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Authors' Guidelines

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About the Journal

  1. Scope and Mission

    The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Computing and Information Technology Sciences (JKAU-CITS) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to advancing scholarship in computer science and information technology.

    • Focus: The journal covers theoretical foundations and applied technologies, including software engineering, artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing.
    • Ethical Standards: The journal follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and endorses the ICMJE Recommendations.

  2. Open Access and Fees (Diamond Model)

    The journal provides immediate, unrestricted access to its content under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license.

    • No Fees: We are a Diamond Open Access journal. There are no Article Processing Charges (APCs) or submission fees. Publication costs are fully supported by King Abdulaziz University to ensure research is available to readers at no cost.

  3. Article Types and Language

    • Language: All manuscripts must be submitted in English.
    • Accepted Article Types: We welcome submissions of:
      1. Original Articles: In-depth research contributing new knowledge.
      2. Short Communications: Concise reports of significant findings.
      3. Reviews: Comprehensive surveys of specific topics.
      4. Mini Reviews: Focused reviews on recent developments.

  4. Archiving

    To ensure permanent access, the journal is digitally archived in CLOCKSS.

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Language, Editing, and Inclusivity

  1. Language and Presentation

    • Standard: Manuscripts must be written in good English (American or British usage is accepted, but must be consistent throughout the manuscript).
    • Clarity: The text should be clear, concise, and grammatically correct to ensure that the scientific content is fully understood by editors and reviewers. Reviewers are not expected to correct grammatical errors; manuscripts with poor language quality that obscures the scientific meaning may be rejected or returned for editing.

  2. Use of AI and Editing Services

    • Human Assistance: Authors who are not fluent in English are strongly encouraged to use a professional language editing service or seek assistance from a fluent colleague prior to submission.
    • AI-Assisted Editing: The use of Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, LLMs) and AI-assisted technologies for the specific purpose of improving the readability and language of the manuscript (refinement, grammar checks, editing) is permitted.
      • Accountability: Authors remain ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of the work. AI tools can generate incorrect or biased output; therefore, all AI-suggested changes must be reviewed and verified by the authors.
      • Disclosure: If AI tools were used for substantial editing, this should be disclosed in the Acknowledgments or Methods section, specifying the tool used.

  3. Inclusive and Bias-Free Language

    • General Principle: Authors should use inclusive, respectful, and non-stigmatizing language. Avoid stereotypes or cultural assumptions.
    • Descriptors: When describing study populations, use specific, neutral terms for age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and health status. Avoid terms that imply superiority or inferiority.
    • Sex and Gender: Authors must use the terms "sex" (biological attribute) and "gender" (socially constructed circumstances) correctly and consistently, in accordance with the SAGER Guidelines (Sex and Gender Equity in Research).

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Types of Articles

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Computing and Information Technology Sciences (JKAU-CITS) welcomes submissions in the following categories:

  1. Original Articles

    These represent in-depth, original research contributing new knowledge to computer science and information technology. Topics include, but are not limited to, artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, networks, cloud computing, IoT, and software engineering.

    • Structure: Must follow the standard IMRAD format (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion).
    • Abstract: Structured (max 300 words).

  2. Short Communications

    Concise reports of significant findings or preliminary results of exceptional importance that do not yet justify a full-length paper but warrant rapid publication.

    • Length: Maximum 3,000 words.
    • Figures/Tables: Maximum total of 4.
    • Requirements: Must be complete manuscripts with a clear contribution to the field.

  3. Review Articles

    Comprehensive surveys of specific topics within the journal's scope, providing a critical synthesis of existing literature and identifying gaps or future directions. Special attention is paid to the teaching value of the review.

    • Length: Maximum 10,000 words.
    • Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses: These are considered Review Articles but must adhere to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Authors must submit the PRISMA checklist and flow diagram.
    • Abstract: Unstructured for narrative reviews; Structured for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

  4. Mini Reviews

    Focused reviews on recent, rapidly developing topics or emerging technologies, presented in a concise manner.

    • Length: Maximum 5,000 words.
    • Focus: Should offer a sharp, up-to-date perspective on a specific niche within computing or IT.

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Submission Checklist

Before submitting, please ensure your manuscript meets the following criteria. Submissions that do not adhere to these guidelines will be returned to the authors.

  1. Originality and Prior Publication

    • The manuscript is original and is not currently under consideration by another journal.
    • The work has not been published previously, except in the form of an abstract, a thesis, or a preprint.
    • If the work extends a previously published conference proceeding, a significant amount of new material (methodology, analysis, or conclusions) has been added, and the original source is cited.

  2. Double-Blind Review Requirements

    • Blinded Manuscript: A version of the manuscript has been uploaded that contains no author names, affiliations, or identifying information to ensure blind review.
    • Title Page: A separate file containing the title, all author details, affiliations, and acknowledgments has been prepared.

  3. Ethics and Integrity

    • Ethics Approval: If the work involves human or animal subjects, a statement detailing the ethics committee approval (including the reference number) and informed consent is included.
    • Generative AI: The authors confirm that Generative AI tools were not listed as authors. If AI was used for writing, it is disclosed in the Acknowledgments. AI was not used to create or manipulate data figures.
    • Authorship: All listed authors meet the ICMJE criteria for authorship and have approved the final version.

  4. Reporting and Data

    • Data Availability: A Data Availability Statement is included, describing how the data supporting the findings can be accessed.
    • Reporting Checklists: For specific study types (e.g., randomized trials, systematic reviews), the relevant checklist (e.g., CONSORT, PRISMA) has been completed and uploaded.

  5. Formatting and Language

    • Language: The text is written in good English (American or British usage is consistent) and is free of grammatical errors.
    • References: References are formatted in the Vancouver style (numbered in order of appearance).
    • Figures: Figures are of high quality (min. 300 dpi for bitmaps), submitted as separate files if required, and do not contain manipulated data.

  6. Scope

    • The manuscript clearly aligns with the Aims and Scope of the Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Computing and Information Technology Sciences (JKAU-CITS).

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Preparation of Manuscripts

  1. General Requirements and File Formats

    • File Type: Manuscripts should be submitted as Word files (.doc, .docx) or LaTeX.
    • Formatting: Use a standard font (Times New Roman, 10 pt or 12 pt), double line spacing, and single-column format with justified margins.
    • Line Numbering: To facilitate peer review, continuous line numbering must be applied throughout the text, and pages must be numbered consecutively.
    • Language: The text should be written in good English (American or British usage is accepted, but must be consistent). Authors are advised to use spell-check and grammar-check functions prior to submission.

  2. Double-Blind Review Requirements

    To ensure a blind review, authors must submit two separate files:

    1. Title Page (Separate File): Includes the manuscript title, all author names, affiliations, contact details for the corresponding author, acknowledgments, and the Conflict of Interest statement.
    2. Blinded Manuscript (Main File): Contains the title, abstract, keywords, main text, references, tables, and figures. No author names, affiliations, or identifying information should appear in this file. Authors should mask self-citations (e.g., "we reported previously [Reference]" should be "[Anonymous 2020] reported previously").

  3. Manuscript Structure

    Manuscripts should generally follow the IMRAD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion).

    • Headings: Use a decimal system with no more than three hierarchical levels (e.g., 1., 1.1, 1.1.1).
    • Equations: Use the built-in Equation Editor or MathType. Do not submit equations as images.
    • Tables: Create tables using the Word table function. Do not insert tables as images.

  4. Reporting Guidelines

    Authors are required to adhere to the relevant reporting guidelines for their study design to ensure transparency and reproducibility. Please upload the appropriate checklist as a supplementary file:

    • Randomized Trials: CONSORT
    • Observational Studies: STROBE
    • Systematic Reviews: PRISMA
    • Animal Studies: ARRIVE 2.0

  5. Declarations Section

    The following statements must be included at the end of the manuscript, before the References:

    1. Funding: All sources of financial support.
    2. Conflicts of Interest: Financial and non-financial interests.
    3. Data Availability: A statement on how to access the data.
    4. AI Disclosure: A statement disclosing if Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools were used in the writing or editing process.

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Online Submission

  1. Submission System

    Manuscripts should be submitted by one of the authors through the online Manuscript Tracking System in accordance with the on-screen instructions.

    • Author Requirement: Manuscripts must be submitted by a listed author. Submissions by individuals not listed as authors on the manuscript will not be considered.

  2. File Formats

    • Word: Manuscripts should generally be submitted as Word files (Word 2007 or later; .doc, .docx).
    • LaTeX: Manuscripts containing significant mathematical content may also be submitted in LaTeX.
    • Page Limits: There is no page limit for submissions.

  3. Author Responsibility and Identifiers

    • Responsibility: The submitting author assumes full responsibility for the manuscript throughout the submission and peer review process. This includes ensuring that all co-authors have approved the submitted version.
    • ORCID: We strongly encourage the corresponding author to provide their Open Researcher and Contributor Identification (ORCID) iD during submission to ensure proper attribution.

  4. Technical Support

    If submission through the MTS is not possible due to technical reasons, the author may contact the Editorial Office at for assistance.

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Initial Editorial Evaluation and Screening

  1. Administrative and Technical Check

    Upon submission, the Editorial Office conducts a technical check to ensure the manuscript complies with the journal's formatting, word count, and language standards.

    • Completeness: Manuscripts lacking necessary sections (e.g., Affiliations, Abstract, References, Funding Statement) will be returned to the author.
    • Language: The journal publishes in English (American usage accepted). Manuscripts with poor grammar that obscures the scientific meaning may be rejected immediately or returned for language editing.

  2. Integrity and Ethical Screening

    Before the scientific assessment, all manuscripts undergo a rigorous integrity check.

    • Plagiarism: Submissions are screened using iThenticate (Crossref Similarity Check). Manuscripts with significant unattributed overlap or text recycling will be rejected.
    • Systematic Manipulation: The journal screens for indicators of "paper mill" activity or systematic manipulation of the publication process. This includes checking for "tortured phrases," suspicious changes in authorship, and irregularities in data presentation.
    • AI Disclosure: The text is checked for compliance with our Generative AI policy. Any use of AI tools in writing must be disclosed; manuscripts with undisclosed AI-generated content or AI-generated figures may be rejected.
    • Authorship Verification: We verify the validity of author contact information (e.g., institutional emails, ORCID iDs) to prevent identity theft and fictitious authorship.

  3. Scientific Assessment (The "Desk Reject" Decision)

    Manuscripts passing the integrity screen are evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief or a Handling Editor to determine suitability for peer review. A manuscript may be Desk Rejected (rejected without external peer review) if:

    1. Out of Scope: The topic does not align with the journal’s specific Aims and Scope.
    2. Insufficient Novelty/Impact: The work does not demonstrate a significant advance in the field or is of low priority for publication.
    3. Fatal Flaws: The study design is fundamentally flawed, unethical, or the scientific method is clearly inadequate.

  4. Decision Authority

    The Editor-in-Chief has the final authority to reject any manuscript at this stage. Decisions to desk reject are made to allow authors to submit their work to a more suitable journal without unnecessary delay.

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Submission Declaration and Verification

  1. Originality and Exclusivity

    Submission of a manuscript implies that:

    • No Prior Publication: The work described has not been published previously, except in the form of an abstract, a published lecture, an academic thesis, or as an electronic preprint on a recognized server (e.g., arXiv).
    • No Concurrent Submission: The manuscript is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
    • No Secondary Publication: If accepted, the work will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the copyright holder.

  2. Approvals and Ethics

    • Author Approval: The publication is approved by all listed authors. The corresponding author warrants that they have the authority to act on behalf of all co-authors.
    • Institutional Approval: The work is approved by the responsible authorities and/or ethics committees at the institution where the work was carried out.
    • AI Disclosure: If Generative AI tools were used in the writing process, this has been disclosed in the manuscript. AI tools are not listed as authors.

  3. Plagiarism Screening

    To verify originality, all manuscripts submitted to the Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Computing and Information Technology Sciences (JKAU-CITS) are screened using Crossref Similarity Check powered by iThenticate. By submitting your manuscript, you agree to this screening.

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Article Structure

The manuscript should be compiled in the following order:

  1. Title page
  2. Abstract, Keywords
  3. Introduction
  4. Material and methods (Experimental or Methodology or Patients and methods)
  5. Results
  6. Discussion (Results and discussion can be combined in one section)
  7. Conclusion
  8. Acknowledgment(s)
  9. Conflicts of Interest
  10. References
  11. Arabic Abstract
  12. Tables
  13. Figures

Title Page

The title page should include the following information in English and Arabic:

  1. Title: The title should be brief, concise, and descriptive. It should not contain any literature references or compound numbers or non-standardized abbreviations. It should be centered, typed in Times New Roman, 14-point, boldface.
  2. Authors and affiliations:

    Provide the given name(s), middle initial(s), and family name(s) of all authors for complete identification. Author names should be centered beneath the title and typed in Times New Roman, 11-point, non-italic, and boldface.

    Use superscript lowercase letters to indicate different affiliations, which should be as detailed as possible and must include department, faculty/college, University, the city with zip code or P.O. Box and country.

    The primary affiliation for each author should correspond to the institution where most of their work was conducted. If an author has subsequently moved, the current address may be stated. Addresses will not be updated after the publication.

  3. Corresponding author:

    The corresponding author should be clearly identified with an asterisk (*), and contact details (Tel., fax, and e-mail address) should be placed in a footnote. If available, the 16-digit ORCID of the corresponding author.

    The Arabic version of the Title, Authors, and affiliations should be provided in the same order as mentioned above on a separate page within the same file.

    A short running title (running head) of no more than 80 characters should be included.

Abstract

The abstract should be self-contained, citation-free, and should not exceed 300 words. The abstract should briefly describe the purpose of the study, the methodology, the most significant results, and the principal conclusions, respectively. Nonstandard or uncommon abbreviations should be defined at first mention within the abstract. The abstract should be typed in Times New Roman, 9-point, non-italic and non-boldface.

Keywords

Authors are required to provide four to six (4 to 6) keywords, separated by semicolons, and should be typed in Times New Roman, 10-point, non-italic and non-boldface.

Introduction

This section should be succinct, without subheadings. The author(s) should clearly articulate the significance of the study and provide a strong justification for its publication. Any background discussion should be brief and restricted to pertinent material.

Material and Methods (Experimental or Methodology or Patients and Methods)

This section should contain sufficient detail to allow the reported procedures to be fully replicated. It may be divided into subsections when several methods are described. Authors are encouraged to be as concise as possible in experimental descriptions. The experimental section must contain all the information necessary to guarantee reproducibility.

Previously published methods should be properly cited, and only relevant modifications should be described. For all materials used (e.g., chemicals, reagents, strains, instruments), complete vendor information must be provided, including the company name, city, and country.

For statistical analysis, authors must specify the statistical test(s) applied and clearly state the hypothesized p-value or level of significance (for example, p = 0.05).

Results and Discussion

The Results and Discussion sections should be combined. Results must be presented clearly and concisely. Restrict the use of tables and figures to depict data that is essential to the message and interpretation of the study. The results should be presented in a logical sequence in the text, tables, and illustrations.

The discussion should interpret and evaluate the results rather than restate them. It should address the significance and implications of the findings, acknowledge any limitations, and explain how the findings relate to previously published work. Authors are also encouraged to outline directions for future research.

Conclusion(s)

The main conclusion(s) of the study should be presented in a short conclusion statement highlighting the goals of the study and its importance. State new hypotheses when warranted. Include recommendations when appropriate.

Acknowledgment(s)

All acknowledgments (if any) should be placed at the end of the manuscript, immediately before the references. Individuals who contributed to the research or manuscript but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged, with their permission.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors must declare all relevant interests that could be perceived as conflicting. Authors should explain why each interest may represent a conflict. If no conflicts exist, the authors should state this. Submitting authors are responsible for co-authors declaring their interests.

References

Text citations: References should be indicated by Arabic numerals in square brackets, which run in order of appearance throughout the text (Vancouver style). For instance [4], or [7-10, 13,15]. Authors’ names can be referred to, but the reference number(s) must always be given.

Figures

Figures and tables should not be submitted in separate files. If the article is accepted, authors will be asked to provide the source files of the figures. Each figure should be supplied in a separate electronic file. All figures should be cited in the manuscript in consecutive order.

Figures should be supplied in either vector art formats (Illustrator, EPS, WMF, FreeHand, CorelDraw, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) or bitmap formats (Photoshop, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, etc.). Bitmap images should be of 300 dpi resolution unless the resolution is intentionally set to a lower level for scientific reasons.

If a bitmap image has labels, the image and labels should be embedded in separate layers. Figures should be referred to as Fig. 1, Figs. 2, 3–5, using Arabic numerals. Ensure that all tables, figures, and schemes are cited in the text in numerical order. Figure parts should be denoted by lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc.).

Tables

Tables should be cited consecutively in the text. Every table must have a descriptive title, and if numerical measurements are given, the units should be included in the column heading. Vertical rules should not be used.

Figure and table captions should be 9-point Times New Roman, boldface, and non-italic. Initially capitalize only the first word of the caption. Figure captions are to be placed below the figures, and table titles are to be fully justified above the table.

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Statements & Declarations

Funding

Please describe any sources of funding that have supported the work. The statement should include details of any grants received (please give the name of the funding agency and grant number).

Example statements:

“This work was supported by […] (Grant numbers […] and […]). Author A.B. has received research support from Company A.”

“The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.”

Author Contributions

Corresponding authors are required to acknowledge co-author contributions using CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) roles:

  • Conceptualization
  • Data curation
  • Formal analysis
  • Funding acquisition
  • Investigation
  • Methodology
  • Project administration
  • Resources
  • Software
  • Supervision
  • Validation
  • Visualization
  • Writing – original draft
  • Writing – review and editing

Not all CRediT roles will apply to every manuscript and some authors may contribute through multiple roles.

We advise you to read more about CRediT and view an example of a CRediT author statement.

Data Availability

This journal encourages authors to provide an optional statement of data availability in their article. Data Availability Statements should include information on where data supporting the results reported in the article can be found, including, where applicable, hyperlinks to publicly archived datasets analyzed or generated during the study.

Data availability statements can also indicate whether data are available on request from the authors and where no data are available, if appropriate.

Example statements:

“The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the [NAME] repository, [PERSISTENT LINK TO DATASETS].”

“The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.”

Ethics Approval

Authors of research involving human or animal subjects should include a statement that confirms that the study was approved (or granted exemption) by the appropriate institutional and/or national research ethics committee (including the name of the ethics committee and reference number, if available).

For research involving animals, their data, or biological material, authors should supply detailed information on the ethical treatment of their animals in their submission.

If a study was granted exemption or did not require ethics approval, this should also be detailed in the manuscript.

Example statements:

“This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of University B (Date.../No....).”

“This is an observational study. The XYZ Research Ethics Committee has confirmed that no ethical approval is required.”

For detailed information on relevant ethical standards and criteria, please refer to the sections on “Studies in humans and animals”.

Consent to Participate

For all research involving human subjects, freely-given, informed consent to participate in the study must be obtained from participants (or their parent or legal guardian in the case of children under 16) and a statement to this effect should appear in the manuscript.

Example statements:

“Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.”

“Written informed consent was obtained from the parents.”

Consent to Publish

Individuals may consent to participate in a study, but object to having their data published in a journal article. If your manuscript contains any individual person’s data in any form (including any individual details, images or videos), consent for publication must be obtained from that person, or in the case of children, their parent or legal guardian.

This is applicable to case studies. A statement confirming that consent to publish has been received from all participants should appear in the manuscript.

Example statement:

“The authors affirm that human research participants provided informed consent for publication of the images in Figure(s) 1a, 1b and 1c.”

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Declaration of Generative AI in Scientific Writing

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-Assisted Technologies

  1. AI Authorship and Accountability
    • No Authorship: Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Large Language Models) cannot be listed as authors. They do not meet the criteria for authorship, specifically the ability to approve the final version and take responsibility for the integrity of the work.
    • Human Responsibility: Authors are fully responsible and accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content in their manuscript, including any portions generated or refined by AI tools. AI can generate incorrect, incomplete, or biased output ("hallucinations"), which authors must verify.
  2. Permitted Use and Disclosure

    Authors must transparently disclose the use of AI tools.

    1. Writing Assistance: If AI was used to draft, edit, or refine the text, this must be disclosed in the Acknowledgments section or a specific "Declaration of AI Use" statement. Authors should specify the tool used (name, version) and the nature of the assistance.
      • Exception: The use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, and references (e.g., standard spell-checkers, BibTeX) does not need to be declared.
    2. Scientific Methods (Data & Analysis): If AI was used for study design, data collection, data analysis, or generating code, this must be described in the Methods section. Authors should provide sufficient detail (including prompts used) to enable replication.
  3. Prohibited Use (Images and Figures)
    • Data Integrity: The use of Generative AI to create, alter, or manipulate research data images (e.g., micrographs, gels, radiological images, or scientific data plots) is strictly prohibited.
    • Illustrations: AI-generated images for purely illustrative purposes (e.g., graphical abstracts) may be permitted if clearly labeled as such, provided the author has the legal right to use them.
  4. Referencing AI

    AI-generated material should not be cited as a primary source in the reference list. If an author uses AI to generate text, it should be treated as a tool, not a citable author.

  5. Declaration Template (for Writing Assistance)

    If AI was used for writing, place the following statement before the References:

    “During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.”

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Proofs

One set of page proofs (as PDF files) will be sent by e-mail to the corresponding author. Please use this proof only for checking the typesetting, editing, completeness, and correctness of the text, tables, and figures.

We will do our best to get your article published quickly and accurately. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all your corrections are sent back in one communication within 48 hours. Proofreading is solely your responsibility. Note that the publisher may proceed with the publication of an article if no response is received.

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Revised Manuscripts

The authors must submit the revised version of their submissions within one month of receiving the editorial decision. Revision does not mean that the manuscript will be accepted for publication, as the amended submissions could be sent out for reevaluation.

In response to reviewers’ comments, the authors must ensure that each comment is followed by their revision and/or response. In instances where an author disagrees with a comment or suggestion of a reviewer, please justify the reason.

Any associated changes in the manuscript must be highlighted in the revised form of the manuscript to facilitate the process of re-evaluation.

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After Acceptance

Upon acceptance, your article will be exported to production to undergo typesetting. Once the typesetting is complete, you will receive the proofs.

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Ethical Guidelines

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Computing and Information Technology Sciences (JKAU-CITS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of research ethics. All research involving human participants, animals, plants, biological materials, protected sites, or non-public datasets must be conducted in an ethical, responsible, and legally compliant manner, in accordance with internationally recognized ethical principles and applicable national and institutional regulations.

Complying with Ethics of Experimentation

Please ensure that all research reported in submitted papers has been conducted in an ethical and responsible manner and is in full compliance with all relevant codes of experimentation and legislation.

All original research papers involving humans, animals, plants, biological material, protected or non-public datasets, collections or sites, must include a written statement under an Ethics Approval section including the following:

  • The name of the ethics committee(s) or institutional review board(s) involved.
  • The number or ID of the ethics approval(s).
  • A statement that human participants have provided informed consent before taking part in the research.

Research involving animals must adhere to ethical standards concerning animal welfare. All original research papers involving animals must:

  • Follow international, national, and institutional guidelines for the humane treatment of animals.
  • Receive approval by the ethics review committee at the institution or practice at which the research was conducted and provide details on the approval process, names of the ethics committee(s) or institutional review board(s) involved, and the number or ID of the ethics approval(s) in the Ethics Approval section.
  • Provide justification for the use of animals and the species selected.
  • Provide information about housing, feeding, environmental enrichment, and steps taken to minimize suffering.
  • Provide mode of anesthesia and euthanasia.

Studies in Humans and Animals

If the work involves the use of human subjects, the author should ensure that the work described has been carried out in accordance with The Code of Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki) for experiments involving humans.

The manuscript should be in line with the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals and aim for the inclusion of representative human populations (sex, age, and ethnicity) as per those recommendations. The terms sex and gender should be used correctly.

Authors should include a statement in the manuscript that informed consent was obtained for experimentation with human subjects. The privacy rights of human subjects must always be observed.

All animal experiments should comply with the ARRIVE guidelines and should be carried out in accordance with the U.K. Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986 and associated guidelines, EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal experiments, or the National Research Council's Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

The authors should clearly indicate in the manuscript that such guidelines have been followed. The sex of animals must be indicated, and where appropriate, the influence (or association) of sex on the results of the study.

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Supplementary Materials

Authors can publish online supplementary files along with their articles or book chapters.

Each supplementary file should include an article title, journal name, authors' names, affiliations, and email address of the corresponding author.

Supplementary files will be published as received by the authors without any conversion, editing, or reforming.

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Article Publishing Charge

There are no Article Processing Charges (APC) for publication of the journal on all submissions.

Page updated Mar 2026

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