Reviewer ’s report  
Title: The Knowledge and Perceptions of the First Year Medic al Students of an International 
University on Family Planning and Emergency Contraception in Nicosia (TRNC)  
 
Version: 2 Date: 26 Sep 2017  
 
Reviewer: Maria Giulia Olivari  
 
Reviewer's report:  
The article addressed an interesting topic, such as the evaluation of the knowledge and behaviors 
of college students in Northern Cyprus regarding family planning and emergency contraception.  
I belive that some ke y points could be improved in order to improve the quality of the 
manuscript.  
 
The manuscript could be strengthen by a little more contextual information about adolescent and 
young adult sexuality in Northern Cyprus - the legal and social environment with regard to 
adolescent and young adult sexual behavior and the provision of contraceptives.  Some of these 
data are included , but a more specific picture of Italy would improve the quality of introduction. 
Moreover, the paper could give a brief account of t he regulation of access  EC in Northern 
Cyprus.  
Several quantitative and qualitative papers explored EC behaviors and attituted among European 
young adults and adolescents. Please consider their results.  
 
Moreover, I belive that the aim of the paper could be better explain.  
 
With regard to method, I belive that a better description of the recruitment procedures for the 
study could be helpful for the reader. Were participants compensated for their participation? Was 
the partecipation volunteer?  
 
As for the r esults, I suggest to provide some demographical information also in the paper and not 
only in tables. It would be helpful to read the percentages of women and men included in the 
sample. I suggest moreover to move the section  at page 9 line 23 to 40 at th e beginning of the 
result section after the description of the provenience of the students (page 8 line 7).  
 
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 manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical revi ew? 
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
I am able to assess the statistics  
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the man uscript:  
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 financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially f rom 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 com peting 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 deta ils below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
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to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal