Author Guidelines

Before You Submit

Before preparing your manuscript, please ensure that your work falls within the journal's scope as described on the Aims & Scope page. Manuscripts that are clearly out of scope will be returned without review.

Where a recognised reporting guideline exists for your study type, authors are strongly encouraged to complete and submit the relevant checklist alongside their manuscript. Reporting guidelines vary by field; common examples include:

These examples are not exhaustive — many fields (e.g., computing, engineering, economics) do not have a single dominant reporting standard. Where no formal guideline exists for your study type, clearly describe your methodology in sufficient detail to allow replication. Reporting guideline checklists are available at the EQUATOR Network (www.equator-network.org).

Manuscript Preparation

Language & Style

Manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English. Both British and American English are accepted, provided usage is consistent throughout. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to have their manuscript reviewed by a fluent English speaker before submission. The journal does not provide language editing services.

File Format

Manuscripts should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). Do not submit PDF files for the main manuscript. Figures should be submitted as separate image files at a resolution sufficient for clear reproduction.

Structure

Original research articles should generally follow the standard IMRaD structure (adapted as appropriate to your field and study design):

• Title page — full title, all authors' names and affiliations, corresponding author contact details, word count, and conflict of interest statement
• Abstract — structured (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions) for original research; unstructured for reviews and case studies
• Keywords — 4–8 terms, drawn from a standard subject-indexing vocabulary for your field where one exists
• Introduction — background and rationale; specific objectives or hypotheses
• Methods — study design, setting, participants or materials, interventions, outcomes, analytical approach; sufficient detail to allow replication
• Results — findings presented objectively without interpretation
• Discussion — interpretation of findings, limitations, comparison with existing literature, implications
• Conclusions — brief summary of principal conclusions; avoid overstating
• Declarations — ethics approval and consent (where applicable), data availability, conflicts of interest, funding, author contributions, acknowledgements
• References
• Tables and figures — each on a separate page with captions

Word Limits

References

References should be formatted according to the Vancouver style (numbered, in order of appearance). Citations should be superscripted numerals in the text. Examples:

Journal article: Doe J, Smith A, Brown C. Title of article. J Med Sci. 2025;12(3):45–52.

Book chapter: Jones R. Chapter title. In: Williams P, editor. Textbook of Medicine. 3rd ed. London: Publisher; 2024. p. 100–115.

References to unpublished data, personal communications, or conference abstracts should be minimised and clearly identified as such in the text. URLs must include the date of access.

Tables & Figures

Tables should be editable (not images) and included at the end of the manuscript document. Each table must have a concise title and be cited in the text. Figure legends should be provided in the manuscript document. All figures and tables must be original or accompanied by written permission from the copyright holder.

Statistical Reporting

Statistical methods must be described in sufficient detail to allow verification of results. Report exact p-values to two decimal places (e.g., p = 0.03), not as p < 0.05. Confidence intervals should accompany all primary outcome estimates. The statistical software used must be named and referenced.

Ethical Requirements

All submissions must include the following declarations in the manuscript:

• Ethics approval — for research involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data: name of the IRB, ethics committee, or equivalent review body and reference number; otherwise state "Not applicable"
• Informed consent — where the study involves human participants: confirmation that consent was obtained (or justification for waiver); otherwise state "Not applicable"
• Trial or protocol registration — registry name and number, for clinical trials or pre-registered studies where applicable
• Data availability — statement on whether data are available and how to access them
• Conflicts of interest — declaration for all authors; write "None declared" if no conflicts exist
• Funding — sources of financial support; write "No funding received" if applicable
• Author contributions — using CRediT taxonomy (Conceptualisation, Methodology, Investigation, etc.)

How to Submit

Manuscripts are submitted online through your author account on the Submission Portal. Register or sign in, then follow the submission steps to upload your manuscript. If you run into trouble registering, or would prefer to submit by email, send your submission to weopenaccess@gmail.com with the subject line: Submission — [Article Type] — [Abbreviated Title].

Your submission package should include:

1. The main manuscript file (Word document)
2. A cover letter (see below)
3. All figure files (separate image files)
4. Completed reporting guideline checklist
5. Supplementary materials (if applicable)

Cover Letter

A cover letter must accompany every submission. The cover letter should:

• State the article type and confirm the manuscript has not been submitted elsewhere
• Summarise the significance of the work in 2–3 sentences
• Confirm compliance with all ethical requirements
• Suggest 3–5 potential reviewers with their affiliations and email addresses (optional but encouraged)
• Identify any individuals who should be excluded from review due to conflicts of interest

After Submission

The editorial office will acknowledge receipt of your submission and provide an initial editorial assessment within 2 business days. Manuscripts that pass initial assessment will be sent for peer review, with a target first decision time of 21 days from submission.