Guide for Authors

Manuscript Submission Overview

Types of Publications

TRJ journals generally consider the following manuscript categories (availability may vary by journal and section). All submissions must provide enough methodological detail for readers to evaluate the work and, where relevant, reproduce the results. Authors should include essential controls, clear reporting of procedures, and access to supporting datasets where ethically and legally possible.

Manuscripts submitted to TRJ must be original, must not be under review elsewhere, and must not have been published previously (except where clearly disclosed, such as preprints, depending on journal policy).

Article

Original research presenting new results, methods, analyses, or applications. Submissions should be technically sound and clearly positioned within the relevant scholarly literature. A typical structure includes: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Materials and Methods (or Methods), Results, Discussion, and Conclusions (optional).

Review

Analytical and critical synthesis of existing literature that identifies trends, gaps, limitations, and future research directions. Reviews should not present new, unpublished experimental results as primary findings. A typical structure may include: Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Thematic Sections, Discussion, Conclusions, and Future Directions.

Scoping Review

A scoping review may be submitted under the “Review” category. Authors are expected to follow recognized reporting guidance (e.g., PRISMA-ScR) and submit the completed checklist during submission. Flow diagrams and protocol registration (where applicable) are strongly encouraged, and relevant registration details should be described in the Methods section.

Submission Process

All TRJ submissions are handled online through Scholar Manuscript. The submitting author (usually the corresponding author) is responsible for:

  • entering accurate author details and affiliations,

  • ensuring all eligible co-authors are listed,

  • confirming all authors approve the submitted version,

  • uploading all required files and statements,

  • communicating with the editorial office during review and revision.

Where the system allows, co-authors may view manuscript details if they create accounts using the email addresses provided during submission.

Accepted File Formats

TRJ accepts submissions in any standard scholarly format. Using Word or LaTeX is recommended.

  • Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx): Upload a single main manuscript file. Figures may be embedded near first mention for review convenience, and/or uploaded separately as figure files.

  • LaTeX: Upload the compiled PDF plus all source files (.tex, .bib, style files) and figures, ideally as a single ZIP archive so the editorial office can recompile if needed.

  • Supplementary files: Any common format is acceptable; non-proprietary formats are preferred when possible.

If your total upload size is large (e.g., extensive datasets or video), deposit files in a trusted repository and provide links/identifiers in the manuscript and Data Availability Statement.

Free Format Submission

TRJ does not require journal-specific formatting at initial submission. However, manuscripts must be complete and include core sections appropriate to the article type.

At minimum, submissions should contain:

  • Author information (names, affiliations, corresponding author contact)

  • Abstract and keywords

  • Introduction

  • Methods / Materials and Methods

  • Results

  • Discussion (or Results & Discussion)

  • Conclusions (optional)

  • Figures and tables with captions

  • Funding statement

  • Author contributions

  • Conflict of interest statement

  • Ethics statements (where applicable)

  • References

References: At initial submission, references must be consistent and complete. If revisions are invited, authors may be asked to align the manuscript fully with TRJ style, including APA reference formatting.

Cover Letter

A cover letter is required and should briefly explain:

  • why the work matters and what it adds to the field,

  • why it fits the journal scope,

  • any related manuscripts or closely overlapping work,

  • any preprint/conference version (if applicable), and what has changed.

The cover letter must confirm:

  • the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere and has not been published previously (except disclosed preprints where allowed),

  • all authors approve submission and agree with the content.

If the journal requests reviewer suggestions or exclusions, provide these within Scholar Manuscript (not necessarily in the cover letter), following the journal’s instructions.

Author Identification

Authors may include a short biography (optional, if requested by the journal). A typical biography can include:

  • full name and current position

  • educational background (degree, institution, year)

  • relevant professional/academic experience

  • research interests

  • professional memberships and awards (if relevant)

TRJ strongly recommends providing ORCID iDs for accurate attribution and discovery.

Author Affiliation

Authors should list:

  • current institutional affiliation(s), and

  • the affiliation(s) where the research was primarily performed (if different).

Accurate affiliation information is important for indexing, citations, institutional reporting, and funding recognition. After publication, changes to author names/affiliations may be limited and may require formal correction procedures.

Independent Researcher

Authors without an active institutional affiliation may use Independent Researcher as their affiliation and provide their city and country.

Manuscript Preparation

General Considerations

Research articles should typically include:

  • Front matter: Title, author list, affiliations, abstract, keywords

  • Main sections: Introduction; Methods; Results; Discussion; Conclusions (optional)

  • Back matter: Supplementary Materials (if any), Author Contributions, Funding, Data Availability, Acknowledgments, Conflicts of Interest, References

Review articles should typically include:

  • Front matter: Title, author list, affiliations, abstract, keywords

  • Review body: organized sections/subsections as appropriate

  • Back matter: Author Contributions (if applicable), Acknowledgments, Conflicts of Interest, References

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses should follow appropriate reporting standards (e.g., PRISMA) and provide checklists/flow diagrams where required.

Acronyms/abbreviations should be defined at first use in the abstract and in the main text (and again in the first figure/table where relevant).
Units: Use SI units where possible.
Equations: Provide editable equations (Word Equation Editor/MathType or LaTeX), not images.
Data and materials: State where data/materials/code can be accessed and disclose any restrictions.
Preregistration: If preregistered, include registry details and links.

Front Matter

These elements should appear in all manuscript types:

Title: Clear, specific, and informative. Avoid unnecessary abbreviations. If applicable, indicate study type (e.g., trial, systematic review, meta-analysis).

Author list and affiliations: Provide full names and institutional affiliations (department/institution/city/country). Identify at least one corresponding author. Ensure author order and spelling are final at submission.

Equal contributions (if applicable): If two or more authors contributed equally, indicate this clearly and explain in the author contributions statement.

Abstract: Provide an accurate summary of the manuscript. A structured content flow is recommended (background/purpose, methods, key results, main conclusion) without adding claims not supported in the paper.

Keywords: Provide 3–10 keywords that support indexing and discoverability.

Back Matter

Supplementary Materials: List supplementary items clearly (e.g., Figure S1, Table S1, Dataset S1) and provide short titles/descriptions.

Author Contributions: Provide a contribution statement for multi-author papers. TRJ encourages use of the CRediT taxonomy (e.g., Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal Analysis, Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing, etc.).

Funding: Disclose all funding sources and grant numbers. If none: “This research received no external funding.”

Institutional Review Board (IRB) / Ethics Statement (if applicable): Provide ethics committee name, approval number, and date (or justify why approval was not required).

Informed Consent Statement (if applicable): State whether consent was obtained, waived (with justification), or not applicable. If identifiable individuals are shown in images or described in detail, confirm written publication consent.

Data Availability Statement: Provide where data can be accessed or explain restrictions.

Acknowledgments: Recognize non-author contributions and support.

Conflicts of Interest: Disclose any potential conflicts. If none: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

References (APA): TRJ uses APA reference style. Use author–date citations in the text and an alphabetized reference list, ensuring full bibliographic details and DOIs where available.

Preparing Figures, Schemes and Tables

TRJ supports figures, tables, and (where allowed) multimedia as part of articles or supplementary materials.

File quality and formats: Provide high-resolution figures (PNG/JPEG/TIFF preferred). Ensure labels are readable.

Placement and numbering: Number figures and tables in the order they appear and cite them in the text. Provide clear captions that explain symbols/abbreviations.

Color: Color figures are acceptable.

Image integrity: Do not manipulate images in ways that could mislead. Any adjustments should be applied uniformly and described if relevant.

Copyright and permissions: If reusing or adapting third-party figures/tables, authors must ensure reuse rights and provide appropriate credit lines and permissions where required.

Supplementary Materials, Data Deposit and Software Source Code

TRJ supports transparent and reproducible research. Authors are encouraged to share protocols, materials, data, and code where feasible and lawful.

FAIR principles: Where possible, data should be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable.

Repositories: Deposit data/code in trusted repositories whenever possible and cite them in the manuscript (DOI/accession number).

Restricted data: If data cannot be shared due to privacy, ethical, legal, or proprietary reasons, explain this clearly and state how qualified researchers may request access if appropriate.

Code and software: Specify software names and versions. If custom code is essential, provide access (repository link or supplementary files) when possible.

Research and Publication Ethics

TRJ expects authors, reviewers, and editors to follow high standards of integrity and responsible research conduct.

Research Ethics

Authors must comply with applicable ethical standards and local regulations for the type of research reported.

Research Involving Human Subjects

Institutional Review Board Statement

For studies involving humans, human data, human tissues, or identifiable personal information, provide ethics approval details (committee name, approval code, date) or a justified exemption statement.

Informed Consent Statement

For human participant studies, state whether informed consent was obtained or waived (with justification). If identifiable information (including images/video) is included, authors must confirm written consent for publication.

Requirements for Studies on Vulnerable Groups and Organ Transplants

Where research involves vulnerable groups, additional documentation may be requested. For organ/tissue research, authors must clearly describe ethical sourcing and compliance with accepted standards and laws. TRJ does not consider work involving unethical or unlawful procurement.

Clinical Trials Registration

If the study meets clinical trial definitions and registration is required by applicable standards, include registry name, registration number, and date. For randomized trials, authors should follow recognized reporting guidance (e.g., CONSORT) where relevant.

Ethical Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Research

Animal studies must follow national/institutional welfare requirements and include ethics approval details. Authors should report procedures, housing/husbandry (as relevant), and steps to minimize harm (e.g., the 3Rs: replacement, reduction, refinement).

Research Involving Cell Lines

Report the source and provenance of cell lines and any authentication/contamination checks where appropriate. Provide ethics approval and consent information when human-derived materials are used.

Research Involving Plants

Plant research should comply with institutional/national/international rules for collection and use. Where relevant, document origin and permits. Voucher specimens are encouraged for rare/non-model species when appropriate.

Dual-Use Research of Concern

If the work could reasonably be misused or poses safety/security risk, disclose this in the cover letter and manuscript. Editors may apply additional assessment to ensure benefits outweigh risks.

Sex and Gender in Research

Where relevant, authors should address sex and/or gender considerations in design, analysis, and reporting, and explain when such analysis is not applicable.

Borders and Territories

TRJ remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and expects respectful, accurate geographic descriptions. Affiliation and map disputes are handled case-by-case.

Publication Ethics Statement

TRJ enforces peer review and publication ethics standards to maintain the reliability of the scholarly record. Plagiarism, fabricated data, manipulated images, inappropriate authorship, and undisclosed conflicts are not tolerated. Concerns may lead to rejection or, after publication, corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions.

Citation Policy

Citations must be relevant and used responsibly. Authors should avoid:

  • excessive self-citation,

  • citation padding,

  • coercive citation practices,

  • citing works not actually consulted.

Reviewer Suggestions

If the submission system requests reviewer suggestions, authors may propose qualified reviewers who are independent and have no conflicts of interest (not recent collaborators, not from the same institution). Editors are not obliged to use suggested reviewers.

Extensive English Editing

Authors are responsible for clear, correct language. TRJ may provide minor editorial corrections during production; however, manuscripts requiring extensive language revision may be returned to authors for improvement before acceptance or publication to avoid delays.

Preprints and Conference Papers

TRJ journals may consider manuscripts previously posted as preprints (journal policy dependent). Authors must disclose the preprint DOI/URL at submission.

Expanded conference papers may be considered if the journal version includes substantial new content, the original is properly cited, and permissions are secured if needed. Authors should describe changes from the conference version in the cover letter.

Authorship

Authorship must reflect substantial contributions. All authors should:

  • contribute meaningfully to the work (design, data, analysis, interpretation, etc.),

  • participate in drafting or critical revision,

  • approve the submitted version,

  • accept responsibility for integrity of the work.

Changes to authorship (adding/removing/reordering) require agreement from all authors and editorial approval.

Editorial Independence

TRJ maintains editorial independence. Publishing decisions are made by academic editors based on scope, quality, reviewer input, and ethics compliance. Editorial administration support does not override scholarly decisions. Editors and staff do not handle their own submissions; such papers are assigned to independent editors and reviewers.

Conflicts of Interest

All authors must disclose financial and non-financial interests that could be perceived as influencing the work. If none: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.” Authors must also disclose any role funders had in study design, analysis, writing, or publication decisions.

Editorial Procedures and Peer Review

Pre-check

After submission, the editorial office conducts an initial assessment for completeness, scope fit, and policy compliance. The academic editor may reject, request changes before review, or proceed to external review.

Peer Review

Peer review is conducted through Scholar Manuscript. Manuscripts are normally evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. The journal’s peer review model (e.g., single-blind/double-blind) is stated on the journal homepage.

Optional Open Peer Review

If a TRJ journal offers optional publication of reviewer reports, this will be clearly stated in the journal policy. Reviewer identity is disclosed only with reviewer consent and in accordance with the selected review model.

Editorial Decision and Revision

Decisions may include accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject. Revisions must be accompanied by a point-by-point response. Lack of timely communication may result in withdrawal of the submission after an inactivity period.

Author Appeals

Authors may appeal decisions by contacting the editorial office with a clear, evidence-based justification and a point-by-point response to the decision rationale. Appeals are reviewed by editorial leadership and may involve additional independent assessment.

Production and Publication

Accepted manuscripts proceed to production and proofing. Authors should check proofs carefully. Substantive post-acceptance changes may require editorial approval and may delay publication.

Transfer Service

When appropriate, the editorial office may suggest transferring a manuscript to another suitable TRJ journal. Transfers occur only with author consent and are handled through the submission system where available. There is no fee for transfer.

Promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusiveness within TRJ Journals

TRJ supports an inclusive scholarly environment. We encourage diverse editorial boards and fair treatment of authors and reviewers regardless of gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, age, or socioeconomic status. Discrimination and harassment are not tolerated in any TRJ journal process.