Author Guidelines

Introduction

The introduction, limited to 650 words including citations, should briefly outline the objectives of the study and provide sufficient background information to explain why the research was conducted. Clearly state the hypotheses that were tested, ensuring the context is understandable to readers.

Materials and Methods

The Materials and Methods section should be concise yet detailed enough to allow other researchers to replicate the study. Where possible, reference established procedures, including both the original descriptions and any significant modifications.

• Subject Information: Clearly state the sex of subjects used in the study; if unknown, this should be explicitly mentioned.
• Materials: List all companies and individuals from whom materials were obtained, including their affiliations if applicable.
• Experimental Design and Statistical Analyses:
• Include a subsection that describes the experimental design and the statistical tests used.
• Provide full details of the experimental setup, including within- and between-subject factors, sample sizes, controls, and any adjustments made for multiple comparisons.
• Mention any software used for analysis and describe how data was handled, whether through histograms, scatter plots, or other means that capture variability.
• Indicate whether the data are openly accessible and where they can be found. If the experiment was preregistered, provide relevant details.
• Code/Software: If custom code or software was central to the study, include a statement under “Code Accessibility” or “Software Accessibility” describing how it can be accessed and any restrictions. This code should be made available to other researchers upon request.
• Research Resource Identifiers (RRIDs): Use RRIDs to clearly identify key biological resources used in the study, such as animal lines, reagents, and software packages. Cite these identifiers appropriately within the manuscript.
• Reanalysis of Published Data: If your study involves the reanalysis of published data, ensure that the original source is thoroughly cited, avoid duplicating previously published figures, and clearly acknowledge the use of existing data.

This section should also include information on Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and adherence to protocols. Any novel experimental procedures must be described in detail, and any deviations from established methods should be clearly explained. By adhering to these guidelines, you ensure that your study can be accurately replicated by other investigators.

Results

The Results section should clearly and succinctly present the experimental findings, focusing only on those results that are essential to establishing the main points of the study.

• Data Presentation: Ensure that all numerical data are analyzed using the appropriate statistical tests, as described in the Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis section.
• Statistical Reporting: Provide detailed information for each statistical test applied, including degrees of freedom and any estimates of effect size. Report exact p-values rather than ranges (e.g., p = 0.026 rather than p < 0.05).
• Examples of Statistical Reporting: Include specific examples of statistical values such as F values (e.g., F(1, 72) = 14.5, p = 0.003, ANOVA), t values (e.g., t(10) = 2.98, p = 0.043, paired t-test), coefficient of determination (R²), and Bayes factors.

By adhering to these guidelines, you ensure that your results are presented in a clear, precise, and reproducible manner, allowing readers to fully understand and evaluate your findings.

Discussion

The Discussion section should interpret the meaning of your results, placing them in the context of existing research and highlighting their relevance to prior findings in the literature.

• Word Limit: 1,500 words maximum, including citations.
• Principal Findings: Begin with a brief statement of the key findings of your study.
• Validity: Discuss the validity of your observations and any potential limitations.
• Context: Compare your findings with other published work on similar or related topics, emphasizing how your results contribute to the broader field.
• Significance: Include a statement on the potential significance and implications of your work, considering how your findings could be applied by other researchers.

Keep the discussion concise and focused, avoiding extensive reviews of the literature to ensure that the primary focus remains on your study’s contributions and relevance.

References

Authors should format references according to the American Psychological Association (APA) style, which is widely used in scientific publications in the USA. Ensure all references are cited in the text and listed in the reference section at the end of the manuscript. Please double-check that all references are accurate and complete.

Examples of References in APA Style:

Figures, Tables, and Multimedia

• Figures: All figures should be submitted as separate high-resolution files, preferably in TIFF or EPS format. Ensure figures are numbered consecutively as they appear in the text.
• Tables: Tables should be created using Word’s table function and submitted as separate files or included at the end of the manuscript text. Number tables consecutively and ensure they are cited in the text in the order of appearance.
• Multimedia: Multimedia files, such as videos or 3D models, should be submitted in MP4 or U3D format and be numbered separately from figures and tables. Ensure multimedia content is essential for the study's conclusions and not easily conveyed through text or figures alone.

Legends for Figures, Tables, and Multimedia

Each figure, table, and multimedia file must have an accompanying legend included in the manuscript text.

• Legends should:
• Be numbered consecutively to match the figure, table, or multimedia file they describe.
• Include sufficient detail to make the content understandable without referring to the main text.
• Avoid repeating information that is already provided in the text or title.

Supplemental Materials

Supplemental materials should be submitted as separate files and will be published online alongside the main article. These materials can include additional data, methods, figures, or multimedia files that support the main findings but are not essential to the main narrative.

• File Formats: Most text, image, and video formats are accepted. Ensure all supplemental materials are appropriately labeled and referenced in the manuscript.
• Presentation: Supplemental materials will not be copyedited or typeset, so please ensure that they are clearly presented and correctly formatted before submission.
• Purpose: Use supplemental materials to provide additional context, elaborate on methods, or present raw data that supports the article's findings.

By adhering to these guidelines, authors can ensure their submissions are well-organized, accessible, and aligned with the standards of the Journal of Holistic Medicine.

Final Submission Checklist

Manuscripts must be written in English, double-spaced, with all lines of text numbered. To help authors ensure their submissions meet the required standards, we provide PDF checklists that outline the necessary steps for both initial and revised submissions. Using these checklists will help avoid delays in the review process by ensuring all guidelines are followed.

• Checklist for Initial Submissions [PDF]
• Checklist for Revised Submissions [PDF]