MANUSCRIPT & SUBMISSION PREPARATION-IN GENERAL
Basic Document Format
Citation and other document formatting not stated below is to follow the latest version of the American Psychological Association (APA) citation format guidelines for submission of professional papers for publication, including the running head. An APA Sample Professional Paper can be found here.
The IMPAQT℠ Microsoft Word template must be used and includes all the basic document format requirements. Do not edit the template settings.
Accepted File Formats
MANUSCRIPTS: Must use Word format.
The IMPAQT℠ Microsoft Word template must be used.
DO NOT submit the manuscript file as a PDF. Manuscript files submitted in PDF or any other format other than Word will be returned. For any questions, please contact the Editorial Office a the IMPAQT℠ online link.
Multi-part manuscripts prepared in Microsoft Word must be converted into a single file before submission.
Please insert notations in the main text after the paragraph of its first citation where graphics (graphs, tables, figures, etc.) are to be placed.
Note: Usage of the Microsoft Word template provided by MAHQ and IMPAQT℠ is exclusively intended for manuscript submission to theIMPAQT℠ journal and is strictly limited to this purpose.
SUPPLEMENTARY FILES: Files for figures, schemes (workflow and process charts and graphics), tables, graphs, equations, spreadsheets, graphics, photographs, and illustrations must be provided during submission in a single zip folder and at a sufficiently high resolution (minimum 1000 pixels width/height, or a resolution of 300 dpi or higher). Common non-proprietary formats are accepted, however, DOC, DOCX, PPT, XLS, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, EPS, and PDF are preferred.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Supplementary files must be made available to readers when the manuscript is published. Manuscript acceptance for publication in IMPAQT℠ is conclusive evidence that all authors agree to make all associated materials, data, and protocols available, and that they have the legal right and authority to do so.
Authors must disclose at the submission stage any restrictions on the availability of any associated materials or information.
● Tables: For initial submission and review, acceptable table file formats include Word and Excel. All table columns should have an explanatory heading. To facilitate the copy-editing of larger tables, smaller fonts may be used, but no less than 8 pt. in size. Use of the Table function in Microsoft Word to create tables is preferred. Tables are only accepted in Word (DOC, DOCX) and Excel (XLS) formats.
If using Excel to create a table, do not place tables on individual spreadsheets within the same file because only the top sheet will be converted.
Figures, Schemes, Graphs, Spreadsheets, Graphics, Photographs, Illustrations (Collectively: graphics): For initial submission and review, acceptable figure file formats are AI, BMP, DOC, EMF, EPS, JPG, PDF, PPT, PSD, TIFF, WMF, and XLS.
For multi-part graphics, create one (1) file for each graphic, with all parts included in the same zip folder file. Label each file clearly as to graphic and number in series.
All graphics must be numbered following their number of appearances, and the numbering should accompany the notations in the main text after the paragraph of its first citation where the graphics are to be placed (Figure 1, Scheme I, Figure 2, Scheme II, Table 1, etc.).
All graphics should have a short explanatory title and caption that should accompany the notations in the main text after the paragraph of its first citation where the graphics are to be placed.
Authors are encouraged to prepare graphics in color (RGB at 8-bit per channel). There is no cost for publishing full-color graphics.
IMPAQT℠ may be able to publish multimedia files in manuscripts or as supplementary materials. Please contact the editorial office through the IMPAQT℠ at publishing@mimahq.org for further information.
Equations: In Word, please use either the Microsoft Equation Editor or the Math Type add-on. Equations should be able to be formatted by the IMPAQT℠ editors and not appear in a picture format.
Supplementary Materials, Data Deposit, and Software Source Code: Additional data and files can be uploaded as "Supplementary Files" during the manuscript submission process. The supplementary files will also be available to the reviewers as part of the peer-review process. Any file format is acceptable, however, IMPAQT℠ recommends that common, non-proprietary formats are used where possible.
Links to Supplemental Data in Text: If included links to appendices that include supplementary data, extra tables, or figures will be made accessible at the time of digital publication, authors must indicate what material is intended as appendices and include the appropriate reference in the text to these elements so they can be converted to links.
Other Standard Formats
Abbreviations: Should be defined in parentheses after the completely spelled-out term is used for the first time in the abstract, main text, and in figure or table captions, and used consistently thereafter.
SI Units: (International System of Units), or metric units should be used when describing measurements. Imperial, US customary, and other units should be converted to SI units whenever possible.
Front Matter
These segments must accompany all manuscript submissions as individual files separate from the blind (author de-identified) manuscript:
Title Page: The title of the manuscript should be focused and succinct. It should not contain abbreviations or words that serve no purpose. It should identify whether the study reports trial or experiment data, or is a systematic review, meta-analysis, replication study, case study, practice forum submission, commentary, editorial, or other form of manuscript. This page should include the authors' names and affiliations (see below). If there is more than one author, one author should be designated as the Submitting Author, and his or her complete address, telephone number, and e-mail address should be included at the end of the Authors and Affiliations section of the Title Page.
Commercial Interests, Conflicts of Interest, and Financial Disclosures: According to The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, “Authors should avoid entering into agreements with study sponsors, both for-profit and non-profit, that interfere with authors’ access to all of the study’s data or that interfere with their ability to analyze and interpret the data and to prepare and publish manuscripts independently when and where they choose.”
Declarations regarding commercial interests, conflicts of interest, and financial disclosures and funding sources will be reported on the Commercial Interest, Conflict of Interest, and Financial Disclosure form. Each author must review, sign, and submit the form with the initial manuscript submission.
All authors must disclose all relationships or interests that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include but are not limited to financial interests (such as membership, employment, consultancies, stocks/shares ownership, honoraria, grants or other funding, paid expert testimonies, and patent-licensing arrangements) and non-financial interests (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, personal beliefs).
Authors encountering a conflict of interest after submission may submit an updated Author Commercial Interest, Conflict, and Financial Disclosure form at any time prior to publication, using the manuscript identification number with the submission.
All authors must identify any conflicts of interest. Any personal circumstances or interest that may be perceived as inappropriately influencing the representation or interpretation of reported research results must be disclosed. See here for examples of conflicts that must be disclosed.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXAMPLES:
Author A has received research grants from Company A.
Author B has received a speaker honorarium from Company X and owns stocks in Company Y.
Author C has been involved as a consultant and expert witness in Company Z.
Author D is the inventor of patent X.
Authorship Certification: Each author is required to read and sign the IMPAQT℠ Authorship Certification form affirming that they have met the Qualification for Authorship criteria, ownership of the copyright, and certifying that the submission and underlying research was not done for an employer or contracted party thereby rendering it work for hire and the copyright ownership thus belonging to the principal employer or contractor.
Copyright Use Permissions: Concepts, quotations, paraphrasing, data and/or figures reproduced from another published source must be properly cited and acknowledged.
Copies of copyright use permissions must be submitted with the initial manuscript submission.
Each author is required to review, sign, and submit with the manuscript a Copyright Use Compliance Attestation form that they have not knowingly violated any copyright or other intellectual property rights or standards.
Abstract: Should be a total of about 200 words maximum (except for Commentaries and Editorials which must contain a Summary Abstract of 50 to 75 words). The format should be a single paragraph and include the following information without headings:
Background - should describe the question or issue addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study or manuscript.
Methods - must briefly describe the main methods or treatments applied. Include any relevant preregistration numbers, and details associated with any test subjects used.
Results - should summarize the manuscript’s main findings.
Conclusion - must indicate the main conclusions or interpretations of the work of the study.
The abstract should be an objective representation of the manuscript and not contain results that are not presented and substantiated in the main text.
The abstract must not exaggerate the main conclusions.
Keywords: Keywords specific to the manuscript should be added after the abstract.
Choose three (3) to ten (10) pertinent keywords that are specific to the manuscript topic but are relatively common within the subject matter. Click here to read in details
Blind (Author De-identified) Manuscript Preparation
Authors must ensure that their manuscript is prepared in a way that does not reveal their identities. To help with this preparation please ensure the following when submitting manuscripts:
Author names and affiliations do not appear in the main text of the manuscript, and
Do not appear in endnotes
Do not appear in tables, graphs, figures, graphics, or photographs
Do not appear in Patent information
Do not appear in supporting or supplementary data or other materials, except where required for the purpose of granting permissions
Original Research Manuscript and Review or Meta-Analysis Required Manuscript Sections:
The Introduction: Should briefly place the study in a broad context and describe its importance. This section 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. Any controversial and diverging hypotheses must be highlighted when necessary. In the conclusion, highlight the main aim and conclusions of the work.
Materials and Methods: Should be described with sufficient detail for others to replicate and build on results in their particular setting. New methods and protocols should be described in detail while well-established methods can be briefly described and appropriately cited. If any type of computer software is used, please provide the name and version, including any computer code.
Results: Must include a detailed and concise description of the experimental findings, interpretations, and the experimental conclusions that can be drawn from the results.
The Discussion and Conclusions: Should examine the results and how they can be interpreted in relation to any previous studies and the working hypotheses. This section should also discuss the findings and implications in a broad context and include any limitations related to the work and any potential future research identified. It should also include a section on limitations and other constraints on, or as a result of the research design, methodology, sampling, access, bias, and researcher(s).
Practical Implications and Applications: Should detail how the research could be put into quality improvement practice and the short-term and long-term results it might produce.
Patents/Patents Pending: If there are Patents or Patents Pending that are necessary to disclose in the manuscript as a result of the work, they must be noted in this optional section.
Supplementary Materials: Should include any additional material such as figures, tables, spreadsheets, graphics and the like that need to be published with the manuscript. Please follow the current edition of the APA guidelines when formatting this section.
Funding and Material Support Acknowledgments: Should include all funding and material support sources, including grants purposely provided for the research project.
Other Manuscript Preparation Information
Unpublished Data: Restrictions on data availability should be noted during submission and in the manuscript. "Data not shown" should be avoided: authors are strongly encouraged to publish all observations related to the submitted manuscript as Supplementary Material. "Unpublished data" intended for publication in a manuscript that is either planned, "in preparation" or "submitted" but not yet accepted, should be cited in the text and a reference should be added in the References section. "Personal Communication" should also be cited in the text and reference added in the References section.
References in Supplementary Files: Citations and References in Supplementary files are permitted provided that they also appear in the reference list of the main text.
Pre-registration Studies or Analysis Plans: Links to the pre-registration must be provided in the manuscript.
Back Matter
These segments must accompany all manuscript submissions as individual files separate from the blind (author de-identified) manuscript:
Author Contributions and Acknowledgments Statement: This document is separate and distinct from the authorship information included in the title page. This information will be included at the end of the manuscript prior to the Conflicts of Interest Section and The References endnotes if the manuscript is published. Each author listed in the section is expected to have made a significant contribution to the idea or design of the study, obtaining and analyzing data, development of software that was used in the study, have written the manuscript, or revised a significant portion of the work. Each author must approve the submitted version, and any version significantly edited by IMPAQT℠ staff, that involves the author’s contribution to the study. Each author agrees to be personally accountable for their own contributions and for ensuring any questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work, even ones in which the author was not personally involved, are appropriately investigated, resolved, and documented in the literature.
Conflicts of Interest Summary Statement: In addition to the completed Commercial Interest, Conflict of Interest, and Financial Disclosure forms for each author, the Submitting Author must submit a Conflicts of Interest Summary Statement (as a separate document) that will be later included in the manuscript in a separate section entitled “Conflicts of Interest,” and will be placed just before the Reference endnotes. The statement should reflect all the information contained on the collected potential conflict of interest disclosures on the completed Commercial Interest, Conflict of Interest, and Financial Disclosure forms for each author.
References: Are to be formatted as ENDNOTES only. They must follow the latest edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) citation format guidelines. It is essential to include author(s) name(s), journal or book title, manuscript, or chapter title (where required), year of publication, volume, and issue (where appropriate) and pagination. DOI numbers (Digital Object Identifier) are not mandatory but highly encouraged. Hyperlinks to the references are also highly encouraged.
Research and Publication Ethics
Institutional Review Board Approval
If research was conducted involving human subjects, a statement must be submitted with the introductory email indicating that the research was an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved study, including IRB number, and copy of the IRB application and approval or waiver. If IRB approval was not required, an explanation must be provided as to why (e.g., did not fit IRB requirements, not an institutional affiliated study or review/meta-analysis, etc.). Additionally, if research conducted included Medicare or Medicaid patients the Submitting Author must submit the Research, Privacy, Medicare/Medicaid, and Informed Consent Compliance and Conformity Attestation form on behalf of all authors verifying Medicare/Medicaid patient data regulation compliance.
Informed Consent for Study Participation
For studies that included human participants, the Submitting Author must submit with the introductory email the Research, Privacy, Medicare/Medicaid, and Informed Consent Compliance and Conformity Attestation form on behalf of all authors verifying the informed consent information was properly provided, and informed consent was fully and completely obtained from each participant. Only one form signed by the Submitting Author on behalf of all authors is required. A blank version of the form used to obtain informed consent for study participation (without the patient names or signature) must be uploaded with the submission. To respect patients’ and any other study-involved individuals’ privacy, please do not send signed forms. IMPAQT℠ reserves the right to ask authors to provide signed forms if necessary.
Informed Consent for Publication
A signed Informed Consent for Publication and Distribution by Identified Individual in Manuscript form must be obtained for each patient or other individual identified or referenced in the manuscript, including individuals named as contributors (but not authors), and for any patients who can be possibly identified (including by the patients themselves). All such forms are to be compiled into a single electronic file for submission with the introductory email.
A signed Informed Consent for Use of Photograph or Likeness in Healthcare Publication and Distribution form, must be obtained for each patient or other individual for whom an image or likeness of the patient or individual is meant to be seen and identified by the patients themselves or by readers as included in the manuscript or the supplementary materials. All such forms are to be compiled into a single electronic file for submission with the introductory email. Patients’ initials or other personal identifiers must not appear in any images or likenesses, and patient image or likeness details must be anonymized as far as possible, (e.g., do not mention specific age, ethnicity, or occupation where they are not relevant to the conclusions), unless the patient has signed the Informed Consent for Use of Photograph or Likeness in Healthcare Publication and Distribution form.
Patient/Participant Data and Informa
HIPAA/HITECH and Privacy Laws and Regulations: Any descriptive patient information and/or data referenced must be HIPAA/HITECH compliant, and comply with all other local, state, and federal privacy laws, rules, and regulations. The Submitting Author must submit the Research, Privacy, Medicare/Medicaid, and Informed Consent Compliance and Conformity Attestation form on behalf of all authors verifying all patient/participant privacy compliance.
Ethics and Scientific Integrity
IMPAQT℠ follows the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal also adheres fully to its Best Practice & Guidance recommendations. Authors are expected to comply with appropriate reporting guidelines for their study type as provided at EQUATOR Network.
All research, review, intervention, and commentary authors are expected to have acted with personal and scientific integrity, and in compliance with generally accepted scientific principles, methods, and reporting methods as applicable. Each author will submit with the initial introductory email a signed Ethical and Appropriate Healthcare Research Reporting Compliance and Conformity Attestation form.
Originality, Plagiarism, and Data/Material Manipulation
All manuscripts submitted are to be the original work of the authors, and the manuscript nor any portions of its content are currently under consideration, being, or have been published in another journal, book, or publication of any kind, in digital, audio, or video recorded form, online, or in print.
Authors wishing to publish their manuscripts in IMPAQT℠ must understand and abide by the precept that plagiarism is not acceptable in scientific, medical, healthcare, academic, and professional journal submissions.
Plagiarism includes copying text, ideas, images, or data from another source, even from your own publications, paraphrasing another’s work without giving any credit to the original source, as well as citing to sources that cannot be independently accessed or verified.
Reuse of text that is copied from another source must be between quotes or set off in a block format as required by the latest version of APA, and the original source must be cited. If a study's design or the manuscript's structure or language has been inspired by previous works, these works must be explicitly cited.
If plagiarism is detected during the peer-review process, the manuscript may be rejected. If plagiarism is detected after publication, IMPAQT℠ may publish a correction or retract the manuscript.
Image files must not be manipulated or adjusted in any way that could lead to misinterpretation of the information provided by the original image.
Irregular manipulation includes: 1) introduction, enhancement, moving, or removing features from the original image; 2) grouping of images that should obviously be presented separately (e.g., from different parts of the same gel, or from different gels); or 3) modifying the contrast, brightness or color balance to obscure, eliminate or enhance some information.
Each author will sign and submit with the introductory email an Originality, No Plagiarism, and No Improper Manipulation of Data or Supporting/ Supplemental Material Attestation form, affirming that this manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study being reported, and that no important aspects of the study have been omitted.
If irregular image manipulation is identified and confirmed during the peer-review process, IMPAQT℠ may reject the manuscript. If irregular image manipulation is identified and confirmed after publication, IMPAQT℠ may correct or retract the manuscript.
IMPAQT℠ editors will investigate any allegations of publication misconduct and may contact the authors' institutions or funders if necessary. If evidence of misconduct is found, appropriate action will be taken to correct or retract the publication. Authors are expected to comply with best ethical publication practices when publishing with IMPAQT℠
Publication Permissions
In the event the authors may be notified that their manuscript has been selected for publication, each author will sign and submit a copy of the:
Editors and Journal Staff as Authors
Editorial staff or editors will not be involved in the processing of their own manuscripts submitted for publication consideration. Submissions authored by editorial staff/editors will be anonymized and assigned to at least two (2) independent, outside peer-reviewers. Decisions will be made by other editorial board members who do not have conflicts of interest with the author(s).