Instructions to Authors

About the Journal

Microscopy and Microanalysis is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes 6 issues per year plus one M&M Proceedings conference issue in online format.

Please read these instructions carefully and follow them closely. The Editors will return manuscripts that do not follow these instructions.

Scope of the Journal

Microscopy and Microanalysis is published bimonthly and publishes original research papers dealing with a broad range of topics in microscopy and microanalysis. These include articles describing new techniques or instrumentation and their applications, as well as papers in which established methods of microscopy or microanalysis are applied to important problems in the fields of biology or materials science. Microscopy and microanalysis are defined here in a broad sense and include all current and developing approaches to the imaging and analysis of microstructure. The criteria for acceptance of manuscripts are the originality and significance of the research, the quality of the microscopy or microanalysis involved, and the interest for our readership.

Contents

• About the Journal
• Editorial Policies
• Submission
• Manuscript Preparation: Format, Structure, and Style
• Publishing agreement and charges

Editorial Policies

Details of Oxford University Press’s editorial policies are available.

Peer Review

This journal uses single blind peer review. Full details about the peer review process are available.

Authorship

Authorship is confined to those who have made a significant contribution to the design and execution of the work described. The Journal will contact all listed authors at the point of submission to confirm their role. Any contributors whose participation does not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged but not listed as an author. For a detailed definition of authorship, please see the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) definitions of authors and contributors.

The Journal does not allow ghost authorship, where an unnamed author prepares the article with no credit, or guest/gift authorship, where an author who made little or no contribution is listed as an author. The Journal follows Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance on investigating and resolving these cases. For more information, please see the OUP Publication Ethics page.

After manuscript submission, no authorship changes (including the authorship list, author order, and who is designated as the corresponding author) should be made without the approval of the editor. All co-authors must agree on the change(s), and neither the Journal nor the publisher mediates such disputes. If individuals cannot agree on the authorship of a submitted manuscript, contact the editorial office. The dispute must be resolved among the individuals and their institution(s) before the manuscript can be accepted for publication. If an authorship dispute or change arises after a paper is accepted, contact OUP’s Author Support team. COPE provides guidance for authors on resolving authorship disputes.

Data Policy

Availability of Data and Materials

Where ethically feasible, Microscopy and Microanalysis strongly encourages authors to make all data and software code on which the conclusions of the paper rely available to readers. We suggest that data be presented in the main manuscript or additional supporting files or deposited in a public repository whenever possible. Information on general repositories for all data types, and a list of recommended repositories by subject area, is available here.

Data Citation

Microscopy and Microanalysis supports the Force 11 Data Citation Principles and requires that all publicly available datasets be fully referenced in the reference list with an accession number or unique identifier such as a digital object identifier (DOI). Data citations should include the minimum information recommended by DataCite:

[dataset]* Authors, Year, Title, Publisher (repository or archive name), Identifier

*The inclusion of the [dataset] tag at the beginning of the citation helps us to correctly identify and tag the citation. This tag will be removed from the citation published in the reference list.

Preprint Policy

Authors retain the right to make an Author’s Original Version (preprint) available through various channels, and this does not prevent submission to the journal. Please note that the preprint link must be referenced in the submitted article. For further information see our Online Licensing, Copyright and Permissions policies. If accepted, the authors are required to update the status of any preprint, including your published paper’s DOI, as described on our Author Self Archiving Policy page.

Self-Archiving Policy

You may self-archive versions of your work on your own webpages, on institutional webpages, and in other repositories. If you want more information about the reuse rights you retain if you publish with us, please visit our Author Self Archiving Policy page.

Conflict of Interest

When submitting a paper, you and your co-authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest. You must do this by including a Conflict of Interest statement on your title page. This statement will be subject to editorial review and may be published in the article. Competing interests are situations that could be perceived to exert an undue influence on the content or publication of an author’s work. They may include, but are not limited to, financial, professional, contractual or personal relationships or situations. If the manuscript has multiple authors, the author submitting must include competing interest declarations relevant to all contributing authors. 

Example wording for a declaration is as follows: “Conflict of interest: Author A is employed at company B. Author C owns shares in company D, is on the Board of company E and is a member of organization F. Author G has received grants from company H.” If no conflicting interests exist, the declaration should state “Conflict of interest: The author(s) declare none”. 

A detailed definition of conflicts of interest is available.

Submission

We will consider your manuscript as long as

• it is your own original work and does not duplicate any previously published work, including your own;
• it is not under consideration, in peer review, or accepted for publication in any journal other than Microscopy and Microanalysis;
• it has not been published in any other journal; and
• it contains nothing abusive, defamatory, libelous, obscene, fraudulent, or illegal.
• All authors listed should have completely read all of the manuscript and given their permission to be included authors.

Authors should observe high ethical standards and obey publication best practices. The following are all unacceptable:

• data falsification or fabrication
• plagiarism, including duplicate publication of your own work without proper citation
• misappropriation of work

We treat any case of ethical or publication malpractice very seriously. We will address them in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. Further information about OUP’s ethical policies is available.

How to Submit

You must submit your paper via our web-based submission system ScholarOne, which may be found at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mam. If you have not published with Microscopy and Microanalysis before, you will need to create an account. More information is available on the ScholarOne Manuscripts FAQ and help page. Questions about submitting can be sent to the editorial office at [email protected].

ORCID

Microscopy and Microanalysis requires all submitting authors to provide an ORCID ID at submission to the journal. You can find out more about ORCID, and the benefits of using an ORCID ID here. If you do not already have an ORCID ID, you can register for free via the ORCID website.

CRediT

The Journal uses the contributor roles taxonomy (CRediT), which allows authors to describe the contributor roles in a standardized, transparent, and accurate way. Authors should choose from the contributor roles outlined on the CRediT website and supply this information upon submission. You may choose multiple contributor roles per author. Any other individuals who do not meet authorship criteria and made less substantive contributions should be listed in your manuscript as non-author contributors with their contributions clearly described. Following manuscript submission, any changes to contributor roles require the approval of the editor.

Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts must be submitted in English. Authors should follow generally accepted rules of grammar and punctuation. Because articles on microscopy attract broad ranges of readers with diverse backgrounds, jargon should not be used.

All manuscripts must be typed double-spaced, including title page, abstract, text, references, tables, and figure legends, in 12 point type. Pages should have margins of about 1 inch (about 2.5 cm). Number all pages at the bottom.

Article Types

This journal publishes several different article types.

Regular Articles

Regular articles contain reports of new instrumentation and new theoretical methods and their applications to microstructural analysis in biology and materials science. Articles are accepted for publication with the understanding that they, or their substantive contents, have not been and will not be submitted to any other publication.

Each piece should include:

• abstract—maximum word count: 200
• keywords—minimum of 3, maximum of 10

Each manuscript should include the following sections: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Summary or Conclusions, Acknowledgments, References. The sections should be in the order listed herein. The manuscript may also include tables, figure legends, and figures. Sections may be subdivided to increase clarity.

Reviews

Reviews have broader technical content than regular articles. Authors contemplating review articles are encouraged to discuss their plans with the appropriate editor. Articles are accepted for publication with the understanding that they, or their substantive contents, have not been and will not be submitted to any other publication.

Each piece should include:

• abstract—maximum word count: 200
• keywords—minimum of 3, maximum of 10

Each manuscript should include the following sections: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Summary or Conclusions, Acknowledgments, References. The sections should be in the order listed herein. The manuscript may also include tables, figure legends, and figures. Sections may be subdivided to increase clarity.

Book Reviews

Book Reviews are also published, but these are solicited only through the Book Review Editor.

Letters to the Editor

Readers may send Letters to the Editor for publication in Microscopy and Microanalysis. These must address a specific technical point or points in a published article and must be clearly written and concise. The corresponding author of the paper commented upon will be invited to reply. The author of the Letter to the Editor will not be sent the reply prior to publication. Both the Letter to the Editor and the Reply will be published together. No subsequent letters or replies by the same persons concerning that particular paper will be considered for publication. The appropriate Editor will make any necessary decisions concerning suitability for publication of particular Letters to the Editor or Replies.

Each piece should include:

• abstract—maximum word count: 200
• keywords—minimum of 3, maximum of 10

Third-Party Permissions

If you wish to reproduce any material for which you do not own the copyright—including quotations, tables, or images—you must obtain permission from the copyright holder. The permissions agreement must include the following documents:

• nonexclusive rights to reproduce the material in your article in Microscopy and Microanalysis
• both print and electronic rights, preferably for use in any form or medium
• lifetime rights to use the material
• worldwide English-language rights

Further information on obtaining permissions is available.

Manuscript Preparation: Format, Structure, and Style

Presubmission Language Editing

If you are not confident in the quality of your English, you may wish to use a language-editing service to ensure that editors and reviewers understand your paper. Language editing is optional and does not guarantee that your manuscript will be accepted. Edited manuscripts will still undergo peer review by the journal.

Title Page

Please include the following:

• The complete title of your paper
• A short running head of 50 characters or less
• All author names and affiliations
• Primary institutions where the research was performed
• Permanent or new addresses of all authors. Note: Institutional addresses must include the full institutional and department / center name, city, state, postal code, and country.
• Mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and email address of one corresponding author
• Conflict of interest statements for all authors

Abstract

Abstracts have a maximum length of 200 words and must not contain reference citations or abbreviations.

Graphical Abstracts

Authors of all article types are encouraged to submit a graphical abstract as part of the article, in addition to the text abstract. The graphical abstract should clearly summarize the focus and findings of the article and will be published as part of the article online and in PDF. The graphical abstract should be submitted for peer review as a separate file, selecting the appropriate file-type designation in the journal’s online submission system. The file should be clearly named, e.g. graphical_abstract.tiff. See this page for guidance on appropriate file format and resolution for graphics.

Style

US spelling should be used throughout, except in quotations and in references.

Abbreviations

Please define all abbreviations at the first occurrence.

Tables

You must number all tables (e.g., table 1, table 2, table 3) and reference them in the text. You must place all tables at the end of the main text. Tables should be in an editable format, and not embedded as an image file.

Tables must be uploaded individually at the website. Number tables consecutively using Arabic numbers and include concise titles and column headings. Type footnotes under the tables. All tables must be cited consecutively in the text.

References

References must be inserted in the text at the place they are used, by the author's surname and year of publication. All references included in the reference list must be cited in the text. References to personal communications, unpublished data, and manuscripts either in preparation or submitted for publication are unacceptable. If essential, such material may be incorporated in the appropriate place in the text. For references with more than two authors use the first author's surname followed by "et al." and if there is more than one reference in the same year by a single author(s), use a, b. For example: (Roberts, 1981); (Roberts & Johnson, 1983); (Jones et al., 1986); (Johnson, 1998a, 1998b).

All authors must be included in the reference list; "et al." is unacceptable here. The alphabetical list of references begins a new page and must be typed double-spaced. List works by different authors who are cited within the same parentheses in chronological order, beginning with the earlier work according to the CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. Abbreviate journal names according to the Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index (CASSI). Only published articles and articles in press should appear in this list. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of reference information. Brief examples:

• Journal Articles
  • Hogan, J. & Patton, C. (1976). Variation in intramembrane compo nents of Trypanosoma brucei from intact and X-radiated rats: A freeze-cleave study. J Protozool 23, 205–215.
• Entire Book
  • Rappaport, R. (1996). Cytokinesis in Animal Cells. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Chapter in an Edited Book
  • Gardner, R.L. & Papaioannou, V.E. (1975). Differentiation in trophectoderm and inner cell mass. In The Early Development of Mammals, Balls, M. & Wild, A.E. (Eds.), pp. 107–132. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Proceedings Paper
  • Wood, J.E., Williams, D.B. & Goldstein, J.I. (1981). Quantitative X-ray Microanalysis in the Analytical Electron Microscope. In Quantitative Microanalysis with High Spatial Resolution, Jacobs, M.H., Lorimer, G.W. & Doig, P. (Eds.), pp. 24–33. London: The Metals Society.

Acknowledgments and Funding

Acknowledgments and funding information should be included at the end of your manuscript. Please fully cite any relevant funding information, including specific grant numbers.

LaTeX

For creating manuscripts in LaTeX, MAM recommends the use of its own LaTeX class files. Our class files are available online at Overleaf and also as a downloadable package via the links below.

Overleaf is a free, collaborative online LaTeX editor that allows you to write your manuscript in a TeX or rich text environment, to generate PDF outputs as you write, and to share your manuscript with co-authors and collaborators. Overleaf also allows you to submit your manuscript files directly into our online submission system, without needing to upload files manually, as well as to make updates to those files if preparing a revised submission. If you are submitting via Overleaf please use the link below, and adapt the .tex file provided or upload your own manuscript files.

MAM LaTeX template on Overleaf

Alternatively, manuscripts prepared in LaTeX can be submitted directly to our online submission system by uploading source files from your local device. Please submit the editable .tex file, separate figure files, and any remaining files from the package used to create the PDF (a class file, potentially style and bibliography files). 

Further information on preparing and formatting LaTeX files is available on OUP's Preparing and submitting your manuscript page. 

Figures

Figures should be submitted in one of the following file formats: .tiff, .png, .pdf, or .eps. Images prepared as .bmp, .gif, or .doc/.docx files will not be accepted. You must include figure titles, legends, and captions within the manuscript file—they should not be included in the image files.

Figure files should be named simply to match their citation, eg. fig1.tiff, fig2.eps. You must submit each figure as a single individual image file. Submit all panels of a multi-panel figure as one single figure file; each panel should be labeled with a letter (A, B, C, D, etc.) in the upper-left corner of each panel. Please also ensure you have permission to re-use or adapt any third-party image materials.

Images of maps, charts, graphs, shapes, and diagrams are best rendered digitally as geometric forms called vector graphics. Vector images use mathematical relationships between points and the lines connecting them to describe an image. These file types do not use pixels; therefore resolution does not apply to vector images. Save vector images as .eps or .svg files and embed the fonts.

Images of photographs, paintings, or scans can be provided as raster images. Raster images should be saved as uncompressed .tiff files to avoid quality loss. The png file format is acceptable for raster images but may result in a lower resolution. The resolution of raster files is measured by the number of dots or pixels in a given area, referred to as “dpi” or “ppi.”

• Minimum resolution required for color half-tones: 300dpi
• Minimum resolution for grayscale half-tones: 600dpi
• Minimum resolution for combination half-tones and line art: 600-900dpi
• Minimum resolution for monochrome line art (complex or finely drawn): 1200dpi

Please also consider accessibility when designing your figure, so that your images can be easily understood by color-blind and visually-impaired readers. Guidelines for preparing different image-types, including recommendations for color palettes, color contrast, image layout, and text accessibility.

Figure accessibility and alt text

Incorporating alt text (alternative text) when submitting your paper helps to foster inclusivity and accessibility. Good alt text ensures that individuals with visual impairments or those using screen readers can comprehend the content and context of your figures. The aim of alt text is to provide concise and informative descriptions of your figure so that all readers have access to the same level of information and understanding, and that all can engage with and benefit from the visual elements integral to scholarly content. Including alt text demonstrates a commitment to accessibility and enhances the overall impact and reach of your work.  

Alt text is applicable to all images, figures, illustrations, and photographs. 

Alt text is only accessible via e-reader and so it won’t appear as part of the typeset article. 

Detailed guidance on how to draft and submit alt text. 

Supplementary Material

You must submit supplementary data or supplementary material at the same time as the main manuscript.

• Supplementary material must be cited in the text of the main manuscript.
• Supplementary material will be available online only and will not be copyedited or typeset.
• Style and formatting of supplementary material should be consistent with that of the manuscript.
• Supplementary material should be formatted to function on any internet browser.
  • Documentation and online appendices should be submitted in PDF file format.
  • Data files should be submitted in a .zip file format.​

Video Clip Submission

Authors are encouraged to provide informative and educational digital videos that supplement the article submitted. Background music in videos will not be accepted and will be returned to the authors for removal. All videos should be pertinent to the article and complement the submission. All video submissions must adhere to the Journal’s peer review policy. Furthermore, video submissions should satisfy the following criteria.

For ease of download, the upper size limit of a single MMC file is 100 MB; 10 MB is recommended. The video must be formatted with a screen size no smaller than 320 X 240 pixels. Resolution of 1920 x 1080 is recommended. Acceptable file extensions are: .wmv, .mp4, .avi, .mov, and .mpg. Signed photo consent forms must be included for any patients featured in the video[s].

Video File Preparation

• All videos must include either clear English-language narration (preferred) or subtitles (in English) as a guide to the viewer. Please avoid mentioning author names, affiliations, or other potentially identifying information that could compromise the double blinded peer review process.
• Videos should not reveal author names, affiliations, logos, or any other identifying information.
• Video segments should be no longer than 3 minutes in duration, if possible. 
• The combined duration of all submitted video content should not exceed 15 minutes. 
• Recommended frame rate: 24 fps (or 23.976 fps), 25 fps, and 30 fps (or 29.97 fps) 
• Desired aspect ratio: 4:3 (standard) or 16:9 (widescreen) 
• If compression is required to reduce file size for uploading, please use a minimum bit rate of 10,000 kbit/s – 20,000 kbit/s.
• Background music should not be included in the video.

For Optimal Video Quality

• Film in landscape orientation with reproducible lens type, diffused light, and white-balanced conditions.
• Correct orientation should be provided in some form.
• Avoid excess zoom but apply when indicated.
• Coordination of optimal vantage point must be obtained to avoid typical obstructions of the camera’s main view.
• Audio can be included as part of the video but should be focused and informative.

Chemical Names and Mathematical Expressions

Chemical names and methods should be spelled out the first time they are used, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. After first mention the abbreviation may be used alone. SI units should be used. Mathematical expressions need to be carefully presented, with all symbols defined. Use a type font that clearly differentiates between zero and capital letter O. Equations containing algebraic fractions should use numerator over denominator, separated by a horizontal line, and not typed on a single line separated by a slash. Indicate vector symbols; they will be printed in bold.

Publishing agreement and charges

Authors, please read each section on the publishing agreement and charges carefully.

Publishing agreement

After your manuscript is accepted, you will be asked to sign a license to publish through the Journals Licencing and Online Payments portal. The Journal offers the option of publishing under either a non-open access (standard) license or an open access (Creative Commons) license. There is a charge to publish under an open access license, which allows your paper to be freely accessible to all readers immediately upon online publication. Editorial decisions occur prior to this step and are not influenced by payment or ability to pay. The standard license makes your paper available only to Journal subscribers and there is no license charge. This license grants OUP an exclusive license to publish and distribute the content. There is no transfer of ownership of the copyright. You, the author, retain copyright for the content.

Please note that some funders require open access publication as a condition of funding. If you are unsure whether you are required to publish open access, please check with your funder or institution before selecting your license.

Papers can be published under the following:

• Standard license to publish (Oxford University Press (OUP) Journals, Standard Publication Model)
• Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY)
• Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial license (CC BY-NC)
• Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives license (CC BY-NC-ND)
• United States Government License
• Crown Copyright License

Please see the OUP guidance on Licenses, copyright, and re-use rights for more information regarding these publishing agreement options.

Complying with funder mandates

Please note that some funders require open access publication as a condition of funding. If you are unsure whether you are required to publish open access, please do clarify any such requirements with your funder or institution before selecting your license.

Further information on funder mandates and direct links to a range of funder policies.

Charges

Open access charges

Please see the details of open access licenses and charges. If you select an open access license, you must pay the open access charge or request to use an institutional agreement to pay the open access charge through the Journals Licencing and Online Payments portal.

OUP has a growing number of open access agreements with institutions and consortia, which provide funding for open access publishing (also known as Read and Publish agreements). This means corresponding authors from participating institutions can publish open access, and the institution may pay the charge. Find out if your institution has an open access agreement.

Color charges

The Journal does not charge for color.

Page charges

The Journal does not have page charges.

Member discounts

Corresponding authors who are members of the Microscopy Society of America may be eligible for discounts on publication charges. Please provide your member identifier when prompted as you submit your manuscript.

Open access charge discount: Please see the open access charge list.