International Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism - Instructions For Authors

Clear preparation standards for efficient peer review

These instructions outline the preparation, formatting, and submission requirements for IJBM. Adhering to the guidance below reduces revision cycles, improves review efficiency, and supports a consistent reader experience.

IJBM publishes original research, reviews, case reports, brief communications, and editorials in bone biology and mineral metabolism. Manuscripts should present novel insights, clear methodology, and clinically relevant conclusions.

Authors are responsible for ethical compliance, accurate reporting, and complete disclosures. All submissions are screened for originality and evaluated on scientific merit only.

Before submission, ensure that your manuscript follows reporting guidelines appropriate to the study type, such as CONSORT for trials, PRISMA for systematic reviews, and STROBE for observational research.

Manuscripts are submitted through the online system and should include all required files on first submission to prevent delays.

Formatting

Follow structure, style, and reference standards for rapid processing.

Ethics

Provide approvals, consent, and trial registration where required.

Transparency

Include data availability statements and conflict disclosures.

Manuscript Preparation Standards

Manuscripts should be submitted as Microsoft Word files using twelve point font, double spacing, and continuous line numbering. Include a title page, abstract, main text, references, tables, and figure legends in a single file, with figures uploaded separately.

Use clear headings and follow IMRAD structure for original research. Review articles should describe search strategy and selection criteria. Case reports must include patient consent and clinical relevance.

Provide complete funding statements, author contributions, and conflict of interest disclosures. If any clinical trial registration is required, include the registry name and identifier in the abstract and methods section.

Ensure that statistical methods are described with sufficient detail and that effect sizes and confidence intervals are reported where applicable. Tables and figures should not duplicate text and must be understandable without referencing the main narrative.

If your study includes specialized assays, imaging protocols, or computational pipelines, provide enough detail for replication. When possible, share code or software versions and identify data repositories.

During revision, respond to reviewer comments clearly, identify where changes were made, and provide both marked and clean versions of the manuscript.

A concise cover letter should summarize the manuscript contribution, confirm exclusive submission, and highlight any prior posting such as a preprint. If related work has been submitted elsewhere, disclose it to avoid duplication concerns.

Ensure that all tables, figures, and supplementary files are cited in order within the text. Multimedia files should use common formats and include brief captions. If patient images or identifiable data are included, confirm consent and remove unnecessary identifiers. Line numbering throughout the manuscript helps reviewers provide precise feedback.

Reference accuracy is critical. Verify all citations, include DOI links when available, and ensure that reference formatting follows Vancouver style to prevent production delays.

Use SI units and standard clinical terminology throughout. Abbreviations should be defined at first use and used consistently in the abstract, tables, and figures.

File names should be clear and descriptive, especially for figures and supplementary materials, to avoid confusion during production.

Figures should be high resolution, at least three hundred dpi, and submitted in standard formats such as TIFF, JPEG, or PNG. Provide complete legends that explain symbols, units, and statistical annotations.

Case reports must include explicit patient consent for publication of clinical details and images. Remove identifying information unless it is essential and covered by consent.

Systematic reviews should include search dates, databases, inclusion criteria, and a PRISMA flow diagram when applicable. Narrative reviews must still describe the evidence selection approach.

Clinical trials should describe randomization, blinding, and allocation concealment methods. Include adverse event reporting and registration details in the manuscript.

Title Page and Authorship

Provide a concise title, full author names, affiliations, corresponding author contact details, running head, word count, and complete conflict of interest statements. Include ORCID identifiers where available.

Abstract and Keywords

Original research requires a structured abstract with Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions within two hundred fifty words. Provide five to eight keywords using MeSH terms when possible.

Methods and Reporting

Describe study design, setting, participants, interventions, outcomes, and statistical analysis with enough detail for replication. Report software versions and include ethical approval identifiers.

Figures, Tables, and References

Submit high resolution figures as separate files and provide complete legends. Tables should be editable and placed after references. Use Vancouver numeric citation style and include DOI links when available.

Supplementary Materials

Additional datasets, protocols, or extended analyses may be submitted as supplementary files. Reference these items in the main text and label files clearly for review and publication.

Language and Style

Manuscripts must be written in clear English using consistent spelling conventions. Authors who are not native English speakers should consider professional editing before submission.

Revisions

When revising, respond to reviewer comments point by point. Highlight changes in the manuscript and provide a clean version for final evaluation.

Statistical Reporting

Report effect sizes, confidence intervals, and exact p values when appropriate. Describe assumptions, missing data handling, and sensitivity analyses.

Permissions

Secure permissions for any third party figures or tables and include documentation at submission.

Reporting Guidelines

Use CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, ARRIVE, or other recognized guidelines appropriate to study design and include completed checklists when applicable.

Data and Code

Include a data availability statement and share code or protocols when possible to support reproducibility.

Required Manuscript Components

01

Introduction

Summarize background, identify the knowledge gap, and state the study objective. Avoid extensive literature review and focus on the specific problem your study addresses.
02

Methods

Provide detailed methodology including recruitment, inclusion criteria, interventions, and statistical analysis. Report ethical approvals and trial registration as applicable.
03

Results

Present findings clearly with tables and figures. Report effect sizes, confidence intervals, and exact p values where appropriate.
04

Discussion

Interpret results in the context of existing bone and mineral metabolism literature, acknowledge limitations, and explain clinical or biological implications.
05

Conclusions

Provide concise, evidence based conclusions that follow from the presented data without overstatement.
06

Data Availability

Include a statement describing where underlying data can be accessed and any conditions that apply.
07

Funding and Acknowledgments

List all funding sources, institutional support, and acknowledgments for contributors who do not meet authorship criteria.
08

Author Contributions

Specify individual contributions using a recognized taxonomy to clarify accountability.
09

Tables and Figures

Ensure tables are editable and figures are high resolution with complete legends and units.
10

Ethics Statements

Provide IRB approvals, consent details, and animal welfare compliance where applicable.
11

Cover Letter

Summarize the novelty of the study and confirm exclusive submission.
12

Reporting Checklist

Attach reporting checklists when required by the study type.

Manuscript Length Guidance

Word counts exclude abstract, references, tables, and figure legends unless specified.

Original Research

Full Articles

4,000-8,000 words

Structured Abstract

Review

Systematic or Narrative

6,000-10,000 words

PRISMA Ready

Case Report

Clinical Cases

1,500-3,000 words

Patient Consent

Brief Report

Short Communications

1,000-2,000 words

Rapid Review

Quality and Compliance

Scroll for key standards that improve review efficiency and publication quality.

ETH

Ethics First

Provide IRB or ethics committee approvals and informed consent statements.

TRI

Trial Registration

Clinical trials must include registry name and identifier.

PLAG

Originality

All submissions are screened for similarity and ethical compliance.

DATA

Data Transparency

Include data availability statements and repository links where possible.

STAT

Statistical Rigor

Report effect sizes, confidence intervals, and exact p values when applicable.

FORM

Formatting

Use consistent headings, references, and figure labeling.

RESP

Revision Quality

Respond to reviewer comments clearly and completely.

LANG

Language Quality

Clear writing improves review efficiency and reader comprehension.

CHECK

Checklist Compliance

Attach required reporting checklists to avoid delays.

Prepared Manuscripts Move Faster

Following these standards reduces delays, improves reviewer feedback quality, and supports faster publication. Clear reporting also strengthens your study credibility and citation potential.

IJBM aims to publish clinically relevant skeletal science with consistent editorial quality and transparent methods.

Well prepared manuscripts improve reviewer confidence and help your research reach clinicians and policy leaders more quickly.

If you have questions about formatting or compliance, contact the editorial office before submission.

Thorough preparation reduces back and forth during review and speeds the path to publication.

Contact the editorial office if any requirements are unclear.

Need Formatting Help?

Contact the editorial office for guidance on manuscript preparation or submission requirements.

[email protected]

Submit Your Manuscript

Use the submission system below to start your IJBM review process.

Submit via ManuscriptZone Simple Submission Form