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Call for papersResearch methodology

Call for Papers: Methodologies for participatory and engaged research (BMC Medical Research Methodology)

BMC Medical Research Methodology’s collection on methodologies for participatory and engaged research covers public involvement, patient engagement, co-production and community engagement in health research. This guide outlines topic areas consistent with that scope, fit checks, possible paper ideas and points authors should confirm before submitting.

Pubrica InsightsEditorial team, reviewed by a subject specialist
Deadline
30 March 2027
Last checked
10 November 2026
Reading time
5 min
Sources
1
Submit through the official call

Key dates

Manuscript deadline
30 March 2027
Details last checked
10 November 2026
Open the official call

About the journal

Journal
BMC Medical Research Methodology
Publisher
BMC, part of Springer Nature
Call type
Call for papers
Scope
Public involvement, patient engagement, co-production and community engagement.
Guest editors
Listed on the official collection page
Access and fees
Open access; an article processing charge normally applies on acceptance
Originality
Original work, not under review elsewhere; confirm on the official page

Topics consistent with the call

  • Methods for involving patients and the public in research design and conduct
  • Approaches to co-production of health research with communities and service users
  • Studies evaluating the impact of public involvement on research processes and outcomes
  • Community engagement methods for including under-served and marginalised populations
  • Frameworks and tools for planning, reporting and assessing participatory research
  • Ethical, practical and power-sharing challenges in engaged research partnerships

Based on the published scope; the full list of themes is on the official call page.

Is your work a fit? Check before you write

  1. The manuscript makes a methodological contribution to participatory or engaged research, not only reporting findings from such a study.
  2. The form and level of involvement or engagement are described clearly, including who took part and how.
  3. Methods for evaluating the approach are appropriate and transparent, with limitations acknowledged.
  4. Involvement of public or community partners in the manuscript itself is reported where relevant.
  5. The work is complete, approved by all co-authors and ready to submit before the stated deadline.

Why This Call Is a Priority Now

Funders, institutions and communities increasingly expect patients and the public to be involved in health research, and co-production is widely promoted as a way to improve relevance and trust. Yet methods for doing this well, and for evaluating whether involvement makes a difference, remain uneven and often poorly reported. A themed collection in a methodology journal allows authors to share frameworks, evaluations and practical guidance, helping research teams plan meaningful involvement and report it consistently.

Who Should Submit

Academic backgrounds

  • Health services research
  • Public health and community health
  • Qualitative and mixed-methods research
  • Research ethics
  • Implementation science

Institutions and sectors

  • Universities and research institutes
  • Health services and hospital research departments
  • Research funders and public involvement networks
  • Community and patient organisations

Article types commonly published in BMC Medical Research Methodology

  • Methodology articles describing new or adapted methods
  • Simulation studies comparing the performance of methods
  • Empirical studies evaluating methods on real data
  • Tutorials and guidance on applying methods

What the Editors Typically Value

  1. New or adapted methods for involvement, clearly described so others can apply them.
  2. Empirical evaluations of how involvement or engagement influenced research decisions or outcomes.
  3. Approaches that address inclusion of groups often excluded from health research.
  4. Practical guidance and tutorials that help research teams plan and report engagement well.

Paper Ideas You Could Develop

Evaluating public involvement impactAn empirical study tracking how public contributors’ input changed decisions across the stages of a set of funded research projects, using documentary analysis and interviews.
Co-production with under-served communitiesA methodology article describing and reflecting on a co-production approach developed with a minority ethnic community, with lessons for other teams.
Tutorial on reporting engagementA practical guide to planning, documenting and reporting patient and public involvement, illustrated with worked examples.

Your Plan to the Deadline

A suggested schedule working back from 30 March 2027. Adjust it to the stage your work has reached.

  1. By 13 Feb 2027

    Open the official collection page and the BMC Medical Research Methodology submission guidelines; confirm the scope, article types and guest editors.

  2. By 27 Feb 2027

    Write a one-paragraph statement of your research question, design and the contribution your paper makes to the collection.

  3. By 9 Mar 2027

    Complete the analysis and agree the key findings, figures and tables with your co-authors.

  4. By 20 Mar 2027

    Draft the full manuscript to the BMC Medical Research Methodology article type and the relevant reporting guideline.

  5. By 25 Mar 2027

    Circulate the draft to co-authors and an independent reader; revise for clarity, accuracy and completeness.

  6. By 28 Mar 2027

    Complete final checks: formatting, references, declarations, data availability statement and cover letter.

  7. By 30 Mar 2027

    Submit through the journal’s online system, selecting the collection, after re-checking the official call page.

What you gain from publishing here

  • Publication in BMC Medical Research Methodology, reaching readers working on this topic.
  • A themed collection that groups your paper with related work.
  • Editorial and peer feedback that can strengthen the work, whatever the decision.
  • A peer-reviewed output for your CV, thesis or grant reporting.

What happens after you submit

  1. Submission: upload through the BMC Medical Research Methodology online system and select the collection.
  2. Editorial screening: the editors check fit with the collection; papers outside its scope may be returned without review.
  3. Peer review: suitable papers are sent to reviewers under the journal’s review model.
  4. Revision and decision: respond to each reviewer comment and keep a record of the changes.
  5. Production: accepted papers move to proofs and open access publication, with the article processing charge set out by the publisher.

What the Collection Is Looking For

The collection seeks methodological work on public involvement, patient engagement, co-production and community engagement in health research. In line with BMC Medical Research Methodology’s remit, suitable submissions are likely to include methodology articles, empirical evaluations of engagement approaches and tutorials or guidance. Work that describes involvement transparently, evaluates its influence critically and offers transferable methods for other research teams is likely to be of most interest.

Read the call itselfThis guide summarises the call. Open the official collection page before you plan a submission, and record the date you checked it and the guest editors listed.Open the official call

Expert help

How Pubrica Can Help With This Submission

Pubrica’s subject specialists can review, write, edit, format and prepare your manuscript for this call, planned back from the deadline. You remain the author of your work.

Biostatistics and statistical programmingStatistical analysis plans, analysis, simulation code and statistical review of results. Original research article writingManuscript writing from your data, structured to the journal’s article type and reporting guideline. Manuscript editingLanguage and technical editing to prepare the manuscript for submission. Journal formattingFormatting of the manuscript, references, figures and tables to the journal’s guidelines. Cover letterA cover letter that explains how the manuscript fits the collection and the journal’s scope. Journal submissionPreparation of submission files and completion of the journal’s online submission system.
Go to the official call

FAQs

Questions Authors Ask

The published deadline is 30 March 2027. Collections can close early or be extended, so confirm the date on the official call page before you plan your submission.

The guest editors are listed on the official collection page. Check their research interests, as they help to judge whether your manuscript fits the collection.

It may fit if the study generates methodological insight into how involvement should be planned, supported or evaluated. Studies reporting only substantive findings from a participatory project may be less suitable. Authors should confirm the scope on the official call page.

BMC journals publish articles open access, and an article processing charge normally applies on acceptance. Check the journal’s fees and funding page, and whether your institution has an agreement that covers the charge, before you submit.

Sources

  1. BMC Medical Research Methodology. (2026). Methodologies for participatory and engaged research [Collection call for papers]. BMC, part of Springer Nature. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://link.springer.com/collections/biheabhcdh

How to cite this page

Pubrica Insights. (2026). Call for Papers: Methodologies for participatory and engaged research (BMC Medical Research Methodology). Pubrica. https://pubrica.com/insights/calls-and-conferences/methodologies-for-participatory-and-engaged-research/

  • Participatory research
  • Patient and public involvement
  • Co-production
  • Community engagement
  • Research methodology

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Methodologies for participatory and engaged research (BMC Medical Research Methodology)Deadline 30 March 2027

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