Review articles serve as invaluable resources for researchers and professionals, offering comprehensive insights into specific academic domains. In IgMin Research – STEM, a multidisciplinary journal, we aim to feature review articles that adhere to the highest academic and ethical standards. This section provides a detailed overview of the criteria your manuscript must meet for each subtype of review article in order to be considered for publication.
We welcome the following subtypes of review articles:
The criteria for acceptance encompass various dimensions including scope, originality, methodological rigor, quality of sources, and ethical compliance. Below are detailed explanations for each:
1. Scope and relevance: The submitted article should resonate with the multidisciplinary focus of IgMin Research – STEM. The manuscript should be particularly pertinent to one or more fields within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It is crucial that your review article brings a fresh perspective or synthesizes existing information in a way that is useful for researchers, educators, or industry professionals involved in STEM disciplines.
2. Originality and novelty: While review articles are fundamentally summaries of existing research, they must contribute novel insights, hypotheses, or theoretical frameworks. This can manifest as a unique aggregation of previously disparate findings, a new interpretation of existing literature, or identifying gaps in the current knowledge that necessitate further research.
3. Methodological rigor: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses must follow recognized guidelines like PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) or MOOSE (Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology). Authors must transparently outline the search strategies, criteria for study selection, and data extraction methodologies used. For scoping and literature reviews, while standardized reporting guidelines are less stringent, the methodology section should still be detailed, reproducible, and transparent.
4. Quality of sources: All referenced articles must have undergone peer-review and have been published in accredited journals. The credibility of your review article is fundamentally tied to the quality of the original research it cites. Sources should be recent unless the seminal works in the field are older and still hold relevance.
5. Clarity and depth of understanding: The article should be written in a clear, precise language suitable for an academic audience. A good review article is comprehensive but also discerning, focusing on the most impactful and relevant studies. It should elucidate complex concepts in an understandable manner, and engage critically with the material, rather than simply summarizing it.
6. Ethical compliance: The ethical dimension is vital. If your article reviews studies involving human or animal subjects, it must confirm that all such studies have received ethical approval from appropriate boards. Furthermore, the manuscript itself should not contain any plagiarized content and must give due credit through proper citations.
Preparing a review article for submission to IgMin Research – STEM is a nuanced process that requires adherence to a set of rigorous criteria. By following these guidelines, you significantly improve the likelihood of your manuscript not only being accepted for review but also contributing meaningfully to the academic discourse in your chosen field within STEM. Whether you aim to provide an exhaustive overview of existing literature, a structured analysis following rigorous methodology, or a critical synthesis offering novel insights, the overarching goal should be the same: to advance understanding and knowledge in your field.
Adhering to the correct reporting standards and guidelines is crucial for the academic rigor, transparency, and reproducibility of review articles. This section will offer an exhaustive discussion on why these standards are vital and which specific guidelines are relevant to the different subtypes of review articles: Literature Reviews, Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analyses, Scoping Reviews, and Narrative Reviews.
Before we delve into the specific guidelines, it’s crucial to understand why these standards are vital. They serve multiple purposes:
These standards are relevant irrespective of the subtype of the review article:
Literature reviews
Authors should clearly state the scope of their literature review and indicate how literature was selected. Inclusion and exclusion criteria should be defined.
Guideline to follow: No standardized guideline exists, but authors should strive for comprehensiveness and rigor.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: For these subtypes, the methodological approach should be predefined and reproducible.
Guideline to Follow:
Scoping reviews: These aim to map the key concepts underpinning a research area, especially when it is complex or has not been reviewed comprehensively before.
Guideline to follow:
Narrative reviews
These reviews are usually broader in scope and may focus on a specific question without trying to capture all the literature available on a topic.
Guideline to follow:
Authors must specify which guidelines they have followed in the methods section of their paper. For example, if PRISMA guidelines were followed, the authors should explicitly state this and also submit a PRISMA checklist.
It's worth noting that guidelines and best practices are evolving. Authors should refer to the latest edition of the relevant guidelines when preparing their manuscript.
Since adherence to these guidelines requires specialized knowledge, authors should consider investing time in training programs and workshops that focus on these aspects. Online tutorials and webinars are valuable resources for understanding the nuances of these guidelines.
During the peer review process, reviewers will assess the adherence to these guidelines and may request clarifications or additional information. Non-compliance without a justified reason may lead to rejection.
In a multidisciplinary journal like IgMin Research – STEM, the diverse range of topics and methodologies necessitates strict adherence to globally recognized reporting standards and guidelines. These not only provide a framework for conducting robust reviews but also ensure the quality, integrity, and reproducibility of the scientific discourse.
The structure of a review article is critical to conveying the information in an organized and accessible way. Each section has a specific purpose and is vital for the integrity of the scholarly work. Below, the backbone structure for review articles is laid out in detail:
The introduction serves as the gateway to your review article, offering essential context and setting the stage for the subsequent content.
This section explains the methodology followed during the preparation of the review. It offers transparency and allows others to understand the process and possibly replicate it.
This section is where the review article starts to synthesize the extracted information.
The discussion section is the platform for deeper analysis and synthesis of the findings.
This section should succinctly wrap up the key findings and their implications.
Though not always mandatory, supplementary material can include additional data sets, tables, or a more detailed methodology section for researchers who seek to replicate your study.
Pagination is an often underemphasized but vital part of the manuscript preparation process. Proper pagination ensures that your document is well-organized, easily navigable, and professional-looking—traits that help your paper get the attention it deserves. It also facilitates the peer-review process, making life easier for editors and reviewers.
Pagination helps to maintain the structure of the document. It is essential for indexing and citing purposes, as academic articles are often quoted and referenced based on page numbers. Given the multidisciplinary nature of IgMin Research – STEM, we anticipate a diverse range of articles, each with unique formatting and organizational needs. Consistent pagination allows for a coherent layout, making it easier to compile multiple papers into a single journal issue.
Page numbers should be placed at the bottom-center of each page, starting from the title page. The title page is considered as page one, even though the number may not be explicitly displayed. Each subsequent section, including the abstract, introduction, main text, references, tables, and figures, should continue the numbering consecutively.
Each major section, such as the Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion, should ideally start on a new page. This separation provides clear demarcation between sections, enhancing readability and aiding in quick navigation.
Microsoft Word: Use the 'Insert > Page Number' option for automatic pagination. For sections starting on new pages, use the 'Page Break' feature rather than manually hitting 'Enter' until a new page appears.
LaTeX: The \pagenumbering command can control the style and location of page numbers. The \newpage command helps in starting a new section on a fresh page.
Once the document is complete, it is crucial to go through it meticulously to check for pagination errors. This includes ensuring that all pages are accounted for and that page numbers appear in sequence without any repetition or omission.
Always collaborate with your co-authors and make sure everyone is aligned on the pagination guidelines. Use version control systems to manage different versions of the manuscript to avoid conflicting formats and numbering.
Before the final submission, authors are advised to convert their manuscript into a PDF to ensure that the pagination remains consistent across different viewing platforms. This is crucial because the layout can sometimes change when opened on different computers or software, affecting the pagination.
Upon acceptance, the editorial team may make slight adjustments to the pagination to fit the article into the journal's layout. However, these adjustments will be minimal if the guidelines provided are strictly adhered to.
Proper pagination not only enhances the readability and professionalism of your article but also facilitates easier peer review and post-acceptance processing. By adhering to these guidelines, authors can ensure that their manuscript aligns well with the high standards set by IgMin Research – STEM.
Creating a polished, professionally formatted article is essential for effective scholarly communication. Correct formatting is crucial for the peer-review process, helping reviewers focus on the content of your manuscript. Below are detailed formatting guidelines for authors preparing review articles for submission to IgMin Research – STEM, covering aspects like text, fonts, figures, tables, and supplementary files.
General layout
Headings and sub-headings
Paragraphs
Bullet points and numbering
Hyperlinks
Footnotes and endnotes
Language and grammar
Graphs
Photos
Artwork
Supplementary data
Source files
Data sets
By adhering to these formatting guidelines, you not only ease the work of reviewers and editors but also make your work more accessible and understandable to readers. This attention to detail will undoubtedly enhance the visibility and impact of your research.
When you are preparing your manuscript for IgMin Research – STEM, it's not just the text that speaks volumes; images, figures, and supplementary data often provide a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. They serve as visual aids that can make complex concepts easier to understand. However, there are critical considerations to keep in mind, especially concerning copyright issues and image quality.
These are often not treated as traditional 'figures,' but they still require careful consideration. They should be easily readable and understandable. Use only horizontal lines for separating sections and avoid vertical lines where possible.
Data integrity: Ensure that your tables, charts, and graphs accurately represent your data. Double-check for errors before submission as inaccuracies undermine the integrity of the entire paper.
Supplementary files may include data sets, videos, or additional images that provide further context to the study but are not essential for the understanding of the manuscript. These should be cited within the manuscript and a legend should be provided.
For accessibility, it's good practice to include image descriptions and alternative text to describe the content and function of each visual element.
Images featuring human subjects must have documented informed consent for publication. Ethical clearance must also be obtained for any images that include animal subjects.
Before you submit, do a final check:
Understanding and adhering to these guidelines will facilitate a smoother review and publication process. Poorly sourced or prepared images can delay this process and may even result in the rejection of the manuscript. Therefore, while these steps might seem laborious, they are crucial for maintaining the academic integrity and quality of the journal.
By following these guidelines carefully, you increase the likelihood of your manuscript being accepted for publication, and you also contribute to the broader academic community by providing well-documented and visually rich content that can aid in the understanding of complex STEM subjects.
Submitting a review article to IgMin Research – STEM is a significant academic endeavor. Even experienced researchers can miss vital steps or overlook journal-specific requirements that can lead to the delay or even the rejection of the manuscript. Therefore, we strongly encourage all authors to consult our "Article Preparatory Guidelines" meticulously before preparing and submitting their manuscript. Here's why this is critical:
Each journal has its unique focus and aim. Our guidelines will detail the kinds of topics and disciplines that are within the scope of IgMin Research – STEM. Authors need to ascertain that their topic aligns with these parameters to avoid immediate rejection or time-consuming revisions.
Our guidelines explicitly state the reporting standards that are applicable to different types of review articles. Whether it’s PRISMA for systematic reviews or MOOSE for meta-analyses, these standards ensure consistency, transparency, and credibility. Ignoring these can make the manuscript less reliable or incomparable with other studies in the field.
Review articles, particularly systematic reviews and meta-analyses, require a rigorous methodology to be considered reliable. Our guidelines provide a checklist of items and a structure that authors should follow for methodological rigor. This ensures that the review provides trustworthy and actionable insights.
Our guidelines contain necessary information about ethical approvals needed for the types of research cited in your review. Since reviews often synthesize data from multiple studies involving human or animal subjects, it’s vital to adhere to ethical norms. Overlooking this aspect can result in the retraction of the article and tarnish an author’s academic reputation.
A manuscript may contain groundbreaking insights, but if it fails to adhere to the journal’s formatting guidelines, it will be returned for revision. This results in a needless delay in the publication process. Authors should pay particular attention to how the manuscript should be formatted, from text to tables and figures. This includes, but is not limited to, font size, page margins, and reference citation styles.
Increasingly, journals are emphasizing the need for data sharing and the provision of supplementary material to accompany submissions. Our guidelines will clarify what types of supplementary materials are accepted and in what formats. Not adhering to this can also delay the review and publication process.
Understanding the peer-review process can help authors be better prepared for revisions and potential criticisms. Our guidelines outline what authors can expect during this phase, including common reasons for revisions or rejection, thus aiding in better manuscript preparation.
Our guidelines provide important information about copyright and licensing agreements. Authors need to understand the permissions needed for reproducing material from other sources and how their work will be disseminated under various open-access licenses.
Failure to disclose financial conflicts of interest or funding sources can result in manuscript rejection. Our guidelines lay out the procedure for making these necessary disclosures, safeguarding the integrity of the work.
Occasionally, our journal may have special issues or features that have unique guidelines. Being aware of these can provide authors with additional opportunities for submission and align their work with timely topics in the STEM fields.
Receiving a "revise and resubmit" decision is common in academic publishing. Our guidelines elucidate what steps authors should take in these scenarios, including how to address reviewers’ comments comprehensively and resubmit the revised manuscript.
Even the most seasoned authors may have questions or uncertainties. Our guidelines provide contact information for editorial support, helping authors throughout the submission process.
The guidelines give a general idea of the timeline from submission to publication, which is crucial for authors who may be working under academic or research deadlines.
Mistakes happen. Knowing the procedure for correcting these after publication is valuable information available in the guidelines.
Our guidelines specify how each author's contributions should be detailed, ensuring transparency and credibility.
By thoroughly reviewing and adhering to our "Article Preparatory Guidelines," authors fortify their submissions against common pitfalls, thereby expediting the peer-review process and enhancing the possibility of publication. We strongly encourage this step as an essential element in the preparation of your manuscript for IgMin Research – STEM.
Effective text formatting is critical for the readability, accessibility, and overall impact of your manuscript. Adhering to uniform guidelines enhances the quality of the publication and facilitates efficient peer review and publication processes. Below are the formatting requirements for text, tables, figures, panels, and references.
References should be listed at the end of the manuscript and cited in the text using superscript numbers. Here are some examples of how references should be formatted:
The NLM style should be rigorously followed for all types of citations including but not limited to journal articles, books, conference proceedings, and web links.
Only include web links and URLs for material that is not available in published form. They should be listed as footnotes and not as references. For example:
The submission process for a research journal is often a daunting task for authors, seasoned and new alike. To ease this journey and to ensure that each submission meets the high-quality standards of IgMin Research – STEM, we have prepared comprehensive guidelines to assist authors in preparing their manuscripts for submission. The following extensive guide serves as a step-by-step roadmap for authors, elucidating key aspects they must pay attention to.
Firstly, it is essential to understand why adhering to preparatory guidelines is crucial. Not only do they provide a structured format that maintains uniformity across all articles, but they also aim to minimize the chances of the manuscript getting rejected due to formatting issues or lack of essential elements. These guidelines serve as a set of best practices that have evolved to meet the academic and ethical standards of scholarly publishing.
Before diving into the specifics of each article type, it’s important for authors to familiarize themselves with the general guidelines that apply to all submissions. This involves ensuring that the manuscript is written in clear, academic English and that it is free of grammatical errors. If English is not your first language, it is highly recommended to consult language editing services.
Document formatting: Ensure that the document is formatted according to the following:
Version control: Maintain a version control system so that all edits and changes can be tracked effectively. This can be crucial when multiple authors are involved in preparing the manuscript.
Detailed guidance on preparing tables, figures, and other visual aids can significantly enhance the article’s readability and impact. Legends must be precise, and all visual elements should be of high quality and resolution.
Use NLM referencing style to cite other works. Ensure that each citation is accurate, as errors can lead to delays and could compromise the integrity of the article.
Include all required statements concerning ethics approval, consent to participate, and any conflicts of interest.
Before submitting your manuscript, make sure you have:
Post-submission, your article will undergo a rigorous peer-review process. Be prepared to revise and resubmit your manuscript according to the feedback provided.
Your manuscript will go through a plagiarism check. Make sure that all text is original or properly cited to avoid any academic misconduct.
Once the peer-review process is completed and any required revisions have been made, an editorial decision will be communicated to you.
Adherence to these preparatory guidelines will streamline the publication process, making it easier for both the authors and the editorial team. It ensures that your hard work receives the attention to detail it deserves and expedites the path from submission to publication.
By carefully following these guidelines, authors equip themselves with the tools needed to produce articles that are not just academically rigorous but are also presented in a manner befitting the esteemed standards of IgMin Research – STEM. It elevates the discourse of multidisciplinary research by ensuring that each article adds value, not just in content but also in form.
We strongly urge all prospective authors to consider these guidelines as a valuable resource in preparing their manuscripts for submission to IgMin Research – STEM.
The covering letter serves as an introduction to the editorial team about the significance and relevance of the submitted manuscript. This letter should include:
The manuscript is the core of your submission and must be prepared meticulously. It must include:
Figures include all types of visual representations other than tables. These could be graphs, photos, or any other kinds of illustrative material.
The Author Statement Form is a crucial document where all authors must declare that:
This form acts as a written consent among the authors and sets the stage for collective responsibility.
It is essential that authors carefully adhere to each point in the mandatory submission list. This ensures not only a smoother editorial process but also adds credibility and integrity to the work being presented. Remember, a missing or incomplete component could result in the delay of the review process or outright rejection of the submission.
In line with the multidisciplinary nature of IgMin Research – STEM, we stress the importance of inter-disciplinary contributions. Therefore, kindly make sure that your contributions reflect this ethos whenever applicable. Note that failing to comply with any of these guidelines may result in your manuscript being returned or rejected.
The recent technological advancements in the field of machine learning and natural language processing have led to the development of increasingly sophisticated Large Language Models (LLMs), such as GPT-3 and GPT-4 by OpenAI. While these models have the ability to generate human-like text, analyze data, and even simulate original research to some extent, it's crucial to clarify their role and limitations within the context of academic authorship for our journal, IgMin Research – STEM.
LLMs like ChatGPT can perform a wide array of tasks, including but not limited to:
Despite the capabilities mentioned above, LLMs have significant limitations:
Using an LLM to generate substantial parts of an academic article may lead to several ethical concerns:
Given these limitations and ethical concerns, it's important to establish that LLMs like ChatGPT do not currently meet our journal’s authorship criteria, which demand:
LLMs fail to meet these criteria in several key ways. Most notably, they cannot be accountable for research findings or ethical considerations, and they don't have the capability to approve or disapprove of the final manuscript content.
The development of LLMs like ChatGPT represents a technological marvel that can assist researchers in numerous ways. However, they lack the ability to perform as independent researchers or co-authors. Their limitations, both ethical and functional, disqualify them from fulfilling our journal's criteria for academic authorship.
For this reason, we strongly urge our prospective authors to not include LLMs as authors and to be transparent about any assistance received from such models. Failing to do so could result in the rejection of the manuscript based on ethical grounds.
By clearly setting these guidelines, we hope to maintain the integrity and quality of research published in IgMin Research – STEM, thereby contributing positively to the broader academic community.
The term "standards" here refers to the recognized measures and best practices that your manuscript must meet. Adherence to the reporting standards and guidelines assures quality and comprehensive coverage of your review article. The standards often serve as a tool for peer reviewers and editors to evaluate the quality and significance of your manuscript.
In this context, structuring your document refers to how you should organize the various components of your manuscript. These include:
Statements are official declarations that accompany your manuscript, usually mandatory for most academic journals. They often include:
This is an expanded version of the Ethics Approval. It's usually necessary for studies involving human or animal subjects. All procedural details, including the name of the ethics committee and the approval number, should be included here.
This statement specifies that the authors are willing to publish their paper and are aware of all the terms and conditions of publication, including the journal's policy on open access, copyright, and reprints.
This statement is often required to confirm that the data supporting the results are available and can be accessed in public repositories or through other means as stated in the paper. The journal may have specific guidelines on data sharing.
This statement discloses any financial or personal relationships that could potentially influence (bias) the work. Transparency is key here, even if the conflict doesn't directly affect the research findings.
Also known as Funding, this section discloses the financial backing for the project. It could be in the form of grants, donations, or internal funding.
In this statement, the distinct roles and contributions of each author are outlined. This helps establish accountability and credit for the work done.
Acknowledgments are where the authors express thanks to those who contributed to the work but didn't qualify for authorship. This could include technical help, financial support, or intellectual contributions.
This optional section can be used to add biographical details or other specific information about the authors which may not be critical but informative.
Endnotes serve as additional comments or explanations that can provide the reader with further clarity on specific points made in the text.
This includes all references made within the text, citing other research works that contributed to your article. It encompasses:
This covers all non-textual elements that help explain or support the paper's findings. Tables should be formatted correctly, and figures should be of high quality.
This indicates the final step of the manuscript preparation process, where all necessary components should be collated for submission, often through an online portal.