Submissions

Submission Preparation Checklist

All submissions must meet the following requirements.

• This submission meets the requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
• This submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration.
• All references have been checked for accuracy and completeness.
• All tables and figures have been numbered and labeled.
• Permission has been obtained to publish all photos, datasets and other material provided with this submission.

   

  The editorial board adheres to the following publication instructions. Only papers following these instructions are considered for publication

  1. General Manuscript Requirements

  Requirement	Detail
  Language	All manuscripts must be submitted in clear, concise English. Authors whose native language is not English are strongly advised to seek professional English editing before submission.
  Document Format	Submissions must be in Microsoft Word (.docx) format. Use a standard 12-point font (e.g., Times New Roman or Arial), 1.5-spaced, with 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins.
  Word Limits	Research Articles: Typically 4,000–8,000 words (excluding Abstract, Figures, and References). Review Articles: Up to 12,000 words. Short Communications/Notes: Up to 2,500 words.
  Anonymity	The USM utilizes Double-Blind Peer Review. The initial submission file must not contain any author-identifying information (names, affiliations, funding details, or acknowledgments).

   

  2. Manuscript Structure and Order

  Manuscripts must be organized in the following order:

  1.      Title Page (Separate File): Must include the full title, all authors' names and affiliations, the corresponding author's contact information, and any funding acknowledgments. This file is kept separate from the main manuscript for the double-blind review process.

  2.      Title (on Manuscript): Clear, concise, and informative (under 15 words).

  3.      Abstract: A single paragraph of 250 words maximum. It must concisely state the study's purpose, methodology, main results, and principal conclusions.

  4.      Keywords: Provide 4 to 6 keywords (or short phrases) that accurately represent the paper's content, aiding in indexing and searchability.

  5.      Introduction: State the background, the current state of research, the gap the study addresses, and a clear statement of the study's objectives and hypothesis.

  6.      Methods/Methodology: Provide sufficient detail to allow the work to be reproduced. For experimental work (Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences, Engineering), describe materials, instruments, and procedures. For theoretical/mathematical work, detail the models, algorithms, and computational methods used.

  7.      Results: Present findings logically and clearly, supported by tables and figures. Do not discuss or interpret the findings here.

  8.      Discussion: Interpret the results in the context of previous research. Discuss the significance, implications, and limitations of the findings.

  9.      Conclusion: Summarize the main findings and state the major conclusion, avoiding repetition of the Abstract. Suggest future research directions.

  10.  Acknowledgments (After Acceptance): List contributors who do not meet authorship criteria (e.g., technical support, financial aid). This section must be removed from the initial submission.

  11.  Conflict of Interest Statement: Mandatory statement regarding any financial or non-financial conflicts.

  12.  References: Use the style specified below.

  13.  Figures and Tables: Place these after the references, with captions/titles included.

   

  3. Field-Specific Requirements

  ·         Mathematics/Physics/Engineering: Use SI units consistently. Equations must be numbered consecutively and placed flush right, using LaTeX or Microsoft Word's Equation Editor (e.g., E = mc²).

  ·         Chemistry: Chemical structures and nomenclature must follow IUPAC rules.

  ·         Botany/Zoology: Scientific names (genus and species) must be written in italics upon first mention. All ethical approval statements regarding animal/human subjects must be detailed in the Methods section.

  ·         Geology: Latitude and longitude must be clearly indicated for fieldwork, including the coordinate system used.

   

  4. Citation and Referencing Style

  ·         The USM requires the Vancouver style (numbered system).

  ·         Citations in the text should be identified by numbers in square brackets (e.g., [1], [5, 8], or [10–12]).

  ·         The reference list should be ordered numerically in the sequence in which the references were first cited in the text.

  ·         Examples:

  o    Journal Article: Author A, Author B, Title of article, Abbreviated Journal Name Volume number, (Year) Page range.

  o    Book: Author A, Title of Book, Edition (if not first), Place of Publication: Publisher; Year.

  o    Chapter in Book: Author A, Chapter title, In: Editor A, editor, Title of Book, Place of Publication: Publisher; (Year) Page range.

   

  5. Ethical and Data Requirements

  Ethical Approval: Manuscripts reporting research involving human subjects, animal experiments, or hazardous materials must include a statement confirming that necessary ethical approvals were obtained from the relevant institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee.

  ·         Data Availability: Authors are encouraged to make their raw data publicly available through established repositories whenever possible. A Data Availability Statement must be included at the end of the manuscript.

   

  Fees and Finances

  USM is a free open-access journal. We charge no fees for publishing well-structured and high-quality research in the fields of Journal scope that fit our standards and objectives.