Submission checklist
Before submitting an article to the Journal of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology (JEPT):
- Carefully review the Aims & Scope section to certify that the article is appropriate for publication in this journal.
- Follow the Guidelines for Authors to prepare your manuscript, using the provided Microsoft Word template from the journal's website, and ensure that tables, figures, and references are formatted correctly.
- Check if potential concerns related to publication ethics, copyright, authorship, conflicts of interest, and funding were properly considered.
- Verify that all authors have reviewed the article, approved its content, and agreed to its submission to the journal.
Types of articles
JEPT places no restriction on the length of the submitted manuscripts and requires full description of experimental methods to ensure reproducibility of results. The manuscripts submitted to JEPT must not have been previously published or be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. The following article types are considered for publication:
Original article: A research manuscript that presents new findings derived from scientific experiments. The structure must include the following sections: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions.
Review: This type of article provides a thorough and critical analysis of the current literature in a particular field, highlighting existing gaps or issues and offering suggestions for future research.The structure must include the following sections: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Relevant Sections, Future Perspectives and Conclusions.
Case report: This type of article offers a succint presention of a case within a specific field of study. The structure must include the following sections: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion, and Conclusions.
Sex and gender equity
We encourage the authors to follow the ‘Sex and Gender Equity in Research – SAGER – guidelines (https://researchintegrityjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41073-016-0007-6)’ and to include sex and gender considerations where relevant. Authors should use the terms sex (biological attribute) and gender (shaped by social and cultural circumstances) carefully in order to avoid confusing both terms. Article titles and/or abstracts should indicate clearly what sex(es) the study applies to. Authors should also describe in the background, whether sex and/or gender differences may be expected; report how sex and/or gender were accounted for in the design of the study; provide disaggregated data by sex and/or gender, where appropriate; and discuss respective results. If a sex and/or gender analysis was not conducted, the rationale should be given in the Discussion. We suggest that the authors consult the full guidelines before submission.
Submission procedure
Accepted templates
The authors are encouraged to use the Microsoft Word template provided on the journal’s website to prepare their manuscript before submission. Using this template will substantially shorten the required time for editing and publication following article acceptance.
The graphics (e.g., figures and tables) should be included in the main text after the paragraph they are cited. The inserted figures must be of a sufficiently high quality (resolution of 300 dpi or higher).
Cover letter
A cover letter must accompany each article submission. It should briefly outline the importance of the manuscript and explain how it aligns with the journal's aim and scope. Additionally, the cover letter must include the following statements:
- The authors confirm that neither the manuscript nor any part of its content has been published or is under consideration for publication in another journal.
- All authors have approved the manuscript in its current form, including its content and submission to the Journal of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology.
Author identification
The authors are encouraged to provide their ORCID. An icon linking to each ORCID profile will be included in the published version of the manuscript.
Author affiliation
The authors must provide their current affiliation(s) where the research for the article was conducted. It is crucial that the listed affiliations are accurate, as incorrect information could result in improper citations or issues with promotion and funding. Once the article is published, corrections to the authors' affiliations may not be allowed.
Manuscript preparation
Original articles structure
Front matter/title page (guidelines applicable for original articles, reviews and case reports):
Title: The article’s title should be concise, specific, and informative. Avoid using abbreviations and formulas unless they are widely recognized and understood (e.g., DNA).
Author Names: Provide the full first and last names for each author and carefully verify that all information is spelled correctly. After acceptance, no corrections to authors’ names will be allowed.
Affiliations: List the affiliation name and address below the authors’ names, indicating the institution where the research was conducted. Each author's affiliation should also be marked with a lowercase superscript number next to their name. Ensure that the full postal address (including country, city, street, number, and postal code) is accurately written, along with the correct email address for each author.
Corresponding Author: Designate one author as the corresponding author, who will handle all correspondence during the publication process and after the article is published. The corresponding author is responsible for addressing any future inquiries regarding the results or methods used.
Present Address: The address where the author conducted the research for the submitted article should be listed as their main affiliation. If the author has changed the address, a present address may be included in a footnote next to the respective author's name.
Sections
Abstract: The abstract should provide a clear, concise summary of the research, limited to 300 words. It must accurately and objectively reflect the content of the study, without including information not presented in the main article. The abstract should be structured as follows:
- Background: A brief introduction to the problem, setting the research within a broader context.
- Objective: A clear statement of the study's aim.
- Methods: A summary of the key methodologies used, including techniques, instruments, and data analysis approaches.
- Results: A presentation of the main findings, focusing on the most significant data.
- Conclusion: A concise summary of the findings’ implications and potential future research directions.
Keywords: Authors should provide up to 10 specific and relevant keywords for the study. All keywords must be in English, and multi-word keywords like "and" or "of" should be avoided.
Highlights: Authors are encouraged to provide highlights, which are 3 to 5 bullet points, each containing a maximum of 85 characters (including spaces), summarizing the novel findings of the study to enhance its discoverability.
Graphical Abstract: Authors are encouraged to submit a graphical abstract that visually summarizes the contents of the article. It should be submitted separately and must have a resolution of 300 dpi or higher.
Introduction: The introduction should offer a comprehensive overview of the study’s context, significance, and objectives. It should include background information on the research topic, including the current state of knowledge, clearly define the research problem or hypothesis, explain the study's importance in advancing the field, and outline the specific objectives or hypotheses being addressed.
Materials and Methods: This section should be detailed enough to allow replication of the study. It must describe the study design (type, setting, and duration), list materials used (e.g., chemicals, reagents, instruments, equipment, software), explain the experimental methods, detail the data collection process and statistical analyses performed, and indicate any ethical guidelines followed (if applicable).
Results: The results section should present findings in a logical, concise sequence using tables, figures, and text to communicate key data. It should include statistical analysis results, such as significance levels, confidence intervals, and effect sizes.
Discussion: The discussion should interpret the results in relation to existing research, explaining how the findings contribute to the field. It should address any inconsistencies or unexpected outcomes, compare the results with similar studies, and explore the practical applications of the findings, including suggestions for future research.
Conclusions: This section should summarize the main conclusions drawn from the study, emphasizing the most significant findings and their implications for the field. It may also include suggestions for future research areas.
Review manuscripts structure
Reviews provide a critical and constructive analysis of the most recent literature in a specific field, highlighting existing issues or gaps. They should not include unpublished or new data. Review articles may include, but are not limited to, the following sections: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Relevant Sections, Discussion, Conclusions, and Future Perspectives. The main body of the review should contain at least two figures or tables. Review papers should offer insights that enhance understanding of a topic and contribute to scholarly discourse. As a result, manuscripts that merely summarize or repeat information from existing publications will not be accepted.
Structured reviews and meta-analyses should follow the same structure as research articles and adhere to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines.
Case reports structure
Case reports must have the following sections: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Case Presentation, Discussion, and Conclusions. The introduction should include a concise description of the medical condition discussed in the study. The presentation must provide all relevant patient data, including demographic and medical information, along with details of symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. It should also include a discussion of the medical procedures applied and/or treatment decisions made. Finally, a brief conclusion should summarize the key points of the study.
Preparation of images and tables
All images and tables must include a brief explanatory title. Any special characters or icons in an image, such as *, **, or #, must be explained in the legend. All figures, tables, and schemes should be cited in the text and placed near their first mention. They must be numbered according to their order of appearance (e.g., Figure 1, Scheme 1, Figure 2, Scheme 2, Table 1, etc.). Numbers with five or more digits in figures, schemes, and tables should include commas for clarity.
Math Formulas: Formulas must be written using the Microsoft Word "Equation" tool and numbered in the order they appear in the manuscript.
Tables: Authors should create tables using the "Table" option in Microsoft Word. Each table column must have a descriptive title. To facilitate copy-editing, smaller fonts (no smaller than 10 pt.) may be used.
Images: All images should be of high quality, in TIFF, PNG, or JPEG format, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. Images and figures should contain only English text.
Permissions
Authors that intend to use figures, tables, or text passages previously published must obtain permission from the copyright holder(s) for both print and online use. They should provide proof of this permission when submitting their manuscript. Any material submitted without such evidence will be presumed to be original and belong to the authors.
Back matter
Supplementary material: JEPT recommends the submission of supplementary materials (figures, tables, videos, etc) for the improvement of the research. Several recommendations concerning the submission of the supplemmentary material, are stated as follows:
- The mateial must be adecvate and pertinent for the study
- The material must be submitted at the same time as the article
- Each supplementary file should include a succinct and descriptive legend (description of the content).
Abbreviations/Acronyms: should be explained at the first mention and used consistently within the whole manuscript.
Acknowledgements: Any individuals who provided help during the study should be included in a separate Acknowledgements section that appears before the reference list.
Author contributions: Author contributions must be acknowledged using CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) roles (i.e., Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing).
Conflict of interests: The authors must identify and mention any potential conflict of interest. If there is no conflict of interest, the authors should simply state that "The authors declare no conflict of interest."
Funding sources: The authors must acknowledge any funding sources that supported their study or the publication of the article by including statements such as "This research was funded by [name of funder], grant number [xxx]" or "The APC was covered by [XXX]" in this section. If no financial support was received for the study, please state, "This research received no external funding."
References
References within text
The references must be numbered in the order of their appearance in the text and listed at the end of the manuscript. The authors must use the Vancouver style for the references list. In the text, all reference numbers should be placed in square brackets [], before the punctuation (e.g., [1], [1–4] or [1,4]).
Reference format
The DOIs for the articles should be included in the citation.
Articles published in a journal:
Author 1, A.B.; Author 2, C.D. [Title of the article]. Abbreviated Journal Name Year, Volume, page range.
Book chapter:
Author 1, A.; Author 2, B. [Title of the chapter]. In Book Title, 2nd ed.; Editor 1, A., Editor 2, B., Eds.; Publisher: Publisher Location, Country, 2007; Volume 3, pp. 154–196.
Book:
Author 1, A.; Author 2, B. Book Title, 3rd ed.; Publisher: Publisher Location, Country, 2008; pp. 154–196.
Unpublished work:
Author 1, A.B.; Author 2, C. [Title of Unpublished Work]. Abbreviated Journal Name stage of publication (under review; accepted; in press).
Personal communication:
Author 1, A.B. (University, City, State, Country); Author 2, C. (Institute, City, State, Country). Personal communication, 2012.
Presentation:
Author 1, A.B.; Author 2, C.D.; Author 3, E.F. [Title of Presentation]. In Title of the Collected Work (if available), Proceedings of the Name of the Conference, Location of Conference, Country, Date of Conference; Editor 1, Editor 2, Eds. (if available); Publisher: City, Country, Year (if available); Abstract Number (optional), Pagination (optional).
Thesis:
Author 1, A.B. Title of Thesis. Level of Thesis, Degree-Granting University, Location of University, Date of Completion.
Site:
Title of Site. Available online: URL (accessed on Day Month Year).
Journal of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology (JEPT) follows the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals developed by ICMJE (https://www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf)
Roles and responsibilities of authors
Authorship
All authors should meet the following 4 criteria:
- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
- Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content; AND
- Final approval of the version to be published; AND
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Everyone designated as an author must satisfy all four authorship criteria, and those who meet all four criteria should be listed as authors. Individuals who do not meet all the criteria should be acknowledged instead.
The corresponding author is the one individual who takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal during the manuscript submission, peer-review, and publication process.
The corresponding author typically ensures that all the journal’s administrative requirements, such as providing details of authorship, ethics committee approval, clinical trial registration documentation, and disclosures of relationships and activities, are properly completed and reported, although these duties may be delegated to one or more co-authors.
The corresponding author should be available throughout the submission and peer-review process to respond to editorial queries in a timely way, and should be available after publication to respond to critiques of the work and cooperate with any requests from the journal for data or additional information should questions about the paper arise after publication.
Changes of authorship
The editors of this journal typically do not accept changes to authorship after a manuscript has been submitted. Authors should carefully review the authorship list and order before submission and provide a final list of authors at the time of the original submission.
Original Articles:
Human Subjects (including human participants, materials, or data):
- All research involving human subjects must strictly adhere to the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki (latest revision, 1975), available at: Declaration of Helsinki.
- Ethical approval from an institutional ethics committee is mandatory.
- Example of an ethical statement: "All study participants signed informed consent for inclusion. The study was conducted by the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee."
Research involving Animals:
- Animal research must comply with Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 September 2010 regarding the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
- We strongly recommend authors adhere to the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting animal experiments clearly and comprehensively. These guidelines are available at: ARRIVE guidelines.
Research involving Plants:
- Research involving plants must comply with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
- Authors must provide clear details regarding voucher specimens and confirm compliance with the above conventions.
Authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with ethical standards and must disclose their ethical approval and adherence within the manuscript submission.
Research Involving Cell Lines
The Methods section of submissions reporting on research using cell lines must clearly state the origin of the cell lines. For established cell lines, the provenance should be mentioned, and appropriate references to either a published paper or a commercial source must be provided. In the case of previously unpublished de novo cell lines, including those received from another laboratory, details of institutional review board or ethics committee approval should be included. Additionally, if the cell line is of human origin, confirmation of written informed consent must be provided.
