Figures, Tables and Appendices

Figures

When submitting a manuscript to Brieflands STM Publisher, it is essential to follow the guidelines for figures to ensure the highest quality in published articles. Below are the key requirements and instructions for figure submissions:

Submission and File Formats

• Figures must be submitted as separate files during the manuscript submission process.
• Each figure should have a corresponding caption, which must be placed in the manuscript text in reading order, immediately following the paragraph where the figure is first cited.
• Acceptable file formats for figures include Encapsulated PostScript (.eps), PowerPoint (.ppt), Portable Document Format (.pdf), Photoshop (.psd), Tagged Image File Format (.tiff), PNG (.png), or JPEG (.jpg).
• The raw data for charts should be provided in Microsoft Excel format (compatible with MS Office 2007 or newer).

Image Quality and Resolution

• All images should be scanned at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. Most consumer scanners use the sRGB color space by default; however, for optimal color depth, Adobe RGB is recommended if using a high-end scanner.
• Line art (images composed of lines and text without tonal or shaded areas) should have a resolution of 900 dpi. Halftone images (continuous tone photographs with no text) should have a resolution of 300 dpi, and images that combine both should have a resolution of 500 dpi.
• Figures with a resolution below 300 dpi will not be accepted.

Originality and Permissions

• Authors must declare in their cover letter that all figures in their manuscript are original. If any figures are not original, the original source must be cited, and a reprint permission form must be uploaded as an attachment.
• Scanned graphs or images from other resources will not be accepted for publication.

Placement of Figures

• If a figure is first mentioned in the Methods section but presents results, do not move the figure to the Methods section. Instead, remove the in-text mention in the Methods and retain the figure in the Results section, providing an explanation to the authors.

Image Manipulation Guideline

For detailed instructions on image manipulation and ethical guidelines, please refer to the Image Manipulation Guideline here Image File Requirements.

Tables

Tables

• The best way to prepare a table in a manuscript is using the Microsoft Word Table function. Tables will not be accepted as an image file.
• Place each table in your manuscript Full-text file directly after the paragraph in which it is first cited. If a table presents results but is first mentioned in the Methods section, do not move the table. Instead, remove the in-text mention in the Methods, leave an explanation for the authors, and retain the table in the Results section.
• Do not submit tables in a separate file(s). Only upload tables as separate files if they are intended to be an appendix.
• Each table should have borders with normal style without any colored row or column.
• The style of a table should be simple. Each cell must contain only one paragraph or one line.
• Do not use the Space or Enter keys to align content across the table or to create a new line, indent, or justify the content.
• For ease of reading and formatting reasons, large tables covering several pages should, if possible, be divided into 2 or more smaller tables.

Table Components

• Values for sample sizes and percents should be presented in the same column as "No. (%)". 
• The unit of measurement is usually presented in the column heading; however, if the unit differs for each row, the unit of measurement can be presented in the left-most column of the row. Units of measurement are separated from the column description or row heading with a comma.
• Category headings must be in marked in bold (eg, race, age groups, and gender).

Table Footnotes

• The footnotes should appear in alphabetical order from left to right, top to bottom within the table.
• All footnote symbols within a table are superscripted letters (a-z). The use of *, **, *** footnotes to mark significance levels (eg, P < .05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001) is discouraged. Authors are asked to provide exact P values instead. While we prefer the exact P values, there are exceptions to this general rule:
  • In tables of systematic reviews, which tend to be busy and where the original P values can't be found in the original publications
  • When odds ratios instead of P values are presented
  • If for any reason authors are unable to provide the exact P values

• Footnotes are placed in a list directly after the table. All footnotes presented in this list require a corresponding letter within the table.

How to draw a standard table:

• A sample of the table:

• The text direction of the table should be Left-to-Right as the whole manuscript (Red Arrow).
• Align text should be on the left also (Green Arrow).

Table%201.webp

• If you have already drawn your table, you should apply the above steps in addition to changing table properties, as shown in the figure below.

Table%202.webp

Appendices

At Brieflands STM Publisher, authors have the opportunity to include supplementary materials in their submissions by utilizing the Appendices section. Appendices are valuable for providing additional content that supports the main manuscript but is too detailed or extensive to be included in the main text.

Types of Supplementary Files

Authors can upload a variety of supplementary files, such as Excel spreadsheets, CSV files, PDFs, text documents, Word documents, and more. These files may include additional data, detailed calculations, extensive tables, or any other materials that enhance the understanding of the research.

Submission Process

When submitting a manuscript, authors can conveniently upload these supplementary files in the designated Appendices box within the submission system. It is essential to ensure that these files are clearly labeled and referenced appropriately in the main text of the manuscript.

By providing an Appendices section, Brieflands allows authors to present a comprehensive view of their research, ensuring that all relevant data and materials are accessible to readers.