Information For Authors

For authors interested in submitting to this journal? We recommend that you review the About the Journal page for the journal's section policies, as well as the Author Guidelines. Authors need to register with the journal prior to submitting or, if already registered, can simply log in and begin the five-step process.

Information for Authors

Zanco Journal of Medical Sciences (Zanco J Med Sci) welcomes author submissions of original and significant contributions. The journal will consider for publication manuscripts of interest to readers in Iraq, Middle East, and around the World.

Submission

Submission should be made online through the online submission system.

Authorship

Authorship must be based on having substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the article or revising it critically, and final approval of the version to be published. All contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in an acknowledgments section at the end of the article. All authors must give their signed consent for publication after reading and agreeing to the contents of the paper. The authors will be accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the paper according to the ICMJE guidelines. Please see the ICMJE Recommendations for authorship and contributorship.

Manuscript Preparation

The manuscript of Zanco J Med Sci should be typed as ‘normal text' on A4 size (29.7 x 21cm) paper in a single column format, one and a half spaced line. No artwork and/or special effects are acceptable for the text and/or table(s). Italics should not be used other than for foreign/Latin expressions and/or special terminologies such as names of microorganisms. Maintain a minimum of 2 cm margin on both sides of the text and a 3 cm margin at the top and bottom of each page. No part of the text other than abbreviations and/or subtitles shall be written in upper case (ALL capital). Header/footnotes, endnotes, lines drawn to separate the paragraphs or pages are not acceptable. Typing is with the normal, Times New Roman font 12 throughout the manuscript including all the headings, subheadings, text, tables and legends (figures).

The manuscript should be paginated consecutively, commencing with the title page and should not exceed 13 pages. However, longer manuscripts for review articles and qualitative studies can be considered. Main headings, introduction, subjects, and methods, etc., should be placed on separate lines. Keywords should be preferably MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms, and must not duplicate words already in the manuscript title; MeSH terms can be checked at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/MBrowse.html.

Reporting guidelines

Zanco J Med Sci recommends authors to follow the available research protocols reporting guidelines. Reporting guidelines are available at the EQUATOR Network, which include STROBE (guidelines for reporting observational studies), COREQ (Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research), CONSORT (guidelines for reporting randomized trials), PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), STARD (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy), CARE (guideline for clinical case report), and COCHRANE (for systematic reviews of interventions).

Original Articles: Title page, Abstract (in structured format for original articles) of no more than 250 words, Keywords (up to five), followed by Introduction, Subjects (or Materials) and methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgement/s (if any), References, Legends to figures, Tables, and Figures.

Review Articles: Title Page, Abstract of no more than 250 words, Keywords (up to five), followed by Introduction, Methods/History (if applicable), Literature Review, Conclusion, Acknowledgement/s (if any), References, Legends to figures, Tables, and Figures. Each section should begin on a new page.

Case Studies: Title page followed by Abstract ( a summary of not more than 250 words), Keywords, Introduction, Case history/report, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgement/s (if any), References, Legends to figures, Tables, and Figures.

Title Page

The title page of the submitted manuscript should provide a clear title of the article followed by full names of all authors, the highest academic degree, the official academic and/or clinical title and affiliation, the name and address of the institution/s where the work was done including the department, the name and complete address of the corresponding author to whom proofs and correspondences shall be sent, duly supported with contacts such as telephone, mobile/cell, fax, and e-mail address (if available) if it differs from the first author, and any disclaimers.

Abstract

A structured abstract (no more than 250 words) is required for studies under the section "Original Articles." It must provide an overview of the entire paper, and should contain succinct statements and should be divided where appropriate into the followings: Background and Objective(s), Methods, Results, and Conclusion(s). Abstract for all other categories of submissions shall be a short summary followed by Keywords and the report or review.

Text

The body of the manuscript should be divided into sections preceded by appropriate heads (introduction, subjects/patients/materials (as appropriate) and methods, results, discussion, conclusion (when appropriate), acknowledgment (when appropriate), conflicts of interest and references). Major headings should be typed bold in capital letters at the left-hand margin; subheading should appear typed bold at the left-hand margin with only the first letter of each word capitalized; additional subdivisions should be underlined only.

Introduction

State the study's objective (the question the paper intends to answer) and omit an extensive review of the literature, which is normally found in a thesis.

Materials (Patients) and Methods

Describe the study design procedures and subjects used, methods, definitions such as for diagnostic criteria, the population or patient samples, and laboratory and statistical methods. Provide the details only if the methods are original or essential for understanding, otherwise, provide references.

Results

The pertinent findings in a logical sequence with tables, chart, figures, and photographs as necessary to clarify the findings.

Discussion

Point out the significance of the data and the limitations, conclusions based on the findings, evidence from the literature that supports the conclusions and opposing views, conflicting evidence, the applicability of conclusions, and implications for future research or clinical application.

Acknowledgment

The objective of this section is to disclose affiliations with or association with any organization with a direct financial interest in the study. Otherwise, it will be considered as having no such interests. Contributions of others who have involved in the study, such as statisticians, radiologists and/or those who have assisted in the preparation of the manuscript being submitted could also be included in this section.

Conflicts of Interest

All conflicts of interest must be outlined in the manuscript. If authors have no conflicts of interest to report, this must be explicitly stated. The suggested wording in such an instance is: The author(s) report no conflicts of interest.

Funding

Authors are required to state all sources of funding for the study.

References

List the references in consecutive numerical order (the order of citation in the manuscript, not alphabetically).

The reference number must be in superscript after a comma or full stop without space, for example: “Road traffic injuries are a major public health problem around the world.1”

Once a reference is cited, all subsequent citations should be to the original number.

Identify references in the text, tables, and legends by Arabic numerals.

Unpublished data and personal communication will not be accepted as references.

Reference to a journal should include in this order: (1) author's name, (2) Title of article, (3) journal name that should be abbreviated as per the NML Title Abbreviation in the Journals Database section in PubMed (From: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals), (4) year, (5) Volume and issue number, (6) inclusive page number, and (7) DOI link.

References to books should include (1) authors, (2) chapter title (if any), (3) editors name (if any), (4) title of book, (5) city of publication, (6) publisher, and (7) year. Volume and edition numbers and specific page numbers should be included when appropriate.

Use et al. when the number of authors exceeds 6.

Where available, the DOI numbers to all the references listed in the reference list should be added.

The author(s) is/are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the references and correct textual citation. Please refer to reference citations and listings in the text for proper format. Use the style of the examples given below in listing the references:

Journal article with DOI

Alalaf SK, Jawad AK, Jawad RK, Ali MS, Al Tawil NG. Bemiparin for thromboprophylaxis after benign gynecologic surgery: a randomized clinical trial. J Thromb Haemost. 2015;13(12):2161–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/jth.13164.

Journal article with DOI (with no page numbers)

Ahmed HM. Quality of life of women from families of martyred individuals in the Kurdistan region of Iraq as a conflict area in the Middle East. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2020;20(1):29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12914-020-00248-6.

Journal article without DOI

Strand JE, Nybäck H. Tobacco use in schizophrenia: a study of cotinine concentrations in the saliva of patients and controls. Eur Psychiatry. 2005;20:50–4.

Book

Spitzer R, Endicott J. Schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia – lifetime version. New York: New York State Psychiatry Institute; 1978.

Chapter in book

Laruelle M. Dopamine transmission in the schizophrenic brain. In: Weinberger DR, Hirsch S, editors. Schizophrenia, 2nd ed. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing; 2003. p. 365-87.

Weblinks

U.S. positions on selected issues at the third negotiating session of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Washington, D.C.: Committee on Government Reform, 2002. (Accessed June 4, 2003, at http://www.house.gov/reform/min/inves.tobacoo/index_accord.htm).

Tables and figures

Tables

Tables should be self-explanatory. All tables must have a title placed above the table. Identify tables with Arabic numbers; the word Table should be bold and Capitalized the first letter. Cite each table in the text in the order in which it appears. No borderlines or gridlines should be shown in the tables except the top and bottom lines of table headings and the bottom line of the table.

Figures and illustrations

All figures must have a title placed below the figure. All figures with Arabic numbers (e.g., Figure 1: Gender variations). Cite each figure in the text in the order in which it is to appear. Charts and drawings must be professionally done, duly titled and submitted in Excel format as separate files. When charts are submitted, the numerical data on which they were based should be supplied.

Abbreviations, names, and units

Abbreviations

Except for units of measurement, abbreviations should be defined on first use and then applied consistently throughout the article. Non-standard abbreviations or those appearing fewer than three times are not accepted. Use abbreviated units of measure, only when used with numbers.

Numbers and Units

Measurements of length, height, weight, and volume must be reported in metric units (meter, kilogram, liter, etc.) or their decimal multiples. The temperature should be given in degrees Celsius. Blood pressure in mm Hg, and hematological and biochemical measurements in International (SI) units. Use a comma for numbers > 10,000 and do not use a comma for numbers <9999, (e.g., 6542).

Names of Drugs

Non-proprietary (generic) names of the product should be employed. If a brand name for a drug is used, the British or international non-proprietary (approved) name should be given in parentheses. The source of any new or experimental preparation should also be given.

Ethical Considerations

For prospective studies involving human investigations or animal experiments, authors are expected to have obtained the approval of regional, national, institutional or independent Ethics Committee, in addition to obtaining the subjects' consent to participate in the study.  All studies involving human experiments should be performed only in accordance with the ethical standards provided by the responsible committee of the institution and in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki for Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subject (revised in 2013). Studies related to animal experiments should follow the institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals. A relevant statement on ethics committee permission and ethical practices must be included in all research articles under Subjects and Methods section. The journal will not consider any paper which is ethically unacceptable. The journal might ask for a copy of ethics approval and/or a copy of the consent form, if relevant.

Clinical trials should be registered in a public trials registry in order to be considered for publication. Authors are recommended to register in one of the clinical trials registries certified by ICMJE.

Contact

The Editor, Zanco Journal of Medical Science, Hawler Medical University, Peshawa Qazi Street, 44001, Erbil, Iraq.

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +964 66 227 3384

Website: https://zjms.hmu.edu.krd