Submissions

Author Guidelines

General Information

Manuscripts submitted to the J Iran Sci Assoc Med Ethics must be original work that has not been previously published or is currently under consideration elsewhere. Abstracts presented at conferences that haven't been published as a supplementary issue are not considered prior publications.

We accept the following manuscript types:

• Original Articles
• Brief Reports
• Review Articles (Systematic and Narrative)
• Case Reports
• Letters to the Editor

These instructions provide essential information for preparing your manuscript, understanding our publication criteria, and navigating the online submission process. We strongly recommend reviewing them thoroughly before submitting your contribution to J Iran Sci Assoc Med Ethics. For more details about the journal, please refer to the "Author Guidelines" section.

Submission Process

All manuscripts should be submitted exclusively through our online submission system, accessible via the journal's homepage under "Online Submission" All subsequent publication-related communications, including checking manuscript status, responding to queries, and sending revisions, will also be managed through this online platform.

Manuscript Preparation

In general, submitted manuscripts should adhere to the following formatting guidelines:

• File Format: Microsoft Word (DOC, DOCX)
• Spacing: Double line space
• Font: 12-point Times New Roman
• Page Numbering: Continuous numbering at the bottom of each page
• Blind Review: To ensure a blind review, the Title Page must be inserted on a separate page.
• Supplementary Files: Your Cover Letter, original Figure files, and any other supporting documents should be uploaded as supplementary files in submission step 4.

Cover Letter

Each submitted manuscript must be accompanied by a cover letter. This letter should explain the rationale behind your research and your choice to submit to J Iran Sci Assoc Med Ethics. It must also include a statement confirming that the manuscript has not been published or submitted to another journal while it is under review with us. Please indicate if any related papers from the same study have been previously published or submitted by the authors. Finally, any potential conflicts of interest must be clearly declared.

Title Page

The title page must be submitted as a separate file and include:

• Article Type
• Full Title of the Work
• Running Title/Short Title: Not exceeding 50 characters, including spaces.
• Full Name(s) of Author(s)
• Affiliation(s)
• Detailed Information of the Corresponding Author(s): Name(s), degree, phone and fax number, email, and current working address. We highly recommend providing an ORCID ID for the corresponding author(s).

Abstract and Keywords

All manuscripts require a non-structured abstract in English.

• Original and Review Articles: Abstracts should not exceed 250 words.
• Brief and Case Reports: Abstracts should not exceed 150 words.

Immediately following the abstract, please provide 3-6 keywords that represent the main content of your article, separated by commas. Aim to use keywords that are not already present in your manuscript's title.

Main Text

Original Articles

This manuscript type must include: Introduction, Materials (Patients) and Methods, Results, Discussion, Limitations, Conclusions, and References. The body of the paper (excluding references, abstract, figures, and tables) should not exceed 4,000 words.

Brief Reports

These should follow the structure of an Original Article: Introduction, Materials (Patients) and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, and References. The length (excluding references, abstract, figures, and tables) should not exceed 1,500 words. A maximum of two tables or figures are permitted.

Narrative Review Articles

There is no strict structural requirement for narrative reviews; however, the text should be organized into logical sections with appropriate headings and conclude with a comprehensive summary. The inclusion of relevant tables and figures is encouraged.

Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses

These articles must include: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Limitations, Conclusions, and References.

Case Reports

Case reports should be structured with an Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgement (if applicable), and References. The maximum number of tables or figures is two, and references should not exceed 20. The total word count should not exceed 1,500 words. Informed consent must be obtained from patients for reporting their cases.

Letters to the Editor

We welcome three types of letters: 1) comments on recently published articles, 2) brief reviews on emerging or critical topics by Editorial Board members, and 3) reports of limited original research. Letters should not exceed 500 words, and should not include an abstract, subheadings, more than 20 references, or more than two tables and figures.

Erratum

To maintain accuracy and provide the best service to our readers, J Iran Sci Assoc Med Ethics accepts Erratum or Publisher Corrections for errors made by either the journal or authors during the publication process of a published article. You can submit an Erratum as a new submission through our online system in a Microsoft Word file. After peer-review, it will be linked to the original article.

References

Citation in Text

Please ensure that every reference cited in the main text is also included in the reference list, and vice versa. Unpublished results and personal communications are not acceptable in the reference list but can be cited as quotations within the text. Reference numbers should be consecutive and enclosed in square brackets, e.g., [1] or [1-3]. All references cited in the text should be listed numerically at the end of the manuscript under the heading "References."

Reference Style

Please adhere to the Standard Vancouver reference style, as illustrated below:

Journal Articles:

 * Cheng MF, Chen WL, Hung WY, Huang IF, Chiou YH, Chen YS, et al. Emergence of extended spectrum-beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli O25b-ST131: a major community-acquired uropathogen in infants. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2015;34(5):469-75.

 * Karimi A, Fakhimi-Derakhshan K, Imanzadeh F, Rezaei M, Cavoshzadeh Z, Maham S. Helicobacter pylori infection and pediatric asthma. Iran J Microbiol. 2013 Jun;5(2):132-5.

Book Chapters:

Author(s) of chapter. Title of chapter. In: Editor(s) of book, editors. Title of book. edition (if not first). Place of publication: Publisher name; Year of publication. p. [page numbers of chapter].

Online Documents:

Author/organization's name (if available). Title of the page [Internet]. Place of publication: Publisher's name; Publication date or year [updated date - year month day; cited date - year month day]. Available from: URL

Tables and Figures

Tables and figures must be cited sequentially as they appear in the text, using Arabic numerals (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1). All tables and figures should be placed on separate pages at the end of the manuscript. Tables should be straightforward and avoid duplicating information already presented in the main text. Do not submit tables as images. Figures should only be included if they provide additional, valuable information. Legends for all figures should be incorporated into the main text file. Acceptable formats for figures are JPEG or TIFF with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.

Supplementary Files

Supplementary files, in any format, will be made freely available online. We recommend using commonly accessible file formats. Supplementary files must be cited sequentially within the text as Supplementary file 1, 2, etc.

Authorship

The corresponding author is responsible for confirming that all listed authors have read and approved the final version of the submitted manuscript. The corresponding author must also ensure that all listed authors have made a substantive contribution to the article. Authors' contributions should be clearly declared in the "Authors' Contributions" section. Any individuals who contributed but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the "Acknowledgements" section.

Please note that authorship changes are not permitted after a manuscript has been accepted. Any proposed changes to authorship after the initial submission must be communicated to the editorial office via a letter clearly outlining the reasons for the alterations and including signed confirmation from all authors. The editorial office may contact authors directly via email to confirm their responses.

Funding

All sources of funding and the role of any sponsor(s) in the research must be declared under a separate heading titled "Funding."

Conflicts of Interest

Authors are required to fully disclose any existing or potential financial, personal, or other conflicts of interest that could influence or bias their research. If no conflicts exist, please state "None Declared."

Ethical declarations

Human and Animal Rights

Human Subjects

All manuscripts reporting on clinical investigations involving human participants or human-derived materials must confirm adherence to the Declaration of Helsinki. A statement confirming that all subjects or their guardians provided written informed consent prior to participation (after adequate explanation) must be included. Furthermore, all such studies must state that the project received approval from the local Ethical Committee. Any justification for waiving informed consent must be clearly stated.

Animal Studies

Manuscripts detailing experimental investigations involving animals must include an assurance statement that the animals were cared for in accordance with a standard guide for the care and use of experimental animals. A statement confirming that the use of animals and the experiments were reviewed and approved by the local Ethical Committee is also required.

Clinical Trials

If your submitted article reports the results of a healthcare intervention on human participants (a clinical trial), it is mandatory to provide a registration number from a public trials registry that offers free online access to the public.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

Our journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, originality, and transparency in scholarly publishing. With the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in research and writing, we provide the following guidelines to ensure ethical and responsible practices. These guidelines are informed by the principles adopted by leading publishers like Elsevier.

1. Authorship and Accountability

• AI cannot be an author: Generative AI tools and large language models (LLMs) cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of any submitted manuscript. Authorship implies responsibility and accountability for the work, which AI tools cannot fulfill. Human authors are solely responsible for the entire content of their submitted work, including any part generated or assisted by AI.
• Human oversight and control: Any use of AI tools must be under direct human oversight and control. Authors are ultimately responsible for the accuracy, validity, and originality of their work. They must carefully review and edit any AI-generated output to ensure it is correct, complete, unbiased, and adheres to all ethical standards.
• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that the content generated or improved by AI tools does not infringe on existing copyrights or constitute plagiarism. All sources, whether human or AI-generated, must be properly cited and attributed where appropriate.

1. Permitted Uses of AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

Authors are permitted to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process before submission, but only to:

• Improve language and readability: This includes grammar checks, spelling corrections, stylistic improvements, and enhancing the clarity of the text.
• Refine phrasing and sentence structure: AI tools can assist in rephrasing sentences for conciseness or better flow.

1. Prohibited Uses of AI and AI-Assisted Technologies

The following uses of AI and AI-assisted technologies are not permitted unless explicitly stated as part of the research design (see Section 4):

• Generation of scientific insights, conclusions, or critical analysis: AI tools should not be used to replace core authoring tasks such as forming scientific arguments, drawing conclusions, or providing expert interpretations.
• Creation or alteration of figures, images, and artwork: Generative AI or AI-assisted tools are generally not permitted to create or significantly alter images, figures, or artwork within submitted manuscripts. Minor adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable if they do not obscure or eliminate any original information.
• Creation of graphical abstracts or cover art: The use of generative AI in the production of artwork for graphical abstracts or journal covers is not permitted, unless prior permission is obtained from the journal editor and publisher, and all necessary rights are cleared with correct content attribution.

1. Disclosure of AI Tool Usage

Transparency is paramount. Authors must clearly and explicitly disclose the use of any AI and AI-assisted technologies in their manuscript.

• Location of disclosure:
• For uses in the writing process, a dedicated section in the Acknowledgments section of the manuscript is required.
• If AI or AI-assisted tools were an integral part of the research design or methodology (e.g., AI-assisted imaging for data generation or interpretation), such use must be described in detail within the Methods section of the manuscript.
• Content of disclosure: The disclosure statement must include:
• The name of the AI tool(s) used (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, Mendeley, etc.).
• The version number of the tool(s) if applicable.
• A clear and specific description of how and for what purpose the AI tool(s) were used (e.g., "AI tool X was used for grammar and spell-checking," or "Generative AI model Y was employed to summarize background literature, with human oversight and verification of all generated content.").
• For AI used in methodology, describe the model/tool, version, extension numbers, and manufacturer, ensuring reproducibility.
• Responsibility for accuracy: Regardless of AI assistance, authors are fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of all information presented in the manuscript, including any output generated by AI tools. Any false, inaccurate, or fabricated information, including references, will be considered academic misconduct.

1. Data Privacy and Confidentiality

• Authors must be aware of the data privacy and confidentiality implications of using AI tools. Do not upload confidential or unpublished research data, sensitive information, or personally identifiable information into generative AI platforms, as this may violate privacy rights and compromise intellectual property.
• Authors should familiarize themselves with the terms of use and data policies of any AI tool they employ.

1. Ethical Considerations

• Authors are expected to adhere to all ethical guidelines for research and publishing, including those related to plagiarism, data fabrication, and conflicts of interest. The use of AI tools does not absolve authors of these responsibilities.
• The journal reserves the right to request pre-AI-adjusted versions of images and/or the composite raw images used to create the final submitted versions for editorial assessment, especially if the use of AI in image generation is suspected or disclosed.

1. Reviewer Guidelines (for reference)

• Reviewers are strictly prohibited from uploading submitted manuscripts or any part of them into generative AI tools. This may violate the authors' confidentiality and proprietary rights, and where the paper contains personally identifiable information, may breach data privacy rights.
• Reviewers should not use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies to assist in the scientific review of a paper, as critical thinking and original assessment are essential for peer review.
• Reviewers may use AI tools to improve the readability, language, or formatting of their own review reports, but with careful oversight and human review.

Important Note: These guidelines will be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the evolving landscape of AI technologies and their applications in scholarly publishing. Authors are encouraged to consult the latest version of these guidelines before submission.

By submitting a manuscript to this journal, authors confirm that they have read, understood, and complied with these guidelines. Failure to comply may lead to rejection of the submission or retraction of a published article.

Article-Processing and Publication Charges

Currently, publication in J Iran Sci Assoc Med Ethics is free of charge, with no submission or publication fees. There are also no fees for using color images.

For any specific inquiries, please contact the Journal via Email.