Author Guideline

When preparing a manuscript for IJN, authors must first determine the manuscript type. Then, proceed to select the appropriate manuscript preparation instructions from the acceptable formats listed below. Manuscripts must conform to journal style; preparation of figures, tables and multimedia must be done accordingly.

Journal Style

Author Listing: Names all authors should be listed in their entirety. All authors must clearly present institutional/professional affiliations and degrees held.

Abbreviations: Authors should provide a list of abbreviations on the end text if it was needed. All acronyms in the text should be expanded at first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. The acronym may appear in the text thereafter. Do not use abbreviations in the title. Acronyms may be used in the abstract if they occur 3 times or more therein.

Keywords: Authors should provide 3-7 keywords on the title page and use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms as a guide.

Proprietary Products: Authors should use nonproprietary (generic) names of drugs or devices unless mention of a manufacturer is pertinent to the study.  If a proprietary product is cited, the name and location of the manufacturer must also be included in parentheses.

References: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of references. Citations should be numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. Abbreviated journal names should be in Index Medicus format.

Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts (including tables, illustrations, and references) should be prepared according to ICMJE guidelines. Original articles require a title, structured abstract and keywords, followed by the text (Introduction, Materials/Patients and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgment, References, Tables, Figures). Label each section with the appropriate subheading.  Experience, Reviews and Special Articles require short, unstructured abstracts. Commentaries do not require abstracts. Research or project support should be acknowledged as a footnote on the title page. Technical and other assistance should also be cited on the title page.

Title Page

The title page must include author names, and institutional/professional affiliations, short title, keywords, financial disclosure and conflict of interests if any. Please include the contact information for the corresponding author (e.g. address, telephone, fax, and e-mail address).

Abstract length: 250 words or less
Article length: 4000 words or less

Original Articles

NOTE: References and Abstracts are not included in the article word count.

Original articles are authentic research contributions that aim to change or substantiate clinical practice or the understanding of a disease process.  Original articles include, but are not limited to, clinical trials, international studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, epidemiologic assessments, and surveys.

Structured Abstract

A structured abstract must include headings, such as Objective, Patients and Methods, Results, and Conclusions.  The Objective should clearly state the hypothesis; Patients and Methods should state the inclusion criteria and study design; Results must state the outcome of the study; and Conclusions should state the outcome in relation to the hypothesis and possible directions for future studies.

Article Main Body Text

The text must include the sections below:

Introduction

A 2-4 paragraph introduction outlining the wider context or background that generated the study and the hypothesis.

Methods

A Patients and Methods section detailing inclusion criteria and study design to ensure reproducibility of the research. In the last part of Mehods section, the "Ethical Approval" section should clearly mention the Ethical Considerations of the paper & its Ethical Approval Code & the source of approval.

Results

This section should outline the outcome and findings of the study.

Discussion

An expanded debate highlighting antecedent and current literature on the topic and how the current study changes the perception of a disease process or treatment modality should be stated.

Conclusion

A concluding paragraph presenting the impact of the study findings and possible future research on the subject.

Abstract length: 250 words or less.

Review Articles

Review Articles combine and/or summarize data from the knowledge base of a topic. These articles can include systematic reviews and metanalyses. Structured abstracts for systematic reviews are recommended and headings should include: Context, Objective, Data Sources, Study Selection, Data Extraction, Results and Conclusions.

Article length: 400 to 800 words.

Commentaries

Commentaries  are  opinions  consisting  of  a  viewpoint  and  supporting  discussion.  These contributions usually pertain to and are published concurrently with a specific article; the commentary serves to launch a broader discussion of a topic.  Commentaries may address general issues or controversies in the field of neonatology.

Abstract length: 250 words or less.
Article length: 2000 words or less.

Case Reports

Case Report articles consist of rare findings or patient reports and other shorter articles of original research. They should include an unstructured abstract of 250 words or fewer. Case Report articles highlight unique presentations of disease processes to expand the differential diagnosis and improve patient care. Case Report articles should be structured as follows:

Abstract

An unstructured abstract that summarizes the case(s)

Introduction

A brief introduction (recommended length, 1-2 paragraphs). A Case Report section that details patient presentation, initial diagnosis, and outcome. The "Ethical Approval" should clearly mention the Ethical Considerations of the paper & its Ethical Approval Code & the source of approval.

Results

Present the results in a logical sequence in the text, tables, and figures. Do not present specific data more than once and do not duplicate data from tables or figures in the text; emphasize or summarize only important observations.  Do not present data from individual subjects except for very compelling reasons. Mention losses to follow-up (such as drop-outs from a clinical trial). Use boldface for the first mention of each table or figure.

Discussion

A discussion section including a brief review of the relevant literature and how this case brings new understanding to the disease process.

Letter-to-the-Editor

Letters-to-the-Editor continues to be a vital part of the journal’s interaction with its readers. Letters, should be less than 500 words, and should discuss materials published in the journal during the year.

Figures

Authors should number figures in the order in which they appear in the text. Figures include graphs, charts, photographs, and illustrations. Each figure should be accompanied by a legend that does not exceed 50 words. Use abbreviations unless these have not been expanded in the text. If a figure is reproduced from another source, authors are required to obtain permission from the copyright holder, and proof of permission must be sent to the editorial office at initial submission. Authors are also required to provide level of magnification and stain used for histology slides. Figure arrays should be clearly labeled, preassembled, and submitted to scale according to the width and depth of a journal page (40 picas wide by 56 picas deep). Figure parts of an array should be clearly marked in capital letters in 10-point (Levenim MT) font in the upper left-hand corner of each figure. Figures should be submitted separately from the text file in one of the below formats.

Technical Requirements. For an original submission, authors may submit JPEG or PDF files. However, at revision, authors will need to submit higher resolution files (150-300 dpi) The following file types are acceptable: TIFF, EPS, and PDF. We cannot accept Excel or PowerPoint files. Color files must be in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) mode.

Tables

Tables should be numbered in the order in which they are cited in the text and include appropriate headers. Tables should not reiterate information presented in the Results section, but rather should provide clear and concise data that further illustrate the main point. Tabular data should directly relate to the hypothesis.

Publication Fee: Just Iranian authors should pay for the costs of editing and preparing their article One million and six hundred thousand tomans (62 $) to the Journal office account deposit. And the printing costs for publishing the case report article are one million and one hundred thousand tomans (43 $).

In addition, you can apply for a fast review that the case you should pay for it, Three hundred and fifty thousand tomans (20$) . In this case, your article will be reviewed faster than the normal procedure of the journal, which as a result of this; Your article may be rejected or accepted by the reviewers.

Duties of Authors:

• Reporting standards: authors of reports of original research should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be represented accurately in the paper. A paper should contain sufficient detail and references to permit others to replicate the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behaviour and are unacceptable.
• Originality and Plagiarism: the authors should ensure that they have written entirely original works, and if the authors have used the work and/or words of others that this has been appropriately cited or quoted. Plagiarism takes many forms, from ‘passing off’ another’s paper as the author’s own paper, to copying or paraphrasing substantial parts of another’s paper (without attribution), to claiming results from research conducted by others. Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behaviour and is unacceptable.
• Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publication: an author should not in general publish manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently constitutes unethical publishing behaviour and is unacceptable.
• Acknowledgement of Sources: proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. Authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work. Information obtained privately, as in conversation, correspondence, or discussion with third parties, must not be used or reported without explicit, written permission from the source. Information obtained in the course of confidential services, such as refereeing manuscripts or grant applications, must not be used without the explicit written permission of the author of the work involved in these services.
• Authorship of the Paper: authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made significant contributions should be listed as co-authors. Where there are others who have participated in certain substantive aspects of the research project, they should be acknowledged or listed as contributors. The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no inappropriate co-authors are included on the paper, and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.
• Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: all authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript. All sources of financial support for the project should be disclosed.
• Fundamental errors in published works: when an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal editor or publisher and cooperate with the editor to retract or correct the paper

IJN’s Editorial office

Department of Neonatology, Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 0511-8410137
Mobile: +98 937 275 8338