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Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines

Basic manuscript requirements:

  • Manuscripts are required to be related to research of proposed or ongoing studies.
  • Study protocols are required to demonstrate proof of ethical approval to be considered for publication.
  • Study protocols that have received funding from a funding body are required to provide proof of funding.
  • All manuscripts are required to provide a study title, a concise and informative abstract, an introduction, method and analysis section, ethics section, and a discussion with a focus on strengths and limitations of the proposed study.
  • Manuscripts require a full list of references, funding statement, and disclosure of competing interests.
  • Authors need to confirm with a cover letter that the manuscript has not been published previously and is not being submitted currently to another journal.
  • Manuscripts require a structured abstract, and include numbered headings and sub-headings.
  • Manuscripts are only published in the English language.
  • Manuscript align to APA 7.

Study protocols manuscripts:

  • Manuscripts of systematic reviews and meta-analyses should follow the PRISMA-P guidelines (Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols).
  • Manuscripts of randomised controlled trials are required to follow the CONSORT guidelines or SPIRIT Statement (Standard Protocol Items for Randomized Trials), and also provide the trial registry and the unique identifying number in the last section of the abstract.

Study Protocols registration:

  • Manuscripts of systematic reviews can be registered with PROSPERO the International prospective register of systematic reviews.
  • Manuscripts of clinically orientated trials can be registered with registries in the WHO Registry Network.

Word limit:

  • Submissions for main articles should not exceed 5.000 words in length and include a structured abstract of about 200 words and up to seven keywords

Style:

  • Manuscripts should be in Times 12-point font, and in .doc or .docx format.
  • Manuscripts should follow the style conventions as outlined by the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition!

 

Submission Preparation Checklist

All submissions must meet the following requirements.

  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • The submission file is in Microsoft Word document file format.
  • Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
  • The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
  • If submitting to a peer-reviewed section of the journal, the instructions in Ensuring a Blind Review have been followed.
  • Authors who make a submission to this journal must ensure they have read our Privacy and Consent Policy, and agree to its terms.
  • Corresponding authors are required to be principal investigators or supervisors. Manuscripts submitted by research students will not be accepted.
  • Manuscripts require a structured abstract (Background, Methods/Design, Discussion).
  • Manuscripts require numbered headings and sub-headings (please do no use an automatic numbering function).
  • Manuscript are required to align to APA 7 style.

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Updated May 2018