أرشادات المؤلفيين

Holistic Nursing Journal (HNJ)

Author Guidelines 

Welcome to the Holistic Nursing Journal (HNJ). The journal is committed to advancing holistic nursing research, education, and clinical practice through the publication of high-quality, ethical, and evidence-based scholarly work. Researchers, educators, clinicians, and healthcare professionals from around the world are invited to submit their manuscripts in accordance with the following guidelines.

1. General Submission Guidelines

  • Eligibility: The journal welcomes original research articles, systematic reviews, theoretical papers, case studies, and scholarly commentaries related to holistic nursing and healthcare practice.
  • Language: All manuscripts must be submitted in English. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to obtain professional language editing before submission.
  • Submission System: Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the journal submission system or official journal email.

Authors are encouraged to carefully review all journal policies before submission.

  • Originality: Submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by another journal simultaneously.
  • Journal Template: Authors should prepare manuscripts according to the official journal manuscript template.

2. Types of Manuscripts

The journal accepts the following categories:

  • Original Research Articles
  • Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
  • Narrative Review Articles
  • Theoretical and Conceptual Papers
  • Case Reports and Case Studies
  • Short Communications
  • Commentaries and Opinion Articles

3. Manuscript Structure

Title Page

The title page should include:

  • Full manuscript title
  • Full names of all authors
  • Institutional affiliations
  • Corresponding author details (email and phone number)
  • ORCID ID (recommended)

·        One corresponding author must be clearly identified for all communications with the journal.

 

Abstract

  • The abstract should not exceed 250 words.
  • The abstract should include:
    • Objective(s)
    • Methods
    • Results
    • Conclusion
  • An Arabic abstract is required for all accepted manuscripts.

Keywords

Provide 3–5 keywords relevant to the manuscript topic.

Main Text

Introduction

Clearly describe the background, significance, objectives, and research problem.

Methods

Include:

  • Study design
  • Study setting
  • Participants and sampling
  • Inclusion/exclusion criteria
  • Data collection procedures
  • Statistical or qualitative analysis methods
  • Ethical considerations

Results

Present findings clearly using text, tables, and figures where appropriate.

Discussion

Interpret findings, compare results with previous studies, discuss implications, limitations, and future research directions.

Conclusion

Summarize the major findings and their relevance to holistic nursing practice.

4.     Manuscript Formatting Requirements

Authors should prepare manuscripts according to the official HNJ template and comply with the following formatting requirements:

• Page size: A4.
• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides.
• Font: Times New Roman.
• Title: 16 pt, Bold, centered.
• Author names: 12 pt, left aligned.
• Affiliations: 10 pt, left aligned.
• Main headings: 14 pt, Bold.
• Subheadings: 12 pt, Bold and numbered.
• Body text: 12 pt, justified with 1.5 line spacing.
• Abstract heading: 12 pt, Bold.
• Abstract text: 10 pt, justified.
• Keywords: 10 pt, Italic.
• Tables and figures titles: 12 pt.
• Page numbers should appear at the bottom right of each page starting from page 2.
• The total manuscript length should not exceed 10 pages, including tables, figures, and references.

5. References and Citation Style

·        References must be prepared according to the Vancouver citation style.

  • Authors are encouraged to use electronic reference management software such as:
    • EndNote
    • Mendeley
    • Zotero
    • RefWorks

These tools improve citation accuracy, consistency, and formatting efficiency.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

  • All in-text citations appear in the reference list.
  • All references are accurate, complete, and up to date.

6. Tables and Figures

  • Tables and figures should be clearly labeled and numbered consecutively.
  • All tables and figures must be cited within the manuscript text.
  • Figures should be of high quality and suitable for publication.

7. Ethical Considerations

Ethical Approval

Research involving human participants or animals must include approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee where applicable.

Informed Consent

Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants when required.

Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest. If no conflicts exist, authors should state:

“The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

AI-Assisted Content

Authors must disclose any use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in manuscript preparation. AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

Plagiarism

All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin or iThenticate. Manuscripts containing plagiarism or evidence of academic misconduct may be rejected.

8. Peer Review Process

  • All manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review process.
  • Authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process.
  • Authors may be requested to revise manuscripts based on reviewer comments.
  • Revised manuscripts must be accompanied by a detailed response letter explaining how reviewer comments were addressed.

9. Copyright and Licensing

  • Authors retain copyright of their published work.
  • By submitting a manuscript, authors grant the journal a non-exclusive license to publish and distribute the article.
  • Published articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0).

10. Publication Ethics

The journal follows the ethical standards and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Authors must ensure:

  • Originality of submitted work
  • Proper authorship attribution
  • Accurate reporting of data
  • Ethical research conduct

The journal reserves the right to issue corrections, retractions, or editorial actions in cases of ethical misconduct.

11. Article  Processing Charges (APC)

• The journal charges Article Processing Charges (APC) for accepted manuscripts only.
• Authors affiliated with institutions inside Iraq are required to pay 100,000 Iraqi Dinars (IQD) upon acceptance.
• Authors from outside Iraq are required to pay 100 USD upon acceptance.
• Payment of publication fees does not guarantee manuscript acceptance.

12. Open Access Policy

The Holistic Nursing Journal follows an open-access publishing model, providing free and immediate access to published articles to support the global dissemination of scientific knowledge.

Final Statement

The editorial team of the Holistic Nursing Journal appreciates the valuable contributions of researchers and healthcare professionals worldwide and is committed to publishing ethical, rigorous, and impactful scholarly research that advances holistic nursing practice and healthcare outcomes.