Guidelines for Authors

Click here for more information.

Peer Review

Click here for more information.

Open Access Policy

General Submission

Cell Adhesion & Migration utilizes an online submission and tracking system which is designed to provide a better, more efficient service to authors.

• Authors can submit manuscripts online from anywhere in the world.
• Authors can track their manuscript through the peer review process.
• Author files are automatically converted into a PDF (Portable Document Format) file and submissions are acknowledged by email.
• Editors and reviewers access the PDF files on the website.

Click here to submit a manuscript to Cell Adhesion & Migration: http://cam.msubmit.net/

Copyright

All submissions must be accompanied by a completed copyright transfer form. Fax to
Nicole Todd, Managing Editor, at 512.637.6079

Non-Native Speakers of English

Authors who are not native speakers of English and submit manuscripts to international journals often receive negative comments from referees or editors about English-language usage. These problems can contribute to a decision to reject a paper. To help reduce the possibility of such problems, we strongly encourage such authors to take at least one or both of the following steps.

1. Have your manuscript reviewed for clarity by a colleague whose native language is English.

2. Use a service such as one of those listed below. An editor will improve the English to ensure that your meaning is clear and identify problems that require your review. Note that the use of such a service is at the author's own expense and risk and does not guarantee that the article will be accepted. Landes Bioscience accepts no responsibility for the interaction between the author and the service provider or for the quality of the work performed.

Manuscript Preparation

Click here for more information.

Text should be prepared in MS Word, double-spaced, with page numbers throughout. Papers should be written as concisely as possible in clear, grammatical English and organized in the following manner:

1. Title page, including titles, author's names, degrees and affilitations
2. Keywords: 5-10 for indexing purposes
3. Abbreviations and Acronyms: List those used throughout the text
4. Abstract: 150-250 words, depending on paper type
5. Running title: Maximum of 50 characters in length
6. Text (length depends upon type of paper, see below)
7. References: Click here to view our reference format.
8. Tables (with descriptive titles and legends)
9. Figure legends

Types of Papers

Research Papers

Research Papers should include the following sections:

1. Abstract: A single paragraph of fewer than 250 words. The primary goal of the abstract should be to make the general significance and conceptual advance of the work clearly accessible to a broad readership. References should not be cited in the abstract.
2. Keywords: Include 5-10 for indexing purposes.
3. Introduction
4. Results: Present results in logical sequence in tables and illustrations. In the text, explain, emphasize or summarize the most important observations. Units of measurement should be expressed in accordance with Systeme International d'Unites (SI Units).
5. Discussion: Do not repeat in detail data given in the Results section. Emphasize the new and important aspects of the study. Relate observations to other relevant studies. On the basis of your findings (and others'), discuss possible implications/conclusions. When stating a new hypothesis, clearly label it as such.
6. Patients and Methods/Materials and Methods: Describe selection of patients or experimental animals, including controls. Do not use patient names or hospital numbers. Identify methods, apparatus (manufacturer's name and address), and procedures in sufficient detail to allow other workers to reproduce the results. Provide references and brief descriptions of methods that have been published. When using new methods. Evaluate their advantages and limitations. Identify drugs and chemicals, including generic name, dosage, and route(s) of administration.
   Indicate whether the procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee of Human Experimentation in your country, or are in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975.
7. References: Maximum 85.
8. Tables: Tables should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals and include descriptive titles and legends
9. Figure legends

Short Communications

Short Communications are aimed at publishing short, but important, breakthrough data not embedded within a complex story. The paper should be structured as a research paper (see above) but without the headings and subheadings; no more than 4500 words altogether.

Short communications should include the following sections:

1. Abstract: Maximum 120 words
2. References: Maximum 50

Technical Papers

Technical Papers contain original research, however, they differ from Research Papers in that they describe new approaches, methods, or reagents rather than new understanding of a natural molecule or biological process. Papers may be submitted as either Technical or Research Papers, but the assignment to either category is the discretion of the Editors. All submissions will be peer reviewed.

Reviews

Reviews should be recognized as scholarly by specialists in the field being covered, but should also be written with a view to informing readers who are not specialized in that particular field, and should therefore be presented using simple prose. Please avoid excessive jargon and technical detail. Reviews should capture the broad developments and implications of recent work. The opening paragraph should make clear the general thrust of the review and provide a clear sense of why the review is now particularly appropriate. The concluding paragraph should provide the reader with an idea of how the field may develop or future problems to be overcome, but should not summarize the article.

To ensure that a review is likely to be accessible to as many readers as possible, it may be useful to ask a colleague from another discipline to read the review before submitting it. Submitted reviews are subject to the same page charges as full-length reports -- whether and how page charges will apply for commissioned reviews will be made clear when each review is commissioned.

Reviews should include the following sections:

1. Abstract: Maximum 150 words
2. Keywords: Include 5-10 for indexing purposes
3. References: Maximum 150

Commentaries and Views

Commentaries and Views may be short and focused opinion articles, commentaries on papers recently published in the journal or elsewhere, or commentaries on significant conceptual changes, important trends or new directions in the field. This section also includes Points of View.

Point of View articles should follow the same general guidelines as reviews, however there is considerable flexibility in the length and content. These articles are intended to address controversial issues, express new ideas, or expand on work already published. They may contain new data, and like other submissions, are subject to peer review.

Like review articles, they should be accessible to a wide readership. Point of View articles are generally commissioned from authors of the most important recent papers to offer additional insights. Unsolicited Point of View articles are also welcome; they may discuss the authors' own work or recent significant work in their field. These should be structured like reviews and be 1500 to 2500 words. Responses to Point of View articles are encouraged and will also be published as Point of View articles. Responses may be considerably shorter and structured as letters. Please include an abstract of 150 words.

Commentaries and Views should include the following sections:

1. Abstract: 150-200 words
2. Keywords: Include 5-10 for indexing purposes
3. References: Maximum 30
4. Figures: (optional)

Meeting Reports

Meeting Reports are summaries of presentations from recent meetings in the field. Authors are encouraged to contact the Editor with proposals for meeting reports. Also, please contact the meeting organizers to verify that reports will be permitted.

Meeting Reports should include the following sections:

1. Abstract: 150-200 words
2. Keywords: Include 5-10 for indexing purposes

Page and Color Charges

PLEASE NOTE: There will be no black & white page charges for Cell Adhesion & Migration for 2007. You may leave this portion of the Publication Cost form blank. However, contributors will be expected to pay color print charges as outlined below.

For original research papers that occupy more than four pages of the journal, publication of the first four monochrome pages is free but papers are published on the understanding that the author will pay a charge of $80 U.S. dollars for each additional page or part-page used.

Publication of color images is free for the online version of the journal, but carries a page charge of $340 US dollars for the initial page and $150 for each additional page in the print edition. If you prefer that color figures appear online only and in black and white for the print version, please make sure that the figure legends for each version of the figure are provided.

For guidance, a four page article with 3 figures (approx 9cmx9cm, =3.5" x 3.5") and 100 references would consist of approximately 3200 words of text including figure legends.

Under exceptional circumstances, where there are no funds to cover page charges and articles cannot be reduced in size, authors may appeal directly to the Editor for page charges to be waived. This appeal must be supported by a letter signed by finance official at the author’s institution, confirming that no funds are available to cover page charges.

Page Proofs

Page proofs should be returned within two working days, preferably by email or fax. Corrections should be marked on the actual proof and provided in a numbered list. Lengthy additions should be avoided, but where necessary should be provided in a MS Word file with explicit instructions regarding placement. Please return the Publication Cost form with your corrected page proofs.

Reprints

A reprint order form will be sent to the author prior to the issue going to press or you may download it here.

Cover Image Submissions

Cell Adhesion & Migration publishes cover illustrations that are taken from articles in each issue, or that are designed to accompany an accepted article.

The cover illustration should be scientifically interesting and visually attractive. The illustration need not be a figure from the paper but should be closely related to the subject of the paper. If you are interested in submitting a figure for use as the cover of Cell Adhesion & Migration please email a high-resolution version of your image, conforming to the specifications below, and an explanatory caption of 50-60 words to Kathryn Sauceda.

Cell Adhesion & Migration Cover Image Specifications

All potential cover images should be sized to fill the entire cover. 12'' high and 9'' wide should be the minimum size. Larger files are even better. Please remove all text, captions, etc. from the image. If you have variations of the image you may send additional files. Please send no more than 2 alternate versions.

Accepted formats and resolution:

1. Native Photoshop .psd (if graphics are built with layers, do not flatten), 300dpi, CMYK at 100% size.
2. 300 dpi .tif, CMYK at 100% size.
3. 300 dpi highest quality .jpg, CMYK at 100% size.
4. Scalable vector .eps line art or native Illustrator or Freehand files.