Manuscript process

Manuscript Processing Workflow

BM-Publisher · Applies to all journals, including the Advanced Journal of Biomedicine & Medicine (AJBM).

1. Submit 2. Pre-Check 3. Editor Assigned 4. Peer Review 5. Decision/Revise 6. Acceptance 7. Production 8. Proofs 9. Publish

1) Submission & Requirements

  • Submit via the journal’s online system with a cover letter stating novelty, fit to scope, and author contributions (CRediT).
  • Upload: anonymized manuscript (double-blind), title page (authors, affiliations, ORCID, corresponding author), figures/tables, supplementary files, ethics approvals, trial registration (if applicable).
  • Formatting: follow journal Instructions for Authors (structure, references, data availability statement, ethics statements, funding, conflicts of interest).
  • Plagiarism: authors confirm originality; similarity screening is conducted at pre-check.

2) Editorial Pre-Check

  • Scope & priority: fit to aims/scope; basic methodological soundness; completeness of files.
  • Ethics & compliance: IRB/EC approvals, consent, animal ethics, clinical trial registration; conflicts of interest; funding disclosure.
  • Integrity screening: similarity check; image/figure screening; AI-tool transparency where applicable.
  • Outcomes: Send to Editor · Desk Reject (with reasons) · Return to Author for technical fixes.

3) Editor Assignment

The Editor-in-Chief or a Handling Editor is assigned based on expertise and workload. They select qualified reviewers and oversee the peer-review process.

4) Peer Review (Double-Blind)

  • Typically 2–3 expert reviewers are invited; additional reviewers may be consulted as needed.
  • Criteria: originality, methodological rigor, validity of statistics, ethical compliance, clarity, and significance to the field.
  • Possible outcomes: Accept · Minor Revision · Major Revision · Reject.
  • Authors receive anonymized reviewer comments with editorial guidance.

5) Editorial Decision & Revisions

  • For revisions, submit a point-by-point response and a tracked-changes file.
  • Revised manuscripts may be re-reviewed. Multiple rounds are possible until a final decision is reached.

6) Acceptance & Ethics Verification

  • On acceptance, the journal verifies final ethical statements, authorship order, CRediT contributions, and conflict/funding disclosures.
  • Licensing: authors select an appropriate Creative Commons license (e.g., CC BY 4.0) where open access applies.
  • Any data or permissions still pending must be finalized before production begins.

7) Production: Copyediting & Typesetting

  • Professional copyediting for language, style, references, figure quality, and ethics statements.
  • Typesetting into XML/HTML/PDF; metadata prepared for DOI registration via Crossref.
  • Corresponding author is the single point of contact during production.

8) Author Proofs

  • Authors review page proofs for accuracy (text, figures, affiliations, funding, conflicts, references).
  • Only essential corrections are permitted at proof stage; substantive changes may require editorial approval.

9) Online Publication & Indexing

  • Final version of record is published online with DOI and license statement.
  • Metadata deposited to indexing and preservation services (per journal policy).
  • Articles may appear Online First before issue assignment.

10) Post-Publication Updates

  • Corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions follow COPE guidance.
  • Post-publication discussion is welcomed via correspondence or formally invited commentary.

11) Appeals, Complaints & Corrections

  • Appeals: Authors may appeal editorial decisions with a reasoned letter addressing reviewer/editor points; a new editor and/or reviewer may be consulted.
  • Complaints: Ethical or procedural complaints can be directed to the journal’s editorial office; unresolved issues may be escalated to the publisher’s Ethics Committee.
  • Corrections: Published according to error severity; all notices are linked to the original article.

12) Article Processing Charges (APCs) & Waivers (if applicable)

If the journal operates an open-access model with APCs, fees and waiver policies are disclosed on the journal website. Waivers or discounts may be offered for authors from low- and middle-income countries, or for invited content.

13) Data, Materials & Code

  • Include a Data Availability Statement describing where data and code can be accessed (with DOIs/links) or why access is restricted.
  • Clinical trials and human studies must state informed consent and IRB/EC approvals; trial registration numbers should be provided.
  • Image and AI-tool usage must be transparent; AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

14) Status Definitions (Tracking)

Submitted
Manuscript files received in the system.
Pre-Check
Editorial technical and ethics screening.
Editor Assigned
Handling editor selected based on expertise.
Under Review
External peer review in progress.
Required Reviews Complete
All reviewer reports received; editor evaluating.
Decision: Revise
Minor/Major revision requested with specific guidance.
Resubmitted
Revised manuscript and response received.
Accepted
Approved for publication; proceeding to production.
In Production
Copyediting/typesetting; DOI minted.
Proofs
Author proof review and corrections.
Published
Final version of record online with DOI.

BM-Publisher follows COPE, ICMJE, and WAME guidance. Journal-specific instructions, APCs, and waiver policies (if any) are provided on each journal’s website.