Before submitting the article, make sure you have prepared all files that are MANDATORY for submission: Cover Letter, Title page, Main Document, Figures, Tables (Supplementar File for for Review), and Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (Supplementar File NOT for Review).
- The first step is to submit all files related to the manuscript (above presented) through ScholarOne submission system.
- Any submitted paper undergoes a preliminary editorial evaluation that verifies the minimal requirements. In this stage articles can be rejected due to poor grammar or English language, lack of proper structure (do not provide enough details/ materials and methods to allow other scientists to repeat the study, lack of up-to-date references, etc.), are outside the aims and scope of the journal or having no new science (does not clearly explain which parts of the findings are new science, versus what was already known). To avoid any delay or rejection due to such reasons, please see Final Manuscript Preparation Guidelines before submission. Authors of manuscripts rejected at this stage will usually be informed within two weeks of receipt.
- Articles that meet the minimum criteria are normally passed on to at least two expert referees (selected according to their expertise) for reviewing. The referees remain anonymous to the authors, and the identity of the authors is unknown to the reviewers. Referees are asked to evaluate whether the manuscript is original and methodologically adequate (materials and methods, statistical data), has results which are clearly presented and support the conclusions, presents correct and exhaustive references (related to previous relevant work), that contributes to the knowledge and development of the field respecting appropriate ethical guidelines (especially/ but not necessarily limited to plagiarism).
- Referees advise the Chief Editor, who is responsible for the final decision to accept or reject the article. If decision implies a revision, this must be made by authors according to received comments. Perform/ address all points raised by reviewers and editor, highlighting the changes and additions in the text (with a different color text, or with Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature). Contrary, provide a scientific rebuttal to points or comments you disagree, describing all these revisions in a response letter. Your revision must be returned within the time period granted by the editor.
For accepted articles, publication will be processed only after payment of the fee (for full open access). You will receive the payment instructions in the acceptance message.
