Author Guidelines

These guidelines provide complete instructions for preparing and submitting manuscripts to Global Virology Reports (GVR). Authors are advised to review the full guidelines carefully and confirm that their manuscript aligns with GVR’s scope before submission.

A. Article Types Accepted

B. Manuscript Preparation

C. Referencing Style

D. Data Availability Requirements

E. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

F. Ethical Requirements for Publication

G. Editorial Appeals

 

A. Article Types Accepted

Global Virology Reports (GVR) accepts a diverse range of manuscript types that reflect the full spectrum of virology research, from fundamental discoveries to applied and translational advances. Each article category has specific requirements, review processes, and typical structures. Authors should select the format that best fits the purpose and depth of their work.

1. Research Article

  • Purpose: Presents complete and definitive accounts of original research that represent substantial advances in virology.
  • Abstract: Structured (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions), 250 words.
  • Word Limit: 5,000 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: No limit.
  • Key Requirements: Should include Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion sections. Methods must be sufficiently detailed to allow replication.

2. Review Article

  • Purpose: Provides comprehensive, critical surveys of existing literature on a current, defined topic in virology, synthesizing concepts and identifying future research directions.
  • Types: Narrative Reviews (Broad thematic overviews), Systematic Reviews (Following PRISMA guidelines), Meta-Analyses (With appropriate statistical methods), Scoping Reviews (Mapping evidence landscapes)
  • Abstract: Unstructured, 250 words.
  • Word Limit: Up to 8,000 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: No limit.
  • Key Requirements: Must be authoritative and cite key literature extensively. Systematic reviews must follow PRISMA guidelines.

3. Mini-Review

  • Purpose: A concise, focused overview of a rapidly developing or highly specific sub-field.
  • Abstract: Unstructured, 200 words.
  • Word Limit: 3,000 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: 50 references.
  • Key Requirements: Should be more focused and timely than a full Review Article.

4. Short Communication

  • Purpose: Reports brief, completed studies of high importance and immediate interest that are of a preliminary nature but warrant rapid publication.
  • Abstract: Structured, 150 words.
  • Word Limit: 2,500 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: 50 references.
  • Key Requirements: May present significant technical advances, preliminary but highly novel findings, or replication studies with major implications. Typically has a smaller dataset than a Research Article.

5. Case Report

  • Purpose: Describes a novel, unusual, or highly instructive clinical case or laboratory incident with significant implications for virological practice, diagnosis, or pathogenesis.
  • Abstract: Unstructured, 150 words.
  • Word Limit: 2,000 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: 30 references.
  • Key Requirements: Must include an introduction, the case presentation, and a discussion of the broader implications. Written informed consent for publication must be obtained from the patient(s) and provided to the journal.

6. Methodology / Technical Note

  • Purpose: Describes a novel experimental or computational method, technique, or protocol, or a significant improvement to an existing one.
  • Abstract: Unstructured, 150 words.
  • Word Limit: 3,000 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: 75 references.
  • Key Requirements: Must include validation data comparing the new method to established standards. The method must be described in sufficient detail for others to replicate.

7. Perspective / Opinion

  • Purpose: Presents a personal viewpoint, critique, or speculative opinion on a controversial, emerging, or foundational topic in virology. It should be thought-provoking and grounded in evidence.
  • Abstract: Unstructured, 150 words.
  • Word Limit: 2,500 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: 50 references.
  • Key Requirements: Should be authoritative but not a comprehensive review. Arguments must be well-reasoned and supported by citations.

8. Commentary

  • Purpose: A short, focused article that comments on a specific, recently published paper in GVR or another journal, or on a current hot topic. It should stimulate discussion.
  • Abstract: None.
  • Word Limit: 1,200 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: 20 references.
  • Key Requirements: For comments on a published article, the authors of the original work will usually be given the opportunity to write a reply.

9. Letter to the Editor

  • Purpose: Provides brief comments or constructive criticism on articles published in GVR within the last 6 months.
  • Abstract: None.
  • Word Limit: 1200 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: 20 references.
  • Key Requirements: Should be objective and collegial in tone. It is subject to approval by the Editor-in-Chief and, if accepted, may be sent to the original authors for a response.

10. Data Note

  • Purpose: Describes a valuable, high-quality dataset of significance to the virology community, made available in a public repository, without the need for a full biological narrative.
  • Abstract: Structured, 200 words.
  • Word Limit: 1,500 words (excluding abstract, references, and figure legends).
  • Reference limit: 20 references.
  • Key Requirements: The focus is on the data itself: its collection, curation, validation, and potential for reuse. Must include a permanent data repository accession number.

B. Manuscript Preparation

Manuscript Structure and Formatting Guidelines

All manuscripts submitted to Global Virology Reports (GVR) must adhere to the following structure and formatting requirements to be considered for review.

1. General Formatting Requirements

  • File Type: Submit as a Word (.docx) file
  • Font: 12-point, Times New Roman or Arial
  • Spacing: Double-spaced throughout
  • Margins: 1-inch (2.5 cm) on all sides
  • Page Numbers: Include in top or bottom right corner
  • Line Numbers: Include continuous line numbers for review purposes

2. Manuscript Sections

Manuscripts must contain the following sections in order:

a. Title Page

  • Full title (concise and informative, ≤ 20 words)
  • Running title (≤ 50 characters)
  • All author names with affiliations and ORCID iDs
  • Corresponding author clearly marked with email address

b. Abstract

  • Structured for Research Articles: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions
  • Unstructured for Reviews, Perspectives, Case Reports
  • Word limit: 250 words depending on article type
  • Six (6) keywords below abstract (MeSH terms recommended)

c. Main Text
Research Articles should follow this structure:

  • Introduction: Context, rationale, specific objectives/hypotheses
  • Methods: Sufficient detail for replication
    • Study design
    • Participants/materials
    • Data collection methods
    • Statistical analyses
  • Results: Logical presentation of findings
    • Use tables and figures where appropriate
    • No interpretation or discussion
  • Discussion: Interpretation of results
    • Main findings
    • Comparison with existing literature
    • Limitations
    • Implications and future directions
  • Conclusion: Brief summary and take-home message

Other article types (Reviews, Perspectives, etc.) may modify this structure as appropriate for their format.

d. Declarations Section

  • Funding: Sources of financial support
  • Conflicts of Interest: All authors must disclose
  • Ethical Approval: For human/animal studies
  • Data Availability Statement: Repository information
  • Author Contributions: Using CRediT taxonomy
  • Acknowledgments: Non-author contributions

e. References

  • Follow Vancouver (numbered) reference style as detailed in the References section
  • Include DOI or URL for all electronic resources
  • Only cited references should be listed

f. Figures and Legends (in Main text)

  • Place each figure immediately after, or in close proximity to, its first citation in the main text. Additionally, you may submit figures as separate high-resolution files.
  • Minimum resolution:
    • 300 dpi (color)
    • 600 dpi (line drawings)
    • 1200 dpi (vector preferred)
  • Acceptable formats: PNG, TIFF, JPG, SVG, EPS.

Figure legends should:

    • Be self-explanatory
    • Contain definition of all symbols and abbreviations
    • Identify statistical significance markers

g. Tables (in Main text)

  • Numbered consecutively
  • Self-contained titles
  • Place each table immediately after, or in close proximity to, its first citation in the main text

h. Supplementary Material

  • Listed separately with brief descriptions

3. Language and Style

  • Use American English spelling
  • Define all abbreviations at first use
  • Use SI units throughout
  • Italicize genus and species names
  • Follow international nomenclature for viruses

4. Special Requirements

  • Clinical Trials: CONSORT checklist and flow diagram
  • Systematic Reviews: PRISMA checklist and flow diagram
  • Animal Research: ARRIVE guidelines
  • Genetic Sequences: Database accession numbers

Manuscripts not conforming to these guidelines will be returned to authors without review.

Note: Word counts are flexible for exceptional manuscripts, but authors should contact the editorial office before submission if exceeding limits.

C. Referencing Style

Global Virology Reports (GVR) uses a numbered citation-sequence reference style. References are numbered consecutively according to the order in which they are first cited in the manuscript and are listed in the same numerical order in the reference list.

1. In-Text Citations

Citations in the text should be indicated using Arabic numerals in square brackets.

Examples:

  • A single reference: Recent studies have confirmed this finding [1].
  • Multiple references: Several studies have explored this mechanism [1,3,5].
  • Consecutive references: This approach has been described previously [5-8].

Each reference should retain the number assigned to it at its first appearance in the text. When the same source is cited again, the original reference number must be used.

Citation numbers should be placed immediately after the relevant statement.

2. Reference List

The reference list should appear at the end of the manuscript under the heading References. References must be listed in numerical order according to their first citation in the text and not alphabetically.

Each reference should be formatted according to the following general principles:

  • Authors: List up to six authors. For references with more than six authors, list the first six authors followed by et al.
  • Journal titles: Use the standard abbreviated journal title. Authors should follow recognized biomedical journal abbreviations, such as those provided by the NLM Catalog.
  • Article titles: Use sentence-style capitalization.
  • Journal information: Give the year, volume, and page range or article number, as applicable.
  • DOI: Include the DOI when available, preferably in the format https://doi.org/....
  • URLs: Include a URL for online resources when a DOI or other persistent identifier is not available, together with the date accessed where appropriate.
  • Consistency: References should be complete, accurate, and consistent throughout the manuscript.

3. Common Reference Formats

Journal Article

Format:

Author(s). Article title. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year;Volume:Page range or article number. DOI/URL.

Example:

Halstead SB, Rojanasuphot S, Sangkawibha N. Original antigenic sin in dengue. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1983;32:154-156. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1983.32.154.

Book

Format:

Author(s). Book Title. Edition. Publisher; Year.

Example:

Flint SJ, Racaniello VR, Rall GF, Hatziannou T, Skalka AM. Principles of Virology. 5th ed. ASM Press; 2020.

Edited Book

Format:

Editor(s), editors. Book Title. Edition. Publisher; Year.

Example:

Richman DD, Whitley RJ, Hayden FG, editors. Clinical Virology. 4th ed. John Wiley & Sons; 2016.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Format:

Chapter author(s). Chapter title. In: Editor(s), editors. Book Title. Publisher; Year. p. xx-xx.

Example:

Barretto N, Garcia-Blanco MA. Flavivirus replication complex assembly. In: Tripp RA, Tompkins SM, editors. RNA Viruses. Caister Academic Press; 2019. p. 45-62.

Online Resource

Format:

Authoring organization or author. Title of webpage or online resource. URL. Accessed [date].

Example:

World Health Organization. WHO COVID-19 Dashboard. https://covid19.who.int/. Accessed June 18, 2025.

4. Reference Management Software

Authors are strongly encouraged to use reference management software to ensure accurate citation numbering and reference formatting.

GVR provides a dedicated Global Virology Reports citation style for use with compatible reference management software. Authors should use the official GVR style where available rather than manually formatting references.

The GVR citation style follows the journal's prescribed numbered citation-sequence format, including square-bracketed in-text citations, sequential reference numbering, author-name formatting, journal-title abbreviations, and DOI presentation.

5. Final Reference Checklist

Before submission, authors should ensure that:

  • All in-text citations use Arabic numerals in square brackets.
  • References are numbered according to their first appearance in the manuscript.
  • The same reference number is used each time a source is cited.
  • The reference list is presented in numerical order rather than alphabetical order.
  • Journal titles are appropriately abbreviated.
  • Author names and publication details are complete and accurate.
  • References with more than six authors include the first six authors followed by et al.
  • DOIs are included whenever available.
  • URLs and access dates are provided for relevant online resources.
  • Every reference listed is cited in the manuscript, and every cited reference appears in the reference list.

Authors should ensure that references are checked against the original source before submission. For reference types not specifically illustrated above, authors should apply the same principles of accuracy, completeness, and consistency used throughout this reference style.

D. Data Availability Requirements

1. Your Data Sharing Responsibilities
As an author, you are required to deposit the primary data underlying your research conclusions in a suitable public repository before submitting your manuscript. Primary data includes any datasets, code, or other digital materials that are necessary to replicate, validate, and extend the research presented. The repository you choose should be recognized by your research community; we strongly recommend using a field-specific repository (e.g., GenBank for sequences, the Protein Data Bank for structures) whenever one exists. If no specialized repository is available, you may use a general-purpose repository such as Zenodo, Figshare, or Dryad. It is critical that the data be assigned a persistent, citable identifier, such as a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or an accession number, which does not break over time.

2. Composing the Data Availability Statement
Every manuscript must include a dedicated "Data Availability Statement" in a section following the main text and before the reference list. This statement is mandatory and must be written with sufficient clarity and detail to allow another researcher to locate and access your data.

  • For publicly available data: Your statement must explicitly name the repository, provide the specific persistent identifier (e.g., the DOI or accession number), and include a full, hyperlinked URL. A model statement would be: "The viral genome sequencing data generated in this study have been deposited in the NCBI GenBank database under accession number PRJNA123456. The associated metadata is available in the Figshare repository at (insert link)."
  • For data with access restrictions: In cases where data cannot be made fully public due to legitimate ethical (e.g., patient privacy), legal, or security concerns, you must still provide a Data Availability Statement. This statement must clearly explain the nature of the restrictions and outline a transparent process by which qualified researchers can request access. For example: "Due to patient confidentiality agreements and privacy laws supporting this study, the raw clinical data are not publicly available. De-identified data may be made available to qualified researchers upon reasonable request, subject to a data use agreement, by contacting the corresponding author."

Please note that a simple statement that "data are available from the authors upon request" is insufficient unless accompanied by a valid justification for the restriction, as described above.

3. Selecting a Repository and Formatting Data
To ensure long-term preservation and utility, please select a repository that provides stable identifiers and has a clear policy for data preservation. When preparing your data for deposition, we encourage you to use open, non-proprietary file formats to maximize accessibility and future reusability. Please accompany your datasets with comprehensive metadata and a "readme" file that describes the contents, structure, and any procedures needed to work with the data.

4. Citing Data in Your Manuscript
To give proper academic credit and enable robust tracking of data reuse, you must formally cite any datasets you generated in your reference list, just as you would a journal article. Please format the citation according to the journal's reference style, ensuring it includes authors, year, dataset title, repository name, and the persistent identifier.

E. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors must adhere to GVR’s AI Use Policy when preparing their manuscripts. The responsible and transparent use of AI tools is essential to maintain research integrity. The following requirements apply:

  • Attribution of AI-generated content:
    Any text, data, code, or analysis generated wholly or partially with AI tools must be clearly acknowledged. AI-generated material must never be presented as original human authorship.
  • AI tools cannot be authors:
    AI systems, including language models and image-generation tools, do not meet authorship criteria and must not be listed as authors under any circumstances.
  • Author responsibility for accuracy:
    Authors remain fully accountable for all content produced with the assistance of AI. They must carefully review AI-generated output to ensure accuracy, reliability, and the absence of plagiarism, fabricated data, or biased information.
  • Declaration of AI-assisted images or graphics:
    Any images, figures, or visual materials created or modified using AI must be explicitly declared, including the tool used.
  • Mandatory AI Usage Statement:
    Authors must include a clear AI Usage Statement specifying how and to what extent AI tools were used during manuscript preparation.

F. Ethical Requirements for Publication

Global Virology Reports (GVR) maintains the highest standards of publication ethics and expects all authors to adhere to the following principles. Submission of a manuscript implies that all authors have read and complied with these policies.

1. Authorship and Contributorship

GVR follows the ICMJE authorship criteria, and all listed authors must satisfy all four of the following requirements:

             a.  Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the study, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.

  1. Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
  2. Final approval of the version submitted for publication.
  3. Accountability for the accuracy and integrity of the entire work, ensuring that questions related to any part of the study are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Individuals who do not meet all criteria should not be listed as authors but may be acknowledged.

Contributor Roles (CRediT Taxonomy)

To ensure transparency, GVR requires detailed reporting of each contributor’s role using the CRediT taxonomy, such as:

  • Conceptualization
  • Methodology
  • Data curation
  • Formal analysis
  • Writing (original draft or review/editing)
  • Supervision
  • Funding acquisition
    This information is published with the article.

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author serves as the primary contact with the journal and guarantees that:

  • All co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
  • Authorship accurately reflects individual contributions.
  • All communication from the journal is shared promptly and transparently.

Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission are taken seriously.
All changes must include:

  • A written explanation,
  • Signed consent from all authors, including those added or removed, and
  • Editorial approval.
    Requests may be declined if concerns arise about misconduct or authorship disputes.

2. Originality and Duplicate Publication

Submissions must represent original, unpublished work that is not under consideration elsewhere. All ideas and findings must be the authors' own or clearly cited.

Preprints

Manuscripts previously posted on reputable preprint servers (e.g., bioRxiv, medRxiv, arXiv) may be submitted but must be declared at submission. Preprints are not considered prior publication.

Duplicate Submission

Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously is strictly prohibited and grounds for rejection or sanctions.

Redundant Publication

Publishing substantially similar content (methods, data, or analyses) without justification is unacceptable.
If overlapping material is unavoidable, authors must:

  • Clearly disclose related work,
  • Provide copies of previous publications, and
  • Justify the novelty of the submitted manuscript.

3. Research Integrity

Data Fabrication and Falsification

Fabricated, falsified, or manipulated data are grounds for immediate rejection and possible reporting to the authors’ institutions.

Image Integrity

All digital images must accurately represent the original results. Unacceptable practices include:

  • Selective enhancement,
  • Duplication,
  • Splicing without explanation.
    Original raw images must be available upon request.

Plagiarism and Text Recycling

All submissions undergo plagiarism screening.

  • Proper citation is mandatory.
  • Self-plagiarism must be minimal and clearly referenced.
  • Extensive text recycling or recycled figures is considered misconduct.

4. Human Subjects Research

Ethics Approval

All studies involving human participants require approval from a recognized Institutional Review Board (IRB) or ethics committee. Manuscripts must include:

  • The IRB approval number,
  • Name of the approving institution, and
  • A statement of informed consent from all participants.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Patient identifiers must be removed. Case reports require written consent for publication.

Regulatory Compliance

All human studies must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Clinical trials must be registered in a WHO-approved registry before enrollment begins.

5. Animal Research

Studies involving experimental animals must demonstrate ethical responsibility.

Ethical Approval

Authors must obtain approval from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or equivalent authority. Methods must adhere to national/institutional regulations and follow the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting animal research.

Humane Treatment

Manuscripts must clearly describe animal welfare considerations, measures taken to minimize suffering, and housing and care protocols.

6. Conflict of Interest

All authors must declare any financial, personal, academic, or professional relationships that could influence their work. This includes:

  • Funding,
  • Paid consultancies,
  • Advisory roles,
  • Stock ownership,
  • Patent filings.

Funding Transparency

Authors must list:

  • All funding agencies,
  • Grant numbers, and
  • The role (if any) of sponsors in the study design, analysis, or reporting.

Publication of Disclosures

All conflict-of-interest statements are published alongside the article.

7. Data and Material Accessibility

Data Availability

Authors must make primary data available through:

  • Public repositories appropriate to the field,
  • Supplementary files, or
  • Controlled-access databases where required.

Material Sharing

Reagents, viral isolates, plasmids, and other unique materials must be made available to qualified researchers subject to reasonable conditions.

Code Availability

Custom code or software must be deposited in a public repository (e.g., GitHub, Zenodo) with documentation.

8. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use

Disclosure of AI Tools

Authors must disclose the use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, image generators) and specify what the tool was used for (writing assistance, analysis, figure creation, etc.).

Verification Responsibility

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of content generated with AI tools.

AI Cannot Be an Author

AI systems do not meet authorship criteria and may not be listed as authors.

9. Compliance and Consequences

Violation of these policies may result in:

  • Immediate rejection,
  • Article retraction,
  • Notification of authors' institutions,
  • Reporting to funding bodies,
  • Bans on future submissions (3–5 years for serious violations).

All cases are handled in accordance with COPE standards and procedures.

By submitting to GVR, authors certify that their research complies with these ethical requirements and applicable national and international regulations. Concerns about ethical compliance should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief.

G. Editorial Appeals

Authors who believe that a decision on their manuscript was made in error may submit a formal appeal. The appeal should be written as a clear and detailed letter that explains the basis for the request. Authors should outline the specific aspects of the decision they believe were incorrect, identify any points of misunderstanding, and provide supporting evidence or additional information that may influence reconsideration.

All appeals are evaluated by an independent editor who was not involved in the original decision-making process. This ensures a fair and unbiased review. The independent editor will assess the reasoning and supporting materials provided and determine whether the decision should be upheld or reconsidered. Appeals should be made in good faith and are intended to address substantive concerns rather than to challenge editorial judgment without clear justification.