Article Types
Five article types, each with a corresponding Section in the submission system.
| Type | What it is for | Indicative length | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Article | A complete study with a full account of methods, results and interpretation. The default type. | 5,000–9,000 words; no hard limit | Full peer review |
| Short Communication | A focused result that is complete but limited in scope, where speed matters. | 2,000–3,500 words, up to 4 figures | Full peer review, expedited |
| Methods Paper | A measurement, fabrication or analysis protocol described in enough detail to be adopted, with validation. | 4,000–8,000 words | Full peer review, with emphasis on reproducibility |
| Technical Report | Characterisation datasets, instrument development, round-robin comparisons, standardisation work. | 3,000–7,000 words | Full peer review |
| Negative or Null Result Report | A rigorous study whose hypothesis was not supported, or a failed reproduction, presented for the information it carries. | 2,500–6,000 words | Full peer review against the Negative Results Policy criteria |
Why the fifth type is worth having
The journal's distinguishing claim is that it publishes negative results. A claim in a policy document is weaker than a category in the submission form. Making it a selectable article type does three things: it tells an author on the submission screen that the promise is operational, it produces a browsable collection of such papers as the journal grows, and it lets the editor route those manuscripts to a review form written for them.
Also to decide Whether Review Articles are accepted — recommendation: by invitation only at first, since a new journal usually benefits from commissioned reviews (they attract citations). Whether formal Comment and Reply are accepted — coherent with a journal built around scrutiny and reproducibility, but not yet decided.
Not sure which type fits?
The submission wizard lets you choose at the first step.