📝 Instructions for Authors

Thank you for choosing the Scope of Science (SoS) as a potential venue for your research. To ensure a smooth peer-review and publication process, all authors are requested to strictly abide by these guidelines. Failure to adhere to these instructions may result in the immediate delay or rejection of your manuscript.

Before submitting, please ensure your manuscript has been thoroughly checked for clarity, technical accuracy, and grammatical errors. All submissions undergo rigorous evaluation by our qualified editorial team and peer reviewers.

📊 1. Types of Manuscripts Accepted

SoS considers the following article types for publication. Authors should ensure their work aligns with the length and structural constraints outlined below:

Article Type Max Page Limit Key Structural Requirements Description & Focus
Research Articles 20 Pages* Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgments, References, Appendices/Abbreviations (if needed). Presents results from an original research study. Must contain detailed methodology and thorough data analysis.
Reviews & Mini-Reviews 25 Pages* Abstract, Introduction, Comprehensive Literature Body, References. No mandatory Methods/Results sections. Written by experts with in-depth knowledge of the topic. Provides a comprehensive analysis of existing literature.
Short Communications Brief Reports Flexible, concise structure focusing on urgent findings. Accelerated reports highlighting breakthrough or highly significant findings expected to have an immediate impact.
Case Reports Brief Reports Abstract, Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion, Methods (with consent statement). Documents new, rare, or unique clinical cases presenting significant diagnostic/therapeutic challenges with educational value.
Letter to the Editor Brief Concise, decisive observations. Direct observations or critiques relating to previously published articles or viewpoints within the journal.

*Manuscripts exceeding these limits are subject to the final approval of the Editor-in-Chief based on the depth and necessity of the research content.

⚡ 2. Fast Track Review Process

Authors with highly urgent, landmark discoveries of exceptional importance may request an expedited review. Complex papers requiring prolonged evaluation are not eligible for this track.

Submission Requirements

  • Cover Letter Justification: Explicitly detail why the manuscript warrants an expedited fast-track review.

  • Originality Affirmation: Explicitly state any potential overlap with already published, under-review, or preprint work.

Fast Track Procedure & Timeline

  1. Editorial Screening: The Editor-in-Chief assesses the manuscript. If fast-track review is denied, the author is given one week to transition the manuscript to the regular review track; otherwise, it is rejected.

  2. Decision Window: A final acceptance or rejection decision will be rendered within 6 to 8 weeks. This decision is final, and rejected fast-track manuscripts cannot enter the regular review stream.

  3. Revisions: If accepted pending minor modifications, authors must submit the revised text within one week.

  4. Publication: Approved papers are prioritized for publication in the next available quarterly issue.

📐 3. Manuscript Preparation & Formatting

All manuscripts must be prepared using clean, standardized typography to match the visual identity of the journal:

  • Language: Academic English only.

  • Font: Times New Roman throughout.

  • Spacing & Layout: One and a half (1.5) line spacing on standardized A4 paper size with 1-inch margins on all sides. Pages must be numbered sequentially.

  • Heading Hierarchies:

    • TITLE: Boldface, UPPERCASE, 14pt font size.

    • Main Headings: Boldface, UPPERCASE, 12pt font size (placed on a distinct line).

    • Subheadings: Boldface, lowercase, 12pt font size (placed on a distinct line).

Core Layout Order

  1. Title Page

  2. Abstract & Keywords

  3. Introduction

  4. Materials and Methods

  5. Results and Discussion

  6. Conclusion

  7. Acknowledgments & Funding

  8. Conflicts of Interest

  9. References

  10. Tables & Figures (with captions)

🔍 4. Detailed Component Guidelines

Title Page

  • Include a concise, informative title alongside the full names, academic degrees (Master’s level and above), and institutional affiliations of all authors.

  • Clearly indicate the specific Subject Area from the journal’s Aim & Scope at the top of the page (e.g., Microbiology, Biotechnology, Structural Biology).

  • At the lower left, provide complete contact details for the Corresponding Author (Mailing address, office/cell phone number, fax number, and institutional email).

Abstract & Keywords

  • Word Count: 200–250 words maximum.

  • Format: Single paragraph, unstructured (no subheadings). It should summarize the core objectives, material/methods, key results, and ultimate conclusions.

  • Keywords: Provide 4 to 6 specific keywords directly beneath the abstract block.

Materials & Methods

  • Provide complete logistical details to ensure the repeatability of your experiments.

  • Ethical Declarations: Animal studies must note official ethical clearance. Human studies must document the informed consent acquisition and verification protocol.

Results & Discussion

  • Data must be clearly presented with appropriate statistical analyses.

  • Avoid Redundancy: Do not repeat numerical values extensively within text body paragraphs if they are already presented in a table or figure. Ensure illustrations and charts remain fully self-explanatory.

Tables & Figures

  • Tables: Save each table on a separate page. Use only horizontal lines above and below column headers and at the base of the table. No vertical gridlines are permitted. Captions must be in sentence case at the top; footnotes must be italicized at the bottom.

  • Figures: Save each figure on a separate page. Place boldface, lowercase captions below the figure layout. Authors are strictly required to attach written permission clearances when reproducing copyrighted illustrations from external or web-based sources.

📑 5. Referencing Style (Vancouver System)

SoS enforces the Vancouver referencing style. References must be numbered consecutively in the text using numbers enclosed within standard first brackets, matching their exact order of appearance.

  • Citation Limits: Maximum of 75 references for original research papers; maximum of 100 references for review papers.

  • In-Text Citation Example: ...cell cycle arrest is targeted in cancer therapy (1). This targeted mechanism eliminates damaged or abnormal cells (2).

  • Reference List Ordering: Numbered sequentially matching text appearances. Every reference in the list must correspond to an in-text citation, and vice versa.

Reference Formats & Examples

Journal Articles

  1. Ramesh CK, Rehman A, Prabhakar BT, Vijay Avin BR, Aditya Rao SJ. Antioxidant potential in sprouts vs. seeds of Vigna radiata and Macrotyloma uniflorum. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science. 2011; 1(3):99-103.

  2. Yartey JE. Malaria in pregnancy: access to effective interventions in Africa. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2006;94(3):364-73.

Books & Book Chapters

  1. Strunk Jr W, White EB. The elements of style. 4th ed. New York: Longman; 2000.

  2. Mettam GR, Adams LB. How to prepare an electronic version of your article. In: Jones BS, Smith RZ, editors. Introduction to the electronic age, New York: E-Publishing Inc; 2009, p. 281–304.

Electronic Material & Web Resources

  • Internet Journal Article (with URL): Abood S. Quality improvement initiative in nursing homes: the ANA acts in an advisory role. Am J Nurs [Internet]. 2002 Jun;102(6):1-10. Available from: http://www.nursingworld.org/AJN/2002/june/Wawatch.htm

  • Article with Alternative Pagination/Doc ID: Williams JS, Brown SM, Conlin PR. Videos in clinical medicine. Blood-pressure measurement. N Engl J Med. 2009 Jan 29;360(5):e6.

  • Article with DOI: Zhang M, Holman CD, Price SD, Sanfilippo FM, Preen DB, Bulsara MK. Comorbidity and repeat admission to hospital for adverse drug reactions in older adults: retrospective cohort study. BMJ. 2009 Jan 7;338:a2752. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a2752.

  • Online Monograph: Foley KM, Gelband H, editors. Improving palliative care for cancer [Internet]. Washington: National Academy Press; 2001 [cited 2002 Jul 9]. Available from: http://www.nap.edu/books/0309074029/html/.

  • General Website: Cancer-Pain.org [Internet]. New York: Association of Cancer Online Resources, Inc.; c2000-01 [updated 2002 May 16; cited 2002 Jul 9]. Available from http://www.cancer-pain.org/

For additional variations, please refer directly to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Uniform Requirements.

⚖️ 6. Ethical Compliance & Legal Policies

Disclosures & Funding

  • Conflicts of Interest: All authors must explicitly declare potential conflicts of interest, listing individual statuses by name.

  • Funding Sources: Disclose all funding agencies, corresponding grant registration codes, and provide a summary of the funder’s role in the study layout.

Rights & Protections

  • Patient Privacy & Rights: Studies involving human subjects must align with the Helsinki Declaration principles. Identifiable traits, photographs, or genomic details are prohibited unless written informed consent is explicitly provided by the subject (or legal guardian) for public dissemination.

  • Animal Welfare: Experiments using laboratory animals must align strictly with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and ARRIVE regulations, confirming valid institutional ethics committee clearance.

  • Clinical Trial Registry: Clinical trials must be listed on a publicly open registry system (e.g., Clinical Trial Registry India, UMIN Japan, NHMRC Australia, USNLM, ISRCTN registry). Registration numbers must be appended to the manuscript text following CONSORT guidelines.

Copyright, Proofs, & Privacy

  • Copyright Transfer: Submission certifies the work is original, unpublished, and not under active consideration elsewhere. Upon final academic acceptance, authors must sign our official Copyright Transfer Agreement.

  • Galley Proofs: Production proofs are dispatched directly to the corresponding author’s address. It is their sole responsibility to inspect and return these corrections promptly.

  • Privacy Assurance: All names and contact info entered into our portal remain protected and are utilized strictly for the core editorial transactions of SoS.

🗂️ 7. Author Submission Checklist

Before final upload to the Scope of Science (SoS) submission ecosystem, please verify that your package contains all of the following:

  • [ ] Cover Letter: Contains prerequisite declarations regarding prior releases, non-preprinted exclusivity, proposed list of 2–3 expert reviewers, and/or fast-track justification.

  • [ ] Declarations of Authorship: Completed distinct authorship signatures for every collaborator listed.

  • [ ] Title Page Content: Fully detailed metadata, corresponding author criteria, and specified subject category.

  • [ ] Formatted Manuscript Document: 1.5 spaced, Times New Roman, matching word counts, equipped with an unstructured abstract, 4–6 keywords, and text page numbers.

  • [ ] Ethics & Statements: Clear IRB/REB compliance parameters nested within the Materials & Methods section.

  • [ ] Illustrations & Tables: Grouped cleanly on individual sheets with cross-referenced sentence-case titles and lower-case figure legends.

  • [ ] Vancouver Citations: Verified bracketed text numeric calls (1) resolving accurately to the compiled reference list.

📥 Ready for Submission?

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