Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal (IRCMJ) Author Guidelines

Mission

The Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal (IRCMJ) is an international, open-access, peer-reviewed medical journal published continuously online. Affiliated with the Iranian Hospital-Dubai, IRCMJ serves as a platform for the ongoing dissemination of high-quality research with direct clinical significance.

Writing Style and Formatting:

Manuscripts should be written in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English.
Follow the specified size limits for each article type.
Use a standard word processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word) with Times New Roman font size 12.
Maintain 1.5 line spacing, A4 page size, and 2.5-cm margins on all sides.
Submit the manuscript as a doc, docx, or rtf file.
Avoid underlining text and using footnotes.
Ensure the text is not in track changes mode and has no comments or highlights.

Metric System and Abbreviations:

Express all dimensions and measurements in the metric system.
Define abbreviations upon their first appearance in the text (separately in the abstract and main text).

Author Information:

During the submission process, enter all authors’ details exactly as per the title page of the article.
Authors should be listed in the same order as on the title page, and each author must have a valid email address.

Article Types and Article Sections:

For Research Articles, Review Articles, Systematic Reviews, and Short Articles, include the following sections:

Title page:

Include the manuscript title, full names of all authors, their institutional addresses, and contact information for the corresponding author.
Provide a running title (limited to 60 characters, including spaces).
Specify the number of tables and figures.
Avoid writing the manuscript title and running title entirely in capital letters; capitalize only the first letter of the first word.
All this information should fit on one page.

Abstract and keywords: All original research articles must include a structured abstract of no more than 250 words. This abstract should provide a concise overview of the study, with a focus on its clinical relevance for online searchability:
Background: The rationale for conducting the research and its potential impact on patient care.
Objectives: The specific aims of the study with a clear focus on improving medical practice.
Methods: The research design and methodologies employed in a way understandable to clinicians.
Results: The key findings of the study presented in a clinically relevant manner.
Conclusion: The significance of the findings and their implications for patient care and clinical decision-making.

In addition, 3 to 10 keywords relevant to the research topic are required to facilitate online search and discovery of the article by medical professionals.

Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
Footnotes (including Acknowledgements, Author’s contributions, Conflict of Interests, Funding/Support, Ethical considerations)
References
Tables
Figures
In some review articles, the Methods and Results sections may not be necessary.

For Case Reports, include the following sections:

Title page
Abstract and keywords
Introduction
Case presentation
Discussion
Footnotes (including Acknowledgements, Author’s contributions, Conflict of Interests, Funding/Support, Ethical considerations)
References
Tables
Figures

Editorials should not be divided into subheadings and should follow the arrangement as described above. They typically provide commentary on previously published articles in the journal, with direct references to those articles within the editorial text.

Manuscript Preparation

IRCMJ emphasizes clear and concise communication, ensuring research findings are readily accessible and understandable to a global medical audience. Manuscripts should be:

Written in English: Using proper grammar, spelling, and scientific terminology.
Double-Spaced: Enhancing readability.
Formatted According to APA v. 7: Follow the APA v.7 for the formatting and writing styles.
Original and Unpublished: Prior publication elsewhere is grounds for rejection.
Copyright-Compliant: Obtaining necessary permissions for any borrowed materials (figures, tables) is the author's responsibility.

Ethical Considerations

IRCMJ adheres to the highest ethical standards. Authors are expected to:

Disclose Conflicts of Interest: Any potential financial or personal biases that could influence the research or its interpretation.
Obtain Informed Consent: Proper consent from all participants in human subject research.
Adhere to Ethical Guidelines: Upholding ethical principles in studies involving human or animal subjects as outlined by relevant regulatory bodies.

Submission Process: Streamlined Online System

Manuscripts are submitted electronically via a user-friendly online system on the IRCMJ website. Authors are encouraged to submit their manuscripts electronically to the Journal Management System available at: https://ircmj.com/contacts?_action=loginForm. The submission includes:

Cover Letter: Stating that the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere and outlining the contributions of each author.
Manuscript File: Following the formatting guidelines.
High-Quality Figures and Tables: Adhering to specific format and resolution requirements.

Rigorous Peer-Review

IRCMJ employs a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the quality and scientific merit of all submissions. Manuscripts undergo blind review by qualified experts in the relevant medical field. Authors may be required to revise their work based on reviewer feedback to ensure the research findings are readily applicable to clinical practice.

Continuous Publication

Following acceptance for publication, authors receive detailed instructions for proofreading the final galleys to ensure accuracy before the research is promptly published online in IRCMJ's continuous publication stream.

Vancouver Style Citation Guidelines for IRCMJ Authors

The Vancouver style is commonly used in biomedical and health sciences research. When citing sources in your manuscript, follow these guidelines:

In-Text Citations:

Use a numbered system for in-text citations.
Place the citation number in square brackets at the end of the relevant sentence or phrase.
If citing multiple sources, separate the numbers with commas (e.g., [1,3,5]).

Reference List:

Compile a reference list at the end of your manuscript.
List the references in the order they appear in the text.
Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) to number the references.

Journal Articles:

Include the following elements:

Author(s) (last name followed by initials)
Title of the article
Abbreviated journal title (in italics)
Year of publication
Volume number (in bold)
Issue number (in parentheses)
Page range

Example:

Smith AB, Johnson CD. Novel insights into cardiovascular disease. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2022;24(3):123-135.

Books:

Include the following elements:

Author(s) or editor(s)
Title of the book (in italics)
Edition (if applicable)
Place of publication
Publisher
Year of publication

Example:

Brown EF, White GH (eds). Principles of Medical Research. 5th ed. New York: Springer; 2019.

Web Sources:

Include the following elements:

Author(s) (if available)
Title of the webpage or article
URL
Date accessed

Example:

World Health Organization. COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies. Available from: https://www.who.int/covid-19/vaccines/strategies/en/. Accessed May 1, 2023.

Other Types of Sources:

Adapt the format based on the type of source (e.g., conference proceedings, thesis, patents, etc.).

Quality Control and Peer-Reviewing Process

4.1. Checking for Plagiarism:

Authors are strongly encouraged to adhere to ethical guidelines while writing their manuscripts.
Prior to submission, authors should proactively check their final manuscript for any instances of plagiarism.
Various tools, both free (e.g., quetext.com) and subscription-based (e.g., iThenticate), can assist authors in identifying potential plagiarism.
All received manuscripts undergo plagiarism checks using iThenticate, and any suspicious materials are flagged for further investigation.

4.2. Peer Review Process:

Each submission to IRCMJ undergoes a rigorous quality control and peer-review evaluation process before a decision is made.
Initially, articles that meet the minimum submission requirements (including relevant title, abstract, funding descriptions, privacy and ethics statements, and completion of the IRCMJ Record Form) are reviewed by the executive manager.
Once quality control is passed, articles with strong potential are sent out for peer review.
The peer-review process ensures scientifically credible information and research standards.
Authors are encouraged to include at least three in-field researchers/physicians in their Cover Letter to facilitate a targeted peer-review process. However, this suggestion is not obligatory.
Papers are critiqued and approved by at least two experts before acceptance for publication.
If reviews are positive, the article may be accepted immediately by the editorial board or may be returned to the authors to address reviewer comments.
In cases where one review is positive and another is negative, a third peer review is sought, and the editor’s decision is based on the third reviewer’s comment.
If both conducted reviews are negative, a rejection notification is sent.

Data Availability

1. Data Availability Statement

Authors submitting manuscripts to IRCMJ are strongly encouraged to provide a clear and comprehensive Data Availability Statement. This statement should outline how readers can access the data underlying the research findings presented in the article.

2. Rationale for Data Sharing

Transparency: Data availability promotes transparency and allows other researchers to verify and build upon your work.
Reproducibility: Accessible data enables independent replication of results, enhancing the scientific rigor of your study.
Scientific Progress: Shared data contribute to scientific progress by facilitating meta-analyses, secondary analyses, and novel research questions.

3. What to Include in the Data Availability Statement

Specify where the data can be accessed (e.g., a repository, institutional database, or supplementary materials).
Provide a persistent identifier (e.g., DOI) for the dataset, if available.
Describe any restrictions on data access (e.g., ethical or legal constraints).
If data cannot be shared, explain the reasons (e.g., privacy concerns, proprietary data).

4. Types of Data to Share

Raw Data: Original measurements, observations, or survey responses.
Processed Data: Derived variables, cleaned datasets, or aggregated results.
Code: Scripts, algorithms, or software used for data analysis.
Supplementary Materials: Appendices, figures, or tables containing additional data.

5. Where to Deposit Data

Please submit your data files to the Journal Submission System. You can also send the data to the Journal's email or upload it to a Drive (e.g. Googlr drive). You can also use reputable data repositories relevant to your field

6. Data Citation

Properly cite the dataset in your references section.
Include the dataset’s DOI or other identifier.

7. Exceptions

If data sharing is not possible due to valid reasons (e.g., sensitive patient data), clearly state this in your manuscript.
Provide a justification for the exception.

8. Compliance with Journal Policies

Ensure that your data availability practices align with IRCMJ’s policies.
Review the journal’s instructions for authors regarding data sharing.

Data availability enhances the impact and credibility of your research. By making your data accessible, you contribute to the advancement of science and foster collaboration within the research community.