Writing Rules

The International Journal of Comprehensive Health, Medicine, & Dentistry is committed to publishing high-quality, original research and reviews. To ensure clarity, consistency, and scientific rigor, authors are required to adhere to the following writing rules when preparing their manuscripts for submission.

General Formatting

Manuscript Format:
Use a standard word processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word).
The manuscript should be in A4 size, with 1-inch margins on all sides.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font and double-spacing throughout the document.
Number all pages consecutively, starting with the title page.
Sections:
Title Page: Include the title of the manuscript, author names and affiliations, corresponding author contact information, and a running title (up to 50 characters).
Abstract: Provide a concise summary of the manuscript without references or abbreviations. The word count varies by paper type.
Keywords: List 3-6 keywords related to the manuscript.
Main Text: Organize the manuscript into the following sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion.
Acknowledgments: Recognize any funding sources, contributors, or assistance.
References: Follow the Vancouver style, with references numbered consecutively in the order they appear in the text.
Tables and Figures: Include tables and figures at the end of the manuscript, each on a separate page, with appropriate captions.

Specific Guidelines

Title:
Should be concise, descriptive, and informative.
Avoid abbreviations and jargon.
Abstract:
Provide a structured abstract with headings: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions.
Should be self-contained and fully comprehensible without reference to the main text.
Word count varies by paper type (see below).
Introduction:
Clearly state the research question, hypothesis, and objectives.
Provide background information and a brief review of relevant literature.
Methods:
Describe the study design, setting, participants, interventions, and methods of data collection and analysis in sufficient detail to allow replication.
Include ethical considerations and approval information.
Results:
Present findings in a logical sequence, using text, tables, and figures.
Do not duplicate data in tables/figures in the text.
Discussion:
Interpret the results in the context of existing knowledge.
Discuss limitations, implications for practice, and directions for future research.
Conclusion:
Summarize the main findings and their significance.
Avoid overstating the findings.
References:
Follow the Vancouver referencing style.
Number references consecutively in the order they are mentioned in the text.
Use superscript numbers to indicate references in the text.

Language and Style

Language:
Manuscripts should be written in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English.
Avoid jargon and colloquialisms.
Scientific Terminology:
Use standard scientific terminology.
Define all abbreviations at first mention and avoid excessive use.
Units of Measurement:
Use the International System of Units (SI) for all measurements.
Provide conversions for non-SI units.
Statistical Reporting:
Clearly describe statistical methods and present results with appropriate measures of variability and significance.
Report exact p-values and confidence intervals.
Ethical Standards:
Ensure all research complies with ethical guidelines and includes statements on informed consent and ethical approval.

Appendices

If there is more than one appendix, they should be identified as A, B, etc.
Formulae and equations in appendices should be given separate numbering: Eq. (A.1), Eq. (A.2), etc.
Similarly, for tables and figures: Table A.1; Fig. A.1, etc.

Essential Title Page Information

Title:
Concise and informative.
Avoid abbreviations and formulae where possible.
Author Names and Affiliations:
Clearly indicate the given name(s) and family name(s) of each author.
Present the authors' affiliation addresses below the names.
Indicate all affiliations with a lower-case superscript letter immediately after the author's name and in front of the appropriate address.
Provide the full postal address of each affiliation, including the country name and, if available, the e-mail address of each author.
Corresponding Author:
Clearly indicate who will handle correspondence at all stages of refereeing and publication.
Ensure the e-mail address is given and that contact details are kept up to date.
Present/Permanent Address:
If an author has moved since the work described in the article was done, indicate a 'Present address' (or 'Permanent address') as a footnote to that author's name.
The address at which the author actually did the work must be retained as the main affiliation address.
Abstract

A concise and factual abstract is required.
The abstract should briefly state the purpose of the research, the principal results, and major conclusions.
Avoid references and non-standard or uncommon abbreviations.
Graphical Abstract

Optional but encouraged.
Should summarize the contents of the article in a concise, pictorial form.
Submit as a separate file in the online submission system.
Keywords

Immediately after the abstract, provide a maximum of 6 keywords.
Use British spelling and avoid general and plural terms and multiple concepts.
Abbreviations

Define abbreviations that are not standard in this field in a footnote on the first page of the article.
Ensure consistency of abbreviations throughout the article.
Acknowledgements

Collate acknowledgements in a separate section at the end of the article before the references.
List those individuals who provided help during the research (e.g., language help, writing assistance, proofreading).
Formatting of Funding Sources

List funding sources in a standard way to facilitate compliance with funder's requirements:
Example: "Funding: This work was supported by [name of the funding body] [grant numbers xxxx, yyyy]; [name of the funding body] [grant number zzzz]; and [name of the funding body] [grant number aaaa]."
If no funding has been provided, include the following sentence: "This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors."
Units

Follow internationally accepted rules and conventions: use the International System of Units (SI).
Provide equivalents for non-SI units.
Math Formulae

Submit math equations as editable text and not as images.
Present simple formulae in line with normal text where possible and use the solidus (/) instead of a horizontal line for small fractional terms.
Number consecutively any equations that have to be displayed separately from the text.
Footnotes

Use footnotes sparingly.
Number them consecutively throughout the article.
Indicate the position of footnotes in the text and list the footnotes separately at the end of the article.
Do not include footnotes in the Reference list.
Artwork

General Points:
Use uniform lettering and sizing.
Embed used fonts.
Use fonts like Arial, Courier, Times New Roman, or Symbol.
Number illustrations according to their sequence in the text.
Use a logical naming convention for artwork files.
Provide captions separately.
Size illustrations close to the desired dimensions of the published version.
Submit each illustration as a separate file.
Ensure color images are accessible to all, including those with impaired color vision.
Formats:
Microsoft Office applications: Supply 'as is' in the native document format.
Other applications: Convert images to EPS, TIFF, or JPEG with appropriate resolution.
Photomicrographs:
Include a scale bar and state the stain used and the original magnification.
Clinical Photographs:
Obtain written consent from the patient (or parent or guardian) for publication.
Include the words 'published with the patient's (or parent's or guardian's) consent' in the legend.
Graphs and Histograms:
Use only when necessary to display data.
Indicate the number of cases or patients studied.
Avoid three-dimensional graphs and pie-charts.
Color Artwork

Ensure files are in an acceptable format and resolution.
Usable color figures will appear in color online at no additional charge.
Figure Captions

Ensure each illustration has a caption.
Supply captions separately, not attached to the figure.
Provide a brief title and description, explaining all symbols and abbreviations used.
Tables

Submit tables as editable text, not as images.
Place tables next to the relevant text in the article or on separate pages.
Number tables consecutively and provide concise titles.
Avoid using vertical rules and shading in table cells.
References

Citations in Text:
Cite every reference in the list in numerical order.
Do not include references in the abstract.
References originally published in a language other than English should be cited in English with the original language in parentheses.
Reference Links:
Ensure data provided in references are correct.
Use DOIs where possible for permanent links.
Web References:
Provide the full URL and the date accessed.
List separately under a different heading if desired.
Data References:
Include author name(s), dataset title, data repository, version (where available), year, and global persistent identifier. Add [dataset] immediately before the reference so we can properly identify it as a data reference. The [dataset] identifier will not appear in your published article.
Preprint References:
Where a preprint has subsequently become available as a peer-reviewed publication, the formal publication should be used as the reference. Preprints should be clearly marked as such, for example by including the word preprint, or the name of the preprint server, as part of the reference. The preprint DOI should also be provided.
References in a Special Issue:
Ensure that the words 'this issue' are added to any references in the list (and any citations in the text) to other articles in the same Special Issue.
Reference Style:
Set out references in the Vancouver style, superscripted in the text after punctuation marks, and numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. References that include more than three authors should list the first three authors, et al.
Examples of References

Paper (three authors or fewer): Williams RW, Travess HC, Williams AC. Patients' experiences after undergoing orthognathic surgery at NHS hospitals in the southwest of England. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2004;42:419-31.
Paper (three authors or more): Byers R, Kesler K, Redmon B, et al. Squamous carcinoma of the external ear. Am J Surg 1983;146:447-50.
Chapter in a book: Pollock AV. The historical evolution of clinical research. In: Troidl H, McKneally MF, Mulder DS, et al. eds. Surgical research. Basic principles and clinical practice. 3rd ed. Berlin: Springer, 1997:49-56.
Book: Graber TM, Neumann B. Removable orthodontic appliances. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Saunders, 1984.
Papers in electronic format: Morse SS. Factors in the emergence of infectious diseases. Emerg Infect Dis (serial online) 1995 Jan-March (cited 1996 Jan 5); 1(1):[24 screens]. Available from here.
Thesis: Author, title, degree, name of university, year of publication.
Abstract: First author’s name et al. Title in full. Paper presented at (name of scientific meeting) year, place.
Personal communication: Name, date, personal communication.
Unpublished observation: Name, date, unpublished observation.