JPRLS uses a simple first-submission format. At initial submission, detailed journal-specific formatting is not required. Focus on submitting a manuscript that is complete, clear, readable, and consistently formatted.

Basic Preparation Requirements

Please prepare the manuscript as follows:

• submit the main manuscript in DOC, DOCX, or RTF

• if using LaTeX, submit a PDF together with the relevant source files

• use a standard font and standard font size

• use double-line spacing

• include continuous page numbering

• include continuous line numbering

• do not use multiple-column layout

• keep headings clear and simple, preferably no more than three levels

Writing and Language

• The manuscript must be in English

• Write clearly, concisely, and in readable English

• Make sure the language is adequate for fair editorial and peer-review assessment

• Use clear, respectful, precise, and inclusive language

• Avoid stereotypes, stigmatizing terms, unnecessary jargon, idiomatic expressions, and cultural assumptions

• Explain technical terms where needed

Abbreviations, Units, and Names

• Keep abbreviations to a minimum and define each abbreviation at first use

• Avoid abbreviations in the title and, where possible, in the abstract

• Use SI units throughout; where non-SI units are needed for clinical clarity, also provide the SI equivalent

• Use established nomenclature

• Use international nonproprietary names for drugs rather than brand names where possible

References and Links

• Use Vancouver reference style

• At initial submission, references should be complete, consistent, and accurate

• Do not use footnotes or endnotes

• Do not place bare URLs in the main text unless they are specifically needed for identification, such as for a registry or repository record

Prepare a Separate Title Page

Upload a separate title page with every submission.

Include on the title page:

• full manuscript title

• full name of each author exactly as it should appear in publication

• full institutional affiliation for each author, including department or unit where relevant, institution, city, and country

• one corresponding author, with email address and institutional affiliation

• corresponding author ORCID iD

• other authors’ ORCID iDs, if available

• equal contribution statement, if applicable

• group or consortium authorship information, if applicable

• present address, if relevant

Before submission, make sure that:

• the author list and author order are final

• all authors have approved the submission

• the corresponding author is ready to handle all communication with the journal

For manuscripts under double-anonymous peer review—Original Research, Brief Reports, and Medical Education Papers—author-identifying information must appear only on the separate title page and must not appear in the blinded main manuscript file.

Abstract, Keywords, and Main Text

Include an abstract for all article types except Editorials, Viewpoints, and Letters/Correspondence.

Abstracts should be:

• clear

• factual

• concise

• understandable on their own

Avoid citations and, where possible, avoid abbreviations.

Use a structured abstract for:

• Original Research

• Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses

• Medical Education Papers that report original research

• Brief Reports presented in research format

Use an unstructured abstract for:

• Narrative Reviews

• Case Reports and Case Series

• Medical Education Papers that are descriptive or reflective rather than research-based

• Clinical Handles

• Pediatric Science Simplified

• Guideline Mini Review

• Acute and Critical Care Mini Review

No abstract is normally required for:

• Editorials

• Viewpoints

• Letters/Correspondence

Provide 3 to 8 keywords.

Research-based articles should normally follow IMRaD:

• Introduction

• Methods

• Results

• Discussion

A short Conclusions section may be added if helpful.

Non-research article types should use clear headings suited to the purpose of the paper.

Tables, Figures, Boxes, and Supplementary Files

At initial submission, visual and supplementary material should be clear, correctly labeled, and easy to review. Detailed production formatting is not required at this stage.

Tables

• prepare tables as editable tables, not as images

• number tables in the order they are first cited in the text

• provide a brief descriptive title for each table

• place footnotes, abbreviations, and explanatory notes below the table

• tables may be placed in the main manuscript file, preferably close to their first citation

Figures

• make sure figures are clear and legible

• number figures in the order they are first cited in the text

• figures may be placed in the main manuscript file or uploaded separately

• at initial submission, figures only need to be good enough for editorial and peer-review assessment

• multi-panel figures are acceptable if clearly arranged and labeled

Figure Legends

• provide a legend for every figure

• include figure legends in the manuscript file

• define any abbreviations, symbols, or markers used in the figure

• keep legends concise but complete

Boxes

• boxes are allowed when they help present key messages or practical summary content

• prepare boxes as editable text, not as images

• number and title them clearly if more than one is used

• cite them in the text

Reporting Guidelines

Use the reporting guideline or checklist that best matches your article type and study design. The EQUATOR Network is the journal’s main reference source for identifying the appropriate guideline.

A practical guide is:

• Randomized trials: CONSORT

• Observational studies: STROBE or CROSS, where appropriate

• Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: PRISMA

• Case reports and case series: CARE, where appropriate

• Qualitative studies: SRQR or COREQ, as appropriate

• Quality-improvement studies: SQUIRE

• Guideline-focused articles: AGREE and/or RIGHT may be useful reference frameworks

Completed checklists are required at initial submission for:

• Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses: PRISMA checklist

• Clinical trials submitted as Original Research or Medical Education Papers: CONSORT checklist

For other study types, completed checklists are strongly encouraged and may be requested during editorial assessment or peer review.

Required Statements

Include the following statements in the manuscript where applicable:

• Author Contributions statement — required for all submissions; use CRediT roles where possible

• Funding statement — required for all submissions; if there was no specific funding, state this explicitly

• Competing Interests statement — required for all submissions

• Ethics Approval statement

• Consent to Participate statement

• Consent for Publication statement

• Trial Registration or Preregistration statement

• Data Availability Statement — required for all original research; place this in a distinct section before the References

• Code Availability Statement — include when custom code or scripts are materially important to the findings

• AI use disclosure — include when generative AI or similar tools were used substantively

If none of the authors has a competing interest to declare, use:

“The authors declare that they have no competing interests.”

Data, Code, and Registration

All manuscripts reporting original research must include a Data Availability Statement.

This statement should:

• appear in a distinct section before the References

• state whether the underlying data are publicly available

• state where the data can be accessed

• state under what conditions they can be accessed

• explain any restriction where access is limited

If custom code, scripts, models, or workflows are materially important to the findings, include a Code Availability Statement immediately after the Data Availability Statement.

Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible registry at or before first participant enrollment, and the manuscript must report the registry name and registration number.

For systematic reviews and meta-analyses, prospective registration is expected, preferably in PROSPERO where eligible.

Ethics and Consent

Before submission, make sure the study was conducted and reported in accordance with applicable ethical, legal, and professional standards. Any required approvals, permissions, and consents must already have been obtained and must be reported in the manuscript where applicable.

If the manuscript includes identifiable or potentially identifiable personal information, images, or case details, obtain explicit consent for publication from the participant or an appropriate legal representative.

Research involving animals must comply with applicable institutional and national standards and must have ethics approval where required.

Practical Note

At initial submission, detailed journal-specific formatting is not required. The manuscript should be complete, clear, readable, consistently formatted, and adequately prepared for fair editorial and peer-review assessment.