4.1Author Guidelines

Write Freely. Submit Easily.

ARST does not require authors to reformat their manuscript to a house style before the first submission. Write the paper in the way that best serves the science, and let the editorial office handle presentation once the work is accepted. What we do insist on is that the work is original, ethically conducted, honestly reported and complete enough to be assessed.

Initial submission. Submit the main manuscript as an editable Word file (.doc / .docx), double spaced, with continuous line numbers and page numbers. The main file must be anonymised for double blind review — author names, affiliations, acknowledgements and any self-identifying references belong on a separate title page. A cover letter addressed to the Editor-in-Chief and a Word file with details of four suggested reviewers must accompany every submission.

Overall Similarity Index. Every manuscript is screened before review. The overall similarity index must be 15% or below, with no single source exceeding 5%. Manuscripts above this threshold are returned to the author without review.

4.1.1Manuscript Structure — Original Research Article

• Title page (separate file): title, all authors, affiliations, ORCID iDs, corresponding author contact details, running title.
• Abstract: structured, 250 words maximum — Background, Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion.
• Keywords: 3–5 terms, preferably drawn from a controlled vocabulary.
• Introduction: context, gap in the literature, and the precise aim of the study.
• Materials and Methods: sufficient detail for replication; instruments, reagents, statistical tests and software versions; ethics approval number where applicable.
• Results: findings presented without interpretation; figures and tables cited in order.
• Discussion: interpretation against existing literature, limitations, and implications.
• Conclusion: a short statement of what the study establishes.
• Declarations: funding, conflict of interest, ethical approval, informed consent, data availability, author contributions.
• Acknowledgements and References.

Figures and Tables

• Figures: minimum 300 dpi, supplied as TIFF, PNG or JPEG, numbered in order of citation, with a caption placed below the figure.
• Tables: supplied as editable text, never as images; numbered in order of citation, with the title above and explanatory footnotes below.
• Every figure and table must be cited in the text and must be legible when printed at single-column width.
• Previously published material requires written permission from the copyright holder and full attribution in the caption.

References — Vancouver Style

References are numbered consecutively in the order in which they first appear in the text, cited in the text as superscript numerals, and listed in numerical order at the end of the manuscript.

4.1.2Manuscript Structure — Review Article

• Title page (separate file), as for original research.
• Unstructured abstract, 250 words maximum.
• Keywords: 3–5 terms.
• Introduction stating the scope and rationale for the review.
• Methodology of the literature search: databases, search strings, date range, inclusion and exclusion criteria.
• Main body organised under thematic subheadings.
• Critical appraisal of the evidence and identification of research gaps.
• Future perspectives.
• Conclusion, declarations and references.

4.1.2Manuscript Structure — Case Reports

• Title page (separate file), as for original research.
• Unstructured abstract, 150 words maximum.
• Keywords: 3–5 terms.
• Introduction placing the case in clinical or technical context.
• Case presentation: history, examination, investigations, management and outcome, in chronological order.
• Discussion with reference to comparable reported cases.
• Conclusion and the specific learning point for readers.
• Written informed consent from the patient or guardian is mandatory and must be declared.
• Declarations and references.

4.2Manuscript Types and Word Limits

4.3Article Processing Charges

How to Pay the APC

1. Wait for the formal acceptance letter from the editorial office — no payment is due before acceptance.
2. The acceptance letter carries the payable amount, the invoice number and the journal's bank / UPI details.
3. Remit the amount quoting your manuscript reference number (ARST-YYYY-XXXX) as the payment reference.
4. Email the payment receipt or transaction reference to editor@arstjournal.com.
5. A receipt is issued and the article proceeds to copy-editing, DOI assignment and publication.

4.4Pre-Submission Checklist