Palestinian Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal (Pal. Med. Pharm. J.)

Authors Guidelines

Authors must submit their manuscripts through the online submission system available at Najah JAMS Submission System. Before submission, authors should ensure that their manuscript adheres to the journal’s policies and ethical guidelines. Each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial check before proceeding to peer review.

2. Submission Checklist

Before submitting a manuscript, please ensure the following:

· Read the Aims & Scope of the journal to assess the suitability of your manuscript.

· Use the Template provided by the journal to format your manuscript correctly.

· Address all relevant publication ethics, research ethics, copyright, authorship, graphical abstract, figure formats, data, and reference formatting requirements.

· The reference format used in this journal is Vancouver.

· Authors are encouraged to provide the DOI for all references where available to ensure proper citation and accessibility of sources.

· Ensure that all authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript for submission and have read these Instructions for Authors.

3. Manuscript Preparation

· Language: Manuscripts must be written in clear and concise English.

· Structure: A typical manuscript should include the following sections: Title Page, Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgments, References, and Supplementary Materials (if applicable).

· Figures and Tables: All figures and tables should be submitted as separate files, with clear captions and references within the text.

· Graphical Abstract: A graphical abstract must be submitted to visually summarize the research.

· Acronyms/Abbreviations/Initialisms: Define them at first mention and use them consistently throughout the manuscript.

· SI Units: Authors must use the International System of Units (SI) where applicable, a.u if there are no units.

· File Submission: To comply with our double-blind peer review process, authors must upload two versions of the manuscript:

        1. A .doc file containing the full author information, including names, affiliations, and corresponding author details.

        2. A PDF file without any author data to ensure anonymity during review.

· ORCID iD: Include the ORCID iDs of all contributing authors on the title page of the manuscript, adjacent to their names. If an author does not have an ORCID iD, it is encouraged to register at ORCID Registration. 

4. Preparing Figures, Schemes, and Tables

· Figures, schemes, and tables must be of high quality and submitted in acceptable formats (JPEG, PNG, or PDF).

· Figures should be legible, with consistent text formatting and sizing.

· Figure sizes and dimensions should be uniform throughout the manuscript.

· Axis titles should show units in parentheses. If no units are available, use (a.u.) for arbitrary units.

5. Original Images Requirements

Authors should submit high-resolution original images with 300 dpi resolution and minimal compression to maintain quality. Images should not be manipulated or enhanced in ways that could mislead readers.

6. Supplementary Materials, Data Deposit, and Software Source Code

Authors are asked to submit supplementary materials, such as datasets, software codes, and additional figures, to support their research. These materials should be properly labeled and referenced within the manuscript.

7. Data Availability and Data Sharing

To promote transparency, reproducibility, and the responsible use of research data, PMPJ encourages authors to make the data underlying their published results available whenever possible. All manuscripts reporting original research should include a Data Availability Statement describing whether and how the data supporting the findings can be accessed. This statement must be included within the manuscript and will be published as part of the final article. Authors may indicate that data are: publicly available in a recognized repository, with appropriate access information; available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request; or not publicly available due to ethical, legal, or confidentiality restrictions (e.g., patient privacy, sensitive data, or institutional limitations), in which case the reason for restricted access must be clearly stated. When data sharing is limited or not possible, authors must provide a justification in the Data Availability Statement. Any restrictions must comply with ethical and legal requirements. The journal recognizes that data sharing requirements may vary depending on study type, discipline, and funding body policies. Authors are responsible for ensuring that data availability practices comply with applicable institutional, ethical, and regulatory standards.

8. Research and Publication Ethics

All submitted manuscripts must comply with ethical standards for research and publication. Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest and ensure that studies involving human or animal subjects follow appropriate ethical guidelines. The journal checks for plagiarism using iThenticate, and the plagiarism percentage must be below 15%. Plagiarism, data fabrication, and other forms of research misconduct are strictly prohibited.

Use of AI tools to generate texts is prohibited. The journal detects AI generated text.

9. Studies in humans and animals

Authors must suggest tManuscripts reporting research involving human participants must confirm that the study was conducted in accordance with recognized ethical principles for medical research involving humans. Authors are required to state that the research received prior approval from an appropriate institutional ethics committee or review board and was performed in compliance with applicable institutional and national guidelines. The manuscript must include the name of the approving body and, where applicable, the approval reference number and date. Authors must also confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legally authorized representatives, and that the privacy, confidentiality, and rights of participants were respected throughout the study. The correct and appropriate use of the terms sex and gender is expected, and authors are encouraged to consider sex- and age-related factors where relevant to the study design and analysis. Research involving human biological materials, including tissues or organs, must be conducted in a transparent and ethical manner. Manuscripts must clearly state that biological materials were obtained through lawful and ethical means, with voluntary and informed consent, and without coercion. The journal does not consider for publication studies involving unethically sourced human organs or tissues. Authors must provide sufficient information to allow assessment of ethical procurement and compliance with established ethical principles in biomedical research. Studies involving animals must confirm that all experimental procedures were reviewed and approved by an appropriate institutional or national animal ethics committee and conducted in accordance with recognized standards for the care and use of laboratory animals. Authors should clearly state that animal welfare considerations were integrated into the study design, including measures to minimize suffering. The species, sex, and relevant biological characteristics of animals used must be reported, and the potential influence of these factors on study outcomes should be addressed where appropriate.

10. Reviewer Suggestions

Authors must suggest three potential reviewers who are experts in the field. However, the editorial team reserves the right to make the final selection.

11. Extensive English Editing

Manuscripts should be thoroughly proofread for grammar, clarity, and scientific accuracy. Authors who need language support are encouraged to seek professional English editing services before submission. The journal also offers proofreading services for manuscripts. Authors may contact the journal to inquire about pricing and estimated completion times.

12. Preprints and Conference Papers

Authors may submit manuscripts that have been previously posted as preprints or presented at conferences, provided that substantial modifications have been made to align with the journal's standards with different titles and abstracts.

13. Authors' Roles

All authors must have significantly contributed to the research work. Contributions should be clearly specified in the manuscript. It is required to state that all authors have contributed significantly to the work. It is recommended to include one corresponding author, but the journal allows up to two corresponding authors in cases of multidisciplinary research where collaboration between distinct fields is necessary. Any changes in authorship after submission must be justified and approved by all co-authors, and the final decision will be made by the editorial office to accept or reject the change.

The journal reserves the right to reject a manuscript if the authors’ roles are not well justified.

15. Conflicts of Interest

All authors, editors, and reviewers are required to disclose any relationships or interests that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence, the research, review, or publication of a manuscript. Conflicts of interest may be financial or non-financial in nature. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to: employment or leadership positions, consultancies, stock ownership or options, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications or registrations, grants, funding, or other financial or personal relationships with individuals, institutions, or organizations that could affect the objectivity or interpretation of the work. Authors must include a Declaration of Conflicts of Interest statement within the manuscript at the time of submission. This statement should clearly describe any potential conflicts or explicitly state when none exist. Editors and reviewers involved in the evaluation of a manuscript are likewise required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and to recuse themselves from the review process where such conflicts could compromise impartiality. The journal reserves the right to request additional information or clarification regarding disclosed interests and may take appropriate action if undisclosed conflicts are identified after publication. 

16. Peer Review

All manuscripts submitted to the journal are subject to a structured and transparent double-blind peer review process, in which the identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential to ensure unbiased and independent evaluation.

Following submission, each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial assessment conducted by the Editorial Office to verify its alignment with the journal’s scope, adherence to ethical standards, and compliance with basic scientific and reporting requirements. Manuscripts that fail to meet these criteria may be rejected at this stage without external peer review.

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned by the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor to a minimum of two independent reviewers with appropriate expertise in the relevant field. Reviewers are selected based on their academic qualifications, subject-specific knowledge, research experience, and publication record. Prior to accepting an invitation, reviewers are required to declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest.

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts according to predefined criteria, including:

• Scientific originality and contribution to the field.
• Soundness and appropriateness of the study design and methodology.
• Accuracy and clarity of data analysis and interpretation.
• Relevance to the journal’s aims and readership.
• Ethical considerations and compliance with reporting standards.
• Clarity, organization, and overall quality of presentation. Based on the reviewers’ reports.

the handling editor issues one of the following decisions: accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject. When revisions are requested, authors must submit a revised manuscript accompanied by a detailed, point-by-point response to reviewers’ comments. Revised manuscripts may be re-evaluated by the original reviewers at the editor’s discretion. The final editorial decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief, taking into account the reviewers’ recommendations, the authors’ responses, and the journal’s editorial policies. The typical duration of the peer review process ranges from 2 to 6 weeks, depending on reviewer availability and the number of revision cycles. The journal reports an overall acceptance rate of 17%, reflecting its commitment to maintaining high standards of scientific rigor and relevance. Manuscripts are evaluated rigorously to ensure that only research of sufficient quality and originality is published. All reviewers are experts in the relevant field, selected based on academic credentials and publication history. The journal may optionally acknowledge reviewers annually or in individual articles as appropriate. The journal is committed to maintaining high standards of editorial independence, confidentiality, transparency, and integrity throughout all stages of the peer review process.

17. Transfer Service

If a manuscript does not fit the scope of the journal, authors may be given the option to transfer their submission to another relevant journal. An-Najah University has several academic journals. Authors can visit the An-Najah Journals website for more information.

18. Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusiveness

The journal is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of the publication process. Authors from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to submit their work.

19. Post-Acceptance and Publication

Upon acceptance, authors will receive proofs for final approval before publication. The journal ensures rapid online publication, enabling timely dissemination of research findings.

20. No Publication Charges (NO APC)

The journals provide fully open-access publishing at no cost to authors, making all published manuscripts permanently free and accessible to the global community.

21. Contact Information

For any inquiries related to manuscript preparation, submission, or editorial policies, please contact the editorial office via email at:[email protected]