After Acceptance

Acceptance confirms that a manuscript has been approved for publication in principle. It does not mean that the submitted files are ready to publish without further verification, correction, formatting, copyediting, and production review.

After acceptance, authors must provide complete final files, verify all publication information, respond to editorial and production queries, and approve the final proof.

The corresponding author coordinates this process on behalf of all authors. Delayed, incomplete, or inaccurate responses may postpone publication.

Download the Recommended IJMS Manuscript Template

Contents

  1. Post-Acceptance Overview
  2. What the Corresponding Author Must Do
  3. Final Publication Files
  4. Final Title Page and Author Information
  5. Authorship, CRediT, and ORCID
  6. Funding and Conflicts of Interest
  7. Final Abstract and Keywords
  8. Final Reference Formatting
  9. Tables, Figures, and Supplementary Material
  10. Ethics, Consent, Registration, and Permissions
  11. Copyediting and Production Queries
  12. Changes After Acceptance
  13. Copyright, Licensing, and Open Access
  14. Proof Review
  15. Publication and Article Promotion
  16. Responsibilities After Publication
  17. Final Publication Checklist

Post-Acceptance Overview

Stage Purpose
Final file review Confirm that the manuscript, title page, tables, figures, and supplementary materials are complete and suitable for publication.
Author-information verification Confirm names, affiliations, author order, corresponding-author details, ORCID identifiers, and CRediT contributions.
Editorial correction Resolve remaining scientific, ethical, reporting, structural, or formatting matters.
Reference preparation Convert references to the final Vancouver style required by the IJMS.
Table and figure preparation Provide editable and publication-quality materials.
Copyediting Correct language, terminology, consistency, references, and presentation without changing scientific meaning.
Proof review Verify the formatted article before publication.
Publication Publish the article online under the Journal’s Diamond Open Access model and applicable license.

Acceptance may be reconsidered before publication if serious undisclosed concerns arise regarding authorship, data, ethics, consent, originality, duplicate publication, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, permissions, or research integrity.

Down Top

 

What the Corresponding Author Must Do

The corresponding author is the principal contact during production and must:

  • review all post-acceptance instructions promptly;
  • coordinate responses with the full author group;
  • submit complete final files through the manuscript record;
  • verify the author list, order, affiliations, and ORCID identifiers;
  • confirm the final CRediT, funding, and conflict-of-interest statements;
  • obtain approval from all authors for material corrections;
  • respond clearly to editorial and production queries;
  • review copyedited files and proofs carefully;
  • report errors immediately; and
  • authorize publication only after completing the final review.

All authors should remain available during this process. Approval by the corresponding author is treated as communication on behalf of the author group unless the Journal is informed otherwise.

Final Publication Files

Authors must provide the complete and current files requested by the Editorial Team. Final materials must represent the accepted scientific work and incorporate all approved revisions.

Files That May Be Required

  • a complete final title page;
  • a clean final manuscript without unresolved comments or tracked changes;
  • a version showing changes when requested;
  • a response to remaining editorial requirements;
  • editable tables;
  • editable or publication-quality figures;
  • complete figure legends;
  • supplementary materials intended for publication;
  • reporting checklists;
  • permissions for reproduced or adapted content;
  • ethics or consent documentation;
  • the final CRediT statement; and
  • other files requested for production.

Final Manuscript Document

The final editable manuscript should contain, as applicable:

  1. title;
  2. abstract;
  3. keywords;
  4. main text;
  5. ethics and consent statements;
  6. registration information;
  7. data-availability statement;
  8. acknowledgments;
  9. funding statement;
  10. conflict-of-interest statement;
  11. references;
  12. tables;
  13. figures; and
  14. figure legends.

Tables, figures, references, and text-based supplementary materials should remain within the final manuscript when practical. Separate editable source files or high-resolution files may also be requested.

Clean File

Remove unresolved comments, hidden text, and unnecessary tracked changes from the clean manuscript. Do not remove information specifically requested by the Editorial Team.

Consistency

The title, abstract, author information, references, tables, figures, supplementary materials, and submission metadata must be consistent across all files.

Download the Recommended IJMS Manuscript Template
Down Up Top

 

Final Title Page and Author Information

The final title page must contain complete and accurate information for publication, indexing, licensing, and article promotion.

Element Final requirement
Title Identical to the approved title in the manuscript and submission metadata.
Article type The final article type approved by the Editorial Team.
Author names Written exactly as each author wants the name to appear. Do not include degrees in the author-name list.
Author order The final order approved by all authors.
Degrees and affiliations Current, complete, and linked correctly to each author.
ORCID identifiers An ORCID identifier for each author when available. Authors without one are encouraged to register.
Corresponding author Full name and current email address.
About the Author One or two sentences concerning the first listed eligible medical student or recently graduated physician.
Acknowledgments Individuals or institutions that contributed without qualifying for authorship, identified with permission.
Funding Complete grant, institutional, governmental, and material-support information.
Conflicts of interest Complete disclosures or an explicit declaration that none exist.
CRediT contributions The final contribution statement approved by every author.
Case Report highlights Included only for Case Reports.
Word counts Final manuscript and abstract word counts.
Tables and figures The final number of each.
Social-media accounts Optional author and institutional accounts for article promotion.

Names and Affiliations

Review spelling, initials, accents, hyphens, capitalization, and name order carefully. Author information should match the OJS metadata and ORCID records as closely as practical.

Affiliations should identify the institution associated with the work. Relevant departmental information may be included.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments must not be used to assign credit to an individual who qualifies for authorship. Obtain permission before identifying a person by name.

Down Up Top

 

Authorship, CRediT, and ORCID

Final Authorship Confirmation

Every author must:

  • meet the Journal’s authorship requirements;
  • have contributed directly to the intellectual content;
  • approve the final manuscript;
  • approve the author list and order;
  • approve the funding and conflict-of-interest statements;
  • approve the final CRediT statement; and
  • accept accountability for the contribution attributed to them.

Honorary, guest, gift, or eligibility-based authorship is not permitted.

CRediT Statement

The IJMS uses the Contributor Roles Taxonomy.

The final statement must:

  • name every author;
  • assign only roles genuinely performed;
  • use the final author names and order;
  • be approved by the complete author group; and
  • remain consistent with the authorship record.
Build the CRediT Statement Online Use the PDF Author Form

ORCID

Provide an ORCID identifier for each author when available. Authors without one are encouraged to register.

Confirm that:

  • the ORCID belongs to the correct author;
  • the full 16-digit identifier is provided;
  • it is entered as a complete web address;
  • it is consistent in the title page and OJS metadata; and
  • the associated author name is accurate.
Create an ORCID Identifier
Down Up Top

 

Funding and Conflicts of Interest

Funding Statement

The final statement should identify:

  • the complete name of every funder;
  • grant numbers when available;
  • the project or program supported;
  • institutional or departmental support;
  • donated equipment, materials, services, or personnel;
  • funding through a larger study, registry, project, or database;
  • relevant funding received by an individual author; and
  • the funder’s role in the research and publication process.

When no funding was received, include:

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, or publication of this article.

Government Employment and Funding

Authors must indicate whether any author is employed by the United States or United Kingdom government because this may affect copyright, licensing, repository, or publication requirements.

Authors must also disclose applicable funding from:

  • the United States National Institutes of Health; and
  • the United Kingdom National Institute for Health and Care Research.

This includes direct research funding, funding through a larger project or database, institutional or programmatic support connected to the work, and relevant general funding received by an author.

Conflicts of Interest

Update any financial or nonfinancial relationship that emerged during review or production.

When no conflicts exist, include:

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Down Up Top

 

Final Abstract and Keywords

Abstract

The final abstract must comply with the approved article type and must not exceed 250 words when an abstract is required.

Confirm that the abstract:

  • is consistent with the final manuscript;
  • reports the final sample size and principal findings accurately;
  • does not contain findings absent from the manuscript;
  • does not overstate the conclusions;
  • does not contain references;
  • defines necessary abbreviations; and
  • uses the approved structure.

Experience Manuscripts

Authors of an Experience manuscript submit an abstract of no more than 250 words in the editorial response rather than in the manuscript. The abstract is published on the article webpage.

Keywords

Provide at least three keywords when required. Use terms from the Medical Subject Headings database when suitable.

The keywords must be consistent in the manuscript and OJS metadata.

Down Up Top

 

Final Reference Formatting

Accepted manuscripts must use the Vancouver reference style required by the IJMS.

General Requirements

  • Number references consecutively according to first appearance.
  • Use the same number for repeated citations of the same source.
  • Arrange the reference list in numerical order.
  • Verify author names and publication information.
  • Use recognized journal abbreviations.
  • Include page ranges or article numbers when applicable.
  • Ensure that every reference corresponds with its in-text citation.
  • Confirm that each source supports the statement for which it is cited.

Journal Articles

Journal-article references should ordinarily contain:

  • author names;
  • article title;
  • abbreviated journal title;
  • publication year;
  • volume and issue when applicable; and
  • page range or article number.

Do not include DOI or PMID identifiers in journal-article references.

Do not include the publication month and day in standard journal-article references.

Reference Verification

Authors are responsible for checking every citation against the original source. Reference-management software and automated tools may be used, but their output must be reviewed manually.

View Appendix A: How to Cite in the IJMS
Down Up Top

 

Tables, Figures, and Supplementary Material

Tables

Final tables must be editable and prepared according to the preferred IJMS format.

Each table must:

  • appear within the final manuscript;
  • be cited in numerical order;
  • have a clear number and title;
  • use editable cells and text;
  • include clear row and column headings;
  • identify units and statistical measures;
  • define abbreviations and symbols in table notes;
  • identify missing data when relevant;
  • include counts with percentages when informative;
  • identify reproduced or adapted material;
  • have the necessary permissions; and
  • avoid unnecessary duplication.

Do not submit a screenshot or image of a table when the information can be provided as editable text.

View Appendix B: IJMS Table Examples

Figures

Final graphs, charts, diagrams, and other generated figures must be editable. Photographs and clinical images must be clear and publication-ready.

Each figure must:

  • appear within the final manuscript;
  • be cited in numerical order;
  • have a complete legend;
  • use legible labels, symbols, and units;
  • define abbreviations in the legend;
  • use consistent terminology;
  • identify reproduced or adapted material;
  • include the necessary permission; and
  • exclude confidential or unnecessary identifying information.

Authors should retain the original source files used to create graphs, charts, diagrams, and visual summaries. The Editorial Team may request editable spreadsheets, presentation files, high-resolution images, separate figure panels, or original unannotated images.

Clinical and Identifiable Images

Remove unnecessary names, dates of birth, record numbers, identification numbers, facial identifiers, and other confidential information. Consent for publication is required when an individual may be identifiable.

Image Integrity

Image adjustments must not obscure, remove, selectively enhance, or misrepresent information. Original image files may be requested.

Supplementary Material

All supplementary materials intended for publication must be complete before production is finalized.

Each supplementary item should:

  • be cited in the manuscript;
  • have a clear number and title;
  • remain editable when possible;
  • contain complete legends or explanatory notes;
  • exclude unnecessary identifiers;
  • comply with ethics, privacy, and consent requirements;
  • include required permissions; and
  • be suitable for publication in its submitted form.

Authors should not assume that supplementary material can be added after proof preparation.

Down Up Top

 

Ethics, Consent, Registration, and Permissions

Acceptance does not remove the obligation to provide complete and accurate ethics, consent, registration, and permission information.

Topic Final verification
Human-participant research Identify the ethics committee or institutional review board, approval or exemption number, informed-consent process, and any authorized waiver.
Case Reports State whether consent for publication was obtained. Supporting documentation may be requested.
Clinical trials Provide the registry name, registration number, and accessible record.
Registered research Provide applicable protocol-registration information and cite the record accurately.
Animal research Identify the approving body and applicable animal-welfare standards.
Permissions Provide permission for reproduced or adapted figures, tables, questionnaires, scales, instruments, photographs, illustrations, and other protected material.

The Journal may delay or cancel publication when required ethics, consent, registration, or permission information cannot be verified.

Down Up Top

 

Copyediting and Production Queries

Accepted articles may be edited for language, grammar, spelling, terminology, organization, consistency, references, formatting, and presentation.

Copyediting May Address

  • grammar and punctuation;
  • sentence clarity;
  • consistent terminology;
  • abbreviations and units;
  • capitalization and headings;
  • statistical presentation;
  • table and figure references;
  • citation numbering;
  • reference style;
  • inclusive and respectful language; and
  • Journal formatting.

Copyediting Is Not Intended to Change

  • the study design;
  • the underlying data;
  • the meaning of the results;
  • the scientific conclusions;
  • the authorship record; or
  • the interpretation without author review.

Authors must review editorial changes carefully. Do not approve a language or formatting correction that introduces a scientific or factual error.

Production Queries

Respond to each query completely and specifically. When a change affects scientific meaning, data, authorship, disclosures, ethics, or permissions, confirm the response with all relevant authors.

Down Up Top

 

Changes After Acceptance

Acceptance is based on the manuscript, data, analysis, conclusions, authorship, and disclosures evaluated during review. Substantial changes are therefore restricted.

Authorship Changes

A request to add, remove, or reorder authors must:

  • be submitted before publication;
  • explain the reason for the change;
  • describe the affected contributions;
  • include approval from all existing and proposed authors;
  • include an updated CRediT statement; and
  • comply with the Journal’s authorship criteria.

The Journal may request additional documentation or decline a change that is inadequately explained or inconsistent with the authorship record.

Scientific Changes

Authors should not introduce substantial new data, analyses, methods, outcomes, interpretations, figures, conclusions, or related studies after acceptance.

A material scientific change may require renewed editorial assessment, additional peer review, reconsideration of acceptance, or submission as a separate manuscript.

Errors Discovered After Acceptance

Authors must notify the Journal immediately when an error affects the data, analysis, ethics, authorship, references, figures, interpretation, or conclusions.

Concealing a material error may result in withdrawal of acceptance or post-publication action.

Down Up Top

 

Copyright, Licensing, and Open Access

The IJMS operates under a Diamond Open Access model.

Submission fee None
Article processing charge None
Publication fee None
Reader access Immediate and free
Copyright Retained by the authors under the applicable publication agreement
License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Before publication, authors may be required to review or complete the applicable copyright and licensing agreement.

Authors confirm that:

  • they have the right to publish the work;
  • the article does not unlawfully reproduce protected material;
  • necessary permissions have been obtained;
  • the publication license may be applied;
  • all authors approved publication; and
  • government-employment or funder requirements have been disclosed.

Under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, others may share and adapt the published work when appropriate attribution is provided, the license is identified, and changes are indicated.

Review Open Access, Copyright, and Licensing
Down Up Top

 

Proof Review

The corresponding author will ordinarily receive a formatted proof before publication. All authors should have an opportunity to verify the article through the corresponding author.

Review the Proof For

  • article title;
  • author names and order;
  • degrees and affiliations;
  • ORCID identifiers;
  • corresponding-author information;
  • abstract and keywords;
  • headings and main text;
  • data and statistical values;
  • tables and notes;
  • figures and legends;
  • citations and references;
  • funding and conflict-of-interest statements;
  • CRediT contributions;
  • ethics and consent statements;
  • supplementary-material citations;
  • special characters, equations, and symbols;
  • links; and
  • all production queries.

Permitted Proof Corrections

  • production errors;
  • typographical errors;
  • incorrect formatting;
  • factual errors introduced during editing;
  • minor clarifications needed to preserve meaning; and
  • errors affecting interpretation or indexing.

Changes Not Appropriate at Proof Stage

  • rewriting large sections;
  • adding new data or analyses;
  • changing the study design;
  • changing the conclusions;
  • adding substantial new references;
  • adding authors without formal approval;
  • introducing new supplementary material; or
  • reversing previously approved editorial changes without a substantive reason.

Author Approval

Proof approval confirms that the corresponding author has reviewed the article and authorizes publication subject to the corrections clearly identified in the response.

Failure to respond within the requested period may delay publication. When necessary, the Journal may proceed using the best available approved version after reasonable attempts to obtain a response.

Down Up Top

 

Publication and Article Promotion

An article is considered published when its final version is made publicly available through the Journal’s website.

The published article may include:

  • the final formatted text;
  • article metadata;
  • author names and affiliations;
  • ORCID links;
  • abstract and keywords;
  • funding and conflict-of-interest statements;
  • CRediT contributions;
  • tables and figures;
  • supplementary materials;
  • copyright and license information; and
  • other bibliographic information.

The Journal determines the issue, section, sequence, and publication timing according to editorial and production considerations.

Article Promotion

The Journal may promote articles through its website, email communications, and social-media channels.

Authors may provide relevant personal, professional, and institutional social-media accounts. Providing this information is optional and does not affect acceptance or publication.

Author Sharing

Authors may share the published article in accordance with the applicable Creative Commons license. When sharing the work, link to or identify the final published version whenever practical.

Down Up Top

 

Responsibilities After Publication

Authors remain responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the published work.

Notify the Journal promptly when an author identifies:

  • a material factual error;
  • an error in data or analysis;
  • an authorship error;
  • an incorrect affiliation;
  • an incorrect funding or conflict-of-interest statement;
  • a missing permission or consent issue;
  • a figure or table error;
  • a reference error affecting interpretation;
  • an undisclosed duplicate publication;
  • a confidentiality problem; or
  • another concern affecting reliability or integrity.

The Journal may publish a correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other notice when required to maintain the scholarly record.

Authors must cooperate with legitimate post-publication inquiries and provide supporting data or documentation when reasonably requested.

Review Corrections and Post-Publication Action
Down Up Top

 

Final Publication Checklist

Check Final requirement
☐ The final manuscript incorporates all approved editorial and reviewer revisions.
☐ The clean manuscript contains no unresolved comments, hidden text, or unnecessary tracked changes.
☐ The title is identical in the manuscript, title page, proof, and metadata.
☐ All author names are spelled and ordered correctly.
☐ Affiliations and corresponding-author details are accurate.
☐ An ORCID identifier has been provided for each author when available.
☐ All authors approved the final manuscript, author list, and author order.
☐ The final CRediT statement is accurate and approved by all authors.
☐ Funding, government-employment, and conflict-of-interest information is complete.
☐ The abstract and keywords match the final manuscript and metadata.
☐ References use the required Vancouver style.
☐ DOI and PMID identifiers have been removed from journal-article references.
☐ Tables are editable, complete, and formatted consistently.
☐ Figures and legends are accurate, legible, and publication-ready.
☐ All supplementary materials are complete and cited.
☐ Ethics, consent, registration, data-availability, and permission information has been verified.
☐ All production queries have been answered.
☐ The copyright and licensing requirements have been completed.
☐ The proof has been reviewed carefully and all corrections are clearly identified.
☐ The corresponding author has obtained final approval from the author group and authorized publication.
Download the Template View Citation and Table Appendices Contact the Journal
Down Up Top