To support efficient editorial assessment and peer review, ODMJ prefers manuscripts submitted as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). Please submit one main Word file that contains the full text with all tables and figures placed in logical positions (near first mention or grouped at the end). In addition, each figure should also be uploaded separately as its own file to ensure good quality for review and production.
Text formatting (Word manuscript)
Use standard, readable formatting throughout. Please type with a single space after each sentence and avoid using bold type for emphasis within the body text. Use a comma before the final “and” or “or” in a list (for example: “A, B, and C”). Separate paragraphs with a single hard return; do not use tabs or indents to start paragraphs.
Please avoid automated Word features that can interfere with production, including automatic hyphenation, endnotes, and headers/footers. Page numbers are fine. Submit a clean file (accept all tracked changes and remove comments before submission).
Write numbers one to ten as words unless they are paired with a unit of measurement (for example: “three patients” but “3 mg”); in figures and tables, numerals are acceptable for clarity. Use standard SI units and define all abbreviations at first use.
References
ODMJ uses the Vancouver numbered citation style. Cite references sequentially in the order they appear in the text, using superscript numbers placed after punctuation. When citing multiple references, separate non-consecutive citations with commas (no spaces). For consecutive citations, use a range with an en dash.
Each reference number should correspond to one publication only. References cited in tables and figures should follow the numbering sequence based on where the table/figure is first cited in the main text. Please include the article title in the reference list and provide DOIs where available. For online sources, include the URL and the date accessed. Avoid placing references in the abstract unless they are essential.
Tables
Create tables using the Word table function so they remain editable (do not submit tables as images). Each table should have a concise title that explains what it shows. Use footnotes to clarify abbreviations, statistical details, and any important notes needed to interpret the data.
Keep tables structurally simple. Do not merge cells except where truly necessary for column headings, and avoid multi-part tables labelled A/B/C within one table. If data are not available for specific cells, indicate this consistently (for example: “NA” defined in a footnote, or another clear notation). Do not use manual line breaks within cells; if you need a new line of information, use a new row.
Figures and artwork (general)
Figures must be clear, legible, and submitted in a form that allows accurate assessment and efficient editing. Avoid screenshots, images copied from websites, or graphics with unclear provenance. Do not convert low-quality raster images into PDF/EPS and assume this creates a “vector” file—if the original is not vector-based, the resulting file will not be editable as vector artwork.
Where possible, provide editable source artwork for graphs, diagrams, and schematics (for example, native vector outputs). Use consistent axis scales across comparable panels and ensure labels, symbols, and lines are easy to read at typical on-screen viewing sizes. Avoid 3D effects unless they are scientifically necessary, and prefer a clear 2D presentation.
Use a single, consistent typeface across all figures (Arial or Helvetica recommended). For colour, use palettes with comparable visibility and avoid relying on red/green contrast. Avoid rainbow colour scales unless there is a strong justification. If colour carries a specific meaning that must be preserved, state this clearly in the figure legend.
File formats (figures)
For line art, graphs, and diagrams, ODMJ prefers vector formats with editable elements, such as AI, EPS, PDF, PS, or SVG. For image-based figures, acceptable bitmap formats include TIFF, PNG, or high-quality JPEG; layered PSD or TIFF files are encouraged when annotations (labels/arrows) are placed over images. PowerPoint files may be acceptable only when the figure is fully editable and free of styling effects that cannot be preserved reliably.
For photographic images and scans, please supply high-quality files (typically 300 dpi or higher at the size intended for display) in RGB. If you are exporting from imaging software, use the highest quality settings available and avoid “over-compression.” If you submit low-resolution images, lost detail cannot be restored later.
Photographs, scans, and annotated images
If figures include photographs, microscopy, radiology, or other image data, ensure that brightness/contrast adjustments are applied uniformly and do not obscure or misrepresent the underlying data. If you add arrows, labels, or other annotations, it is strongly preferred to provide (1) the original, unannotated image and (2) a separate annotated version as a reference, so labels can be edited cleanly if needed.
Figure legends
Figure legends should be written so the figure can be understood with minimal reference to the main text. Begin with a brief title sentence, then describe what is shown. Define all symbols, colours, error bars, and abbreviations. If statistical comparisons are shown, specify the test used and the meaning of significance markers where relevant. Keep legends concise (as a guideline, under ~250 words per figure unless additional detail is essential).
File sizes and naming
Please keep files to a practical size to support upload, review, and download. Use clear file names (for example: “Figure1.tif”, “Figure2.pdf”, “SupplementaryFigure1.png”) and ensure figure numbering matches the manuscript exactly.
NOTE: All figures and tables must be provided in two ways at submission:
- Embedded inside the main Word manuscript in logical positions (so reviewers can read everything in one file), and
- Uploaded as separate source files (so the editorial team has high-quality, editable originals for assessment and production).
- For figures, upload each figure as an individual file (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.).
- For tables, keep them editable (not screenshots). If a table is created in Word, also upload it as an editable table file (Word/Excel) when requested or when complex formatting is used.
Copyright and permissions
Only submit figures, tables, images, or adapted material when the copyright status is clear, and you have the right to publish them. If any content is reproduced or adapted from another source, authors must obtain the necessary permissions (when required) and include an appropriate credit line in the manuscript.