1. Ethics in Publishing
   • Please refer to publish with us.
2. Declaration of Competing Interest
   • Corresponding authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence their work on behalf of all authors. This includes employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications, and funding sources. All authors, even those with no competing interests, should inform the corresponding author, who will then create a shared statement using the designated tool and upload it during submission. Please keep the document in its original .docx format; author signatures are not required.
3. Submission Declaration and Verification
   • Submitting an article indicates that the work has not been published previously (aside from abstracts, lectures, or theses), is not under consideration elsewhere, and has been approved by all authors and relevant authorities. If accepted, it will not be published in any other form or language without the copyright holder's consent. Articles may be checked for compliance with originality and duplication using software like Crossref Similarity Check.
4.  Use of Inclusive Language
   • Inclusive language respects diversity and promotes equal opportunities. Avoid assumptions about readers’ beliefs, and ensure writing is free from bias or stereotypes. Use gender-neutral terms when possible and avoid descriptors related to personal attributes unless relevant. Consider replacing terms like "master/slave" and "blacklist/whitelist" with more appropriate alternatives.
5.  Sex and Gender Reporting
   • For research involving humans and animals, authors should address sex and gender dimensions appropriately. "Sex" refers to biological attributes, while "gender" encompasses socially constructed roles and identities. Authors are encouraged to consult the SAGER guidelines for more information.
6.  Author Contributions
   • To enhance transparency, authors should provide a statement outlining their contributions. This statement should list authors' names followed by their respective roles.
7.  Changes to Authorship
   • Authors must finalize the list and order of authors at the time of submission. Any changes before acceptance require approval from the journal Editor, along with confirmation from all authors involved. Requests for changes after acceptance are rare and can delay publication.
8.  Copyright
   • Upon acceptance, authors will need to complete a 'License Agreement.'
9.  Author Rights
   • Authors or their institutions retain certain rights to reuse their work. More information is available on our website.
10.  Role of the Funding Source
    • Identify the financial support received for the research and outline the sponsor’s role in study design, data analysis, report writing, or submission. If there was no involvement, this should also be stated.
11.  Language (Usage and Editing Services)
    • Please ensure your manuscript is written in clear English (either American or British), avoiding a mix of both. Authors may consider using English Language Editing services for grammar and clarity.
12.  Submission Process
    • Our online submission system will guide you through entering article details and uploading files. It converts your files into a PDF for peer review. Editable files (like Word or LaTeX) are necessary for final publication. All communication regarding the submission process will be conducted via email.

Preparation

1. New Submissions
   • Submissions to the JOT journal are conducted entirely online, guiding you step-by-step through the process of creating and uploading your files. The system converts your files into a single PDF for the peer-review process. As part of the "Your Paper Your Way" service, you can submit your manuscript as a single file (PDF or Word document) in any format that allows referees to evaluate your work. Ensure that figures are of high quality for review. You may also upload source files during the initial submission, but individual figure files larger than 10 MB must be uploaded separately.
2. References
   • There are no strict requirements for reference formatting at the time of submission. You can use any consistent style, ensuring that all necessary elements are included: author(s), journal/book title, chapter/article title, year of publication, volume number/book chapter, and pagination or article number. The use of DOIs is encouraged. The journal will apply its reference style to the accepted article during the proof stage, and any missing information will be highlighted for correction.
3. Formatting Requirements
   • While there are no strict formatting rules, all manuscripts must contain essential components such as an Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Tables with Captions. If your article includes Videos or other Supplementary material, include them in the initial submission for peer review. Make sure to clearly define sections throughout your article.
4.  Peer Review
   • JOT journal follow a single anonymized peer review process. Initially, the editor assesses submissions for journal suitability. Suitable papers are typically sent to at least two independent expert reviewers to evaluate scientific quality. The editor makes the final decision on acceptance or rejection, which is final. Editors do not participate in decisions on papers they authored, those written by family members or colleagues, or those related to products or services in which they have an interest. All submissions undergo standard procedures, with peer review managed independently of the editor and their research group.
5.  Revised Submissions
   • When submitting revised manuscripts, save the file in the native format of your word processor. Use single-column formatting and keep the text layout simple, as most formatting codes will be removed during processing. Do not justify text or hyphenate words, but you can use bold, italics, subscripts, and superscripts. For tables, use a single grid for each table and tabs (not spaces) to align columns. Ensure your electronic text resembles traditional manuscripts. Source files for figures, tables, and graphics are required whether or not figures are embedded in the text. To minimize errors, it is strongly recommended to use the spell-check and grammar-check features of your word processor.
6.  Article Structure
   • Authors can organize their articles in a way that best communicates their research. Below is a suggested structure for your article.
7.  Introduction
   • Clearly state the objectives of your work and provide sufficient background without conducting a detailed literature review or summarizing the results.
8.  Experimental
   • Include enough detail for an independent researcher to reproduce your work. Summarize previously published methods, citing the original source. Direct quotes from established methods should be in quotation marks and properly referenced. Describe any modifications made to existing methods.
9.  Theory/Calculation
   • The Theory section should expand on the background discussed in the Introduction, providing a foundation for further work. The Calculation section should present practical applications derived from theoretical concepts.
10.  Results
    • Present the results clearly and concisely.
11.  Discussion
    • Explore the significance of your results rather than restating them. It is often effective to combine the Results and Discussion sections. Limit extensive citations and literature discussions.
12.  Conclusions
    • Summarize the main conclusions of your study in a brief Conclusions section, which can stand alone or be part of the Discussion or Results and Discussion sections.
13.  Abstract
    • A concise and factual abstract is required. It should briefly state the purpose of the research, key results, and major conclusions. Since abstracts are often presented separately, they must be able to stand alone. Avoid references, but if necessary, cite author(s) and year(s). Limit the use of uncommon abbreviations, defining them upon first mention in the abstract.
14.  Graphical Abstract
    • While optional, a graphical abstract is encouraged to enhance visibility. It should visually summarize the article's content in a compelling way. Submit it as a separate file, ensuring a minimum size of 531 × 1328 pixels (h × w) and readable at 5 × 13 cm at 96 dpi. Preferred file types include TIFF, EPS, PDF, or MS Office files. Examples are available on our information site.
15.  Keywords
    • Immediately following the abstract, provide up to 6 keywords. Use American spelling and avoid general terms, plurals, and multiple concepts (e.g., avoid using "and" or "of"). Limit abbreviations to those well-established in the field.
16.  Acknowledgements
    • Include a separate section for acknowledgements at the end of the article, before the references. List individuals who contributed to the research (e.g., for language help, writing assistance, or proofreading).
17.  Formatting of Funding Sources
    • List funding sources in the following format:
    • Funding: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [grant numbers xxxx, yyyy]; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA [grant number zzzz]; and the United States Institute of Peace [grant number aaaa].
    • Detailed descriptions of funding programs are not required. If funding comes from a university or research institution's block grant, include the institution's name.
    • If no funding was received, include the statement:
    • This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

1. Online Proof Correction
   • To facilitate a quick publication process, we kindly request authors to submit their proof corrections within two days. The corresponding author will receive an email containing a link to our online proofing system, which allows for easy annotation and correction of proofs. This system is user-friendly, similar to MS Word, enabling you to edit text, comment on figures and tables, and respond to queries from the Copy Editor.
   • Using the web-based proofing system minimizes errors by allowing direct input of corrections, although you still have the option to annotate and upload changes on the PDF version if preferred. All necessary instructions for proofing will be provided in the email, along with details on alternative methods for submitting corrections.
   • Please use the proof exclusively to verify the typesetting, editing, and completeness of text, tables, and figures. Any significant changes to the article as accepted for publication will only be considered with the Editor's permission. Ensure that all corrections are submitted in a single communication, as any additional corrections may not be accommodated after the initial response. Proofreading is entirely your responsibility.