Publication types

The journal publishes the following types of manuscripts.

Research article

This is the most classical format of a scientific publication. It requires a clearly stated research problem, transparent description of the methods used to address it, presentation of the data and analysis results, discussion and conclusions sections. Research articles are always sent to external reviewers (peer scientists with the competence in the related areas).

Opinion

This is usually a short (2–4 pages) essay raising a question or presenting a view on a particular problem within the scope of the journal. It is expected that the Opinion could be of interest to a wide circle of the journal audience. An Opinion manuscript is often initiated by the editorial team approaching an expert with a request to express their view or comment on a particular subject.

Opinions are reviewed by a journal editor, who has also the final decision power on whether to accept or reject the submission.

Case report

Case Report is a professional narrative on an early finding or experience when the available data does not allow to develop it into a full-scale Research Article. Examples of case reports could be first feedback on implementation of an innovative safety measure or identification of a potential risk factor that has not previously been considered.

A Case Report is reviewed and the final decision is taken by a journal editor. We recommend initiating a discussion with someone from the Editorial team prior to the submission of your manuscript.

Response letter

Response letter is a format meant to facilitate high-quality post-publication discussions. It may contain critique (or praise) of the work done by the authors or point out aspects that are relevant yet not addressed in the original article. The points raised must be substantive, appropriate (legally, ethically, with regards to language, etc.) and of interest to other readers. The response letter is published as a stand-alone article and receives its own DOI address; it appears on the web page of the original article, too. In their turn, the authors are encouraged (though not obliged) to provide a response which is published together with the response letter.

A response letter is expected to be quite short (1–2 pages), though it may contain figures, tables, etc. used to illustrate the point. The author must provide his/her name, affiliation, and contact details, as well as a statement regarding conflicting interests. It must be clear from the text which TSR publication the letter responds to; similarly, the text must describe in sufficient detail how the original article treats a particular point before criticizing it.

The response letters are submitted through the journal system similar to other types of publications. The entire process is moderated by a journal editor who also has the final decision power in how the letter is treated. In general, the editor’s function is to let through only substantial and constructive discussion, free from personal accusations, unsupported opinions or questionable arguments.