Research articles — also called original articles — are the commonest article type in Brieflands journals. They report original work, carry a structured abstract, and follow the traditional sequence from background through to discussion. The content of the paper must justify its length.
Abstract
Structured, five headings
References
Maximum 55
Illustrations or tables
Maximum 5
Template
Word file provided
How to structure it
Abstract
- Background
- Objectives
- Methods
- Results
- Conclusions
Full text
- Background
- Objectives (optional)
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- References
- Acknowledgments
Reporting guidance
Brieflands recommends that authors follow the reporting guideline matching their study design. The right one depends on what you did:
Observational studies — cohort, case-control or cross-sectional: STROBE.
Randomised trials: CONSORT, with SPIRIT for protocols — see Randomized Clinical Trials for the registration requirement.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: PRISMA — see Systematic Reviews.
Animal studies: ARRIVE — see Animal Rights.
Using the applicable guideline tends to shorten review, because reviewers can find what they need to assess without asking for it.
Start from the journal’s Word template so the headings and structure are already in place.
Word count
For the word limit that applies to this article type, see the Word Count Policy.
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