Publish Your Research
We welcome original research, reviews, and short communications that advance knowledge across our scope areas. Please read these guidelines carefully before preparing your manuscript.
Rigorous peer review, fast turnaround, and zero publication fees — our commitment to authors and science.
Submission Process
All manuscripts must be submitted through our online system.
Prepare Your Manuscript
Format your manuscript according to the Author Guidelines. Ensure all figures, tables, and supplementary files are prepared separately.
- Anonymised main text (.docx or .tex)
- Separate title page with ORCID IDs
- Figures as high-res separate files (300 dpi+)
- APA 7th Edition references with DOIs
Use our manuscript template to ensure correct formatting from the start. Download from the Author Resources page.
Manuscripts outside our scope are returned within 48 hours — check our Aims & Scope page before submitting.
Editorial Desk Check
The editorial office reviews your manuscript for scope relevance, completeness, and formatting compliance within 3–5 business days.
- Alignment with journal scope
- Completeness of submission files
- Formatting compliance
- Ethics declarations present
Peer Review Assignment
Manuscripts passing the desk check are assigned to a handling editor who invites a minimum of two independent peer reviewers.
- 500+ active domain experts worldwide
- Strict conflict-of-interest screening
- At least 5 reviewers per manuscript
- Double-blind process guaranteed
Author and reviewer identities remain confidential throughout the entire review process.
Reviewers have 21 days to complete their assessment. We send reminders at day 14 and day 18 to ensure timely feedback.
Double-Blind Peer Review Process
Reviewers evaluate the manuscript on scientific rigor, novelty, methodology, and clarity under a strict double-blind process.
- Scientific originality & novelty
- Methodology appropriateness
- Data quality & interpretation
- Clarity and presentation
Author Revision
Authors receive a consolidated decision letter with reviewer comments. Major revisions are typically due within 60 days.
- Accept — minor or no changes needed
- Major Revision — significant revisions required
- Minor Revision — small corrections needed
- Reject — does not meet criteria
Authors may request a 30-day extension for major revisions. Contact the editorial office with justification.
Accepted articles appear as Online First within 7–14 days, fully citable with DOI before print issue assignment.
Publication
Accepted manuscripts are copy-edited and typeset. Articles appear online within 7–14 days of final acceptance.
- Professional copyediting & typesetting
- Proof sent to corresponding author
- Published open access with CC-BY licence
- Indexed in major databases within 30 days
Author Guidelines
All manuscripts must comply with the following guidelines before submission. Non-compliant manuscripts may be returned to authors without peer review.
File Format & Length
- Submit main manuscript as .docx (Word) or .tex (LaTeX)
- Research Articles: max 8,000 words (excl. references)
- Reviews: max 10,000 words; Short Comms: max 3,500 words
- Figures must be submitted as separate high-res files (300 dpi min)
Reference Style
- APA 7th Edition for all in-text citations and reference list
- DOIs required for all references where available
- References must be numbered consecutively in order of appearance
- Maximum 60 references for Research Articles; 120 for Reviews
Figures & Tables
- Maximum 8 display items per Research Article
- All figures must be readable at single-column width
- Tables must be editable text, not images
- Figure legends must be self-contained and placed after references
Ethics & Declarations Required
- IRB/Ethics committee approval for human subjects research
- Data availability statement mandatory for all articles
- Competing interests declaration required from all authors
- AI tool use must be disclosed in the Methods section
Authorship
- All authors must meet ICMJE criteria for authorship
- CRediT author contribution statements required
- Corresponding author must be clearly designated
- Changes to authorship after submission require editor approval
Abstract & Keywords
- Structured abstract required: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions
- Research Articles: 250 words; Reviews: 300 words
- 3-5 keywords using MeSH terminology where applicable
- No citations permitted in the abstract
Manuscript Structure
10 Sections| Section | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Title Page | Title, all author names, affiliations, ORCID IDs, corresponding author contact | Required |
| Abstract | Structured abstract (Background / Methods / Results / Conclusions), 250 words max | Required |
| Keywords | 3-5 keywords, preferably MeSH terms, placed below abstract | Required |
| Introduction | Background, literature context, and clear statement of study aims | Required |
| Methods | Sufficient detail for reproducibility; include ethics statements and statistical approach | Required |
| Results | Data presented objectively without interpretation; figures and tables referenced here | Required |
| Discussion | Interpretation, comparison with existing literature, limitations, future directions | Required |
| Declarations | Ethics approval, competing interests, funding, author contributions, AI disclosure | Required |
| References | APA 7th Ed., numbered consecutively, DOIs included where available | Required |
| Supplementary | Additional data, methods, or figures uploaded as a separate file | Optional |
Submission Preparation Checklist
Use this checklist to verify your manuscript is ready. Items marked Mandatory must be completed — missing items will result in desk rejection.
For Reviewers
We depend on the expertise and time of volunteer peer reviewers worldwide. We are committed to making the review experience as clear, efficient, and rewarding as possible.
Review Scope
Reviewers are asked to assess manuscripts strictly within their declared area of expertise. Conflicts of interest must be declared immediately upon receiving an invitation.
Timeline & Commitment
Standard review deadline is 21 days from acceptance. Extensions of up to 7 days may be requested. Reviewers who cannot complete on time should decline promptly.
Confidentiality
All manuscripts under review are strictly confidential. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or use manuscript content before publication.
How to Respond
Reviewer invitations are sent via email. Accept or decline within 5 days. If declining, please suggest alternate reviewers when possible.
Recognition
All reviewers who complete reviews are acknowledged annually in our Reviewer Honour Roll. Outstanding reviewers are awarded the Distinguished Reviewer Award each year.
Resources & Training
New reviewers are encouraged to complete peer review training. We also provide a structured Review Report Template to guide first-time and experienced reviewers alike.
For each criterion, reviewers assess: Is the research question novel? Are methods appropriate, reproducible, and sufficiently described? Are data presented clearly? Are conclusions justified by the data? Is the manuscript appropriately situated within existing literature? Is the manuscript clearly written and logically structured? Are all required ethics statements included?