Author Guidelines

Authors are strongly encouraged to prepare their manuscripts using the official Journal of Health Management manuscript template.

Download Manuscript Template:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bSrJ9Z48v6O-llgpKeptSPhyLx2UN22x/edit?usp=sharing

A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND FORMATTING

This guide is intended to assist authors in the preparation of their manuscripts in terms of formatting and writing conventions. These requirements are standardised for the ease of appointed reviewers to read and provide comments and feedback.

Quick Formatting Requirements

Language: British (UK) English
Paper Size: A4 (210 mm × 297 mm)
Page Layout: Portrait
Column Layout: Single column
Preferred Typeface: Cambria
Body Text: 11-point
Line Spacing: 1.5
Margins: 25 mm (1 inch) on all sides
Line Numbering: Continuous
Referencing Style: Harvard

1. Language

The manuscript should be written in British (UK) English. Language use should be consistent throughout the manuscript, especially in terms of spelling.

2. Page Layout

The text should be presented in portrait layout. Landscape layout may be used for large figures and tables.

3. Paper Size

A4 size (210 mm × 297 mm) paper should be used.

4. Column Layout

The manuscript should be in a single column throughout.

5. Typeface and Font Size

The text of the manuscript, including the abstract, headings, tables, captions, and references, is preferably in Cambria. Otherwise, a sans-serif typeface may be used consistently throughout the manuscript.

Front Page

• Title: 16-point, bold, left-aligned, and UPPERCASE.
• Author's name: 12-point, bold, left-aligned, and written in full.
• Affiliation: 10-point, sentence case, and written using the full institutional address.
• Corresponding author email: 10-point. A formal or professional email address is preferred.
• Abstract: 10-point and should not be italicised except for scientific names and terms in another language.
• Section labels: Bold print should be used for sections such as Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.

Manuscript Body

• The manuscript body should be 11-point.
• Scientific names and terms in another language may be italicised.
• Bold print should be used for headings.
• Bold and italics should be used for subheadings, which should be in sentence case.
• Footnotes, captions, and text within tables should not be less than 8-point.

6. Margins

The left, right, top, and bottom margins should be 25 mm (1 inch).

All information, including text, headings, footnotes, figures, and page numbers, must remain within the specified margins.

7. Spacing

The manuscript should use 1.5 line spacing, with double spacing between paragraphs and sections.

The following should be single-spaced:

• Quotations of three lines or more, indented and presented as a block;
• References or bibliography;
• Multi-line captions for tables and figures;
• Appendices; and
• Headings and subheadings.

8. Pagination

All pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the manuscript.

Page numbers should appear by themselves and should not be placed in brackets or hyphenated.

9. Line Numbering

Lines of the manuscript should be numbered continuously from the beginning to the end of the manuscript.

B. MANUSCRIPT FORMATTING

1. Abstract

The abstract is the gist of the entire manuscript and should be given the same careful attention as the main text.

Abstract Requirements

• Maximum length: 300 words
• References should not be included.
• Abbreviations or acronyms must be preceded by the full term at first use.
• The abstract should be structured using distinct and labelled sections.
• Provide five (5) to seven (7) keywords.

The structured abstract should include appropriate sections such as:

Introduction — A brief statement of the problem and objectives of the study.

Methods — A concise description of the research method and study design.

Results — A summary of the major findings, including their significance.

Discussion/Conclusion — The principal interpretation and conclusion of the study.

The manuscript should be categorised under one of the following classifications:

• Research Paper
• Viewpoint
• Technical Paper
• Conceptual Paper
• Case Study
• Literature Review
• General View

2. Body of the Manuscript

The body of the manuscript consists of sections that are organised as chapters. A chapter may be divided into major sections and subsections.

Primary headings within chapters should be left-aligned. Subheadings should also be left-aligned. The body of the manuscript should be left justified without indentations.

2.1 Introduction

State the purpose of the article as well as the rationale and objectives of the study.

2.2 Materials and Methods

Describe the selection of subjects and identify the methods, tools, apparatus, and procedures used in the study in sufficient detail to allow other researchers to replicate the work.

Statistical tests should be described in detail, including the use of computer software.

For studies involving ethical considerations, a statement of approval from the relevant ethics committee must be included together with the study number.

For studies conducted in Malaysia, include the NMRR number, where applicable.

2.3 Results

Present the results in a logical sequence.

Use appropriate tables or illustrations where necessary.

All illustrations, figures, and tables should be placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end of the manuscript.

2.4 Discussion

Emphasise the new and important aspects of the study.

Discuss:

• The implications of the findings;
• The limitations of the study; and
• The relationship between the findings and previous studies.

2.5 Conclusion

Link the conclusions to the objectives of the study.

Avoid conclusions that are not supported by the data.

2.6 Acknowledgement

Acknowledge grants awarded in support of the study by stating:

• Grant number;
• Name of the funding institution or organisation; and
• Location of the institution or organisation.

Persons who have contributed significantly to the study should also be acknowledged.

For studies involving ethical considerations in Malaysia, authors should acknowledge the Director General of the Ministry of Health Malaysia, where applicable.

2.7 Conflict of Interest

Authors must declare any conflict of interest.

3. Tables

Ensure that all tables presented in the manuscript are referred to in the text.

Tables should be numbered consecutively using numerals, for example:

Table 1, Table 2, Table 3

The following requirements apply:

• All tables should be placed within the text at the appropriate points rather than at the end of the manuscript.
• Large tables may be presented in landscape orientation.
• The table number, title, and caption should be single-spaced and placed above the table.
• Avoid vertical lines separating columns unless absolutely necessary.
• The formatting style should remain consistent throughout the manuscript.
• Table sources and notes should be placed directly below the table.
• If a table has been adapted from another source, use “Adapted from…” instead of “Source:…”.

Table Footnotes

Footnotes should be placed at the bottom of the table.

Use superscript lowercase letters such as a, b, c, etc., corresponding to the relevant title, heading, or table entry.

Footnote text should not be less than 8-point.

4. Figures

Figures include:

• Maps
• Charts
• Graphs
• Diagrams
• Photographs
• Printed images

Each figure must be referred to in the text and numbered consecutively.

The figure number, title, and caption should be single-spaced and placed below the figure.

For example:

Figure 1. Description of the figure

All figures should be placed within the text at the appropriate points rather than at the end of the manuscript.

If a figure occupies an entire page, the caption may be placed below the figure.

Figure captions should not be less than 8-point.

The figure number, title, and caption should follow the orientation of the figure. All figures must conform to the standard margin requirements.

Formatting should remain consistent throughout the manuscript.

4.1 Graphs

Ensure that each graph is referred to in the text.

Graphs must include:

• An x-axis label;
• A y-axis label; and
• A legend, where necessary, explaining symbols, colours, or acronyms.

Graph titles should not be included within the graph itself. Instead, the title should be presented as a figure caption below the graph.

5. References

Only the Harvard referencing style should be used throughout the manuscript.

Authors are strongly encouraged to use a reference manager.

For Mendeley: Elsevier – Harvard 2
For Zotero: Elsevier – Harvard (with titles)

The following requirements apply:

• References should be arranged in alphabetical order.
• References should not be numbered.
• References used in tables and figures must also be appropriately identified.
• Avoid using abstracts as references where possible.
• When there are six or fewer authors, list all authors.
• When there are seven or more authors, list the first six authors followed by et al.
• Approximately 60–75% of references should be from the last five years.
• Self-citation should be limited to a maximum of four or five references.

C. WRITING CONVENTIONS

1. Units of Measure

Use internationally recognised units of measure, preferably SI units.

Examples

Litre — L
Millilitres — mL
Kilograms — kg
Metric tonnes — t
Grams — g
Ringgit Malaysia — RM
Metric tonne/hectare — t/ha

Numbers appearing before measurement units should not be spelt out.

Correct: 5 kg
Incorrect: five kg

This applies even when the number is below 100, except when the number begins a sentence or where otherwise required.

2. Numbers

All integers less than ten should generally be spelt out unless they are attached to units of measure.

Use numerals for numbers 10 or greater.

If a sentence begins with a number, write the number in words.

Example:

“Three hundred and eighty-five respondents were interviewed.”

Instead of:

“385 respondents were interviewed.”

Alternatively, restructure the sentence so that the number does not appear at the beginning.

Use numerals when presenting a series of figures.

Examples:

• There were 4 chairs, 12 boxes, 13 books, 10 files, and 8 pairs of shoes in the room.
• The number of taxi permits issued during the past five years was 8, 35, 56, 21, and 90.

3. Names of Organisms

The name of an organism should be written in full the first time it appears in both the abstract and the main text.

The name may subsequently be abbreviated according to accepted conventions.

Example:

Escherichia coli → E. coli

4. Ellipsis Marks

Writers use an ellipsis mark to indicate an omission from quoted material.

An ellipsis consists of three spaced full stops:

When an ellipsis occurs at the end of a sentence, four full stops are used:

One full stop marks the end of the sentence, while the other three indicate omitted material.

Example:

Khatijah, 1987, p. 4, wrote about the conference: “Members at the conference at Kuala Lumpur… agreed that the world educational crisis sketched in the document as real. ….”

5. Percentage Symbol

The symbol % may be used instead of the word “percent”.

Example: 54.6%

There should be no space between the number and the % symbol.

If the author chooses to write “percent” in full, the style should be used consistently throughout the manuscript.

In tables, the % symbol may be used in a column heading to indicate percentage.

FINAL CHECKLIST BEFORE SUBMISSION

Before submitting your manuscript, please ensure that:

✓ The manuscript is written in British (UK) English.
✓ A4 paper size and 25 mm (1 inch) margins are used.
✓ The manuscript uses a single-column layout.
✓ The body text is 11-point.
✓ The abstract does not exceed 300 words.
✓ Five (5) to seven (7) keywords are provided.
✓ Tables and figures are inserted at the appropriate locations within the manuscript.
✓ Ethical approval and the NMRR number are provided where applicable.
✓ Any conflict of interest has been declared.
✓ References follow the Harvard style.
✓ Approximately 60–75% of references are from the last five years.
✓ Pages are numbered consecutively.
✓ Continuous line numbering has been applied.
✓ The manuscript has been carefully proofread before submission.