Research article

Key principles

• Main body word count is set to 8,000 words maximum. This limit includes all text,text within tables, and text within figures and boxes which are contained within the main body of the manuscript. Please note that your manuscript will not proceed to peer review if it is over this limit. The limit does not include the abstract and plain language summary (which continue to have their own individual word limits). It also excludes the table of contents, references, appendices, supplementary material and additional information (CRediT statement, data-sharing statement, ethics statement, information governance statement).
• The intention is for the article to be reported to a similar standard of other journal research articles, whilst recognising that the word count will be larger due to NIHR’s commitment to full reporting.
• To be used for reporting individual components of the research within the Journals Library, as set out in the publication plan.
• Articles received with more than 10% higher word count will be sent back to the award team to reduce.
• Please note there is flexibility to the ordering of the main body headings so that the research article meets the need for the intended audiences i.e., policy review, patient partnerships etc. If this is your intention, please provide an outline of the proposed format to your Publication team contact for approval before you submit to the Journals Library.

In the sections that follow, we have provided hyperlinks to the relevant manuscript preparation guidance in the information for authors, where this might be helpful.
Where relevant, do also follow the appropriate reporting guidelines for your study type. A comprehensive list of available reporting guidelines, listed by study type, can be found on the EQUATOR Network website.

All Research Articles should include:

Examples of research articles published as part of the threaded publication are:

• Understanding the potential factors affecting carers' mental health during end-of-life home care: a meta synthesis of the research literature
• How public health teams navigate their different roles in alcohol premises licensing: ExILEnS multistakeholder interview findings
• Determining optimal strategies for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: Systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses in the United Kingdom

The Funding and Awards website award pages are an opportunity to host additional material that has been used and or created during the lifetime of the research award. Hosting these documents on the award webpage to form part of a thread of the research enables transparency and reproducibility.