Citation Policy

1. Purpose of Citations

Citations must accurately acknowledge all sources of information, ideas, data, and previously published work used in the manuscript. Proper citation ensures academic integrity, transparency, and traceability of scholarly work.

2. Citation Style

  • The journal follows the Vancouver citation style (numbered references).

  • References must be cited numerically in the order of appearance in the text.

  • Use Arabic numerals in superscript or brackets (e.g., ¹ or [1]).

  • The same reference number must be reused if cited again.

(If required, this can be changed to APA / Harvard / IEEE)

3. In-text Citations

  • References should be cited at the end of the sentence before punctuation.

  • Multiple references should be separated by commas or hyphens (e.g., [2,4–6]).

  • Avoid excessive self-citation.

4. Reference List

  • References must be listed numerically at the end of the manuscript.

  • All references cited in the text must appear in the reference list and vice versa.

  • Journal titles should be abbreviated according to Index Medicus.

  • Include DOI wherever available.

5. Acceptable Sources

The journal accepts citations from:

  • Peer-reviewed journals

  • Academic books and book chapters

  • Conference proceedings

  • Official guidelines (WHO, ICMR, FDA, etc.)

  • Theses and dissertations (if relevant and accessible)

Avoid citing:

  • Unpublished data

  • Personal communications (unless essential and clearly stated)

  • Predatory or non-peer-reviewed journals

6. Plagiarism and Citation Ethics

  • All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software.

  • Verbatim text must be enclosed in quotation marks with proper citation.

  • Improper citation, plagiarism, data fabrication, or citation manipulation may result in rejection or retraction.

7. Self-Citation Policy

  • Authors may cite their own work only when it is scientifically relevant.

  • Excessive or irrelevant self-citation is discouraged and may be removed during review.

8. Citation of AI Tools (if applicable)

  • Use of AI tools must be transparently disclosed.

  • AI tools should not be cited as authors.

  • If AI-assisted content is used, it must comply with journal ethical standards.

9. Responsibility of Authors

Authors are fully responsible for:

  • Accuracy of citations

  • Completeness of reference details

  • Compliance with the journal’s citation style

10. Editorial Rights

The editorial team reserves the right to:

  • Request correction of references

  • Remove inappropriate citations

  • Reject manuscripts that do not comply with citation standards