Skip Navigation

Instructions to authors: online submission

PREPARING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

  • Follow the instructions to authors regarding the format of your manuscript and references.
  • Prepare your manuscript, including tables, using a word processing program and save it as a .doc, .rtf or .ps file.
  • Prepare your figures at publication quality resolution, using applications capable of generating high-resolution .tif files (600 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 to http://dx.sheridan.com.
  • When inserting these figures into the text of your manuscript, please make sure that any characters or numbers included in the figures are large enough to read. Tiny characters (such as numbers on a chart or graph) may not be easily readable in the text document and may be illegible in the .pdf created by the system.
  • 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.
  • When naming your files, please use simple filenames 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, .pdf, .eps).

SUBMITTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

Note: Before you begin, you should be sure you are using an up-to-date version of Netscape or Internet Explorer. If you have an earlier version, you can download a free upgrade using the icons found at the bottom of the "Instructions and Forms" section of the online submission web site.

  • 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 on this system before), use your User ID and Password to log on.
    • If you do not know your login details, check to see if you are already registered by clicking on the "Check for existing account" button and following the on-screen instructions. If you are not already registered, you can register by clicking on the "Create a new account" button on the login screen and following the on-screen instructions.
    • If you have trouble finding manuscripts or have other problems with your account do not create another account. Instead, please contact Manuscript Central Customer Support (see below).
  • To submit a new manuscript, go to the "Author Center," 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 Center." To return to the submission process you will need to click on the button "Continue Submission" against the relevant manuscript title.
  • 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.
    • 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 automatically-made 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.
  • 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.
  • When you have finished reviewing this information press "Submit."
  • After the manuscript has been submitted you will see a confirmation screen and receive an e-mail 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 Center" awaiting your attention.
  • If you return to your "Author Center" 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.

Please note: This journal does not accept Microsoft Word 2007 documents at this time. Please use Word's "Save As" option to save your document as an older (.doc) file type.

SUBMITTING A REVISED MANUSCRIPT

  • Log on to the online submission web site as before and, in the "Author Center," 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.
  • 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.
  • 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. All figures must now be SUBMITTED as high-quality files (600 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 http://dx.sheridan.com, where you can also test whether your figures are suitable for production by using the preflight tool. 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 use the "Author Help" function, which takes you to specific submission instructions, or "Get Help Now," which takes you to the Frequently Asked Questions page. Alternatively, contact the editorial office by e-mail.