Structure of the
Manuscript

Title

The title should be descriptive, clear and concise as it gives readers an indication of what the paper is about. Avoid using jargon, formulae and abbreviations in the title.

Abstract

An abstract is a short summary of what the study is about, it addresses the main sections of your research paper. Readers read the abstract to determine whether the research paper is relevant to their needs and whether they should read it in its entirety, which gives them an overview of the paper’s main points.

Your abstract must comprise of Background, Aim, Setting, Methods, Results, Conclusion and Recommendations.

Maximum number of words: 150 to 250 words.

Keywords

Each contribution should be accompanied by a list of not more than 6 keywords.

Introduction

The introduction should present both the social and scientific significance of the study, along with its aim and objectives:

Social significance: Begin the introduction by clearly and logically arguing the importance or relevance of the study, using evidence from existing literature to support your case.

Scientific significance: Next, highlight the originality of the study by summarizing the current knowledge on the research question or topic and identifying the knowledge gap that this study seeks to fill. This argument should also be supported by evidence from the literature.

Conceptual framework: In some cases, it may be necessary to explain the theoretical foundation of the research and how these theories are interconnected within a conceptual framework. Reference the literature that underpins this framework.

Aim and objectives: Finally, the introduction should end with a concise summary of the study’s aim and objectives.

Methods/ Materials and Methods

Research methods and design: This section should cover the following elements:

Study design: Provide an outline of the study design used.

Setting: Describe the study’s setting, including the type of community from which participants were drawn or the nature of the services where the study took place.

Study population and sampling strategy: Detail the study population, including any inclusion or exclusion criteria. Specify the intended sample size, along with your sample size calculation or rationale. Explain the sampling strategy and describe in practical terms how it was implemented.

Intervention (if applicable): If the study included intervention and comparison groups, describe the intervention in detail and outline what occurred with the comparison groups.

Data collection: Identify the tools used for data collection and their validity. Explain in practical terms how the data were gathered and any significant issues encountered, such as language barriers.

Data analysis: Describe the processes for capturing, checking, and cleaning data. Outline the analysis method, including any statistical tests used or the steps followed in qualitative data analysis.

Ethical considerations: Confirm that approval was obtained from the author’s institution or a relevant ethics committee, and provide the institution’s name and ethical clearance number.

Results

Results: Present the study’s results in a logical order that aligns with the study’s aims and objectives. Use tables and figures as needed to display findings. Include quotations (verbatim responses) to support your interpretation of qualitative data.

Discussion

Discussion: The discussion section should cover the following four aspects:

Key findings: Provide a summary of the main findings without repeating the detailed results.

Interpretation of key findings: Discuss how these findings connect to previous research, existing knowledge, practices, or policies.

Strengths and limitations: Highlight the strengths and limitations of your methods and what readers should consider when interpreting the results.

Implications or recommendations: Outline the implications of your study or suggest recommendations for future research, policy, or practice, ensuring that these recommendations are directly based on your findings.

Conclusion

Conclusion: Offer a concise summary of the results, highlighting their meaning or

significance in relation to each of the study’s objectives.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgments: A brief description of the contributions made by those who helped with the work but are not eligible for authorship should be included in the Acknowledgments section. The authors are responsible for making sure that each person named in the Acknowledgments has granted permission to be included.