Submissions

Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines

Sportda ilmiy tadqiqotlar (English: Sports Scientific Research; Russian: Научные исследования в спорте) is a peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly journal published in Uzbekistan. The journal disseminates original scientific work across the sports and exercise sciences and is edited to meet the indexing and quality standards of Scopus and Web of Science (Clarivate). Please read these guidelines in full before preparing and submitting a manuscript. Submissions that do not conform may be returned to the authors without review.

1. Scope and Aims

The journal publishes rigorous, ethically conducted research that advances the theory and practice of sport and physical activity. Topics within scope include, but are not limited to:

• Exercise physiology and sports biochemistry
• Sports medicine, injury prevention, and rehabilitation
• Biomechanics and motor control
• Coaching science, training methodology, and periodisation
• Physical education pedagogy and curriculum
• Sports psychology and behavioural science
• Strength and conditioning
• Adaptive and para-sport, inclusive physical activity
• Nutrition for sport and health-related physical activity
• Talent identification, performance analysis, and sports technology
• Public health, physical activity epidemiology, and sedentary behaviour

Manuscripts must present new knowledge or a substantive synthesis relevant to these fields. Purely commercial, promotional, or non-scientific submissions are out of scope.

2. Article Types

*Word counts exclude the title page, abstract, references, tables, and figure captions. Editors may permit reasonable deviations for well-justified submissions.

3. Languages and Mandatory English Metadata

Manuscripts are accepted in English, Russian, or Uzbek. Regardless of the manuscript language, every submission must include the following in English:

• Article title;
• Abstract of 200–250 words (structured: Background/Aim, Methods, Results, Conclusion);
• 5–8 keywords;
• Full author names, affiliations, and country.

For manuscripts submitted in Russian or Uzbek, the corresponding English metadata ensures international discoverability and indexing. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to have their English text professionally edited. Transliteration of author names should follow a consistent standard (e.g., BGN/PCGN or the author's ORCID record) and remain identical across all of the author's publications.

4. Manuscript Structure (IMRaD)

Original research and short communications must follow the IMRaD format. Arrange the manuscript in the following order:

4.1 Title Page (separate file — not anonymised)

• Title: concise and specific (≤20 words); avoid abbreviations.
• Authors: full given name and family name of each author.
• Affiliations: department, institution, city, country for each author, linked by superscript numerals.
• ORCID: iD for each author; mandatory for the corresponding author and strongly recommended for all.
• Corresponding author: name, postal address, institutional email, telephone.
• Optional: a short running title (≤50 characters).

4.2 Anonymised Main Document (for double-blind review)

The journal operates double-blind peer review. The main manuscript file must be fully anonymised (see Section 10). Structure it as follows:

1. Title (repeated, without authors)
2. Abstract (200–250 words; structured for original research)
3. Keywords (5–8, alphabetised, separated by semicolons)
4. Introduction — rationale, prior evidence, gap, aim/hypothesis
5. Materials and Methods — design, participants, ethics approval, procedures, instruments, statistical analysis, sample-size justification
6. Results — findings with tables/figures; no interpretation
7. Discussion — interpretation, comparison with literature, practical applications, limitations
8. Conclusion — concise answer to the research question
9. Funding
10. Conflict of Interest
11. Author Contributions (CRediT taxonomy — see Section 8)
12. Acknowledgements
13. Data Availability Statement
14. References (Vancouver style)
15. Tables (each on a separate page with caption)
16. Figures and figure captions

4.3 Section Content Requirements

• Introduction: State the scientific background and the specific objective or hypothesis. Do not include data or conclusions from the work.
• Materials and Methods: Provide sufficient detail for replication. Report study design, setting and dates, eligibility criteria, sampling, randomisation/blinding (if applicable), interventions and comparators, outcome measures with validity/reliability, equipment (manufacturer, city, country), and the full statistical plan including software (name, version) and the significance threshold.
• Results: Present outcomes logically. Report exact values, effect sizes, and confidence intervals (Section 7). Avoid duplicating table data in the text.
• Discussion: Interpret results in context, without overstatement. Include a dedicated Limitations paragraph and clear practical/coaching/clinical applications.

5. Formatting Rules

• File format: Microsoft Word (.docx) or RTF. Do not submit the main text as a PDF.
• Font: Times New Roman 12 pt for body text; 10 pt within tables.
• Spacing: double-spaced throughout, including references, tables, and captions.
• Margins: 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides; A4 page size.
• Alignment: left-aligned (ragged right); do not justify or hyphenate.
• Page numbers: bottom, centred, on every page.
• Line numbers: continuous line numbering throughout the main document (required for review).
• Headings: numbered, no more than three levels of hierarchy.
• Abbreviations: define at first use; avoid non-standard abbreviations in the abstract.
• Language register: use the past tense for methods and results and the third person; avoid promotional language.

6. Tables and Figures

6.1 Tables

• Number consecutively with Arabic numerals in order of citation (Table 1, Table 2 …).
• Each table must have a self-explanatory caption above it; define all abbreviations in a footnote.
• Create tables using the word processor's table function — not as images. Do not use tab/space-formatted text.
• Report a measure of dispersion (SD, SE, or 95% CI) alongside every mean.

6.2 Figures

• Number consecutively (Figure 1, Figure 2 …) and cite each in the text.
• Resolution: line art/graphs ≥1000 dpi; grayscale/photographs ≥300 dpi; combination images ≥600 dpi.
• Formats: TIFF, EPS, PDF, or high-quality PNG for raster; vector (EPS/PDF/SVG) preferred for graphs.
• Provide captions as a list at the end of the manuscript, not embedded in the image.
• Photographs of identifiable persons require written informed consent for publication; mask identifying features where consent is not obtained.
• Reproduced or adapted figures must include a source citation and written permission from the copyright holder.

7. Units, Statistics, and Reporting Guidelines

• Units: Use SI units throughout (e.g., metres, kilograms, seconds, watts, joules). Express energy in kilojoules with kilocalories in parentheses where helpful. Use a space between the value and the unit (e.g., 70 kg; 3.5 L·min⁻¹).
• Statistics: Name every test and the software (with version). Report exact p-values (e.g., p = 0.032) rather than "p < 0.05" wherever possible. Accompany p-values with effect sizes (e.g., Cohen's d, η², odds ratio, mean difference) and 95% confidence intervals. State the alpha level and whether tests were one- or two-tailed. Justify sample size with an a priori power analysis.
• Data presentation: Report descriptive data as mean ± SD (or median [IQR] for non-normal data). Round to a sensible number of significant figures.

Use the reporting guideline appropriate to the study design and upload the completed checklist:

• CONSORT — randomised controlled trials
• STROBE — observational studies (cohort, case-control, cross-sectional)
• PRISMA — systematic reviews and meta-analyses
• CARE — case reports
• SPIRIT — clinical trial protocols; TRIPOD — prediction models; STARD — diagnostic accuracy

8. Author Contributions (CRediT)

Describe each author's contribution using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) roles: Conceptualization; Methodology; Software; Validation; Formal analysis; Investigation; Resources; Data curation; Writing – original draft; Writing – review & editing; Visualization; Supervision; Project administration; Funding acquisition.

Example: "Conceptualization, A.K. and B.T.; Methodology, A.K.; Formal analysis, B.T.; Investigation, A.K., B.T., and C.M.; Writing – original draft, A.K.; Writing – review & editing, all authors; Supervision, C.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript."

Authorship must meet all four ICMJE criteria: (1) substantial contribution to conception/design or data; (2) drafting or critical revision; (3) final approval; (4) accountability for the work. Contributors not meeting all four criteria should be listed in Acknowledgements.

9. Ethics Requirements

The journal adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. Research involving humans or animals must comply with the following:

• Ethics committee approval: State the name of the approving institutional review board/ethics committee and the approval/protocol number and date in the Methods.
• Declaration of Helsinki: All human research must conform to the latest revision of the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki.
• Informed consent: Obtain and document written informed consent from all participants (or legal guardians for minors). For identifiable data or images, obtain explicit consent to publish.
• Clinical trial registration: Prospectively register any clinical trial in a public registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN, WHO ICTRP) and quote the registration number and date in the abstract and Methods.
• Animal welfare: Research on animals must comply with the ARRIVE guidelines and relevant national/institutional regulations on the care and use of laboratory animals, with ethics approval stated.
• Vulnerable populations: Studies involving children, athletes with disabilities, or elite athletes must describe additional safeguards.
• Doping and safety: Studies must not encourage or conceal prohibited substances or unsafe practices; interventions must respect WADA and participant-safety norms.

10. Anonymisation for Double-Blind Review

To preserve blinding, the main document must not reveal author identity:

• Remove author names, affiliations, and acknowledgements from the main file.
• Refer to your own prior work in the third person (e.g., "Karimov et al. reported…") and do not write "our previous study."
• Blind the ethics-approval institution name in the main file (e.g., "[institution blinded]") and disclose it on the title page.
• Remove identifying metadata from the document file (File > Properties).
• Name funders and grant numbers only on the title page, not in the anonymised file.

11. References — Vancouver (Numeric) Style

The journal uses the Vancouver citation system.

• Number references consecutively in the order of first appearance in the text.
• Cite in the text using Arabic numerals in parentheses or square brackets, e.g., "…improves VO₂max (3)." or "[3]". Use the same style throughout.
• List up to six authors; if seven or more, list the first six followed by "et al."
• Use journal name abbreviations as in the NLM Catalog / PubMed.
• Include a DOI for every source that has one.
• The reference list is numbered in citation order, not alphabetised.

Worked Examples

1. Journal article (with DOI):
   Karimov A, Tashkentova B, Miller C. Effects of high-intensity interval training on repeated-sprint ability in youth footballers. J Sports Sci. 2023;41(6):512–520. doi:10.1080/02640414.2023.1234567
2. Journal article, 7+ authors:
   Nguyen T, Rossi G, Ahmed S, Park J, Silva M, Ivanova E, et al. Concurrent training and endurance adaptation in masters athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2022;54(9):1503–1512. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000002912
3. Book:
   McArdle WD, Katch FI, Katch VL. Exercise Physiology: Nutrition, Energy, and Human Performance. 8th ed. Philadelphia (PA): Wolters Kluwer; 2015.
4. Book chapter:
   Bishop D, Girard O. Determinants of team-sport high-intensity performance. In: Williams AM, editor. Science and Soccer. 4th ed. London: Routledge; 2020. p. 145–162. doi:10.4324/9781003007197-9
5. Conference paper:
   Aliyev R, Sultanova D. Wearable inertial sensors for jump-load monitoring in volleyball. In: Proceedings of the 28th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science; 2023 Jul 4–7; Paris, France. Cologne: ECSS; 2023. p. 220–221.
6. Web source / online report:
   World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2020 [cited 2026 Jul 9]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128
7. Dataset:
   Karimov A, Tashkentova B. Repeated-sprint and GPS dataset for youth football HIIT trial [dataset]. Zenodo; 2023. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7654321
8. Thesis / dissertation:
   Yusupova N. Neuromuscular fatigue and recovery in elite judo athletes [PhD thesis]. Tashkent: Uzbek State University of Physical Culture and Sport; 2021.
9. Standard / guideline document:
   International Organization for Standardization. ISO 20957-1:2013 Stationary training equipment — Part 1: General safety requirements and test methods. Geneva: ISO; 2013.

12. Metadata and Identifiers

• ORCID: A registered ORCID iD is required for the corresponding author and requested for all co-authors. Register free at orcid.org.
• DOI: Each accepted article receives a Crossref DOI, which becomes the permanent citation link.
• Funder registry: Identify funders by their names in the Crossref Open Funder Registry and quote grant/award numbers.
• CRediT roles: Provide contributor roles as in Section 8; these are deposited with article metadata.

13. Submission Process (OJS)

Manuscripts are submitted online through the journal's Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform:

1. Register / log in as an Author on the journal website.
2. Start a new submission and select the article type and language.
3. Confirm each item of the Submission Preparation Checklist.
4. Upload files: (a) anonymised main document; (b) separate title page; (c) figures; (d) reporting-guideline checklist; (e) ethics approval / consent documentation; (f) cover letter.
5. Enter metadata: title, abstract, and keywords (including the English versions), all authors with affiliations and ORCID iDs, funders, and CRediT roles.
6. Submit. You may suggest and oppose reviewers with justification.
7. Peer review: editorial screening → double-blind review by ≥2 independent experts → editorial decision.
8. Revisions: return revised files with a point-by-point response letter and tracked changes.
9. Proofs: check the typeset proof promptly; only essential corrections are permitted at this stage.

14. Copyright and Licence

• Authors retain copyright of their work.
• Articles are published open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence, permitting reuse with proper attribution.
• By submitting, authors warrant that the work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal.

15. Article Processing Charges (APC)

The journal currently charges no submission, processing, or publication fees. Publication is free for authors and free for readers. Any future change to this policy will be announced in advance on the journal website.

16. Plagiarism and Similarity Policy

All submissions are screened with similarity-detection software. Manuscripts showing plagiarism, self-plagiarism, redundant publication, fabricated or falsified data, or improper image manipulation will be rejected and handled under COPE procedures. As a guide, the overall similarity index should be below 15%, with no single source exceeding 3–5%, excluding references and correctly quoted material.

17. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclosure

• Generative-AI tools cannot be listed as authors and cannot bear responsibility for the work.
• If generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were used in writing, translation, data analysis, or figure generation, disclose the tool name, version, and purpose in a statement (e.g., in Methods or before the references).
• Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all content, including any produced with AI assistance.
• AI use in peer review that would breach confidentiality is prohibited.

18. Data Availability

Authors are encouraged to deposit datasets in a recognised repository (e.g., Zenodo, OSF, figshare) and to include a Data Availability Statement indicating where the data supporting the results can be found and under what conditions.

19. Contact / Editorial Office

Editorial Office — Sportda ilmiy tadqiqotlar
[Institution / publisher name — to be provided]
[Postal address — to be provided], Uzbekistan
Email: [editorial email — to be provided]
Website: [journal URL — to be provided]
Telephone: [to be provided]

For questions about a submission, contact the editorial office quoting your OJS submission ID.