Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines

Pharmacoscientia is published biannually—in June and December—adhering to open-access principles and a double-blind peer-review system. The journal aims to present the latest scientific information and developments to researchers, academics, and practitioners in the fields of pharmacy and related disciplines.

Pharmacoscientia publishes original research articles and review articles covering various aspects of pharmaceutical sciences. Manuscripts may be written in either Indonesian or English. All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial screening and selection process by the editorial team to ensure compliance with the journal's requirements. Manuscripts meeting these criteria proceed to the double-blind peer-review stage, involving at least two reviewers with expertise relevant to the article's subject matter.

Manuscript Style
Manuscripts may be written in Indonesian or English and must be systematically organized according to established scientific writing structures.
1) Original Research
Articles Original research articles present findings from original research that have not been previously published. The maximum manuscript length is 3,000 words, including space allocated for up to 6 tables, figures, or other illustrations.
2) Review Articles
Review articles may be considered for publication if the topic aligns with the journal's focus and scope. Review manuscripts have a maximum limit of 5,000 words, including space for up to 6 tables, figures, or other illustrations.

Manuscript Structure
The manuscript must be organized into the following sections:
• Abstract: 200–300 words presenting key information and the study's main conclusions, accompanied by 3–5 keywords.
• Introduction: Explains the background and research objectives, provides a brief overview of relevant prior research, and includes appropriate references.
• Methods: Describes the methods or procedures used in the study.
• Results: Systematically presents the study's findings or results.
• Discussion: Interprets and elaborates on the results by relating them to theories or previous research.
• Conclusion: Summarizes the core findings in relation to the established objectives.
• Acknowledgments: Included if there are parties deserving of recognition or appreciation for their contributions to the research.
• References: Lists all bibliographic sources used and cited in the manuscript.

Formatting Guidelines
Articles must be written in Indonesian or English using 11-point Arial font and single spacing, with a maximum length of 10 pages. Margin settings are 4 cm for the top, 4 cm for the left, 3 cm for the bottom, and 3 cm for the right.

Illustration Guidelines
Every illustration used in the article—including images, charts, and graphs—must be accompanied by a caption placed beneath it. All illustrations must be numbered sequentially (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc.) and placed on separate pages, apart from the main text. The intended placement of each illustration within the manuscript must be clearly marked. Additionally, every illustration must be referenced in the text and numbered sequentially using the term "Figure."

Reference Guidelines
The reference list must follow the Vancouver style. References should be listed at the end of the article and include only those sources actually used and cited in the manuscript. Authors are encouraged to use reference management software—such as Mendeley, EndNote, or Grammarly—to assist in organizing and formatting their references. When compiling the reference list, authors must adhere to the guidelines and format established by the journal.
For sample,
Journal article:
• Shukr MH, Metwally GF. Evaluation of topical gel bases formulated with various essential oils for antibacterial activity against methicillin- resistant staphylococcus aureus. Trop J Pharm Res. 2013;12(6):877–84.
Book chapters:
• Davenport A. Chronic kidney failure: renal replacement therapy. In: Kidney transplantation: principles and practice. Seventh Ed. London: Elsevier; 2014. p. 39–53.
Books:
• Clark DP, Pazdernik NJ. Biotechnology. Second Ed. London: Elsevier; 2016. 5–10 p.
Thesis:
• Saliba D. Implementation of pharmaceutical care model withnin haematology [Internet]. University of Malta; 2018. Available from: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/55731/1/PHRMD 030 - SALIBA Diane - PharmD Thesis.pdf
Internet:
• World Health Organization. International agency for research on cancer [Internet]. iarc.who.int. 2018 [cited 2018 Mar 10]. p. 99–100. Available from: https://www.iarc.who.int

Review Guidelines

Manuscript Review Process: Initial Review Stage
1. Assessing the suitability of reviewer expertise
Read the manuscript abstract first to ensure that the topic and field of study align with your own competence and expertise. Reviewers may decline a review assignment if there are clear and justifiable reasons for doing so.
2. Understand the journal's established guidelines
Review the information and instructions provided by the journal to reviewers. This is intended to clarify:
a) the types of manuscripts to be reviewed—such as review articles, technical notes, or original research articles—including the criteria and standards established for each type.
b) other requirements the manuscript must meet, such as word count limits, formatting, and the citation style and system used.
3. Ensuring alignment with the journal's scope
Reviewers need to understand the journal's focus, scope, and objectives to ensure that the theme and substance of the manuscript under review are relevant to the journal's field of study.

4. Conducting an initial assessment of the entire manuscript
After familiarizing themselves with the journal's guidelines, the reviewer reads the manuscript in its entirety during the initial stage to determine its scientific merit and publication potential. At this stage, the reviewer simply notes the key issues identified, paying attention to the following aspects:
a) whether the research question or problem has a solid scientific basis and makes a significant contribution.
b) whether the research design and methods employed are appropriate and adequate, or if there are fundamental flaws that could compromise the study's validity—particularly in original research articles.
c) whether the research findings possess sufficient substance and contribution to warrant consideration for publication, or if there are limitations regarding variables or data, or other serious issues, that render the manuscript unsuitable for publication.
5. Determining initial impressions and decisions regarding the manuscript
Based on the initial assessment, the reviewer may categorize the manuscript as follows:
a) Suitable for acceptance with minor comments or questions, if the manuscript possesses strong, engaging, and original substance; employs appropriate methodology; presents results clearly; and features a sound discussion with interpretations supported by robust scientific reasoning. In this case, the reviewer may proceed directly to drafting the review report, including any necessary notes.
b) Containing fundamental weaknesses or flaws that render it unsuitable for publication; the reviewer may proceed directly to drafting a review report that objectively explains the reasons for rejection based on scientific considerations.
c) Requiring improvement, if the manuscript's quality falls between the categories of "needs revision and resubmission" and "acceptable with major revisions." In this instance, the reviewer must identify the sections requiring improvement and provide constructive feedback to enhance the quality of the manuscript.

AI Policy for Authors

1. Permissible Use of AI

Authors submitting manuscripts to Pharmacoscientia may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) technology to a limited extent as a supporting tool during the writing and research processes. Such use may include :

• checking and correcting grammar, spelling, and sentence structure;
• editing and refining language usage;
• translating text;
• enhancing the clarity and readability of the manuscript;
• assisting in the development or formulation of initial ideas;
• supporting specific technical tasks, provided that this does not replace the author's intellectual contribution; and
• supporting data analysis or processing, provided that such use is disclosed openly, accurately, and transparently.

The use of AI does not absolve authors of their scientific and ethical responsibility for the manuscript. Authors remain responsible for reviewing, checking, and validating any output generated by AI, given that the technology can produce information that is erroneous, incomplete, or biased, or include references that are inaccurate or unverifiable.

 

2. Mandatory Disclosure of AI Use

Authors are required to disclose information regarding the use of AI if the technology is employed substantively during the manuscript preparation process. Such substantive use includes, but is not limited to :

• generating or developing text within sections of the manuscript to a significant extent;
• conducting analysis or assisting in data interpretation;
• generating, processing, or modifying images;
• compiling tables or other scientific materials;
• performing programming or computational analysis with AI assistance;
• conducting substantive translation that affects the scientific content of the manuscript; or
• any other form of AI utilization that materially influences the substance or content of the manuscript.

Disclosures regarding AI use must, at a minimum, include information on :

• the name or type of AI technology or tool used;
• the purpose or function of the AI ​​usage;
• the specific sections or stages of the research and/or manuscript preparation that involved AI assistance; and
• information regarding the review or verification process undertaken by the authors concerning the AI ​​output, where relevant.

In accordance with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the use of AI-based technology by authors must be declared at the time of manuscript submission and described within the relevant sections of the manuscript.

 

3. AI as an Author

AI technologies including chatbots, Large Language Models (LLMs), and other AI-based tools cannot be listed as authors, co-authors, or contributors bearing authorship responsibility for a manuscript. This policy is based on AI's inability to meet the requirements for human authorship, including the capacity to :

• take responsibility for the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the article's content;
• provide final approval for the version of the manuscript to be published;
• disclose and declare conflicts of interest;
• be accountable for potential violations of publication ethics; and
• fulfill all authorship requirements applicable to human authors.

This policy aligns with ICMJE recommendations stating that AI-assisted technologies cannot be listed as authors or co-authors in scientific publications.

4. Author Verification and Responsibility

Authors bear full responsibility for ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of the entire manuscript content, including material prepared with the assistance of AI. Therefore, authors must ensure that :

• all information generated or assisted by AI has been checked and verified;
• all references used are genuinely available, valid, and traceable;
• every citation corresponds to the original scholarly source;
• there are no fabricated references;
• every scientific claim is supported by adequate evidence;
• research data were genuinely obtained through the implemented research procedures and methods;
• AI is not used to falsify, fabricate, or manipulate data or research results; and
• the manuscript adheres to the principle of originality and is free from plagiarism.

The use of AI technology in manuscript preparation does not diminish or absolve the author of the responsibility to comply with all regulations regarding originality, academic integrity, and plagiarism applicable to Pharmacoscientia.

Author Fees
This journal does not charge authors any fees for the article submission or publication processes. The applicable fee structure is as follows:
• Article Submission Fee: Rp0.00
Authors are not charged a fee for submitting or sending a manuscript for consideration in the journal's editorial process.
• Online Article Publication Fee: Rp0.00
Authors are not charged a publication fee once the manuscript has been accepted and published online.