Author Guidelines

Authors are requested to carefully read and follow these guidelines before submitting their manuscript. Adhering to these standards ensures a smooth peer review and publication process.

1. Manuscript Submission

  • Online Submission: Manuscripts must be submitted exclusively through the journal's official online submission system https://www.macawpublications.com/Journals/index.php/SMRJ/about/submissions

  • Submission Checklist:

    • Complete manuscript file in .docx or .pdf format

    • Cover letter (optional but encouraged)

    • Figures and tables appropriately labeled and embedded or uploaded separately

    • Ethical approval and consent forms (if applicable)

  • File Formats Accepted: .doc, .docx (preferred), .pdf (for review only)

  • Blinded Submission: Ensure the manuscript is anonymized for double-blind peer review. Do not include author names, affiliations, or acknowledgments in the main file.

2. Article Types Accepted

The journal accepts the following manuscript types:

  • Original Research Articles

  • Review Articles

  • Short Communications

  • Survey Articles

Each article type has its own formatting and word count expectations. Please refer to the journal’s template for specifics.

3. Manuscript Structure

The manuscript should be structured as follows:

  1. Title Page (submitted separately)

    • Article title

    • Full names of all authors

    • Affiliations

    • Corresponding author details (email and ORCID iD)

  2. Abstract (150–250 words)

    • Structured for research articles (e.g., Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion)

  3. Keywords (5–6 keywords)

  4. Main Text

    • Introduction

    • Methods (include ethical statements and approvals)

    • Results

    • Discussion

    • Conclusion

  5. Acknowledgments (including funding sources)

  6. Data Availability

  7. Conflict of Interest Statement

  8. Ethical Statement

  9. References

4. Formatting Guidelines

  • Font: Times New Roman, 10-point

  • Line Spacing: Single

  • Margins: 0.7 inch on all sides

  • Headings: Clearly distinguish section levels (e.g., bold for headings, italics for subheadings)

  • Page Numbers: Bottom-center

5. References and Citation Style

  • Citation Style: [IEEE]

  • In-Text Citation:

    •           IEEE: [Number]

  • Reference List: At the end of the manuscript, arranged per the required style

  • Reference Software: Use of tools such as EndNote, Zotero, or Mendeley is recommended for formatting

6. Figures and Tables

  • Format: JPEG, TIFF, or PNG; resolution ≥ 300 dpi

  • Placement: Embedded in the manuscript AND submitted as separate files

  • Numbering: Consecutive, with clear titles/captions below (tables) or above (figures)

  • Reproduction Permissions: If reusing previously published material, include copyright permissions.

7. Plagiarism and Ethical Compliance

  • All submissions are screened via plagiarism detection software (e.g., iThenticate).

  • Plagiarism above [e.g., 10%] may lead to desk rejection.

  • Ethics approval (IRB/IEC) must be cited for human/animal research.

  • Informed consent is required where applicable.

  • Authors must declare data availability and ensure reproducibility.

8. Author Responsibilities

  • Authorship must follow ICMJE guidelines.

  • CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) should be used to describe each author's contribution.

  • Conflicts of Interest and funding disclosures are mandatory.

  • All authors must approve the final version before submission.

9. Peer Review Process

  • Type: Double-blind peer review

  • Timeline: Typically 10–16 weeks per submission to final decision.

  • Process:

    • Initial editorial screening

    • External peer review

    • Revision and resubmission (if needed)

  • Appeals regarding editorial decisions must be submitted in writing with justification.

10. Publication Charges / APC

  • No fees are charged for submission or revisions.

11. Copyright and Licensing

  • Authors retain copyright unless otherwise stated.

  • The journal publishes under [e.g., Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0)], which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction, provided the original work is properly cited.

  • The journal follows a Gold Open Access policy.

12. Post-Acceptance

  • Proofreading: Authors will receive proofs for final review before publication.

  • Publication Timeline: Typically within 1 week of acceptance.

  • DOIs: Assigned via [e.g., Crossref] to ensure permanent discoverability.

13. Contact Information

For further assistance or queries:

Editorial Office
Macaw Publications, Hyderabad

editorsmrj@macawpublications.com