- For authors
- Open access · CC BY 4.0
Instructions for Authors
How to prepare and submit a manuscript to the Journal of Arthritis Research and Therapy: submission routes, article types, manuscript structure, reporting standards, ethics statements and fees.
Submission routes
- ManuscriptZone (primary): the publisher’s online submission and review system. Register or sign in, choose the Journal of Arthritis Research and Therapy and upload the manuscript files. Submit through ManuscriptZone.
- Simple submission form (alternative): a single-page form that opens with the journal selected. Open the form.
- Editorial email (assisted): for authors who cannot use either online route. Send the files with a cover letter to info@openaccesspub.org.
Authors must use only one submission route for the same manuscript.
Article types
JART publishes the article types below. The scope of each type is set out in the Aims and Scope. There are no fixed length limits; manuscripts should be concise and proportionate to their content.
Original Research
Empirical basic, mechanistic, translational, clinical or applied studies of arthritis and rheumatic disease.
- Abstract
- Structured: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions.
- Main text
- Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions. State the research question and, where applicable, hypotheses, outcomes and the sample-size calculation.
- Reporting
- The guideline for the design, for example CONSORT, STROBE or ARRIVE.
Review
Narrative or expert reviews of a defined topic, with a clear account of how the literature was selected.
- Abstract
- Unstructured or brief structured summary.
- Main text
- A defined question, a short account of how the literature was searched and selected, a critical synthesis, and a statement of gaps and limitations.
- Reporting
- Not applicable; a methods paragraph describing the search is expected.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Systematic syntheses of evidence on a defined question, with or without meta-analysis.
- Abstract
- Structured.
- Main text
- Introduction; Methods (eligibility criteria, information sources and full search strategy, selection, extraction, risk of bias and synthesis); Results with a flow diagram; Discussion. Give the protocol registration where available.
- Reporting
- PRISMA 2020; PRISMA-ScR for scoping reviews.
Methods
New, adapted or validated methods, assays and outcome measures, and protocols for planned studies.
- Abstract
- Structured, with headings adapted to the method.
- Main text
- Rationale; a description of the method with the detail, code or materials others need to apply it; validation or a worked application; limitations.
- Reporting
- SPIRIT for trial protocols, PRISMA-P for review protocols and TRIPOD for prediction models, where applicable.
Short Communication
Concise reports of a focused or preliminary finding.
- Abstract
- Brief, structured.
- Main text
- A condensed Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion centered on the main finding.
- Reporting
- As for Original Research, where applicable.
Data Note
Descriptions of datasets of value to arthritis and rheumatology research, to support their reuse.
- Abstract
- Brief, unstructured.
- Main text
- Background and rationale; data collection methods; description of the dataset (variables, format, coverage); quality control; data access with repository, persistent identifier and license; limitations for reuse.
- Reporting
- Deposit the dataset in a recognized repository before submission.
Case Report
Individual cases or short series that add new insight into diagnosis, mechanism, treatment or adverse effects.
- Abstract
- Brief, unstructured.
- Main text
- Introduction, Case presentation, Discussion and Conclusion, stating what the case adds. Remove identifying details and give consent for publication.
- Reporting
- CARE guidelines.
Commentary
Evidence-based argument on a current question or on published research.
- Abstract
- Brief or none.
- Main text
- A reasoned argument supported by evidence and cited sources.
- Reporting
- Not applicable.
Letter
Brief responses to published work, or short observations of relevance to the field.
- Abstract
- None.
- Main text
- A brief response to an article published in JART, or a short observation of relevance to the field, with references.
- Reporting
- Not applicable.
Preparing the manuscript
- Title page. Title, all authors with affiliations and ORCID iDs (recommended), and the corresponding author’s contact details.
- Manuscript file. Abstract (where the article type requires one; not required for Letters or Commentaries), keywords and main text structured for the article type, with tables and figures cited in the text. Word or PDF files are accepted at submission.
- Double-blind request. Single-blind by default; double-blind review is available on request. To request double-blind review, state it in the cover letter and supply an anonymized manuscript, with identifying information in the title-page file or submission form.
- References. Cite the sources of all statements of fact, in a consistent style. Give DOIs where they exist.
- Tables and figures. Supply each with a title and legend that can be read without the main text. Images must be of sufficient resolution, and clinical images must not identify a person without consent.
- Supplementary files. Final versions, free of participant identifiers, with permissions for any reused material.
Ethics and declarations
Provide, where applicable: ethics approval or a documented waiver and informed consent; trial registration for interventional trials; the completed reporting-guideline checklist; author contributions; funding and conflicts of interest; a data-availability statement; and a disclosure of any use of AI tools. The requirements are set out in the Editorial Policies and Data Archiving and Permissions.
Peer review and decisions
Single-blind by default; double-blind review is available on request. All submissions undergo initial editorial screening, including a similarity check with Crossref Similarity Check. Manuscripts that proceed to external peer review are normally evaluated by at least two independent subject-matter experts. Editorial decisions are based on scope, scientific quality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, reporting quality, and relevance to the journal. Revised manuscripts include a point-by-point response to the reviewers.
Fees
The article processing charge is USD 1,200, payable only after acceptance; withdrawal after submission is subject to the journal’s withdrawal policy. Fee-relief inquiries are considered case by case; contact the editorial office before or at submission. See Article Processing Charges.
Final checklist
- The work concerns arthritis or rheumatic disease and is prepared as one of the journal’s article types.
- Title page, abstract (where the article type requires one; not required for Letters or Commentaries), keywords and main text are complete.
- Ethics approval, consent and trial registration are stated where applicable.
- The reporting checklist for the design is attached where applicable.
- Author contributions, funding, conflicts of interest, data availability and AI-tool use are declared.
- The cover letter states the article type, confirms the work is not under consideration elsewhere, and cites any preprint.