As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
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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).
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Ethical Compliance: The authors agree to adhere to the core practices and ethical guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). This includes all aspects of the submission process, such as authorship, conflict of interest, and appeals. See Publication Ethics.
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Manuscript Formatting: The submitted manuscript is formatted according to the Journal's Author Guidelines and, where applicable, uses the provided templates.
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Content & Style: The manuscript text, including all citations and references, follows the journal’s specific stylistic and bibliographic requirements as detailed in the Guidelines for Authors.
To ensure clarity and reproducibility, authors are encouraged to follow established reporting guidelines:
Visit the EQUATOR Network for more resources. Please state in your manuscript’s Methods section which guideline was followed (e.g., “This study was conducted in accordance with CONSORT guidelines.”).
Clinical Trial Registration
SRTM requires the registration of all clinical trials in a public trials registry prior to participant enrollment, as mandated by the ICMJE and the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Acceptable registries include: ClinicalTrials.gov, the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT), and any primary registry in the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) network.
- The trial registration number (TRN) must be provided at the end of the abstract and in the Materials and Methods section of the manuscript.
- Manuscripts reporting results of an unregistered clinical trial will not be considered for publication.
Manuscript Style
To ensure a smooth and efficient review process, please prepare your manuscript according to the following guidelines. Manuscripts that do not comply may be returned to authors.
- File Format: Submit your manuscript as a Microsoft Word document (.docx). Do not lock or password-protect the file.
- Font and Layout: Use Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri in 12-point size. Double-space all content with 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins.
- Line Numbering: Enable continuous line numbering throughout the document.
- Footnotes: Not permitted. Integrate footnote content into the main text or reference list.
- Abbreviations: Define at first use. Provide a list of abbreviations after the main text, before Acknowledgements.
- Templates: Optional, but formatting compliance is required.
Manuscript Organization and Content
Organize your manuscript into the following sections. Upload the Title Page as a separate file to support double-blind review.
- Cover Letter (Separate File)
- Title Page (Separate File)
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Main Text
- Introduction
- Materials and Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- Conflicts of Interest
- Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- References
- Tables
- Figure Captions
- Illustrations
Detailed Section Guidelines
Cover Letter
Addressed to the Editor-in-Chief. Include manuscript title, significance, key findings, and confirmation of originality. Disclose any related prior submissions.
Title Page
- Full manuscript title
- Running title (max 60 characters)
- Author names and affiliations
- Corresponding author’s contact details
Abstract
Max 300 words. No abbreviations or references.
- Structured: Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion (for research articles)
- Unstructured: Single paragraph (for reviews, case reports)
Keywords
Provide 3–6 keywords below the abstract. Preferably use MeSH terms.
Main Text
- Introduction: Background, rationale, objectives
- Materials and Methods: Design, procedures, ethics, statistics
- Results: Findings with tables/figures
- Discussion: Interpretation, novelty, limitations
- Conclusion: Summary and implications
References
Use Vancouver style. Cite in brackets, list in order of appearance. EndNote style file available.
Article Type |
Recommended References |
|---|
Original Articles |
15–40 |
Case Reports |
5–10 |
Narrative Review |
Minimum 50 |
Systematic Review |
Up to 50 |
Brief Report |
10–15 |
Visual Practice |
Up to 5 |
Letter to Editor |
Up to 5 |
Tables and Illustrations
- Tables: Separate pages, numbered, titled
- Illustrations: High-resolution (300–600 DPI), numbered, captions on separate page
Essentials of Article Types
Article Type |
Word Count |
Required Sections |
|---|
Original Articles & Clinical Trials |
4000 |
Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion |
Case Reports |
2000 |
Background, Case Report, Discussion, Conclusion |
Narrative & Systematic Reviews |
5000 |
Flexible headings; concise presentation |
Brief Reports & Short Communication |
2000 & 1500 |
Intro, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion (Short Comm. combines last two) |
Editorials |
1200 |
Intro, Argument, Evidence, Counterargument, Refutation, Conclusion |
Visual Practice |
300 |
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Language
Articles must be submitted in either British or American English. Authors should maintain consistency throughout the manuscript. The journal recommends that non-native English speakers seek assistance from a qualified language expert or editing service to ensure clarity, accuracy, and fluency.
Additional Policy Links
The following policies are available as dedicated pages for detailed reference:
