Biophysical Newsletter - September 2014

7

BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

2014

SEPTEMBER

Frequently Asked Questions Q: BJ is a Society journal but has a partnership with Cell Press. How does that work? Our partnership with Cell Press provides us with resources, economies of scale, and outreach that we would not have otherwise. Economical print- ing and distribution, copyediting, a robust website, licensing and permissions management, marketing, and media relations are just some of the services that we benefit from through our partnership. Q: BJ publishes a broad range of papers. How do I know if my article is right for BJ? The Guidelines for Authors (http://www.cell.com/ pb/assets/raw/journals/society/biophysj/PDFs/ Instructions_to_Authors.pdf) outlines in detail the types of articles acceptable for BJ . You should also feel free to contact the Editorial office, the Editor- in-Chief, or any member of the Editorial Board if you are not sure if your research is appropriate for BJ . You can view the current Editorial Board roster at http://www.cell.com/biophysj/editorial- board. Q: What should I expect in the way of reviews? Manuscripts submitted to Biophysical Journal are reviewed by working scientists from around the world who are experts in their field. Most research articles receive three reviews. You can expect com- prehensive, insightful, and helpful evaluations.

script is accepted, you will be asked to submit final files. It will be 30 days from receipt of those files until publication. Q: Do I have to be a member of BPS to publish in BJ ? No, membership in the Society is not required to publish in BJ . As a member, however, you do receive reduced rates for publishing in the Journal. Members pay about two-thirds the cost of page charges, receive free color for online figures, and save $100 per figure on print figures. (Note: the corresponding author must be a member at the time of submission to qualify.)

Q: What is the embargo policy of BJ ?

In keeping with most agency and institutional guidelines, BJ makes its full content available after 12 months. We deposit all articles into PubMed Central after 12 months.

Q: Is BJ an open access journal?

BJ offers an immediate open access option for authors who do not want to wait for the 12-month embargo. For a fee of $1,800 your article will be open to the world on the BJ website as soon as it is published. If your funding body requires immedi- ate open access (e.g., Wellcome Trust), the article will then be delivered to PubMed Central upon publication; it will also be freely available on the BJ website. Q: What if I have other questions about the journal? Visit http://www.cell.com/biophysj/home or contact BJ@biophysics.org with additional questions.

Q: How long will it take to get my article published?

Most authors receive an initial decision on their paper within 30 days of submission. If your manu-