Accepted Article Types

Original research articles report original research and are classified as primary literature. This is the most common type of journal manuscript used to publish full reports of data from research. Original articles may also be referred to as research articles or research, as this format is suitable for many fields and different types of studies.

Authors submitting an original article will be prompted to answer a short series of questions to ensure the study design has been correctly labeled and that all IRB and clinical trial requirements are in order.

A case series with six or more cases is considered a retrospective study and must be submitted as an original article with a far more extensive study than a typical medical case report. Cureus is very selective regarding submissions that utilize survey-based methodologies concerning general knowledge, awareness, and attitudes without a clear scientific impact.

Review articles give an overview of existing literature in a field, often identifying specific problems or issues and providing a balanced analysis derived from published work on the topic. These articles provide a comprehensive summary of research on the selected medical research topic and a perspective on the state of the field and where it is heading.

Review articles submitted to Cureus can be one of two types, broadly speaking:

• Literature reviews (also commonly referred to as narrative reviews)
• Systematic reviews (with or without meta-analysis)

Bibliometric analysis articles should also be submitted as review articles. Cureus does not accept review protocols or “brief/mini” reviews.

Medical case reports present the details of real patient cases from medical or clinical practice. Cases may contribute significantly to the existing knowledge on the field or showcase less novel results. The report is expected to discuss the signs, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of a disease. A goal of case reports is to make other researchers aware of the possibility that a specific phenomenon might occur.

All case reports must include at least one figure unless both of the following are confirmed:

1. The authors have no access to imaging or photos
2. The imaging or photos are not vital to the diagnosis

A case series with five or fewer cases must be submitted as a case report. Articles featuring both a case presentation and a literature review must be submitted as a medical case report. Autobiographical case reports must include a physician as the author or co-author.

Technical reports are formal reports designed to convey technical information in a clear and easily accessible format. This type of article is typically divided into sections, thereby allowing different Cureus readers to access different levels of information.

A technical report (also sometimes referred to as a scientific report) is a document that describes the process, progress, or results of technical or scientific research, or the state of a technical or scientific research problem. It might also include recommendations and conclusions of the research.

Medical editorials are opinion or perspective pieces on a relevant, timely topic. Cureus approves this article type only if submitted by senior clinicians or researchers with an established Cureus publishing history.