Journal Instructions Are Not Optional: Yet Authors Still Ignore Them

Many authors view manuscript rejection as editorial bias, especially when it is before peer review. Often, the real reason is simple: basic journal instructions are not followed. Common problems include missing ethical declarations, absent checklists, improper formatting, and failure to follow journal-specific guidelines. These requirements are not arbitrary. They are based on frameworks such as ICMJE, CONSORT, PRISMA, and STROBE, which promote transparency, reproducibility, and efficiency. When authors do not comply, peer review slows, research is wasted, and scientific communication weakens. Good publishing starts before peer review, with close attention to journal instructions.