Author information pack

While the majority of our content is specially commissioned by the editors, we also welcome unsolicited manuscripts which fall within the scope of Materials Today. However, we advise potential authors of unsolicited manuscripts to contact the editorial team for advice before writing a manuscript in a style suitable for Materials Today.

This guide describes how to prepare contributions for submission. In addition to peer-review, manuscripts are also internally reviewed to assess the style and the suitability for publication in Materials Today. We recommend contributors familiarize themselves with the Materials Today style and content by accessing the magazine archive. Authors should follow the guide carefully, and ensure that all of the necessary information is provided during submission, as this will greatly speed-up the processing of your manuscript.

If you have any questions, or wish to propose a contribution prior to submission, please contact the editorial team.

Content

Our content can be divided into two categories: editorial and research articles. Both types of article should be accessible to a broad range of materials researchers; however, editorial articles are more journalistic than the academic style of peer-reviewed research papers.

Editorial content may be submitted by invitation only. However, we encourage readers who wish to contribute to the magazine in this manner to contact the editorial team for guidance.

There are no page charges and color is free in both the print and online versions.

Peer-reviewed research articles

Reviews

Reviews should inform readers of new research advances, while looking ahead to future directions. The features may be less formal than review papers in traditional journals and can express the contributors' personal perspectives, but they should be scientifically rigorous and pitched at a level suitable for an audience of materials researchers.

Length: 2500-3500 words, not including captions or references.
A maximum of 100 references should be included.
Up to ten figures and tables can be included. Color is encouraged (at no charge).

Current research articles

Current research articles are the ideal platform for informing the materials science community of major breakthroughs and significant results. The features may report on emerging technologies or potential new applications of relevance and importance to materials researchers. As with reviews, articles should be written in a clear, concise fashion, and be accessible to readers from a broad scientific background.

Length: 2500-3500 words, not including captions or references.
A maximum of 50 references should be included.
Up to ten figures and tables can be included. Color is encouraged (at no charge).

Manuscript formatting

General

• Microsoft Word is preferred.

• Define all acronyms, abbreviations, and terms on first mention in the text.

• US spelling and SI units should be used throughout. Units should have a single space between the number and the unit.

• Only one space should be used after full stops.

Title

• The title should not exceed 45 characters (including spaces).

• The title should be followed by the contributors' full names and affiliations. The corresponding contributor should be clearly indicated and their e-mail address supplied.

Abstract

• An abstract of 75-100 words should be included separate from the main body of the text. This should introduce the topic of the feature and its content. It should contain no unexplained acronyms, abbreviations, or references. If possible, we request this be provided in advance of submission.

Main text

• We encourage the use of short subheadings for longer papers. Up to a maximum of three levels are acceptable and should not be numbered.

• Figures should be referred to as 'Fig. 1' and so on in the text.

• Text boxes may be included to explain basic concepts or theories, complex math or terminology.

• A glossary of technical terms can be included if necessary.

• A 'Further information' section may be included, listing relevant websites and databases.

• An 'Instrument citation' section should be included, which contains a list of any apparatus used to perform the research contained within the paper.

Acknowledgments

• Brief acknowledgments may be given at the end of the text body.

References

• References in main text, boxes and figures are numbered, and listed at the end of the main text.
• In tables, references should be cited in numbers, in a separate column, and listed at the end of the main text.
• References listed in order of citation, not alphabetically, with one reference per number.
• For journal references: please give authors’ names (if more than three authors, use et al. after first author); abbreviated journal name; volume; date (in parentheses); and complete page range. For example: M. Peck, et al., Mater. Today, 14 (2011) 218.
• For online journal references: please give authors’ names (as above); abbreviated journal name; date (in parentheses); digital object identifier (DOI) number; and the website of the journal. For example: Y.Z.Q. Yang, W. Feng, F. Li, Chem. Rev. (2012),doi:10.1021/cr2004103.
• For whole books: please give editors’ names; date (in parentheses); title (in italics); and publisher. For example: N. Chowdhury and A. Alonso Aguirre, eds (2001) Helminths of Wildlife, Science Publishers Inc.
• For book chapters: please give chapter authors; date (in parentheses); chapter title; book title (in italics); editors’ names; page numbers and publisher. For example: T. Clutton-Brock and H.C.J. Godfray, (1991) Parental investment. In Behavioural Ecology (3rd edn)(Krebs, J.R. and Davies, N.B., eds), pp. 234–262, Blackwell.
• For patent references: J. Bloggs, et al. Company name that actually owns the patent. Title of patent, Code.

Tables

• Tables should be supplied separately with a short, one-line title.

Figures

• Figures should be supplied as individual, separate, high-resolution tif, jpg, or eps files (at least 300 dpi). The use of color in figures is encouraged (at no charge).

• Figure captions should be listed sequentially at the end of the manuscript and should not exceed 75 words. The captions should contain a short description of the figure and state if it has been previously published elsewhere. Please do not write a caption below each figure.

• Poor quality schematic diagrams can be redrawn, but please consult with the editor in advance.

• Please ensure that the captions match the figures and that the citation in the text matches the relevant figure.

• Please ensure that all figures are referred to in the main body of text.

Instrument citation

• Apparatus used to collect significant results should be listed at the end of the manuscript, in the form: Apparatus type, model name/number, manufacturer.

Figure copyright permission

Permission must be obtained to reproduce any copyrighted material from the original authors and publishers. Permission from publishers can usually be obtained by following the appropriate links on the web page of the original article. Please apply early for figure permissions as they can take a long time to be processed by publishers.

The Materials Today office can provide advice and help with this process where necessary.

Submission

Invited manuscripts should be submitted with a cover letter via e-mail to the editor:

Stewart Bland
s.bland@elsevier.com
Tel: +44 (0)1865 843124

Non-Invited manuscripts should be submitted with a cover letter via e-mail to the associate editor:

Mike Weir
m.weir@elsevier.com
Tel: +44 (0)1865 843765

Contributors are asked to provide a list of 5-6 potential referees. Contributors may also stipulate any individuals they specifically prefer not to be contacted. However, the editors cannot guarantee that preferences will be met. Following peer-review contributors will be advised by the editors of any comments and a suggested course of action. Manuscripts will also be reviewed internally to assess the suitability for publication in Materials Today. Please note: the editor's decision is final and commissioning/invitation does not automatically guarantee publication. PDF page proofs will be provided prior to publication and contributors are asked to return comments promptly, typically within 48 hours.

Deadlines

Materials Today has strict print schedules to ensure the magazine reaches readers on time every month. Therefore, contributors must adhere strictly to deadlines. Please be aware that late manuscripts may be rejected.

Ethics in Publishing

For information on Ethics in Publishing and Ethical guidelines for journal publication see http://www.elsevier.com/publishingethics and http://www.elsevier.com/ethicalguidelines.

Conflict of interest

All authors are requested to disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest including any financial, personal or other relationships with other people or organizations within three years of beginning the submitted work that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence, their work. See also http://www.elsevier.com/conflictsofinterest.

Submission declaration

Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere including electronically in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the copyright-holder.

Copyright

Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to complete a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' (for more information on this and copyright see http://www.elsevier.com/copyright). Acceptance of the agreement will ensure the widest possible dissemination of information. Materials Today is an Open Access publication and readers are permitted to read, download, print out, extract, reuse, archive, translate and distribute the article provided the appropriate credit is given to the authors and source of the work.

For commercial use or systemic distribution, readers must still request permission via ScienceDirect - please locate the relevant article and follow the "Permissions and Reprints" link.

Retained author rights

As an author you (or your employer or institution) retain certain rights; for details you are referred to: http://www.elsevier.com/authorsrights.

Role of the funding source

You are requested to identify who provided financial support for the conduct of the research and/or preparation of the article and to briefly describe the role of the sponsor(s), if any, in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication. If the funding source(s) had no such involvement then this should be stated. Please see http://www.elsevier.com/funding.

Funding body agreements and policies

Elsevier has established agreements and developed policies to allow authors whose articles appear in journals published by Elsevier, to comply with potential manuscript archiving requirements as specified as conditions of their grant awards. To learn more about existing agreements and policies please visit http://www.elsevier.com/fundingbodies.