Instructions for Authors

Our online submission system makes the process of publishing your research in BioMed Central's journals simple and efficient. To help you submit your manuscript we've created a quick instructions guide to outline the key aspects of our online submission process, including tips and advice, plus links out to additional pages for more information.

For full detailed instructions for authors for each journal use the drop down menu below to choose the relevant journal and then click the 'Instructions for Authors' button.

	Choose a journal...Acta Veterinaria ScandinavicaAIDS Research and TherapyAlgorithms for Molecular BiologyAnnals of Clinical Microbiology and AntimicrobialsAnnals of General PsychiatryAnnals of Surgical Innovation and ResearchArthritis Research & TherapyAustralia and New Zealand Health PolicyBehavioral and Brain FunctionsBioData MiningBiology DirectBioMagnetic Research and TechnologyBioMedical Engineering OnLineBioPsychoSocial MedicineBiotechnology for BiofuelsBMC AnesthesiologyBMC BiochemistryBMC BioinformaticsBMC BiologyBMC BiotechnologyBMC Blood DisordersBMC CancerBMC Cardiovascular DisordersBMC Cell BiologyBMC Chemical BiologyBMC Clinical PathologyBMC Clinical PharmacologyBMC Complementary and Alternative MedicineBMC DermatologyBMC Developmental BiologyBMC Ear, Nose and Throat DisordersBMC EcologyBMC Emergency MedicineBMC Endocrine DisordersBMC Evolutionary BiologyBMC Family PracticeBMC GastroenterologyBMC GeneticsBMC GenomicsBMC GeriatricsBMC Health Services ResearchBMC ImmunologyBMC Infectious DiseasesBMC International Health and Human RightsBMC Medical EducationBMC Medical EthicsBMC Medical GeneticsBMC Medical GenomicsBMC Medical ImagingBMC Medical Informatics and Decision MakingBMC Medical PhysicsBMC Medical Research MethodologyBMC MedicineBMC MicrobiologyBMC Molecular BiologyBMC Musculoskeletal DisordersBMC NephrologyBMC NeurologyBMC NeuroscienceBMC NursingBMC OphthalmologyBMC Oral HealthBMC Palliative CareBMC PediatricsBMC PharmacologyBMC PhysiologyBMC Plant BiologyBMC Pregnancy and ChildbirthBMC PsychiatryBMC Public HealthBMC Pulmonary MedicineBMC Research NotesBMC Structural BiologyBMC SurgeryBMC Systems BiologyBMC UrologyBMC Veterinary ResearchBMC Women's HealthBreast Cancer ResearchCancer Cell InternationalCarbon Balance and ManagementCardiovascular DiabetologyCardiovascular UltrasoundCases JournalCBD Lipid SignalingCell & ChromosomeCell Communication and SignalingCell DivisionCerebrospinal Fluid ResearchChemistry Central JournalChild and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental HealthChinese MedicineChiropractic & OsteopathyClinical and Molecular AllergyClinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental HealthComparative HepatologyConflict and HealthCost Effectiveness and Resource AllocationCoughCritical CareCytoJournalDiagnostic PathologyDynamic MedicineEmerging Themes in EpidemiologyEnvironmental HealthEpidemiologic Perspectives & InnovationsEpigenetics & ChromatinFibrogenesis and Tissue RepairFrontiers in ZoologyGenetic Vaccines and TherapyGenome BiologyGeochemical TransactionsGlobalization and HealthHarm Reduction JournalHead & Face MedicineHealth and Quality of Life OutcomesHealth Research Policy and SystemsHuman Resources for HealthImmunity & AgeingImmunome ResearchImplementation ScienceInfectious Agents and CancerInternational Archives of MedicineInternational Breastfeeding JournalInternational Journal for Equity in HealthInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical ActivityInternational Journal of Health GeographicsInternational Journal of Mental Health SystemsInternational Seminars in Surgical OncologyJournal of Autoimmune DiseasesJournal of Biological EngineeringJournal of BiologyJournal of Biomedical Discovery and CollaborationJournal of Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve InjuryJournal of CarcinogenesisJournal of Cardiothoracic SurgeryJournal of Cardiovascular Magnetic ResonanceJournal of Circadian RhythmsJournal of Ethnobiology and EthnomedicineJournal of Experimental & Clinical Assisted ReproductionJournal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer ResearchJournal of Hematology & OncologyJournal of Immune Based Therapies and VaccinesJournal of InflammationJournal of Medical Case ReportsJournal of Molecular SignalingJournal of NanobiotechnologyJournal of Negative Results in BioMedicineJournal of NeuroEngineering and RehabilitationJournal of NeuroinflammationJournal of Occupational Medicine and ToxicologyJournal of Orthopaedic Surgery and ResearchJournal of the International Society of Sports NutritionJournal of Translational MedicineJournal of Trauma Management & OutcomesLipids in Health and DiseaseMalaria JournalMicrobial Cell FactoriesMolecular BrainMolecular CancerMolecular CytogeneticsMolecular NeurodegenerationMolecular PainNeural DevelopmentNonlinear Biomedical PhysicsNutrition & MetabolismNutrition JournalOrphanet Journal of Rare DiseasesOsteopathic Medicine and Primary CareParasites & VectorsParticle and Fibre ToxicologyPathoGeneticsPatient Safety in SurgeryPediatric RheumatologyPhilosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in MedicinePlant Genomes and Systems BiologyPlant MethodsPopulation Health MetricsProteome ScienceRadiation OncologyReproductive Biology and EndocrinologyReproductive HealthRespiratory ResearchRetrovirologySaline SystemsScoliosisSource Code for Biology and MedicineSubstance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and PolicyTheoretical Biology and Medical ModellingThrombosis JournalThyroid ResearchTobacco Induced DiseasesTrialsVirology JournalWorld Journal of Emergency SurgeryWorld Journal of Surgical Oncology

Quick instructions guide

1. Submission system
   
   
2. Manuscript preparation
   
   
3. Illustration/figure preparation
   
   
4. Submitting your article
   
   

Online submission

BioMed Central journals use online submission. The submission process is compatible with version 3.0 or later of Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, and with most other modern web browsers. It can be used from PC, Mac, or Unix platforms.

Files can be submitted as a batch, or one by one. The submission process can be interrupted at any time: when users return to the site, they can carry on where they left off.

Preparing main manuscript text

Word processing formats

The following word processor file formats are acceptable for the main manuscript document for all of BioMed Central journals:

• Microsoft Word (version 2 and above)
• Rich text format (RTF)
• TeX/LaTeX (use BioMed Central's TeX template)

In addition many of BioMed Central journals accept a variety of other file formats. Please visit the 'Instructions for authors' webpage of the journal of interest for further information on acceptable file formats.

More information on how to upload your manuscript files is available in the full 'Instructions for authors'.

Note that each individual figure must be submitted as a separate image file, not as part of the main manuscript text file.

Preparing illustrations and figures

Each figure should be submitted as a separate graphics file. If a figure consists of separate parts, it is important that a single composite illustration file is submitted that contains all parts of the figure.

Illustration file formats

All of BioMed Central's journals accept the following formats for figure files:

• EPS (preferred format for diagrams)
• PDF (also especially suitable for diagrams)
• TIFF (for photographs and screen dumps, 300 dpi if possible)

In addition, many of BioMed Central's journals also accept the following additional figure formats:

• PNG (for photos or images)
• Microsoft Word (version 5 and above; figures must be a single page)
• PowerPoint (figures must be a single page)
• JPEG
• BMP

Please visit the 'Instructions for authors' webpage of the journal of interest for further information on acceptable file formats for figures.

Text within figures should usually be either Arial or Helvetica fonts; Courier may be used if a monospaced font is required. Text should be designed to be legible when the illustration is scaled to a width of 600 pixels.

Submitting your article

When you are ready to submit your article please go to our submission page and choose one of the 186 peer-reviewed journals for your research article. Then follow the step by step process to submit your article.