/Case Series

Maximum 3 cases are allowed in Case report category and must be in form of clinciopathological case presentation (including abstract, case presentation, diagnostic investigation(s), differential diagnosis with discussion, key points of case(s)). It should be limited to 1000 words, should not have more than 4 authors and should not contain over 4 illustrations and 10 references. Case series must have more than 5 cases, should be limited to 1500 word. Should not have more that 5 authors and. Authors have to comply with The CARE (for CAse REports)  guidelines (https://www.care-statement.org/). For further details, authors are requested to visit https://www.equator-network.org/.

Letter to the editor:

The article is brief and lacks structure, containing thoughts, including critiques, of published works. Occasionally, it may address topics of public interest without referencing published articles.

Manuscript Categories

Research

All research submissions should be formatted in the following sections: 

1. Title Page

Include a separate title page with:

• Title (maximum 25 characters)
• All authors names and full addresses
• Corresponding author’s postal and email address
• A short title (maximum 10 characters, including spaces)
• A minimum of four keywords describing the manuscript
• Word count of the full article, excluding references and figure legends

2. Abstract

The abstract should be a single paragraph of not more than 250 words, clearly stating the objective of the study or review, the methods used (where applicable), and summarizing results and conclusions.  Avoid abbreviations and references in this section.

3. Introduction

The introduction should set the study in context by briefly reviewing relevant knowledge of the subject; follow this with a concise statement of the objectives of the study.

4. Materials and methods

Provide sufficient information for other workers to repeat the study. If well-established methods are used give a reference to the technique and provide full details of any modifications.

• Include the source of chemicals, reagents and hormones and give the manufacturer’s name and location (town, country) in parentheses.
• Give the generic name, dose and route of administration for drugs.
• Specify the composition of buffers, solutions and culture media.
• Use SI symbols, give concentrations in mol/L and define the term % as w/v or v/v for all solutions. For international units use IU (U should be used for enzyme activity).
• Specify the type of equipment (microscopes/objective lenses, cameras, detectors) used to obtain images.
• Specify any image acquisition software used, and give a description of specialized techniques requiring large amounts of processing, such as confocal, deconvolution, 3D reconstructions, or surface and volume rendering.

Reports of randomized, controlled trials should follow the recommendations of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement.

Reporting guidelines for specific study designs:

Initiative	Type of Study	Source
CONSORT	Randomized controlled trials	http://www.consort-statement.org
STARD	Studies of diagnostic accuracy	http://www.consort-statement.org/stardstatement.htm
QUOROM	Systematic reviews and meta-analyses	http://www.consort-statement.org/Initiatives/MOOSE/moose.pdf
STROBE	Observational studies in epidemiology	http://www.strobe-statement.org
MOOSE	Meta-analyses of observational studies in epidemiology	http://www.consort-statement.org/Initiatives/MOOSE/moose.pdf

 

5. Results

The results should read as a narrative leading the reader through the experiments and investigations performed. Referencing and mention of others studies is permitted in the Results section where necessary or helpful.

6. Discussion

Should not simply re-state results, but should put them in the broader context and highlight the importance and novelty of the work. 

7. Declaration of interest, Funding and Acknowledgements

 

7. Declaration of interest

Actual or perceived conflicts of interest for all authors must be declared in full.

Please either (a) declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported; or (b) fully declare any financial or other potential conflict of interest.

Conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Employment and consultancies
• Grants, fees and honoraria
• Ownership of stock or shares
• Royalties
• Patents (pending and actual)
• Board membership

Funding

Please detail all of the sources of funding relevant to the research reported in the following format:

This work was supported by the Medical Research Council (grant numbers xxxx, yyyy); the Wellcome Trust (grant number xxxx); and Tommy’s Baby charity (grant number xxxx).

Where research has not been funded please state the following:

This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

Author contribution statement (optional)

Please include a statement specifying the contribution of each co-author.

Acknowledgements

Please be as brief as possible.

8. References

All references cited in the text must be included in the reference list and vice versa. However, if a reference consists of only a web address do not include it in the reference list but cite it in the text, giving the date the page was accessed.

Citation in text

Please ensure that every reference cited in the text is also present in the reference list (and vice versa). Any references cited in the abstract must be given in full. Unpublished results and personal communications are not recommended in the reference list, but may be mentioned in the text. If these references are included in the reference list, they should follow the standard reference style of the journal and should include a substitution of the publication date with either 'Unpublished results' or 'Personal communication'. Citation of a reference as 'in press' implies that the item has been accepted for publication

In the reference list

Number the references in the order in which they first appear in the text and identify the reference numbers in the text in superscript. References must be placed at the end of the manuscript. Please use recent references as much as possible. The responsibility for accuracy of references lies with the respective authors. The Journal is in agreement with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (http://www.icmje.org). The general arrangement, abbreviations of Journal names and punctuations followed are as per the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts submitted to Biomedical Journals (http://www.icmje.org). Please pay attention to the style of references and punctuations as follows:

List all authors when six or less as shown in the example below.

Tallon D, Chard J, Dieppe P. Exploring the priorities of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Arthritis

Care and Res 2000; 13: 312–9.

When there are seven or more authors, list only the first six and add et al.

Book or monograph

Following is an example: Cassidy JT. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In: Textbook of Rheumatology 6th

ed, Kelly et al (eds) Philadelphia Saunders 2000; pp. 1297–313.

 

9. Statistical analysis

The author must demonstrate that the results are reproducible and that the differences are not random. Although there are no absolute requirements, quantifiable results should come from three repeat studies. Test result significance using appropriate statistical methodologies. Avoid using the term ‘significant’ without statistical analysis and specifying the significance value (e.g., P < 0.05).

When doing multiple t-tests, nominal probability thresholds no longer apply. Thus, use the multiple t-test, multiple range test, or similar methods for simultaneous comparisons. To pool data, increase degrees of freedom, and improve reliability, one analysis of variance (ANOVA) may be better than many t-tests. When data deviate significantly from a normal distribution, authors should employ appropriate nonparametric tests. Show 95% confidence limits when presenting linear regression findings.

Provide enough experimental design and analytic details for the reader to evaluate their suitability for testing hypotheses.

In particular:

• Describe the experimental unit numbers and treatment allocation.
• Do not exclude outlier observations from analysis. If required, authors should justify omitting observations from the analysis.
• Clearly describe analysis methodologies and assumptions to inform experiment conclusions.

Where possible, writers must offer graphs with individual data points to indicate data distribution.

For feedback, send your article to the Statistical Advisor.

10. Tables

Tables should be concise. Tables too large for print publication should be submitted as supplementary data.

• Number tables in the order they are cited in the text
• Include a title – a single sentence at the head of the table that includes the name of the organism studied
• Use footnotes to provide any additional explanatory material, cross-referenced to the column entries
• Give a short heading for each column
• Do not use internal horizontal or vertical lines, colour or shading
• Explain all abbreviations used in the table in the footnotes

 

11. Figures

The journal has produced digital image guidelines in order to clarify the standards expected by the journal. All submitted digital images must adhere to these guidelines.

Colour figures will be published online at no charge to the author. Publication of colour figures in the print version will incur a charge that must be paid before publication. Please note the option to print in greyscale is subject to editorial approval, if the meaning of your image is unclear you will be asked to print in colour and a charge will apply.

• Number figures in the order they are cited in the text
• Include legends to all figures, giving the figure number, keys to any symbols used, the name of the organism studied, the names of any statistical tests used and the probability levels used for comparisons
• Label figure sections as A, B etc in the top left-hand corner
• Use Arial or a similar sans-serif font for text labels
• Do not enclose figures in boxes
• Indicate magnification by a scale bar in the bottom right-hand corner of the image and give the measurement in the legend
• Use the preferred symbols of closed and open circles, squares and triangles. Ensure that symbols are large enough to be read clearly when the figure is reduced for publication
• Use Courier or a similar non-proportional font for amino acid, DNA, RNA and PCR primer sequences and highlight sections of homology between sequences with grey shading

File types and resolution

IJMHS is committed to publishing high quality figures.

EPS or TIFF files are preferred. Files should be exported in Illustrator compatible format. Avoid using PowerPoint or Word files for figures.

• Line images/graphs: eps, tiff, high-resolution pdf, AI (Adobe Illustrator); resolution at final published size: 1200 dpi
• Half-tone (greyscale) images: tiff, high-resolution pdf, jpg; resolution at final published size: 600 dpi
• Colour images: tiff, high-resolution pdf and jpg; eps or AI files can be used for graphical data and illustrations that don’t include photographs; resolution at final published size: 300 dpi; CMYK format (not RGB)

2. Review

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis:

These reviews aim to gather and present as much evidence as possible on a specific research question, with the findings pooled together for comprehensive analysis.

Narrative Literature Review:

This is a concise summary of existing literature. Manuscripts of this type require either an invitation or approval from the Editor-in-Chief prior to submission. Authors interested in submitting a narrative review should contact the Editor-in-Chief for approval and further instructions.

Critical Review:

These articles provide a detailed summary of well-established knowledge, emphasizing key developments over the past five years. The focus is on critical issues and concepts that bring an element of innovation or excitement to the topic.

Authors are encouraged to structure systematic reviews according to the PRISMA format. For detailed guidelines on conducting systematic reviews, please refer to the PRISMA guidelines at the following link: PRISMA Guidelines.

A systematic review should include:

• A structured abstract with sections: Statement of the Problem, Purpose, Materials and Methods, Results, and Conclusions.
• The main text should consist of an introduction (including background and objectives), methods (including selection criteria, search methods, data collection, and analysis), results (description of included studies, methodological quality, and analysis results), discussion, and authors’ conclusions. Additionally, sections for acknowledgments, funding, and conflicts of interest should be included. References must be peer-reviewed.
• Relevant tables and figures may be included to detail the characteristics of the studies, interventions compared, study results, excluded studies, and any additional information.
• Meta-analysis can be employed for statistical analysis if applicable.
• The review must be thorough and reproducible, ideally incorporating hand-searches and gray literature searches.
• The manuscript should cover the topic comprehensively, with adequate references, and should not exceed 10 printed pages, or approximately 33 typescript pages, including illustrations and tables.

 

3. Case Report Preparation

Case Reports:

Case reports will only be considered if they present new insights with unique, clinically relevant, and challenging characteristics. These reports should document unusual observations or provide innovative solutions to clinical challenges, including rare conditions with exclusive diagnostic findings or difficulties in diagnosis. When presenting a patient case, it is essential to include accurate pre- and post-treatment records that showcase the quality of care provided. This should include a complete diagnostic evaluation, treatment development, and follow-up.

Informed Consent and Ethics Approval:

All case reports must include documented informed consent from the patient and approval from the ethics committee. This approval should allow the inclusion of patient details, information, or images in the publication.

Case Report Structure:

• Title
• Abstract: (Limited to 250 words. Include 5 keywords listed in alphabetical order, aligned with the MeSH terms)
• Main Text: Includes the following sections: Introduction, Case Report, Discussion, and Conclusion.
• Additional Sections: Acknowledgments, Funding, Regulatory Statement, Conflict of Interest.
• References

We encourage authors to follow the case report guidelines provided at: CARE Guidelines.

Patient Consent and Ethics:

Ethical considerations should follow the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki.

Figures and Legends for All Manuscripts (A to D):

• Figures, tables, and illustrations should be embedded within the text and also uploaded as separate files in the required resolution.
• Figures must be uploaded as Supplemental Material (Step 4 of the submission process).
• Tables should be provided in Word format, including titles, descriptions, and footnotes.
• Figures should be in JPG or TIFF format, with a resolution of at least 300 DPI and a minimum size of 1200 pixels.
• The dimensions of the figures should match the intended published size, with preferred dimensions of 17 x 11 cm or 8 x 5 cm.

Conflict of Interest

Authors must state any financial or personal links with others or organizations that may inappropriately influence their work in their manuscript. Employment, consultancies, stock ownership, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants/other financing should be reported as potential conflicts of interest.

Data Availability

All published manuscripts reporting original research in journal must include a data availability statement.

Permissions

The author must obtain all necessary permits before publication. When utilizing any previously published materials, such as figures, tables, or films, it is imperative to secure permission for reuse from the copyright holder (author or publisher) and to incorporate any necessary permission statements inside the figure legends. This encompasses your own previously published content if you do not retain the copyright.

Ahead of Print

Online articles published under the Ahead of Print methodology are deemed published and may be cited and referenced using the DOI.

Archiving Policy

The journal is dedicated to the enduring preservation of its content. All articles published by the journal are digitally archived in the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN).Furthermore, journals advocate for authors to archive the published versions of their papers in institutional repositories and other suitable venues.

Preprint Policy

The journal permits the submission of articles that have been previously published on preprint servers. Please update all pre-publication versions with a link to the final published article. The final published version of the article may be posted shortly following its publication.

Correction Policy

To preserve the integrity of the scientific record and prevent downstream inconsistencies, small adjustments that do not influence the scientific comprehension of the paper (such as formatting, typographical errors, or word choice preferences) may be declined if presented after publication. The correction process is contingent upon the article's publication stage; nonetheless, a correction notice is issued promptly in all cases.

The IJOMHS will contemplate substituting the Online First publication with a revised version that rectifies the error and documents the modifications made, including the date(s) of these changes in a correction notice at the conclusion of the article.

If the article has been published in an issue, a correction notice will be issued in the subsequent electronic and print editions. The digital edition of the story will direct to the correction notice.

Retraction Policy

Retractions are considered by journal editors in cases of evidence of unreliable data or findings, Plagiarism, redundant publication, and unethical research practices. All retraction notices elucidate the reasons for the article's retraction. A retraction notice will be issued in the forthcoming web and print issue. Editors ought to contemplate retracting a publication if there is unequivocal evidence indicating that the findings are untrustworthy, whether due to significant errors (e.g., miscalculations or experimental inaccuracies) or due to fabrication (e.g., data manipulation) or falsification (e.g., image alteration).It constitutes an act of plagiarism.

• The findings were previously published without appropriate attribution to original sources, notice to editors, permission for republication, or rationale, indicating instances of repetitive publication.
• It comprises material or data utilized without authorization.
• Copyright infringement has occurred or there exists another significant legal concern (e.g., defamation, privacy violation).
• It documents unethical research practices.
• It has been published only due of a compromised or manipulated peer review process.
• The author(s) neglected to disclose a significant conflicting interest that could have improperly influenced the interpretations of the work or the suggestions made by editors and peer reviewers.

 

 

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