Author submits a manuscript

Author: Andy Beare

Updated: 2 years ago

Author creates a user account and makes a manuscript submission

This tutorial will take you through the process of creating a new account and submitting a manuscript.

New account

If the author has not submitted a manuscript or reviewed for the journal, then a new account must be created to continue. Existing users can simply sign in.

Checking account

The program will check the email address of a new user to ensure duplicate accounts are not created.

A user can also sign up using their ORCID account.

Personal and affiliation details

A password is chosen and the personal and affiliation details of the new user are added in the form provided.

Create account

When all the required information is entered, the account details can be saved.

Author role

The author role is automatically created for new users.
Let's click on the role and start manuscript submission.

New submission

Let's click and start manuscript submission.

Step-by-step submission

An author follows the steps provided. All required information must be added before submission can be completed. The submission process can vary from journal to journal depending on what information is required.

Journal submission guidelines

The journal's submission guidelines are always presented in the first step. This helps authors understand the way the submission must be presented.

Confirm 

The checkbox is ticked at the bottom of the page to confirm that the author has read and complied with the guidelines.

Add author

Co-authors are added one-by-one by entering their email address. In this way, co-authors with existing accounts can be identified.

Add author

If not found the author is prompted to add the name and affiliation of the co-author.

Save co-author details

The details are then added to the submission and the co-author will be able to follow the manuscript during review.

Save author list

When all authors have been added, the checkbox is ticked ready to move onto the next step.

Journal specific details

The manuscript 'meta' details are now added to the details page.

Continue to next step

Manuscript keywords

Keywords are entered in this step that also help a journal match experts to the manuscript for review.

Upload files

Manuscript files, figures, tables and any submission/copyright forms are now uploaded

All files are uploaded

When all files are uploaded, continue to the next section.

Suggested reviewers

Some journals ask the author to suggest impartial reviewers. This can be optional or compulsory depending on the journal.

Continue

We won't add any suggestions now.

Accompanying information

The author can add the text of a cover letter and tick any declaration boxes etc. as per the journal's requirements.

'Send'

On the last tab page, the author can check the submission and view the collated PDF file of the manuscript that will be shown to the reviewers before clicking, 'Submit your manuscript' at the bottom of the page.

Check and send

If the author clicks to the send page while parts of the submission are still incomplete, these will be highlighted in pink.

Missing

The author not be able to submit until these 'pink' areas are completed.

Each incomplete area offers a button with a shortcut back to the area that needs completion.

Cannot submit

Until these areas are completed, the 'Submit' option is greyed out.

PDF review

When submission is complete, the author will be asked to check the submission.

Click to check PDF 

Here the author can click to see the document as it will be shown to reviewers.

PDF opens

The PDF then downloads and can be opened for one last double-check

Confirm

Then the author clicks, 'Confirm reading' to confirm that all is in order.

Submit

Once the author confirms, the 'Submit your manuscript' can be clicked to complete the submission

Status: 'Submitted'

The author dashboard then displays the manuscript status as 'Submitted'

New sumbission

Simultaneously, the journal's administrator is notified of the new submission.