The Metro Manila Health Research and Development Consortium’s Research Utilization Committee, in partnership with SciEnggJ, is pleased to announce its Call for Manuscripts.

We invite submissions of original health research articles from researchers affiliated with MMHRDC member institutions. This initiative seeks to strengthen the dissemination of local health research and promote evidence-based solutions through scientific publication.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

1. Manuscripts must present original research on various aspects of health.
2. The primary author must be affiliated with an MMHRDC member institution.
3. Priority will be given to research outputs from government-funded projects completed within the last five (5) years.
4. Submissions must follow the official SciEnggJ manuscript guidelines.

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION GUIDELINES (excerpt from SciEnggJ)

Implications of Authorship in a Journal

Being listed as an author in a peer-reviewed journal is no small feat. It’s a public declaration of academics’ intellectual contribution to the research, adding a weighty credential to their academic ledger. This recognition translates into tangible benefits, paving the way for career advancement, securing grants, and even landing coveted academic positions. Beyond personal gain, an academic’s expertise becomes woven into the scientific tapestry, enriching the collective knowledge in his/her field. Collaboration thrives under the banner of co-authorship, forging valuable professional networks that blossom into future research partnerships. And let’s not forget the coveted currency of academia: citations. Publications with esteemed author teams tend to attract more citations, a testament to the research’s quality and credibility.

However, the weight of authorship demands not just recognition, but responsibility. With an academic’s name on the paper comes accountability for its accuracy and integrity. Any ethical lapses or missteps can cast a long shadow, potentially damaging their reputation and jeopardizing your career. The specter of unethical practices like ghost authorship and inflated author lists lurks in the shadows, raising concerns about fairness and eroding trust in research. Predatory journals, with their siren song of rapid publication and inflated author counts, present a particularly treacherous trap. Engaging with such practices tarnishes academics’ credibility and undermines the value of their genuine contributions.

Ultimately, journal authorship is a double-edged sword. It’s a badge of honor, a career booster, and a contributor to scientific progress. Yet, it also demands ethical conduct and a clear understanding of its associated responsibilities. Navigating this landscape requires vigilance, integrity, and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of academic research.

Authorship Credit

Authorship credit in a journal article should be based on substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. SciEnggJ adopts The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)’s four criteria for authorship:

1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work.
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
3. Final approval of the version to be published.
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Authors should meet all four criteria. Additionally, contributors who do not meet all four criteria should be acknowledged for their contributions but not listed as authors. It’s essential to have clear communication and agreement among all contributors regarding authorship and acknowledgment.

Acknowledging Contributors without Authorship Credit

In the spirit of upholding standards of fairness, transparency, and integrity in academic publishing, SciEnggJ realizes the importance of establishing clear guidelines for contributors who are not cited as authors in manuscripts but have made significant contributions to the research. These non-author contributors often play crucial roles in the development and execution of scholarly work, and their efforts deserve recognition within the publication process. Therefore, SciEnggJ provides specific guidelines to ensure that these contributors are appropriately acknowledged while maintaining transparency and integrity in academic publishing.

What constitutes non-author contributions?
These contributions may include technical assistance, data collection, analysis, or critical feedback that significantly impact the manuscript’s development. It’s essential to distinguish between contributions worthy of acknowledgment and routine support that may not warrant formal recognition.

Authors submitting manuscripts to SciEnggJ should be responsible for identifying individuals who have made substantial non-authorship contributions to their work. These contributors should be informed of their potential acknowledgment and given the opportunity to review the acknowledgment statement for accuracy. Additionally, authors must obtain consent from non-author contributors before including them in the manuscript’s acknowledgment section, respecting their preferences regarding recognition.

How are non-author contributors acknowledged?
In the Acknowledgment section, authors are encouraged to provide a clear and descriptive account of each non-author contributor’s role in the research. This ensures that their contributions are properly attributed. Non-author contributors should also disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to their involvement in the manuscript, promoting transparency and ethical conduct.

While acknowledgment of non-author contributions is important, it’s essential to clarify that acknowledgment does not confer authorship status or involvement in the peer review process. Non-author contributors may be invited to participate in peer review if their expertise is relevant, but this is separate from acknowledgment and subject to the journal’s peer review policies.

In cases where errors or inaccuracies are identified in the Acknowledgment section post-publication, authors should promptly correct the record. This ensures the accuracy and integrity of the published work, maintaining the credibility of SciEnggJ and its contributors.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

SciEnggJ recognizes the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate content that can be of value to manuscripts submitted to the journal for potential publication. However, the journal also recognizes the need to ensure that AI-generated content is used ethically and responsibly.

This policy sets out the journal’s guidelines for the use of AI-generated content in published articles.

Definition of AI-generated content

For the purposes of this policy, AI-generated content is defined as any content that is created or substantially modified by an AI system. This includes content that is generated from scratch by an AI system, as well as content that is created by a human author but is then substantially modified by an AI system.

Principles

SciEnggJ will only publish AI-generated content that complies with the following principles:

* The AI-system used to generate the content cannot be indicated as one of the authors of a manuscript submitted for potential publication.

* The AI system used to generate the content must be properly described in the article.

* The human author’s contribution to the content must be acknowledged.

* The AI-generated content must be original and not plagiarized.

* The AI-generated content must be accurate and reliable.

* The AI-generated content must not mislead or deceive readers.

Procedure

Authors who wish to submit manuscripts with AI-generated content to SciEnggJ are required to provide the following information to the journal:

* A detailed description of the AI system used to generate the content.

* A copy of the original input data used to generate the content.

* A copy of the AI-generated content.

* A statement acknowledging the human author’s contribution to the content.

SciEnggJ will then review the AI-generated content and decide whether it is suitable for publication.

Enforcement

SciEnggJ reserves the right to reject or retract any article that does not comply with this policy. The journal may also take disciplinary action against authors who violate this policy.

Manuscript Format

Manuscripts should be organized in the following manner:

Title page – Title, Authors’ Names (first, MI, last) and Affiliations (use numerical superscripts), and the name and email address of the Corresponding Author

Title – The Title (only the first word and proper names should be capitalized) should be informative and be no more than 120 characters in length. Acronyms and abbreviations should be avoided.

Abstract – Not necessary for Letters to the Editor, or Reports of Meeting Proceedings. The Abstract should be a single paragraph not exceeding 500 words and devoid of any references or citations. It should give the importance and objectives of the study, the general methods used, the most important results obtained, the conclusions made and their significance.

Keywords – 5-8 key topics in the manuscript including 1-2 on general field of science

Text – Length and organization depends on the type of paper. The Text portion of Regular Research Article should have: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results and Discussion, and Conclusion (optional). The Materials and Methods section may be subdivided into several subsections with concise subheadings in boldface. Sufficient detail should be provided so that findings may be replicated. The Results and Discussion sections can have subsections. The organization of the Text in a Review, Commentary, Letter to the Editor, or Report of Meeting Proceedings is at the discretion of the author(s).

A Model is a conceptual, logical, objective or visual representation of a phenomenon or an empirical observation. The Text portion of a Modelling article should provide a brief introduction to the phenomenon or observation being modeled, and describe how the model was generated, evaluated and simulated based on known facts or preliminary data.

A Hypothesis is a theoretical attempt to explain a phenomenon or an experimental observation. The Text portion of a Hypotheses article should provide a brief introduction to the phenomenon or observation, describe a plausible explanation supported by known facts or preliminary data, and end with a suggestion as to how the hypothesis could be tested.

Acknowledgements – Funding Agency, Collaborating Institutions, and Sources of Data. The Acknowledgements section should include all sources of financial support.

Conflicts of Interest – Indicate if there is none. The authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationship with other individuals or organizations that could be construed as conflict of interest.

Contributions of Individual Authors – If more than one author. The authors must indicate in general terms the contribution or role of each author in the study.

References – The following rules should be observed when citing a reference in the text:
          • one author (Santos 2006)
          • two authors (Monje and Hedreyda 2007)
          • three or more authors (Saloma et al. 2008)

The Reference list should be ordered alphabetically. Include the names of all the authors of each reference.

Journal References:
[Author’s last name] [Author’s initials], [All other author’s last names followed by their initials]. [Title of article with only the first word capitalized]. [Journal’s standard abbreviated name] [Year]; [Volume (number)]:[Inclusive pages]. For Example: David MP, Asprer JJ, Ibana JS, Concepcion GP, Padlan EA. A study of the structural correlates of affinity maturation: antibody affinity as a function of chemical interactions, structural plasticity and stability. Mol Immunol 2007; 44:1342-1351.

Book References:
[Author’s last name] [Author’s initials], [Other authors’ last names followed by initials]. [Chapter title]. In: [Editor’s last name] [Editor’s initials], ed(s). [Book Title]. [Number of edition]. [City]:[Publisher], [Year]:[Inclusive pages]. For Example: Olivera BM. ω-Conotoxin MVIIA: from marine snail venom to analgesic drug. In: Fusetani N, ed. Drugs from the Sea. Basel: Karger, 2000:74-85.

Unpublished Observations or Personal Communications:
Do NOT include such citations in the Reference list. Place them instead in parentheses in the body of the article where it logically belongs, following the format below. Make sure to include all initials and, for personal communications, obtain a signed letter of permission from the person(s) cited. For Example: (LJ Cruz, personal communication) (GP Concepcion, unpublished observations)

Further, together with the manuscript, authors should submit a complete list of all references/citations as they appear in the text, e.g.,
• Padlan 2007 p1
• Concepcion 2008 p1
• Ilag 2009 p2
• Santos 2008 p2
• Monje 2008 p3
• Saloma 2010 p4

The above list should be followed by a sorted/alphabetized list, e.g.,
• Concepcion 2008 p1
• Ilag 2009 p2
• Monje 2008 p3
• Padlan 2007 p1
• Saloma 2010 p4
• Santos 2008 p2

The alphabetized list should match the list of references in the manuscript. This is to facilitate copy editing and checking that the references cited in the text are found in the list of references and vice versa.

Tables – with table numbers and descriptive titles. Tables should be placed at the end of the manuscript. Each table should have an informative title placed at the top. Abbreviations, footnotes, and other details should be placed below the table. Tables should be submitted as an editable version.

Figures – with figure numbers and appropriate captions. Figures should be placed at the end of the manuscript and should be “camera-ready” and of high quality. Related figures should be combined and labeled as A, B, C, etc.; captions should be Figure 1. … (A) …, (B) …, (C) …, etc. Each figure should have an informative caption placed below the figure. Only high resolution images should be used (300 dpi and above). Graphs should be saved as a scalable vector image. The figure could occupy either 1 column width (92 mm) or 2 column widths (190 mm) of the page. The height of a figure should not exceed 234 mm.

Submit using our submission portal: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnvunqwV4QN8jFFJd1QdBg58OvrGgz-BIw_Sja_B797PcNFw/viewform?usp=header

Deadline for submission: September 30, 2025

Let your research contribute to building a healthier future through science.