An International Journal Devoted to Catalytic Science and its Applications
Guide for Authors
The scope of Applied Catalysis A: General includes the following:
•Scientifc understanding of any catalytic phenomena.
Phenomena of relevance to current industrial processes, processes under industrial development or of interest for future commercial applications
are particularly welcome. Heterogeneous, homogeneous, and bio catalysis are included. •Scientifc aspects of preparation, activation,
aging, deactivation, rejuvenation, regeneration, and start-up transient effects of commercially interesting or representative model catalysts. •Scientifc methods of characterization of catalysts, especially if they are applicable to industrial catalysts. Chemical engineering
aspects relevant to an improved understanding of catalytic phenomena or application to catalysis. Results involving a joint approach
by chemical engineering and catalytic science are particularly welcome. New catalytic reactions, catalytic routes and processes of potential
practical interest.
General
The journal accepts original Research Papers, Reviews, invited Perspective articles
and Letters to the Editor. A calendar of forthcoming events is available on the journal homepage. 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) or its publication is not in violation of any copyright laws, 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that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent
of the publisher.
Upon acceptance of an article, Authors will be asked to transfer copyright. This transfer will ensure the widest
possible dissemination of information. An e-mail will be sent to the corresponding author con?rming receipt of the manuscript. A form
facilitating transfer of copyright will be provided after the paper is accepted for publication.
If excerpts from other copyrighted
works are included, the Author(s) must obtain written permission from the copyright owners and credit the source(s) in the article. Elsevier
has preprinted forms for use by Authors in these cases: contact Elsevier's Rights Department, Oxford, UK, Tel.: +44 1865 843830; fax:
+44 1865 853333; e-mail: permissions@elsevier.com. Requests may also be completed online via the Elsevier homepage (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/permissions).
Should Authors be requested by the Editor to revise the text, the revised version should be submitted within 90 days. After this
period, the article will be regarded as a new submission.
Manuscript submission
Submission to this journal proceeds
totally online. Use the following guidelines to prepare your article. Via the Elsevier Editorial System page of this journal (http://ees.elsevier.com/apcata),
you will be guided stepwise through the creation and uploading of the various files. The system automatically converts source files to
a single Adobe Acrobat PDF version of the article, which is used in the peer-review process. Please note that even though manuscript
source files are converted to PDF at submission for the review process, these source files are needed for further processing after acceptance.
All correspondence, including notification of the Editor's decision and requests for revision, takes place by e-mail and via the Author's
homepage, removing the need for a hard-copy paper trail. Please submit, with the manuscript, the names and contact details of three potential
Referees. Manuscripts are assigned on a geographical basis.
Contributions from Europe, Russia, Africa, and the Middle East: Prof. J.M. Lopez Nieto, Valencia, Spain
or: Prof. J.C. Vedrine, Paris, France
Contributions from The Americas: Prof. H.H. Kung, Evanston, IL, USA
Contributions from Asia and Australia: Prof. K. Segawa, Tokyo, Japan
or:
Prof. W. Ueda, Sapporo, Japan
NB: The editors can forward manuscripts to any of the other handling editors if they deem appropriate.
Electronic format requirements for accepted articles
We accept most word processing formats, but Word, WordPerfect
or LaTeX is preferred. Always keep a backup copy of the electronic file for reference and safety. Save your files using the default extension
of the program used. No changes to the accepted version are permissible without the explicit approval of the Editor.
It is important
that the file be saved in the native format of the word processor used. The text should be in single-column format, one and half or double
line spacing (for review purposes). Keep the layout of the text as simple as possible. Most formatting codes will be removed and replaced
on processing the article. In particular, do not use the word processor's options to justify text or to hyphenate words. However, do
use bold face, italics, subscripts, superscripts, etc. When preparing tables, if you are using a table grid, use only one grid for each
individual table and not a grid for each row. If no grid is used, use tabs, not spaces, to align columns. The electronic text should
be prepared in a way very similar to that of conventional manuscripts. Do not import figures into the text file but, instead, indicate
their approximate locations directly in the electronic text. See also the section on Preparation of electronic illustrations. To avoid
unnecessary errors you are strongly advised to use the ''spellchecker'' and ''grammar checker'' functions of your word processor.
Preparation of text
Presentation of manuscript
Please write your text in good English (American
or British usage is accepted, but not a mixture of these). Italics are not to be used for expressions of Latin origin, for example, in
vivo, et al., per se. Use decimal points (not commas); use a space for thousands (10000 and above).
Language polishing: Authors
who require information about language editing and copyediting services pre-and post-submission please visit http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/authorshome.authors/languagepolishing
or contact authorsup-port@elsevier.com for more information. Please note Elsevier neither endorses nor takes responsibility
for any products, goods, or services offered by outside vendors through our services or in any advertising. For more information please
refer to our Terms & Conditions http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/termsconditions.cws_home/termsconditions
Provide
the following data on the title page (in the order given) Title: Concise and informative. Titles are often used in information-retrieval
systems. Avoid abbreviations and formulae where possible.
Author names and affiliations: Where the family name may be ambiguous
(e.g., a double name), please indicate this clearly. Present the Authors' affiliation addresses (where the actual work was done) below
the names. Indicate all affiliations with a lower-case superscript letter immediately after the Author's name and in front of the appropriate
address. Provide the full postal address of each affiliation, including the country name, and, if available, the e-mail address of each
Author.
Corresponding author: Clearly indicate who is willing to handle correspondence at all stages of refereeing and publication,
also post-publication. Ensure that telephone and fax numbers (with country and area code) are provided in addition to the e-mail address
and the complete postal address.
Present/permanent address: If an Author has moved since the work described in the article
was done, or was visiting at the time, a ''Present address'' (or ''Permanent address'') may be indicated as a footnote to that Author's
name. The address at which the Author actually did the work must be retained as the main, affiliation address. Superscript Arabic numerals
are used for such footnotes.
Abstract: A concise and factual abstract is required. The abstract should state briefly the
purpose of the research, the principal results and major conclusions. An abstract is often presented separate from the article, so it
must be able to stand alone. References should therefore be avoided, but if essential, they must be cited in full, without reference
to the reference list. Non-standard or uncommon abbreviations should be avoided, but if essential, they must be defined at their first
mention in the abstract itself.
Graphical abstract:Please provide, when submitting your article, a graphical abstract. This
comprises the title, Authors and affiliations, identical to the article itself, a summary of 50- 60 words, and a black and white picture
or diagram: one figure representative of the work described. Maximum final dimensions of the image are 5 cm x 5 cm: bear in mind readability
after reduction, especially if using one of the figures from the article itself. Graphical abstracts will be collated to provide a contents
list for rapid scanning.
Keywords: Immediately after the abstract, provide 3-5 keywords, avoiding general and plural terms
and multiple concepts (avoid, for example, "and", "of"). Be sparing with abbreviations: only abbreviations firmly established in the
field may be eligible. The keywords will be used for indexing purposes.
Abbreviations: Define abbreviations that are not
standard in this field at their first occurrence in the article: in the abstract but also in the main text after it. Ensure consistency
of abbreviations throughout the article. Note that all abbreviations have no plural (e.g., h not hrs, min not mins, s not secs, ed. not
eds, etc.).
Arrangement of the article
Subdivision of the article: Divide your article into clearly defined
and numbered sections. Subsections should be numbered 1.1 (then 1.1.1, 1.1.2, ...), 1.2, etc. (the abstract is not included in section
numbering). Use this numbering also for internal cross-referencing: do not just refer to ''the text.''
Any subsection may be given a
brief heading. Each heading should appear on its own separate line.
Introduction: State the objectives of the work and provide
an adequate background, avoiding a detailed literature survey or a summary of the results.
Experimental: Provide sufficient
detail to allow the work to be reproduced. Methods already published should be indicated by a reference: only relevant modifications
should be described.
Results and discussion: Results should be clear and concise. The discussion should explore the significance
of the results of the work, not repeat them.
Conclusions: A short Conclusions section is to be presented.
Nomenclature: Please supply, as a separate list, the definitions of field-specific terms used in your article.
Acknowledgements:
Place acknowledgements, including information on grants received, before the references, in a separate section, and not as a footnote
on the title page.
References: See separate section, below.
Figure captions, tables, figures, schemes: Present these,
in this order, at the end of the article. Always make sure they are in a readable format. They are described in more detail below. High-resolution
graphics files must always be provided separate from the main text file (see Preparation of illustrations).
Text graphics:
Present incidental graphics not suitable for mention as figures, plates or schemes at the end of the article and number them ''Graphic
1'', etc. Their precise position in the text can then be defined similarly (both on the manuscript and in the file). See further under
the section, Preparation of illustrations. Ensure that high-resolution graphics files are provided, even if the graphic appears as part
of your normal word-processed text file.
Specific remarks Tables: Number tables consecutively in accordance
with their appearance in the text. Place footnotes to tables below the table body and indicate them with superscript lowercase letters.
Avoid vertical rules. Be sparing in the use of tables and ensure that the data presented in tables do not duplicate results described
elsewhere in the article.
Nomenclature and units: Follow internationally accepted rules and conventions: use the international
system of units (SI). If other quantities are mentioned, give their equivalent in SI. You are urged to consult the recommendations of
the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) for further information (http://www.iupac.org).
Preparation
of supplementary data: Elsevier accepts supplementary material to support and enhance your scientific research. Supplementary files
offer the Author additional possibilities to publish supporting applications, movies, animation sequences, high-resolution images, background
datasets, sound clips, and more. Supplementary files supplied will be published online alongside the electronic version of your article
in Elsevier Web products, including ScienceDirect: http://www.sciencedirect.-com. In order to ensure that your submitted
material is directly usable, please ensure that data are provided in one of our recommended file formats. Authors should submit the material
in electronic format together with the article and supply a concise and descriptive caption for each file.
References
Responsibility for the accuracy of bibliographic citations lies entirely with the Authors.
Citations in the text: Please
ensure that every reference cited in the text is also present in the reference list (and vice versa). Any references cited in the abstract
must be given in full. Unpublished results and personal communications are not recommended in the reference list, but may be mentioned
in the text. If these references are included in the reference list they should follow the standard reference style of the journal and
should include a substitution of the publication date with either ''Unpublished results''or''Personal communication." Citation of a reference
as ''in press'' implies that the item has been accepted for publication. Citing and listing of Web references. As a minimum, the full
URL should be given. Any further information, if known (Author names, dates, reference to a source publication, etc.), should also be
given. Web references can be listed separately (e.g., after the reference list) under a different heading if desired, or can be included
in the reference list.
Text: Indicate references by number(s) in square brackets in line with the text. The actual Authors
can be referred to, but the reference number(s) must always be given.
Example:''...as demonstrated [3,6]. Barnaby and Jones
[8] obtained a different result ...''. List: Number the references (numbers in square brackets) in the list in the order
in which they appear in the text. Examples:
Reference to a journal publication:
[1] J. van der Geer, J.A.J. Hanraads,
R.A. Lupton, J. Sci. Commun. 163 (2000) 51-59.
Reference to a book:
[2] W. Strunk Jr., E.B. White, The Elements of Style, third
ed., Macmillan, New York, 1979.
Reference to a chapter in an edited book:
[3] G.R. Mettam, L.B. Adams, in: B.S. Jones, R.Z.
Smith (Eds.), Introduction to the Electronic Age, E-Publishing, Inc., New York, 1994, pp. 281-304.
Use of the digital object
identifier (DOI)
The digital object identifier may be used to cite and link to electronic documents. The DOI consists of a unique
alphanumeric character string, which is assigned to a document by the publisher upon the initial electronic publication. The assigned
DOI never changes. Therefore, it is an ideal medium for citing a document, particularly 'Articles in press' because they have not yet
received their full bibliographic information.
The correct format for citing a DOI is shown as follows (example taken from a document
in the journal Physics Letters B): doi:10.1016/j.physletb.2003.10.071.
When you use the DOI to create URL hyperlinks to documents
on the web, they are guaranteed never to change.
Preparation of illustrations
Preparation of electronic
illustrations
General points:
Make sure you use uniform lettering and sizing of your original
artwork.
Save text in illustrations as ''graphics'' or enclose the font.
Only use the following fonts in your illustrations:
Arial, Courier, Helvetica, Times, Symbol.
Number the illustrations according to their sequence in the text.
Use a
logical naming convention for your artwork files, and supply a separate listing of the files and the software used.
Provide
captions to illustrations separately.
Produce images near to the desired size of the printed version.
Formats:
Regardless of the application used, when your electronic artwork is finalised, please "save as" or convert the images to one of the following
formats (Note the resolution requirements for line drawings, halftones, and line/halftone combinations given below):
EPS: Vector
drawings. Embed the font or save the text as "graphics".
TIFF: Colour or greyscale photographs (halftones): always use a minimum
of 300 dpi.
TIFF: Bitmapped line drawings: use a minimum of 1000 dpi.
TIFF: Combinations bitmapped line/half-tone (colour or
greyscale): a minimum of 500 dpi is required.
DOC, XLS or PPT: If your electronic artwork is created in any of these Microsoft Office
applications please supply "as is."
Please do not:
Supply embedded graphics in your word processor (spreadsheet,
presentation) document.
Supply files that are optimised for screen use (like GIF, BMP, PICT, WPG); the resolution is too low.
Supply files that are too low in resolution.
Submit graphics that are disproportionately large for the content.
Captions
Ensure that each illustration has a caption. Supply captions on a separate sheet, not attached to the
figure. A caption should comprise a brief title (not on the figure itself) and a description of the illustration. Keep text in the illustrations
themselves to a minimum but explain all symbols and abbreviations used.
Line drawings
The lettering and symbols, as well
as other details, should have proportionate dimensions, so as not to become illegible or unclear after possible reduction; in general,
the figures should be designed for a reduction factor of two to three. The degree of reduction will be determined by the publisher. Illustrations
will not be enlarged. Consider the page format of the journal when designing the illustrations.
Do not use any type of shading on
computer-generated illustrations.
Photographs (halftones)
Remove non-essential areas of a photograph. Where necessary,
insert a scale bar in the illustration (not below it), as opposed to giving a magnification factor in the caption.
Colour illustrations
Submit colour illustrations as artwork files in an acceptable format (TIFF, EPS, or MS Office files) and with the correct resolution.
If, together with your accepted article, you submit usable colour figures then Elsevier will ensure, at no additional charge, that these
figures will appear in colour on the Web (e.g., ScienceDirect and other sites) regardless of whether or not these illustrations are reproduced
in colour in the printed version. For colour reproduction in print, you will receive information regarding the costs from Elsevier after
receipt of your accepted article. Please indicate your preference for colour in print or on the Web only.
Please note:
Because of technical complications which can arise by converting colour figures to ''grey scale'' (for the printed version should you
not opt for colour in print) please submit in addition usable black and white versions of all the colour illustrations.
Proofs
One set of page proofs in PDF format will be sent by e-mail to the corresponding author (if we do not have an e-mail address then paper
proofs will be sent by post). Elsevier now sends PDF proofs which can be annotated; for this you will need to download Adobe Reader version
7 available free from http:// www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. Instructions on how to annotate PDF files will
accompany the proofs. If you do not wish to use the PDF annotations function, you may list the corrections (including replies to the
Query Form) and return to Elsevier in an e-mail. Please list your corrections quoting line number. If, for any reason, this is not possible,
then mark the corrections and any other comments (including replies to the Query Form) on a printout of your proof and return by fax,
or scan the pages and e-mail, or by post. Please use this proof only for checking the typesetting, editing, completeness and correctness
of the text, tables, and figures. Significant changes to the article as accepted for publication will only be considered at this stage
with permission from the Editor. We will do everything possible to get your article published quickly and accurately. Therefore, it is
important to ensure that all of your corrections are sent back to us in one communication: please check carefully before replying, as
inclusion of any subsequent corrections cannot be guaranteed. Proofreading is solely your responsibility. Note that Elsevier may proceed
with the publication of your article if no response is received.
Any amendments will be incorporated and the final article will then
be published online as an Article in Press on ScienceDirect http://www.sciencedirect.com.
Articles in Press will be
removed once the paper has been assigned to an issue and the issue has been compiled.
Contact details for questions arising after
the acceptance of an article, especially those relating to proofs, are provided after registration of an article for publication.
Offprints
The corresponding author, at no cost, will be provided with a PDF file of the article via e-mail or, alternatively,
25 free paper offprints. The PDF file is a watermarked version of the published article and includes a cover sheet with the journal cover
image and a disclaimer outlining the terms and conditions of use.
Page charges
There are no page charges for this journal.
Author benefits
Contributors to Elsevier journals are entitled to a 30% discount on all Elsevier books.
