Advice from the editorial staff to those authors preparing a submission to the Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences

Welcome to our second issue for 2023. For this Editorial I thought I would do something different, and perhaps useful. The aim here is to share with prospective authors some hints and tips to streamline the submission of manuscripts. To accomplish this I have roped in my Editorial Administrator, Ambika Flavel, who has provided some important advice for the early stages of your submission. For those that are not aware, each manuscript must pass through Ambika’s careful inspection to ensure that it is compliant with Journal requirements. From there it moves into the system, where it is thereafter assigned to an editor who then assesses other aspects relative to suitability to send for an independent peer review. So, please consider the following advice carefully prior to submission and ensure that you have thoroughly reviewed the Instructions for Authors, which can be found on the submission portal¹.

When manuscripts are submitted to the journal, the uploaded files are inspected by the editorial administrator who checks that all files have in fact been uploaded and are formatted to the journal specifications. Author names supplied on the title page are cross-referenced with author details provided in the submission portal. If there are inconsistencies, then the manuscript will be returned to the author for resubmission. This can add weeks to the review process if the corresponding author does not respond.

From an administrative perspective, the number one reason that journal submissions are returned to authors is that figures and tables are included in the main text of the manuscript. This journal does not accept format-free submissions, so it is important that authors submit tables and figures either as separate files. Most authors do not realize that the Taylor & Francis Submission Portal allows them to type in Figure captions, which makes it easier for reviewers to follow.

Manuscripts are also frequently returned to authors because they fail to anonymize one version of their work. As the journal has a double-blind peer review system removing names of institutions and authors from the main text and the acknowledgements, affords authors the anonymity they should expect from the process. Finally, submitting the title page only, and omitting the body text in the main version of the manuscript, will result in the manuscript being returned to the authors. Checking and adhering to journal specifications can save valuable time for both the editorial team and the authors.

Having ticked all of the above boxes, it is very likely that your submission will then end up with the Editor. In this instance another check is performed, suitability relative to Journal scope further considered, and thereafter (hopefully) the search for reviewers willing to assess your manuscript will commence. If you have suggestions for potential reviewers who you believe can offer an unbiased review, then please include their contact details in your cover letter. There is no guarantee that they will be contacted, but in some rare instances, especially in the more niche disciplines, we may need assistance to find suitable reviewers. Please bear in mind that we put out best efforts into sourcing reviews as quickly as possible, but there are often delays in the process that are beyond our control. If you are including a cover letter, also include a very brief description of the importance of your work and its overall forensic significance.

I trust that this advice will be useful to those considering the Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences. If, of course, if you have questions prior to submission, then the most expedient manner to receive appropriate advice is to email myself or Ambika directly. We look forward to receiving your (appropriately formatted) manuscripts in the near future!