Original Research
Reports a defined research question using appropriate empirical methods. It should explain the design, setting, participants or materials, procedures, analysis, results, limitations, and evidence-based interpretation, with ethics and reporting information suited to the study.
Review Article
Synthesizes and critically interprets established and emerging knowledge for a defined clinical or scientific topic. Authors should explain the review’s purpose and approach, distinguish evidence from opinion, address important uncertainty, and avoid selective or promotional treatment of sources.
Systematic Review
Uses explicit, reproducible methods to identify, select, appraise, and synthesize evidence addressing a focused question. Search methods, eligibility criteria, study selection, risk-of-bias assessment, synthesis approach, protocol information where applicable, and appropriate reporting guidance should be clear.
Meta-analysis
Quantitatively combines sufficiently comparable evidence using justified statistical methods. Reports should describe study selection, effect measures, heterogeneity, assumptions, sensitivity or subgroup analyses where relevant, risk of bias, and limits on inference. A meta-analysis may form part of a systematic review.
Clinical Research / Clinical Study
Reports research involving clinical questions, care pathways, interventions, diagnosis, prognosis, or patient outcomes. Study design, oversight, consent, registration where applicable, participant flow, outcomes, adverse findings, uncertainty, and limits on clinical generalisation should be reported transparently.
Case Report / Case Series
Describes one or more clinically or educationally informative cases. Reports require appropriate publication consent where applicable, careful removal of unnecessary identifiers, a clear clinical timeline, balanced discussion, and limits on generalisation. Rare details and images may increase re-identification risk.
Brief Report / Short Communication
Presents a focused research finding, dataset, observation, or early contribution that can be assessed rigorously in a concise format. Brevity does not reduce requirements for methods, ethics, data integrity, disclosures, limitations, or appropriate reporting.
Methodology / Methods Article
Introduces, evaluates, validates, or advances a research, analytical, laboratory, computational, or clinical method. Authors should define intended use, comparison or validation, performance, reproducibility, limitations, safety, and access to materials, code, or data where appropriate and permissible.
Protocol
Describes the rationale and prespecified methods for a study or evidence synthesis before results are available. It should identify status and registration where applicable, objectives, design, outcomes, analysis, ethics, dissemination, and material amendments. Availability depends on the selected journal’s current policy.
Editorial
Offers an editorial perspective on a journal, field, article, or timely scholarly issue. Editorials should be evidence-aware, proportionate, transparent about conflicts, and clearly distinguished from original research; they may be commissioned or otherwise limited by current editorial policy.
Commentary
Provides a reasoned, evidence-informed analysis of a focused issue, development, policy question, or published contribution. Commentary should add interpretation rather than merely summarize, acknowledge competing evidence, and disclose relevant interests.
Perspective
Develops a scholarly viewpoint or forward-looking interpretation for a medical field. Perspectives may integrate evidence and expert reasoning but should distinguish established findings, inference, and proposal, and should not present opinion as clinical guidance.
Correspondence / Letter
Supports focused scholarly discussion, critique, clarification, or response concerning published work or a relevant issue. Assertions should be supported, tone professional, conflicts declared, and new patient or research data accompanied by applicable ethics and consent information.