📤 Submission

All manuscripts must be submitted online through the online submission system. Only electronic files in Word format (.doc, .docx) are acceptable. One author — main or co-author — must take responsibility for all correspondence throughout submission and review.

The online submission system guides you step-by-step through entering required information and uploading files. After successful uploading, the system automatically converts all submitted files to a single PDF for blind peer-review.

Authors must confirm before submission:

• The manuscript is not published, submitted, or under consideration elsewhere.
• All authors have approved the publication of this manuscript.

📄 Types of Manuscripts

Research Article

Full detail of findings. Must include: Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Material and Methods, Results, Discussion (may be combined), Acknowledgements, Author Contributions, and References.

Short Communication

A shorter, faster-to-publish version. Must include: Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Material and Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements, Author Contributions, References, and Tables.

Review / Mini-Review

Focused on emerging topics within the journal scope. Prior permission from the Editor-in-Chief is required before preparation.

📝 Manuscript Format

File & Layout

• Submit in Word format (.doc or .docx). PDF is not acceptable.
• Single-column layout only. Double-column is not acceptable.
• Remove strikethrough and underlined text unless scientifically essential.
• Check spelling and grammar thoroughly before submission.

Title Page

• Title: Concise and informative; avoid abbreviations and formulae.
• Author names: Full given name(s) and family name(s); check spellings carefully.
• Affiliations: Full postal address/code, city, country — marked with lowercase superscript Arabic numerals.
• Corresponding author: Name and up-to-date email for all correspondence stages.
• Present/permanent address provided in footnotes if author has moved.

Abstract

Concise, up to 300 words; include purpose, major findings, and conclusions. Avoid non-standard abbreviations and references.

Keywords

Up to 5 keywords. Avoid multi-word phrases separated by “and,” “of,” etc.

Highlights (Optional)

Recommended: 3–5 bullet points summarising novelty.

Equations

• Submit as editable text using Insert Equation — not images.
• Display separately from text; number consecutively if more than one.

Tables

• Editable text only — not images.
• Place next to relevant text; cite with continuous Arabic numbers.
• Provide captions and footnotes; do not duplicate data presented elsewhere.

Figures & Images

• Acceptable formats: TIFF, JPG, or PNG; minimum 300 DPI.
• Place next to relevant text; cite as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.
• Provide self-explanatory captions and footnotes.
• Color figures appear in color in the online version.
• Avoid images disproportionately large relative to font size.

🗂️ Article Sections

Use clearly numbered sections (1, 1.1, 1.1.1, etc.). Each subsection heading appears on a separate line. Do not number the Abstract.

Introduction

Balanced summary of existing literature providing background for readers. State the study objectives at the end.

Materials and Methods

Provide enough detail for independent replication. Reference published methods and describe only modifications.

Results and Discussion

May be divided by subheadings or combined depending on manuscript type.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Clearly state main conclusions; keep concise and avoid repeating earlier text.

Author Contributions (CRediT)

Use CRediT roles: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledge individuals who assisted with research, language, writing, or proofreading. Place before the reference list in a separate section.

📚 References

All cited references must appear in the reference list and vice versa. Do not include unpublished results or personal communications. Use of DOIs is highly recommended.

In-text Citations

• Single author: (Khan, 2021)
• Two authors: (Khan and Chonhenchob, 2020)
• Three or more: (Khan et al., 2022)
• Same author, same year: use a, b, c suffixes — e.g., (Khan, 2021a, 2021b)

Reference List Examples

Journal Article:

Book:

Chapter in Edited Book:

PhD Thesis:

Website:

Software:

🔍 Peer Review & Proof Correction

Suitable manuscripts are sent to at least two subject experts determined by the Editor-in-Chief for double-blind peer review: reviewer names are not disclosed to authors; author names are not disclosed to reviewers.

Upon acceptance, the editorial office will check formatting and send proofs to the corresponding author. Authors must return corrections within 2 days of receipt. No further corrections are possible after publication. The corresponding author is responsible for consulting all co-authors during proof reading.

🚫 Plagiarism Policy

• Zero tolerance for plagiarism in all forms.
• Follows HEC plagiarism policy: similarity from any single source must not exceed 5%; overall similarity must not exceed 19%.
• Authors are responsible for submitting completely original work with proper citations.
• Detection at any stage results in rejection; the manuscript will not be reconsidered.

💰 Article Processing Charges (APC)

• National Authors (Pakistan): PKR 500
• International Authors: USD 50
• APC covers editorial and peer review processing fees.
• Refundable for Pakistan-based authors only if rejected before the peer review phase. No refund once selected for peer review.

✍️ Authorship Credit

• Authorship may only be credited to those who made a noteworthy contribution to conceptualization, design, data collection/analysis, and writing.
• The corresponding author is responsible for including only co-authors who made significant contributions.
• All co-authors must have seen and approved the final version prior to submission.
• Others who participated in certain substantive aspects should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section.

©️ Copyright

Copyright of published manuscripts is retained by the author(s). First publication rights are granted to JCRML. If desired, it is the responsibility of the author(s) to bring any infringement action against successive unauthorized use.