Submissions guidelines are not just for authors. In fact, the truth is that there are several different types of submission guidelines. These are crucial for both authors and journals. On the one hand, they help authors to prepare submissions, but on the other, they help to do things like maintain submission integrity. They are an important part of the editorial process. And proper guidelines can facilitate the initial stages of the publishing process. If implemented properly (and followed), they will help you to avoid a series of time-consuming issues. Not only that, but they can also help by including checks to prevent major compilations, like plagiarism.
So, what are they? What are the different kinds of submission guidelines? And what do manuscript submission deadlines really do?
Here, we’ll be going over two different sets of guidelines, their purposes, and how to prepare them. The first set of guidelines are for submitting authors. The second set are for your editorial staff.
Why do authors need submission guidelines?
In many cases, we might be tempted to say that, especially when authors are further in their careers, they may not need these guidelines. Seasoned authors might already know their way around journal article submissions. But especially for early career researchers, or even just authors who are still new to the publication process, they can be extremely helpful (if not necessary).
Guidelines help authors to effectively navigate the submission process. This makes sure that their work is more quickly accepted and published. Guidelines can be critical to facilitate the peer review process as well. While there are different types of peer review processes, proper guidelines can help authors—regardless of which process is used. If manuscript guidelines are correctly followed (and if the research is good), they can cut a significant amount of time out of the publication process.
Editorial staff can also more effectively determine if an article has been submitted to the appropriate journal, if is sufficiently organized to send for peer review, if has all the necessarily details that peer reviewers might need or want, and so on. In a nutshell, author guidelines for journal submission make everyone’s lives easier.
For an author, it is also important for them to understand the journal’s position on many critical elements of the submission process. Things like properly citing your work, avoiding plagiarism, and ensuring experimental results and relevant information are all provided are usually things that would be included.
Example submission guidelines for authors
Here are some examples of potential submission guideline expectations. These are ostensibly “for” authors, but help your editorial staff immensely. They accomplish a few different things, but, primarily, they give submitting authors clear guidelines to follow that will help them navigate the submission process.
Generally, guidelines for authors will list important information, such as:
- Expected materials (this can vary depending on the type of article);
- Details regarding graphics (file sizes, copyright, etc.);
- An explanation of the publication process, and how long stages typically take;
- Acceptable file formats;
- Required author/affiliation details;
- Views on plagiarism;
- and so on.
Including this information in the submission guidelines helps authors. Doing so can prevent time from being wasted. Imagine if your editorial teams constantly needs to be chasing down dozens of authors for assorted and different, but minor, details. This eats into productivity and causes delays in the publication process.
Preparing submission guidelines for authors
Guidelines you prepare should have two main goals. First, to help authors navigate the submission process. After all, it can be challenging for them. Being able to help them through the process can foster a good relationship. The second goal is to give your editorial staff an understanding of what authors have been asked to do. This helps them to understand expectations. When you prepare your guidelines, keep a few things in mind:
- Technical requirements needed for authors;
- Preparation expectations for authors;
Making sure that your team is familiar with processes like prechecks can also help to save time.
Technical requirements needed for authors
Giving authors an idea of basic expectations is important. This is why submission guidelines are important. They should address common questions that an author might have, serving almost like an FAQ. These might include, for example,
“What format documents should be in?”
“Are Word documents acceptable?”
“Should I use LaTeX?”
“What format should images be in?”
Ideally, you would also include what information is needed from the authors? If they should be providing the names and institutions of all the authors, or is only the submitting author, at this stage? And so on.
By preparing your authors with the knowledge they need to submit their manuscript, you also empower your editorial staff. They are able to know in advance what formats, files, and information is required or acceptable. This can help them to quickly address issues when they arise. Make sure that you know what you need to start and be clear with authors about this.
Preparation expectations for authors
A little different from technical requirements, preparation expectations are what authors need to be aware of in the context of their manuscript. This should be part of the submission guidelines.
Is the research fully completed? Are all parts written out? Do images need to be created and added? What is your journal’s view on plagiarism and how is it dealt with?
The expectations regarding the preparation of the manuscript will help to avoid unnecessary delays prior to peer review. Because the peer review stage is crucial, it’s important that manuscripts be ready and clearly understood. Failure to prepare manuscripts in such a way that the can be easily read and understood can also result in delays.
Editorial staff guidelines
Generally speaking, it usually makes sense to start by working on the editorial staff guidelines first. By understanding how much time your editorial staff needs to accomplish the different stages of the publishing process, you can then craft documents for authors that clarify this. Submitting authors are forgiving with deadlines, but do not like unplanned delays. If you tell an author that peer review will take two days, but it takes a week, this can result in an angry author and this can ultimately negatively affect your business. If you inform your authors that you have strict plagiarism screening, but never do it, this too can hurt your reputation. Keep in mind that plagiarism is extremely damaging to your reputation, and that of your authors.
Editorial staff guidelines should be written in such a way that they align properly with what author’s are told. For example, it is critical that both sets of guidelines have the same expectations when it comes to how long communications will take, that there can be (and likely are) delays that will occur, and so on. When editorial staff inform authors about delays, these should not be a surprise.
Formats, peer review requirements, layout of documents, and more—are all things that both parties should be on the same page about.
Give your editors the tools and training they need to be successful.
Remember, your journal will succeed or fail based on its reputation.