Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Prevalence and factors associated with female genital mutilation among women of 
reproductive age in the Bawku Municipality and Pusiga District of Northern Ghana  
 
Version: 0 Date: 08 Aug 2018 
 
Reviewer:  Arab  Naz 
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
the work is very good and its really a research needs to be done on the issue chosen by the 
scholars. The introduction and abstract needs to be revised in way that it shall have no  heading 
but in a continued para. at the end of abstract, there shall be conclusion and recommendations as 
well as key words. The introduction needs some linkages with previous studies and hope it will 
be easy to do. The objectives must be few and in split  form i.e. to know..............or to identify 
................or to judge. There is a need of hypothesis to test as the level of confidence has been 
given and no statistical tests have been perform to show the relations or associations. the table 
are give n at the end must be given in the analysis as proper findings must be given at the end of 
analysis followed by conclusion and recommendations.  
 
special focus is needed on English language to make it more appropriate and the list of the 
authors is very long and if there is no restriction from the journal side, then ok.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any  stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
i have no competing interest  
 
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