Instructions to author

AUTHOR GUIDELINES AND SUBMISSION POLICIES:

(INSTRUCTION TO AUTHORS)

The Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences - Undergraduate Medical Research Journal (LUMHS-UMRJ) adheres to the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), following their “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals.” Authors submitting manuscripts to LUMHS-UMRJ must ensure their work has not been previously published or submitted elsewhere. Duplicate submissions are considered unethical and may be reported to relevant regulatory authorities like the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) and Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Preliminary findings presented as abstracts or conference proceedings may be submitted, provided they have not been published in full elsewhere. A copy of the prior abstract or presentation must accompany the manuscript for editorial review.

Manuscript Submission:

Authors must submit manuscripts directly through the journal's online portal:

Only the corresponding author should handle submissions, and the system will issue an automatic acknowledgment upon successful upload. Any submission-related queries can be addressed to Email ID:

A completed author certification form is required for publication. Once submitted, the authorship order is considered final. Delays in submitting this form will directly impact the processing timeline.

For all research submissions, an official ethics approval or exemption letter on institutional letterhead with a reference number and date is mandatory. Without this, manuscripts will not be considered.

Authorship Policy:

Authors must list all contributors with their affiliations and contact information at submission. Contributions must meet ICMJE’s four authorship criteria, including meaningful participation in study conception, data analysis, drafting, final approval, and accountability for the work. Practices like ghost or honorary authorship are strictly prohibited.

Publication Charges:

Editorials and letters commenting on LUMHS-UMRJ articles are exempt from charges. Further details are provided on the journal’s website as after the editorial board meeting.

Manuscript Preparation and Formatting:

Submissions should be in MS Word, typed in double spacing, single-column, using a 12-point font. British English is required. The manuscript should follow this order: title page, abstract, keywords, main text, references, tables, and figures with captions. Avoid excessive subheadings except in the abstract. Only essential acknowledgments are permitted.

Types of Submissions Accepted:

-              Original Research: Clinical trials, meta-analyses, cohort studies, etc. (2500-3000 words; up to 35 references).

-              Clinical Practice Articles: Observational case series (1500-2000 words).

 

-        Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses: Comprehensive reviews with statistical analyses (3500-4000 words).

-        Evidence-Based Reports: Minimum 15 cases (1000-1500 words).

-        Clinical Audits, Surveys, and Medical Education Reports: Standardized formats aligned with original articles (1500-2000 words).

-        Short Communications & Articles: Focused reports (1000-2000 words).

-        Viewpoints, Commentaries, Debates: Opinion pieces with referenced support (1500-2000 words).

-        Letters to the Editor: Brief reports or comments (up to 500 words).

-        Updates & New Techniques: Innovations or technical notes with practical implications.

-        Submissions older than three years may be declined unless deemed significant by the editorial board.

Initial Screening & Peer Review:

All submissions undergo internal editorial review for format and statistical integrity, followed by double-blind peer review by experts. Manuscripts are sent sequentially to reviewers with a typical response time of four weeks. Disputes are escalated to the Editor.

Text Structure:

Except for certain categories like letters and short communications, manuscripts must include:

Structured Abstract (250 words max): Including objectives, design, methodology, results, and conclusions.

Graphical Abstract: A unique, unpublished visual summary.

Introduction: Brief background leading to study objectives and rationale of the study.

Methodology: Clear study design, participant details, methods, and statistical analysis.

Results: Logical presentation with key findings highlighted.

Discussion: Interpretation of results, literature comparison, and study limitations.

Conclusion: Main takeaways relevant to the study objectives.

Declarations:

Authors must transparently declare authorship justification, conflicts of interest, funding sources, patient consent (if applicable), and any relevant disclosures.

References:

All references should follow Vancouver style, cited in numerical order, with DOIs where available. Self-citations should be minimized, and references verified against the original source.

Figures, Tables, and Illustrations:

Figures must be high-resolution (300 dpi), with legends and sequential numbering. Graphs should be created in compatible formats like Excel. Abbreviations and statistical units should be explained where necessary.

Language and Style:

Manuscripts must be written in clear British English, third-person perspective, and past tense. Authors are responsible for professional editing prior to submission.

Copyright & Licensing:

LUMHS-UMRJ retains copyright on published works, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License, allowing sharing with proper citation. Manuscripts must be original and exclusive to LUMHS-UMRJ at submission.

Plagiarism and Misconduct Policy:

LUMHS-UMRJ strictly follows plagiarism guidelines by ICMJE, PMDC, and HEC. All manuscripts are screened using Turnitin, with a similarity threshold of 19%. Cases of plagiarism, falsification, duplicate submission, or data fabrication may result in manuscript rejection, author blacklisting, and institutional reporting.

The journal prohibits AI-generated text and polished content created through digital tools.

Re-Publication and Permissions:

Authors must obtain permission for any reused material, including previously published images or tables. Patient consent must be secured for identifiable content. Any potential conflicts of interest, including industry affiliations, must be disclosed.