Submissions

Become part of our growing community of authors and enjoy the following benefits:

• Streamlined Submission Process: Our user-friendly manuscript submission system eliminates the hassle of strict formatting requirements, making it easy to submit your work.
• Free Language Editing Report: Receive a complimentary, comprehensive language editing report at the time of submission to help you refine and strengthen your manuscript before peer review.
• Expert Editorial Support: Our dedicated editors are actively involved in their fields, offering valuable insights and guidance to ensure your research meets the highest standards.
• Rigorous Peer Review: We uphold exceptional editorial standards, with every published manuscript undergoing a thorough and constructive peer review process.
• Fast and Transparent Publication: Benefit from efficient publishing timelines, with full transparency on metrics and turnaround times at every stage.
• Enhanced Visibility and Impact: Open access publishing ensures your research reaches a global audience, maximizing its reach and influence.
• Full Ownership and Copyright: Retain complete control over your published work, including ownership and copyright.
• Exclusive Author Discounts: Access discounted author services from top providers to help polish your manuscript and ensure it stands out.

Join us today and take your research to the next level!

Submission
Authors are required to submit their manuscripts exclusively through the Journal Management System, the official submission platform for our journals. Manuscripts must be uploaded in Word format (.doc or .docx), and there are no restrictions on the number of pages. Please ensure that the file name of the main manuscript does not contain any special characters. Note that submissions will only be accepted if made by one of the manuscript's authors; submissions from non-authors will not be considered. The author who submits the manuscript assumes full responsibility for it throughout the submission and peer review process. Moreover, for a detailed visual representation of the peer review and complete submission process, please click on the following link:
Peer Review Policy
However, for any technical assistance, please reach out to journals@smarcons.com.

Terms of Submission
Manuscripts should be submitted with the understanding that they are original works and have not been published previously or are under consideration by any other journal. The submitting author is responsible for confirming that all coauthors have approved the manuscript for publication and that any required institutional approvals have been obtained. The date of submission is officially recognized only upon receipt of an acknowledgment from the editorial office. Prior to publication, correspondence and proofs will be sent to the author(s) unless specified otherwise. By submitting a manuscript, authors agree to allow the editorial team to make necessary edits to enhance readability. For any questions regarding the publication process of accepted manuscripts, please contact journals@smarcons.com. All submissions are subject to the terms of service outlined by SMARCONS.

Peer Review Process
All submitted articles undergo a rigorous assessment and peer review process to ensure they meet both editorial suitability and technical accuracy.
Research published in the journal must adhere to the following criteria: 

• Scientific validity: The research must align with accepted community standards and demonstrate scientific rigor.
• Technical accuracy: Methods and results must be precise, well-documented, and reproducible.
• Significance: The work should represent a meaningful advance, replication, or null/negative result that contributes valuable knowledge to the field.
• Reproducibility: Authors are encouraged to share underlying data, code, and supporting materials to facilitate reproducibility wherever possible.
• Ethical integrity: Studies must adhere to ethical best practices, including proper handling of animal and human research, informed consent, and transparent declaration of any real or perceived conflicts of interest.

In line with our open science mission, we prioritize the sharing of findings over novelty or perceived impact. Replication studies, particularly those building on research previously published in this journal, are highly encouraged. 

Editorial and Peer Review Process 

For an article to be accepted, the assigned editor will first evaluate whether the manuscript meets the journal’s minimum editorial standards and falls within its scope. If deemed suitable, the editor will typically enlist at least two external peer reviewers (who remain anonymous to the authors unless they choose to sign their review) to assess the article. Based on their feedback, the editor will make a final decision regarding acceptance. The decision to reject a manuscript solely with the editor. 

Additional Considerations
In cases involving serious ethical, security, biosecurity, or societal concerns, our research integrity team may seek advice beyond standard peer review. This could involve consulting additional experts, recruiting specialized reviewers, or engaging further editorial oversight. In such instances, the journal reserves the right to take appropriate actions, including declining further consideration of the submission. 
We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and ensuring that published work contributes meaningfully to the scientific community.

Research Transparency and Preregistration Policies
Preprints
SMARCONS encourages authors to share their manuscripts on preprint servers and does not consider such prior deposition to affect the novelty of the research. Articles based on content previously shared on preprint servers, institutional repositories, or in theses are eligible for submission. When applicable, authors should cite the preprint in their manuscript.
Preregistration of Studies
Authors are encouraged to disclose whether their research was preregistered in an independent, institutional registry (ClinicalTrials, Social Science Registry, OSF, EGAP Registry, RIDIE).. Preregistration involves documenting the study design, variables, and treatment conditions before conducting the research, promoting transparency and reducing bias.
Preregistration of Analysis Plans
Authors are also encouraged to indicate if their research included a preregistered analysis plan in an independent, institutional registry (ClinicalTrials, Social Science Registry, OSF, EGAP Registry, RIDIE). Preregistering an analysis plan involves specifying the sequence of analyses or the statistical models to be reported, further enhancing the credibility and reproducibility of the research.
By supporting preprints and preregistration, SMARCONS aims to foster open science practices, ensuring greater transparency, rigor, and trust in published research.

Writing and Formatting
Title
The title should be clear, concise, and accurately reflect your manuscript's main result or conclusion.
Creative and engaging titles are encouraged but must remain relevant, respectful, and free from misinterpretation or perceived as offensive or alarming.
In rare cases, the editorial office reserves the right to suggest an alternative title if necessary.
Authors should avoid the following when crafting their titles:

• Titles rephrased as questions without providing an answer.
• Unambitious titles, such as those beginning with phrases like "Towards," "A description of," "A characterization of," or "Preliminary study on."
• Vague titles lacking specificity, such as those starting with "Role of," "Link between," or "Effect of," without clarification or effect.
• Including irrelevant terms, such as taxonomic classifications beyond the species name, unless essential.

Abstract
The abstract should effectively convey the work's general significance and conceptual advancements, ensuring accessibility to a diverse and broad audience. It must be concise, limited to a single paragraph, and adhere to a structured format, such as IMRAD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion), as applicable. Authors must follow the specific structural requirements outlined for the article type or target journal. Avoid usage of abbreviations and refrain from including references, figures, or tables within the abstract.

Keywords
All article types require a minimum of five and a maximum of eight keywords.

Manuscript Length
When preparing the manuscript, the authors must ensure it adheres to the word count limits specified on the journal’s 'Article Types' page. The manuscript length includes only the main body of the text, footnotes, and in-text citations, excluding the abstract, section titles, figure and table captions, funding statements, acknowledgements and the bibliography. To facilitate the review process, the author should include the total word count, as well as the number of figures and tables, on the first page of the manuscript.
Sections
To ensure clarity and readability, one should organize the manuscript using relevant headings and subheadings that align with the research and field of study. Authors may include up to five levels of headings (e.g., 3.2.2.1.2 Heading Title).
For Original Research articles, it is recommended to structure the manuscript in the following sections or their equivalents as applicable to your field:

Introduction
The Introduction should be Concise and focused, without subheadings.
Review of Literature:
The Review of Literature section should provide a rigorous and comprehensive examination of the most recent and relevant studies pertinent to the research topic. Authors are encouraged to incorporate recent publications, thereby reflecting the current state of knowledge in the field. Emphasis should be placed on identifying gaps, trends, and advancements in the literature to establish the context and significance of the present study. Furthermore, cited references must be derived from reputable and relevant sources, maintaining the integrity and validity of the research. 
Materials and Methods
This section should be structured using pertinent subheadings facilitating clarity and comprehension to allow all procedures to be replicated when used alongside the cited references. Furthermore, for studies involving animal or human subjects, a formal ethics approval statement is obligatory, as stipulated in the journal's publication ethics policies, specifically outlined in the Bioethics section.
Results
The Results section may be subdivided using relevant subheadings to promote clarity and coherence. Footnotes are not permissible in this section instead; they should be integrated into the primary text to ensure a seamless presentation of findings.
Discussion
The Discussion section may be organized using subheadings to facilitate a clear and concise interpretation of the study's principal findings. Authors should;

• Contextualize their research discoveries by comparing them with prior research emphasizing their novelty and contribution to the field. Address potential methodological shortcomings and limitations, discussing their impact on the interpretation of the results.
• Integrate findings into the current understanding of the research problem elucidating how they advance the field and contribute to the existing knowledge base.
• Speculate on future research directions and propose testable hypotheses and theoretical frameworks that could be explored in subsequent studies.

Language Editing
SMARCONS requires all submitted manuscripts to adhere to international English language standards for consideration in publication. To maintain professionalism and inclusivity in your work, authors are advised to avoid

• Language that may be perceived as offensive, discriminatory, or derogatory.
• Personal descriptors such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability, or health conditions, unless they are directly relevant to the research discussion.
• Terminology or phrasing that implies a particular culture or group as the standard or default.

By adhering to these principles, authors can ensure that their manuscripts align with SMARCONS' commitment to respectful, inclusive, and professional language.

Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence and Related Technologies (Rephrased)
These guidelines establish the parameters for the acceptable use of generative AI technologies, such as Large Language Models (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper) and text-to-image generators (e.g., DALL-E 2, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion), in the preparation and editing of manuscripts submitted to SMARCONS.

Use of AI to Create Written or Visual Content
Authorship Restrictions
Generative AI technologies must not be listed as authors or co-authors of any manuscript. AI technologies cannot take responsibility for the integrity of a manuscript and therefore do not meet the authorship criteria.

Content Responsibility
Authors using generative AI technologies to create or edit written or visual content must comply with all SMARCONS guidelines and policies. Authors bear full responsibility for:

• Verifying the factual accuracy of AI-generated content, including quotes, citations, and references.
• Ensuring AI-produced figures or illustrations accurately represent the data presented in the manuscript.
• Confirming that AI-generated or AI-edited content is entirely free from plagiarism.

Acknowledgment and Documentation
If AI technologies were used to generate or edit content, this must be explicitly acknowledged:

• Include details in the acknowledgements section and the methods section (if applicable).
• Specify the name, version, model, and source of the AI technology used.

Supplementary Files

• Authors are encouraged to upload all input prompts provided to the AI technology and the corresponding outputs as supplementary files for transparency.

By adhering to these guidelines, authors ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI technologies in the preparation of manuscripts for SMARCONS.

Abbreviations and Equations
The use of abbreviations should be limited. Non-standard abbreviations are permissible only when they appear at least four times in the manuscript and must be defined upon first use in the main text. Consider also giving a list of non-standard abbreviations at the end, immediately before the acknowledgements.
Equations should be inserted in editable format from the equation editor.

Enhancing Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
There are a few simple ways to maximize your article's discoverability and search results.

• Incorporate a few of your article's keywords in the title of the article.
• Avoid using unnecessary long article titles.
• Select 5-8 keywords comprising a mix of generic and more specific terms on the article subject(s).
• Use the maximum number of keywords in the first two sentences of the abstract
• Use some of the keywords in level 1 headings to maintain consistency.

References
Preparing and Formatting References
Submissions to SMARCONS must be based on relevant, current, peer-reviewed academic research, as evidenced by a comprehensive reference list. The citation of non-academic and non-peer-reviewed sources, such as blogs, general websites, and commercial or anonymous content, should be strictly limited to instances of absolute necessity. All cited works must demonstrate direct relevance to the manuscript's scope and align with the journal’s focus.
Reference lists should provide a comprehensive and unbiased representation of the current state of knowledge in the field. Authors should avoid excessive citations of the same authors, sources, or schools of thought to maintain a balanced and diverse perspective. The length of the reference list should be appropriate for the type of article, providing thorough and thoughtful coverage of relevant literature.
Accuracy is essential in academic submissions, and authors bear the responsibility of ensuring the correctness of all references, encompassing author names, publication dates, journal titles, and citations. Hyperlinks must, be functional and accessible at the time of submission. Strict adherence to the prescribed reference style and format requirements is also mandatory. This ensures that submissions meet the academic rigor and quality standards expected by SMARCONS.
Acknowledgements
The Acknowledgments section is a concise segment intended to recognise the valuable contributions of specific colleagues, institutions, or agencies directly involved in the authors’ research endeavors. If a part of the manuscript has previously been published online, such as the thesis or preprint, the authors must disclose this information in the Acknowledgments section and provide proper citation of the source in the reference list.
Authors are advised to restrict acknowledgments to individuals or entities that had a significant impact on the research process. Personal expressions of gratitude toward unrelated or indirectly involved figures, individuals or organizations should be avoided. While such acknowledgments may hold personal significance to the authors, they are not considered pertinent to the research unless they relate to specific research activities.
It is the author’s responsibility to ensure adherence to these guidelines, thereby upholding the academic integrity and professionalism of the acknowledgments in the published manuscript.

SMARCONS Journals – Medical and Life Sciences (MLS) follows clearly defined polices and Publication Ethics. For more details, please refer to:
Author Credit Policy
Accessibility Policy
Affiliation Policy
Digital Archiving Policy
Plagiarism Policy
Peer Review Policy
Publication Ethics