Instructions to Authors
Journal of Gandhara Medical and Dental Sciences (JGMDS) aims to be the leading publication in its field and provides a platform for the exchange of information about new and significant research; as well as to motivate the conduct and publication of original research in medical and dental sciences in Pakistan and throughout the world. The journal will publish peer-reviewed research articles, meta-analysis, systematic reviews, clinical developments, clinical opinions and treatments as well as other key issues of relevance to medicine and dentistry. It would provide clinicians, scientist and students of medical and dental sciences with a comprehensive periodical published quarterly a year.
RESEARCH & PUBLICATION ETHICS POLICIES
SUBMISSION OF AN ARTICLE
FOR ONLINE SUBMISSION OF AN ARTICLE
(Visit: http://jgmds.org.pk/index.php/JGMDS/about/submissions)
TITLE PAGE
- The title of an article should be clear, concise and informative. The title should be representative of the article. It should capture attention and importance of the study that can be retrieved electronically both sensitive and specific content.
- There should be complete name of each author with institutional affiliations and departments name with their highest academic degree.
- The corresponding author’s name, email ID, contact number and postal address should be given for further processing of the manuscript.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The main components of any original article are Abstract, Introduction, Methodology, Results and Discussion (IMRAD: I- Introduction, M- Methodology, R- Results and D- Discussion) and Conclusion.
ABSTRACT
Abstract of an original article should be in structured format with the following subheadings:
- Objective
- Methodology
- Results
- Conclusion
- Keywords
Label each section clearly with the appropriate subheadings. Background is not needed in an abstract. The total word count of abstract should be 250 words. A minimum of three to ten keywords as per MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) should be written at the end of abstract.
INTRODUCTION
The introduction of the article is funnel shaped, moving from the general information followed by specific information related to the research. It should include the purpose of the article after giving brief literature review strictly related to objective of the study. The rationale for the study or observation should be summarized. Only strictly pertinent references should be cited, and the subject should not be extensively reviewed. Data, methodology or conclusion from the work being reported should not be presented in this section. It should end with a statement of the study objective.
METHODOLOGY
Study design and sampling methods should be mentioned. Obsolete terms such as retrospective studies should not be used. The selection of the observational or experimental subjects (patients or experimental animals, including controls) should be described clearly. The methods and the apparatus used should be identified (with the manufacturer’s name and address in parentheses), and procedures are described in enough detail to allow other workers to reproduce the results. References to established methods should be given, including statistical methods. References and brief descriptions for methods that have been published but are not well-known should be provided; only new or substantially modified methods should be described in detail, giving reasons for using them, and evaluating their limitations. All drugs and chemicals used should be identified precisely, including generic name(s), dose(s), and route(s) of administration. The approval of human or animal research by an Ethical committee is an essential requirement. For statistical analysis, the specific test used should be named, preferably with reference for an uncommon test.
RESULTS
Results should be presented in a logical sequence in the text, tables, and illustrations. It should be written in past tense. All the data in the tables or illustrations should not be repeated in the text; only important observations should be emphasized or summarized with due statement of demographic details. No opinion should be given in this part of the text. The maximum number of tables/graphs should not exceed five.
TABLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS
Legends to illustrations should be typed on the same sheet. Tables should be simple and should supplement rather than duplicate information in the text; tables repeating information will be omitted. Each table should have a title and be typed in double space without horizontal and vertical lines on an 8-1/2”x11” (21.5x28.0 centimetres) paper. Tables should be numbered consecutively with Roman numerals. If abbreviations are used, they should be explained in footnotes. When graphs, scatter grams, or histograms are submitted, the numerical data on which they are based should be supplied. All graphs should be made with MS Excel and SPSS software and be sent as a separate Excel file, even if merged in the manuscript.
FIGURES AND PHOTOGRAPHS
Photographs, X-rays, CT scans, MRI and photo micro-graphs should be sent in digital format (JPG, TIFF) with minimum resolution of 5 mega pixels in JPEG compression. Photographs must be sharply focused. The background of photographs must be neutral and preferably white. The photographs submitted must be those originally taken as such by a camera without manipulating them digitally. The hard copy of the photographs if sent, must be uncounted, glossy prints 5”x7” (12.6x17.3 centimetres) in size. They may be in black and white or in colour. Negatives, transparencies, and x-ray films should not be submitted. Numerical number in the figure and the name of the article should be written on the back of each figure/photograph. Scanned photographs must have 300 or above dpi resolution. The author must identify the top of the figure. These figures and photographs must be cited in the text in consecutive order. Legends for photomicrographs should indicate the magnification, internal scale and the method of staining. Photographs of published articles will not be returned. If photographs of patients are used either they should not be identifiable, or the photographs should be accompanied by written consent to use them.
S.I UNITS
System international (S.I) unit measurement should be used. Imperial measurement units like inches, feet etc. are not acceptable.
DISCUSSION
The discussion should begin with a brief summary of the main findings and should answer the question(s) stated in the introduction or address the hypothesis. The findings should be in context of the strengths of the study. This section should include author’s comment on the results, supported with contemporary references, including arguments and analysis of identical work done by other workers. The differences from previous findings need to be documented, reason for similarities and differences with applications, implications or both. Typically, the authors should move from specific to general (opposite of introduction and hence inverted funnel shaped). Any conflict of interest, however, must be mentioned at the end of discussion in a separate heading.
CONCLUSION
Conclusion should be provided under separate heading and highlight new aspects arising from the study. It should be in accordance with the objectives. This section is brief, not more than a few pertinent lines.
LIMITATIONS
The limitations of the study should be mentioned at the end. Limitations must be mentioned by the authors, rather than by the peer reviewers and readers.
REFERENCES
The references must be written in Vancouver style, double-spaced and numbered as they appear in the text. The minimum number of references should be 18; and the total number must not exceed 40 for original article and 100 for review article. Provide complete information for each reference, including names and initials of all authors when they are six or less. If there are more than six authors, list the first six followed by “et.al”. The author name(s) and initials are followed by the title of the article, the name of the journal abbreviated according to the style followed in Index Medicus, year of publication, journal volume, journal issue and number of the first and last pages. EndNote can be used for citation in the text and reference list. For credit to individuals involved in the work and conflict of interest, it is important to have authenticity, accuracy and originality for the publication; following the guidelines of COPE and ICMJE
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ARTICLE
A systematic review paper should have a structured abstract of no more than 250 words using headlines as objective, data sources, study selection, data extraction, data synthesis and conclusion, with 3-10 key words for indexing.
Objective should give precise statement of the primary objective for the review. Define if the review emphasis cause and diagnosis, prognosis, therapy and intervention or prevention. Define if the review would be highly selective as including only randomized controlled trials (RCT) or have wider inclusion criteria. Data Sources should present data sources used, there should be no time restrictions. Study Selection should describe criteria to select studies for detailed review. Specify methods used as blinded review, consensus, multiple reviewers. Data Extraction should describe how extraction was made including assessment of quality and validity. Data Synthesis should present the main results of the review and state major identified sources of variation between studies. Conclusion should give a clear statement of the conclusions made, its generalizability and limitations. The total number of word count should not exceed more than 5000 words (corresponding to 8-9 printed pages) along with the reference list, which should be comprehensive, and it should not exceed more than 100 references and additional tables. The Introduction of the paper could be like an original article. Methodology section may have subheadings corresponding to the abstract (data sources, study selection, data extraction), and should include clearly defined and reported inclusion and exclusion criteria, and specification of databases and other formal register, conference proceedings, reference lists and trial authors, which are used as sources. Results section corresponds to data set in the abstract and may present tables with long list of selected articles. Discussion section should be structed like original article.
CASE REPORT
Case report should be limited to three pages with structured abstract, a short introduction with detail of case report followed by discussion and 6-10 references. There should be relevant documentary prove including pictures or investigations with the consent of the patients, should be submitted along with the manuscript.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
It should provide publication that does not contain material which has been submitted or published elsewhere. The letter must be double space with no references and should not exceed 200 words. If it is regarding recent journal article, the references should not exceed more than five and one figure or table. The letters regarding recent articles should be received within one month of its publication.
Include your complete address, contact number, fax number and email address.
PROCESSING AND PUBLICATION FEE
Address for Correspondence
Sofia Shehzad
Chief Editor, JGMDS
Gandhara University, Canal Road,
University Town, Peshawar, Pakistan
Tel: +92 (0)91 5619671-6
+92 (0)91 5711151-3
Fax: +92 (0)91 5844428
Email: sofia.kabir@gandhara.edu.pk
editor@jgmds.org.pk
Website: www.jgmds.org.pk
