Article Guidelines

Language

The publishing language of the Nordic Open Research is English.

 

Originality

Manuscripts submitted for publication should neither be published in any journal before nor submitted simultaneously to another journal. Master’s or Doctoral Theses previously shared with the public may be published if rewritten in an article format.

 

Author Responsibilities and Rights

Authors hold both scientific and legal responsibility for their manuscripts. All published materials are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This allows authors to retain all proprietary rights, including patent rights and the ability to copy and redistribute their published works in any medium or format. Additionally, they are permitted to use parts or the entirety of the article in future works, such as lectures, press releases, and textbook reviews. They can also remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even for commercial use.

 

Fees/Charges

Authors are encouraged to publish their self-funded research without incurring any publication fees with Nordic Open Research. For research funded externally, the funding organization will be responsible for covering the article processing charges (APC). This policy ensures that high-quality research is accessible to all, regardless of the authors' financial circumstances, fostering an inclusive academic environment.
 

Publication Process/Open Peer-Review Process

1) Pre-submission Requirements

Please submit your manuscript using the online manuscript submission system. If you encounter any issues, please email the submission to the editorial office of the journal.

Authors must ensure their submissions comply with all listed requirements as part of the process. Submissions may be returned to authors who do not adhere to these guidelines:

  • Originality: The submission must be original, not previously published, and not under consideration for publication by any other journal (any exceptions should be explained in the Comments to journal editors).
  • Format: Manuscripts must be sent in the format of a “Word” document (e.g., .doc, .docx, .rtf, etc.).
  • Organization: The text of manuscripts must be well-organized with clearly labeled sections and subsections.
  • Visual Materials: Visual materials (e.g., figures and photographs) must be sent as Bitmap images (e.g., .JPEG, .TIFF, .GIF, etc.) with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. Each figure must contain a brief caption of no more than one sentence placed under the figure. If required, a legend for charts and graphs should be added to the figure or in the figure caption.
  • Tables: Each table must contain a brief caption of no more than one sentence placed above the table. The legend and annotation should be placed below the table. Annotation may be used to explain abbreviations, footnotes, etc. All tables submitted must be cell-based, editable, and concise. Avoid using color shades in the table. The usage of special characters such as asterisks must be denoted below with the text explaining the denotation. Do not use any hyperlinked text in the tables.
  • Charts and Tables: Charts and tables must be used sparingly. It is redundant to repeat in the table information that has already been provided in a chart, or vice versa.
  • Equations: Numerical equations should be prepared using Microsoft Equations or MathType. Tables in the manuscript should be submitted in Word (.doc), Excel (.xls), or PPT formats only, not as images.

2) After Submission

  • Plagiarism Screening Policy: The editorial office uses a web-based software program (iThenticate) to identify potential plagiarism by comparing documents and highlighting similarities. A "similarity rate" of 25% or less is acceptable. If a manuscript has a similarity rate exceeding 25%, the author will be asked to make corrections. This also applies to situations where the identified rate is below 25% but there are excerpts directly copied from other sources in the submission.
  • Copyediting and Proofreading: After passing the initial review, submissions undergo thorough copyediting and proofreading. Our team ensures your manuscript is clear, concise, and free of errors. Any necessary changes will be communicated for your approval before publication.
  • Publication and Indexing: Once published, your manuscript will be indexed in major databases within 2 weeks. Indexing includes Google Scholar, assigning a DOI, and listing in ROAD.
  • Open Peer-Review and Revision: Our editorial team meticulously selects and assigns qualified reviewers to evaluate each submission. These expert reviewers provide detailed feedback and constructive criticism to ensure the research is of the highest quality. Their reviews are published alongside the article, fostering transparency and upholding academic integrity.
    • If revisions are requested, authors are expected to address all comments and suggestions to enhance the quality of their research. The manuscript is then revised according to the reviewers' feedback and resubmitted for further evaluation. This transparent peer-review process continues until the manuscript meets the standards of both the authors and the reviewers.
    • Through successive rounds of feedback and revisions, the manuscript is progressively refined to ensure it reaches its highest potential. The peer review history is documented, and each version of the article is citable separately, providing a clear and transparent record of the manuscript's evolution. All versions are accessible to everyone, promoting openness in the research process.
  • Publication of the Peer-Reviewed Version: Following the transparent peer-review process, authors will receive a form containing a copyright agreement. The peer-reviewed version of the manuscript will be indexed in prominent external databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. This ensures broad visibility and accessibility, extending the reach of your research beyond the academic community.
    • By publishing with Nordic Open Research, your work will be accessible to professionals, policymakers, industry experts, and the general public. This wide dissemination maximizes the impact of your research across various sectors and communities, helping to drive advancements and inform decision-making on a broad scale.

 

Manuscript Formatting Guidelines/Template

Obligatory segments of the manuscript:

1. Title: Title must be concise, self-explanatory, and brief. It's advisable to avoid using abbreviations as much as possible. If a title is too long, please add a running title.

  • Example of Title:
    Predictors of Patient’s Survival after a Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer Patients at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital
  • Example of Short Running Title:
    Predictors of Patient’s Survival after a Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer Patients

2. Author Information: Author information includes complete information about the author(s) with their affiliations in order of their contribution. The author names should be written in the format: Name Middle Name SURNAME. For example, Andrea Garcia SANTES. If the author does not have a middle name, this part can be skipped. Affiliation should be written in the format: Department, Faculty, University, Country. Besides this, complete contact information of the corresponding author must be added, which should include the complete author's name, affiliation, and email address for future communication. Authors with an ORCID account may indicate their number in this section after the email address.

  • Example of Author Name Format:
    Samara Crislany Araujo de SOUSA1,* Danilo Nogueira MAIA2, Julia Kiara da NOBREGA HOLANDA1, Clara Martins MAIA3, Elizandra Silva da PENHA4, and Abrahao Alves de OLIVEIRA FILHO4
  • Example of Affiliation Format:
    1Dentistry Student, Federal University of Campina Grande—UFCG, Brazil
    2Doctor, Federal University of Ceará—UFC, Brazil
    3Dental Surgeon, Federal University of Campina Grande—UFCG, Brazil

* Corresponding author

3. Abstract: The abstract should be concise, informative, and self-contained. It must provide a summary of the entire article in a nutshell without any citations. Content should be in bold.

    • Example of Abstract:
      Cervical cancer is one of the most prevalent cancer in women. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide after breast cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer. In Kenya, cervical cancer is the leading cause of death in women and has been shown to have increased by 3,211 in the past 5 years. An increase in cervical cancer in Kenya has resulted in an economic burden for patients and families. There is an increase in healthcare spending as well as productivity losses due to morbidity and mortality at a productive age. The purpose of the study was to determine the predictors of survival after a diagnosis of cervical cancer. A retrospective cohort design was used in the study.

4. Keywords: All submissions must contain only up to 4 keywords or 4 important phrases from the manuscript separated by commas, and that provide a glimpse of the article. Keywords must be ordered alphabetically.

    • Example of Keywords:
      Cervical cancer diagnosis, patients, patient’s survival, predictors

5. Body: Overall, the manuscript should have the following sections:

    • Introduction: The introduction should set the tone of the study by clearly stating the purpose of the study, and explaining its significance, aim, and scope by citing relevant research findings and statements as evidence.
    • Materials and Methods: This section should provide a complete overview of the research study, detailing the research techniques applied, the sample size, and the way the experiment is conducted. The data extracted from the study should be presented in the form of tables, figures, images, etc. to make it more meaningful to the readers.
    • Findings/Results: This section draws important findings of the study making comparisons, applying probabilities, and testing the hypothesis to prove or reject the statement made at the beginning of the study.
    • Discussion: The data presented using formulas, equations, charts, tables, etc. should be analyzed thoroughly applying statistical methods to discuss the major observations from the study. This is an important aspect of the study that should extract the entire outcome of the study.
    • Conclusions: Authors summarize the entire study by setting limitations if any such as methods applied, or the sample size or methods employed to conduct this study. Author/s make specific recommendations to advance research in this area in the future.
    • Funding (not mandatory section): The authors can acknowledge the funding agencies if any in their studies.
    • Acknowledgments (not mandatory section): Author/s can acknowledge all the agencies, institutes, and individuals that supported the study.
    • Appendix (not mandatory section): Questionnaires, Abbreviations, Full form of all the abridged words and the jargon must be elaborated in this section to facilitate readers.
    • Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest.

6. Equations: Equations should be in MathType format or Windows equation format.
7. Figure Illustrations and Table Formatting: Research is communicated effectively only through figures and tables such as graphs, illustrations, diagrams, or other visuals. Images must be submitted only in high-resolution in TIFF, PNG, JPEG, or EPS formats. There is no limitation to the number of figures and tables to be included in the manuscript. Composite figures must be labeled A, B, C, etc. Legends are mandatory to explain an image or table that should not exceed 100 words. Each table/figure must contain a brief caption of no more than one sentence. Do not use any hyperlinked text in the tables/figures.

    • NOTE: Tables should not be submitted in image format.
8. Reference Formatting:
  • Reference Style: This platform mostly follows the Vancouver referencing style. All references must be numbered, and citations should appear in sequential order as numerical references within the main text.
  • Example of in-text citation:
    Place each reference number in square brackets [1] throughout the text, tables, and legends. If the same reference is used again, re-use the original number. The sentence punctuation follows the brackets [2]. Multiple references [2], [3] are each numbered with separate brackets [1]–[3]. When citing a section in a book or direct quotation, please give the relevant page numbers [2, p. 80]. Do not use “Ref. [3]” or “reference [3]” except at the beginning of a sentence: “Study [3] shows ... .” When authors' names are used in-text citations, please follow the next rules: only use the author’s last name in your text. If a source has multiple authors, name only the first author followed by ‘et al.’, for example, “Davies et al. [1] argue that...”.
  • Examples of References:
    • 
Example of Journal article, up to 6 authors:
      • Journal: Abbreviated Format
        • For example:
Gynecologic Oncology Reports: Gynecol Oncol Rep
Asian Pacific Journal of Reproduction: Asian Pac J Reprod
      • [1] LaVigne AW, Triedman SA, Randall TC, Trimble EL, Viswanathan AN. Cervical cancer in low and middle income countries: addressing barriers to radiotherapy delivery. Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2017;22:16–20.
      • [2] Reddy PS, Begum N, Mutha S, Bakshi V. Beneficial effect of Curcumin in letrozole induced polycystic ovary syndrome. Asian Pac J Reprod [Internet]. 2016 Apr [cited 2019 Aug 14];5(2):116–22. Available from: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2305050016000154.
      • [3] Garruti G, Depalo R, Vita MG, Lorusso F, Giampetruzzi F, Damato AB, et al. Adipose tissue, metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome: from pathophysiology to treatment. Reprod Biomed Online. 2009;19:552–63.
      • [4] Ufearo CS, Orisakwe OE. Restoration of normal sperm characteristics in hypoprolactinemic infertile men treated with metoclopramide and exogenous human prolactin. Clin Pharm Ther. 1995;58(3):354–9.
    • Example of Journal article, more than 6 authors:
      • [5] Guilbert TW, Morgan WJ, Zeiger RS, Mauger DT, Boehmer SJ, Szefler SJ, et al. Long-term inhaled corticosteroids in preschool children at high risk for asthma. N Engl J Med. 2006 May 11;354(19):1985–1997.
        • NOTE: Surnames and initials for up to 6 authors should be provided in the reference entry before et al.
    • Example of Book:

      • Book: Publisher name & publisher location mandatory elements
        • [6] Wilkinson IB, Raine T, Wiles K, Goodhart A, Hall C, O’Neill H. Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. 10th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2017.
    • Example of Book chapter:

      • [6] Darden L. Mechanisms and models. In: Hull DL, Ruse M, editors. The Cambridge companion to the philosophy of biology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2008. p. 139–159.
    • Example for conference paper:
      • [7] Hassan KS, Maher EM. Device-to-device communication distance analysis in interference limited cellular networks. The Tenth International Symposium on Wireless Communication Systems (ISWCS 2013). Ilmenau, Germany, 2013. Available from: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6629748.
    • Example of Thesis or Dissertation:
      • [8] Kay JG. Intracellular cytokine trafficking and phagocytosis in macrophages [dissertation]. St Lucia (AU): University of Queensland; 2007.
    • Example of Articles not in English:
      • [9] Assink EHM, Verloop N. Het aanleren van deel–geheel relaties [Teaching part–whole relations]. Pedagogische Studiën 1977;54:130–42 [in Dutch].
    • Example of website:
      • Anderson R, Brown I, Dowty T, Inglesant P, Heath W, Sasse A. Database state. Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust. 2009. [accessed 15.07.23]. Available from: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/ <rja14/Papers/database-state.pdf/.