Author Guidelines | Insights in Biology and Medicine

These guidelines provide authors with detailed instructions for preparing manuscripts for Insights in Biology and Medicine (IBM). All submissions must conform to the ethical, formatting, and technical standards outlined below.

1) Manuscript Types

IBM accepts a range of article types across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine:

Original Research
Review / Systematic Review / Meta-analysis
Case Reports / Clinical Trials / Observational Studies
Short Communication / Technical Note / Mini Review
Perspective / Opinion / Editorial / Letter to the Editor

2) Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts should generally be organized as follows:

Title Page: Title, author names, affiliations, ORCID iDs, corresponding author contact.
Abstract: Structured (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion) up to 300 words.
Keywords: 3–6 keywords using MeSH/discipline-specific terms.
Main Text: IMRaD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) for research; flexible for other types.
Acknowledgments: Funding, support, non-author contributors, AI tool declarations.
References: In-text citations and full reference list (see below).
Figures & Tables: Embedded in the manuscript and uploaded separately.
Supplementary Materials: Data, appendices, protocols, multimedia.

3) Formatting Requirements

Manuscript language: English.
File format: DOCX or LaTeX preferred; PDF allowed for review only.
Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt; double-spaced text; 1-inch margins.
Figures: TIFF/PNG/JPEG (300 dpi minimum for images).
Tables: Editable, not embedded as images.
References: Use Vancouver style (numbered, superscript in-text).

Ensure line numbering is enabled in the manuscript file.

4) References

IBM follows the Vancouver citation style:

In-text citations as superscript numbers: e.g., “…as previously shown.^12”
Number references consecutively in order of citation.
List all authors when ≤6; for >6 authors, list first 6 followed by “et al.”

Example:
Smith J, Doe A, Brown B, et al. Title of the article. Journal Name. 2023;15(2):123-130. doi:10.1234/journal.5678

5) Submission Process

Register or log in to the submission portal.
Complete submission metadata (title, abstract, keywords, author information, funding, competing interests).
Upload manuscript file, figures, tables, and supplementary materials.
Select article type and confirm adherence to ethical standards.
Request waiver/discount if applicable (see Charges Policy).
Confirm compliance with Ethical Standards.

Submit a Manuscript

6) Peer Review

All research articles undergo double-blind peer review. Authors should ensure anonymity in the main manuscript (remove self-identifying information, acknowledgments, and funding from the anonymized file).

7) Data, Code & Materials

Authors must provide a Data Availability Statement. Public repositories should be used when possible. Code must be archived in a versioned repository with a DOI.

8) Ethics Requirements

See Ethical Standards for Authors for details on:

Human & animal research approvals
Informed consent
Competing interests
AI tool declarations

9) After Submission

Decision outcomes: accept, minor revision, major revision, reject.
Revision cycle: Authors must resubmit revised manuscripts with a point-by-point response.
Accepted manuscripts proceed to production after payment of APC (see Charges Policy).

10) Templates & Resources

11) Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit a preprint?

Yes. Preprints are allowed, but you must link the final DOI once published.

Do I need to suggest reviewers?

Optional. Suggested reviewers must not have conflicts of interest.

Can figures be in color?

Yes, there are no additional fees for color figures.

Plain-language note: Prepare your manuscript carefully, follow formatting rules, disclose ethics approvals, and provide data/code access. Use the templates for consistency.