Author's Guidelines

Aim and Scope of the Journal

The National Journal of Medical Research is a quarterly published peer-reviewed open access medical journal. It is dedicated to publishing high-quality research that advances our understanding of in field of medical sciences. Our mission is to provide a platform for researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals to share their knowledge and insights with a global audience. We strive to promote transparency, integrity, and excellence in scientific publishing through rigorous peer-review and adherence to ethical standards.

Our medical journal covers a wide range of topics related to medical sciences, including but not limited to clinical research, basic science, laboratory science, clinical epidemiology, public health, and healthcare policy. We welcome original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, case series, and other types of manuscripts that advance our understanding of medical science, health, and disease. We encourage submissions that address important issues in medical care and have the potential to impact clinical practice, policy, and patient outcomes.

 

Instruction for preparation of Manuscript

A brief guideline for author is described here which will help author to prepare manuscript. Potential contributors are requested to read the “Uniform Guidelines for Submission of Biomedical Articles”, before submitting an article.

The ‘Instruction for Authors’ includes following subhead:

A. Submission of articles

B. Article Type

C. Article Format for Submission

D. Review process

E. Publication Charges

A) Submission of articles

Author(s) has to submit following files at the time of submission.

1. Cover Letter: Microsoft Word (Click to download template)
2. Article file (without authors’ details): Microsoft Word
3. Illustrations* (if applicable): JPG/JPEG format
4. Supplementary files (optional): Microsoft Word

Materials sent in any other format shall not be accepted.

*Illustrations (figures/photos/graphs) in .JPG/.JPEG format should be inserted into the body of the text as well as a separate attachment. The photographs used in case illustrations should be the original, unedited images.

Article must be sent through online submission system only. Link for the same in available on the home page of this website (Scroll down and see the left panel) or directly click on the following link:

Submissions | National Journal of Medical Research (njmr.in)

All correspondence regarding the papers, including galley proofs, will be sent to the corresponding author. All correspondence from the Editorial Board shall be through e-mail only.

 

B) Article Type

There are different types of articles published in the journal. Author needs to carefully select type of their article. Following are brief information about the various type of article:

1. Original research articles: These are articles that report on original research that has been conducted by the authors. They typically include sections on the background and objectives of the study, methods used to collect and analyze data, results, and conclusions drawn from the study.
2. Review articles: These are articles that provide a comprehensive overview of a particular topic, based on a critical evaluation of existing literature. Review articles may be narrative or systematic and may include meta-analyses of existing studies.
3. Case reports: These are articles that describe unique cases of diseases or conditions, and are often used to highlight rare or unusual presentations of a particular disease. Case reports typically include information on the patient's medical history, symptoms, diagnostic tests, treatment, and outcome.
4. Short communications/Short Research Article: These are brief reports that provide preliminary or limited results of original research, often with the aim of sharing findings quickly with the scientific community.
5. Editorials: These are opinion on a particular issue or topic related to medical research, especially current one. They may be written by the editors of the journal, or by invited experts in the field.
6. Commentaries: Commentaries are articles that provide critical evaluation or discussion on a particular topic or research article. Commentaries typically offer a unique perception, challenge assumptions, or provide additional insights and interpretations related to the topic at hand. Commentaries can be written by experts in the field or by individuals with a particular interest or expertise in the subject matter.
7. Perspectives: Perspectives are a type of article that provide an analysis of a particular topic or issue. They differ from original research articles in that they do not typically present new data, but instead offer a synthesis and interpretation of existing information or present a unique perspective on a current issue in the field.
8. Narratives/Viewpoints: Narratives, also known as personal viewpoints or essays, are a type of article in medical journals that focus on the personal experiences of the author, often related to a particular medical topic or issue. These articles typically feature a personal story or anecdote and use it as a springboard to discuss larger issues or themes in medicine.
9. Letters to the editor: These are short letters written by readers in response to previously published articles, or on other topics of interest to the readership.

It's important for authors to carefully consider the type of article that best fits their research, as this can impact the way their work is reviewed and ultimately published in a medical journal.

 

C) Article format for Submission:

Research articles must be focused and simple to read. Research papers should adhere to a set format that makes it simple for readers to locate the information they need. A brief guideline provided below:

Overview of IMRaD structure: IMRaD refers to the standard structure of the body of research manuscripts (after the Title and Abstract):

• Introduction
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Discussion and Conclusions

The NJMR publishes article sections in the following order: Title, Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Click here to download Templates.

Detailed guideline for each section is as follows:

TITLES

Author should keep following in mind while framing the Title:

1. Keep the title concise, clear, and informative.
2. Use language that is precise and easily understandable.
3. Avoid using jargon or abbreviations that may not be familiar to all readers.
4. Highlight the main objective or question of the study.
5. Indicate the scope and population of the study.
6. Mention the type of study design used (if applicable).
7. Use active voice whenever possible.
8. Avoid using sensational or exaggerated language.

Certain examples of good title are as follows:

• "Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Chronic Pain in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial"
• "Association between Dietary Habits and Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian Immigrants in the United States"
• "Factors Influencing Adherence to Medications for Type 2 Diabetes in a Low-Income Population"
• "Assessing the Validity of Self-Reported Physical Activity among Children: A Comparison of Questionnaire and Accelerometer Data"
• "The Effect of Yoga on Sleep Quality in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial"

Too short or too long title should be avoided.

Examples of too titles are as follows.

• "Yoga Study"
• "Diabetes Study"
• "Heart Disease in Immigrants"
• "Physical Activity Study"
• "Sleep Study"

As evident, the poor titles are vague, lack specificity, and do not convey the key elements of the study. The good titles, on the other hand, are concise, informative, and highlight the key aspects of the study.

Titles that are too long and contain unnecessary words can also be problematic. A good title should be concise and to the point, while still conveying the key elements of the study. Including too many words or using complex language can make the title difficult to understand and may turn off potential readers. It's important to strike a balance between providing enough information to pique readers' interest and being clear and concise.

Some examples of long titles that could be improved are as follows:

• "A Comparative Study of the Effects of a Novel Pharmaceutical Agent versus Placebo on the Management of Chronic Pain in Patients with Moderate to Severe Osteoarthritis of the Knee"
• "The Relationship between Social Media Use and Body Image Perception among Female College Students: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study"
• "An Evaluation of the Effects of Aerobic Exercise, Resistance Training, and Combined Exercise Programs on Cardiovascular Health, Muscle Strength, and Body Composition in Middle-Aged Adults with Obesity"
• "The Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy versus Standard Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety in a Clinical Population: A Randomized Controlled Trial"
• "A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Parental Involvement, School Climate, and Teacher Quality on Academic Achievement in Elementary School Students in Low-Income Neighborhoods"

While these titles do provide some information about the study, they are overly long and contain unnecessary details. A more concise title that focuses on the main objective or question of the study would be more effective.

ABSTRACT AND KEYWORDS

The purpose of an abstract is to provide a brief summary of the main points and findings of a research paper, article, or report. It is typically placed at the beginning of the paper and serves as a concise introduction that provides the reader with an overview of the research without having to read the entire paper.

Abstracts are useful for several reasons:

• Time-saving: Abstracts help readers to quickly assess the relevance of the research to their interests, saving time and effort.
• Indexing: Abstracts are used by databases and search engines to index and retrieve articles, making it easier for researchers to locate relevant research.
• Decision-making: Abstracts are often used by editors and reviewers to make decisions about whether to accept or reject a paper for publication.
• Communication: Abstracts can be used to communicate the main findings of research to a wide audience, including policymakers, clinicians, and the general public.

Overall, abstracts play a crucial role in communicating research findings to a broad audience and facilitating the dissemination and uptake of new knowledge.

Here are some general guidelines for writing a structured abstract:

1. Introduction: Begin with a brief introduction that sets the context and purpose of the study.
2. Methodology: State the methods used to conduct the study, including the study design, participants, interventions, and outcome measures.
3. Results: Summarize the main results and key findings of the study.
4. Conclusion: Provide a clear conclusion that highlights the implications and significance of the study.

The abstract should be within 200 words, and without citations.

KEYWORDS

Keywords are an important part of any research paper as they help to identify the main topics and themes of the paper. Here are some guidelines for selecting effective keywords:

• Relevance: Choose keywords that are relevant to the research topic and accurately reflect the content of the paper.
• Specificity: Use specific terms and phrases that describe the focus of the research. Avoid general or vague terms that could be interpreted in different ways.
• Synonyms: Use synonyms and related terms to capture a wider range of search results. This will help to increase the visibility of the paper in online searches.
• Variation: Use variations of terms to capture different nuances of meaning. For example, use both "childhood obesity" and "pediatric obesity" to capture different audiences and search results.
• Length: Keywords should be concise and to the point. Aim for 3-5 keywords that accurately describe the paper's content.
• Avoid common terms: Avoid using terms that are too broad or too common, such as "health" or "disease", as they may generate too many irrelevant search results.
• Check database requirements: Be aware of any specific requirements or guidelines for keyword selection from the databases or journals where you plan to submit your paper.

Overall, effective keyword selection is an important part of the research process and can help to increase the visibility and impact of your paper.

INTRODUCTION

The Introduction should provide the necessary context information for readers to comprehend your study and the rationale behind your experiments. The Introduction should address the study's objective or problem.

While writing the background, make sure to cite references which are relevant, latest and balanced. If experiments have yielded contradictory findings on a question, have you cited studies with both types of findings? Although every discipline is unique, author should strive to cite references that are no more than ten years old if possible. Nevertheless, be careful to cite the first discovery or mention in the literature, even if it predates ten years. Do not forget that the references must be relevant to the current research question.

Do not include a literature review in the Introduction but do cite reviews where readers can find additional information if desired.

After providing background information and stating the problem or query for the study, state the objective of the research. Typically, the purpose is to cover a knowledge gap or to resolve an unanswered query. For instance, if a drug is known to be effective in one population but has never been tested in another, the purpose of a study could be to determine the drug's efficacy and safety in the second population.

The end of the Introduction must include a precise statement of the research objectives.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An effective methodology section should provide a clear and detailed description of the study design, data collection methods, statistical analyses, and ethical considerations. It should be well-organized and written in clear and concise language to facilitate understanding by the reader. It should be in such a detail that another researcher can reproduce the same.

Methodology highly depends on the study type. Best guide for writing methodology is to read previously published papers with similar study type.

This section provides brief of certain basic requirement of the Methodology section:

• Use clear and concise language: Use clear and concise language to describe the methodology and avoid using technical jargon or acronyms that may be difficult for the reader to understand. Use subheadings to separate important sections of methodologies, however, do not use too many subheadings. Describe what you did in the past tense. Write in paragraphs instead of phrases or bulleted text.
• Begin with a brief overview: Start with a brief overview of the research design, including the study type (e.g., randomized controlled trial, cohort study, case-control study, etc.) and the research question or hypothesis.
• Describe the study settings and population: Provide a detailed description of the study population, including inclusion and exclusion criteria, sampling methods, and recruitment strategies.
• Detail the interventions or exposures: Describe the interventions or exposures used in the study, including the dose, frequency, and duration wherever applicable.
• Describe the data collection methods: Explain how the data were collected, including the methods used for data collection (e.g., questionnaires, interviews, physical measurements, etc.) and the procedures for data management and quality control.
• Detail the statistical analyses: Describe the statistical analyses used to analyze the data, including the statistical tests and software used, and any assumptions or limitations of the analyses.
• Address ethical considerations: Describe any ethical considerations that were taken into account, including the measures taken to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of study participants, consent, and any ethical review or approval processes.
• Provide references: Provide references for any methods or procedures that were previously published or used in other studies.

RESULTS

This section of the paper which describes the main findings of the study is often considered as the main core of the paper. This section receives the most focus from both reviewers and readers. Writing a clear, succinct, and logical results section is therefore utmost import aspects of preparing a manuscript. Some guidelines for writing the results section is described below:

• Start with a brief summary of the study objectives and research questions.
• Present your results in a logical order, using clear and concise language.
• Use tables and figures to present data when appropriate, but do not repeat data presented in tables or figures in the text.
• Describe your statistical analyses in detail, including any assumptions and tests used.
• Report your findings objectively, using appropriate measures of variability and significance.
• Provide enough detail so that readers can understand your results and replicate your study, but do not include irrelevant information.
• Avoid drawing conclusions or making interpretations in this section - save those for the discussion section.
• Use subheadings to organize your results into sections if necessary.
• Consider using bullet points to highlight key findings.
• Be sure to report negative results as well as positive results.

Remember, the results section should be a clear and concise presentation of your data, without interpretation or discussion.

DISCUSSION

In the Discussion and Conclusion sections of the manuscript, the author should aim to provide a meaningful interpretation of the results. Consider the following guidelines:

• Start by discussing your most important findings and work your way down to the less significant ones.
• Compare your results with those from other relevant studies. If inconsistencies arise, try to explain the reasons for the differences.
• If you have any inconclusive results, provide an explanation for them and suggest additional experiments that could be conducted to clarify the findings.
• Be sure to mention the limitations of your study, as this shows that you have thought critically about your research. This demonstrates an in-depth understanding of your topic and can leave a positive impression on your readers and reviewers.
• Discuss the implications of your results for researchers in your field, as well as for those in other fields and the general public. Consider how your findings could be applied.
• Explain how your results extend the findings of previous studies. • If your findings are preliminary, suggest future studies that should be conducted to build on your work.
• In your final concluding remarks, reiterate your main conclusions.

Author may refer to the following article to get more details on writing ‘discussion’. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6679622/)

CONCLUSION

It should be short, may be in 4-5 lines only. Avoid repeating results. Write a final conclusion based on the present study results and discussion. Conclusion should briefly answer the research questions / objectives. Author may add recommendation at the end of conclusion or under a separate subhead. Author may refer to good articles to improve ‘Conclusion’.

Author may refer following link for the same:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6679622/#:~:text=Conclusions%20should%20be%20strong%2C%20clear,hypothesis%20or%20not%20(2).  

FIGURES AND TABLES

Figures and tables are frequently the quickest method to convey large volumes of complex data that would be difficult to explain in text. Many readers will only look at the tables and figures without reading the manuscript's text. So, the author needs to ensure that tables and figures remain self-explanatory without reading the main text and effectively communicate most significant findings. Attractive and well-designed tables and figures will hold the reader's attention, compel them to take the time to understand a figure, and may even tempt them to read the entire manuscript.

Finally, high-quality exhibit items lend a professional appearance to your work. A reader will infer that a manuscript with a professional appearance contains high-quality science. Thus, readers are more likely to have faith in your results and their interpretation.

Tables:

Tables are a concise and effective way to present large amounts of data. Tables needs to be designed carefully so that they clearly communicate the results to the readers. Follow the belo mentioned guidelines while preparing tables.

• Tables should be self-explanatory and should not duplicate textual material.
• In case of very large tables, try to break them in separate table according to categories.
• Number tables, in Indo-Arabic numerals, consecutively in the order of their first citation in the text and supply a brief title for each.
• Place explanatory matter in footnotes, not in the heading.
• Explain in footnotes all non-standard abbreviations that are used in each table.
• Obtain permission for all fully borrowed, adapted and modified tables and provide a credit line in the footnote.
• For footnotes use the following symbols, in this sequence: *, †,‡, §, || ¶, * * , † †, ‡ ‡.
• Tables with their legends should be inserted in the main result text at appropriate place. The tables along with their number should be cited at the relevant place in the text.
• Always mention unit of values wherever required in the table.

 Figures:

Figures are ideal for presenting Images, Data plots, Maps and Schematics. Just like tables all figures need to have a clear and concise legend caption to accompany them.

Images aid in the visualisation of the information you are attempting to convey. Frequently, it is challenging to be suitably descriptive with words. Images can aid in attaining the required precision for a scientific manuscript. Include scale bars, consider labelling essential objects, and explain the significance of colours and symbols used in images.

Data plots rapidly convey vast quantities of data. Frequently, the objective is to demonstrate a functional or statistical relationship between two or more objects. However, details about the individual data points are frequently omitted to highlight the relationship that the collection of points illustrates. For data graphs, be sure to designate all axes, specify units for quantities, label all curves and data sets, and use a legible font size.

Maps are essential for contextualising fieldwork within its location of execution. A good map will aid your reader in comprehending how the location influences your study. In addition, it will assist other researchers in duplicating the work or locating locations with comparable properties. Include latitude and longitude on maps, include scale bars, identify significant features, and consider including a map legend.

Schematics aid in identifying the crucial components of a system or process. They should only emphasise the most essential elements, as adding irrelevant details may overwhelm the image. A schematic contains only the illustrations chosen by the author, allowing for greater flexibility than images. They can also be used in situations where image capture is challenging or unattainable. For diagrams, be sure to designate important components and provide supporting explanations in the caption and main text.

It is essential to consider how your figures will appear both in print and online. The author should submit a figure of high quality.

Avoiding image manipulation

You should never intentionally alter your images to alter or enhance your results. To avoid accidental manipulation, you should perform minimal processing on your figures before submitting them to the journal; the images you submit should be faithful representations of the original image files. The journal may request copies of the original images, files, and metadata used to construct your figures during the review process.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The acknowledgement section is used to thank anyone who contributed significantly to the work but is not eligible for authorship. Contributors who meet the authorship criteria and are listed as authors should not be listed in the acknowledgements section. Before submission, authors should carefully consider the contributions of each researcher and assess their authorship criteria.

The section is also used to disclose pertinent funding information. We recommend authors acknowledge all the funders and grants for research and/or publications in this section.

This section should not be used to declare any type of competing interest, whether financial or non-financial. These should be declared separately in a statement of conflicting interests (COI).

There should be no mention of anonymous referees or editors, unnecessary words, or effusive praise in the acknowledgements.

REFERENCES

Accuracy of citation is the author's responsibility. The reference style is given below and conforms to the Vancouver style.

Each reference should be assigned a indo-arabic number, consecutively in the order of mention in the text. The original number should be reused each time the same reference is cited in the text. The number should be placed in the text in brackets e.g. text[1], outside the full-stops and commas and inside colons and semi-colons. When multiple references are cited at a given place in the text, use a hyphen to join the first and last numbers that are inclusive and use commas to separate non-inclusive numbers (e.g. [2-5],[7],[10]).

A detailed guideline on Vancouver Reference Style can be availed from the following link:

https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/vancouver/introduction#s-lg-box-21988941

The list of references should be given at the end of the paper. Where there are 3 or less authors, list ALL the authors. Where there are more than 3 authors, use et al after the third author. Briefly the reference style is as follows:

Examples:

1. a) Citing a book:

<Author/s>. <Title of book>, <edition of book>. <Place of publication>: <Publisher>; <year of publication>. p<page number/s>.

Example: K Park. Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 21st ed. Jabalpur: Bhanot Publishers; 2011. p 358. 

1. b) Citing a journal:

<Author/s>. <Title>. <Name of Journal> <Publication Year>; <Volume(Issue)>: <Page no.>.

Example: Singh SS, Vijayachari P, Sinha A, et al. Clinico-epidemiological study of hospitalized cases of severe leptospirosis. Indian J Med Res. 1999;109:94-9. 

1. c) Citing conferences:

Example: Kakkilaya BS, Motha B, Rajeev, et al. Investigation of a leptospirosis outbreak in Surathkal. In Bundy D, Warrel D, Co-Chairman, Scientific committee. Final programme and abstract book, Oxford 2000, New Challenges in tropical medicine and parasitology, 2000 Sep 18-22; Oxford. Cheshire: Complete Congress Services Ltd; 2000. p.139. 

1. d) Citing Internet:

<Title of Page>. Available at: <web address>. Accessed on <Month day, year>.

Example: International Chemical Safety Cards: Chloroaniline. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcs/ipcs0026.html. Accessed May 18^th, 2001. 

1. e) Citing a report:

<Agency to whom the report belongs>. <Title>, <edition/volume (if applicable>. <Place of publication>: <Publisher>; <year of publication>.p<page number/s>.

Example: World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia. HIV /AIDS in the South-East Asia Region 2009. New Delhi, India: WHO; 2009. p17.

 

D) Review process:

The NJMR follows a double-blind peer review process for all Original Articles, Short Articles/ Communications, Review Articles, Perspectives, Technical Reports and CMEs. Click here for more details about our Peer Review Policy.

 

E) Printing and Manuscript handling charges:

Publication Charges for Original Research Articles, Review Articles, Systematic Reviews/Meta-analysis, Short Research Articles and Case Reports are Rs. 8,000/- for Indian Authors and USD 100.00 for foreign Authors. There is no submission and editorial processing charges.

Ten percent discount on publication fees is provided to corresponding authors from low income countries as per the world bank data. Author needs to send a request letter for discount with apropriate details.

The publisher reserves the right to change publication charges or any other charges at any time without prior notice. In case of any questions or query, please fill free to contact us on  contact@medscipublications.com.

The charges to be paid only after acceptance of the article. Authors will be notified for the payment of publication charges on acceptance of the article.

Account detail for online transfer:

• A/c Name: MEDSCI PUBLICATIONS
• A/c No: 1115102000018364
• A/c Type: Current Account
• Bank: IDBI Bank
• Branch: Surat Adajan-Surat (Sol -1115)
• IFSC Code: IBKL0001115
• SWIFT Code: IBKLINBB051

A separate invoice will be sent to the foreign authors on acceptance of the article.