Review Articles provide a summary, analysis, and comparison of the existing literature in a specific field. They debate the current state and progress in a particular area and may provide recommendations for future research. They are often written by leading authorities in a certain discipline and highlight recent trends, problems, and gaps in that discipline. The information below details the section headings that must be included in a review article. However, it is strongly recommended to follow the comprehensive guidelines provided by PRISMA 2020 checklist for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, the PRISMA-ScR checklist for Scoping Reviews, and the SANRA checklist for Narrative and Literature Reviews.
The IJVLMS generally accepts review articles of 4000-6000 words (including references), 6 Tables/Figures, and at least 40 references.
Abstract (structured with the following sections and 200-330 words)
Keywords (4-7 keywords based on the MeSH Browser) should be provided for indexing purposes and online searches. Authors are encouraged to browse through articles on similar topics to find appropriate keywords.
Introduction: In this section, the authors explain the issues/questions being addressed and their significance in relevant research areas.
Methods: This section specifies the data sources and explains the data acquisition and search process in detail. This process includes search strategies, timing of the study (and other search limits), study selection, and data collection methods. Other methods of data acquisition, such as the subsequent reference searches of retrieved articles, should be indicated as well. The applied methods for quality assessment and the inclusion of identified articles will also be explained. To better organize their manuscripts (especially the subheadings of the Methods section) authors are encouraged to consult the Checklists for different study types. Typically, the following subheadings should be included, but reviewers might ask for extra information or explanations to guarantee the methods are thorough and accurate according to the checklists.
• Study Design
• Search Strategy
• Selection Criteria
• Data Extraction
• Quality Assessment
• Data Synthesis and Analysis
Results: This section provides the number of screened studies, their characteristics, selection procedures, and an assessment of the risk of bias. The results of the individual studies are synthesized, and the major findings are explained. These findings are presented as the evidence-based and objective results of the of the review article.
Discussion: Here the major findings are analyzed and developed to address the target questions of the research. The findings in other studies are either mentioned as support and evidence, or as a backdrop to compare the new findings. Finally, a general interpretation of the results, their contribution to other studies, and their implications for future research are discussed.
Limitations and Suggestions: The limitations of the study and the implications of the findings for future research or clinical practice should be explored.
Conclusion: should state the final result and recommendation that the author(s) has (have) reached. Such results and recommendations should be derived from the researcher’s own study and the results of other studies should not be stated in this section.
Footnotes
Abbreviations: In articles where abbreviations are frequently used, it is better to provide an abbreviation list for readers to reference and understand the concepts more quickly. (Since September 2024)
Acknowledgments: Recognize the individuals, institutes, or organizations that have contributed to the preparation of the article but do not meet the criteria for authorship. Contributions may include academic, technical, financial, or personal assistance in preparing the articles. The authors must indicate the contributors' affiliations and their specific contributions. The use of AI for writing assistance should be reported in the acknowledgment section.
The following general instructions must be observed when citing references. Moreover, IJVLMS has its own EndNote style. Authors are advised to prepare their references based on this style and add the file to the style folder of their Endnote in program files. This style is available HERE.
In-text citation:
Reference List:
Listed below are sample references for different types of work. For further details and examples, authors may consult Citing Medicine: The NLM Style Guide for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (2nd edition).
Journal Article:
Almarzooq ZI, Lopes M, Kochar A. Virtual Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Disruptive Technology in Graduate Medical Education. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020;75(20):2635-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.04.015. PubMed PMID: 32304797; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC7159871.
Complete Book:
Secker J. Electronic Resources in the Virtual Learning Environment: A Guide for Librarians. Edition (if not first) - ed. Oxford: Elsevier Science; 2004.
Chapter in an Edited Book:
Fournier H, Kop R, Molyneaux H. New personal learning ecosystems: a decade of research in review. In: Becnel K, editor. Emerging technologies in virtual learning environments. Harshey: IGI Global; 2019. p. 1-19.
Thesis:
Kaplan SJ. Postgraduate students’ professionalism [dissertation]. St. Louis (MO): Washington University; 2021. (DOI is required)
Conference Paper:
Kimura J, Shibasaki H, editors. Recent advances in clinical neurophysiology. Proceedings of the 10th International Congress of EMG and Clinical Neurophysiology; 1995 Oct 15‐19; Kyoto, Japan. Amsterdam (NL): Elsevier; 1996. (DOI is required)
Website:
Meyer D. Virtual learning is the way forward for educators. Elmhurst: Elmhurst University; 2020 Oct 8. [Cited 2021 Nov 10]. Available from: https://www.elmhurst.edu/blog/virtual-learning/.