INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
It’s never been easier to submit your research for peer review
Choose the format that meets your needs
You can publish all sound science in The Stacks, including negative results, datasets, and your biggest breakthroughs.
Choose either a short-form article (fewer than 5000 words) or a traditional long-form article (no word limit).
Focus on science, not formatting
Format your research however you’d like.
As long as your article contains the essential elements of a scientific paper (listed below), then it is ready for peer review. To help you, we’ve created a template you can use.
Submit your article with an easy 2-question form
When you’re ready to share your findings, upload your manuscript with this simple 2-question form.
ARTICLE FAQs
What sections does my article need?
Articles in The Stacks have the same elements as a standard scientific paper:
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- Title
- Author list (including identifying the corresponding author, up-to-date affiliations, email addresses, and contributions to the article using a CRediT author statement)
- Keywords: 5-7 words or phrases (These identify the areas of expertise needed to peer review your work)
- Abstract and abstract image
- Introduction
- Materials and Methods (including approvals from institutional review boards)
- Results
- Discussion
- Figures & Tables (These can be placed anywhere throughout the article. Each item should include Alternative text to assist readers with disabilities.)
- Acknowledgments
- References (formatted with the Chicago Style Manual citation style. In-line citations should also be used within the article)
- Funding information
- Data Availability Statement (Indicate where your data & code will be made available or why you cannot post it publicly)
- Conflicts of interest (If no conflicts of interest are present in the submission, authors can report: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”)
- Supplemental information
Click here for a sample template of a scientific article.
What fields of research can I publish in The Stacks?
The Stacks is currently publishing original research in all fields of science.
Do I need to write a cover letter?
No. With The Stacks you can spend your time on the science, where it matters. You never need a cover letter with The Stacks.
What happens after I submit my article?
After you submit your article, we will make sure it has all of the essential sections. Once approved, your article will go through peer review as detailed here.
Can my submission be desk rejected?
Sometimes. We will not desk reject an article based off of its novelty or potential impact. However, we will desk reject articles that are not ready for peer review because they lack the elements of a scientific paper.
Will my article be open access?
Yes. We believe all sound science should be freely shared. Authors retain the copyright and ownership of the article. Publication is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Will my article have a DOI and be indexed?
Yes. Every article published in The Stacks is assigned a DOI and indexed on Google Scholar and Crossref so your colleagues can find your work and use it in their research.
We’re here to help! If you have any questions, email us at contact@stacksjournal.org.
