Submitting your manuscript

Preparing Your Manuscript

1. Follow the instructions to authors regarding the format of your manuscript and references.
2. Prepare your manuscript, including tables and figure captions (but not the figures themselves), using a word processing program and save it as a .doc or .rtf file.
3. Prepare your figures at publication quality resolution, using applications capable of generating high-resolution .tif or .eps files (600-1200 d.p.i. for line drawings and 300 d.p.i. for colour and half-tone artwork). The printing process requires your figures to be in this format if your paper is accepted and printed. For useful information on preparing your figures for publication, go consult the Oxford Journals site.
4. Please provide a call-out or reference to figures and tables in the manuscript at the appropriate locations in the document. You will then need to place the tables in order after the reference section. The tables should then be followed by the figure captions. Figure files should be uploaded as separate files and should not be included in the manuscript file intended for copyediting. These figure files should be saved at 300 pixels per inch if in color or grayscale and 600-1200 ppi if in pure black and white.
5. Prepare any other files that are to be submitted for review, including any supplementary material. The permitted formats for these files are the same as for manuscripts and figures. It is also possible to upload LaTeX files but these will not be automatically converted to .pdf format (and are therefore discouraged). The journal staff, editors and reviewers will only be able to view these unconverted files if they have the appropriate software, which cannot be guaranteed.
6. When naming your files, please use simple filenames (such as "fig. 1," "fig. 2," "final .doc," etc.) and avoid special characters and spaces. If you are a Macintosh user, you must also type the three-letter extension at the end of the file name you choose (e.g. .doc, .rtf, .jpg, .gif, .tif, .ppt, .xls, .pdf, .eps, .mov).

Pre-Submission Language Editing

In partnership with Enago, we are offering authors free usage of their Trinka AI Editing Tool pre-submission. This is an AI driven tool that performs academically tailored grammar and language checks. Authors are given a markup of suggested corrections to significantly improve the written quality and readability of their paper. Before submission, we encourage authors to run their paper through this tool, although this is not mandatory and suggested corrections are optional.

Submitting Your Manuscript

1. First, you will need to log into the online submission web site.
   • If you know your login details (i.e., you have submitted or reviewed a manuscript in this journal before), use your User ID and Password to log on. (Your user ID will usually be your email address.)
   • If you do not know your login details, check to see if you are already registered by clicking on the 'Forgot your password' button and following the on-screen instructions. If you are not already registered, you can register by clicking on the 'Create account' button on the login screen and following the on-screen instructions.
   • If you have trouble finding your manuscripts or have other problems with your account, do not create another account. Instead, please contact the journal's editorial office.
2. To submit a new manuscript, go to the 'Author Centre', and click on “Click here to submit a new manuscript', and then follow the on-screen instructions. There are up to 7 steps for you to follow to submit your manuscript. You move from one step to the next by clicking on the 'Next' button on each screen or back to the previous screen by clicking on the 'Previous' button. Please note that if you click on the 'Back' or 'Forward' buttons on your browser, the information you have entered will not be saved. At any stage you can stop the submission process by clicking on the 'Main Menu' button. Everything you have typed into the system will be saved, and the partially completed submission will appear under 'unsubmitted manuscripts' in your 'Author Centre'. To return to the submission process you will need to click on the button 'Continue Submission' against the relevant manuscript title.
3. When submitting your manuscript, please enter your manuscript data into the relevant fields, following the detailed instructions at the top of each page. You may like to have the original word-processing file available so you can copy and paste the title and abstract into the required fields. You will also be required to provide email addresses for your co-authors, so please have these to hand when you log onto the site. Key words are required. A cover letter is not necessary but may be provided at the author's discretion.
4. When you come to upload your manuscript files via the 'File Upload' screen:
   • Enter individual files using the 'Browse' buttons and select the appropriate 'File type' from the pull-down menu. The choices may vary from journal to journal but will always include a 'Main Document' (your manuscript text).
   • Upload your files by clicking on the 'Upload files' button. This may take several minutes. Click on the SAVE button to confirm the upload. Repeat these steps until you have uploaded all your files.
   • If you have uploaded any figures or tables you will be prompted to provide figure/table captions and 'file tags' that will link figures to text in the HTML proof of your main document.
   • Once you have uploaded all your files, indicate the order in which they should appear in your paper. This will determine the order in which they appear in the consolidated PDF used for peer review.
   • After the successful upload of your text and images, you will need to view and proofread your manuscript. Please do this by clicking on the blue HTML button or a PDF button.
   • If the files have not been uploaded to your satisfaction, go back to the file upload screen where you can remove the files you do not want and repeat the process.
5. When you are satisfied with the uploaded manuscript proof click on 'Next' which will take you to the 'Review & Submit' screen. The system will check that you have completed all the mandatory fields and that you have viewed your manuscript proof. It will also present you with a summary of all the information you have provided and give you a final chance to edit it. If there is a red cross next to any section this will indicate that not all the fields have been filled in correctly. You may either go back to the relevant page or click the nearest 'edit' button.
6. After the successful upload of your text and images, it will be possible for you to view and proof your manuscript now located on the web site. The on-screen version of your manuscript you review at the journal's web site will also be the version accessed by the editor and the reviewers.
7. If the files have not been uploaded to your satisfaction, click on the 'Previous' button to move back to the file upload screen where you can remove the files you do not want, and repeat the upload process.
8. When you are satisfied with the uploaded manuscript then click on the 'Submit' button. It is not until this button is pushed that the manuscript and all of the associated information (i.e. contributing authors, institutions, etc.) is linked together and the manuscript is given a manuscript number. Once the manuscript is submitted it is not possible to undo the submission.
9. When you have finished reviewing this information press 'Submit'.
10. After the manuscript has been submitted you will see a confirmation screen and receive an email confirmation stating that your manuscript has been successfully submitted. This will also give the assigned manuscript number, which is used in all correspondence during peer review. If you do not receive this, your manuscript will not have been successfully submitted to the journal and the paper cannot progress to peer review. If this is the case your manuscript will still be sitting in the 'Unsubmitted Manuscripts' section of your 'Author Centre' awaiting your attention.
11. If you return to your 'Author Centre' you will notice that your newly submitted manuscript can be found in the 'Submitted Manuscripts' area. The 'Status' section provides information on the status of your manuscript as it moves through the review process.

Submitting a Revised Manuscript

1. Log on to the online submission web site as before and, in the 'Author Centre', click on 'Manuscripts with Decisions'. At the bottom of the screen you will see those manuscripts that require a revision (or that have been revised). Create a revision of this manuscript by clicking on 'create a revision' under Actions. You will now be able to see the editor and reviewer comments and will be able to respond to these.
2. You will need to upload the files that constitute your revised manuscript. To facilitate the production process, it is essential that you upload your revised manuscript as a .doc, .rtf, or .tex file, and not in .pdf format. If you wish to finish this another time, you will find the manuscript in your 'Revised manuscripts in draft' list.
3. If you click on 'View comments/respond' you will see the editor's letter to you together with the referees' comments. You may cut and paste your responses into the text areas at the bottom of the screen.

IMPORTANT. Your images are required as high-resolution .tif files (600-1200 d.p.i. for line drawings and 300 d.p.i. for colour and half-tone artwork). For useful information on preparing your figures for publication, go to Figures. Please note that publication of your manuscript will not proceed until figures suitable for reproduction are received.

Getting help

If you experience any problems during the online submission process please consult the Author's User Guide which provides more detailed submission instructions and 'movie tutorials' explaining how to submit your paper. Alternatively, please contact the journal editorial office who will be pleased to assist you.Alternatively, contact the ScholarOne Manuscripts support line by email (support@scholarone.com) or telephone (+1 434 817 2040 x167).

Submission Checklist

Initial Submission

• One word processed file containing all parts except the figure images themselves
• Individual and simply named figure files
• Any supplementary data

Revision submission

• Your revised word-processing file, including tables and figure captions, in .doc or .rtf format
• Each figure, saved in .tif or .eps format; .ppt may be used for graphs created in PowerPoint only.
• Any revised supplementary data, if appropriate
• COPYRIGHT: Upon receipt of accepted manuscripts at Oxford Journals authors will be invited to complete an online copyright licence to publish form.