Aims and Scope
The Journal of the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (JNSP) constitutes a central forum for the publication of quality full length manuscripts and shorter monographs with information on experimental, theoretical and clinical aspects of physiotherapy. The journal will serve as a store for physiotherapeutic research outcomes, and a forum for current development and health innovation.
Editorial Policy
Manuscripts are published in English, using British spelling. However, an article will not be rejected purely on the basis of lack of English proficiency. Editorial support, where appropriate, will be provided for authors whose first language is not English. Our faith is that the output of this journal will stimulate opportunity for international scholarly communication and responsible conduct of research. For all matters related to the manuscript, a corresponding author should be appointed by the authors. All manuscripts received will be duly acknowledged, and reviewed for suitability in view of the aim and scope of our journals before proceeding for the formal peer review. Manuscripts with plagiarism, insufficient creativity, and grave scientific or technical flaws, deficient in considerable message or differed markedly from the scope of the JNSP will be rejected immediately.
Upon determination of the suitability of manuscripts for publication in JNSP, two or three expert reviewers who have published in that specialty are appointed. As part of submission criteria, authors are required to suggest and provide the names of three reviewers with considerable experience in the study area. Authors are to ensure that the suggested reviewers do not have the same affiliation with the authors. JNSP adopts the double-blind review process, in which the reviewers and authors are oblivious of each other’s identity. Each member of the editorial team is responsible for a manuscript, but the final decision on acceptance lies on the editorial team. The corresponding author receives the comments, and decision (acceptance/ rejection/ revision) on the manuscript. Where appropriate, the corresponding author will be asked to provide a point by point reaction to the reviewers’ comments and submit a revised version of the manuscript. This process is continuous and hence will be repeated till reviewers and editors are satisfied with the manuscript. Accepted manuscripts for publications are copy edited for grammar, punctuation, print style, and format. Gallery proofs are sent to the corresponding author, and the corresponding author.
Clinical trial registry
JNSP favours registration of clinical trials. Clinical trials could be registered with trials clinical trial registry. Please, visit the following websites;
This only applies to clinical trials that have begun enrolment of subjects in or after March, 2019. Retrospective registration is required for enrolments that started before 2008, with a clinical trial registry that allows unlimited online free admission to the public.
Ethical Consideration
All submitted articles involving human experiments should be performed only in accordance with the ethical standards provided by the responsible committee of the institution and in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in Edinburgh 2000). This must be clearly stated in the document. Authors may be asked to provide evidence of the ethical approval. Informed oral or written permission must be obtained from human subjects, and this must be clearly stated in the methodology section. Efforts should be made to preserve patient anonymity. Ensure confidentiality of subjects by desisting from mentioning participants’ names, initials or hospital numbers, especially in illustrative material. Indeed photographs should be cropped sufficiently to prevent the recognition of human subjects being. An eye bar can be used if necessary.
Authorship
The International Committee of Medical, Journal Editors (ICMJE) has established uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals, including that each author of a manuscript must have borne their cross and made significant contributions as follows to qualify for authorship: (1. Conceiving and designing the work represented by the article or analyzing and interpreting the data, (2. Drafting the article or revising it critically for effective intellectual content, and (3. Giving final approval of the version to be published.
Contribution Detail
The contribution of each author towards the preparation of the manuscript must be stated. Description should be divided in following categories, as applicable: concept, design, definition of intellectual content, literature search, clinical studies, experimental studies, data acquisition, data analysis, statistical analysis, manuscript preparation, manuscript editing and manuscript review.
Conflicts of Interest/Competing Interests
Authors are required to disclose any conflicts of interest they may have with the publication of the manuscript or an institution or product that is mentioned in the manuscript and/or is critical to the outcome of the study in question.
Types of articles
Original Articles
These include randomized controlled trials, intervention studies, studies of screening and diagnostic test, outcome studies, cost effectiveness analyses, case-control series, and surveys with high response rate. Original articles should contain between 1500-3500 words (excluding Abstract, references and Tables). The content of the paper must justify its length. The presentation should be structured; abstract, introduction, patients/methods, results, discussion, acknowledgements, references, tables figures and legends.
Review Articles
Review articles will be highly selective. The body of the text should not exceed 4000 words. Review articles should address topics of general interest. They should provide systematic, critical assessments of the literature and creative discussion of relevant topics. The presentation should be structured and presented as a brief structured abstract, Introduction, Body of the review with headings and subheadings, References, and Figures and/or Tables where appropriate. Authors submitting review article should include a section describing the methods used for locating, selecting, extracting, and synthesizing data.
Short Communications
Up to 1500 words, with a maximum of two tables or figures and 12 references. A brief, three sentence summaries should be included.
Research Letters
For original research work. Up to 700 words with a single table or figure and a maximum of five references.
Case Reports/Case series
This should be up to 1000 words. A brief summary is required. The contents should be logically ordered, but division into sections is optional. One table or figure is allowed in addition to text. Up to five references may be given.
Letter to the Editor
Correspondence is welcomed on any subject, including editorials or articles that have appeared in Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy Journal. Letters may also be an appropriate approach for presenting experiences or observations that are too brief for Short Reports.
Methods and Devices
Articles that describe procedures, techniques or equipment tailored by readers to their own situation of work are also welcomed. The name of the author, qualifications, position, and place of work should be given.
Reporting Guidelines
Responsible reporting of research studies, which includes a complete, transparent, accurate and timely account of what was done and what was found during a research study, is an integral part of good research and publication practice and not an optional extra.
JNSP supports initiatives aimed at improving the reporting of health research. Authors should follow these guidelines when drafting their manuscripts.
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Randomised controlled trials
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Observational studies in epidemiology
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Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
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Studies of diagnostic accuracy
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Qualitative research
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Synthesis of qualitative research
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Quality improvement in health care
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Economic evaluations of health interventions
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Case reports
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Basic statistical reporting
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Authors should endeavour to address all items recommended by the guidelines (as a minimum). Adherence to recommended reporting guidelines will increase the probability of manuscripts acceptance for publication.
The EQUATOR website provides a central repository of up-to-date reporting guidelines and other resources that assist authors to prepare a good research manuscript.
Manuscript Preparation
Manuscripts must be submitted online using double line-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 font size, unjustified text throughout, with headings and subheadings in bold case. It should be submitted as in Microsoft Word Format (*.doc, *.docx).
Abstract
This should not exceed 250 words. The abstract should be unstructured and summarized to contain study background, materials and methods, results and conclusions. Three to seven keywords should be supplied.
Main Text
The text should include the following sections
Introduction
This summarizes the rationale, provides a concise research background and states in one sentence the purpose of the study. Results and conclusions are not allowed in this section.
Subjects and Methods
This should provide technical information about the study. There is no need to explain methodological details that have been published previously. Any device or equipment should include the year, manufacturer, city, and the country (in parenthesis). Give references to established methods, including statistical methods (see below); provide references and brief descriptions for methods that have been published but are not well known; describe new or significantly modified methods, give reasons for using them, and evaluate their limitations. Identify precisely all drugs and chemicals used, including generic name(s), dose(s), and route(s) of administration Procedure for sample size calculation should be specified.
Reports of randomized clinical trials should give information on all key study elements, including the protocol, assignment of interventions (methods of randomization, concealment of allocation to treatment groups), and the method of masking (blinding), based on the CONSORT Statement.
Statistical analysis
The statistical software and methods used should be specified. Identify statistical significance by quoting the actual P value. P > 0.05 or P < 0.05 is too vague to be accepted. However, when the actual P value is too small e.g. P =0.000. Mathematically, 0.000 is not a value, and in that circumstance, values like P < 0.001 will be accepted. P should be in upper case and italicized. Mean differences in continuous variables, proportions in categorical variables and relative risks including odds ratios and hazard ratios should be accompanied by their confidence intervals.
Results
The findings should be presented in SI units and in logical sequence in the text, tables, and illustrations, giving the primary or most significant findings first. Do not duplicate in the text all the data in the tables or illustrations. Only relevant observations should be emphasized or summarized. Place extra- or accompanying materials and technical detail in an appendix where it will be available but will not interrupt the flow of the text.
When data are summarized in the Results section, produce numeric results not only as derivatives (for example, percentages) but also as the absolute numbers from which the derivatives were calculated, and specify the statistical methods used to analyze them. Restrict tables and figures to those needed to explain the argument of the paper and to assess its support. Use graphs as an alternative to tables with many entries; do not duplicate data in graphs and tables. Where scientifically appropriate, analyses of the data by variables such as age and sex should be included.
Discussion
This deal deals with the interpretation of the results and their comparison with those of other studies. There is no need to repeat the results, review the literature, give textbook knowledge or cite references that do not have a close relationship with the present result. Strengths and limitations of the study, interpretation and implications in the context of the totality of evidence what the research adds to the available evidence, effects on patient care and health policy, possible mechanisms; controversies raised by the study; and future research directions for this particular research collaboration, underlying mechanisms, clinical research. End with a brief conclusion linking back to the aim of the study.
Acknowledgments
This should include only funding organizations and/or person who contribute to the success of the paper but do meet requirement for authorship.
References
We recommend that citation should be restricted to within the last decade as much as possible.
For Example
Journal article less than or equal to six authors (list all authors):
Nwagha, UI., Ugwu, VO., Nwagha, TU., & Anyaehie, BU. (2009). Asymptomatic Plasmodium parasitaemia in pregnant Nigerian women: almost a decade after Roll Back Malaria. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 103(1), 16-20.
Journal article more than six authors (list first six and add et al.):
Chapman, AB., Zamudio, S., Woodmansee, W., Merouani, A., Osorio, F., Johnson, A., et al. (1997). Systemic and renal hemodynamic changes in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle mimic early pregnancy. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, 273(5), 777-782.
Volume with supplement: Ejezie FE and Nwagha UI (2011). Iron content of breast milk in HIV positive pregnant Nigerian women. Annals of medical and health sciences research. Suppl (1) 275-82.
Issue with supplement: Onyedum CC, Dim C, Ugwu VON (2010). Women's perception of exclusive breast feeding. Annals of medical and health sciences research.; 23(2, Suppl 6):78-9.
Books
Oguntona, EB & Akinyele, IO (1995). Nutrient composition of commonly eaten foods in Nigeria-Raw, processed and prepared. (2nd ed). Food Basket Foundation Publication series
Chapter in a Mainline Book
Sies H. (2000). What is oxidative stress? In: Keaney J F (Eds). Oxidative Stress and Vascular Disease. (2nd ed., pp 1-8). Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Tables and figures
Tables should be self-explanatory and must be prepared using the Table feature of the word processor. Tables should not duplicate information given in the text. Tables must be concise and cited consecutively using Arabic numerals in the text (Table 1, Table 2…etc.). Each table should be typed on a separate sheet. The title of the table should clearly indicate the nature of the contents and sufficient detail should be included in the footnote to facilitate interpretation without reference to the text. Vertical rules are not allowed. Use horizontal rules only. Tables with more than 10 columns and 25 rows are not acceptable. Obtain permission for all fully borrowed, adapted, and modified tables and provide a credit line.
Tables should be kept to a minimum.
Tables should have a short descriptive title.
The unit of measurement used in a table should be stated.
Tables should be numbered consecutively.
Tables should be organized in Microsoft Word or Excel spreadsheet.
Figures/Graphics should be prepared in GIF, TIFF, JPEG or PowerPoint.
Tables and Figures should be appropriately cited in the manuscript.
Acceptance Certificate
Authors are issued an Acceptance Certificate for manuscripts that have been reviewed and accepted for publication by an editor.
Before Submission
