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Format a manuscript

JMIR Publications

Prepare your manuscript for JMIR Medical Education.

Review the checklist, choose your article type, and turn your draft into a cleaner submission package.

Checked 2026-07-19
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Article types

Review
Perspective
Letter

Readiness requirements

Review the key details below, or download the complete checklist with every stored source-backed requirement.

Abstract length

  • Provide an author-written abstract of no more than 300 words.
  • Use a unstructured abstract.
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  • Abstract: 1-2 sentence summary of the article and key message(s); maximum of 300 words in unstructured, narrative format.
  • Abstract: Unstructured (maximum 450 words).
  • Structure: For most article types, a structured abstract is required.
  • Implementation Reports requirements include: Abstract: Required.
  • There should be a short unstructured abstract.
  • They are not peer reviewed, and an abstract, tables and additional figures are not required.
  • Students' Corner articles must adhere to the following formatting: Include an abstract that consists of a summary sentence or up to 300 words (unstructured, narrative format).
  • Include the required abstract.
  • Letter: Abstract: Research letters do not include full abstracts; however, it is recommended to include a sentence summarizing the Research Letter in the abstract field, to be published under the heading Abstract.
  • The abstract should be unstructured (narrative), although if data are presented, a structured abstract (Background, Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusions) should be used.
  • A short unstructured abstract is required.

Keywords

  • Include or confirm the keywords required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.

Reference style

  • Articlo formats your supplied references in AMA style and checks that citations match the reference list; source validity is not verified.
  • References: 10; the first reference should cite the JMIR Publications paper on which the article is commenting.
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  • References: 5; the first reference should always cite the article commented on (published within the last 6 months).
  • Papers in this category should be 600 words or less and contain no more than 10 references.
  • Maximum references: 10.
  • Students' Corner articles must adhere to the following formatting: Additionally, up to 10 references and a maximum of 1 figure or table can be included.
  • Each multimedia appendix file must contain its own complete reference list, even if some references also appear in the main manuscript's reference list.
  • Do not use the footnotes for the reference list.
  • Additional guidelines and examples of reference types: How should references be formatted?
  • Exclusions: Word counts do not include author metadata, references, multimedia appendices, or figure content.
  • Provide at least one unique identifier for each reference (ie, DOI and PMID for journal articles, an ISBN for books, or a functional URL with an access date for online resources).
  • Special Requirements for JMIR Dermatology In addition to the above requirements, Case Reports submitted to JMIR Dermatology also require the following: Maximum references: 10.

Figure and table rules

  • Keep every figure and table numbered, captioned, and cited in the manuscript.
  • Tables longer than 3 pages in Word must be moved to a Multimedia Appendix.
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  • Captions for tables and textboxes should be clear, logical, and informative.
  • Specific instructions on formatting tables and textboxes: How should tables and textboxes be formatted?
  • Figures Captions for figures should be descriptive, self-explanatory, and should define any abbreviations, colors, or symbols used.
  • Each appendix should have a clear and descriptive caption.
  • Typically, one figure in the Results section must be a flow diagram of the study selection.
  • Permissions and acknowledgments: If any figures contain identifiable information or are reproduced from external sources, you must obtain necessary permissions from the copyright holder.
  • Special Requirements for JMIR Dermatology In addition to the above requirements, Case Reports submitted to JMIR Dermatology also require the following: Figures/Tables: maximum of 10; among figures/images, a histopathological picture of each (and all) skin condition(s) described.

Funding statement

  • Add or confirm the author-written Funding statement; Articlo flags it if author input is still needed.
  • Funding (required) It is mandatory to disclose any funding information, including support for APF payment, in a dedicated Funding section.
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  • Include the required funding statement.
  • Review: (Optional) If authors wish to submit their protocol through an expedited review pathway with APF discount, AND the study has received grant agency funding, it is required to provide grant agency peer review reports.

Competing interests

  • Conflicts of Interest (required) Disclose any potential conflicts of interest, financial or non-financial, related to the subjects discussed in the manuscript here.
  • Essential guidance: How should the "Conflicts of Interest" section be formatted?
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  • Conflicts of Interest (required).

Data availability statement

  • Add or confirm the author-written Data availability statement; Articlo flags it if author input is still needed.
  • Data Availability (required) Ensuring your research data is accessible is a key aspect of transparent science.
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  • A “Data Availability” statement is required for all submissions reporting original research data.
  • If data access is restricted, you must still provide a Data Availability statement.
  • Use one of our template statements: What is your data sharing policy?
  • Data Availability (required).

Ethics statement

  • Add or confirm the author-written Ethics statement; Articlo flags it if author input is still needed.
  • This section should also detail information on informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, and participant compensation, if applicable.
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  • Additional important notes: For implementation reports with a research component, ethical approval or a waiver from an appropriate ethics committee is required.
  • ** Important: It is required for authors to attest to having obtained the necessary informed consent from the patient or their proxy.
  • Authors should adhere to a standard form for obtaining patient consent that is applicable to and adheres to to local/institutional or regional/national regulations for obtaining patient consent.
  • These articles should propose or evaluate practical strategies, not just focus on patient experiences, and can cover topics from clinical practice and quality improvement to public health and the use of artificial intelligence.
  • Authorship: Strongly recommended that papers to include one or more of the following in their co-authorship: (1) at least one author to represent the target readership, which lends credibility and lived experience to the work; and/or (2) a patient or member(s) of the general public.
  • If authors do not have a standard form, then a suggested patient consent form is downloadable here.
  • Since these papers are written by patients, they do not need a full address or phone number for the corresponding author; just City/State/Country is acceptable.

Cover letter

  • Letter: Provide the claims and editor-specific context for the cover letter; Articlo creates an editable companion without inventing content.
  • Letter: Please include a statement in the cover letter to confirm the status of all contributing authors.
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  • Do not include copyrighted material without written permission.
  • Letter: See: What should be included in a cover letter?
  • Letter: Authors should clearly state in their cover letter that they have obtained the necessary consent, and also include a statement in their manuscript also stating that they have obtained consent.

Supplementary files

  • Letter: Include every cited supplementary file and use matching labels in the manuscript.
  • Review: Include every cited supplementary file and use matching labels in the manuscript.
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  • Perspective: Include every cited supplementary file and use matching labels in the manuscript.
  • Embed or attach the author-supplied supplementary material so Articlo can extract and label it for the package.
  • Please submit your documentation as a supplemental file when you submit your manuscript.
  • Such documentation should be uploaded as a supplementary file (not intended for publication).

Title page and author information

  • Provide the author, affiliation, and correspondence details for the separate title page; Articlo creates the editable companion file.
  • Formal Proof of Enrollment In addition, we require that the corresponding author provide formal proof of current enrollment and/or trainee status.
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  • For additional help with author information, consult these articles: How should I enter author affiliations?

Article structure and word limits

  • Length: Keep it concise, with a maximum of 450 words.
  • Optimization: Aim for a maximum of 10,000 words in the main body.
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  • Unstructured (maximum 450 words).
  • All individuals listed on the author byline must be students or trainees at the time of submission.
  • The APF Support Policy and application procedures provide useful resources that students/trainees should be aware of about Open Access publication fee support options.
  • Dates must be visible and indicate current enrollment.
  • For additional help with author information, consult these articles: Which degrees should be included in the metadata, and how do I format them?
  • Review: Additional guidelines: How should trial registrations and systematic review registrations be formatted?
  • Familiarize yourself with the journal's formatting requirements: How should P values be reported?
  • Be sure to include any required acknowledgments.
  • For graphs, data labels and axes labels must be clearly specified.
  • Include any other individuals or groups you'd like to acknowledge for their support or assistance.
  • Additional guidelines: What reporting guidelines should I follow for my article?
  • Letter: Use sentence case for article titles (ie, do not capitalize the first letter of every word).
  • Review: Registration: For randomized controlled trials, see: RCT and Trial Registration Requirements and How should trial and systematic review registrations be cited?
  • See What reporting guidelines should I follow for my article?
  • * If an article does not fit into this structure, authors should consider submitting the work as a Tutorial, Viewpoint, or Proposal.
  • Review: See How should trial and systematic review registrations be cited?
  • Letter: Research Letter Research Letters should present new, early, or preliminary research findings.
  • Special Requirements for JMIR Dermatology In addition to the above requirements, Cochrane Corners must also adhere to Cochrane's Co-Publication Policy.
  • All Viewpoints should be grounded in the focus/scope of a given journal.
  • Tutorial requirements include: Title: Must include "Tutorial" in the second part of the study title.
  • Implementation Reports requirements include: Appendices: Providing the i-CHECK-DH implementation report checklist is required.
  • For those without a research component, ethical considerations may still be relevant, but do not necessarily require approval or waiver.
  • A Case Report should include at least one clinical image (appropriate to the discipline).
  • JMIR Publications does not require authors to provide the signed consent form.
  • However, authors should be prepared to provide one if it is requested.
  • All protocols should be submitted to JMIR Research Protocols.
  • Title: Must clearly identify the paper as a "protocol" in the subtitle, followed by the study design.
  • See also: Why should I publish my protocol or grant proposal?
  • If your submission is a Protocol, it should be submitted as such to JMIR Research Protocols.
  • Additionally, an 'In Memoriam' should be a recent death, which occurred in the last three years, and be written by authors who personally knew the deceased.
  • Review: Article Processing Fee For articles that meet the requirements above: Authors are required to carefully review the JMIR Publications APF Support Policy and apply for the discount and attest that they have pursued all options for APF support prior to requesting APF support from JMIR Publications.
  • Review: Such narrative reviews must be focused and provide an up-to-date, evidence-based, and balanced review on a topic of current and general interest in biomedical engineering.
  • Review: Registration: Strongly recommended, for randomized controlled trials and systematic literature reviews, see: RCT and Trial Registration Requirements and How should trial and systematic review registrations be cited?
  • Review: Policy proposals should be based on a thorough review of the literature and stakeholder consultations, workshops, consensus-building processes, etc. If the manuscript reflects the opinion of an individual (or small group of individuals), submit the article as a Viewpoint to an appropriate JMIR Publications journal.
  • They do not follow the traditional IMRD format.
  • Letter: We do not allow brief research reports as Letter to the Editor; instead, see: Research Letter.
  • They may or may not be peer-reviewed.

Reporting guidelines

  • Include or confirm the reporting guidelines required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.

Statistical reporting

  • Data should be presented clearly and adhere to journal guidelines on statistical reporting.

Preprints and prior publication

  • Include or confirm the preprints and prior publication required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.

Artificial intelligence disclosure

  • Add or confirm the author-written Artificial intelligence statement; Articlo flags it if author input is still needed.
  • Important note on generative AI: You must disclose whether generative AI was used in any part of your manuscript's creation.
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  • Letter: If no AI tools were used, you should attest to this during the submission or revision process (eg, in the cover letter).

Manuscript structure

  • The articles should follow JMIR’s title guidelines, be at most 750 words (headings are free) and contain a black-and-white image of the referenced individual.
  • The articles should follow title guidelines, be at most 750 words (headings are free) and contain a black-and-white image of the referenced individual.
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  • Important: The Methods must include a textbox that contains two sections: “What you need to know” (3-5 bullet points): Provide specific, actionable takeaway messages; also provide key learning points from the article.
  • Important: The Methods must include a textbox that contains two sections: “Education and Methods in Practice” (2-3 reflective questions): State how readers might improve individual practice; and how organizations might implement changes.
  • Avoid revealing results: The title should introduce your work, not give away your findings.
  • Additional guidelines: How should the "Acknowledgments" section be formatted?
  • Title: See What are JMIR's guidelines for article titles? and What are some examples of methods/study designs that should appear in the article title?
  • Structured (maximum 450 words), with the following headers: Background - Objective - Methods - Results - Conclusions.
  • Manuscript structure: Main headings must be IMRD: Introduction - Methods - Results - Discussion.*.
  • Structured (maximum 450 words), with the following headers: Background - Objective - Methods - Implementation (Results) - Conclusions.
  • Implementation Reports requirements include: Manuscript structure: Main headings must be IMRD: Introduction - Methods - Implementation (Results) - Discussion.
  • Structured (maximum 450 words ), with the following headers: Background - Objectives - Methods - Results - Conclusions.
  • See also: What are some examples of methods/study designs that should appear in the article title?
  • Introduction The Introduction should define the research problem, provide background information, state research questions/hypotheses, and conclude with a clear statement of the study's aims.
  • Some preliminary observations can also be included, such as baseline characteristics, and/or any deviations from the original protocol and associated reasons; however, any actual results of analyses or interpretations should be avoided at this stage (see What should I put into the results section of a protocol or proposal? ).
  • Students' Corner articles must adhere to the following formatting: The main headings within the paper can be IMRD or free.
  • Article Eligibility for Students' Corner To be eligible for Students' Corner, articles submitted must align with the scope of the section (above) and meet the following criteria list below.
  • Results for protocols can be a very brief summary of progress to date, recruitment/enrolment status as of a specified date, timelines, when results are expected, screenshots of an application or flow diagrams, etc.

Authorship and originality

  • Proof of enrollment is required, preferably for all authors.
  • Letter: The cover letter should include an attestation about inclusive authorship; when this is not possible, the authors should provide an explanation for this in the cover letter instead.

Article type and manuscript length

  • Maximum word count: 1000 words (includes all text in the manuscript's IMRD structure).
  • Implementation Reports requirements include: Maximum word count: 3000 (includes all text in the manuscript's IMRD structure).
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  • Maximum word count: 1000 words(includes all text in the manuscript structure).
  • Maximum word count: 3500 (includes all text in the manuscript's IMRD structure).
  • Formatting the Main Text All manuscripts must adhere to JMIR House Style and Editorial Guidelines and the 11th edition of the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors.
  • Maximum word count: 5000, which is strongly recommended, although most Viewpoint articles reflecting personal perspectives should be shorter (includes all text in the manuscript structure).
  • Maximum word count: 500.
  • In Microsoft Word, use the default Heading Style H2 for the article type (H1 for the article title, and H2 for all IMRD subheadings, H3 to H5 for sub-subheadings). (see: How should headings be formatted? ).
  • Students' Corner articles must adhere to the following formatting: The main text should be no longer than 1000 words.
  • Cite unpublished materials (personal communications, unaccepted manuscripts) only in the main text, with relevant permission.
  • This is generally non-negotiable; authors should provide abridged versions in the main text if the data is essential.
  • Maximum word count: See Manuscript Length and Word Count Guidelines.
  • Review / Letter: The manuscript must adhere to Research Letter format (word count, quantity of references, and number of tables/figures) throughout the peer review process and at the time of acceptance.
  • Special Requirements for JMIR Dermatology In addition to the above requirements, Case Reports submitted to JMIR Dermatology also require the following: Maximum word count: 1000 (includes all text in the manuscript structure above).
  • Important: A short results section must be included in both the abstract and the body text, which typically reflects the study status and/or timeline details. (see: What should I put into the results section of a protocol or proposal? ).

Language and text style

  • Additional guidelines: Do you allow the use of ChatGPT or other generative language models and how should this be reported?
  • Any abbreviation used three or more times in your manuscript (initialisms or acronyms) must be listed alphabetically at the end of your manuscript.
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  • The journal maintains a list of standard abbreviations that do not require definition; you may use these freely.
  • See the list of standard abbreviations that can be used without definition: Which abbreviations don't need to be expanded?
  • Abbreviations (required).

Study reporting guidelines

  • Study design flowcharts: standard flow charts like PRISMA or CONSORT diagrams should be presented within the Results section.
  • Appendices: For some original research study designs, reporting must adhere to standard reporting guidelines and providing a reporting guideline checklist is required.
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  • Review: Appendices: For some literature review designs, such as systematic literature reviews and scoping literature reviews, providing a reporting guideline checklist is required.

Author contributions

  • Use the preferred CRediT taxonomy format ( https://credit.niso.org/ ).
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What your package checks

Abstract: 300 words
Paper: 1,000 words
References: AMA
Title page: separate file
Declarations: Data availability, Funding, Ethics, Artificial intelligence

Source transparency

This preparation guide uses published journal-specific author requirements. Journal instructions can change, so authors should complete a final review before submission.

Open official guideline source