Author Guidelines

The Celebes Nursing Journal (CNJ) is a peer-reviewed, open-access nursing journal with an international scope that publishes high-quality scholarly articles advancing nursing science, clinical practice, nursing education, and health systems relevant to nursing and healthcare. CNJ is committed to rigorous peer review, editorial transparency, and adherence to internationally recognized standards of publication ethics and research integrity.
All manuscripts submitted to CNJ must be:

Authors are required to follow the guidelines below to ensure an efficient submission, review, and publication process.

1. Article Types Accepted
CNJ accepts several article types, each with specific requirements. Authors should select the category that best reflects the nature and methodology of their work.

Article Type Recommended Word Length Abstract Required Structure Special Requirements Tables/Figures
Original Research Articles Typically 4,000–8,000 words* Structured, 150–250 words IMRaD or appropriate design-specific structure Reports an empirical investigation using quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, clinical, observational, experimental, or other research data; 3–6 keywords, preferably MeSH terms where applicable; relevant reporting guideline required No fixed limit; only necessary items
Review Articles (Systematic, Scoping, Rapid, Integrative, Narrative) Typically 5,000–8,000 words* Structured or unstructured according to review type Type-specific structure Follow the appropriate reporting guideline (e.g., PRISMA 2020, PRISMA-ScR, or the PRISMA extension for Rapid Reviews) where applicable No fixed limit; only essential items
Case Reports / Case Studies Typically 2,000–4,000 words* Unstructured, 150–250 words Type-specific structure CARE guideline where applicable; clear nursing relevance Only essential items
Concept Analysis Typically 4,000–8,000 words* Structured, 150–250 words Introduction – Aim – Concept Analysis Method – Findings – Discussion – Implications – Limitations – Conclusion The selected concept-analysis method or framework must be clearly identified and applied systematically. Authors must distinguish conceptual analysis or synthesis from empirical validation and should not claim empirical validation unless supporting empirical data are presented. Only essential items; a conceptual model or framework may be included
Theory Development Typically 4,000–8,000 words* Structured, 150–250 words Introduction – Purpose – Theoretical Foundations – Theory Development Process – Concepts, Relationships, or Propositions – Discussion – Implications – Limitations – Conclusion The theory-development approach must be clearly described. Core concepts, assumptions, relationships, or propositions must be explicitly presented. Authors must clearly state whether validation is conceptual or empirical and should not claim empirical validation unless supporting empirical data are presented. Only essential items; a theoretical model or framework may be included
Perspectives Up to 3,000 words Unstructured, 150–250 words Flexible structure Evidence-informed scholarly argument Optional
Editorials 1,500–3,000 words No abstract Flexible structure Usually invited; proposals may be considered Optional
Classification of Article Types
Original Research Articles report the findings of empirical investigations involving the collection or analysis of quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, clinical, observational, experimental, or other research data. Concept Analysis and Theory Development are recognized as distinct article types and should be submitted under their respective categories. Research case studies involving the systematic collection and analysis of empirical data should be submitted as Original Research Articles, whereas clinical or professional case reports or case studies should be submitted under Case Reports / Case Studies. The classification of a manuscript is determined by its primary objective, methodological approach, and principal scholarly contribution.

*Recommended word lengths are general guidance rather than absolute limits. Longer manuscripts may be considered when justified by the study design, methodological complexity, or reporting requirements. Word counts exclude the abstract, references, tables, figures, and supplementary materials unless otherwise specified.
Tables and figures should be directly relevant to the study objectives and should not unnecessarily duplicate information presented in the text. Extensive supporting materials may be submitted as supplementary files.

2. Manuscript Preparation
Authors must prepare their manuscripts using the official CNJ Manuscript Template and submit a separate Title Page. The required submission documents are available under Author Resources.
Manuscripts should be prepared according to the article type, study design, and applicable reporting standards.

Title Page
The Title Page must be uploaded as a separate file and include:

The title should be concise, informative, and accurately reflect the content of the manuscript.

Abstract (150–250 Words)
All manuscripts, except editorials, must include an English-language abstract of 150–250 words.
For Original Research Articles, Concept Analysis, and Theory Development manuscripts, the abstract should be presented in a single paragraph and clearly summarize the background or introduction, objective or aim, methods or approach, principal findings or outcomes, and conclusion. Other article types should use an abstract format appropriate to their design and purpose. The abstract must not include references, displayed equations, or unexplained abbreviations.

Keywords
Authors must provide 3–6 keywords immediately below the abstract. Keywords should preferably correspond to Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) where applicable to improve consistency in indexing and retrieval.

Main Text
Original research articles should generally follow an IMRaD or appropriate design-specific structure. Depending on the study design, manuscripts may include:
Introduction – Methods – Results or Findings – Discussion – Implications – Limitations – Conclusion

Concept Analysis manuscripts should identify the selected concept-analysis method or framework and describe how it was applied. The manuscript should clearly present the defining attributes or characteristics, antecedents, consequences, related concepts, cases or examples where appropriate, and implications for nursing science, education, practice, or research.

Theory Development manuscripts should clearly describe the theory-development approach, theoretical foundations, core concepts, assumptions, relationships, propositions, and the resulting theoretical model or framework. Authors must clearly distinguish conceptual development or validation from empirical testing or validation.

Alternative structures may be used when appropriate for qualitative, mixed-methods, review, case-based, conceptual, theoretical, or other study designs.

Reporting Guidelines
Authors must follow the appropriate reporting guideline for their study design and submit the required checklist where applicable. The requirement for a reporting checklist is determined by the manuscript’s methodology and study design rather than solely by its article-type label. Where no established reporting guideline exists, authors must provide a transparent and sufficiently detailed description of the methods or scholarly approach used.
Detailed requirements and links to the relevant guidelines are available on the Reporting Guidelines (EQUATOR) page.

3. Declarations and Final Sections
Manuscripts must include the applicable declarations specified in the official CNJ Manuscript Template, including:

Each author must complete the ICMJE Disclosure Form and submit the completed form at the time of initial manuscript submission. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that completed forms from all authors are submitted. Completion of the ICMJE Disclosure Form does not replace the Conflict of Interest statement required in the manuscript. Authors must update their disclosures if relevant circumstances change during review or before publication. Detailed requirements are provided in the Conflict of Interest Policy.

Authors must provide the ethics approval, informed consent, and consent for publication statements applicable to their manuscript. Detailed requirements concerning human participants, identifiable or re-identifiable human material or data, animal research, ethics exemptions, consent waivers, case reports, and manuscripts for which ethical approval is not applicable are provided on the Ethical Consideration page.

4. References
References must follow APA 7th Edition.
Authors should prioritize relevant, authoritative, and current scholarly literature. Seminal, foundational, original methodological, or instrument-development sources may be cited regardless of publication year when scientifically necessary.
DOIs should be included where available. Authors are encouraged to use reference-management software such as Mendeley, EndNote, or Zotero.

Authors are strongly advised to download and use the latest CNJ Manuscript Template before preparing their submission, as the template contains detailed formatting and manuscript preparation instructions.