Instruction
1. The Editorial and Peer Review Process
Upon submission, all articles undergo an initial editorial review to assess their standard and suitability for publication. Authors are requested to designate one corresponding author for all communication with the Asian Journal of Ayurveda Siddhant. Acknowledgments are sent upon receipt of manuscripts. Articles lacking originality, containing significant scientific or technical flaws, or lacking a substantial message are rejected at this stage prior to formal peer review. Additionally, manuscripts deemed unlikely to interest our readership may also be rejected.
The editor determines whether to proceed to peer review or return the manuscript to the authors for necessary revisions to meet the journal's submission standards. The AJAS employs a double-blind peer review system. Following the editor's decision, the manuscript is anonymously sent to two subject experts for evaluation.
Reviewers provide adjudicatory comments and suggestions (acceptance/rejection/amendments) which are conveyed anonymously to the corresponding author for revisions. Authors may be requested to respond point-by-point to reviewers' comments and highlight any amendments separately. A revised version of the manuscript is then submitted. The Editorial Board re-evaluates the modified article and communicates the publication status.
During the publication process, the editorial office sends proofs to authors for verification. Authors are requested to return proofs within seven days after checking the layout, tables, figures, etc. This entire process, from manuscript submission to final decision and proofing, is conducted online.
2. Authorship Criteria
Authorship credit is contingent upon substantial contributions to each of the three components outlined below:
a. Concept and design of the study, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data.
b. Drafting the article or critically revising it for significant intellectual content.
c. Final approval of the version to be published.
Participation solely in acquiring funding or data collection does not merit authorship. Merely providing general supervision of the research group is insufficient for authorship. Each contributor must have sufficiently participated in the work to assume public responsibility for relevant portions of the manuscript's content. The sequence of authors should reflect their relative contributions to the study and manuscript writing. Once submitted, the author's order cannot be altered without written consent from all contributors.
The journal imposes a maximum author limit for manuscripts based on the manuscript type, scope, and the number of institutions involved. Authors exceeding these limits must justify their inclusion.
The final status of an article will be determined using the following criteria:
a. Accept after Minor Revisions: The paper is conditionally accepted pending minor revisions based on reviewer feedback. Authors are granted five days to address these minor revisions.
b. Reconsider after Major Revisions: Acceptance depends on the extent of revisions made. Authors must provide a detailed response to reviewer comments or present a rebuttal if certain comments cannot be addressed. Typically, up to two rounds of major revisions are allowed per manuscript. Authors will be requested to resubmit the revised paper within a reasonable timeframe, and the revised version will be re-evaluated by reviewers. If the revision period is expected to exceed two months, authors may be advised to withdraw their manuscript to ensure sufficient time for revisions.
c. Reject and Encourage Resubmission: If additional experiments or data are required to support the conclusions, the manuscript will be rejected with an invitation to resubmit once the necessary experiments have been conducted.
d. Reject: The article exhibits significant flaws and/or fails to make an original, substantial contribution. No opportunity for resubmission will be offered to the authors.
3. Types of Article
Researchers are invited to submit manuscripts falling into the following categories:
a. Original Research Articles: These papers should align with the journal's scope and typically range from 3000 to 5000 words, with a reference limit of 30-50. Figures and tables are typically limited to 5-7.
b. Review Articles: Comprehensive summaries of existing research literature within the journal's scope, with word limits ranging from 5000 to 8000 words. References may range from 50 to 100, and figures and tables may number from 5 to 10.
c. Correspondence Articles: Shorter pieces including letters to the editor, comments on previously published work, or discussions on emerging Ayurvedic issues. Typically, they are 1000 to 2000 words in length, with fewer references (less than 10), and limited to 1-2 figures and tables.
d. Case Reports: Descriptions of specific cases or patient experiences within the journal's scope, usually 1500 to 3000 words in length with less than 20 references. Figures and tables are typically limited to 5-7.
e. Short Communication: Brief reports presenting preliminary findings, new techniques, or emerging trends in Ayurvedic research. Word limits range from 1000 to 2000 words, with references typically less than 10 and figures and tables limited to 2-3.
f. Book Reviews: Critical evaluations of recently published books in the field of Ayurveda, typically 500 to 1000 words in length. References to related works may be included, but figures and tables are generally not part of book reviews.
4. Conflict of Interest Statement:
All authors are required to disclose any financial or personal relationships with individuals or organizations that could potentially bias their work. Examples of such relationships include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants or other funding. Authors are requested to complete the declaration of competing interest statement using the provided template and upload it to the submission system during the Attach/Upload Files step. Please refrain from converting the .docx template to another file format. Author signatures are not required. If there are no conflicts of interest to declare, please include the following statement: "Declarations of interest: none".
5. Submission Declaration and Verification
Submission of an article to the AJAS indicates that, the work described has not been published previously. The manuscript will not be considered for the peer review process if a similar submission /publication is observed in another journal. If found, authors(First/corresponding) will be restricted for further submission in the AJAS.
Manuscript is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or any other language, including electronically without the written consent of the copyright holder.
6. Manuscript Submission
a. For the preparation of the manuscript, use the A4 page size and Times New Roman 12 with a 1″ margin on all sides.
b. Use 1.5 spaces throughout the text, including the Abstract and References, while Tables are arranged in a single space.
c. The pages must be numbered serially on the lower right-hand corner, beginning from the title page.
d. All pages must have continuous line numbering.
e. Duplication of results in Tables/Figures or the text is not allowed.
f. The manuscript should comprise appropriate headings and subheadings.
g. ACCEPTED FILE FORMATS BY AJAS: Manuscripts may be submitted in MS Word Office or LaTeX formats.
h. TITLE: Each manuscript should commence with a title page. The title should be concise and descriptive, followed by the names of the author(s), their affiliations, and institutional addresses.
i. AUTHOR NAMES: All authors must provide their full names and affiliations below the title. Designations, along with complete contact details such as address, phone number, and email, should be included. The corresponding author must be indicated with an asterisk (*) and provide their complete contact information at the lower left of the title page.
j. ABSTRACT: The abstract should not exceed 250 words and must be informative, self-explanatory, and adhere to the IMRAD format. It should succinctly present the topic, scope of experiments, significant data, important observations, and conclusions. Standard nomenclature is to be used; abbreviations and references should be avoided.
k. KEYWORDS: Manuscripts should include keywords reflecting the major features of the work, typically four to six in alphabetical order, for indexing purposes.
l. INTRODUCTION: The introduction should contextualize the study, highlight its importance, and define its purpose and significance. It should review the current state of the research field, cite key publications, and outline hypotheses being tested. The main aim and objectives of the work should be stated in the third paragraph.
m. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sufficient detail should be provided to allow for reproducibility. This includes descriptions of diagnostic methods, eligibility criteria, study methods, and references to established protocols.
n. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Observations should be presented with accompanying figures or tables as needed. Research with statistical analysis should be self-explanatory.
o. CONCLUSION: The major findings, their importance, relevance, and implications should be summarized. Further scope in the field should be discussed.
p. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: All acknowledgments should be grouped in a single paragraph preceding the reference section, including supporting grants and presentations.
q. REFERENCES: References should be in Vancouver style and numbered consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text. Cite the references in the text by the appropriate number with superscript e.g. [1], [2,3], [4-6], [7,8-10] and the numbers should be within square brackets. References cited only in tables or figure legends should be numbered in accordance with the sequence established by the first identification in the text of the particular table or figure. Avoid using abstracts as references and do not cite any references in the discussion and conclusion section.
For articles (Vancouver Style)
1. Gandhi AJ, Rupareliya JD, Shukla VJ, Donga SB, Acharya R. An ayurvedic perspective along with in silico study of the drugs for the management of SARS-CoV-2. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 2022 Jan 1;13(1):100343.
Books and Other Monographs
1. Personal author(s): Parija SC. Textbook of Medical Parasitology. 3rd ed. All India Publishers and Distributors. 2008.
2. Editor(s), compiler(s) as author: Garcia LS, Filarial Nematodes In: Garcia LS (editor) Diagnostic Medical Parasitology ASM press Washington DC 2007: pp 319-356.
3. Chapter in a book: Nesheim M C. Ascariasis and human nutrition. In Ascariasis and its prevention and control, D. W. T. Crompton, M. C. Nesbemi, and Z. S. Pawlowski (eds.). Taylor and Francis,London, U.K.1989, pp. 87-100.
References from Ayurvedic Classical Texts and Samhitas:
The references from Ayurvedic Samhitas should be given in the following order:
Name of the original writer(s) of Samhita, Name of the Samhita, then editor, name of the Sthana(part or section), serial number of chapter/Shloka(verse)number, edition number, name of the publisher, then year of publication; Page number (if specified only).
E.g. Agnivesha, Charaka samhita of Acharya Charaka, Dridhabala krit, edited by Vaidya Jadavaji Trikamji Aacharya. Chikitsa Sthana. Ch.15, Ver. 20. 2nd edition, Varanasi: Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan; 1990. p. 225.
If the same Samhita or book is refereed two or more times then after quoting the full reference the first time, on the second time write the complete reference followed by the previous reference pattern.
If the reference is taken from the edited version or view of the editor on the original text, then the reference can include: Name of the editor, followed by a designation like 'editor', and the reference from the Samhita as described above,
E.g. Jadavji T., editor. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesha, Chikitsa Sthana. Ch.15, Ver. 20. 2nd edition, Varanasi: Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan; 1990. p. 225.
If the reference is quoted from a commentary of the original text, then the reference can include: Name of the commentator, followed by the designation 'commentator', and the reference from the Samhita as described above.
E.g. Chakrapanidutta, Commnetator. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesha, Chikitsa Sthana. Ch.15, Ver. 20. 2nd edition, Varanasi: Chaukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan; 1990. p. 225.
r. TABLES: Tables should be formatted in MS Word table format, numbered consecutively with brief titles in capital letters. Abbreviations should be defined as footnotes.
1. Tables should be self-explanatory and should not duplicate textual material.
2. Tables with more than 10 columns and 25 rows are not acceptable.
3. Number tables, in Arabic numerals, consecutively in the order of their first citation in the text and supply a brief title for each.
4. Place explanatory matter in footnotes, not in the heading.
5. Explain in footnotes all non-standard abbreviations that are used in each table.
6. Obtain permission for all fully borrowed, adapted, and modified tables and provide a credit line in the footnote.
7. For footnotes use the following symbols, in this sequence: *, †, ‡, §, ||,.¶ , **, ††, ‡‡
8. Tables with their legends should be provided at the end of the text after the references. The tables along with their number should be cited at the relevant place in the text
s. FIGURES: Figures should be in JPEG format, with brief titles in lowercase boldface letters below each figure. They should be numbered consecutively and cited in the text as "Fig." with corresponding numbers.
Illustrations (Figures)
1. Upload the images in JPEG format. The file size should be within 4 MB in size while uploading.
2. Figures should be numbered consecutively according to the order in which they have been first cited in the text.
3. Labels, numbers, and symbols should be clear and of uniform size. The lettering for figures should be large enough to be legible after reduction to fit the width of a printed column.
4. Symbols, arrows, or letters used in photomicrographs should contrast with the background and should be marked neatly with transfer type or by tissue overlay and not by pen.
5. Titles and detailed explanations belong in the legends for illustrations, not on the illustrations themselves.
6. When graphs, scatter-grams or histograms are submitted the numerical data on which they are based should also be supplied.
7. The photographs and figures should be trimmed to remove all the unwanted areas.
8. If photographs of individuals are used, their pictures must be accompanied by written permission to use the photograph.
9. If a figure has been published elsewhere, acknowledge the original source and submit written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the material. A credit line should appear in the legend for such figures.
10. Legends for illustrations: Type or print out legends (maximum 40 words, excluding the credit line) for illustrations using double spacing, with Arabic numerals corresponding to the illustrations. When symbols, arrows, numbers, or letters are used to identify parts of the illustrations, identify and explain each one in the legend. Explain the internal scale (magnification) and identify the method of staining in photomicrographs.
11. Final figures for print production: If uploaded images are not printable quality, the publisher's office may request for higher resolution images which can be sent at the time of acceptance of the manuscript. Send sharp, glossy, un-mounted, color photographic prints, with a height of 4 inches and width of 6 inches at the time of submitting the revised manuscript. Printouts of digital photographs are not acceptable. If digital images are the only source of images, ensure that the image has a minimum resolution of 300 dpi or 1800 x 1600 pixels in TIFF format. Send the images on a CD. Each figure should have a label pasted (avoid the use of liquid gum for pasting) on its back indicating the number of the figure, the running title, the top of the figure, and the legends of the figure. Do not write the contributor/s' name/s. Do not write on the back of the figures, scratch them, or mark them by using paper clips.
12. The Journal reserves the right to crop, rotate, reduce, or enlarge the photographs to an acceptable size.
t. VIDEOS: AJAS accepts video material and animation sequences to support research. Authors are encouraged to include links to these files within the article text.
u. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: A high-quality graphical abstract should accompany the text abstract and represent the article's topic in an attention-grabbing way. The GA should be a high-quality illustration or diagram in any of the following formats: PNG, JPEG, or TIFF. Written text in a GA should be clear and easy to read, using one of the following fonts: Times, Arial, Courier, Helvetica, Ubuntu, or Calibri. The minimum required size for the GA is 560 × 1100 pixels (height × width). The size should be of high quality in order to reproduce well.
v. ABBREVIATIONS: Abbreviations should be defined upon first use in the abstract, main text, and first figure or table, with the acronym/abbreviation/initialism added in parentheses after the written-out form.
7. Checklist
Covering letter
a. Signed by all contributors
b. Previous publications/presentations mentioned
c. Source of funding mentioned
d. Conflicts of interest disclosed
Authors
a. Last name and given name provided along with Middle name initials (where applicable)
b. Author for correspondence, with e-mail address provided
c. The number of contributors are restricted as per the instructions
d. Identity not revealed in the paper except on the title page (e.g. name of the institute in Methods, citing previous study as 'our study', names on figure labels, name of the institute in photographs, etc.)
8. Declaration of use of AI generative tools
The below guidance only refers to the writing process, and not to the use of AI tools to analyze and draw insights from data as part of the research process.
Where authors use generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process, authors should only use these technologies to improve readability and language. Applying the technology should be done with human oversight and control, and authors should carefully review and edit the result, as AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. AI and AI-assisted technologies should not be listed as an author or co-author, or be cited as an author. Authorship implies responsibilities and tasks that can only be attributed to and performed by humans.
Authors should disclose in their manuscript the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by following the instructions below. A statement will appear in the published work. Please note that authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of the work.
9. Highlight
Highlights are mandatory for AJAS as they help increase the discoverability of your article via search engines. They consist of a short collection of bullet points that capture the novel results of your research as well as new methods that were used during the study (if any).
Highlights should be submitted in a separate editable file in the online submission system. Please use 'Highlights' in the file name and include 3 to 5 bullet points (maximum 85 characters, including spaces, per bullet point).
10. Online Proof Corrections
To ensure a fast publication process of the article, we kindly ask authors to provide us with their proof corrections within two days. Corresponding authors will receive an e-mail with a link to our online proofing system, allowing annotation and correction of proofs online. The environment is similar to MS Word: in addition to editing text, you can also comment on figures/tables and answer questions from the Copy Editor. Web-based proofing provides a faster and less error-prone process by allowing you to directly type your corrections, eliminating the potential introduction of errors.
If preferred, you can still choose to annotate and upload your edits on the PDF version. All instructions for proofing will be given in the e-mail we send to authors, including alternative methods to the online version and PDF. We will do everything possible to get your article published quickly and accurately. Please use this proof only for checking the typesetting, editing, completeness, and correctness of the text, tables, and figures. Significant changes to the article as accepted for publication will only be considered at this stage with permission from the Editor. It is important to ensure that all corrections are sent back to us in one communication. Please check carefully before replying, as the inclusion of any subsequent corrections cannot be guaranteed. Proofreading is solely your responsibility.
Galley Proofs, Page proofs, and correction format are sent to the corresponding author through email. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to ensure that the galley proofs are returned within 3 days of receipt. If require any corrections in the article, if yes, then use the correction format, which is attached. If there are no corrections then give us permission [by sending a reply mail as NO correction] to upload it on the website.