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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is there a submission fee?
A. There is no submission fee.
Q. I’m presenting the abstract of my article at a conference. Is that permissible?
A. Yes. As long as you include this information in your cover letter and title page, prior conference presentations will not affect your submission to the JCO. Additional information can be found in the Originality section found here.
Q. How should I format my text?
A. We ask that you number and double-space all pages and use Arial or Helvetica fonts at 12-point size.
Q. What is a TOC category? Do I need to pick one?
A. TOC stands for Table of Contents. Authors should classify their manuscripts by selecting the appropriate TOC category. This enables the editorial staff to assign each manuscript to the appropriate editor.
your manuscript to the appropriate editor.
Q. Is there an author limit per article?
A. All manuscripts are strictly limited to 20 authors.
Q. Is a cover letter required?
A. We strongly encourage authors to include a cover letter describing the significance of the work, its uniqueness, and any similar work the authors reported previously.
Q. Do all article types require a title page?
A. Yes, all manuscripts must include a title page with the title of the manuscript, author names and institutions, disclaimers, funding sources, a running head, and the corresponding author’s contact information (including address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail).
Q. Can I suggest reviewers?
A. In order to facilitate the most accurate and timely review, the editors encourage you to suggest up to four names of appropriate reviewers for this manuscript. Authors will see a data-entry section for this during the submission process.
Q. What is a running head?
A. A running head is a shortened version of your manuscript title and should be 65 characters or fewer.
Q. Are there any figure and table limits?
A. All original reports are limited to a total of six figures and tables in the print version. Additional tables and figures may be included and marked as
“online only.”
Q. Are table pieces and figure panels permitted?
A. We do not accept table pieces, such as Table 1a and 1b, but do allow figure panels.
Q. Is a CONSORT diagram required for all phase II and phase III trials?
A. A CONSORT diagram is required for all randomized phase II and phase III trials, but not necessary for single-arm, non-randomized studies. The CONSORT diagram does not count toward the table and figure limit.
Q. What are your abstract requirements?
A. Abstracts are limited to 250 words and we ask that you format the abstract according to the following headings: (1) PURPOSE
(2) PATIENTS AND METHODS (or MATERIALS AND METHODS, METHODS, or similar heading)
(3) RESULTS, and
(4) CONCLUSION.
Authors may use DESIGN instead of PATIENTS AND METHODS in abstracts of Review Articles. Comments and Controversies, Editorials, Correspondence, Art of Oncology, and Diagnosis in Oncology articles do not require abstracts.
Q. Do you make exceptions for word limits?
A. Our word limits are strict, and unfortunately there are no exceptions. Many authors place additional material in an online-only appendix.
Q. Is there a word limit for acknowledgments?
A. All acknowledgments are online only and have no word limit.
Q. I want to check the status of my manuscript. Who should I contact?
A. The corresponding author may call the JCO’s general editorial line at 703-797-1900. Please have your manuscript ID number ready and an
editorial assistant will help you. Your ID number can be found in your manuscript acknowledgment e-mail in the following format: JCO / [year] / [six digit
number]. You can also check the status of your manuscript by logging on to http://submit.jco.org and
going to your Author Area, then to “Submitted Manuscripts.”
Q. Why are certain papers given a “priority reject” decision?
A. JCO receives 5,000 submissions per year, and 18% are ultimately accepted for publication. In view of the many manuscripts that we receive
for consideration, it is sometimes necessary to make an editorial decision as to whether a paper's priority is high enough to warrant full review. Rejection
of a manuscript based upon priority considerations should not be taken to imply that the study lacks merit. Rather, the expedited review process is ultimately designed to permit you to more rapidly resubmit your paper to a more appropriate journal.
Q. My paper was sent out for a statistical review? What does this mean?
A. Manuscripts are frequently sent out for a statistical review, which often adds a few weeks to the review process. This is neither a good nor a bad sign;
it simply means that the editor felt a biostatistician was needed in order to properly review the material.
Q. I just received a major revision decision. Will my paper be accepted if I make the requested revisions?
A. A major revision decision does not guarantee acceptance. Approximately 30% of major revisions and 80% of minor revisions are ultimately accepted.
Q. I followed the reviewers’ suggestions and added additional material to the manuscript, but now I’m over the 3,000 word limit. What
should I do?
A. Additional information may be placed in an online appendix at the end of your manuscript. Authors typically choose to move a portion of their
methodology to the appendix.
Q. I have to complete a copyright transfer agreement but when I go into my account, there are no papers in my author area. Why is
this?
A. If you recently created an account, it may take up to an hour for your manuscript to appear in your author area. If there are no papers in your author
area after an hour, call the editorial office or e-mail copyrighthelp{at}asco.org. The e-mail address you used to
register with the JCO is most likely different from the one in the manuscript author list. The e-mail address on the manuscript must match the one
on your account before any papers will appear in your author area.
Q. What percentage of papers are accepted each year?
A. Approximately 18% of Original Reports are accepted.
Q. What is your publication schedule?
A. We publish 36 times a year, on the 1st, 10th and 20th of each month.
Q. Do I have to pay for author reprints?
A. Corresponding authors receive 10 electronic reprints at no charge. These e-prints may be distributed via e-mail to colleagues, regardless of whether the recipients are JCO subscribers. An order form showing the cost of additional reprints accompanies the page proofs, so authors may order reprints
prior to publication. Authors may also order reprints after publication, but at a higher cost. The JCO produces all reprints in color at no additional
charge to the authors.
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