Author Guidelines

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Manuscript Submission Requirements Checklist

  • Review Ready Submission: ACS journals have simplified their formatting requirements in favor of a streamlined and standardized review-ready format for an initial manuscript submission
  • Scope: new and original knowledge on all aspects of sensor science that selectively sense chemical or biological species or processes
  • Analytical data: All analytical data should include uncertainties, comparisons to a standard analytical method, and demonstration of the sensor’s performance in the complex samples for which the device is intended to be used
  • Cover letter: must include a clear statement of the objective of the study and justification of publication in ACS Sensors; further it should contain the full manuscript title, the name and complete contact information of the corresponding author, the name(s) of any other author(s), a description of any Supporting Information for Publication and/or for Review Only Material, 4 individuals competent to review the manuscript
  • Structured abstract: the first sentence should outline the objective of the work (i.e., the sensing issue being addressed); the next two to three sentences should describe the methods being used; the final two to three sentences should outline the findings of the study
  • 5-8 keywords: covering the type of sensor and the application area along with more specific keywords related to the submission
  • References: in the appropriate format which is, for example, Cuartero, M.; Crespo, G. A.; Bakker, E. Paper- Based Thin-Layer Coulometric Sensor for Halide Determination. Anal. Chem. 2015, 87, 1981–1990.
  • Acronyms: apart from established acronyms well known in the field, these are strongly discouraged
  • Graphics: easily readable; check font size and avoid inset figures
  • Safety: authors must emphasize any unexpected, new, and/or significant hazards or risks associated with the reported work
  • Table of contents graphic: required with the dimensions: 8.25 cm by 4.45 cm (3.25 in by 1.75 in)
  • Paper lengths: Article <8 pages, Letter <4 pages, Perspective 6-10 pages, Review 6- 20 pages; justification for longer manuscripts is required
  • Administrative considerations: All papers must not be under consideration or published elsewhere; manuscripts will be screened with plagiarism software; information on whether the paper has been previously considered elsewhere must be provided; do not forget to list funding sources and ORCID

 

Correspondence to the Editor-in-Chief should be addressed to:

J. Justin Gooding, Editor-in-Chief, ACS Sensors 

School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052

Phone: +61-2-9385 5384

Email: eic@sensors.acs.org

Scope of the Journal

ACS Sensors is a peer-reviewed research journal that is devoted to the dissemination of new and original knowledge on all aspects of sensor science that selectively sense chemical or biological species or processes. Articles may address conceptual advances in sensing that are applicable to many types of analytes or application papers which report on the use of an existing sensing concept in a new way or for a new analyte.

 

Application papers should demonstrate the use of the sensor in complex samples, show it is fit-for- purpose, and exhibit a correlation of the sensor’s performance with an existing analytical method. Papers may focus on sensor development for commercialization or development of sensors that are used to provide new scientific knowledge. Articles may be entirely theoretical with regard to sensing, or they may report experimental results. The types of sensors the journal will cover include:

  • Biosensors
  • Chemical sensors
  • Gas sensors
  • Intracellular sensors
  • Single molecule sensors
  • Cell chips
  • Arrays
  • Microfluidic devices

 

For more information, visit here.

Manuscript Types

Articles. The recommended length of an Article is eight journal pages. Rarely, a longer submission may be justified. If so, a convincing justification for the extra length must be made by the authors in their cover letter. The Editor will normally require condensation of longer papers but will consider the justification details provided by the authors.

 

Letters. A Letter is a brief disclosure of a significant new sensing concept or application and will be considered on an accelerated schedule. Letters have a suggested length of four journal pages.

 

Comments. A Comment presents important comments on the work of others already published in ACS Sensors; ACS Sensors will not accept comments concerning research published elsewhere. The authors of the work being discussed will ordinarily be allowed a chance to reply. Comments have a recommended length of three journal pages.

 

Perspectives. Perspective articles report the authors’ opinion on important new directions in sensing and discuss the nature of the opportunities perceived. Perspectives are neither reports of original research nor reviews with the traditional objective of summarizing progress in a field. They are aimed at specialists and experts in the field. The content should reflect the sophistication of the authors’ understanding of the topic. Perspectives are not intended to be accounts or analyses of an individual’s personal research. The manuscript must be balanced, fair, and accurate in its treatment of the contemporary literature.

 

Perspectives are typically six pages and have a maximum length of ten pages. Perspectives are usually invited, but pre-publication inquiries are encouraged and should be sent to the Editor-in-Chief (eic@sensors.acs.org).

 

Reviews. Reviews are often invited and details will be provided to authors when the invitation is accepted. Suggested topics for Reviews will also be considered and any topic proposals must be emailed in advance to the Editor-in-Chief (eic@sensors.acs.org).

 

Reviews may cover conceptual advances in sensing that are applicable to many types of analytes, review a class of sensor or analyte, or can be more of a tutorial that addresses existing challenges in sensing and approaches to overcome these challenges. A good review critically evaluates existing work of multiple groups in a field or across disciplines, provides a logical organization, and makes the material more easily accessible to those who are not experts in the area through clear text and figures. Reviews should lay out challenges and future opportunities and should be broad rather than narrowly focused. Reviews should contain an abstract and appropriate references. The use of graphics to illustrate key concepts is strongly encouraged. Reviews include a graphical Table of Contents figure. Reviews should also include 8–10 keywords and a vocabulary section in which 5–7 terms extracted from the text are defined in one or two sentences. Reviews are typically six pages and have a maximum length of twenty pages.

 

Manuscript length refers to the final production length, including all text, figures, tables and references (the TOC Graphic is the only component that is not considered in the length calculation). To estimate length, assume 1000 words/page. If using Microsoft Word, use the word count tool to highlight all text elements, including citations, to get the total word count. Size all tables and figures at their final production size. The effective length of figures and tables can be approximated by counting single- column figures as 250 words and double-column as 500 words (assuming that when sized at the final production size, they are ¼ and ½ page, respectively). Tables have the same size requirements as figures. If a table has been created using the Tables function in Word and has been counted in the word count, subtract the word count for the table, and instead, count the space occupied by the table as you would  a figure.

 

If the total estimated length is close to the length limit for the manuscript type or if the figures and tables are large, then a more accurate estimate may be needed and can be determined as follows (maximum height for all graphics is 9 in, including the caption; please allow 12 pts for each line of caption text).

  • Single-column graphics (preferred): Maximum width is 240 points (3.33 in). Measure the height of the graphic (point or inches), divide by 1320 points (18 in), and multiply by 1000 for the word equivalent. Example (in inches) for a single-column figure measuring 4.5 in. high: 4.5/18 = .25 × 1000 = 250 words.
  • Double-column graphics: Size can range between 300 to a maximum of 504 points (4.17 to 7 in) wide. Measure the height of the graphic (points or inches), divide by 660 points (or 9 in), and multiply by 1000 for the word equivalent. Example (in inches) for a double-column figure measuring 4.5 in. high: 4.5/9 = .5 × 1000 = 500 words.
  • If you submit tables/figures in landscape orientation greater than 3.3 in wide (and thus cannot be presented in a single-column, portrait orientation), an entire page of text (or 1000 words) will be displaced in order to accommodate the landscape presentation. More details and examples on calculating length of a graphic are available here.

ACS Researcher Resources

While this document will provide basic information on how to prepare and submit the manuscript as well as other critical information about publishing, we also encourage authors to visit ACS Researcher Resources for additional information on everything that is needed to prepare (and review) manuscripts for ACS journals and partner journals, such as

Manuscript Preparation

Submit with Fast Format

All ACS journals and partner journals have simplified their formatting requirements in favor of a streamlined and standardized format for an initial manuscript submission. Read more about the requirements and the benefits these serves authors and reviewers here.

 

Manuscripts submitted for initial consideration must adhere to these standards:

  • Submissions must be complete with clearly identified standard sections used to report original research, free of annotations or highlights, and include all numbered and labeled components.
  • Figures, charts, tables, schemes, and equations should be embedded in the text at the point of relevance. Separate graphics can be supplied later at revision, if necessary.
  • When required by a journal's structure or length limitations, manuscript templates should be used.
  • References can be provided in any style, but they must be complete, including titles. For information about the required components of different reference types, please refer to the ACS Style Quick Guide.
  • Supporting Information must be submitted as a separate file(s).

Document Templates and Format

The templates facilitate the peer review process by allowing authors to place artwork and tables close to the point where they are discussed within the text. Learn more about document templates here. 

 

General information on the preparation of manuscripts may also be found in the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication.

Acceptable Software, File Designations, and TeX/LaTeX

See the list of Acceptable Software and appropriate File Designations to be sure your file types are compatible with the submission system. Information for manuscripts generated from TeX/LaTeX is also available.

Cover Letter

A cover letter must accompany every manuscript submission. During the submission process, you may type it or paste it into the submission system, or you may attach it as a file.

 

A letter must contain the following elements:

  • the full manuscript title
  • the name and complete contact information (mailing address, phone, and email) of the corresponding author
  • the name(s) of any other author(s)
  • a statement of why the paper is appropriate for ACS Sensors which must include a clear statement of the objective of the study
  • a description of any Supporting Information for Publication and/or for Review Only Material
  • Four individuals competent to review the manuscript (see below).

 

Additionally, authors should note any length issues, whether the manuscript was discussed with an Editor before submission, and other issues important for the review process.

 

Authors are required to suggest four or more potential reviewers, including email addresses. Suggested reviewers should not be at the same institution as any of the manuscript authors and will be used at the discretion of the Editors. An author may request that a certain person not be used as a reviewer, but should include justification. The request will generally be honored, unless the Editor feels that this individual’s opinion, in conjunction with the opinions of other reviewers, is vital to the evaluation of the manuscript.

Manuscript Text Components

Title. Titles should clearly and concisely reflect the emphasis and content of the paper. Titles of manuscripts may not contain words like “First” or “Novel”. Titles are of great importance for current awareness and information retrieval and should be carefully constructed for these purposes.

 

Authorship. Provide authors’ full names, the complete mailing address of the location where the work was completed, and the current addresses of the authors, if different, as a footnote. Indicate the corresponding author by an asterisk and provide an email address for that person.

 

Structured Abstract. Abstracts (80–250 words) are required for all submissions. Abstract examples are available here and below.

 

Abstracts should follow the following format: the first sentence should outline the objective of the work (i.e., the sensing issue being addressed); the next two to three sentences should describe the methods being used; the final two to three sentences should outline the findings of the study. The abstract will be the most widely read portion of the paper and will be used by abstracting services. A Table of Contents graphic will appear with the abstract text and should encompass the objectives and outcome(s) of the study.

 

Objective/Sensing Issue | How this was addressed | Findings

 

Example of an abstract for a conceptual paper:

 

A challenge for sensors detecting ultralow amounts of analyte is that for reliable sampling, large volumes of samples must be analyzed. The implication of large volumes is slow response times. Herein, we introduce the concept of utilizing conductive gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles (Au@MNPs) as ‘dispersible electrodes’, which serve as the active element in the selective capture and direct electro- analytical quantification of analytes. The Au@MNPs are modified with self-assembled monolayers containing a peptide for the selective detection of Cu2+. The particles scavenge any Cu2+ in solution and are then magnetically drawn back to the macroelectrode where the Cu2+ is detected amperometrically. This concept reduces response times and decreases detection limits by bringing the sensor to the analyte rather than the conventional paradigm of the analyte finding the sensor. The higher sensitivity and lower detection limit is shown to be because all the analyte in the sample is collected, while the shorter response times are because by dispersing the Au@MNPs in solution, the diffusional pathlength of the analyte is drastically reduced.

 

Example of an abstract for an application paper:

 

Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is an important analyte for monitoring the effectiveness of a diabetic patients treatment regime. However there is no existing HbA1c biosensor for detecting HbA1c that integrates with existing glucose meters. Addressing this challenge, an amperometric immunosensor HbA1c is reported. A glassy carbon electrode is modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) bearing a ferrocene derivative and a glycosylated pentapeptide (GPP) as an epitope to which anti-HbA1c IgG can selectively bind. The rest of the electrode is passivated with an oligo(ethylene oxide) species to give the electrode resistant to nonspecific adsorption of proteins. Complexation of anti-HbA1c IgG with the surface bound epitope resulted in attenuation of the ferrocene electrochemistry. The immunosensor was shown to be able to detect HbA1c in whole blood over the clinically relevant range of 4.6–15.1% of HbA1c to total hemoglobin using a competitive inhibition assay. The performance of the amperometric HbA1c biosensor was compared with the independent analysis of the same blood sample by a local clinical laboratory with reasonably concordant results.

 

Keywords. All Articles, Letters, Reviews, and Perspectives must be accompanied by 5-8 keywords. It is suggested that keywords covering the type of sensor and the application area along with more specific keywords related to the submission be included. These keywords will appear in the PDF version of the article and will also be used as a search term in the HTML version of the article.

 

Text. Consult the publication for the general writing style. Write for the specialist. It is not necessary to include information and details or techniques that should be common knowledge to those in the field. The use of acronyms, apart from established acronyms well known in the field, is strongly discouraged.

 

Section Headings. Informative section headings and subheadings are encouraged for Articles and Reviews; the “Introduction” heading is not used. Sections are not numbered. Keep all information pertinent to a particular section and avoid repetition.

 

Introduction. The Introduction should state the purpose of the investigation and must include appropriate citations of relevant preceding work but should not include an extensive review of marginally related literature. The purpose statement should clearly outline how the work relates to the advancement of sensing. If the manuscript describes a new sensing concept, indicate why it is preferable to already known sensors. If the manuscript describes the improved sensing of a substance, the competing methods must be referenced and compared. Absence of appropriate literature references may be grounds for rejection of the manuscript.

 

Experimental Section. Include a clear, unambiguous description of materials, methods, and equipment in sufficient detail to permit repetition of the work elsewhere. Be consistent in voice and tense. For apparatus, list only devices of a specialized nature. List and describe preparation of special reagents only. Do not list those normally found in the laboratory or preparations described in standard handbooks and texts. Because procedures are intended as instructions to permit work to be repeated by others, give adequate details of critical steps. Describe all safety considerations, including any procedures that are hazardous, any reagents that are toxic, and any procedures requiring special precautions, in enough detail so that workers in the laboratory repeating the experiments can take appropriate safety measures.

 

Procedures and references for the neutralization, deactivation, and ultimate disposal of unusual byproducts should be included. Published procedures should be cited but not described, except where the presentation involves substantial modifications. While an experimental section is required to be in the main article and should provide sufficient detail to understand the experiments, additional details and procedures may be presented in the Supporting Information.

 

Results and Discussion. The results may be presented in tables or figures; however, many simple findings can be presented directly in the text with no need for tables or figures. The discussion should be concise and deal with the interpretation of the results.

 

Conclusions. Use the conclusion section only for interpretation and not to summarize information already presented in the text or abstract.

 

References. References should be numbered in one consecutive series by order of mention in the text with each reference individually numbered. Reference numbers in the text must be superscripted. The accuracy and completeness of the references are the authors’ responsibility. Unnecessarily long lists of references should be avoided, and excessive self-citation is not permitted. Use Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index abbreviations for journal names (http://cassi.cas.org/search.jsp) and provide article title, publication, year, volume, and page number (inclusive pagination is recommended). Chemical Abstracts reference information for foreign publications that are not readily available should also be supplied.

 

List submitted articles as “in press” only if formally accepted for publication, and give the volume number and year, if known. Otherwise, use “unpublished work” with the name of the place where the work was done and the date. Include name, affiliation, and date for “personal communications”. For work published online (ASAP, in press), the DOI should be furnished in addition to the standard bibliographic information.

 

Examples of the reference format in the final published article:

  1. Cuartero, M.; Crespo, G. A.; Bakker, E. Paper-Based Thin-Layer Coulometric Sensor for Halide Determination. Anal. Chem. 2015, 87, 1981–1990.
  2. Bard, A. J.; Faulker, L. R. Electrochemical Methods, 2nd ed.; Wiley: New York, 2001.
  3. Francesconi, K. A.; Kuehnelt, D. In Environmental Chemistry of Arsenic; Frankenberger, W. T., Jr., Ed.; Marcel Dekker: New York, 2002; pp 51–94.
  4. Safaei, T. S.; Mohamadi, R. M.; Sargent, E. H.; Kelley, S. O. In Situ Electrochemical ELISA for Specific Identification of Captured Cancer Cells. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2015, DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b02404.

 

Acknowledgments. Authors may acknowledge technical assistance, gifts, the source of special materials, financial support, meeting presentation information, and the auspices under which work was done, including permission to publish. During manuscript submission, the submitting author is asked to select funding sources from the list of agencies included in the FundRef Registry.

 

If the article is dedicated to another scholar, a brief statement, such as “This article is dedicated to [name]”, may be included.

 

Statements about author contributions to the work or equal contributions of work should be included as a separate statement.

Supporting Information

This information is provided to the reviewers during the peer-review process (for Review Only) and is available to readers of the published work (for Publication). Supporting Information must be submitted at the same time as the manuscript. See the list of Acceptable Software by File Designation and confirm that your Supporting Information is viewable.

 

If the manuscript is accompanied by any supporting information files for publication, these files will be made available free of charge to readers. A brief, nonsentence description of the actual contents of each file, including the file type extension, is required. This description should be labeled Supporting Information and should appear before the Acknowledgement and Reference sections.  Examples of sufficient and insufficient descriptions are as follows:

 

Examples of sufficient descriptions: “Supporting Information: 1H NMR spectra for all compounds (PDF)” or “Additional experimental details, materials, and methods, including photographs of experimental setup (DOC)”.

 

Examples of insufficient descriptions: “Supporting Information: Figures S1-S3” or “Additional figures as mentioned in the text”.

 

When including supporting information for review only, include copies of references that are unpublished or in-press. These files are available only to editors and reviewers.

Research Data Policy

All ACS journals strongly encourage authors to make the research data underlying their articles publicly available at the time of publication.

Research data is defined as materials and information used in the experiments that enable the validation of the conclusions drawn in the article, including primary data produced by the authors for the study being reported, secondary data reused or analyzed by the authors for the study, and any other materials necessary to reproduce or replicate the results.

The ACS Research Data Policy provides additional information on Data Availability Statements, Data Citation, and Data Repositories.

Data Requirements

All analytical data should include uncertainties, comparisons to a standard analytical method, and demonstration of the sensor’s performance in the complex samples for which the device is intended to be used.

Language and Editing Services

A well-written paper helps share your results most clearly. ACS Publications’ English Editing Service is designed to help scientists communicate their research effectively. Our subject-matter expert editors will edit your manuscript for grammar, spelling, and other language errors so your ideas are presented at their best.

Preparing Graphics

The quality of illustrations in ACS journals and partner journals depends on the quality of the original files provided by the authors. Figures are not modified or enhanced by journal production staff. All graphics must be prepared and submitted in digital format.

 

Graphics should be inserted into the main body whenever possible. Please see Appendix 2 for additional information.

 

Any graphic (figure chart, scheme, or equation) that has appeared in an earlier publication should include a credit line citing the original source. Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission to re-use this material.

Figure and Illustration Services

The impact of your research is not limited to what you can express with words. Tables and figures such as graphs, photographs, illustrations, diagrams, and other visuals can play a significant role in effectively communicating your findings. Our Artwork Editing and Graphical Abstract services generate publication-ready figures and Table of Contents (TOC) graphics that conform to your chosen journal’s specifications. For figures, this includes changes to file type, resolution, color space, font, scale, line weights, and layout (to improve readability and professional appearance). For TOC graphics, our illustrators can work with a rough sketch or concept or help extract the key findings of your manuscript directly for use as a visual summary of your paper.

Preparing for Submission

Manuscripts, graphics, supporting information, and required forms, as well as manuscript revisions, must all be submitted in digital format through ACS Paragon Plus, which requires an ACS ID to log in. Registering for an ACS ID is fast, free, and does not require an ACS membership. Please refer to Appendix 1 for additional information on preparing your submission

Prior Publication Policy

ACS Sensors authors are allowed to deposit an initial draft of their manuscript in a preprint service such as or including these specific preprint servers, ChemRxiv, bioRxiv, arXiv, or the applicable repository for their discipline prior to submission. Please note any use of a preprint server in the cover letter and include a link to the preprint, and as appropriate, state how the manuscript has been adjusted/updated between deposition and submission. All other prior/redundant publication is forbidden. Upon publication in ACS Sensors, authors are advised to add a link from the preprint to the published paper via the Digital Object Identifier (DOI). ChemRxiv, bioRxiv adds this link for authors automatically after publication.

 

For further details, view the ACS Publications policy on theses and dissertations.

Editorial Policies

Authors must submit the following materials as separate files:

  • manuscript file (as a single .doc or .docx file with figures, tables, and captions)
  • cover letter
  • Supporting Information for Publication, if applicable
  • any additional materials for review, if needed (submit as Supporting Information for Review Only).

 

A manuscript PDF file is optional. If uploaded, this file will be used as the PDF proof during the peer review process. Authors must view and approve the PDF version of their manuscript prior to formal submission to the Editor-in-Chief.

 

Manuscript Evaluation. Submitted manuscripts should not be published or under consideration elsewhere and may be examined using software to detect duplication of previously published material.

 

Reject After Editorial Review. The Editors may identify submissions that in their expert opinions would not fare well during the review process; these manuscripts may be rejected without additional external reviewers. Multiple editors will be consulted during this initial screening. This process shortens the time to decision and ensures a manageable workload and prevents overburdening for reviewers. Examples of manuscripts that would not be peer reviewed include the following: the paper is a routine extension or minor technical improvement of research already published; the science lies outside the scope of ACS Sensors; the science does not meet ACS Sensors’ standards; insufficient data are provided to properly substantiate the claims and conclusions made; closely related work has already been published and few, if any, new insights are provided; the work is not of general appeal to the readership of ACS Sensors; the manuscript is a resubmission of a paper that has been previously declined without the addition of adequate new science and/or without notification in the cover letter of previous submission; or the manuscript deals with known sensing concepts and does not offer a significant, original application of the method, a noteworthy improvement, or results on an important analyte.

 

The Editorial Decision. Reviewers should evaluate the manuscript on the basis of originality, technical quality, clarity of presentation, and importance to the field. The Editors will evaluate the reviewers’ comments in the context of the scope and aims of the journal and make the final decision on each manuscript. The possible decisions include: accept; revise to address the concerns of the reviewers before the editors make a final decision; decline but consider a resubmission if significant additional work is completed; or decline on the grounds of major technical or interpretational flaws, insufficient advance, or lack of novelty and broad interest.

 

In cases when reviewers make different or conflicting recommendations, the Editors may request additional information from the reviewers, consult other experts, and/or ask the authors to clarify the sections in question. Some manuscripts that are declined may be considered upon resubmission if significant additional work is completed, but authors are required to let the Editor know that the work is being resubmitted for reconsideration.

 

Reviewers may be asked to review subsequent versions of the manuscript, especially if new data have been added to the paper, to evaluate whether the authors have addressed the scientific concerns appropriately. In such cases, anonymized copies of all reviewers’ comments are normally sent to the reviewers. The Editors will expedite any additional rounds of review to ensure timely publication.

 

The Editors strongly disapprove of any attempts by authors to determine the identity of reviewers or to confront potential reviewers. The editorial policy of this journal is neither to confirm nor to deny any speculation about the identities of our reviewers. Authors whose manuscripts are published in ACS Sensors are expected to review manuscripts submitted by other researchers from time to time. Information for Reviewers is published separately.

Providing Potential Reviewer Names

Please suggest 4 or more potential reviewers, including email addresses. Authors are encouraged to avoid suggesting reviewers from the authors’ institutions. Do not suggest reviewers who may have a real or perceived conflict of interest. Whenever possible, suggest academic email addresses rather than personal email addresses.

Manuscript Transfer

If your submission is declined for publication by this journal, the editors might deem your work to be better suited for another ACS Publications journal or partner journal and suggest that the authors consider transferring the submission. Manuscript Transfer simplifies and shortens the process of submitting to another ACS journal or partner journal, as all the coauthors, suggested reviewers, manuscript files, and responses to submission questions are copied to the new draft submission. Authors are free to accept or decline the transfer offer.

 

Note that each journal is editorially independent. Transferring a manuscript is not a guarantee that the manuscript will be accepted, as the final publication decision will belong to the editor of the next journal.

PRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION

Proofs via ACS Direct Correct

Correction of the galley proofs is the responsibility of the Corresponding Author. The Corresponding Author of an accepted manuscript will receive e-mail notification and complete instructions when page proofs are available for review via ACS Direct Correct. Extensive or important changes on page proofs, including changes to the title or list of authors, are subject to review by the editor.

 

It is the responsibility of the Corresponding Author to ensure that all authors listed on the manuscript agree with the changes made on the proofs. Galley proofs should be returned within 48 hours in order to ensure timely publication of the manuscript.

Publication Date and Patent Dates

Accepted manuscripts will be published on the ACS Publications Web site as soon as page proofs are corrected and all author concerns are resolved. The first date on which the document is published on the Web is considered the publication date.

 

Publication of manuscripts on the Web may occur weeks in advance of the cover date of the issue of publication. Authors should take this into account when planning their patent and intellectual property activities related to a document and should ensure that all patent information is available at the time of first publication, whether ASAP or issue publication.

 

All articles published ahead of print receive a unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, which is used to cite the manuscript before and after the paper appears in an issue. Additionally, any supplemental information submitted along with the manuscript will automatically be assigned a DOI and hosted on Figshare to promote open data discoverability and use of your research outputs.

ASAP Publication

Manuscripts will be published on the “ASAP Articles” page on the web as soon as page proofs are corrected and all author concerns are resolved. ASAP publication usually occurs within a few working days of receipt of page proof corrections, which can be several weeks in advance of the cover date of the issue.

Post-Publication Policies

The American Chemical Society follows guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when considering any ethical concerns regarding a published article, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern.

Additions and Corrections

Additions and Corrections may be requested by the author(s) or initiated by the Editor to address important issues or correct errors and omissions of consequence that arise after publication of an article. All Additions and Corrections are subject to approval by the Editor, and should bring new and directly relevant information and corrections that fix scientific facts. Minor corrections and additions will not be published. Readers who detect errors of consequence in the work of others should contact the corresponding author of that work.

 

Additions and Corrections must be submitted as new manuscripts via the ACS Publishing Center by the Corresponding Author for publication in the “Addition/Correction” section of the Journal. The corresponding author should obtain approval from all coauthors prior to submitting or provide evidence that such approval has been solicited. The manuscript should include the original article title and author list, citation including DOI, and details of the correction.

Retractions

Articles may be retracted for scientific or ethical reasons and may be requested by the article author(s) or by the journal Editor(s), but are ultimately published at the discretion of the Editor. Articles that contain seriously flawed or erroneous data such that their findings and conclusions cannot be relied upon may be retracted in order to correct the scientific record. When an article is retracted, a notice of Retraction will be published containing information about the reason for the Retraction. The originally published article will remain online except in extraordinary circumstances (e.g. where deemed legally necessary, or if the availability of the published content poses public health risks).

Expressions of Concern

Expressions of Concern may be issued at the discretion of the Editor if:

  • there is inconclusive evidence of research or publication misconduct by the authors;
  • there is evidence that the findings are unreliable but the authors’ institution will not investigate the case;
  • an investigation into alleged misconduct related to the publication either has not been, or would not be, fair and impartial or conclusive;
  • an investigation is underway but a judgment will not be available for a considerable time.

 

Upon completion of any related investigation, and when a final determination is made about the outcome of the article, the Expression of Concern may be replaced with a Retraction notice or Correction.

Sharing Your Published Article

At ACS Publications, we know it is important for you to be able to share your peer reviewed, published work with colleagues in the global community of scientists. As sharing on sites known as scholarly collaboration networks (SCNs) is becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s scholarly research ecosystem, we would like to remind you of the many ways in which you, a valued ACS author, can share your published work.

 

Publishing open access makes it easy to share your work with friends, colleagues, and family members. In addition, ACS Publications makes it easy to share your newly published research with ACS Articles on Request (see below). Don’t forget to promote your research and related data on social media, at conferences, and through scholarly communication networks. Increase the impact of your research using the following resources: Altmetrics, Figshare, ACS Certified Deposit

E-Prints

When your article is published in an ACS journal or partner journal, corresponding authors are provided with a link that offers up to 50 free digital prints of the final published work. This link is valid for the first 12 months following online publication, and can be shared via email or an author’s website. After one year, the access restrictions to your article will be lifted, and you can share the Articles on Request URL on social media and other channels. To access all your Articles on Request links, log in to your ACS Researcher Resources account and visit the “My Published Manuscripts” page.

Reprints

Article, journal, and commercial reprints are available to order.

Appendix 1: PREPARING FOR SUBMISSION

We’ve developed ACS’ publishing and editorial policies in consultation with the research communities that we serve, including authors and librarians. Browse our policies below to learn more.

Ethical Guidelines

ACS editors have provided Ethical Guidelines for persons engaged in the publication of chemical research—specifically, for editors, authors, and reviewers. Each journal also has a specific policy on prior publication.

OFAC Compliance

As a U.S.-based non-profit organization, the American Chemical Society (ACS) is required to comply with U.S. sanctions laws and regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). While these laws and regulations permit U.S.-based publishers like ACS to engage in publishing-related activities with authors located in sanctioned regions in many cases, ACS may be prohibited under U.S. law from engaging in publishing-related activities in some cases, including, but not limited to, instances where an author or the institution with which an author is affiliated is located in a particular sanctioned region or has been designated by OFAC as a Specially Designated National (SDN) pursuant to certain U.S. sanctions programs. ACS reserves the right to refrain from engaging in any publishing-related activities that ACS determines in its sole discretion may be in violation of U.S. law.

 

Safety Considerations

Authors must emphasize any unexpected, new, and/or significant hazards or risks associated with the reported work. This information should be in the Experimental Section of a full article and included in the main text of a letter. Statement examples can be found in the Safety Statement Style Sheet and additional information on communicating safety information from the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication is freely available here.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

A statement describing any financial conflicts of interest or lack thereof is published in each ACS journal and partner journal article.

 

During the submission process, the Corresponding Author must provide a statement on behalf of all authors of the manuscript, describing all potential sources of bias, including affiliations, funding sources, and financial or management relationships, that may constitute conflicts of interest. If the manuscript is accepted, the statement will be published in the final article.

 

If the manuscript is accepted and no conflict of interest has been declared, the following statement will be published in the final article: “The authors declare no competing financial interest.”

Plagiarism

In publishing only original research, ACS is committed to deterring plagiarism, including self-plagiarism. ACS Publications uses CrossCheck's iThenticate software to screen submitted manuscripts for similarity to published material. Note that your manuscript may be screened during the submission process.

 

Further information about plagiarism can be found in Part B of the Ethical Guidelines to Publication of Chemical Research. See also the press release regarding ACS' participation in the CrossCheck initiative.

Authorship, Author List, and Coauthor Notification

Authors are required to obtain the consent of all their coauthors prior to submitting a manuscript. The submitting author accepts the responsibility of notifying all coauthors that the manuscript is being submitted.

 

During manuscript submission, the submitting author must provide contact information (full name, email address, institutional affiliation, and mailing address) for all of the coauthors. Because all of the author names are automatically imported into the electronic Journal Publishing Agreement, the names must be entered into the submission system. (Note that coauthors are not required to register in the ACS Publishing Center.) Author affiliation should reflect where the work was completed, even if the author has since left that institution. Authors may include a note with a current address if their institution has changed since the work was completed.

 

To expedite the processing of your manuscript, please format your author and affiliation information according the guidelines in this document.

 

Criteria for authorship can be found in Part B of the Ethical Guidelines to Publication of Chemical Research. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools do not qualify for authorship. The use of AI tools for text or image generation should be disclosed in the manuscript within the Acknowledgment section with a description of when and how the tools were used. For more substantial use cases or descriptions of AI tool use, authors should provide full details within the Methods or other appropriate section of the manuscript.

 

If any change in authorship is necessary after a manuscript has been submitted, confirmation is required that all of the authors (including those being added or removed) have been notified and have agreed to the change. To provide this confirmation, authors are asked to complete and sign an authorship change form and provide the completed form to the appropriate editorial office.

 

Authors with a single name: If you, or any of your coauthors, have only one name, please follow these steps for proper submission to the ACS Publishing Center:

  1. First (Given) Name Field: Enter an asterisk (*) into the "First (Given) Name" field.
  2. Last (Family) Name Field: Enter your single name into the "Last (Family) Name" field.

If your paper is accepted, the asterisk (*) will be removed from the published version of the paper.

 

 

Patent Activities and Intellectual Property

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all patent activities and intellectual property issues are satisfactorily resolved prior to first publication (ASAP or in issue). Acceptance and publication will not be delayed for pending or unresolved issues of this nature.

Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)

Authors submitting manuscript revisions are required to provide their own personal, validated ORCID iD before completing the submission, if an ORCID iD is not already associated with their ACS Publishing Center user profiles. This ID may be provided during original manuscript submission or when submitting the manuscript revision. All authors are strongly encouraged to register for an ORCID iD, a unique researcher identifier. The ORCID iD will be displayed in the published article for any author on a manuscript who has a validated ORCID iD associated with ACS when the manuscript is accepted.

 

ORCID iDs should not be typed into the manuscript. ACS publishes only those ORCID iDs that have been properly verified and linked before the manuscript is accepted. After your ORCID iD is linked, it will be displayed automatically in all subsequently accepted manuscripts for any/all ACS journals. We do not publish ORCID iDs provided during proof review or via other communications after a manuscript is accepted for publication.

 

With an ORCID iD, you can create a profile of your research activities to distinguish yourself from other researchers with similar names, and make it easier for your colleagues to find your publications. If you do not yet have an ORCID iD, or you wish to associate your existing ORCID iD with your ACS Publishing Center account, you may do so by clicking on “Profile” from your ACS Publishing Center dashboard and following the ORCID-related links. Learn more at www.orcid.org.

To obtain forms and guidelines for completing the Journal Publishing Agreement or obtaining permissions from copyright owners, and to explore a Copyright Learning Module for chemists, click here.

Funder Reporting Requirement

Authors are required to report funding sources and grant/award numbers. Enter ALL sources of funding for ALL authors in BOTH the Funder Registry Tool in the submission system and in your manuscript to meet this requirement.

Open Access Compliance

ACS offers options by which authors can fulfill the requirements for open access and deposition into repositories for funded research. Visit our ACS Open Science site to see how to fulfill requirements for specific funders and to find out if you are eligible to publish under a Read + Publish agreement between ACS and your institution. You can also find out more about Open Access Compliance and ACS Open Science initiatives.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

During manuscript submission, ACS journal authors have the option to submit a statement sharing information related to diversity and inclusion that is relevant for their paper. If supplying a diversity and inclusion statement, the corresponding author must provide this on behalf of all authors of the manuscript during the submission process. These statements include but are not limited to analysis of citation diversity and acknowledgment of indigenous land on which research was conducted. Statements expressing political beliefs are not permitted and may be removed by the journal office. All statements are subject to final review by the Editor.

  • Citation Diversity Statement:The citation diversity statement should appear in the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript. ACS recommends including the following: (1) the importance of citation diversity, (2) the proportion of citations by gender and race/ethnicity for the first and last authors, (3) the method used to determine those proportions and its limitations, and (4) steps taken to by the authors to improve citation diversity in the article. We recognize that one limitation of the current methods is that it cannot account for intersex, non-binary, and transgender people, or Indigenous and mixed-race authors. (Adapted from BMES/Springer Guidelines)
  • Land acknowledgment:The land acknowledgment statement should appear in the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript. The statement should link to the institutions’ formal land acknowledgments on which the research took place, if possible. Further guidance for creating these statements can be found here: https://nativegov.org/news/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/.

 

Appendix 2: Preparing Graphics

Resolution

Digital graphics pasted into manuscripts should have the following minimum resolutions:

  • Black and white line art, 1200 dpi
  • Grayscale art, 600 dpi
  • Color art, 300 dpi

Size

Graphics must fit a one- or two-column format. Single-column graphics can be sized up to 240 points wide (3.33 in.) and double-column graphics must be sized between 300 and 504 points (4.167 in. and 7 in.). The maximum depth for all graphics is 660 points (9.167 in.) including the caption (allow 12 pts. For each line of caption text). Lettering should be no smaller than 4.5 points in the final published format. The text should be legible when the graphic is viewed full-size. Helvetica or Arial fonts work well for lettering. Lines should be no thinner than 0.5 point.

Color

Color may be used to enhance the clarity of complex structures, figures, spectra, and schemes, etc., and color reproduction of graphics is provided at no additional cost to the author. Graphics intended to appear in black and white or grayscale should not be submitted in color.

Type of Graphics

Table of Contents (TOC)/Abstract Graphic

Consult the Guidelines for Table of Contents/Abstract Graphics for specifications.

Our team of subject-matter experts and graphical designers can also help generate a compelling TOC graphic to convey your key findings. Learn more about our Graphical Abstract service.

Figures

A caption giving the figure number and a brief description must be included below each figure. The caption should be understandable without reference to the text. It is preferable to place any key to symbols used in the artwork itself, not in the caption. Ensure that any symbols and abbreviations used in the text agree with those in the artwork.

Charts

Charts (groups of structures that do not show reactions) may have a brief caption describing their contents.

Tables

Each table must have a brief (one phrase or sentence) title that describes the contents. The title should be understandable without reference to the text. Details should be put in footnotes, not in the title. Tables should be used when the data cannot be presented clearly in the narrative, when many numbers must be presented, or when more meaningful inter-relationships can be conveyed by the tabular format. Tables should supplement, not duplicate, information presented in the text and figures. Tables should be simple and concise.

Schemes

Each scheme (sequences of reactions) may have a brief caption describing its contents.

Chemical Structures

Chemical structures should be produced with the use of a drawing program such as ChemDraw.

Cover Art

ACS Sensors authors are encouraged to submit images to be considered for use on the journal’s front cover or Supplementary Covers at the time of the submission of their revised manuscript. If your article is accepted for publication, your suggestion may also be selected for use on one of the journal’s covers. Images chosen for the front cover will be published at no cost to the author. If your art is selected for front cover, ACS will send you information about how to request one complimentary 18” by 24” printed poster featuring your work.

 

Cover art should be colorful and eye-catching, ideally without text, and must convey the importance and significance of the research. In general, we discourage submissions of structures, graphs, and chemical schema. We do encourage artistic renditions of molecules, cells, and data. Image files should be submitted as TIF, JPG, PNG or EPS files with a resolution of at least 300 dpi for pixel-based images. Images should be 8.19 × 10.00 inches (or 20.80 × 25.40 cm). Please note that the journal title will cover the top 2 inches (5.08 cm) of the image. Authors should submit the cover image, along with a short, clear legend explaining the image, as supplementary files to ACS Paragon Plus with their revised manuscript. These images may be modified or enhanced by an ACS graphic artist. Cover art may delay issue publication of the associated Article; however, ASAP publication will not be delayed.

 

If you wish to be considered only for the front cover, and not a paid supplementary cover, please respond NO accordingly to the Supplementary Cover Art question in ACS Paragon Plus. For more information on the Supplementary Covers program, please see this webpage. All art submitted for consideration for a supplementary cover will also be considered for a front cover.

Web Enhanced Objects (WEO)

The Web editions of ACS journals allow readers to view multimedia attachments such as animations and movies that complement understanding of the research being reported.

 

WEOs should be uploaded in the submission system with ‘Web Enhanced Object’ selected as the file designation. Consult the list of compatible WEO formats.

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