Author guide - IET research journals
1. Contact information
1.1. If you cannot find the information you are looking for on this page, please contact the journal's editorial assistant by following the Editorial Contact link on the relevant journal homepage.
2. Manuscript submission
2.1. There is no charge for submitting to our journals.
2.2. All submissions to the IET Research Journals should be uploaded using Scholarone Manuscripts. Original papers should be submitted as a single PDF or Word file that includes all figures and tables.
2.3. If the paper is intended for a specific special issue, please make this clear when uploading your paper.
2.3.1. Revised papers should be submitted in their source file format (.doc or .tex files for text and .eps or .tif files for figures). If your paper has been prepared using LaTeX, please also upload a single .pdf file of the paper together with the LaTeX source file and the figures.
2.4. All papers are pre-screened to ensure that only the most significant are sent for review. Please ensure that your manuscript satisfies the following points:
2.4.1. Originality: is the work scientifically rigorous, accurate and novel? Does the work contain significant additional material to that already published? Has its value been demonstrated?
2.5. Please note the IET Policy in Relation to Plagiarism, Infringement of Copyright and Infringement of Moral Rights and Submission to Multiple Publications.
2.6. If your submission has been submitted to another journal and subsequently rejected, you must provide copies of all correspondence involving the earlier submission. In addition, you must give a full explanation as to why it has been re-submitted and be prepared to deliver further material if more is requested including referee comments.
2.6.1. Relevance: is the material appropriate to the scope of the journal to which it is submitted?
2.6.2. Motivation: does the problem considered have a sound motivation? Does the paper clearly demonstrate the scientific interest of the results?
2.6.3. Referencing: has reference been made to the most recent and most appropriate work? Is the present work set in the context of the previous work?
2.6.4. Clarity: is the English clear and well written? Poorly written English may obscure the scientific merit of your paper. Are the ideas expressed clearly and concisely? Are the concepts understandable?
2.7. Manuscript submission - further information for IET Control Theory & Applications
2.7.1. IET Control Theory & Applications publishes both 'Brief' and 'Regular' papers:
2.7.2. Regular Papers - detailed discussion involving new research, applications or developments
2.7.3. Brief Papers - brief presentations of new technical concepts and developments
2.7.4. The distinction between regular papers and brief papers is not one of quality, but of nature. Normally, a brief paper will have one main point to make, which can be done succinctly and clearly, whereas a regular paper will be a more detailed and in-depth treatment of a problem area.
2.8 Manuscript submission - further information for IET Computer Vision
2.8.1 The authors of all submitted papers are required to include a cover sheet with answers to the questions and requirements listed below:
- What is the theoretical foundation of your work?
- Please provide a brief outline of the main contributions of your paper
- What is the closest work to that reported in your manuscript and the differences with that work?
- Please confirm that this submission is your original work
2.9. Manuscript submission - further information for IET Systems Biology
2.9.1. For papers that contain a mathematical model (described in ordinary differential equations), IET Systems Biology offers the opportunity for specialist refereeing of such articles plus online publication of live versions of the models for accepted manuscripts.
2.9.2. In parallel to their manuscript file, authors are requested to submit their model description either in SBML format or as an ASCII text file. If a text file is used then reaction stoichiometries, rate equations, parameter values and initial conditions, i.e. everything that is needed to program the model must be specified, following the instructions given at http://jjj.biochem.sun.ac.za/journals/ietsysbiol/submit.html. The model file should be sent as an email attachment to Prof. Jacky Snoep at: jls@sun.ac.za and cc'd to: iet_syb@theiet.org, quoting the manuscript ID number. At this stage the model will be converted to a replica that can be run over the Internet only by the reviewers of the paper. If the paper is accepted for publication in IET Systems Biology, the model will subsequently be made freely accessible online.
3. Multiple submission
3.1. Your manuscript must not be under consideration for any other publication while it is being considered by the IET. Please read the IET Policy in Relation to Plagiarism, Infringement of Copyright and Infringement of Moral Rights and Submission to Multiple Publications carefully, or contact the relevant editorial assistant if you are in any doubt.
3.2. If your manuscript has been considered and rejected by any other publication, it is imperative that this is stated in the cover letter.
4. Manuscript presentation
4.1. Length: original research papers submitted to the IET Research Journals should conform to the IET Research Journals Length Policy.
4.2. Format: papers must be typed in a font size no smaller than 10 pt. All pages should be numbered. Authors should not copy the format of the published journal. All accepted papers will be edited into the IET Research Journals house-style. Please double space and put your paper in a single column when submitting.
4.3. Language, spelling and grammar: all papers must be written in UK English. If English is not your first language, you should ask an English-speaking colleague to proofread your paper. Papers that fail to meet basic standards of literacy are likely to be declined immediately by the editors.
4.4. Author affiliations: these should immediately follow the title. For multiple-authored articles, list the names of all the authors, followed by the full postal and email addresses, using identifiers to link an author with an address where necessary. If an author's present address is different from the address at which the work was carried out, this should be given as a footnote. All co-authors must be listed on ScholarOne Manuscripts as part of the submission process.
4.5. Abstract: This should be informative and suitable for direct inclusion in abstracting services as a self-contained article. It should not exceed 200 words. It should indicate the general scope and also state the main results obtained, methods used, the value of the work and the conclusions drawn. No figure numbers, table numbers, references or displayed mathematical expressions should be included.
4.6. Figures and figure captions
4.6.1. Figures will be reproduced exactly as supplied, with no redrawing or relabelling. It is therefore imperative that the supplied figures are of the highest possible quality. The preferred format is encapsulated postscript (.eps) for line figures and .tif for halftone figures with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch).
4.6.2. Each figure should be explicitly referred to in numerical order and should be embedded within the text at the appropriate point.
4.6.3. A maximum of four subfigures will be allowed per figure.
4.6.4. Colour page charges will apply should the author request colour reproduction in the printed version of their paper (see Colour Reproduction section below)
4.7. Tables
4.7.1. Tables should be referred to explicitly in the text. Tables should be referred to in numerical order.
4.8. Mathematics and equations
4.8.1. When writing mathematics, avoid confusion between characters that could be mistaken for one another, e.g. the letter 'l' and the figure one.
4.8.2. Equations should be capable of fitting into a two-column print format.
4.8.3. Vectors and matrices should be in bold italic and variables in italic.
4.8.4. If your paper contains superscripts or subscripts, take special care to ensure that the positioning of the characters is unambiguous.
4.8.5. Exponential expressions should be written using superscript notation, i.e. 5x103 not 5E03. A multiplication sign should be used, not a dot.
4.8.6. Refer to equations using round brackets, e.g. (1)
4.9. References
4.9.1. The IET uses the Vancouver (numerical) system for references. You should number your references sequentially through the text, and each reference should be individually numbered and enclosed in square brackets (e.g. [1]).
4.9.2. Please ensure that all references in the Reference list are cited in the text and vice versa. Failure to do so may cause delays in the production of your article.
4.9.3. Please also ensure that you provide as much information as possible to allow the reader to locate the article concerned. This is particularly important for articles appearing in conferences, workshops and books that may not appear in journal databases.
4.9.4. Do not include references for papers that have been submitted and not accepted for publication. Papers that have been accepted for publication are allowed as long as all information is provided.
4.9.5. Please provide all author name(s) and initials, title of the paper, date published, title of the journal or book, volume number, editors (if any), and finally the page range. For books and conferences, the town of publication and publisher (in parentheses) should also be given.
4.9.6. An average research paper should reference between 20 and 30 works, the bulk of which should be recently published (i.e. within the last 5 years) leading-edge articles in the field, preferably from top journals or conferences. You should compare your own findings to this recent research and demonstrate how your work improves on it in order to demonstrate that your work shows a significant advance over the state of the art - a pre-requisite for publication in IET Research Journals.
4.10. Examples of the ways in which references should be cited are given below:
Journal article
- Smith, T., and Jones, M.: 'The title of the paper', IET Syst. Biol., 2007, 1, (2), pp. 1–7
Conference paper
- Jones, L., and Brown, D.: 'The title of the conference paper'. Proc. Int. Conf. Systems Biology, Stockholm, Sweden, May 2006, pp. 1–7
Book, book chapter and manual
- Hodges, A., and Smith, N.: 'The title of the book chapter', in Brown, S. (Ed.): 'Handbook of Systems Biology' (IEE Press, 2004, 1st edn.), pp. 1–7
- Harrison, E.A., and Abbott, C.: 'The title of the book' (XYZ Press, 2005, 2nd edn. 2006)
Patent
- Brown, F.: 'The title of the patent (if available)'. British Patent 123456, July 2004
- Smith, D., and Hodges, J.: British Patent Application 98765, 1925
Thesis
- Abbott, N.L.: 'The title of the thesis'. PhD thesis, XYZ University, 2005
Standard
- BS1234: 'The title of the standard', 2006
Website
- http://www.theiet.org, accessed April 2006
4.11. Appendices and supplementary material
4.11.1. Additional material, e.g. mathematical derivations that may interrupt the flow of your paper's argument should form a separate Appendix section. Do not, however, use appendices to lengthen your article unnecessarily. If the material can be found in another work, cite this work rather than reproduce it.
4.11.2. Authors are encouraged to submit additional material as online supplementary material. This should be uploaded as an additional file during submission.
5. Publication options
5.1. Open Access Option
5.1.1. The IET Research Journals now offer authors the option of publishing their paper open access on payment of an Article Processing Charge of $1150 USD on acceptance of the paper.
5.2. Payment for Open Access
5.2.2. The IET has partnered with Copyright Clearance Center, Rightslink who will facilitate the fee collection process. Once your paper is accepted for publication you will be contacted by Rightslink with instructions on how to pay your fees. All fees must be paid within 3 weeks of acceptance; failure to pay your fees in a timely fashion may result in your being debarred from publishing open access with the IET.
5.2.3. IET members are eligible for a 15% discount on their fees. The IET also offers fee waivers for researchers in developing countries, determined using the criteria* set by Research4Life, which provides free or low-cost access to scientific journals, books and databases for scientists, practitioners, students and faculty in the developing world. Researchers in other territories who can demonstrate a genuine need will also be considered for waivers. They should contact the editorial office once their paper has been accepted to make their appeal.
6. Colour reproduction
6.1. Colour reproduction is only available online.
6.2. If you would like your paper to appear in colour in the online version, please contact the editorial office once you have received your proof for first look. Colour figures should be supplied along with your source files.
6.3. Colour online is a free service.
7. After acceptance
7.1. Proof correction
7.1.1. You will receive an email notifying you that you can view the proof of your paper via your ScholarOne Manuscripts Author Centre. We ask you to return your corrections as soon as possible. Note that your paper will be published online in advance of printed publication and it is therefore in your interest to return your corrections to us as soon as possible. Major changes-of-mind, e.g. rewriting of whole sections, are not permitted at this stage.
7.1.2. Do not supply an original manuscript, an updated manuscript nor an edited proof at the corrections stage. Corrections should be indicated in list form by giving the precise location of each correction (page and line number). This should be limited to 2 A4 pages.
7.1.3. We work to a tight production schedule and for this reason may publish your paper without your corrections if the proof reaches you during an absence of which we have not been informed or if the corrections are not returned sufficiently quickly. Alternatively, your paper may be postponed to a future issue.
7.1.4. Requests for last-minute corrections, i.e. amendments to the original manuscript, may be denied at the editorial assistant’s discretion, particularly if these are likely to delay publication.
7.1.5. You will not be able to view the final proof, after your corrections have been submitted.
7.2. Proof correction
7.2.1. An author submitting a paper should ensure that he or she has the right to publish the paper and that it contains nothing defamatory. The IET will assume that all co-authors have agreed to the submission of any paper received.
8. Complimentary copies
Once the paper has been printed, we will send the corresponding author a PDF copy of their paper. Please note that this is subject to the terms and conditions of our Pre- and Postprint policy.
8.1. Pre- and postprint policy
8.1.1. The author(s) and/or the organisations for whom the work was performed shall be entitled to post preprints of their work (but not the published PDF) on repositories, servers and websites of any sort, provided that these servers are operated by the author's institution or designated by the funding body contributing to the research. The conditions attached to this are as follows:
8.1.2. Access to such servers is not for commercial use and does not depend on payment of access, subscription, or membership fees.
8.1.3. The following wording clearly appears on the front page of the preprint:
"This paper is a preprint of a paper submitted to [journal] and is subject to Institution of Engineering and Technology Copyright. If accepted, the copy of record will be available at IET Digital Library"
On acceptance, this may be changed to:
"This paper is a preprint of a paper accepted by [journal] and is subject to Institution of Engineering and Technology Copyright. When the final version is published, the copy of record will be available at IET Digital Library"
8.1.4. If the paper is rejected, then all mention of the journal should be removed. The preprint should be removed if a subsequent postprint is posted.
8.1.5. The author may also post postprints of their work (reviewed, revised and accepted for publication by the IET, but not the published PDF) on repositories, servers and websites of any sort, provided that these servers are operated by the author's institution or the funding body contributing to the research. To comply with funding requirements, authors may also deposit their work (reviewed, revised and accepted for publication by the IET, but not the published PDF) in repositories (or mirror sites) designated by the funding body. The conditions attached to this are as follows:
8.1.6. Access to such servers is not for commercial use and does not depend on payment of access, subscription, or membership fees
8.1.7. The following wording clearly appears on the front page of the postprint:
"This paper is a postprint of a paper submitted to and accepted for publication in [journal] and is subject to Institution of Engineering and Technology Copyright. The copy of record is available at IET Digital Library"
8.1.8. The postprint must be the author's version and not the IET version/PDF.
8.1.9. The postprint must not be posted prior to publication of the paper by the IET and when posted any preprint version should be removed.
Any questions should be addressed to the publisher (journals@theiet.org)
8.2. Copyright and Open Access License
8.2.1. Right to publish
An author submitting a paper should ensure that he or she has the right to publish the paper and that it contains nothing defamatory. The IET will assume that all co-authors have agreed to the submission of any paper received.
8.2.2. Copyright Form for Subscription Access
Authors who choose to publish through the subscription access model will be required to fill in the online copyright form in the ScholarOne Manuscripts Author Centre.
Unless the paper is either 'United Kingdom Crown copyright' or 'a work of the US Government and in the Public Domain', the Bylaws of the IET require that copyright should belong to the IET.
8.2.3. Open Access: Creative Commons Licences
Authors who choose to publish their papers open access in Electronics Letters will be asked to sign a Creative Commons Licence as opposed to a copyright form. In this way, the author retains the copyright to their work. As we offer a number of different licence options for authors it is advised that authors take some time to consider which licence they would like to use when they submit their paper so as not to delay the publication of the paper on acceptance. Authors whose work is funded by the Wellcome Trust or Research Councils UK must sign the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY). Other licences available are: Attribution-NoDerivs (CC BY-ND), Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) and Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND). For more information on these options please see below.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) This licence lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licences offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licenced materials. (If your work is funded by The Wellcome Trust or Research Councils UK you must use this licence.)
Preview licence
Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs (CC BY-ND) This licence allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as it is passed
along unchanged and in whole, with credit to you.
Preview licence
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) This licence lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and
although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don't have to licence their derivative works on the same terms.
Preview licence
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND) This licence is the most restrictive licence we offer, only allowing others to
download your works and share them with others as long as they credit you, but they can't change them in any way or use them commercially.
Preview licence
8.3. Permissions to reproduce
8.3.1 If you wish to make use of previously published illustrations, diagrams or photographs in your paper, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes, you must obtain the written permission of the editorial office.
8.3.2 The IET will not make a charge where the work is being reproduced for non-commercial purposes, e.g. teaching, research presentations, etc.
8.3.3 Charges apply where IET copyrighted material is being reproduced for commercial purposes, e.g. book chapters, review articles.
8.3.4 The source of the material must also be acknowledged in full.
8.3.5 Please note, all authors have to find their own permissions for re-used text, figures and tables which do not belong to the IET.
