Instructions for Authors
Comprehensive guidelines for preparing and submitting your HIV/AIDS research manuscripts to the Journal of Clinical Research in HIV/AIDS and Prevention.
Prepare Your Manuscript for Publication
The Journal of Clinical Research in HIV/AIDS and Prevention welcomes original research manuscripts, review articles, case reports, and short communications covering all aspects of HIV infection, treatment, and prevention. These guidelines provide detailed instructions for manuscript preparation to help authors submit high-quality manuscripts that meet our editorial and formatting requirements for efficient processing.
Following these guidelines carefully will expedite the review process and minimize delays during production. If you have questions about any aspect of manuscript preparation for HIV research, please contact our editorial office at [email protected] before submission. Our team is available to assist authors with formatting questions and technical requirements for their HIV/AIDS manuscripts.
JCRHAP publishes several types of manuscripts to accommodate different HIV research outputs. Each manuscript type has specific requirements for length, structure, and content. Authors should select the most appropriate format for their HIV/AIDS research findings based on the nature and scope of their work.
Original Research Articles
Full-length research papers presenting novel findings in HIV clinical research, prevention science, or basic virology. Research articles must include abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, and references sections following the IMRAD structure. There is no strict word limit, but clarity is essential.
Review Articles
Comprehensive reviews synthesizing current knowledge in specific HIV research areas. Reviews typically range from five thousand to ten thousand words and should provide critical analysis of recent advances, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest future directions for HIV/AIDS research.
Case Reports
Detailed descriptions of unusual or instructive clinical HIV cases. Case reports should include patient presentation, diagnostic workup, treatment approach including antiretroviral regimens, and clinical outcome with discussion of implications for HIV clinical practice.
Short Communications
Brief reports of up to three thousand words presenting preliminary HIV findings, negative results, or confirmatory studies. Short communications should include a structured abstract of no more than two hundred words summarizing key findings.
Research manuscripts should follow the standard IMRAD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) with additional sections as described below. Adherence to this structure facilitates peer review and reader comprehension of your HIV/AIDS research findings.
- Title: Concise and informative, accurately reflecting HIV research content. Avoid abbreviations. Maximum twenty words capturing the essential findings.
- Authors and Affiliations: List all authors with complete names, institutional affiliations, and email addresses. Identify the corresponding author with complete contact information.
- Abstract: Structured abstract of no more than three hundred words summarizing background, objectives, methods, results, and conclusions of your HIV research.
- Keywords: Provide five to eight keywords for indexing. Include relevant HIV/AIDS terminology to enhance discoverability by the research community.
- Introduction: Provide background on the HIV research question, state the hypothesis clearly, and explain study objectives and significance for the field.
- Materials and Methods: Describe experimental design, patient populations, laboratory methods, and analytical approaches in sufficient detail for replication by other researchers.
- Results: Present findings using text, figures, and tables. Avoid interpretation in the results section and reserve discussion for the following section.
- Discussion: Interpret results in context of existing HIV literature, discuss implications and limitations, suggest future research directions for the field.
- Conclusions: Summarize main HIV findings and their significance in a concise paragraph that highlights contributions to the field.
- Acknowledgments: Acknowledge funding sources, patient contributions, and technical assistance that supported the research.
- References: List all cited works using numbered references in order of appearance throughout the manuscript.
Manuscripts must be submitted as Microsoft Word documents with specific formatting for HIV/AIDS research manuscripts submitted to JCRHAP.
Document Format
Use twelve-point Times New Roman or Arial font throughout the manuscript. Set line spacing to double throughout including references and figure legends. Number all pages consecutively from the title page. Set margins to one inch on all sides for consistent formatting.
Figures and Images
Submit figures as separate high-resolution files in TIFF, PNG, or JPEG format. Minimum resolution three hundred DPI for print quality. Include descriptive legends explaining all elements. Flow cytometry plots, viral load graphs, and clinical images should be clearly labeled.
Tables
Create tables using Microsoft Word table function rather than tab-delimited text. Number tables consecutively and provide descriptive titles. Include demographic data, CD4 counts, viral loads, and statistical analyses in clearly formatted tables.
All research involving human subjects must be approved by an institutional review board or ethics committee and conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki. Include ethics statements confirming approval and informed consent in manuscripts. Research involving people living with HIV requires particular attention to confidentiality and stigma prevention.
Animal studies must be approved by an institutional animal care committee following ARRIVE guidelines. Describe measures to minimize animal suffering and justify animal model use for HIV research. Include ethics approval numbers in the manuscript.
JCRHAP encourages authors to make research data available through appropriate repositories. For genomic data, use repositories such as GenBank or SRA. Include a Data Availability Statement describing how readers can access data underlying HIV research findings presented in the manuscript.
Manuscripts should be submitted through our online submission system at ManuscriptZone. First-time users must create an account before submitting. The submission process requires uploading the manuscript file, cover letter, and supplementary materials including any additional datasets.
Cover Letter Requirements
Include a cover letter explaining significance of your HIV research, confirming originality of the work, disclosing conflicts of interest, and suggesting three to five potential reviewers with HIV research expertise who do not have conflicts of interest.
All manuscripts undergo initial editorial assessment followed by single-blind peer review by HIV experts. Reviewers are selected based on expertise in specific HIV research areas. Authors typically receive reviewer comments within two to four weeks of submission. The editorial team provides clear guidance on required revisions.
Upon acceptance, authors receive page proofs within five business days. Corrections should be returned promptly. Articles are published online within one week of final approval with notification and links provided for sharing your HIV research.
Ready to Submit Your Research?
Your HIV/AIDS research can advance global understanding and improve patient outcomes through open access publication in JCRHAP.
