Submission Preparation Checklist
As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
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Author Guidelines: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR)
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research across a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary fields. It welcomes original research articles, reviews, and short communications that explore contemporary social, cultural, economic, technological, and environmental issues from global and regional perspectives, with a focus on integrating theories, methods, and practices across disciplines.
This author guideline provides detailed instructions for preparing and submitting manuscripts to IJMR. Authors are advised to read the guidelines carefully before submission. Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned for revision prior to review.
For information on article types, formatting requirements, ethical obligations, and the publication process, please refer to the sections below.
Aims and Scope
IJMR publishes original research articles, review papers, and case studies covering a wide range of interdisciplinary topics, including but not limited to:
•Arts-Sciences Intersection: Science communication and humanistic narrative, digital humanities and data science, technology ethics and philosophical reflection
•Engineering-Sciences Intersection: Artificial intelligence and biomedical engineering, environmental science and materials engineering, new energy technology and climate modeling
•Social Sciences Intersection: Economic psychology and behavioral decision-making, public management and big data governance, educational technology and cognitive science
•Applied Sciences Intersection: Public health and social policy, intelligent manufacturing and supply chain management, cultural heritage protection and tourism planning
•Cross-cutting Common Issues: Implementation pathways for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), multi-sector collaborative response to public emergencies, technological innovation and social structure changes
•Linguistics and Language Studies: Sociolinguistics, multilingualism, language acquisition, translation studies, and discourse analysis
•Anthropology and Ethnography: Comparative studies of human societies, cultural anthropology, and ethnographic research methods
•Criminology and Legal Studies: Crime, justice systems, comparative legal frameworks, and policing and rehabilitation approaches
•Social Work and Community Development: Community-driven development, social inclusion strategies, and intersections of social work and policy
•Globalization and Development Studies: Impacts of globalization on societies, sustainable development practices, and cross-cultural development analysis
•Interdisciplinary and Emerging Fields: Research integrating digital humanities, data science, artificial intelligence, and public policy with social or natural science research
Article Types
Translated articles originally published in languages other than English will not be considered.
1.Full Research Articles: Full research articles should be between 4,000–8,000 words. They should present original research, methodological advancements, or theoretical innovations. Articles exceeding 9,000 words will only be accepted if necessary for the topic.
2.Review Articles: Review articles provide a comprehensive summary of research topics relevant to interdisciplinary fields (e.g., sustainable development, digital governance, cross-cultural management). They should typically be 4,000–8,000 words and offer a critical evaluation of existing literature.
3.Case Studies: Case studies analyze specific projects, policies, or real-world scenarios, focusing on the practical application of interdisciplinary principles (e.g., AI-driven public health interventions, cross-border supply chain optimization). They should be 4,000–6,000 words and clearly outline context, challenges, and outcomes.
4.Perspectives: These shorter articles (1,500–2,000 words) offer commentary or propose new ideas to stimulate debate or address emerging issues in interdisciplinary research (e.g., ethical dilemmas of AI in education, equitable implementation of SDGs).
5.Special Issue Proposals: Proposals for special issues focusing on timely and impactful topics in interdisciplinary research are welcome. Special issues should consist of 6–10 articles. Proposals should be sent to the editorial office and will undergo peer review.
Writing and Formatting Requirements
Document Type and File Format
Submit manuscripts in an editable format. PDFs will not be accepted as source files.
•Word: Save files as .doc or .docx. All standard fonts are acceptable; use Symbol font for Greek characters.
•TeX/LaTeX: Save files as .tex. Use standard class files (e.g., article.cls, revtex.cls, amsart.cls). Text materials should be provided as a single file in the default Computer Modern font. Avoid non-standard fonts and packages, and remove all personal macros before submission. For graphics, use graphicx.sty.
◦If using BibTeX, copy the reference list from the .bbl file, paste it into the main manuscript .tex file, and delete the relevant \bibliography and \bibliographystyle commands.
◦Ensure the complete .tex file compiles successfully on your own system (without errors or warnings) before submission.
All text should be formatted in a single-column layout. Remove all strikethrough and underlined text unless it has scientific significance. Use spell-check and grammar-check tools to avoid errors. There is no need to spend time on visual formatting of the manuscript, as journal style will be imposed during production.
Double-Anonymous Peer Review
IJMR follows a double-anonymous peer review process, meaning author identities are hidden from reviewers and vice versa. To facilitate this, you must provide two separate files:
1.Title Page (containing author details), and
2.Anonymous Manuscript (without author details).
Title Page Must Include:
•Article title (concise, informative; avoid abbreviations and formulas unless well-established, e.g., DNA).
•Author names (first and last names, order must match the submission system; check spelling carefully; if applicable, provide original script names in parentheses after English transliteration).
•Affiliations (where the work was conducted; indicated by lowercase superscript letters after author names; include full postal address, country, and email address if available).
•Acknowledgments.
•Conflict of interest statement.
•Full address and email of the corresponding author.
•Current/permanent address (if different from affiliation), indicated by superscript Arabic numerals; the institution where the work was conducted remains the primary affiliation.
Anonymous Manuscript Must Include:
•Manuscript text.
•Citations.
•Figures.
•Tables.
It must not contain any identifying information (e.g., author names, affiliations).
Abstract
A concise, factual abstract of no more than 250 words is required. The abstract should briefly state the research objective, key results, and main conclusions.
•The abstract must be self-contained.
•Avoid citations; if necessary, include author and year.
•Avoid non-standard or uncommon abbreviations; if essential, define them at first mention.
Keywords
Provide 1–7 keywords for indexing. Keywords must be in English. Avoid phrases containing "and" or "of". Abbreviations should only be used if well-established in the field.
Highlights
Highlights are required at submission:
•Submit highlights as a separate editable file, with "Highlights" in the filename.
•Provide 3–5 bullet points, each no more than 85 characters (including spaces).
•Highlights should summarize novel results and methods to enhance the article’s discoverability.
Graphical Abstract
Authors are encouraged to provide a graphical abstract:
•Submit as a separate file.
•Minimum size: 531 × 1328 pixels (height × width), or proportionally larger. It should be legible at 5 × 13 cm (96 dpi).
•Preferred formats: TIFF, EPS, PDF, or MS Office files.
•The graphical abstract should summarize the article’s content in a concise visual form.
Manuscript Structure
Sections
Divide the manuscript into clearly defined sections with headings.
•Theory and Computation: Theoretical sections should expand on the background provided in the introduction, while computational sections should represent the practical development of theories.
•Methods: The methods section should be subdivided with short, bold headings. Subsections such as "Statistics", "Reagents", or "Models" are encouraged. Authors are advised to deposit detailed protocols in repositories (e.g., Protocols.io); mention the link in the methods section and include it in the reference list.
Glossary
Provide definitions of field-specific terms in a separate list.
Acknowledgments
Include individuals who provided assistance during the research (e.g., language editors, proofreaders). Do not thank anonymous reviewers or editors. Grant or funding numbers may be acknowledged. Dedications are not permitted unless for individuals directly involved in the research but not listed as authors. Acknowledgments may only appear on the title page (not in the anonymous manuscript).
Author Contributions (CRediT)
Use the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) to acknowledge authors’ contributions. Roles include:
•Conceptualization
•Data Curation
•Formal Analysis
•Funding Acquisition
•Investigation
•Methodology
•Project Administration
•Resources
•Software
•Supervision
•Validation
•Visualization
•Writing – Original Draft
•Writing – Review & Editing
Not all roles apply to every manuscript; authors may contribute to multiple roles.
Funding Sources
Disclose all funding sources. State the role of the funder (if any) in study design, data collection/analysis, interpretation, writing, and submission. If there was no such involvement, state this explicitly.
Examples:
•"Funding: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [Grant Nos. xxxx, yyyy]; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA [Grant No. zzzz]; and the United States Institute of Peace [Authorization No. aaaa]."
•"This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors."
Appendices
Label appendices as A, B, etc. Equations, tables, and figures should be numbered separately within each appendix (e.g., Equation (A.1), Table A.1, Figure A.1).
Equations
•Submit equations as editable text, not images.
•Present simple formulas inline where possible.
•Use solidus slashes (/) for small fractions (e.g., X/Y).
•Italicize variables; use "exp" for powers of e.
•Display equations separately from text and number them consecutively (e.g., Equation (1)).
Tables
•Submit tables as editable text (not images).
•Place tables near relevant text or at the end of the manuscript.
•Complex tables may be submitted as separate Excel files.
•Tables containing statistical analyses must specify the standard of error analysis and sample range in the legend.
•Tables of chemical structures must be included at the end of the text, with original ChemDraw files (.cdx) provided separately.
•Cite all tables consecutively in the text and number them sequentially.
•Provide titles and place table notes below the table body.
•Avoid vertical rules and shading.
•Use tables sparingly to avoid duplication with text.
Figures, Images, and Artwork
Figures must be submitted as separate files (not embedded in the manuscript). Cite all figures sequentially (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.) in the text.
Technical Requirements
•Minimum resolution: 300 dpi. Maximum width: 180 mm.
•Labels: Use 5–7 pt sans-serif font; Symbol font for Greek characters.
•Use scale bars instead of magnification. Include error bars where appropriate.
•Do not flatten labels or bars onto images; editable high-resolution files are required.
•Use ChemDraw (or similar software) for chemical structures; submit final .cdx files in accordance with journal style.
•Stereoscopic figures: Prepare for wall-eyed viewing with panel spacing ~5.5 cm; submit at final size.
File Formats
•Vector graphics: EPS or PDF with embedded fonts.
•Photographs (halftones): TIFF, JPG, or PNG, ≥300 dpi (minimum 1063 pixels for single-column; 2244 pixels for full-width).
•Line drawings: TIFF, JPG, or PNG, ≥1000 dpi (minimum 3543 pixels for single-column; 7480 pixels for full-width).
•Combined images: TIFF, JPG, or PNG, ≥500 dpi (minimum 1772 pixels for single-column; 3740 pixels for full-width).
•Do not submit GIF, BMP, PICT, WPG, or low-resolution/screen-optimized files.
Legends
•Provide a short title and description for each figure in a separate file.
•Describe panels in order.
•Avoid methodological details.
•Use verbal cues (e.g., "open red triangles") instead of visual cues.
•Describe central values (mean or median), error bars and their calculation, sample size (n), statistical tests, and p-values.
Color Artwork
Color figures will be displayed online free of charge. Ensure figures are accessible to readers with color vision deficiencies.
Copyright Permissions
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to use copyrighted figures, including previously published material and professional photographs. For figures created using BioRender, confirm full permission for publication.
Generative Artificial Intelligence
The use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images is not permitted, unless AI is part of the research design or methodology. In such cases, disclose this reproducibly in the methods section, including the model/tool name, version, extensions, and provider. Generative AI is not permitted for graphical abstracts; cover artwork may be considered only with prior approval and appropriate rights clearance.
Supplementary Information, Extended Data, and Source Data
Supplementary Information
•Published as supplied; no typesetting will be applied. It can only be replaced during production to correct major scientific errors.
•Each item should be labeled as Supplementary Equation, Discussion, Note, Figure, Table, Video, Audio, Data, or Software. Number sequentially, separately from the main text and Extended Data.
•Mention each supplementary item at least once in the text, using the term "Supplementary".
•Submit supplementary text, figures, simple tables, and legends in a single combined PDF. Complex tables/data may be submitted as Excel or .csv files (labeled as Supplementary Tables or Supplementary Data). Most audio/video formats are accepted; supplementary software should be submitted as .zip or .tar files.
•Supplementary figures must fit on a single PDF page with their legends.
Extended Data
•Up to 10 Extended Data items may be included, providing essential context for key data.
•Must be cited as discrete items in the main text.
•Should fit on a single PDF page.
•Legends should be prepared for main figures and included in the supporting information list.
Source Data
•Provide source data for figures wherever possible.
•Full-length, unprocessed gels/blots must be provided as PDF files, labeled with the corresponding figure number.
•Statistical source data should be Excel files, one per figure, labeled with the corresponding figure number.
•If imaging source data is large, it should be deposited in a repository.
Videos and Animations
•Video and animation files are accepted.
•Cite video content in the text, specifying placement.
•Label files clearly.
•Recommended format: maximum 150 MB per file, 1 GB total.
•Provide a still image for each file to use as an icon.
•Include explanatory text in the manuscript (for both online and print versions).
•Videos will be published in the electronic version of the article.
Research Data
Research data includes observational or experimental results that validate findings, as well as related software, code, models, algorithms, protocols, and methods.
•Deposit research data in relevant repositories.
•Cite and link to datasets in the article.
•If data cannot be shared (e.g., confidentiality, sensitivity), provide a statement explaining why.
•A data availability statement is required at submission; it will be published with the article.
•Linking to data (via repository badges, DOIs, or identifiers, e.g., TAIR: AT1G01020; CCDC: 734053; PDB: 1XFN) is encouraged.
Nomenclature and Abbreviations
Gene Nomenclature
Authors must use approved nomenclature for gene symbols and avoid ambiguous slashes (e.g., use "Oct4 (also known as Pou5f1)" instead of "Oct4/Pou5f1"). Approved names can be obtained from HGNC (Human Gene Nomenclature Committee) or MGI (Mouse Genome Informatics). Submit new names to the appropriate committee before publication.
Chemical and Biological Nomenclature
Use systematic nomenclature (IUPAC, IUBMB) where possible. Use standard abbreviations; define specialized abbreviations at first mention.
Cover Art
Authors of accepted papers are encouraged to submit high-quality images for potential use as journal cover art. Images should be scientifically meaningful and aesthetically appealing, with a clear, concise legend.
Citations
General Principles
•References cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and vice versa.
•References in the abstract must be given in full.
•Unpublished results and personal communications should not appear in the reference list but may be mentioned in the text. If included, label as "Unpublished results" or "Personal communication".
•"In press" indicates acceptance for publication.
•Each reference should be unique; do not cite multiple publications under a single reference number.
•Provide accurate author names, titles, years, journal names, volume numbers, and page numbers or article IDs. Incorrect data may prevent linking.
•DOIs are strongly recommended.
•Arrange the reference list alphabetically by author surname, then chronologically. Items by the same author(s) from the same year should be distinguished with a, b, c.
Examples
•Journal Article:
Van der Geer, J., Handgraaf, T., & Lupton, R. A. (2020). The art of writing a scientific article. Journal of Science Communication, 163, 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sc.2020.00372.
•Journal Article with Article ID:
Van der Geer, J., Handgraaf, T., & Lupton, R. A. (2022). The art of writing a scientific article. Heliyon, 19, Article e00205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e00205.
•Book:
Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (2000). The elements of style (4th ed.). Longman (Chapter 4).
•Journal article:
Van der Geer, J., Handgraaf, T., & Lupton, R. A. (2020). The art of writing a scientific article. Journal of Scientific Communications, 163, 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sc.2020.00372.
•Journal article with article number:
Van der Geer, J., Handgraaf, T., & Lupton, R. A. (2022). The art of writing a scientific article. Heliyon, 19, Article e00205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e00205.
•Book:
Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (2000). The elements of style (4th ed.). Longman (Chapter 4).
•Book chapter:
Mettam, G. R., & Adams, L. B. (2020). How to prepare an electronic version of your article. In B. S. Jones & R. Z. Smith (Eds.), Introduction to the electronic age (pp. 281–304). E-Publishing Inc.
•Website:
Powertech Systems. (2022). Lithium-ion vs lead-acid cost analysis. Retrieved from http://www.powertechsystems.eu/home/tech-corner/lithium-ion-vs-lead-acid-cost-analysis/. Accessed January 6, 2022.
•Dataset:
Oguro, M., Imahiro, S., Saito, S., & Nakashizuka, T. (2015). Mortality data for Japanese oak wilt disease and surrounding forest compositions [dataset]. Mendeley Data, v1. https://doi.org/10.17632/xwj98nb39r.1.
•Conference paper/poster:
Engle, E. K., Cash, T. F., & Jarry, J. L. (2019, November). The Body Image Behaviours Inventory-3: Development and validation of the Body Image Compulsive Actions and Body Image Avoidance Scales. Poster session presentation at the meeting of the Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, New York, NY.
•Software:
Coon, E., Berndt, M., Jan, A., Svyatsky, D., Atchley, A., Kikinzon, E., Harp, D., Manzini, G., Shelef, E., Lipnikov, K., Garimella, R., Xu, C., Moulton, D., Karra, S., Painter, S., Jafarov, E., & Molins, S. (2020). Advanced Terrestrial Simulator (ATS) (Version 0.88) [Computer software]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3727209.
•Book with publisher:
Jones, R. A. L. (2004). Soft Machines: Nanotechnology and Life (Ch. 3). Oxford University Press.
•Preprint:
Babichev, S. A., Ries, J., & Lvovsky, A. I. (2002). Quantum scissors: teleportation of single-mode optical states by means of a nonlocal single photon. Preprint at https://arxiv.org/quant-ph/0208066.
Submission Checklist
•Title page with all required details;
•Anonymized manuscript (without identifying information);
•Editable tables and separate figures with captions;
•Supplementary materials, Extended Data, and Source Data (if applicable);
•Video/animation files and still images (if applicable);
•Data availability statement and repository links;
•Reference list formatted consistently in APA (7th edition) with DOIs where available;
•For LaTeX submissions: Ensure successful compilation; integrate the .bbl file; remove non-standard macros.
Ethical Requirements
Conflict of Interest Statement
All authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest, including financial support, personal relationships, academic competition, or institutional affiliations.
If no conflicts exist, please state explicitly: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”
Ethical Approval
Studies involving human participants (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments) or animal subjects must include a statement confirming approval from the appropriate ethics committee, along with the committee’s name and approval number (if applicable).
If ethical approval is not required, state clearly: “This study did not require ethical approval.”
Data Availability Statement
A data availability statement is mandatory. Authors must specify whether the data underlying the study are publicly available and how they may be accessed.
Examples:
•“The data supporting this study are available in [Repository Name] at [Link].”
•“Due to privacy restrictions, the data are not publicly available but can be obtained from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
Peer Review Process
Review Model
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) operates a double-blind peer review system.
Reviewers do not know the identity of the authors, and authors do not know the identity of the reviewers.
To ensure anonymity, authors must submit two files:
•Title page: Including all author-related information;
•Main manuscript: Anonymized, with no identifying details (e.g., names, emails, affiliations, funding information, acknowledgments, author contributions).
Review Procedure
Initial Screening: The editorial office reviews manuscripts for compliance with the journal’s scope and basic requirements;
External Review: Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent to at least two independent reviewers;
Review Decision: The editor issues one of the following decisions: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject;
Manuscript Revision: If revisions are required, authors must resubmit the revised manuscript within the specified deadline, along with a response letter addressing all reviewer comments;
Final Decision: The editor evaluates the revised manuscript and reviewer feedback before issuing a final decision.
Reviewer Recommendations
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) does not accept reviewer recommendations from authors. Reviewers are independently selected by the editorial office to ensure review impartiality.
Review Timeline
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) aims to provide an initial review decision within 4–8 weeks of submission.
Actual timelines may vary depending on the subject area, reviewer availability, and the number of revision rounds.
Open Access and Fees
Open Access Policy
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) is an open access journal.
All published articles are freely available for reading, downloading, and citing, with no subscription or access fees.
The journal operates under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which permits:
•Free distribution, reproduction, and adaptation of the work;
•Proper attribution to the original authors and source;
•Prohibition of misleading or deceptive use of the work.
For the full terms of the license, please refer to the Creative Commons official website.
Article Processing Charge (APC)
An Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 100 applies to all accepted manuscripts.
This fee covers the entire publication process, including:
•Peer review and editorial management;
•Language and technical editing;
•Typesetting and formatting;
•DOI registration and metadata archiving;
•Online publication and long-term preservation.
An invoice will be sent to the corresponding author upon manuscript acceptance.
Waivers and Support
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) recognizes that some authors may face funding constraints. Authors may request a partial or full APC waiver at the time of submission or prior to submission, along with a detailed justification for the request.
Waiver decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as institutional support, regional funding availability, and the significance of the research topic.
Authors are encouraged to provide detailed information when applying for a waiver to facilitate a fair evaluation by the editorial office.
After Acceptance
Editing and Typesetting
Once a manuscript is accepted, it proceeds to copyediting and typesetting.
The editorial office will make language and technical adjustments to ensure consistency, accuracy, and adherence to journal standards.
Proofs
During typesetting, authors may receive a PDF proof for checking.
Proof corrections are limited to errata-level changes (e.g., spelling, punctuation, formatting errors). Substantive changes to the structure, analysis, or conclusions are not permitted at this stage.
Note: The proofs stage is currently under internal adjustment; future workflows may be updated accordingly.
Publication and Online Release
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) does not operate an “online first” or pre-publication system.
All accepted articles are published together with the full issue, each assigned a unique DOI.
Articles become formally citable only when the complete issue is released.
Submission Process
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) uses the Open Journal Systems (OJS) online platform for all submissions.
Authors must complete the following steps:
•Register and log in to the OJS portal.
•Upload the title page and the main manuscript (as separate files).
•Upload figures, tables, and any supplementary materials as separate files.
•Complete the metadata form, including author details, funding information, conflict of interest, and data availability statements.
•A system-generated confirmation email will be sent once submission is complete.
Important Note on User Roles:
Some contributors submit to multiple journals. Due to OJS system restrictions, new accounts may be assigned limited roles by default.
If you encounter a message stating that you “do not have permission to submit,” please go to User Settings, enable the role “Author”, save the changes, and then proceed with submission.
For technical issues during submission, please contact the editorial office at EitherIJMR@imb.by.
Additional Policies
Copyright and License
All articles in the International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (see section “Open Access Policy”).
Authors retain copyright of their work, while permitting free reuse, distribution, and adaptation under the terms of the CC BY license.
Data and Material Sharing
Authors must provide a clear data availability statement in the manuscript.
If data cannot be made openly available, authors must state the reasons (e.g., privacy, ethical restrictions, institutional limitations).
Where possible, authors are encouraged to deposit datasets, instruments (e.g., survey questionnaires, interview protocols), code, or supplementary materials in a recognized repository and provide access links.
Publication Ethics
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Submissions found to involve plagiarism, duplicate submission, data fabrication, or other forms of misconduct will be rejected. In serious cases, the journal may notify the authors’ institutions.
For details, see the COPE guidelines.
Language and Editing Support
Manuscripts must be written in clear and grammatically correct English.
Authors who require language assistance are encouraged to seek professional editing services before submission.
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) does not provide in-house language editing but may recommend reputable third-party providers upon request.
Contact Information
Editorial Office: EitherIJMR@imb.by
Editorial Secretary: guyuhao@imb.by
Publisher: International Institute of Management and Business (Belarus)
Journal Website: ijmrscience.org
