Guidelines for Authors
Comprehensive guidelines for submitting manuscripts to the Maflekumen Community Health and Research Journal (MCHRJ).
Important Notice
Article submission is free of charge. However, if accepted, authors must pay a publication fee to cover the publication costs.
Publication Fee
70,000 FCFA
National Authors (Cameroon)
Publication Fee
$100 USD
International Authors
Payment is only required after manuscript acceptance, not upon submission. No hidden fees or additional charges.
About the Journal
Name of Journal: Maflekumen Community Health and Research Journal (MCHRJ)
Scope of the Journal: Maflekumen Community Health and Research Journal is a peer reviewed community-based journal and the official publication of Maflekumen University Institute. It covers all aspects of health sciences, medicine, pharmacy, and biomedical sciences.
Manuscripts are accepted based on originality, scientific quality, clarity of presentation and relevance to community health. The journal accepts original research articles, review papers and short communication in either English or in French.
Publication Schedule
The journal shall publish three times per year (February, June and November).
Author Instructions
All manuscripts submitted (Microsoft Office Word) to this Journal for publication must follow this format.
Manuscript Categories
Original research articles
Reports of new research findings or conceptual analyses that make a significant contribution to knowledge. The papers should contain no more than 20 typewritten pages or up to 5000 words, not including references, tables and figures. Previously reported methods should be referenced only. The number of references should not exceed 40. Articles should be as concise as possible, while providing sufficient information for it to be repeated.
Review papers
Critical reviews of the literature, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses. They are contributed by scientists who are leading specialists in their field of expertise. It should normally focus on literature published over the previous five years and should not exceed 10,000 words excluding references. It should not contain more than five tables and figures combined and should have a maximum of 110 references.
Short communication
Preliminary findings of research in progress or a case report of particular interest. This should not be more than 2000 words. Maximum 15-20 references.
Body of the Manuscript
It should indicate the following parts: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.
Manuscript Style
- Manuscripts should be submitted in 12 points, Times New Roman font, with 1.5 line spacing.
- Provide sufficient margins of 2.5 cm.
- The text should not be formatted.
- Each page must be numbered, and lines must be consecutively numbered from the start to the end of the manuscript.
- The corresponding author should be identified and include a valid email address.
- Full postal and email addresses must be given for all co-authors.
Cover Letter
This is a letter that will be signed by all authors declaring that the submitted manuscript has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. The cover letter should equally indicate the name and address of the corresponding author (a sample of this letter is available on the journal website to be downloaded and completed).
Title Page
This page should indicate the title of the study, the authors, their affiliations and the corresponding author and contact information (email address and phone number). The title should not exceed 20 words count.
Abstract
The abstract should be structured with the following subheadings: Background, Objective, Methods, Results, and Conclusion. The abstract must not exceed 250 words and should be written in Times New Roman with a line spacing of 1.5.
Keywords
Provide four to six key words.
Main Text
The paper should be divided into clearly defined and numbered sections. Subsections should be numbered 1.0 (then 1.1, 1.2, ...), 2.0, etc. (the abstract is not included in section numbering). Any subsection may be given a brief heading. Each heading should appear on its own separate line.
Section Guidance
Introduction
The introduction should briefly place the study in a broad context and highlight why it is important. It should define the purpose of the work and its significance, including specific hypotheses being tested. The current state of the research field should be reviewed carefully and key publications cited. Finally, it should mention the main aim of the work.
Methods
Sufficient details should be provided to allow the work to be reproduced by an independent researcher. Already published methods should be summarized and indicated by a reference. Any modifications to existing methods should be described. The section related to statistical analysis should have information on applied statistical tests and programs.
Results
Provide a concise and precise description of the experimental results obtained. Tables should be formatted without vertical or horizontal lines and use 1.0-line spacing. Table titles should appear above the table and figures caption below.
Conclusion
It should be in a blocked paragraph.
Acknowledgements
Contributions from anyone who does not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed, with permission from the contributor, in an Acknowledgments section. Financial and material support should also be mentioned. Thanks to anonymous reviewers are not appropriate.
Funding and Conflict of Interest
Declare if the work was funded.
Declare if there is any conflict of interest.
References
Use Vancouver referencing style.
Tables
Tables should be self-contained and complement, not duplicate, information contained in the text. They should be supplied as editable files, not pasted as images. Legends should be concise but comprehensive; the table, legend, and footnotes must be understandable without reference to the text. All abbreviations must be defined in footnotes.
Figures
Although authors are encouraged to send the highest-quality figures possible, for peer-review purposes a wide variety of formats, sizes, and resolutions are accepted. Legends should be concise but comprehensive; the figure and its legend must be understandable without reference to the text. Include definitions of any symbols used and define/explain all abbreviations and units of measurement.
Publication Ethics
Authorship
To be listed as an author, the individual must have made substantial contributions to the work from conception, drafting of the article, final approval for publication and agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Appeals
Authors who wish to appeal an editorial decision should submit a formal letter of appeal to the editorial team.
Research Misconduct
All studies involving human or animal subjects must adhere to accepted ethical standards and should have been carried out within an appropriate ethical framework.
Open access
All articles published in this journal will be freely available to any researcher wishing to use them for non-commercial purposes.
Prior Publication
MCHRJ only accepts manuscripts that have not been previously published in a peer-reviewed journal or under any consideration for publication in another journal.
Plagiarism check
The journal randomly screen submitted manuscripts for plagiarism.
Peer Review Process
Submission and initial screening
Manuscripts should be submitted through the email address maflekumenresearchjournal@gmail.com. Manuscripts submitted for publication are initially checked for major deficiencies. At this stage the manuscript may be rejected without full peer review.
Peer review
Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are sent for double blind peer review by three anonymous reviewers. Reviewers are guided by a reviewer report form which evaluates the originality, scientific contribution and relevance to the community. The review process will take an average of 3 weeks.
Final decision and publication
The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision based on the reviewer's reports. Once accepted, the manuscript is published with an average of 6 weeks.
Publication Charges
Article submission is free of charge. However, if accepted, authors must pay a publication fee of 70,000 FCFA for National authors (Cameroon) or 100 USD for International authors to cover the publication costs. Fee waivers may be available for authors who meet certain criteria. Please contact us for waiver requests.
Ready to Submit?
Make sure your manuscript follows all the formatting guidelines above before submission.
Submission Options:
Submit online through our website or send via email to our editorial team.