Submission Guidelines and Manuscript Preparation
Clinical Journal of Nursing & Clinical Practice (CJNCP) uses a clear, auditable submission workflow designed to be fair, efficient, and respectful of authors’ time. This page explains the steps to submit, files you must prepare, formatting and anonymization, and what to expect during review and after acceptance. Follow the checklists to minimize delays and ensure a smooth experience.
1) Submission workflow (step by step)
- Create/confirm your account: Register with an institutional email when possible; add your ORCID iD to your profile.
- Choose manuscript type: Select the closest fit (e.g., Original Research, Systematic Review, QI Report, Case Report, Protocol, Education Resource, Brief Report, Perspective).
- Prepare files: See Sections 2–5 for the blinded manuscript, title page, figures, tables, checklists, and declarations.
- Enter metadata: Title; authors/affiliations; corresponding author; abstract and keywords; funding; ethics approvals; trial registration; data availability; conflicts of interest.
- Suggest reviewers (optional): Provide names, affiliations, emails, and a brief rationale. You may list reasonable exclusions with justification.
- Upload files in order: Manuscript (blinded), title page, figures, tables, supplementary, checklists, cover letter, permissions.
- Validate: Use the system’s checks to confirm file types, sizes, and missing fields. Address warnings before final submission.
- Submit: You will receive a confirmation email with a manuscript ID. Keep this ID for all correspondence.
- Status updates: Typical statuses include With Editor, Under Review, Reviews Complete, Revision Requested, and Decision Rendered.
Timelines vary by topic and reviewer availability. Clear, complete submissions move faster. For urgent ethical or patient-safety updates, contact the editorial office.
2) Required files
| File | Purpose | Key content |
|---|---|---|
| Blinded manuscript (.docx) | Peer review | No author names/affiliations; title & abstract; main text; references; tables (editable) or placed at end; figure callouts; acknowledgments removed or anonymized. |
| Title page (.docx) | Editorial records | Full author names/credentials; affiliations; corresponding author; ORCID (recommended); contributions (CRediT-style); funding; conflicts; ethics approvals; trial registration; word count. |
| Figures (separate files) | Publication quality | High-resolution images (see specs below); legends in a separate Word file. |
| Tables (.docx/.xlsx) | Accessibility | Editable tables; concise titles; footnotes for abbreviations. |
| Reporting checklist(s) | Compliance | CONSORT, STROBE, PRISMA, SQUIRE, COREQ/SRQR, CARE, TIDieR, STARD (as applicable). |
| Cover letter | Context | Significance/novelty (2–3 sentences); clinical relevance; ethics/consent; data availability; suggested reviewers; disclosures. |
| Supplementary materials | Transparency | Checklists, questionnaires, extended methods, data/code links, multimedia captions/transcripts. |
| Permissions | Rights | Letters for third-party content (figures/tables/scales) if required by rights holder. |
Templates
Use the CJNCP manuscript template for structure and style. A separate “Figure Legends” template is provided to keep legends consistent and accessible.
3) Formatting & structure
Document settings
- File: .docx (no PDFs for the manuscript).
- Font: 11–12 pt; double-spaced; 1-inch (2.5 cm) margins; continuous line numbering; page numbers.
- Headings: use hierarchical styles (H1, H2, H3) for logical structure.
- Units: SI; medications by generic name with dose/route/frequency; device manufacturer/model/version where relevant.
Article structure
- Original Research: Title; Abstract (structured); Introduction; Methods; Results; Discussion; Conclusions; Acknowledgments; References; Tables; Figures.
- Systematic Reviews: PRISMA-aligned headings incl. protocol/registration, search, selection, risk of bias, synthesis.
- QI Reports: SQUIRE-aligned headings: Context; Intervention; Measures; Analysis; Results; Lessons & Limitations.
- Qualitative: Design/Paradigm; Setting/Participants; Data Collection; Analysis; Trustworthiness; Findings; Discussion.
- Case Reports: Abstract; Case Presentation; Diagnostics; Interventions; Outcomes; Patient Perspective; Discussion.
Style points
- Plain English; define acronyms at first use; avoid stigmatizing terms; person-first language.
- Statistics: name software/version; report effect sizes and 95% CIs; provide exact p values; address missing data and sensitivity analyses.
- Equations: use built-in equation editor; number only if referenced in text.
- References: numbered in order of appearance (see below); DOIs with https prefix.
4) Anonymization (blinding)
Prepare a blinded manuscript for peer review:
- Remove author names/affiliations; replace institutional identifiers with neutral phrases (e.g., “our center”).
- Mask self-citations where they reveal identity (e.g., “Author 2023”); retain in references as “Blinded for review”. Provide full citations on the title page.
- Omit acknowledgments, grant numbers that uniquely identify you, and clinical site names if revealing.
- Strip file metadata (Author, Company) before upload.
- Figures: crop or blur identifying details (faces, ID numbers, room numbers) unless consent permits display.
Common pitfalls
Leaving author names in tracked changes; using institution email inside the manuscript; naming local IRB in a way that uniquely identifies the authors.
5) Figures, tables & multimedia specifications
Figures
- Formats: PNG or TIFF (photos); SVG or EPS (line art). Resolution: ≥300 dpi (photos), ≥600 dpi (line art).
- Color: RGB; avoid color-only encoding of information; ensure adequate contrast.
- Labels: use sentence case; consistent units; legible at journal layout size.
- Do not introduce misleading adjustments; apply uniform brightness/contrast if needed and disclose if material.
- Provide a separate Figure Legends document describing each panel, symbols, and abbreviations.
Tables
- Editable tables (.docx/.xlsx); no images of tables.
- Concise titles; footnotes for abbreviations; avoid vertical rules; ensure standalone clarity.
- For wide tables, consider supplementary placement and summarize key findings in the main text.
Multimedia
- Video: MP4 (H.264/AAC); include caption/brief transcript when speech or critical sounds are present.
- Audio: MP3/AAC (access) or WAV (archival).
- Protect privacy: obtain consent for identifiable images/voices; otherwise anonymize or restrict.
6) Declarations & statements (required where applicable)
Conflicts of interest & funding
- Disclose all financial and relevant non-financial interests for each author.
- State funder names and award numbers; describe funder role (design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish).
Ethics & consent
- Provide IRB/IEC approval or a documented waiver with reference number and date.
- For case reports/series and identifiable images or audio/video, obtain explicit, written consent for publication.
Registration & transparency
- Register prospective trials before first participant; include ID in abstract and Methods.
- State data availability (see Section 7) and preprint DOI if applicable.
- Disclose any language/statistical/AI tools used (see Section 11).
Sample statements
IRB approval: “This study was approved by the [Institution] IRB (Ref. 2024-1234, 12 Jan 2024). All participants provided informed consent.”
Consent for case report: “Written informed consent for publication of clinical details and images was obtained from the patient.”
Conflicts: “The authors declare no competing interests.” or provide details.
Funder role: “The funder had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or manuscript preparation.”
7) Data, code & materials
Include a Data Availability Statement (DAS) describing where data, code, and instruments are available—or explaining justified restrictions (privacy, law, third-party rights). Prefer de-identified data and reputable repositories with persistent identifiers.
Example DAS
- Open: “De-identified data and analysis code are available at [Repository] (DOI: …).”
- Controlled: “De-identified data are available upon reasonable request subject to institutional data-use agreement.”
- No external data: “No datasets were generated or analyzed beyond what is included in this article.”
Good practice
- Provide README files, variable dictionaries, and software versions.
- Cite dataset DOIs in the references where appropriate.
- For qualitative data, share instruments/codebooks or exemplars consistent with consent.
8) Reporting checklists
Upload the relevant checklist as a supplementary file and cite it in Methods. Ensure your manuscript addresses each item.
| Study type | Checklist (examples) | Key notes |
|---|---|---|
| Randomized trials | CONSORT (+ extensions) | Allocation, blinding, adherence, deviations, harms. |
| Observational | STROBE | Design, participants, variables, bias, missing data. |
| Systematic review/meta-analysis | PRISMA | Protocol/registration, search, selection flow, RoB, synthesis. |
| Quality improvement | SQUIRE | Context, intervention, measures, analysis, sustainability. |
| Qualitative | COREQ or SRQR | Paradigm, reflexivity, sampling, analysis, trustworthiness. |
| Case report/series | CARE | Timeline, diagnostics, intervention, outcomes, patient voice. |
| Educational interventions | TIDieR | Materials, procedures, who, where, when, dose, tailoring. |
| Diagnostic accuracy | STARD | Index test, reference standard, flow/timing, precision. |
9) File naming conventions
| Item | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Blinded manuscript | CJNCP_MS_Blinded_[YYYYMMDD].docx | CJNCP_MS_Blinded_20250929.docx |
| Title page | CJNCP_TitlePage_[YYYYMMDD].docx | CJNCP_TitlePage_20250929.docx |
| Figures | Fig##_ShortTitle.ext | Fig01_FlowDiagram.svg |
| Tables | Table##_ShortTitle.ext | Table02_Baseline.xlsx |
| Legends | CJNCP_FigureLegends_[YYYYMMDD].docx | CJNCP_FigureLegends_20250929.docx |
| Checklist | Checklist_[CONSORT|PRISMA|…]_[YYYYMMDD].pdf | Checklist_PRISMA_20250929.pdf |
| Cover letter | CJNCP_CoverLetter_[YYYYMMDD].pdf | CJNCP_CoverLetter_20250929.pdf |
Use ASCII letters/numbers and underscores; avoid spaces and special characters.
10) Accessibility & inclusive language
- Add descriptive alt text for figures; avoid color-only cues; ensure contrast ratios meet WCAG guidance.
- Use person-first, non-stigmatizing language; provide plain-language summaries when feasible.
- For audiovisual files, supply captions/transcripts if speech or clinically relevant audio is present.
11) Preprints & prior dissemination
- Preprints are welcome; disclose the preprint server and DOI at submission.
- After acceptance/publication, update the preprint with the CJNCP citation and DOI, and note substantive differences if any.
- Conference abstracts/theses are acceptable prior dissemination when fully cited.
12) Use of AI and computational tools
- Disclose any language, statistical, image, or code-generation tools used. Authors remain fully responsible for accuracy, originality, and appropriate citations.
- Do not upload manuscript text or private data to external tools that store or use content for training without appropriate safeguards; protect participant privacy and confidentiality.
- Reviewers/editors must not use tools that compromise confidentiality; internal, privacy-preserving tools may be used where permitted.
13) Revisions & responses
Preparing your response
- Provide a point-by-point response to each reviewer/editor comment.
- Upload a clean revised manuscript and a marked version (track changes or highlighted edits).
- Where you disagree, respond respectfully with evidence and rationale.
- Maintain blinding in the revised manuscript unless unblinding is requested.
Resubmission package
- Response letter (.docx or .pdf) using reviewer comment numbering.
- Revised blinded manuscript (.docx) and marked version.
- Updated figures/tables with consistent naming; revised checklists if methods changed.
- Updated declarations if funding/conflicts/approvals changed.
14) Quality checks & common issues
Screening checks
- Scope fit and clinical relevance to nursing practice.
- Ethics approval/consent statements present and specific.
- Blinding adequate (no author identifiers in text or metadata).
- Reporting checklist uploaded and addressed in Methods.
- Figures/tables meet specs; tables are editable.
- References complete, numbered by order of appearance, with DOIs where available.
- Data Availability Statement present and consistent with manuscript content.
Common reasons for return without review
Missing ethics approvals/consent; inadequate anonymization; out-of-scope topics; insufficient methodological detail; tables uploaded as images; figures below resolution; absent checklist for applicable study type; unclear data availability.
15) After acceptance
- Production begins promptly: copyediting, layout/typesetting, DOI registration, metadata distribution, accessibility checks.
- You will receive page proofs for review; return corrections within the specified timeframe. Limit changes to factual corrections; substantive changes may require editorial approval.
- Provide missing items (ORCID, funder award numbers, repository DOIs) promptly to avoid delays.
- Upon publication, the version of record is open access under the license shown on the article; cite and share using the DOI.
- Post-publication updates (corrections/retractions) follow our Publication Ethics Policy; update any repository records accordingly.
For fees, waivers, and invoices, see the Charges Policy, Article Processing Charges, and Waiver Policy pages.
16) Contact
Questions about submission or manuscript preparation can be directed to the editorial office via the journal’s contact page. Include your manuscript type, working title, and a 150–200 word summary to help us assist you efficiently. For ethical or urgent patient-safety matters, flag the subject line.