Submission Guidelines and Manuscript Preparation
This page provides a step-by-step guide to assembling your submission package, formatting your manuscript for double-blind review, meeting ethical and reporting standards, and navigating our online submission workflow.
Submission Package: Required Files
Upload the following files in the order listed. File separation supports double-blind review and accurate metadata capture for indexing and preservation.
File | Purpose | Notes |
---|---|---|
Title Page (separate file) | Holds author identities and disclosures; not shared with reviewers | Names, affiliations, corresponding author contact, ORCID iDs, CRediT roles, funding, conflicts, ethics approvals/registrations |
Blinded Manuscript | Main text for review | Remove names/affiliations; redact self-identifying details; scrub file properties; include abstract, main text, references, tables/figure legends |
Figures | High-quality visuals | Each figure as a separate file (TIFF/PNG; 300+ dpi photos; 600+ dpi line art; SVG/EPS for vector). Add concise, descriptive legends. |
Tables | Editable data | Provide in the manuscript after references and/or as separate CSV/XLSX; avoid images of tables. |
Supplementary Material | Reproducibility & transparency | Datasets (CSV), code (plain text with license), multimedia (MP4 + captions), search strategies (for PRISMA) |
Checklists | Reporting standards | CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, ARRIVE, CARE, SQUIRE, and any study-type-specific forms |
Cover Letter | Context for editors | Brief significance, scope fit, declarations (preprint DOI, prior dissemination), reviewer suggestions and exclusions |
Manuscript Formatting
General layout
- Text: 12-pt font, double-spaced, 2.5 cm margins, continuous line numbers encouraged.
- Headings: use a consistent hierarchy (H1 not needed in main doc; begin with H2-level section headers).
- File type: DOCX or RTF; LaTeX accepted (provide PDF and source files).
- Language: clear, precise English; avoid jargon where possible and define abbreviations at first use.
- Units: SI units (with conventional units in parentheses if useful).
Title page (separate)
- Full title (≤20 words) and running title (≤60 characters).
- Author names, degrees (optional), affiliations (department, institution, city, country).
- Corresponding author email and telephone (for office use).
- CRediT contributions; funding statement; conflicts of interest; trial registration; data availability statement location.
Blinded manuscript sections
- Abstract: structured (Background/Methods/Results/Conclusions) for research; ≤300 words.
- Keywords: 3–6 terms; prefer controlled vocabularies where applicable.
- Main text: IMRaD or suitable schema; keep methods reproducible and results precise.
- Ethics & consent: include statements (IRB/IACUC approvals, patient consent) within Methods.
- Data Availability: repository links/DOIs or access conditions.
- Acknowledgments: avoid identifying details at review stage.
- References: numbered (Vancouver/AMA-like), DOIs as https://doi.org/…
- Figure legends and tables after references or as separate files.
Methods, Statistics & Reproducibility
- Describe study design, setting, eligibility criteria, interventions/exposures, outcomes, and follow-up in sufficient detail to replicate.
- Pre-specify primary/secondary outcomes; report sample size justification or power calculations where appropriate.
- Report effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals alongside p-values; avoid “p<0.000” phrasing—use exact values (e.g., p=0.0003).
- Describe handling of missing data, multiplicity, subgroup analyses, model assumptions, and software (name, version).
- For randomized trials, include CONSORT flow diagram; for observational designs, align with STROBE.
- Provide access to de-identified data/code when permitted; otherwise explain restrictions.
Figures, Tables & Multimedia
Figures
- Submit separate files: TIFF/PNG at ≥300 dpi (photos) or ≥600 dpi (line art); vector preferred for diagrams (SVG/EPS).
- Do not compress figures into DOCX; avoid JPEG artifacts; ensure fonts are embedded or outlines converted for vector art.
- State any global adjustments (brightness/contrast) in legend; disclose splicing/boundaries where unavoidable.
- Maintain patient privacy (mask faces/identifiers unless consent explicitly permits publication).
- Use clear, color-blind-aware palettes; include scale bars and annotations for surgical steps.
Tables
- Provide editable tables; avoid screenshots. Use concise titles and explanatory footnotes; identify denominators for percentages.
- Align decimals; present units in headers; avoid vertical rules; limit significant figures to measurement precision.
Videos
- Format: MP4 (H.264), 720p+; provide narrative captions; include on-screen step labels where helpful.
- Confirm consent and anonymization; remove PHI from audio and video.
Citations & Reference List
Use a numbered citation style. Cite sources in order of first appearance; superscripts or bracketed numbers are acceptable. Ensure one-to-one correspondence between in-text citations and the reference list. Include DOIs wherever available in canonical https://doi.org/ format.
Examples
- Article: Lastname AB, Lastname CD. Title. Archives of Surgery and Clinical Research. 2025;9(2):e123–e131. https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxxxx
- Preprint: Lastname AB, Lastname CD. Title. medRxiv [preprint]. 2025. https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxxxx
- Dataset: Lastname AB. Title [dataset]. Repository; 2024. https://doi.org/xx.xxxx/xxxxx
- Software: Project Name v1.2.0 [software]. 2025. Available at: URL or DOI
Ethics, Consent & Transparency
- Identify approving human research ethics committees and protocol numbers; state informed consent procedures.
- Register interventional trials before first participant enrollment and include registry/ID in the manuscript and title page.
- For animal research, provide protocol approvals and humane endpoints; describe measures to minimize pain/distress.
- Declare conflicts of interest and funding sources; describe the funder’s role.
- Include a Data Availability Statement; cite datasets/code with DOIs where possible.
- Disclose preprints or prior dissemination (theses, conference abstracts) transparently.
File Naming & Metadata
Consistent file names help prevent errors in production and archiving. Use short, descriptive names with no spaces; prefer hyphens.
Item | Example file name | Notes |
---|---|---|
Title page | ascr-2025-lee-title-page.docx | No author info in blinded manuscript file names |
Blinded manuscript | ascr-2025-manuscript-blinded.docx | Scrub author metadata from file properties |
Figure 1 (photo) | ascr-fig1-intraop-photo-300dpi.tif | State dpi and type when helpful |
Figure 2 (diagram) | ascr-fig2-flowchart.svg | Vector preferred |
Table 1 | ascr-table1-baseline.xlsx | Submit as editable file or within manuscript |
Supplemental video | ascr-video1-procedure.mp4 | Provide caption file if possible (VTT/SRT) |
Checklist | ascr-consort-checklist.pdf | Attach flow diagram as separate figure |
Online Submission Workflow
- Create/Sign in to your account; add your ORCID iD and affiliation info.
- Start new submission: choose article type; confirm scope and ethical compliance.
- Enter metadata: title, abstract, keywords, author list (names, affiliations, ORCID), funding, conflicts, trial registration.
- Upload files following the order in “Submission Package”. Ensure the Title Page and Blinded Manuscript are separate.
- Suggest reviewers (optional) and list non-preferred reviewers with reasons.
- Confirm license & policies: CC BY 4.0, originality, data availability, repository permissions (VoR/AAM).
- Final review: preview PDF, verify figure/table order, and submit.
- Post-submission: you’ll receive a confirmation email and manuscript ID. Track status via your dashboard.
What happens next?
- Initial editorial screening (scope, integrity, and policy checks).
- Assignment to handling editor and double-blind external review (≥2 reviewers).
- Decision: Accept / Minor revision / Major revision / Reject. Revisions require a tracked-changes file and a response-to-reviewers letter.
- Post-acceptance production: copyediting, typesetting, author proofs, DOI registration, publication.
Templates & Exemplars
Structured abstract template (research)
Background: State the clinical problem and knowledge gap. Methods: Design, setting, participants, interventions/exposures, outcomes, statistics. Results: Key numbers with effect sizes and 95% CIs; avoid interpretation here. Conclusions: Clear, balanced statement of what the results mean and their implications.
Cover letter template
Dear Editors,
Cover letter template
Dear Editors,
Response-to-reviewers template
We thank the reviewers for their insightful comments. Below we respond point-by-point (R# = Reviewer number).
Response-to-reviewers template
We thank the reviewers for their insightful comments. Below we respond point-by-point (R# = Reviewer number).
Can I deposit the accepted manuscript or VoR in a repository?
Yes. You may deposit the AAM on acceptance and the VoR on publication with the citation, DOI, and CC BY notice. See the Repository Policy.
How do I handle patient images?
Obtain explicit consent for publication; ensure robust de-identification. If full anonymity is impossible, the consent must state that identifiable images may appear.
What if I need to withdraw my submission?
Contact the editorial office with your manuscript ID and reason. Stage-based administrative fees may apply depending on editorial progress; see the Withdrawal Policy.
What style should I use for references?
Numbered (Vancouver/AMA-like) with DOIs where available. Ensure consistency and completeness.
Are there APCs?
APCs apply only to accepted manuscripts. Waivers/discounts may be available; see APCs and Waiver Policy pages.
Contact
Submission and formatting queries: editorial@clinsurgeryjournal.com · Technical support: support@clinsurgeryjournal.com