The sections below provide essential information for authors. These instructions refer to Articles, Reviews and Perspectives.
Submission
Please submit your manuscript to the online submission system https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/ncs.
Open Access Statement
Nature Cell and Science adheres to the principles of Open Access, ensuring high-quality, peer-reviewed research is freely available to a global audience. We champion the unrestricted sharing of knowledge, enabling researchers, educators, and the general public to benefit from the latest scientific discoveries.
Copyright and Permission
Copyright for all articles published in this journal remains with the authors. Authors enter into a publishing agreement with the journal. This grants the journal the sole, worldwide and exclusive rights to publish, reproduce, display and store the published articles. Publications by the journal are distributed under the CC-BY-NC (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial) license term (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). As a result, readers can freely read, download, and use all articles published, provided they are not for commercial purposes and the original source and author are appropriately cited.
Article Processing Charge
As an open-access journal, we offer unrestricted access to our content without charging readers or institutions. Our commitment to this model is underpinned by the support we receive from authors and institutions in the form of the Article Processing Charge (APC). This financial model allows us to maintain stringent peer review standards and ensure the quality of our published articles. The standard APC is set at USD 3,000, payable upon manuscript acceptance. Notably, submissions made before December 31, 2024, will be granted a 100% waiver on the APC.
Manuscript Types
Review Article
Reviews should encapsulate recent developments or obstacles within a specific biomedical sector. They should provide a comprehensive summary of current insights while weaving in new viewpoints or hypotheses regarding the topic. Furthermore, they should propose robust recommendations for potential research directions. Incorporating visual aids, such as diagrams, flowcharts, algorithms, and tables, is strongly encouraged. For systematic reviews, adherence to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist is mandated. This checklist should be submitted alongside the manuscript.
Original Article
Original Articles introduce novel discoveries, experiments, or clinical investigations, structured around Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections. The Abstract should be structured, typically encompassing Background and Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. The Methods section should contain ample detail to facilitate replication. Authors must indicate the reporting guideline they’ve followed, and the pertinent checklist should be included during manuscript submission.
Prominent reporting guidelines by study type are:
- Randomized Clinical Trials: CONSORT
- Observational Studies in Epidemiology: STROBE
- Diagnostic/prognostic Studies: STARD
- Clinical Practice Guidelines: RIGHT
- Animal Pre-clinical Studies: ARRIVE
Case Report
Case Reports focus on thoroughly documented, unique clinical cases that shed light on a novel mechanism or principle related to pathophysiology, diagnosis, or treatment. A case report should be prepared following the CARE checklist which is required to be submitted with the manuscript.
Research Letter
Research Letters are concise reports showcasing experimental results of notable significance. They describe new research findings and should maintain a direct style, avoiding the use of section headings such as Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusion, and Discussion.
Editorial
Editorials are invited comments on the articles published in Nature Cell and Science. This type also includes invited articles from members of the editorial team presenting the stand of the journal and the editor.
Perspective
A perspective offers unique viewpoints on a topic of specific interest.
Letter to the Editor
Letters to the Editor provide brief comments on articles published in the journal, usually uninvited and written by readers.
The specific requirements of each article type are outlined in below table.
| Article Type | Abstract | Manuscript word count | Figures/Tables | References |
| Review Article | unstructured, ~250 words | ~7,000 | ~8 | ~120 |
| Original Article | structured, ~250 words | ~5,000 | ~8 | ~50 |
| Case Report | unstructured, ~250 words | ~2,000 | ~4 | ~20 |
| Research Letter | No | ~1,800 | ~3 | ~10 |
| Editorial | No | ~1,500 | ~2 | ~10 |
| Perspective | No | ~1,800 | ~2 | ~10 |
| Commentary | No | ~1,500 | ~2 | ~10 |
| Letter to the Editor | No | ~500 | ~2 | ~10 |
Manuscript Preparation
General Format
Manuscripts should be submitted as a single Microsoft Word document. To facilitate peer review, ensure that the manuscript has continuous line and page numbering.
Accession Numbers
For all sequences, plasmids, expression microarrays, and amino acid sequence data presented, it is essential to provide the corresponding accession numbers. This requirement applies whether the data has already been submitted or is planned for submission to repositories such as GenBank or EMBL.
Abbreviations
While the use of uncommon abbreviations is not recommended, any abbreviation introduced should be explicitly defined upon its first appearance in the Abstract and the main content. An abbreviation should only be adopted if the term it represents appears three or more times in the Abstract or main content, or in cases of gene acronyms or terms more commonly known by their abbreviation. For abbreviations within figures and tables, ensure they are clarified in the figure captions or table footnotes. A list of universally recognized abbreviations that do not require definition can be referenced in the AMA Manual of Style or the Index Medicus.
SI Units
Ensure that the nomenclature and measurement units conform to globally recognized standards, including the International System of Units (SI). If other metrics are mentioned, their SI equivalent should also be provided.
Publishing Agreement
By submitting an article, the author confirms that the manuscript is original and not substantially similar to any previously published work. It also guarantees that the manuscript is not under review elsewhere, even in non-English publications, and adheres to all legal guidelines without infringing on the rights of others.
All submissions to Nature Cell and Science must be accompanied by a signed Publishing Agreement. Each author should review and sign this document. The corresponding author must affirm that every co-author made a meaningful contribution to the research and that all have reviewed and endorsed the final manuscript.
Manuscript Structure
This structure refers to the Original Article.
- Title Page (separate file)
- Abstract (structured)
- Keywords
- Graphical Abstract (highly recommended)
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- Author Contributions
- Conflict of Interest Statement
- Funding
- Acknowledgments
- Data Sharing Policy
- References
- Tables
- Figures
- Supplementary Materials (separate file)
Title Page
Title: The title should be concise and comprehensive, capturing the essence of the article’s content. Do not use non-standard abbreviations.
Authors: All authors’ first names and last names should be provided. Do not use initials. The corresponding author’s name should be marked with an asterisk (*).
Authors’ affiliations: Each author should specify their department, university, or affiliated organization, including city, state/province (if relevant), and country.
Corresponding author: The corresponding author’s details should include their full name, detailed postal address (including department, institution, street address, city, state/province, postal code, and country), email address, phone number, and if available, fax number. If there are dual corresponding authors (a maximum of 2 is permissible), the one handling reviewers’ feedback should be mentioned first.
Abbreviations: The title page should contain a list of all abbreviations that appear in the manuscript, in alphabetical order.
Highlights: Please provide approximately three to five key highlights. These should underscore the novel aspects of your research, significant discoveries, or the potential implications of your findings. The highlights are suggested to be conveyed in short and clear sentences, with each point clearly numbered or bulleted.
The Title Page should consist of the above and be submitted as a separate file in the online system.
Abstract
The Abstract should offer a concise yet comprehensive overview of the research, highlighting its primary objectives, outcomes, significant discoveries, and relevance to the specific field or specialty. For systematic reviews and original articles, the Abstract should be structured into the following sections: Background and Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. For reviews and other non-original articles, the Abstract should be unstructured and presented as one cohesive paragraph without any subheadings.
Graphical Abstract
A Graphical Abstract (GA) is a visual representation designed to provide readers with a rapid overview of the main findings and significance of an article. It serves as an at-a-glance summary that can stimulate reader interest and facilitate comprehension. The GA should encapsulate the core message of your article and incorporate key elements such as the main result, methodology, or a novel concept introduced in the article. Do not reuse a figure from the article.
It is highly recommended to submit a graphical abstract accompanying the submission to Nature Cell and Science, especially when you submit the revised manuscript. The GA should be uploaded as an individual file via the online manuscript submission portal. Please ensure that the dimensions of the image are a minimum of 13.2 cm in height and 17.6 cm in width; however, it can exceed these dimensions if the same ratio is maintained. It’s crucial to provide a high-resolution image, with a minimum of 300 dpi. For the initial submission, file formats such as JPG, TIFF, or PDF are acceptable. However, for the final production stage, editable formats like PSD, EPS, AI, Visio, WMF, EMF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OPJ, CDR, or PDF are preferred.
Keywords
Four to six keywords specific to the manuscript should immediately follow the Abstract. We recommend selecting terms listed in the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) powered by the National Library of Medicine.
Introduction
The Introduction provides an adequate background by offering a concise review of the existing literature and states the objectives of the current study.
Methods
The Methods section should offer comprehensive details to ensure the reproducibility of your study. Methods previously published should be indicated with proper citations. New or significantly altered methods should be described in detail. Clearly chronicle the study design, data collection and measurement techniques, study objectives, hypotheses, type of subjects, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and outcome measures. Please ensure that all methods described have corresponding data in the Results section or supplementary materials, and vice versa. Avoid presenting results in the Methods section. The study involving human subjects or animals should contain a clear ethics statement in the Method section. Please refer to the guide on Research Ethics.
Results
The Results section should be presented clearly and concisely. Tables and figures should be used to illustrate the results.
Discussion
The Discussion should interpret the results of the study in the context of previous research and the study’s hypotheses. Authors should avoid reiterating details from the Introduction or results data.
Conclusion
The Conclusion synthesizes the main findings, highlights their significance, and suggests future implications or directions for research. This section is not mandatory.
Author Contributions
Articles with more than one author should declare each author’s contribution in this section. We recommend using CRediT (Contribution Roles Taxonomy) terms to indicate the authors’ roles.
Here’s an example of Author Contributions:
Conceptualization: AA, BB; Data curation: AA; Formal Analysis: BB; Funding acquisition: AA; Investigation: AA; Methodology: AA; Project administration: AA; Resources: AA; Software: AA; Supervision: AA; Validation: AA; Visualization: AA; Writing – original draft: AA; Writing – review & editing: BB.
Please visit https://credit.niso.org/ for the explanation of each term.
Conflict of Interest Statement
A Conflict of Interest Statement must be included in the manuscript to disclose any potential conflicts. If no conflicts exist, there should be a statement as well, for example, “The authors declare no conflict of interest”. Please see the guide on Conflict of Interest for more details.
Funding
Grant or any financial support needs to be declared in this section. Please include the full name of the funding agency, grant number (if applicable), and the name of the supported author. If the study did not receive any financial support, a corresponding statement, such as “None.” should be included.
Acknowledgments
Individuals who provided assistance during the research and preparation of the manuscript but did not meet the authorship criteria should be acknowledged in this section.
Data Sharing Statement
A Data Sharing Statement is required for all research articles letting readers know how to access the shared data. Please refer to the “Data Sharing Policy” for further information.
References
References within the text: References should be numbered in the order of their first appearance in the manuscript, marked with Arabic numerals as superscripts in the text, after commas and periods, and before colons and semicolons.
The Reference list: References should be formatted as follows based on different types of materials.
1. Journal Articles:
Nie J, Xu N, Chen Z, Huang L, Jiao F, Chen Y, et al. More light components and less light damage on rats’ eyes: evidence for the photobiomodulation and spectral opponency. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023;22(4):809-824. doi: 10.1007/s43630-022-00354-5. PMID: 36527588.
2. Books and Chapters:
Dawson C, Whitfield HN, editors. ABC of urology. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.; 2006.
Breedlove GK, Schorfheide AM. Adolescent pregnancy. 2nd ed. Wieczorek RR, editor. White Plains (NY): March of Dimes Education Services; 2001.
Shah J. Bladder outflow obstruction. In: Dawson C, Whitfield HN, editors. ABC of Urology. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.; 2006. p. 6-9.
3. Conference Proceedings:
Marle F, Jankovic M, Maurer M, Schmidt MD, Lindemann U, editors. Risk and change management in complex systems. Proceedings of the 16th International DSM Conference; 2014 Jul 2-4; Paris, France. Dutch: Elsevier; 2014.
4. Dissertation:
Grant, C. Grounded in your culture: the hidden key to promoting academic achievement among African American adolescent males [Dissertation]. Minneapolis: Capella University; 2010.
5. Material in Press:
Lan T, Chang L, Wu L, Yuan YF. IL-6 plays a crucial role in HBV infection. J Clin Transl Hepatol Forthcoming 2015.
Tables
Tables should present concise, self-contained information that complements the main text without redundancy. Insert tables close to the corresponding text in the manuscript. Number tables sequentially (e.g., ‘Table 1’) and make in-text references using these numbers. Label tables with a brief and descriptive title above. Place legends, footnotes, and text below the table. Abbreviations used in the table need to be defined below the table in alphabetical order.
Figures
Ensure that only images crucial for substantiating the manuscript’s conclusions are incorporated. Insert the figures close to the corresponding text in the manuscript. Sequentially number the figures throughout the manuscript (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2) and make in-text references using these numbers.
- Figure Legends
The figure legends precisely correspond to their respective figures, ensuring clarity and coherence for readers. Each legend should commence with a comprehensive title that captures the essence of all panels contained within the respective figure. This title serves to provide readers with a general understanding of the figure’s content and should be kept separate from the figure itself. It should articulate the essence of the figure without redundantly echoing details already covered in the Methods section or data values, including statistical ones, presented in the figure. Additionally, the legend should abstain from presenting any results or drawing conclusions.
For figures incorporating copyrighted material, it’s mandatory to furnish documentation validating that permission for reproduction has been secured. Moreover, the original source of the material should be duly acknowledged within the legend. Symbols and color differentiations used within figures should also be explicitly detailed in the legend, unless the figure itself contains an inset key providing these definitions. Abbreviations that appear in the figure should be clearly defined within its accompanying legend.
- Specific Requirements for Images
For the first submission, figures can be submitted in formats such as TIFF, JPEG, PDF, or Microsoft Office files. When preparing figures for publication, editable versions such as PSD, AI, Visio, WMF, EMF, OPJ, CDR, PDF or Microsoft Office files may be requested. Ensure all images are of the highest quality, with electronic photographs, radiographs, CT scans, and scanned images having a resolution of at least 300 dpi. Line art, which consists of purely black and white figures with no shades of gray, should possess a resolution of at least 1200 dpi. Additionally, figures that combine graphs and line art must maintain a resolution of at least 500 dpi.
Resize figures with widths of single columns being 8.6 cm, 2/3 double columns at 15 cm, and double columns at 17.6 cm. The height should not exceed 21 cm. Maintain uniformity in terms of font style (preferably Arial, 8-12 pt), font size, line thickness, and color use (either GRAYSCALE or RGB) across all figures. Consistency in terminology and measurement units is vital for clarity. Although each figure should have clear and legible labels, do not include titles or captions directly on the figures. Instead, use the accompanying text for detailed descriptions and context.
For graphs and charts, ensure line art has appropriate line thickness and remains clear even after resizing. For patient photographs, ensure that all identifiers are removed, unless there is explicit written informed consent for publication. For electron micrographs, always include scale markers directly in the image and specify the stain type used. For gel electrophoresis images, on relevant figure panels, always denote the protein molecular weight or DNA marker sizes.
Supplementary Materials
Supplementary materials, such as documents, tables, figures, videos, and data, should accompany the manuscript upon submission. These supplementary materials will also be accessible to reviewers.
Editorial Process
1. Initial Evaluation:
All submitted manuscripts undergo a comprehensive assessment by our team of academic editors. Manuscripts that do not adhere to our general publication criteria are promptly returned to the authors without undergoing a detailed review.
2. Peer Review Assignment and Decision:
Manuscripts meeting our initial criteria are assigned to a minimum of two reviewers with related expertise and without any conflict of interest. Nature Cell and Science employs a double-blind peer review model, where reviewers and authors are anonymous to each other. Each manuscript with at least two valid review comments will be sent to the Editor-in-Chief for making the final decision.
3. Decision Timeline:
Our editorial team is dedicated to expeditious decision-making. We aim to provide decisions on submitted manuscripts within 4 weeks from the date of submission. In cases where revisions are necessary for publication, authors are typically granted a 2 to 4-week revision period.
4. Publication Process:
Accepted manuscripts are fast-tracked for online publication as swiftly as possible. It’s important to note that any significant changes made to a manuscript after acceptance may undergo additional review and could potentially result in a delay in publication.
5. Author Appeal Procedure
If you wish to appeal an editorial decision, please contact the Editorial Office by email and provide a concise and clear summary of the scientific basis for your appeal. Please explain the reasons you believe the decision should be reconsidered. You may attach supporting documents or responses to reviewer comments as needed. The editor will review your appeal and give a response with the outcome or additional steps required within 1 week. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this process. Your appeal will be thoroughly reviewed with the aim of ensuring fairness and transparency in editorial decisions.
Research Ethics
Animal Studies
Research involving animals must include a statement in the Methods section that: A. The study protocol was approved by an institutional animal care committee; B. All animals received humane care following relevant institutional and national guidelines and regulations.
Human Subjects
Research involving human subjects must include a statement of assurance in the Methods section that: A. The study adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki; B. The protocol was approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee; C. Written informed consent was obtained from each participant.
Clinical Trials
Nature Cell and Science adheres to the guidelines set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which request the registration of clinical trials in a public registry either before or at the onset of the first patient’s enrollment for the study.
We highly recommend authors register their clinical trials with recognized international clinical trial registries. This registration should then be referenced in the Methods section with the registration number and platform. Appropriate registries can be found on the ICMJE website https://www.icmje.org/about-icmje/faqs/clinical-trials-registration/.
Data Sharing Policy
In instances where ethical, legal, or confidentiality issues arise, data sharing should be withheld. Authors must clearly specify any such restrictions in the Data Sharing Statement during manuscript submission. It is imperative that any shared data adheres to the consent secured from participants, especially concerning confidential data.
Here are the suggested Data Sharing Statements:
Public Repository Data:
“Data from this study is publicly accessible at [repository name, e.g., FigShare] with the DOI [doi], reference number [reference number].”
Restricted Data Access:
“Data from this study can be availed upon request from the corresponding author. It’s not available publicly due to [specific reason].”
Third-Party Data:
“There are constraints on these data’s availability. Data was sourced from [third party] and can be accessed [from the authors/at URL] with [third party]’s approval.”
No Data Sharing Applicable:
“This study neither generated nor analyzed new data. Hence, data sharing is not applicable to this article.”
Data Within the Article/Supplementary Material:
“Data related to this research can be found in [the article or supplementary material].”
Publication Ethics
Originality
When you submit a manuscript to Nature Cell and Science, its content must not significantly overlap with that of any other articles from you or your co-authors’ groups that are under consideration or in press at other journals, with the exception of conference abstracts. All submitted manuscripts must be original and not under consideration by any other journal. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate rejection.
Fabrication, Falsification
Fabrication refers to the complete invention of data or results in research, rather than being based on actual experiments or observations. Falsification refers to the deliberate alteration or omission of data or results, leading to a misrepresentation of the research record. Any form of fabrication or falsification is considered a severe breach of protocol, leading to direct rejection.
Data Access and Retention
Authors may be asked to provide raw data for editorial review. All raw data should be ensured to be available upon request.
Using of Copyrighted Material
Authors should ensure that any copyrighted materials used in the manuscript, such as figures or tables from other published works, have obtained proper permissions.
Policy on Misconduct
Misconduct is always considered deliberate. All manuscript contributors are accountable for any misconduct. Authors must ensure their manuscript is free from any form of misconduct before submission. If misconduct is suspected after submission but before publication, authors should immediately contact the editorial office. If misconduct is identified during review, the review process halts, an investigation begins, and a Committee on Ethical Publication intervenes. If confirmed, the manuscript is rejected, and authors may face a ban from publishing with Nature Cell and Science. Post-publication discoveries of misconduct will be addressed similarly, with potential retractions or corrections depending on the findings.
Corrections, Retractions and Expression of Concerns
Nature Cell and Science emphasizes the importance of rectifying published errors. Corrections, per ICMJE guidelines, will be made promptly for verified errors, ranging from research claims to authorship. Corrections will be clearly indicated, with a correction date, and accessible in both electronic and printed formats. Major errors might necessitate a retraction.
Nature Cell and Science follows COPE guidelines for potential retractions, emphasizing:
A. Retractions are not punitive;
B. Retraction statements should be public and linked to the original article.
Reasons for potential retraction include unreliable findings, prior publication without permission, legal issues, or significant authorship disputes.
Allegations of scientific misconduct will be thoroughly investigated per COPE procedures. Pending the final investigation outcome, an expression of concern may be published. Misconduct examples include but are not limited to data falsification, duplication, or plagiarism. Any retraction or expression of concern will be appropriately indexed.
Conflicts of Interest
Authors must provide a Conflict of Interest Statement in the manuscript to disclose any financial, institutional, commercial, personal, ideological, or academic interests that could inappropriately influence, or have the perception to influence, their work. If no conflicts exist, there should be a statement as well, for example: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”
All authors should complete the standard conflict of interest form which can be downloaded from the ICMJE website at https://www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/. The filled forms should be combined as one supplementary file and uploaded into the submission system.
Editors and members of the Editorial Board abstain from participation in the evaluation of papers they have authored, those authored by their family members or colleagues, or papers related to products or services in which they have a vested interest. Such submissions are subjected to the standard journal procedures, with peer review conducted independently, separate from the relevant editor and their research groups.
Authorship
Nature Cell and Science follows the criteria of authorship proposed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE):
(1) Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
(2) Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content; AND
(3) Final approval of the version to be published; AND
(4) Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Individuals who have met all the above 4 criteria should be listed as an author.
Changes to Authorship
Making modifications to the author list after submission is a significant step that requires clarity and justification. This encompasses:
A. Adding new authors to the manuscript.
B. Removing existing authors from the manuscript.
C. Altering the sequence of authors listed.
If there is a need to change the authorship after the first submission, authors must immediately notify the editorial office via email. The email should clearly explain the reasons for the change. This ensures transparency and maintains the integrity of the publication process. A written declaration confirming the change of authorship must be provided. This declaration should be signed by all authors, both those previously listed and those being added, to ensure that all authors are aware of and agree with the changes being made.
Contributorship
In the process of manuscript preparation, various individuals or institutions may offer assistance or support that, although valuable, does not meet the criteria for authorship. In such instances, it is appropriate and essential to acknowledge their contributions in the “Acknowledgments” section of the manuscript. This ensures that their efforts are recognized and appreciated while maintaining the integrity of the authorship criteria.
Declaration of Using AI Tools
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is restricted to the purpose of language editing to improve the readability of the manuscript. AI or any AI-assisted technology should not be listed as an author, or be cited as an author. To ensure transparency and maintain the integrity of published works, any manuscript that has utilized AI for language editing or any other purpose must include a clear declaration stating as such, which is recommended in the acknowledgment.
Self-Archiving Policy
Authors are permitted to self-archive their manuscripts at any stage on the author’s personal, institutional website or repository, or other suitable non-for-profit sites.
If authors are self-archiving a version of the manuscript that has been accepted but not yet published by the journal, they must include the statement: “This manuscript has been accepted for publication in Nature Cell and Science.”
For manuscripts that have already been published in the journal, authors should include the statement: “This article has been published in Nature Cell and Science at [link to the full article].”
Policy on Complaints
Complaints should be made in writing via email to the journal’s Editorial Office. Please clearly state the nature of the complaint, provide relevant details, and, if applicable, suggest a solution or desired outcome. While we accept anonymous complaints, it’s often more challenging to investigate and resolve them. We encourage complainants to provide their contact details.
Upon receipt, complaints will be acknowledged within five working days.
The Editor-in-Chief or a designated senior editor will conduct a preliminary review to determine the complaint’s validity. If necessary, external experts might be consulted. We aim to resolve complaints within 20 working days of receipt. If the review takes longer, we will provide updates every two weeks.
Once a decision has been made, the complainant will be informed of the outcome and any actions taken. If the complainant is dissatisfied with the resolution, they can appeal to the publisher, and the decision of the publisher will be final.
If the complainant remains unsatisfied after pursuing all internal avenues, they may complain to the external entity Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). COPE (http://www.publicationethics.org) provides a code of practice tailored for editors of scientific, technical, and medical journals. They will entertain complaints against editors, but only after the journal’s in-house complaint resolution mechanisms have been fully utilized.
All complaints and details will be kept confidential and only shared with those involved in the investigation and resolution process.