Editorial Guidelines

Editorial Guidelines

Pakistan Journal of Translational and Applied Medicine (PJTAM)

PJTAM is committed to maintaining excellence in medical and health sciences publishing. These editorial guidelines provide a clear, ethical, and transparent framework for authors, reviewers, and editors—ensuring that all manuscripts are managed with scientific integrity, objectivity, and professionalism.

1. Submission and Initial Evaluation

Scope and Relevance
Manuscripts must be original and aligned with PJTAM’s focus areas, including clinical medicine, diagnostics, biomedical sciences, public health, health policy, and translational research. Authors should consult the journal’s Aims & Scope prior to submission.

Plagiarism Screening
All submissions undergo mandatory plagiarism screening using software such as Turnitin. PJTAM enforces a strict threshold of 10% similarity. Manuscripts exceeding this limit may be rejected or returned for revision.

Manuscript Format Requirements
All manuscripts must comply with the Author Guidelines and include the following:

  • Title, author affiliations, and contact details

  • Structured abstract and keywords

  • Main text following IMRAD format: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion

  • References in APA or Vancouver style (as appropriate to the study)

  • Tables and figures with appropriate legends

  • Ethical approval, informed consent, funding and conflict of interest disclosures

Licensing Terms
Accepted manuscripts are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This allows distribution with attribution but restricts commercial reuse and modifications.

2. Peer Review Policy

Double-Blind Review
PJTAM employs a double-blind peer review process:

  • Authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout

  • Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two subject-matter experts

Reviewer Selection and Ethics
Reviewers are chosen based on expertise and must be free of any conflicts of interest. Ethical, unbiased review is paramount.

Confidentiality
All materials shared during the review process are strictly confidential and may not be disclosed or used for any purpose other than peer evaluation.

Timeliness
Reviewers are expected to submit their evaluations within 2 to 4 weeks. The editorial team actively monitors turnaround times to avoid unnecessary delays.

3. Editorial Decision-Making

Possible Decisions
Following peer review, the editorial board may:

  • Accept the manuscript

  • Request minor or major revisions

  • Reject the manuscript

All decisions are communicated to the corresponding author with detailed reviewer comments and revision guidance.

Revision and Resubmission
Authors must respond point-by-point to each reviewer comment and submit a revised manuscript within the specified time.

Appeals
Authors may formally appeal editorial decisions. Appeals are reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and may be escalated to an independent expert if warranted.

4. Ethical Standards and Responsibilities

Authorship Criteria
All listed authors must have made substantial contributions to the research. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring agreement among all contributors regarding the content and submission.

Conflict of Interest
Authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any personal, institutional, or financial relationships that could influence objectivity.

Research Ethics Compliance
All studies involving human or animal subjects must include:

  • Institutional ethical approval (e.g., IRB clearance)

  • Informed consent for human participants

  • Registration details for clinical trials (if applicable)

5. Post-Publication Policy

Corrections and Retractions
PJTAM maintains the integrity of the academic record. In the case of major errors or ethical concerns, the journal may:

  • Publish corrections (Erratum or Corrigendum)

  • Issue retractions with full transparency

  • Notify indexing services and readers as necessary

Digital Preservation
All published content is permanently archived in secure digital repositories to ensure continuous accessibility and scholarly citation.

6. Editorial Board Responsibilities

Selection Criteria
Editorial board members are chosen based on subject expertise, publication history, and commitment to academic integrity.

Core Duties
Board members are expected to contribute to:

  • Peer review and editorial decisions

  • Strategic direction of the journal

  • Upholding scientific and ethical standards

Term and Rotation
Board composition is periodically reviewed to ensure diversity, innovation, and active engagement.

7. Communication and Transparency

Author Support
The editorial office provides assistance on:

  • Submission procedures

  • Manuscript tracking and status updates

  • Revision and formatting queries

Professional Correspondence
All communication among authors, editors, and reviewers is expected to be courteous, professional, and timely—promoting a respectful and collaborative publication process.