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Submitting your manuscript online

Important Note: If you submit your manuscript online, please do not submit a hard copy to the editorial office or send your manuscripts by e-mail.

Submitting your manuscript

Now that your files are ready, visit the online submission website

  1. First, you will need to log into the system. Note: Before you begin, you should be sure you are using version 4.0 or higher 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 website.
    • 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 the journal's editorial office.
  2. To submit a new manuscript, go to the 'Author Centre', choose 'Submit a 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 'Save and Continue' 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' button 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 given at the top of each page.
  4. When you come to upload your manuscript files via the 'File Upload' screen:
    • Enter individual files using the 'Browse' buttons below and select the appropriate 'File content' type.
    • Select the document's designation from the pull-down menu. Your manuscript text should be the 'Main Document'. If you do not wish a document to be included as part of the consolidated PDF used for peer review, please designate it as a 'supplementary file'.
    • Upload your file by clicking on the 'Upload files' button. This converts your files to a PDF and may take several minutes.
    • When the upload of the file is complete, you will see a confirmation window and will be prompted to provide figure legends and 'file tags' that will link figures to texts in the HTML proof of your main document.
    • If you have more than one file, 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 proof 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 upload process.
  5. From the files you submit to make up your manuscript, the system creates and stores separately two types of documents:
    • Files for Review. These will be the files viewable to the editor and reviewers of your manuscript. The system will automatically convert your text documents (any document in .doc, .rtf or .ps format) into .pdf and make that newly converted document accessible for review, leaving the originally uploaded document under the second column, 'Files for Production'. [Note: PDF files are readable with Adobe Acrobat Reader, available for download from the main login screen of the online submission website, as well as from www.adobe.com.] The system will also convert and save under 'Files for Review' all files with images (figures, charts, graphs, etc.) in.jpg, .gif, .tif and .eps format, converting them into smaller .jpg images, leaving the original files under 'Files for Production'. The smaller versions of your image will include in the filename '_sm.jpg'. The system will also save under 'Files for Review' any documents which are uploaded in formats that it cannot convert.
    • Files for Production. These are all the original word-processor files and figures you uploaded. Not listed here will be those files you designated for review but submitted in a format that cannot be converted by the system.
  6. 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. When you have finished reviewing this information press 'Submit'.
  7. 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. 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.
  8. If you return to your 'Author Centre' you will notice that your newly submitted manuscript can be found in the 'Submitted Manuscripts' area. Among the information listed there, the 'Processing Status' section provides information on the status of your manuscript as it moves through the review process.

Submitting a revised manuscript

  1. Logon to the online submission website as before and, in the 'Author Center', click on “click here to submit a revised manuscript” , choose the correct manuscript from your list and click on “create a revision”.
  2. On the first page you will see the editor’s letter to you together with the referees’ comments. You will be asked to respond to the decision letter. You may cut and paste your responses into the text areas at the bottom of the screen. Continue with your submission and upload your revised files as before.

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.