Get your International Journal of Nursing Studies paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
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Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 17 August, 2026
Submitting to International Journal of Nursing Studies goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the International Journal of Nursing Studies guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
It is a manuscript shell aligned to International Journal of Nursing Studies. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the International Journal of Nursing Studies journal page before you draft.
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the International Journal of Nursing Studies guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the International Journal of Nursing Studies guide for authors before you submit.
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through the journal's submission system.
| Element | Int J Nursing Studies requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Structured abstract required for research and review papers, up to 400 words maximum. The structured abstract should use appropriate headings and include: context/background, purpose of research, basic procedures (selection of study subjects or laboratory animals and observational and analytical methods), main findings with specific effect sizes and statistical significance, and principal conclusions. Published articles use headings: Background, Objectives, Design, Methods, Results, Conclusion. Must include point estimates and 95% confidence intervals (not just p values) when summarising statistical results. Study registration details should be included at the end of the abstract. Editorials (up to 1000 words) do not require abstracts |
| Main text | Research Papers: 2,000-7,000 words (excluding references and words in tables and figures), although shorter papers are preferred. Reviews and Discussion Papers: 2,000-7,000 words (excluding references and words in tables and figures). Editorials: up to 1,000 words |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | 1 to 7 keywords required for indexing purposes. Keywords should be written in English. Authors should try to avoid keywords consisting of multiple words (using 'and' or 'of'). Only use abbreviations in keywords if they are firmly established in the field |
| References | No strict requirements on reference formatting at initial submission - references can be in any style or format as long as the style is consistent and includes author names, journal or book titles, chapter or article titles, year of publication, volume numbers, article numbers or pagination where applicable. The journal reference style will be applied to the article after acceptance, at proof stage |
| Peer review | Double-blind/double-anonymized review process. Author identities are concealed from reviewers and vice versa. Submissions initially assessed by editors, then typically sent to a minimum of two reviewers for independent expert assessment of scientific quality |
| Submission | submit.elsevier.com/NS |
Read the International Journal of Nursing Studies guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to International Journal of Nursing Studies in under a page.
Skim two or three recent Int J Nursing Studies papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the International Journal of Nursing Studies journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the International Journal of Nursing Studies guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.