Research Articles
 

Research Articles present the results of original research that address a clearly defined research question and contribute to the body of academic knowledge.

Ukwuru Science considers Research Articles in all areas of the natural sciences, medicine, and engineering, as well as the related social sciences and humanities.

In keeping with our mission to publish all methodologically and ethically rigorous research, we will consider Research Articles reporting negative and null results.

Research Articles typically consist of the following headings:

• Abstract

• Introduction

• Materials and Methods

• Results

• Discussion

• Conclusions

Submitted Research Articles are evaluated against the Ukwuru Science criteria for publication and should also adhere to the author submission guidelines.

 

Articles reporting new methods
 

Ukwuru Science considers Research Article submissions that report new methods, software, databases, and tools as the primary focus of the article. These should also adhere to the utility, availability, and validation criteria in the guidelines for specific study types.

 

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
 

Ukwuru Science considers Research Article submissions that report systematic reviews and meta-analyses: reviews of a clearly formulated research question that use explicit, systematic methods to identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect and analyze data from the included studies. For more information, see our submission guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

 

Clinical Trials
 

Clinical Trials report the results of studies in which participants are prospectively assigned to a health-related intervention in order to evaluate the effects on health outcomes. Ukwuru Science assesses Clinical Trials manuscripts against the same publication criteria as Research Articles, but they must also meet the additional requirements outlined in the submission guidelines for Clinical Trials.

 

Lab Protocols
 

Lab Protocols are peer-reviewed articles comprising detailed step-by-step descriptions of experimental and computational techniques. Lab Protocols have been developed as part of a partnership between Ukwuru Science and protocols.io, a dedicated platform for developing and sharing reproducible methods, and consist of:

• A step-by-step protocol posted to protocols.io, utilizing specialized tools for communicating methodological details, including reagents, measurements, formulae, video clips, and dynamic flow charts.

• A peer-reviewed Ukwuru Science article contextualizing the protocol, with sections discussing applications, limitations, expected results, and sample datasets from using the protocol.

Ukwuru Science considers Lab Protocols submissions in all areas of the journal's scope. For more information on submission requirements and evaluation criteria, see the Lab Protocols submission guidelines.

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Study Protocols
 

Study Protocols describe detailed plans for conducting research, including the background, rationale, objectives, methodology, statistical plan, and organization of a research project. Ukwuru Science accepts submissions of Study Protocols for any study type within the journal’s scope.

Read the Study Protocols submission guidelines for more information about submission requirements and evaluation criteria.

 

Registered Reports
 

Registered Reports are research articles that undergo peer review at the study design or protocol stage, prior to conducting experiments, data collection, or analysis. The Registered Report format aims to support a strong methodological approach, increase the reproducibility of results, and address publication bias. Read more on our blog.

 

Assessment takes place in two stages and results in two linked publications:

• Registered Report Protocol: an article describing the study design, rationale, timeline, proposed methodology for data collection and analysis, and where applicable, ethical approval for the work. Registered Report Protocols report the study proposal prior to conducting experiments, data collection, or patient recruitment, and they undergo peer review to ensure that the planned research will meet Ukwuru Science’s publication criteria. Accepted Registered Report Protocols are published in the journal and receive an in-principle acceptance for the future article reporting the results of the study after completion.

• Registered Report: a Research Article describing the full study and its findings upon completion, including the methods information originally outlined in the Registered Report Protocol. Peer review focuses on adherence to the protocol and the appropriateness of any deviations. If accepted, the published Research Article and Registered Report Protocol are linked on our website.

 

Scope and submission requirements for Registered Report Protocols and Registered Reports are similar to those for a regular research article submission. Read the Registered Report Protocol and Registered Report submission guidelines for more.

 

Commissioned Article Types
 

Ukwuru Science does not consider unsolicited submissions of the article types below. These articles must be commissioned or invited by the Ukwuru Science editors, or, in the case of Collection Reviews and Collection Overviews, by Guest Editors of Collection partners.

 

Collection Reviews
 

Ukwuru Science considers Collection Review articles within pre-planned Collections with the goal of providing deeper insight into one or more of the topics covered in the Collection. These articles are compelling narrative reviews that discuss current developments in a particular field under the Collection’s scope and draw meaningful conclusions adding to knowledge in the field. They should be balanced, coherent, representative of the literature on the topic covered, and clearly positioned in the subject of the Collection.

 

Ukwuru Science staff editors will not consider unsolicited Collection Reviews. Collection Reviews will be considered within a pre-planned Collection subject to prior approval by journal editors, or they may be commissioned by staff editors.

 

Collection Reviews should include:

• An introduction summarizing the background of the topic and the purpose of the review.

• A conclusion succinctly outlining the key points.

• Where possible, discussion of implications to the field and recommendations based on the evidence presented.

 

Collection Overviews
 

Ukwuru Science considers Collection Overview articles within planned Collections. Collection Overviews discuss the relevant history and scientific background of a Collection and place the articles included in the Collection within the context of knowledge in the field.

 

Ukwuru Science staff editors do not consider unsolicited Collection Overviews. Collection Overviews will instead be commissioned by Guest Editors or Collection partners, or may be commissioned by staff editors.

 

Formal Comments
 

Formal Comments are invited by Ukwuru Science editors to promote scientific discourse about Ukwuru Science articles. They provide additional perspectives or context on a publication, especially in areas of policy, societal relevance, or ongoing scientific debate.

Ukwuru Science may invite a Formal Comment as:

• A response to scientific criticism or re-analysis by authors whose work is disputed in an Ukwuru Science publication.

• An article that offers an expert, broad, and balanced perspective on an Ukwuru Science publication, or adds context on the potential editorial, societal, or policy implications of the findings.

 

Formal Comments should be concise, coherent, well-argued, and of timely relevance to the field. Formal Comments undergo peer review, and the journal may also invite the authors of the article under discussion to provide a signed review or to submit a response to the Formal Comment. Ukwuru Science editors do not consider unsolicited Formal Comments.

Formal Comments are not meant to address concerns around publication ethics. Direct ethics concerns about Ukwuru Science to the Ukwuru Science Publication Ethics team and cc the journal.

 

Topic Pages
 

Topic Page articles are intended to increase the coverage of scientific topics in Wikipedia. Topic Pages are written in the style of a Wikipedia article and, after open peer review on the Ukwuru Science Wiki, become a published copy of record with a dynamic version of the article posted on Wikipedia.

 

While Academic Editors most often solicit Topic Pages from researchers in their areas of expertise, we also welcome new proposals and inquiries for editorial consideration. Proposals should address topics that are of interest to the scientific community and wider general public and that are not yet covered, or are currently under-developed, in Wikipedia. To propose a Topic Page, please contact our editorial office at info@ukwuruscience.com.

 

Post-Publication Notices

Ukwuru Science publishes Editorial Notes, Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retraction notices, as needed, to address issues that arise after an Ukwuru Science article has been published.