Liberia Medical & Dental Association Journal

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Information For Contributors

Journal Manuscript Preparation Overview

About The Journal
The Liberia Medical & Dental Association Journal (LMDAJ) is dedicated to publishing articles of professional, scientific, and educational relevance to medical and dental practitioners, researchers, and professionals in related fields. The Journal places special emphasis on medical practice and research that pertain to Africa and its peoples.
Scope & Focus
LMDAJ aims to serve as a platform for sharing research findings both within Liberia and West Africa, as well as in the broader international community. By facilitating the dissemination of knowledge, the Journal seeks to foster collaboration among medical researchers in Africa and beyond.
Language & Publication
The Journal is available in both English and French. Additionally, supplements may be published upon arrangement with the Editor-In-Chief, providing further opportunities for scholarly exchange and dissemination.

Information On Previous Publications

Originality of Submissions
Manuscripts submitted to the Liberia Medical & Dental Association Journal (LMDAJ) must be original works that have not been previously published, nor are they currently under consideration for publication by any other journal. This policy ensures the integrity and uniqueness of the content published by LMDAJ.
Exceptions for Abstracts
The publication of an abstract of the paper elsewhere does not disqualify the manuscript from being considered for publication in LMDAJ. Authors may submit manuscripts even if an abstract of the work has been shared in another venue.
Addressing Potential Duplicate Publications
In cases where there may be uncertainty regarding possible duplicate publication, authors are required to include a copy of the previously published paper along with their manuscript at the time of submission. This allows the editorial team to review and address any concerns related to duplicative publication.
Submission of Manuscript
The Journal invites submissions in several formats, including original research articles, commentaries, editorials, reviews, educational materials, as well as scientific, socio-political, and economic contributions. All submissions should address topics relevant to medical care, education, or research.
 
Authors are required to upload an electronic copy of their manuscript in PDF format via their account portal created on lmdaj.org. An electronic copy of their submission in Microsoft Word (*.rtf) format should also be sent to the Editor-In-Chief at lmdajeditorinchief@lmdaj.org. Kindly open a ticket at our support site helpdesk.lmdaj.org if reporting any difficulties experienced while submitting your manuscript. An email can also be sent to submissions@lmdaj.org for any additional questions related to your submission.
Asst. Professor Philip Z. Ireland

Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences. John F. Kennedy Medical Center

University of Liberia Teaching Hospital. Monrovia, Liberia.

Email: lmdajeditorinchief@lmdaj.org

Submissions: submissions@lmdaj.org

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Revising A Manuscript
Authors revising at the Editor-in-Chief’s request should submit a cover letter addressing each point raised. Email copies to the Editor-in-Chief, who will provide details on electronic submission requirements if needed.

Edited manuscript proofs may be sent to the corresponding author for corrections, which must be returned within three days. Only typographical errors should be corrected at the galley proof stage.

 

Format manuscripts according to the “Uniform requirements for Biomedical Journals”:
 
  • 3-centimeter (cm) margins
  • Double spacing
  • Page numbering
  • Word counts for all abstracts and papers (excluding references, tables, and legends).
  • Times New Roman, 12-point font (Microsoft Word)

 

All submissions undergo peer review by vetted assessors. Accepted manuscripts may be copy-edited to fit Journal style. Authors are responsible for all statements made, which do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors, Publishers, or Owners of the Journal. The Editors and Publishers do not guarantee claims made about any products and/or services mentioned therein.
 
Manuscripts must include a cover letter naming the corresponding Author and signed by all Co-Authors. Only significant contributors should be listed as Authors or Co-Authors. All authors must sign the declaration and copyright notice upon acceptance of the submission; if any listed Authors cannot sign, the Senior Author should provide an explanation.
Offprints
Offprints are obtainable from the Editor-In-Chief at pre-determined rates. The cost of which should be fully paid at time of final acceptance of contributions.

Types Of Contributions

Indicate the type of contribution in the covering letter as follows:

Section A: Original Research Article
Original research articles should focus on key aspects of medical disorders, specifically addressing their etiology, pathogenesis, pathology, diagnosis, management, and prevention. Submissions in this category may also include animal research studies, provided that their findings have clear implications for human healthcare.
 
Manuscripts submitted as original research articles must not exceed 4,000 words in total length. Each article may include no more than eight tables and/or illustrations and should contain a maximum of thirty references. 
 
Section B: Brief Communication and Case Reports
Examples include case reports, clinical experiences, adverse drug effect reports, and brief original research. Limit the text to 1,500 words, three figures or tables, and fifteen references. Use standard paper format. 

 

Section C: Medical Education
Significant advancements & innovations in medical education for clinicians, as well as ongoing professional development, are encouraged. Manuscript length and related criteria should align with those established for original research articles.

 

Section D: Reviews and Meta-Analysis
Systematic, critical reviews or meta-analyses covering clinical practice, drug therapy, disease mechanisms, or related topics are welcome, whether invited or unsolicited by the Editor-In_Chief. Submissions should not exceed 5,000 words, may include up to three sub-headings, a maximum of 60 references, and 10 tables or illustrations.

 

Section E: Conference and Workshop Reports and Supplements
Conferences and workshop reports must be under 5,000 words and should be edited prior to submission. This section also accepts proceedings from grand rounds. Special issues may be published as supplements, provided a proposal is approved by the journal.

 

Section F: Editorials and Commentaries
Editorials and commentaries are usually commissioned, but unsolicited submissions are accepted and reviewed. The theme should be topical, current or related to previous Journal articles. Limit length to 1,000 words and no more than 20 references.

 

Section G: Correspondence
Letters to the Editor should be limited to 600 words, include up to five references, and contain no more than two illustrations or tables. Topics can cover clinical observations, relevant issues, or responses to published articles. Submit double-spaced correspondence by e-mail, in duplicate. Accepted letters may be edited before publication.

 

Section H: Miscellaneous
Content may include book reviews, prose up to 100 words, and poetry with a maximum of 60 lines. Socio-political topics in medical care or personal opinions for debate should not exceed 2,000 words.

Manuscript Format & Preparation

Manuscripts must be prepared either in English or French, using double spacing throughout the document. For hard copy submissions, use white bond paper with margins of 3 cm on all sides. The manuscript should be organized in the following order:

 

  • Title page
  • Abstract
  • Keywords
  • Abbreviations
  • Main Text
    1. Introduction
    2. Subjects
    3. Materials and Methods
    4. Results
    5. Discussion
  • Acknowledgments
  • Duality of Interest
  • References
  • Tables
  • Figures
  • Legends to Figures and Tables.

 

Pages must be numbered consecutively, beginning with the title page and continuing through to the tables. Each section listed above should begin on a new page, following the specified sequence.
Title Page

The title page must include the following information:

 

  1.   Title of the manuscript
  2.   Initials and surnames of all authors along with their affiliations
  3.   Name, postal address, and e-mail address of the corresponding author
  4.   Running title not exceeding 40 characters
  5.   Details regarding any financial support or conflict of Interest, such as the funding agency and grant number.

 

Abbreviations should not be used in the title. At the bottom of the title page, provide the word count for both the abstract and the main text.

Abstract Page
The abstract should be presented as either a structured abstract (maximum 250 words) or an unstructured abstract (150 words or fewer), depending on the article type. Structured abstracts are required for original research papers, case reports, reviews, meta-analyses, and brief reports. Other contributions should include only a conventional summary, limited to 150 words. Regardless of format, the abstract must cover the purpose, methods, results, and conclusion of the study. Abstracts are not required for editorials, correspondence, commentaries, prose, poetry, and similar contributions. 
Structured Abstracts should be provided as follows:
Provide structured abstracts in accordance with the following guidelines for the article type:
 

I. Abstract for original contributions, case reports and brief reports should consist of the following sections: 

  1. Background and objectives
  2. Methods which should include design
  3. Subjects, materials, setting and measurements
  4. Results
  5. Conclusions

 

II. A review article abstract (including meta-analysis) should be organized into the following sections:

  1. Background/Purpose
  2. Data Source(s)
  3. Study selection
  4. Data extraction
  5. Results
  6. Conclusions
Keywords
After the abstract, include four to ten keywords or brief phrases suitable for indexing. Select these terms from the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) used by Index Medicus.

Guidelines On Style

Headings in Text
Use a maximum of these levels of sub-headings.
Abbreviations 
Use abbreviations only when necessary to avoid repetition. Define abbreviations in figure or table footnotes and list non-standard abbreviations alphabetically with definitions after keywords. Accepted abbreviations need no definition. Do not use abbreviations in titles, running titles, illustration captions, or at the beginning of sentences.
 
Drugs
Medications should be identified by their generic names rather than trade names, except in cases involving adverse reactions or when comparing different formulations of the same agent. In these instances, provide the generic name followed by the proprietary name and manufacturer in parentheses. 

 

Tables

Each table should be submitted on a separate page, typed with double line spacing, and identified by Arabic numerals referenced within the main text. Indicate approximate placement of tables in the manuscript. Provide a concise title describing the content of each table, formatted using the tables function in Microsoft Word rather than a spreadsheet application. 

 

Assign a brief header to each table column, including units in brackets at the top of every column. Put any explanatory notes in footnotes instead of the headings. For footnotes, use these symbols in order from left to right or top to bottom: *, †, ‡, §, ¶, **, ††, ‡‡, §§, and so on. Avoid using internal horizontal or vertical lines within the table. If the table spans more than one page, repeat the title with “cont’d” and restate the column headings on the next page. 

 

Illustrations or photographs must be submitted in three copies as high-quality, black-and-white glossy prints. Professionally prepared line drawings are also accepted if presented as photographic prints. Original drawings and X-ray films are not permitted. All illustrations should conform to A4 dimensions. Letters, numbers, and symbols should be consistently clear and appropriately sized to ensure legibility after reduction for publication. Titles and explanatory notes should be included in the corresponding legend, not within the figures themselves. 

 

Photomicrographs should be accompanied by appropriate staining methods, internal scale bars, and/or a clear statement of magnification. All symbols, arrows, or annotation letters utilized in the images must contrast effectively with the background. 

 

Figures must be numbered sequentially using Arabic numerals in the order of their citation within the text. When including patient photographs, ensure that identities are concealed or written consent for publication has been obtained. Any material reproduced from other sources must be accompanied by written permission from the publishers or copyright holders.

 

Color Figures will only be published at the expense of the authors. If in doubt, Authors should write to inquire from the Editor-In-Chief.

 

On the back of each printed figure or below the electronic figure, authors should write the figure number, the name of the senior author, the running title and an arrow to indicate the top edge.

 

Footnotes are only allowed on the title page and in tables, but not within the text. Footnote symbols should be used in the following order, horizontally and/or vertically: *, †,‡,§,¶,**, ††,‡‡,§§, etc. Use of numbers or letters is not acceptable. 

 

Legends for Figures
Each legend should be typed double-spaced on a separate sheet and assigned Arabic numerals corresponding to the relevant figures. Begin with a concise title, followed by a brief, clear description of the illustration. Define all abbreviations and symbols within the legend. Where applicable, specify the magnification and staining method at the conclusion of the legend for any microphotograph. 
Units For Scientific Measurements
Present units of scientific measurements in the units in which the research was conducted (with the conventional or SI equivalents in parentheses) in the text. In a table or figure, a conversion factor should be provided as a footnote.
Acknowledgements
General, financial, and material support, as well as any technical or secretarial assistance, should be acknowledged at the conclusion of the main text. Authors are responsible for obtaining consent from all individuals recognized in the acknowledgements.
References

References must be numbered in parentheses, following the order in which they are mentioned in the main text, tables, or legends. They should conform to the Vancouver style outlined in the “Uniform Requirements for manuscripts submitted to Biomedical Journals (1).”

 

At the conclusion of the article, provide a comprehensive reference list that includes the surnames and initials of all authors—unless there are more than six, in which case list only the first six followed by “et al.” Each entry should include the title of the article, the journal name abbreviated according to Index Medicus, year of publication, volume number, and page range.

 

For books, references should list the author, book title, city of publication, publisher, year, and relevant pages. Journal titles not found in Index Medicus must be written out in full.

Examples of References
 
Standard Article

Musumatu G, Miakama T, Okoro P, Pneumonia in Lagos Children. West Afr J Med 1997-234:45-49

 

Special Format

Letters or abstracts: As for articles with letter or abstract Oshare, EO. Tetanus in Lagos (Letter) Niger Med J 1988: 1:301.

 

Books

List all authors or editor when six or fewer: when seven or more, list the first six and add et al.

Author of a book

Makamer EN. Diabetes mellitus for Medical Students. 6th ed. Nairobi, Princess Publisher: 1990

Chapter in a Book

(Note: Previous Vancouver style had a colon rather than a p before pagination).
Philip SI, Whisnant JP. Hypertension and stroke. In: Laragh JH. Brenner BM, editors. Hypertension:
Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management. 2nd ed. New York. Raven Press; 1995. P. 465-78

 

Volume with Supplement

Shen HM, Zhang QF. Risk assessment of nickel carcinogenicity and occupational lung cancer.
Environ. Health Perspect 1994: 102 (Suppl) 1275-82.

 

Issue with Supplement

Pyne DK, Sullivan MD, Massie MJ. Women’s psychological reactions to breast cancer. Semin
Oncol 1996; 23(1 suppl 2):89-97.

 

Volume with part

Ozben T, Nacitarhan S, Tuncer N, Plasma and urine sialic acid in non-insulin dependent diabetes
Mellitus. Ann Clin Biochem 1995; 32(Pt.3):303-6.

Type of article indicated as needed

Enzensberger W, Fischer PA. Metronome in Parkson’s disease (letter). Lancet 1996: 347:1337.

Ringsven MK, Bond D, Gerontology and leadership skills for nurses, 2nd ed. Albany (NY). Delmar
Publishers; 1996.

 

Editor(s), Compiler(s) as Author

Norman IJ, Redfern SJ, editors. Mental Health care for elderly people New York. Churchill
Livingstone; 1996.

Conference Proceedings

Kimura J, Shibasaki H, editors Recent advances in clinical neurophysiology, Proceedings of the
10th International Congress of EMG and Clinical Neurophysiology. 1995 Oct 15 – 19, Kyoto,
Japan. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1996

Conference Paper

Bengtsson S, Solheim BG, Enforcement of data protection, Privacy and security in medical
Informatic. In: Lun KC, Daguolet P, Piemme TE, Rienhoff O, editors. MEDINFO 92 Proceedings
Of the 7th World Congress on Medical Informatics 1992 Sep 6-10: Geneva, Switzerland.
Amsterdam, North Holland, 1992. P.1561 – 5.

 

Dissertation

Chaplain SJ, Post-hospital home health care: the elderly’s access and utilization (dissertation).
St Louise (MO): Washington University 1995. The Holy Bible, King James Version. Grand Rapids
(MI): Zondervan Publishing House; 1995. Ruth 3:1-18 1973.

Electronic Material

Journal article in electronic format Morse SS. Factors in the emergence of infectious diseases.
Emerg. Infect Dis (serial online) 1995 Jan-Mar (cited 1996 Jun 5); (1): (24) screens); available
From URL: http/www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EOD/eid.htm.

 

Manograph in Electronic Format

CDI, clinical dermatology illustrated (manograph on CD-ROM), Reeves JRT, Maibach H, CMEA
Multimedia Group, Producers, 2nd ed. Version 2.0 San Diego. CMEA; 1995. Hemodynamics III
The ups and downs of hemodynamics

It is the responsibility of all authors to ensure the accuracy of cited references.

Ethical Considerations

Consent
All manuscripts reporting experiments involving human subjects must include a statement in the methods section confirming adherence to the requirements of the local ethics committee. In cases where access to an ethics committee is unavailable, investigators should follow the principles outlined in the Helsinki Declaration (2). The use of patient names, initials, or hospital numbers should be strictly avoided. If full-face photographs are published, they must be accompanied by informed consent, provided either as a signature or thumbprint from the individual concerned. Researchers conducting animal experiments are required to comply with institutional guidelines regarding the use of laboratory animals in research. 
 
Criteria for Authorship

According to the Uniform Requirements (1), authorship credit should be granted solely on the basis of substantial contributions to the following: (a) conception and design, or analysis and interpretation of data; (b) drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for significant intellectual content; and (c) providing final approval of the version to be published. 

Individuals must satisfy all three conditions: (a), (b), and (c), to qualify for authorship. Merely collecting and assembling data is insufficient for authorship recognition. Conversely, it is important to ensure that those who meet the criteria for authorship are appropriately included. 

 

Conflicts of Interest
Authors are required to disclose all financial support, such as equipment and drugs, on the title page. Any financial interests that could affect how the study is conducted or reported should be detailed in the cover letter. Reviewers (assessors of articles) must also notify the editor of any potential conflicts of interest. 

 

Previous and Redundant Publications
Do not submit manuscripts that heavily overlap with published work. Conference abstracts do not disqualify a paper. Authors must give the editor copies of any potential duplicate papers. 

 

Copyright
Once a paper is accepted, its copyright will be transferred to the Journal or Publisher. Every author listed on the submitted manuscript must sign the designated form confirming their agreement and the transfer of copyright.
Documents Cited
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Uniform requirements for manuscript submitted to Biomedical Journals. http://www.icmjc.org/urm-full
 
41st World Medical Assembly. Declaration of Helsinki’s recommendations guiding Physicians in Biomedical Research and involving human subjects. Bulletin Pan-American Health Organization. 1990; 24: 606-9.

Methods of Submission

Manual Manuscript Submission

For those Contributors unable to leverage the lmdaj.org peer-review workflow process via their account portal, please be advised that all submissions must be made electronically to the specified email addresses above. Manuscripts should be sent to the Editor-In-Chief (EIC) as an email attachment, prepared in Microsoft Word and saved in Rich Text Format (RTF). 

 

For initial review, figures may be scanned or captured by digital camera and provided as separate files from the main text. If necessary, arrangements will be made to obtain high-quality graphics from authors upon acceptance. Upon receipt of your electronic manuscript, it will be forwarded as-is to reviewers; therefore, please ensure your submission adheres fully to the author guidelines. 

 

Authors are required to submit two versions of their manuscript: one including all prescribed details, and a second version omitting names and affiliations. 

 
Keywords for Indexing
Each issue and volume of the Journal includes author and subject indexes. To make this process easier, authors should provide standard, accepted keywords as described in the information for authors section. These keywords must follow those listed in the MeSH of Index Medicus or Medline. 

 

Review Articles in Specialties

The Journal is actively enhancing its contribution to postgraduate medical education. Accordingly, we invite the submission of review articles focused on specialized fields within several categories, such as medicine, surgery, dentistry, as well as topics related to basic and continuing medical education. For additional information, please contact the Editor-in-Chief. 

 

Prospective contributors are encouraged to contact the Editor-in-Chief to discuss their proposed topic prior to submission.

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Our New Online Peer-Review Workflow System! 

The Journal is pleased to announce the launch of our new Online Peer Review Workflow Portal, accessible at www.lmdaj.org. This comprehensive system encompasses all submission, review, and publication procedures, and is designed to promote effective collaboration and streamlined communication among all participants in the manuscript publication process. We highly encourage Authors and Reviewers (Assessors) to utilize this newly implemented workflow for conducting peer reviews going forward. 

 

All usage guidelines, step-by-step and procedural instructions are also now available at our newly launched Support and Knowledgebase portal: helpdesk.lmdaj.org supporting this new online workflow system. 

 

We are currently inviting additional peer reviewers to support the wider implementation and adoption of this online workflow system as the primary platform for conducting peer reviews for the Journal. Individuals interested in joining the Journal’s review team are encouraged to email their expression of interest directly to the Editor in Chief. Upon receipt, a formal invitation and account creation and registration instructions will be provided.

 

Manuscript Submission via the Online Peer-Review Workflow System 

 

Instructions for submitting contributions via the new system will be available on our Help & Support portal at helpdesk.lmdaj.org. Here you will create a user account to submit help tickets, ask questions, and access resources and step-by-step guides about the online peer-review workflow system and its use.

Our Policy On Processing Newly Submitted Manuscripts..

Effective January 1st, 2024, the Board of the Journal has implemented a policy requiring authors to pay a non-refundable processing fee of fifty dollars (USD 50.00) upon manuscript submission. This fee is collected as an initial deposit towards the total cost of the peer review process and is separate from the publication fee assessed upon final acceptance. The policy ensures consistent and efficient handling of submitted manuscripts without influencing the decision on publication.   

 

This fee must now be paid through the Online Peer-Review Workflow payment portal when submitting your manuscript from your Author account at www.lmdaj.org, using a credit card from any major bank.

 

In addition, the Board of the Journal has decided that solicited contributions will be exempted from the payment of processing fees.

 

In case of any difficulty, please contact us via email at the following email addresses: 

Asst. Professor Philip Z. Ireland
Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences. John F. Kennedy Medical Center University of Liberia Teaching Hospital. Monrovia, Liberia.
 
Or you may open a support ticket at helpdesk.lmdaj.org