Author guidelines for IUMS journals

1 About IUMS journals & scope

Central guidance for authors submitting to medical and health sciences journals hosted by IUMS.

IUMS journals publish peer-reviewed research and scholarly work across clinical medicine, basic and translational sciences, public health, epidemiology, medical education and related fields. Each journal has its own Aims & Scope, which authors should review carefully before submission.

This page provides shared author guidelines for the IUMS journals portfolio. Individual journals may specify additional requirements, such as exact word limits, APC levels or special article types, on their own websites. In case of any difference, the journal-specific instructions take precedence.

All IUMS journals follow international best practice from ICMJE, COPE, EQUATOR and related organisations on ethics, transparency and reporting.

2 Article types & length limits

General article categories used across IUMS journals.

Each journal defines its own article types and exact limits. The following list gives typical categories and approximate ranges:

• Original research – primary quantitative or qualitative studies; structured abstract; IMRaD format; approximately 3,000–4,500 words.
• Systematic review / meta-analysis – PRISMA-compliant; protocol registration encouraged; around 4,000–6,000 words.
• Short communication / brief report – focused report of important findings; 1,500–2,500 words.
• Case report / case series – CARE-compliant; explicit patient consent; 1,500–2,500 words.
• Study protocol – SPIRIT or related guideline; typically 2,500–4,000 words.
• Narrative review / mini-review – balanced overview of the literature; 2,500–4,000 words.
• Clinical trial report – CONSORT-compliant with trial registration.
• Editorials, commentaries, letters – invited or spontaneous; usually ≤1,000–1,200 words.

Authors must always check the target journal’s “For authors” page for final word limits, reference limits and table/figure counts.

3 Reporting guidelines

Use appropriate reporting checklists for your study design.

Authors should follow recognised reporting guidelines appropriate to their study type, and upload the relevant checklist as a supplementary file. Common examples include:

The Methods section should briefly mention which guideline was followed and how, for example: “The study was reported according to the STROBE statement.”

4 Authorship & contributorship

Who qualifies as an author and how to describe contributions.

IUMS journals follow the authorship criteria of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). To be listed as an author, each individual must:

• contribute substantially to the conception or design of the work, or to data acquisition, analysis or interpretation;
• participate in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content;
• approve the final version to be published; and
• agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Contributors who do not meet all criteria should be listed in an Acknowledgments section, not as authors.

4.1 CRediT author contribution statement

Journals encourage or require authors to provide a CRediT-based contribution statement describing the roles of each author, such as Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Data curation, Formal analysis, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, and Funding acquisition.

Where possible, authors should provide ORCID iDs, and identify a guarantor for overall content integrity.

4.2 Changes in authorship

Requests to add, remove or reorder authors after submission must be explained in writing to the editor and confirmed in writing by all authors, including any added or removed individuals.

Post-acceptance changes are exceptional and may require institutional confirmation.

5 Conflicts of interest & funding

Transparency about relationships that may influence the work.

All authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest, whether financial or non-financial. Examples include:

• research grants, consulting fees, honoraria, speaker payments;
• stock ownership, patents, royalties;
• leadership roles in organisations that could benefit from the work; or
• personal, academic, political or religious interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing interpretation.

Declarations should appear both in the submission system and in a clearly labelled Conflict of interest section in the manuscript. If no conflicts exist, state: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

Funding sources must be listed in a separate Funding section, including grant numbers and a statement on whether funders had any role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation or writing.

6 Ethics, consent & privacy

Requirements for human participants, animals and sensitive data.

All research involving human participants, human data or animals must comply with relevant national regulations, institutional policies and recognised international standards.

Authors should state:

• the name of the ethics committee or institutional review board;
• the approval number or reference, where applicable; and
• how informed consent was obtained from participants or their legal guardians.

For case reports, case series and identifiable images, authors must obtain and document consent for publication. This includes images, videos or audio where individuals could recognise themselves.

For animal studies, authors should confirm adherence to institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals, and provide ethics approval details.

7 Data sharing & open science

Data availability and support for reproducible research.

Many IUMS journals encourage or require a Data Availability Statement in all research articles. This should explain:

• whether the data are publicly available, with repository name and DOI or accession number;
• whether data can be shared on reasonable request, with any conditions; or
• if data cannot be shared due to legal, ethical or contractual restrictions, with explanation.

Where possible, authors are encouraged to deposit datasets, code and related materials in appropriate repositories that support FAIR principles, and to cite datasets and software using DOIs and version numbers.

8 Generative AI & digital tools

How to use AI-assisted tools responsibly in writing and review.

• Any substantive use of AI tools for drafting, editing, translation, summarisation, image creation or analysis must be clearly disclosed in an AI & digital tools statement.
• Confidential materials, identifiable patient data and unpublished manuscripts must not be uploaded to public AI services.
• Reviewers must not submit confidential manuscripts or reviewer reports to public AI tools.

Where journals use in-house tools, such as plagiarism screening or statistics checks, these operate under confidentiality safeguards.

9 Originality, plagiarism & redundant publication

Expectations on originality and overlap with other works.

Submissions must be original and not concurrently under consideration elsewhere. Any overlap with previously published or submitted work, including translations, must be transparently declared and justified.

Journals may screen submissions using similarity-checking software. Excessive or unexplained overlap, plagiarism, text recycling or duplicate publication may lead to rejection or, where detected later, corrections, retractions or other editorial actions.

“Salami” publication is discouraged. If multiple related papers are planned, authors should explain the relationship between them.

10 Preprints & prior dissemination

Using preprint servers and conference presentations.

IUMS journals generally allow submission of work that has been posted as a preprint on a recognised, non-commercial server, provided that:

• the preprint is clearly disclosed in the cover letter and manuscript, with DOI or identifier;
• the submitted manuscript is consistent with the preprint; and
• once accepted, the preprint record is updated to include a link to the Version of Record and its DOI.

Conference abstracts, posters and oral presentations are usually not considered prior publication, but substantial overlap must always be declared.

11 Manuscript preparation – general format

Basic formatting and structure requirements.

Unless a specific journal states otherwise, the following general format applies:

• Language: clear, grammatical English.
• File format: Word document (.doc/.docx) or LaTeX files with a compiled PDF, as allowed by the journal.
• Layout: double-spaced text, 2.5 cm margins, numbered pages and continuous line numbering where possible.
• Spelling: British or American English, used consistently.
• Units: SI units wherever possible.
• Abbreviations: define at first use in the abstract and main text.

11.1 Title page

Provide a separate title page, especially for double-blind review, including article title, running title, author names, affiliations, corresponding author details, ORCID iDs, word count, table/figure count, supplementary files, and preprint or previous presentation information.

11.2 Abstract & keywords

Most research articles require a structured abstract within the word limit set by the journal. Include trial registration numbers for clinical trials. Provide 3–6 keywords, preferably using MeSH or other controlled vocabularies where appropriate.

11.3 Main text

For original research, the main text typically follows IMRaD: Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion, followed by a concise conclusion supported by the data.

11.4 References

Most IUMS journals use Vancouver numeric style. Number references in the order they appear in the text and use standard journal title abbreviations. Include DOIs where available.

12 Language quality, editing & translations

Ensuring that language does not obscure the scientific message.

Manuscripts must be written in clear, concise English. The editorial office may request language improvement if the quality of English makes peer review difficult or could mislead readers.

• Ask a fluent English speaker or subject-matter colleague to review the manuscript before submission.
• Avoid overly complex sentences, unexplained jargon and ambiguous abbreviations.
• Check consistency of terminology, tense and spelling across the manuscript.

Any third-party assistance, such as medical writers, translators or language editors, should be acknowledged in the manuscript with a brief description of their role and funding.

13 Tables, figures, artwork, video & audio

Technical preparation of visual and multimedia content.

13.1 Tables

Prepare each table on a separate page at the end of the manuscript or as a separate file, according to the journal’s preference. Number tables consecutively and provide concise titles, clear headings and explanatory footnotes.

13.2 Figures and artwork

• File formats: TIFF, PNG, JPEG or SVG for vector graphics. Avoid low-resolution screenshots.
• Resolution: at least 300 dpi for photographs and mixed images, and 600 dpi or higher for line art, graphs and diagrams.
• Colour: ensure adequate contrast for readers with colour-vision deficiencies and for grayscale printouts.
• Multi-panel figures: label panels A, B, C and describe each panel clearly in the legend.

Raw or original image files should be retained and made available on request. Any image manipulation must not misrepresent data.

13.3 Rich media: videos and audio

Where allowed, submit files in widely supported formats such as MP4 for video and MP3 or WAV for audio. Provide captions, transcripts or subtitles where appropriate, and avoid identifiable patient content unless consent has been obtained.

13.4 Supplementary material

Supplementary files should be clearly named, have a short title and legend, use readable formats, and avoid confidential or non-consented information.

14 Mathematical content & chemical structures

Preparing equations and chemical schemes for publication.

14.1 Equations and mathematics

• Use the journal’s preferred equation editor so equations remain editable, not embedded as images.
• Number only equations referenced in the text.
• Define all symbols and variables at first use, and use consistent notation.
• Place complex derivations in an appendix or supplementary file.

14.2 Chemical structures and reactions

• Prepare chemical structures using standard drawing software and export high-resolution images.
• Follow accepted conventions for bond angles, stereochemistry and atom labelling.
• Ensure reaction schemes are legible at final size and include reagents, conditions and yields where appropriate.

15 SEO, discoverability & article promotion

Helping readers and indexers find your work.

Well-prepared manuscripts are more easily discovered in indexing services and search engines. Authors can improve reach and impact by paying attention to titles, abstracts, keywords and metadata.

15.1 Titles

• Use an informative, specific title that reflects the main objective, outcome or population.
• Avoid vague titles and unexplained abbreviations.
• Include the study design where relevant.

15.2 Abstracts & keywords

• Ensure key searchable terms appear naturally in the abstract.
• Select 3–6 keywords that match recognised terminology.
• Avoid overly broad keywords that add little search value.

15.3 Structure & metadata

Use clear headings, enter author names and affiliations accurately, include ORCID iDs where available, and check funding, trial registration, dataset DOIs, software DOIs and preprint DOIs.

15.4 Responsible sharing and promotion

After publication, share the article DOI and link through institutional profiles, professional networks and conferences, while respecting licence terms and embargoes.

Self-archiving and reuse must always follow the licence terms and embargo periods described in the Copyright, Open Access & APC policies.

16 Online submission

Steps for submitting a manuscript to an IUMS journal.

Manuscripts must be submitted via the online submission system of the chosen journal. The corresponding author should:

1. log in or create an account in the submission system;
2. select the appropriate article type;
3. enter all required metadata, including title, abstract, keywords, authors, funding, ethics and conflicts;
4. upload an anonymised main manuscript, separate title page, tables, figures, reporting checklists, ethics documents if requested, supplementary material and cover letter;
5. suggest potential peer reviewers where allowed and declare excluded reviewers because of conflicts of interest.

17 Peer review & editorial decisions

How manuscripts are assessed and decisions are made.

Most IUMS journals use double-blind peer review unless stated otherwise. The typical process includes initial checks, editor screening, external review and editorial decision.

For revised manuscripts, authors should submit a clean revised manuscript, a detailed point-by-point response to reviewers, and highlighted changes if requested.

Editors may seek further reviews of revised versions. Final decisions rest with the Editor-in-Chief or designated handling editor.

18 After acceptance & proofs

What happens between acceptance and publication.

Once a manuscript is accepted, it enters production for copy-editing, typesetting and layout. Page proofs are sent to the corresponding author for final checking. Only minor corrections are normally allowed at proof stage, and authors are expected to return corrected proofs within the timeframe indicated by the journal.

After proofs are completed and any publication charge arrangements are confirmed where applicable, the article is published online as the Version of Record with a DOI.

19 Open access, copyright & APCs

Key elements of the IUMS open access model.

IUMS journals are primarily open access. Specific details for each journal, including licence options, article processing charges, waivers and discounts, are described on the journal websites and in the central policies.

• Copyright, open access & reuse – who holds copyright, which Creative Commons licences are used, and what reuse is allowed.
• APCs, waivers & funding – when APCs apply, typical amounts, and how waivers and discounts support authors with limited funding.

Acceptance decisions are independent of authors’ ability to pay APCs. Waiver requests are handled confidentially and separately from peer review.

20 Misconduct, corrections & complaints

How concerns are handled in line with publication ethics guidance.

IUMS journals follow aligned processes to handle suspected misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, image manipulation, duplicate publication, peer-review manipulation and undisclosed conflicts of interest.

Depending on severity and timing, possible actions include rejection, correction, clarification, expression of concern, retraction, withdrawal or other editorial notices.

Complaints about editorial processes or ethical issues should be directed to the journal editorial office or the publisher designated contact.

21 Accessibility, inclusive language & name changes

Making content accessible and respectful.

• Use adequate contrast and readable font sizes in figures.
• Avoid colour combinations that are difficult for colour-blind readers.
• Ensure captions and legends provide sufficient explanation without relying solely on colour.

Use inclusive, respectful language and follow recognised guidance on reporting sex, gender and other demographic characteristics where applicable.

IUMS journals support post-publication author name changes. Authors who need to update their published name or related metadata should contact the editorial office or publisher.

22 Submission checklist for authors

Quick checklist before you press Submit.

• The manuscript fits the scope and article type of the chosen journal.
• Word count, figure/table numbers and reference count meet the journal limits.
• Relevant reporting guidelines have been followed and checklists uploaded.
• All listed authors meet authorship criteria, CRediT roles are assigned and ORCID iDs are provided where possible.
• Ethics approvals, trial registrations and consent statements are clearly described.
• Conflicts of interest and funding sources are fully disclosed.
• A Data Availability Statement is included.
• Figures are high quality, tables are editable and permissions for third-party material have been obtained.
• The main manuscript is anonymised for double-blind review, with a separate title page containing author details.
• Any preprints, conference presentations or related manuscripts are transparently declared.
• The use of AI or language tools is disclosed where applicable.
• References are complete, consistent in style and include DOIs where available.

23 Contacts & further support

Where to get help with submissions and policies.

For journal-specific questions about scope, article types, formatting or special issues, authors should contact the editorial office of the target journal.

For broader questions about policies across the IUMS journals portfolio, please contact journals@iums.ac.ir.

Guidance v1.1 – last updated April 2025. This page should be revised periodically as journal policies and external requirements evolve.