Authors Guidelines for IMAQ Journal

IMAQ Journal – Author Guidelines

(COPE-Aligned | Harvard Referencing Style)

IMAQ Journal publishes original, high-quality research in accordance with international publishing ethics and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. Authors are required to carefully read and strictly follow these instructions before submission.

1. Scope & Aim

IMAQ Journal publishes original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case studies, short communications, and editorial content across multidisciplinary scientific and academic domains. Submissions must present novel findings, methodological rigor, and clear academic value.

2. Open Access & Publication Charges

IMAQ Journal is a fully Open Access journal. All published articles are freely available immediately upon publication under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).

Any applicable Article Processing Charges (APCs), if implemented, will be clearly communicated to authors prior to acceptance.

3. Originality & Ethical Compliance

Authors must confirm that:

  • The manuscript is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.

  • All listed authors have made significant contributions.

  • Ethical approval has been obtained where required.

  • All conflicts of interest are fully disclosed.

  • All sources are properly cited.

  • Plagiarism, data fabrication, duplication, and manipulation are strictly prohibited.

IMAQ Journal uses plagiarism detection software as part of its editorial screening.

4. Types of Manuscripts Accepted

  • Original Research Articles

  • Review Articles

  • Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses

  • Case Reports / Case Studies

  • Short Communications

  • Technical Notes

  • Editorials & Perspectives

5. Manuscript Preparation

5.1 Language

All manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English (British or American English consistently). Authors whose first language is not English are strongly advised to use professional language editing services prior to submission.

5.2 Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts should be prepared in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format and include the following sections:

  1. Title Page

    • Concise and informative title

    • Full names of all authors

    • Author affiliations

    • Corresponding author’s email

    • ORCID iDs (if available)

  2. Abstract

    • 150–250 words

    • Structured (where applicable)

    • Must clearly state objectives, methods, results, and conclusion

    • 4–6 keywords

  3. Main Text

    • Introduction

    • Literature Review (if applicable)

    • Methodology / Materials & Methods

    • Results

    • Discussion

    • Conclusion

  4. Acknowledgements (if any)

  5. Conflict of Interest Statement

  6. Funding Statement (if applicable)

  7. References (Harvard Style)

5.3 Formatting Requirements

  • Font: Times New Roman, 12-pt

  • Line spacing: 1.5

  • Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides

  • Page numbers included

  • Tables and figures embedded in the text with proper captions

  • Figures must be high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi)

6. Harvard Referencing Style

IMAQ Journal strictly follows the Harvard (Author–Date) referencing style.

6.1 In-Text Citations

  • Single author:
    (Smith, 2023)

  • Two authors:
    (Smith and Khan, 2022)

  • Three or more authors:
    (Smith et al., 2021)

  • Direct quotation:
    (Smith, 2020, p. 45)

6.2 Reference List Format (Examples)

  • Journal Article
    Smith, J. and Khan, A. (2023) ‘Artificial intelligence in healthcare’, Journal of Medical Systems, 47(2), pp. 112–125.

  • Book
    Brown, T. (2020) Research Methodology. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.

  • Book Chapter
    Allen, R. (2021) ‘Big data analytics’, in Green, S. (ed.) Data Science Handbook. New York: Springer, pp. 55–78.

  • Website
    World Health Organization (2023) Digital health strategy 2023–2030. Available at: https://www.who.int (Accessed: 12 May 2024).

All references must be complete, accurate, and consistently formatted.

7. Tables, Figures & Supplementary Files

  • Tables must be editable, not images.

  • Figures must be original or used with written permission.

  • Authors are responsible for copyright clearance.

  • Supplementary files may be published online with the article.

8. Submission Process

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically via the IMAQ Journal submission system or official journal email.

Each submission must include:

  • Cover letter

  • Full manuscript file

  • Declaration of originality

  • Ethical approval (if applicable)

  • Conflict of interest statement

9. Peer-Review Process

All manuscripts undergo:

  • Initial editorial screening

  • Single-blind peer review

  • Final editorial decision

Authors may be required to revise their manuscript based on reviewer feedback. The Editorial Board’s decision is final.

10. Pre-Publication Editing

IMAQ Journal reserves the right to:

  • Edit titles, abstracts, and keywords

  • Improve language, formatting, and metadata

  • Ensure compliance with indexing and visibility standards

These edits do not alter the scientific content of the article.

11. Publication Ethics & Malpractice

IMAQ Journal strictly follows COPE ethical guidelines. Proven misconduct may result in:

  • Immediate rejection

  • Post-publication correction

  • Retraction

  • Banning of authors from future submissions

12. Copyright & License

Authors retain copyright of their work and grant IMAQ Journal the right of first publication. All articles are published under the Creative Commons CC-BY License.

13. Post-Publication Policy

After publication:

  • Authors may not modify or delete the published article.

  • IMaqPress reserves the right to correct, retract, remove, or republish content if required by legal or ethical considerations.

  • Republished content will be clearly marked.

14. Appeals & Complaints

Authors may appeal editorial decisions or lodge complaints by contacting the Editorial Office. All appeals are handled in accordance with COPE procedures.

15. Privacy & Data Protection

Personal data collected during submission and publication will be used solely for editorial and publishing purposes and will not be shared with third parties without consent.