To submit your manuscript in Editorial Manager you're required to:

• Prepare your manuscript in Microsoft Word or save as that format from another application. If your manuscript contains heavy math, it may be prepared in LaTeX.
• Know to which journal you want to submit your manuscript. If you aren't sure, use our Journal Finder.
• Be registered as an author in the journal's Editorial Manager site. See How do I find and access my submission system?.

• Be sure that your manuscript is in compliance with the journal-specific submission requirements. These are found in the Guide for Authors on the journal's homepage. Consult the Guide for Authors from the journal homepage directly or use search journals alphabetically.

  Note to authors : If you have used Generative AI or AI assisted technology, include the following statement directly before the references at the end of your manuscript: “During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.”

• If the Guide for Authors indicates the journal is double anonymized, prepare your files so that any identifying details (author names, affiliations etc.) are in a separate file as directed by the Guide for Authors. Additionally be sure your file names do not reveal any author name. See this FAQ for more information.

The steps included in the Editorial Manager submission interface may vary depending on publication configuration and the type of article being submitted. The general process is the same. A progress bar across the top of the page enables Authors to see which step is active (blue arrow), as well as which other steps have been completed (green checkmark), not started (open circle), or require attention (red exclamation point). After selecting or changing the Article Type the steps may change. Links at the bottom of each page allow you to go the next or previous page, or you can switch pages by selecting the icon on the top progress bar.

Each page may contain a number of accordion fields. Expand each accordion field to enter or verify information. Once a field is completed successfully, a green checkmark displays beside it. A red alert symbol () flags any item for which required information is missing or incorrectly formatted.

1. Log in to Editorial Manager for the journal you've chosen to submit your manuscript to.
2. Check at upper right that you are logged in to the Author role, change if needed.
3. Click 'Submit New Manuscript', or if applicable click 'Submit Invited Manuscript'.
4. If "Submit New Manuscript" link does not appear:

   • A publication can deactivate the new submission functionality. When the functionality is turned off, the Submit New Manuscript link does not appear on the Author Main Menu. (Publications may opt to do this if they are closed to submissions outside a defined submission/reading period.)
5. If you have an incomplete submission or revision in progress already, you will be asked to confirm this is a separate submission before proceeding.
6. Article Type: Use the drop-down menu to select the Article Type that best describes the submission. Article Type must be selected before proceeding.
7. Attach the primary file: For the first file, the Item Type is pre-selected based on journal configuration. This file will be processed to extract the title, abstract, references, and other details. Note: if the publication allows attachment of files form arXiv.org, that will be in the next step. You do need to upload the first file individually.
8. Attach all files: After the first file is uploaded the screen refreshes to allow you to attach the remaining files. For each file follow the steps below.

   • When uploading Archives (zip, tar, etc): In general, an archive file will be unpacked when you upload it. The files will be added to the list without any Item Type or Description and you will need to complete that information in the list. Some journals may have a specific Item Type configured to not unpack archive files.
   • Select Item Type: Use the drop-down menu to choose. Required items are marked with an asterisk (*).

     • You may be required to upload Conflict of Interest Statements, Funding Source Declarations, Author Agreements/Declarations or Permission Notes.
     • Your journal may require you to also upload Research Highlights or a Graphical Abstract.
   • Description: Defaults as the Item Type, but you may update this to change the label at the top of the PDF page . Do not use any personal identifiers in this field.
   • Additional item data: the journal may have defined additional metadata for that Item Type, such as a Figure Number.
   • Delivery Method: Depending on publication configuration for that Item Type, one of the options below may appear; if no options appear then by default you can just upload the file with the "Browse" or Drag & Drop functions.

     • Online Web System: upload the file from your local system to Editorial Manager.
     • URI/URL/External Resource locator: paste in the address of an online resource such as resource data. This function includes a Preview to be sure your link is working.
9. Check and adjust the file list as needed:

   • Items without an Item Type will be in red, and must be corrected before proceeding.
   • To change all files with a specific file extension to the same Item Type, use the "Change Item Type of all" tool at the top of the list. For example after unpacking an archive of figures you can change all .png files to type "Figure" in a single action.
   • If changing an Item Type, check if the description needs to be updated.
   • For Item Types with custom metadata defined, there is an Edit Data link to view and edit that information.
   • To remove an item, check the box in the Select column and click Remove.
   • To reorder items, adjust numbering in the Order column and click Update File Order. Note that your item ordering may be overridden when your submission PDF is created, for example the journal may be configured to place all figures at the end. In that case the files of each Item Type will remain in the your selected order compared to each other, but Item Types will be grouped in a set order.
10. When finished with the files, click 'Proceed'.
11. General Information: Information requested depends on publication configuration. It may include any of the sections below. Expand each accordion field to enter or select responses. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk (*). When finished, click 'Proceed.

    • Region of Origin: Region of origin of the primary researchers.
    • Section/Category: select one from the list of journal defined categories.
    • Classifications: there may be levels of classifications to expand; there may be a minimum and/or maximum requirement. Tick your selections on the left and then click Add or Remove until the list on the right is correct. Then click 'Submit' to save your selections.
12. Review Preferences: Information requested depends on publication configuration. Authors may be asked to suggest potential Reviewers and/or identify Reviewers they would prefer not to review the submission. Authors may also have the option to request an Editor. (These are preferences only. The publication may or may not use the suggestions.)

    • Suggest Reviewers: Click + Add Suggested Reviewer to open an overlay window. Use text boxes to enter Reviewer information. Click the Save icon to save and close, or click the 'Save and Add' icon to save and open a new overlay for another Reviewer.
    • Oppose Reviewers: Click + Add Opposed Reviewer to open an overlay window. Use text boxes to enter Reviewer information. Click the 'Save' icon to save and close, or click the 'Save and Add' icon to save and open a new overlay for another Reviewer.
    • Request Editor: Use the drop-down menu to make a selection.
    • When finished, click 'Proceed'.
13. Additional Information: Information requested depends on publication configuration. Authors may be presented with a questionnaire, required questions will be marked with a red explanation point. Enter or select responses and when finished, click 'Proceed.
14. Comments: Depends on publication configuration. A text box may be presented for Authors to enter comments to send to the publication office. When finished, click 'Proceed'.
15. Manuscript Data: The publication site may automatically pull some data from the primary file you uploaded first. Author must verify data or enter data manually. Information requested depends on publication configuration (Full Title and Author(s) are mandatory for all submissions.) Manuscript data fields may include:

    • Full Title (also Short Title, Secondary Full Title, Secondary Short Title): Use text boxes to enter information.
    • Abstract (also Secondary Abstract): Use text boxes to enter information.
    • Keywords: enter a list of keyword phrases, separated by semicolons; there may be a minimum and/or maximum requirement.
    • Authors: authors imported from your primary file may be listed with a red flag to indicate more detail is required.

      • Click +Add Another Author to open an overlay window, or click the edit icon to open the overlay of a listed author.
      • Required fields are in red.
      • Click the 'Save' icon to save and close the overlay, or click the Save and Add icon to save and open a new overlay for another Author.
      • Use the handles at the left of the list to shift the order of authors.
    • Funding Information: Click +Add a Funding Source to open an overlay window. Use text boxes to enter source information. Click the Save icon to save and close, or click the Save and Add icon to save and open a new overlay for another funding source.
    • Request Waiver: Check the box to request a waiver of publication charges related to the submission and use the text box to enter reasons for the request.
16. When finished, click Build PDF for Approval to complete the submission process and proceed to the Submissions Waiting Approval by Author folder.

    • Or click Save & Submit Later to wait to complete the submission process. (Return to the submission via the Incomplete Submissions link on the Author Main Menu.)
17. You may see an onscreen message that the PDF build is in process. For some journals you will also receive an email notification when the PDF build is complete and the file is ready for viewing.
18. You must view and approve the PDF to complete the submission process.

    • From the main menu, go to your Submissions Waiting for Approval by Author folder.
    • Click the 'View Submission' link to access the PDF. You must view the PDF to confirm that your files and information appear correctly.
    • Click 'Approve Submission to submit. You will be asked to confirm this action.
    • If you need to make corrections to the PDF before submitting, click 'Edit Submission'. This returns you to the submission steps. You may make changes to the data and/or remove files and upload new files.
    • If you have any difficulties with the PDF build and approval process, contact us via one of the options at the foot of this page.
19. If you need to cancel the submission, click the Remove Submission link. This permanently removes the files and data from the system.

These short videos are available for steps of the submission process in Editorial Manager:

• Automatic Formatting and Organization of Bibliographic Information.
• Drag and Drop Upload
• Open Funder Registry
• Adding Co-Authors
• Ringgold Institutional Name Normalization

After completing these steps:

• Your manuscript is submitted to the journal.
• Your manuscript is listed in the 'Submissions Being Processed' list on your 'Author Main Menu' in Editorial Manager.
• Your manuscript has the 'Submitted to Journal' status. See What does the status of my submission mean in Editorial Manager?
• You'll receive an email confirming successful submission.

Still have a question? We can help! When contacting us via the option at the bottom of this page, please just enter your details, and the 'Author' role, then contact reason 'Submission' in the drop down on the form, to start a session with one of our representatives. We appreciate you providing us all the information, as much as possible when initiating the chat. This will ensure our agents to swiftly respond to your query.