Author Guidelines
Instructions for Authors
1. Manuscript Preparation Guidelines
1.1. General Format
• Manuscripts must be written in clear, concise English. Authors may use UK or US English consistently.
• Submit in Microsoft Word (.docx) format.
• Use 12-point Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing, with 1-inch margins on all sides.
• Number all pages consecutively.
Arrange the manuscript in the following order :
1. Title Page
2. Abstract & Keywords
3. Introduction
4. Materials and Methods
5. Results
6. Discussion
7. Conclusion
8. Acknowledgments (optional)
9. Conflicts of Interest
10. Funding Statement
11. Data Availability Statement
12. References
13. Figures & Tables (with captions)
2. Title Page
• The title page must include :
• Full article title (concise, informative, without abbreviations)
• Full names of all authors
• Institutional affiliations (department, university/institute, city, country)
• Corresponding author’s email
• ORCID IDs (recommended)
• Author contributions (CRediT taxonomy recommended)
3. Abstract
• Structured or unstructured abstract of 150–250 words.
• No references or undefined abbreviations
• Provide 4–6 keywords relevant to alternative, complementary, and integrative medicine.
• Use controlled vocabulary where appropriate (e.g., “alternative medicine,” “complementary medicine,” “integrative medicine”)
4. Figures and Tables
• Figures must be high-resolution (300 dpi or higher).
• Use clear, descriptive captions.
• Tables should be editable, not images.
• All figures and tables must be cited in order within the text.
5. Ethical Policies
AACIM adheres to COPE guidelines on :
• Authorship
• Confirm originality and absence of plagiarism
• Data integrity
• A Data Availability Statement is mandatory
• Animal and human research ethics
• Ensure ethical approval for any biological or human-related experiments
• Disclose financial or competing interests
• Identify funding sources
• Obtain permissions for reproduced material
Authors must state compliance in the manuscript.
6. Units, Symbols, and Nomenclature
• Use SI units for all measurements; provide SI equivalents if non-SI units are used.
• Define all abbreviations at first use and maintain consistent usage.
• Use Latin binomial names for organisms (italicized) following ICN rules.
• Chemical names should follow IUPAC recommendations.
• Provide scientific and common names for herbal/traditional medicines, including plant part used.
• Apply standard scientific notation and use a zero before decimals (e.g., 0.05).
• Use internationally accepted symbols (µg, mg/kg, °C) and avoid non-standard abbreviations.
• Use accepted clinical units (mmHg, bpm, L/min) consistently throughout the manuscript.
• Use standard statistical symbols (n, p, SD, SE, CI) and italicize variables (e.g., p < 0.05).
• Report units where applicable (e.g., bpm, %).
7. Reference & Citation Style (Vancouver Style – AACIM Standard)
The Advances in Alternative, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (AACIM) follows the Vancouver style, in accordance with recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
7.1. In-Text Citations
1. References must be cited using Arabic numerals in square brackets.
Example :
Integrative therapies are increasingly used in chronic disease management [1].
Several studies support this approach [2,3].
Recent evidence highlights its clinical relevance [4–6].
2. Citations should appear in the order they are first mentioned in the text.
3. Cite references before punctuation where necessary.
4. The same reference number should be used for repeated citations
5. Multiple citations should appear as :
• Sequential: [2–5]
• Non-sequential: [2], [7], [9]
7.2. Reference List Format
• List references numerically in the order cited in the manuscript.
• Journal titles in the reference list must be abbreviated according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Catalog.
• Use official NLM abbreviations, not personal or informal abbreviations
• Provide DOI whenever available.
• Author names: Surname + initials (no periods).
• Include all authors when six or fewer (if authors ≤6); for seven or more (if authors ≥7), list the first six followed by et al.
7.3. Vancouver Style Examples (AACIM Standard)
a) Journal Article
1. Author(s). Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year;Volume(Issue):Pages. doi:XXXX
Example :
Smith AB, Chen R, Gupta M. Herbal therapies in chronic pain management: a multicenter clinical study. J Altern Complement Med. 2022;28(3):245-254. doi:10.1016/j.msea.2023.144014.
b) Book
Author(s). Title of Book. Edition (if applicable). Place of publication: Publisher; Year.
Example :
Micozzi MS. Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 6th ed. USA: Elsevier; 2020.
c) Book Chapter
Author(s) of chapter. Title of chapter. In: Editor(s), ed(s). Book Title. Place: Publisher; Year. p. page range.
Example :
Garcia M. Herbal medicine and immunity. In: Brown L, ed. Integrative Medicine Handbook. Springer; 2021. p. 85-96.
d) Conference Proceedings
Author(s). Title of paper. In: Editor(s), ed(s). Title of Proceedings. Publisher; Year:Pages.
Example :
John S, Lee P. Integrative approaches in arthritis management. In: Bell R, Hua A, eds. Proceedings of the International Conference on Integrative Medicine 2023. Springer; 2023:145-152.
e) Thesis / Dissertation
Author. Title [dissertation/thesis]. University; Year.
Example :
Lee P. Role of naturopathy in hypertension management [dissertation]. Peking University; 2022.
f) Website / Online Source
Author/Organization. Title of webpage. Website Name. Published year. Available from: URL. Accessed date.
Example:
World Health Organization. WHO global report on traditional medicine. Published December 2023. Available from: https://www.who.int. Accessed March 15, 2025
g) Newspaper / Magazine Article (Online)
Author. Title of article. Newspaper Name. Published year. Available from: URL. Accessed date.
Example :
Hall S. Rise of integrative medicine in chronic disease care. The New York Times. Published February 5, 2024. Available from: https://www.nytimes.com. Accessed March 20, 2025.
h) Material / Scientific Database
Author/Organization. Title of database. Database Name. Version (if available). Published year. Updated year. Available from: URL. Accessed date.
Example :
National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem compound database. PubChem. Published 2023. Updated 2024. Available from: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/. Accessed March 15, 2025.
i) Patent
Inventor(s). Title of patent. Country Patent Office. Patent number. Date of issue.
Example :
Sharma A, Verma R. Herbal composition for diabetes management. Indian Patent Office. IN 202311045678. August 12, 2024.
7.4. Journal Abbreviations:
Use standard journal abbreviations as indexed in PubMed / MEDLINE.
Example :
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine → J Altern Complement Med
Advances in Alternative, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine → J Adv Altern Complement Integr Med
7.5. Unpublished and Personal Communications
Avoid citing unpublished data.
Personal communications should be cited only in the text, not in the reference list.
7.6. Preprints (Optional Policy – you can include or exclude)
If allowed :
• Clearly label as preprint
• Include repository name and DOI
7.7. Reference Management Tools
Authors are encouraged to use:
• EndNote
• Zotero
• Mendeley
Ensure the selected style is set to Vancouver before submission.
8. Submission Process
8.1. Required Files :
Please submit:
• Manuscript (Word format preferred)
• Cover letter
• Figures (if separate)
• Supplementary material (if any)
Manuscripts must be submitted through the AACIM Online Submission System.
Online Submission : https://www.scivolve.com/submitmanuscript
Email Submission (optional): manuscripts@scivolve.com
Authors may also submit their manuscript as an email attachment to the address above if needed.
a) Cover Letter : A cover letter must accompany the manuscript submission. The cover letter should briefly describe the significance of the research, the contribution it makes to the field, and why it is suitable for publication in a SCIVOLVE journal. Authors should also confirm that the manuscript is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
b) All submissions undergo double-blind peer review.
c) Average initial decision time: 2–3 weeks.
d) Revised manuscripts must include a point-by-point response to reviewers.
8.2. Final Checks Before Submission
Authors should ensure:
• All references are cited in the text
• Citation numbers are in correct order
• Formatting follows Vancouver style strictly
• DOIs are included where available
• Journal names are properly abbreviated
• All figures and tables are included and properly labeled
9. Article Types Accepted
• Research Articles
• Review Articles (Systematic/Narrative)
• Case Reports
• Case Series
• Clinical Images
• Short Communications
• Perspective Articles
• Editorials
• Commentaries
10. Article Processing Charges (APC)
To support open-access publishing and sustainable editorial operations, Journal of Materials Science and Emerging Technologies applies an Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 1570 per accepted manuscript.
• APC is payable only after acceptance.
• No submission fees apply.
• Waivers or discounts may be considered for authors from low-income regions.
11. Open Access and Licensing
SCIVOLVE operates under an open access model, ensuring that all published articles are freely accessible to the global research community. Authors retain copyright of their work and can choose from a range of Creative Commons licenses to determine how their work can be used by others.
12. Appeals and Complaints
Appeals : Authors who believe that their manuscript was unfairly rejected may submit an appeal to the editorial office. The appeal must be based on a substantive disagreement with the reviewers’ comments or the editorial decision. Appeals will be considered by a senior editor or an independent reviewer.
Complaints : Any complaints regarding the editorial process, peer review, or publication ethics should be directed to the SCIVOLVE editorial office. We take all complaints seriously and will investigate any concerns promptly and transparently.
Contact Information
For any questions or further assistance, please contact the journal editorial office at editorialoffice@scivolve.com or visit our website.
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13. Author's Rights
Copyright Ownership
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Access and Distribution
Authors have the right to access their published work freely and may distribute it in accordance with the journal’s open-access policy. This often includes sharing their work on personal websites, institutional repositories, and social media.
Re-use of Work
Authors typically have the right to use their published work in future publications or presentations, provided they comply with the journal’s licensing terms, which often require proper citation.
Attribution
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Full License Text :
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Advances in Integrative and Complementary Medicine (AICM) is an international, peer-reviewed journal that publishes innovative research and critical reviews spanning traditional, complementary, and modern integrative medical systems. The journal emphasizes the scientific evaluation of alternative therapeutic practices, evidence-based complementary approaches, and the integration of holistic methods with conventional medicine. AACIM is committed to promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of diverse healthcare systems to enhance patient outcomes, preventive strategies, and global health resilience. By upholding methodological rigor, ethical transparency, and scientific integrity, the journal supports the responsible advancement and clinical application of alternative and complementary therapies within modern medical frameworks.