GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS
The Malaysian Journal of Nutrition (MJN) welcomes manuscripts on current and emerging topics in human nutrition in the form of original articles, review articles, case reports, short communications and letters to the Editor. MJN is an international peer-reviewed journal.
All materials submitted for publication are assumed to be submitted exclusively to the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition (MJN) unless the contrary is stated.
All manuscripts submitted must be original and must be submitted through the online submission system (https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/nutriweb).
In order to avoid delays in publication, authors are advised to adhere closely to the instructions below.
MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION
The manuscript must adhere to the following instructions before it is considered eligible for review.
Cover letter
Submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter that includes a statement that the manuscript represents original work of the authors, and that the content has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. The cover letter should be entered in the appropriate box or uploaded as part of the online submission process.
Copyright
Manuscripts accepted for publication become copyright of MJN. Corresponding authors are requested to provide a transfer of Copyright Agreement Form, which can be downloaded from the MJN website. The form must be signed by the corresponding author, on behalf of the co-authors, provided that prior written consent has been obtained from all co-authors. Submissions will not be processed until a signed Copyright Agreement Form has been received.
The manuscript
Manuscripts must be submitted in MS Word format and in English (British English). They should be typed on 10-point font Bookman Old Style, 1.5 spacing, with a margin of 2.5 cm on all sides, unless otherwise stated. There are 2 main parts of the manuscript that should be submitted separately in the online submission system:
- Title page [Example of Title Page]
- Main document [Example of Main Document]
Title page
A title page should be submitted separately from the main document. The title page should state the title of the manuscript, full first name and surname of each author, author’s department and institution, city and country. Kindly also enclose the complete postal address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address of the author who will be responsible for all correspondences regarding the manuscript. Contribution of each author to the manuscript should also be specified in the title page. Please provide suggested format for citation. Please follow the [Example of Title Page] for the correct format.
Main document
The main document should have page number and include line numbering. Please refer to the [MJN House Style] for language, abbreviation and units of measurement format. Please follow the [Example of Main Document] for a sample format.
Below are the descriptions of components of the main document.
Abstract and keywords
An abstract not exceeding 250 words in length should be provided. Make sure the title of the manuscript is included in the Abstract page. Do not include names and other details of author(s) on the Abstract page. The abstract is structured according to the following headings: Introduction (rationale and purpose of the study), Methods (study design, analytical methods), Results (main findings), and Conclusion (key aspects derived from the study). Below the abstract, please provide 3 - 5 keywords which can be used for indexing purposes. Refer to the appropriate subject headings (MeSH) list of Index Medicus found in https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/.
Text
The main text of the manuscript should be organised according to the following sections: INTRODUCTION, MATERIALS AND METHODS, RESULTS, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION,
Acknowledgements, Conflict of interest and References.
In the Methods section, authors should state the authority which provided ethical approval for the study, along with a statement in regards to the informed consent of participants. The study or clinical trial registration number should be provided, if applicable.
Human and animal research
Reports of human studies must include a statement that the protocol was approved by the appropriate institutional ethics committee or that it complied with the Helsinki Declaration as revised in 2013.
Conflict of Interest and Funding Disclosure
Authors should declare any financial support or relationships that may pose a conflict of interest. The source of financial support should be acknowledged.
Total number of words of the text should not exceed 4500 words excluding the Abstract, References, Tables and Figures.
Citations and References
It is the author’s responsibility to check all references very carefully for accuracy and completeness. In the text, references are cited by surname(s) of the author(s) and year of publication parenthetically at the appropriate place. Three authors appear in full on first citation, e.g, Bray, Whipp & Koyal (1994), but subsequently as Bray et al. (1994). For four or more authors, indicate the first author followed by et.al. Total number of reference should not exceed 30 except for Review Papers.
In the reference section, list the references in alphabetical order. For each reference, all authors’ names should be included. Examples of correct forms of references are given below:
1. Articles in Journal:
Mostafa Kamal SM & Md Aynul Islam (2010). Socio-economic correlates malnutrition among married women in Bangladesh. Mal J Nutr 16(3): 349-359.
Blasbalg TL, Hibbeln JR, Ramsden CE, Majchrzak SF & Rawlings RR (2011). Changes in consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the United States during the 20th century. Am J Clin Nutr 93:950-962.
2. Books and Monographs:
de Benoist B, McLean E, Egli I & Cogswell ME (eds) (2008). Worldwide Prevalence of Anaemia 1993-2005: WHO Global Database on Anaemia. WHO Press, Geneva.
Institute of Medicine (2010). Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Ross AC, Taylor CL, Yaktine AL & Del Valle HB (eds). National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.
3. Chapter in a Book or Monograph:
Haller J (2005). Vitamins and brain function. In HR Lieberman, RB Kanarek & C Prasad (eds). Nutritional Neuroscience (pp. 207-233). CRC Press, Florida.
Cole TJ (2006). Sampling, Study Size, and Power. In BM Margetts & M Nelson (eds). Design Concepts in Nutritional Epidemiology (pp. 64-86). Oxford University Press Inc., New York.
4. Online Sources:
World Health Organization (2015). In: Global Health Observatory: Malaysia Statistics Summary, 2002-present. From http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.country.country-MYS?lang=en. [Retrieved March 1 2016].
The World Bank (2016). In: Safe Motherhood and Maternal Health. From http://go.worldbank.org/V5EPGZUL40. [Retrieved May 23 2016].
Tables and Figures
Combined total number of tables and figures should not exceed 5 tables with the exception of Review Papers.
Tables should be sufficiently labelled so as to be comprehensible and complement information in the text. Tables should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals in the sequence they are mentioned in the text. Tables should be typed on 9-font Bookman Old Style and single spaced. Do not use border lines on the right and left side of the table, and vertical lines within the table body. Use a single top line, a single line below the headings, and a single bottom line.
Example:
| Variable | n | % |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 50 | 50.0 |
| Female | 50 | 50.0 |
| Total | 100 | 100.0 |
| Age group (years) | ||
| 7-9 | 40 | 40.0 |
| 10-12 | 60 | 60.0 |
| Total | 100 | 100.0 |
All illustrations and diagrams should be provided in black and white and referred to as Figures and numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals. Submit proof quality original or glossy prints for direct reproduction of the figures. Photocopies of illustrations are not acceptable.
Please ensure that all tables and figures can be copy fitted into a page of the journal.
Place tables and figures after the References, and not within the main text.
Units and Abbreviations
All measurements should be reported using the metric system. Explain any abbreviations used. Only standard SI units should be used, for example, gram (g), kilogram (kg), centimetre (cm), metre (m). Statistical notations should be italicised, for example, N for population number, n for sample number, t for t-test, F for ANOVA, p for p-value, M for mean, SD for standard deviation.
Numerical results and p-values should be presented in text, tables and figures with no more than 3 significant figures, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Examples:
64.35 kg should be written as 64.4 kg
p=0.0123 should be written as p=0.012
There should be no decimal point for energy (kcal). Use full stop (.) to indicate decimal point, for example, 37.4%, NOT 37,4%.
ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION
Guidelines for Short Communication
- Total number of words should not exceed 2000, excluding abstract and references.
- References should be limited to 10
- No more than a total of two tables and figures
Guidelines for Review Paper
A review paper should comply with all the MJN manuscript submission guidelines, except for the total number of references, which may exceed the limit of 30 for original research article.
Guidelines for Book Review
A book review is a description and a critical evaluation of a book. The purpose of the review is to give enough information to help decide whether the book will be of use or interest to any potential readers.
The total number of words for a book review is between 400-600. The scope of the review includes an Introduction, Body of the Review and Conclusion, as in the details below:
- Introduction
Identify the book by author, title, and publishing information.
Provide some information on the author: his/her relevant qualifications and background for writing on this book.
Possible introductions usually make a statement about the Author’s purpose, and the topicality of the work or its significance - Body of the Review
Provide a brief description of the scope of the book.
Include comparison of the work to others by the same author or within the same genre.
Include an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the book based on the purposes of the author, and using evidence to support the reviewer's argument - Conclusion
Include an overall critical assessment of the book. You may make a final judgement regarding the book.
Potential Reviewers
Authors are requested to provide 3 suitable reviewers with designations, affiliations, and email addresses. All reviewers should not be from any of the author’s own institutions and at least one referee should be from outside the country of the corresponding author. It is the editor’s discretion to use the recommended reviewers.
ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGE
For papers submitted after January 15, 2018, an article processing charge of RM 1000 (Malaysia author) or USD250 (international author) per accepted manuscript will be imposed, payable on acceptance. The corresponding author of the manuscript is responsible for arranging the payment to Nutrition Society of Malaysia (NSM). Please note that the USD 250 article processing charge does not cover bank charges and that all bank charges (if any) are to be borne by the author. Please add the required bank charges (if applicable) when performing the bank transfer. We seek your understanding that NSM is not able to waive the APC of any author.
CURRENT & PAST ISSUES
For viewing current and past issues of the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition, refer to: http://www.nutriweb.org.my/publications/mjn0023_3/default.php
CONTACT INFORMATION
Editorial correspondence should be addressed to:
Prof Dr Poh Bee Koon
Editor-in-Chief
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition
Email: mjneditor@nutriweb.org.my
Administration Office
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition
Email: mjnadmin@nutriweb.org.my