Each journal has its own scope and author instructions. Please read the instructions on the journal's own site, as they take precedence over anything on this page.
Check that your work falls within the journal's stated scope. Manuscripts outside scope are returned without review, usually within a week.
Submit the main text as an editable file (Word or RTF), with tables and figure legends included. Supply figures separately at a resolution suitable for print.
Include statements on ethics approval, informed consent, funding, conflicts of interest, data availability, and the use of any AI tools in preparing the work.
Everyone listed must meet the ICMJE authorship criteria and have approved the submitted version. Contributors who do not meet them should be acknowledged instead.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Initial checks | The editorial office checks scope, completeness, declarations and similarity screening. |
| Editor assessment | A handling editor decides whether the manuscript goes forward to review. Manuscripts outside scope are returned at this point, without review. |
| Peer review | Manuscripts that pass that assessment go to at least two independent reviewers, under a double-anonymised model. |
| Decision | The handling editor decides on the basis of the reviews: accept, revise, or reject. |
| Production | Copy-editing, typesetting, proof approval by the corresponding author, DOI registration. |
| Publication | The article is published open access, registered with Crossref and given a DOI. |
How long each stage takes depends on reviewer availability and the complexity of the work, so we do not quote a turnaround figure we could not keep. We do not offer paid fast-tracking: no payment affects the speed or the outcome of review. If your manuscript has been with us longer than you expected, write to us and we will tell you where it is.
Submissions are handled on each journal's own site. Go to the journal your work fits:
If you are not sure which title fits, or you cannot find the submission route on a journal's site, write to us and we will point you to the right editor.
There is no submission fee. An article processing charge applies on acceptance; the amount is published on each journal's site before you submit, and waivers are considered on request.
Authors retain copyright and publish under a Creative Commons licence. See copyright and licensing and publication fees.
