Comprehensive guidelines for preparing and submitting your anatomical research to IJHA.
Your Roadmap to Publication
This guide covers everything you need to know to prepare a high-quality submission for the International Journal of Human Anatomy. Following these instructions will expedite the review process.
ISSN: 2577-2279 | DOI prefix: 10.14302/issn.2577-2279 | License: CC BY 4.0 | Open access publishing
Review Timeline
Single-blind peer review with typical editorial decisions in 4-6 weeks for complete submissions.
Open Access Rights
CC BY 4.0 licensing ensures immediate access and reuse with proper attribution.
Permanent Citation
Each accepted article receives a CrossRef DOI for stable indexing and discovery.
Global Reach
Research is discoverable by anatomists, educators, and clinicians worldwide.
IJHA publishes the following manuscript categories:
| Category | Word Limit | Abstract | Figures/Tables | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Research | 3,000-6,000 | 300 words (structured) | Up to 10 | Up to 50 |
| Review Article | 4,000-8,000 | 300 words (structured) | Up to 12 | Up to 100 |
| Case Report | 1,500-3,000 | 200 words (unstructured) | Up to 6 | Up to 25 |
| Technical Note | 1,000-2,000 | 150 words (unstructured) | Up to 4 | Up to 15 |
Requests for Length Exceptions
The word limits above are intended to support clarity and an efficient peer-review process. If your manuscript exceeds these limits and reducing it would compromise the scientific meaning or completeness of the work, please contact the Editorial Office at [email protected] prior to submission to request guidance on a suitable exception.
Original research articles should follow this structured format:
- Title Page: Title, authors, affiliations, corresponding author contact, word count, keywords
- Abstract: Structured with Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions sections
- Introduction: Background, rationale, and objectives of the study
- Materials and Methods: Specimen sources, dissection techniques, imaging protocols
- Results: Findings presented with supporting anatomical data
- Discussion: Interpretation, comparison with literature, clinical significance
- Conclusions: Key findings and implications
- References: Vancouver style formatting
Write in clear, professional English and use consistent anatomical terminology throughout. Define abbreviations at first use, avoid redundant descriptions, and ensure figure legends match the text. Clarity improves reviewer interpretation and helps readers apply the findings in clinical or educational settings. Use consistent tense and avoid mixing anatomical nomenclature across sections.
- Use precise anatomical terms and include common synonyms when needed
- Describe laterality, orientation, and anatomical planes explicitly
- Explain clinical implications in the discussion where applicable
Text Formatting
- Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx) format
- Double-spaced, 12-point font
- Continuous line numbering
- Standard margins (1 inch all sides)
- No embedded figures in text
Figure Requirements
- Minimum 300 DPI resolution
- TIFF, JPEG, or PNG formats
- Clear anatomical labels and legends
- Scale bars where appropriate
- Permission for cadaveric images
All anatomical research must comply with ethical standards:
Cadaveric Studies
Studies using human cadavers must have institutional approval and comply with body donation program protocols. Include approval statements in the Methods section.
Imaging Studies
Studies involving living subjects require IRB/Ethics Committee approval. Include approval number and informed consent statements.
Anatomical Terminology
Use Terminologia Anatomica (TA) for all anatomical terms. Include traditional terms in parentheses where helpful for clarity.
Image Ethics
All cadaveric images must be appropriately anonymized. Facial features should be obscured or cropped unless essential to the study and consent was obtained.
Include a data availability statement describing whether measurement tables, imaging data, or protocols can be shared. When access is restricted, provide a clear rationale and outline how the findings can be verified. Transparent reporting strengthens reproducibility and helps the anatomy community build on your work. If data are deposited, include the repository name and accession or DOI.
Anatomical Reporting Essentials
Describe specimen selection, anatomical landmarks, measurement tools, and statistical methods with enough detail to support replication. Clearly label figures, include scale information, and report variability when presenting morphometric data.
References should be numbered consecutively in the order they appear in the text:
- Journal Article: Smith AB, Jones CD. Variations of the brachial plexus. Int J Human Anat. 2025;15(3):245-250.
- Book Chapter: Johnson PR. Upper limb anatomy. In: Green M, ed. Clinical Anatomy. 3rd ed. New York: Academic Press; 2024:125-142.
Include a brief cover letter summarizing the anatomical contribution, key findings, and clinical or educational relevance. You may suggest reviewers with appropriate anatomical expertise and provide institutional email addresses to support rapid reviewer selection.
- Describe why the manuscript fits IJHA scope
- Highlight any anatomical novelty or technical innovation
- List suggested reviewers with no conflicts of interest
- Prepare: Format your manuscript according to these guidelines
- Register: Create an account on ManuscriptZone submission portal
- Upload: Submit your manuscript, figures, and supplementary materials
- Review: Single-blind peer review by anatomy specialists (4-6 weeks)
- Revise: Address reviewer feedback if revision is requested
- Accept: Pay the APC after your manuscript is accepted
- Publish: Your article goes live within 2 weeks of payment
Public Access and Funder Compliance
Some authors are required by their funders to make their research publicly available. Under the 2024 NIH Public Access Policy, Author Accepted Manuscripts accepted for publication on or after July 1, 2025, must be submitted to PubMed Central upon acceptance and made publicly available without embargo on the official date of publication.
What IJHA provides: IJHA publishes the Version of Record under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. The journal also permits authors to deposit their Author Accepted Manuscript in funder-designated repositories. Upon acceptance, we confirm the accepted manuscript version and record the funder and grant information supplied by the authors.
Author responsibility: IJHA does not currently deposit manuscripts in PubMed Central on behalf of authors. Authors are responsible for determining which funder requirements apply, initiating the appropriate repository submission and completing any required NIHMS approval steps.
Eligibility and successful processing through PubMed Central or NIHMS are determined according to the relevant funder and NIH/NLM requirements.
Important: The deposit of an individual article in PubMed Central may result in that article appearing in PubMed. It does not mean that IJHA is indexed in MEDLINE, included in the PMC Journal List or that all IJHA articles are available through PubMed. The journal's current coverage is listed on the Indexing page.
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