Submissions

The African Journal of Tropical Medicine and Biomedical Research (AJTMBR) is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research in the fields of tropical medicine and biomedical sciences. Authors submitting manuscripts to the journal must adhere to the following guidelines to ensure a smooth review and publication process.

1. General Submission Requirements

• All manuscripts must be original and should not have been published or submitted for publication elsewhere.
• A copyright transfer agreement must be signed by the authors upon acceptance, transferring ownership of the work to AJTMBR.
• Manuscripts must include the full names, affiliations, and contact details (including email addresses and phone numbers) of all authors.
• The journal follows a rigorous peer-review process, and acceptance is subject to editorial discretion based on reviewer recommendations.
• Submission of an article does not guarantee publication.

2. Plagiarism Policy

• All submissions undergo a plagiarism check using standard plagiarism detection software.
• A similarity index of ≤20% is acceptable.
• A similarity index between 21–40% will require authors to revise and resubmit the manuscript.
• Manuscripts with a similarity index >40% will be rejected outright, and the authors' institutions may be notified.
• The plagiarism check will flag any sequence of five or more matching words for review.

3. Manuscript Preparation

Formatting Requirements

• Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced with 2.5 cm margins.
• Use Times New Roman, 12-point font.
• The preferred file format is Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx).
• Do not include author names, affiliations, or acknowledgments in the main manuscript file. These should be submitted separately.

Required Submission Components

Each section should be submitted as a separate document with an appropriately titled filename. To ensure an efficient review and evaluation process, the following materials should be uploaded as separate documents:

1. Title Page (Submitted Separately, Not in Main Manuscript)

• Manuscript title
• Full names of all authors
• Institutional affiliations
• Corresponding author’s contact details (email, phone number)
• Three to six keywords for indexing

2. Figures and Tables (Uploaded Separately in High-Resolution Formats)

• Figures: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, or EPS format
• Tables: Word (.docx) or Excel (.xlsx)
• Each figure and table must be referenced in the main manuscript

3. Research Instruments (If Applicable)

• Questionnaires
• Survey forms
• Interview guides

4. Research Materials (If Applicable)

• Laboratory protocols
• Experimental setups
• Intervention descriptions

5. Research Results (If Applicable)

• Raw findings
• Observational data
• Transcripts (Interviews, Focus Group Discussions)

6. Data Analysis (If Applicable)

• Statistical calculations
• Software output
• Interpretation of results

7. Dataset (If Applicable)

• Spreadsheets
• Codebooks
• Supplementary numerical data

8. Source Texts (If Applicable)

• Historical records
• Comparative texts used in the study

9. Other Supporting Materials

• Any additional documents relevant to the manuscript

4. Specific Manuscript Components

Title Page (Submitted as a Separate Document)

To ensure a double-blind review, the Title Page must be submitted separately from the main manuscript. It should include:

• Manuscript title and subtitle
• Full names of all authors
• Author affiliations
• Corresponding author details (name, email, phone number)
• Three to six keywords for indexing

Main Manuscript File (Blinded for Review)

The main manuscript file should not contain any identifying information about the authors. Ensure that all mentions of author names, affiliations, and acknowledgments are removed.

Abstract

A structured abstract of no more than 250 words, divided into the following sections:

• Introduction
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Conclusion

5. Article Types and Word Limits

• Original Research: Reports on empirical studies, including quantitative and qualitative research. Maximum 3,000 words (excluding abstract, references, tables, and figures).
• Review Articles: Comprehensive reviews of relevant topics in tropical medicine and biomedical sciences. Maximum 3,000 words.
• Short Reports: Concise descriptions of preliminary findings or case studies. Abstract limited to 150 words; manuscript limited to 2,000 words.
• Commentaries and Editorials: Perspectives on topical issues in the field. Maximum 2,000 words.

6. Tables and Figures

• Must be submitted as separate files (not embedded in the manuscript) and clearly labeled.
• Must be referenced within the text(as shown in Table 1” or “see Figure 2”).
• Colored images may be printed in black and white unless color printing is essential.
• Tables should be comprehensible independently of the main text, with appropriate captions.

7. Acknowledgments (Submitted as a Separate Document)

To maintain anonymity during the double-blind review, acknowledgments should not be included in the main manuscript file. Instead, submit a separate Acknowledgments document with:

• Recognition of individuals or organizations that contributed to the research.
• Disclosure of funding sources (grant numbers, institutional support, etc.).
• Any necessary permissions for copyrighted materials, datasets, or images.

8. References and Citation Format

• References should follow the Vancouver style and be numbered in the order they appear in the text.
• Journal titles should be abbreviated according to Index Medicus.
• Reference numbers should be inserted as superscripts within the text (e.g., “as reported in previous studies¹”).

Example References

Journal Article:
Ahmed Y, Mwaba P, Chintu C, Grange JM, Ustianowski A, Zumla A. A study of maternal mortality at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia: the emergence of tuberculosis as a major non-obstetric cause of maternal death. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 1999;3:675-680.

Book:
Whitby LG, Smith AF, Beckett GJ. Enzyme Tests in Diagnosis. In: Whitby LG, Smith AF, Beckett GJ, editors. Lecture Notes on Clinical Chemistry. 4th ed. Blackwell Scientific Publications; 1988. p. 103-127.

9. Ethical and Compliance Requirements

All submissions must comply with the journal’s ethical standards, including:

• Ethical Approval: If the study involves human or animal subjects, institutional review board (IRB) approval must be documented. Submit a separate Ethical Approval Statement Form where applicable.
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure: All authors must complete and submit a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form.
• Copyright Permissions: If using previously published figures, tables, or datasets, written permissions must be obtained from the copyright holders and submitted alongside the manuscript.

Open Access Statement and Copyright License

10. Submission Process and Review Timeline

1. Manuscript Submission: Authors submit all required files through the online submission system.
2. Editorial Screening: Initial checks for formatting, plagiarism, and adherence to author guidelines.
3. Double-Blind Peer Review:
• Reviewers evaluate the manuscript without knowledge of author identities.
• Authors will receive constructive feedback and may be requested to revise their work.
4. Decision Notification:
• Accepted: The manuscript proceeds to publication.
• Revisions Required: Authors address reviewer comments and resubmit.
• Rejected: The manuscript does not meet the journal’s standards or scope.

The typical review process takes 2-4 weeks, with an initial editorial decision within 7 days.

11. Article Processing Charges (APCs) and Fees

• If applicable, submission and publication fees will be outlined, including waiver policies for authors from low-income countries.

12. Submission and Review Process

Manuscripts should be submitted via the journal’s Submission Management System at https://ajtmbr.org.ng. To begin the submission process, authors must first register or log in to the journal’s submission portal. Once logged in, follow these steps:

1. Start a New Submission – Click on the "Make a New Submission" button and select the appropriate article type (e.g., Original Research, Review Article, Case Report... etc).
2. Upload Submission Files – Upload the main manuscript and any supplementary materials (e.g., figures, tables, research instruments, conflict of interest statements). Each file must be properly labeled.
3. Enter Metadata – Provide the manuscript title, abstract, keywords, and author details. Ensure that all co-authors’ names, affiliations, and email addresses are accurately entered.
4. Confirm Compliance – Check the submission against the journal’s Submission Checklist, ensuring adherence to formatting, ethical, and citation guidelines.
5. Finalize Submission – Review all entered information before confirming the final submission. After submission, the corresponding author will receive a confirmation email with a unique manuscript ID.

Authors can track their manuscript’s progress by logging into their OJS account. The system will provide updates at each stage, including peer review, revisions, and final decision notifications. For technical support, contact our editorial office at [email protected].

• The review process typically takes 2–4 weeks, with initial decisions provided within 7 days.
• The journal operates a double-blind peer-review system.

13. Units of Measurement

• All measurements must be reported in SI (Système International) units.

14. Galley Proofs and Offprints

• Authors will receive galley proofs for final corrections.
• Corrections should be strictly limited to printer errors.
• Requests for offprints should be made when returning the corrected proofs.
• Once published, articles remain the property of AJTMBR and may only be reproduced according to copyright agreements.

Final Notes

Authors must adhere to all these guidelines to avoid unnecessary delays in the review and publication process. If you have any questions regarding submission requirements, please contact the editorial office.

African Journal of Tropical Medicine and Biomedical Research (AJTMBR)

C/o Office of the Provost,
College of Health Sciences,
Delta  State University,
Abraka, Delta State,
Nigeria.

[email protected]