As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
The authors had submitted the conflict of interest COI form at ICMJE :http://www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/
The study follow the respective guidance on RCT, systematic review and meat analysis ,cohort or cases report studies. These are explained in author guidelines.
ORCID of the first or correspondance author should be included
Author Guidelines
The British Journal of Surgical Science (BJSS) publishes high-quality research in all areas of surgical science, including clinical, translational, and experimental studies. Authors are expected to adhere to ethical and editorial standards to ensure the integrity, quality, and clarity of published work.
The British Journal of Surgical Science (BJSS) is FREE, for all authors [NO ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGE]. 1. Manuscript Submission
Submission Process
All manuscripts must be submitted online through the journal’s submission system (e.g., OJS).
Submissions must include:
Title page (with author names, affiliations, and ORCID iDs)
Main manuscript
Figures and tables
Ethical approval statements (for studies involving humans or animals)
Conflict of interest declaration
Submissions must conform to the journal’s Open Access and Copyright policies.
Peer Review
All manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review.
Authors should remove identifying information from the main text and file metadata.
2. Types of Manuscripts Accepted
Original Research Articles – Clinical, translational, or experimental studies
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Case Reports and Case Series – Educational or clinically significant
Technical Notes & Surgical Techniques – Innovative procedures or devices
Short Communications – Preliminary or emerging findings
Editorials and Commentary – Expert perspectives on surgical practice
Image in clinical surgery-interesting image with brief description and management
3. Manuscript Formatting
General Formatting
Language: English
Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
Line spacing: Double-spaced
Margins: 2.5 cm (1 inch) all sides
Page numbers: Sequential throughout the manuscript
Structure of Original Articles
Title Page
Full title
Author names and affiliations
ORCID iDs
Corresponding author details
Keywords (4–6)
Abstract
Maximum 250 words
Structured for original research: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion
Include 3–5 keywords
Main Text
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Conflict of Interest Statement
Funding Statement (if applicable)
References
Follow Vancouver style
Number references sequentially as cited in the text
Tables and Figures
Include a descriptive title and legend
Submit figures in high-resolution (≥300 dpi)
Number sequentially (Figure 1, Table 1, etc.)
4. Editorial Checklist for Authors
Before submission, authors must ensure:
Manuscript is original and not under consideration elsewhere
Ethical approval is obtained for human or animal studies
Conflicts of interest are disclosed
Figures and tables are properly cited and formatted
References are complete and formatted in Vancouver style
Manuscript is double-spaced with page numbers
File metadata does not include identifying information for double-blind review
5. Author Responsibilities and Expectations
Authors must adhere to ethical guidelines, including COPE, ICMJE, and journal-specific policies.
Authors retain copyright while granting BJSS a non-exclusive license to publish.
Authors are responsible for accurate data presentation, correct authorship attribution, and disclosure of funding or conflicts.
Authors should respond promptly to reviewer comments and revision requests.
BJSS expects manuscripts to advance scientific knowledge, demonstrate methodological rigor, and contribute to clinical practice or research innovation.
6. Post-Acceptance
Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting, typesetting, and proofreading before online publication.
All articles are Open Access, freely available immediately upon publication.
7. Ethical Statements Required
Human studies: Must include informed consent and ethics committee approval
Animal studies: Must follow institutional and international guidelines
Conflict of Interest: Full disclosure required for all authors
Funding: Declare all sources of financial support
Editorial Process
1. Submission
Authors submit their manuscript through an online submission system or via email, following the journal’s formatting and ethical guidelines.
Required documents usually include the manuscript, cover letter, figures/tables, and statements on conflicts of interest or ethical approvals.
2. Initial Evaluation (Editorial Screening)
Editorial Office Check: The manuscript is checked for completeness, adherence to submission guidelines, and plagiarism.
Scope & Fit: The Editor-in-Chief or handling editor evaluates whether the manuscript aligns with the journal’s aims and scope.
Decision: Manuscripts that fail these checks are either returned to the authors for correction or rejected outright (desk rejection).
3. Peer Review
Selection of Reviewers: Editors select experts in the relevant field to evaluate the manuscript. Usually, 2–3 reviewers are assigned.
Review Process: Reviewers assess the manuscript for originality, significance, methodology, clarity, and ethical compliance.
Reviewer Feedback: Reviewers provide comments and recommend acceptance, minor revisions, major revisions, or rejection.
Editor Decision: Based on reviewer reports, the editor decides whether to proceed to revision or reject the manuscript.
4. Revisions
Author Revision: Authors revise the manuscript according to reviewer comments, providing a detailed response letter explaining changes.
Re-evaluation: The revised manuscript may be sent back to the original reviewers or evaluated by the editor.
Final Acceptance: Once the revisions meet the journal’s standards, the editor issues a formal acceptance.
5. Copyediting and Editing
Language & Style Editing: Professional editors correct grammar, punctuation, and adherence to journal style.
Technical Editing: Formatting of tables, figures, references, and equations is finalized.
Author Proofing: Authors review the edited manuscript and approve final changes.
6. Production
Typesetting & Layout: The manuscript is converted into the journal’s final format (PDF/HTML).
Proofreading: Final checks are done for errors in text, figures, tables, and references.
Publication: The article is published online and/or in print, often assigned a DOI for citation purposes.
Indexing & Dissemination: The article is indexed in databases and made accessible to readers.
Copyright Notice
Authors who publish in the British Journal of Surgical Science (BJSS) retain the copyright to their work. Upon acceptance, authors grant the journal a non-exclusive right to publish, distribute, and archive the article.
This means authors keep full ownership of their content and may reuse, share, or distribute it freely, provided that the original publication in BJSS is acknowledged.
BJSS retains the right to:
Publish the final version of the article.
Preserve and archive the article in digital repositories.
Maintain an authoritative version of record.
These rights are non-exclusive, allowing authors to distribute their work in any form, including uploading the final published PDF to institutional or subject repositories.
