Guide for authors

Ready to submit your paper to Heliyon? Our guide for authors details how to submit
your paper and its related files.

Submission checklist
All manuscript and supplementary material files have been uploaded.
Author names and their affiliations have been provided.
One author has been designated as corresponding author.
The manuscript title is short and informative.
The abstract can be read as stand-alone text, and does not exceed 300 words.
The manuscript file contains all essential sections (the order can vary): Title, Abstract,
Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, References, Figure Captions,
Tables.
Manuscript has been checked for spelling and grammar.
All references mentioned in the References list are cited in the text, and vice versa.
Artwork source files have been provided at the appropriate size and resolution.
Permission has been obtained for use of copyrighted material from other sources
including the Web. (You can refer to Elseviers Permissions Guidelines for more
information.)
Relevant subject areas have been selected and keywords describing the article have been
provided.
All necessary declarations have been made.

General notes

Article types
Our scope is inclusive; Heliyon publishes articles covering any research discipline. We welcome
the submission of manuscripts that report original results of primary research (positive or
negative), describe new methods or other research tools, describe new datasets, or analyze
existing data and report novel insights in form of a systematic or scoping reviews. We do not
accept pre-submission enquiries, literature review papers, any type of opinion style piece or case
reports.

Language
Please write your text in good English (American or British usage is accepted, but not a mixture
of the two). Articles will not receive full copy-editing before publication; if you feel that your
manuscript could benefit from editing, please consider the use of an editing service, such
as Elseviers English Language Editing service, before submission to ensure your manuscript
is understandable and free of grammatical or spelling errors.

Cover letter
A covering letter is not mandatory, as we request all essential information at submission.
However, you are welcome to provide a cover letter containing any additional information that
you would like us to be aware of, such as information on suggested or excluded editors and
referees.

Manuscript organization
We do not have strict formatting requirements, but all manuscripts must contain the essential
elements needed to convey the content in clearly defined sections: Title, Abstract, Introduction,
Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion and/or Conclusions, Figures and Tables with
Captions, and any Supplementary Material required. If your article includes any video, audio or
other metadata files, you should include these in your initial submission for peer review
purposes. The text should be in single-column format and the layout of the text should be as
simple as possible. Please note that the size of each individual submission file must not exceed
150MB; and the collective size of all submitted files must not exceed 700 MB.

Title
Please provide a title that is concise and informative; ideally it should contain no more than 20
words. Titles are often used in information-retrieval systems so please keep in mind that your
choice of title may impact how easily readers can discover your article.

Authors
For information on authorship and responsibilities please refer to Elseviers Ethics factsheet
Authorship.

Abbreviations
Please define all abbreviations at first use.

Abstract
The abstract should state briefly the purpose of the research, the principal results and major
conclusions. Abstracts are often presented and read as stand-alone text, so please keep this in
mind when writing, and avoid the use of references and abbreviations.

Introduction
Please provide adequate background information, while avoiding a detailed literature review, and
state the objectives of your work in light of previous findings.

Theory/Calculation (if applicable)

A Theory section should extend, not repeat, the background information provided in the
Introduction, and lay the foundation for further work. In contrast, a Calculation section
represents a practical development from a theoretical basis.

Results
Results should be clear and concise.

Discussion
A Discussion should explore the significance of the results of the work, not just repeat them. A
combined Results and Discussion section is often appropriate.

Conclusions (optional)
The main conclusion(s) of the study may be presented in a short Conclusions section, as a stand-
alone section or in form of a subsection of the Discussion or Results and Discussion section.

Materials and Methods

Please provide sufficient detail to allow the work to be reproduced. Previously published
methods should be shown in a reference; you only need to describe relevant modifications.

Acknowledgements
Please collate all acknowledgements in a separate section at the end of the article, before the
references.
References
Formatting
There are no strict requirements on reference formatting at submission, however we highly
encourage the inclusion of DOIs to ensure references are citable and discoverable. References
can be in any style or format as long as the style is consistent. Where applicable, author name(s),
journal title/book title, chapter title/article title, year of publication, volume number/book
chapter, pagination and the DOI should be included. Journal names should be abbreviated
according to the List of Title Word Abbreviations. Heliyons reference style will be applied to
the accepted article at the proof stage. Any missing data will be highlighted at this stage for you
to correct.

Citation in text
Please ensure that every reference cited in the text is also present in the reference list (and vice
versa). Unpublished results, personal communications and arXiv documents should not be
included in the reference list, but may be mentioned in the text. Citation of a reference as 'in
press' implies that the item has been accepted for publication; in this case, a copy of the title page
of the relevant article must be submitted.

Citing websites
As a minimum, the full URL should be provided, along with the date on which the reference was
last accessed. Any further information, if known (DOI, author names, dates, reference to a source
publication, etc.) should also be given.

Citing datasets
Heliyon encourages you to cite underlying or relevant datasets in your manuscript by citing them
in your text and including a data reference in your Reference List. Data references should include
the following elements: author name(s), dataset title, data repository, version (where available),
year, and global persistent identifier. Add [dataset] immediately before the reference so we can
properly identify it as a data reference. This identifier will not appear in your published article.

Figure captions
Please provide figure captions at the end of your manuscript. A caption should be self-contained
and consist of a brief title and a concise description of the illustration. All symbols and
abbreviations used should be explained.

Tables
We recommend providing tables within your manuscript file where possible, ideally using a
single table grid for each individual table, otherwise using tabs to separate columns. Please
submit tables as editable text and not as images. You should number tables consecutively in
accordance with their appearance in the text and place any table notes below the table body.

Mathematical equations
Please ensure that mathematical equations are submitted in an editable format and not as images.
You should present simple formulae in the line of normal text where possible, and use the
solidus (/) instead of a horizontal line for small fractional terms, e.g., X/Y. In principle, variables
should be presented in italics. It is often more convenient to denote powers of e by using exp.
You should number consecutively any equations that have to be displayed separately from the
text (if referred to explicitly in the text). If you are submitting an article prepared with Microsoft
Word containing embedded mathematical equations, please read this related support
information.

Artwork

Figures
Please note that we require the source files of figures and text graphics at submission. Please
review the File Type section below for the correct resolution (dpi) of each type of graphic
submitted, as resolution requirements vary depending on the graphic type and content within the
graphic. Number the illustrations according to their sequence in the text and provide captions to
illustrations separately. A detailed guide on electronic artwork is available in Elseviers
Artwork Instructions.

Figure size
Please size your illustrations as close as possible to the desired dimensions of the final pdf
version at the resolution described in the File Type section below. Graphics in Heliyon will be
viewed online and in PDF in a single column format, and should not exceed a maximum width of
8 inches (20cm)or 2400 pixels @300 DPI (4000 pixels @ 500 DPI for line art and bitmap art).

Figure labels
Please use uniform lettering and sizing in your original artwork and embed the used fonts if the
application you are using provides that option. To ensure labels are legible, we suggest using the
following fonts in your illustrations: Arial, Helvetica, Courier, Times, Times New Roman,
and/or Symbol, sizing them according to the final figure size.

Videos
Heliyon accepts video material and animation sequences to support and enhance your research.
In order to ensure that we can use your video or animation material directly, please provide the
files in one of our recommended file formats. Number videos according to their sequence in the
text and provide captions separately. More information on video material is available
in Elseviers Artwork Instructions.

Audio
Audio files must be submitted as MP3 files in either MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 format. Please use the
highest possible quality, and ensure that the audio bit rate is at least 128 kbps. Please number
audio files according to their sequence in the text, and provide captions separately.

Supplementary content
Heliyon does not impose a limit on either the length of your article or on the number of figures
and tables included. We strongly encourage you to present all information within the main article
and eliminate supplementary content whenever possible. Heliyon accepts electronic
supplementary content when appropriate, such as large dataset files, video and audio files,
archives, and any other file containing information that cannot easily be incorporated into the
main manuscript. Supplementary files supplied will be published online alongside the electronic
version of your article. In order to ensure that we can use the material you submit directly, please
provide the data in one of our recommended file formats (see File Types). You should submit the
material in electronic format together with the article, and supply a concise and descriptive
caption for each file. For more detailed instructions please see Elseviers Artwork
Instructions.

File types

Supported file types

Please find a list of supported file types here

Text
Please provide your manuscript in an editable format; any common word processing software is
acceptable. If you use LaTeX, we recommend the Elsevier article class to prepare your
manuscript, and BibTeX to generate your bibliography. For detailed submission instructions,
templates and other information on LaTeX, please refer to Elseviers LaTeX Instructions. If
you use LaTeX, please supply a PDF version of your manuscript in addition.
Artwork
Please make sure that artwork files are in an acceptable format and with the correct resolution,
and size the illustrations as close as possible to the desired dimensions of the printed pdf version.
We are not able to accept file formats that are optimized for screen use (e.g., GIF, BMP, PICT,
WPG) as these typically have a low number of pixels and limited set of colors.

TIFF (or JPEG)

Color or grayscale photographs (halftones), keep to a minimum of 300 dpi.

TIFF (or JPEG)

Bitmapped (pure 100% black & 0% white pixels) line drawings, keep to a minimum of 500 dpi.

TIFF (or JPEG)

Combinations bitmapped line/half-tone (color or grayscale), keep to a minimum of 500 dpi.

EPS (or PDF)

For vector-based images. Please embed the font or save the text as 'graphics'.

Microsoft Office files (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

Please supply 'as is' in the native document format.

Video
Our preferred video file format is MP4 (.mp4). We also accept MPG (.mpg), Apple Quick time
(.mov); Microsoft Audio/Video Interlaced (.avi), or Compuserve GIF (.gif) for animations.

Audio
All audio files must be submitted as MP3 (.mp3) files.

Data
Any Microsoft Office file type is acceptable.

Revisions
If your manuscript has been reviewed and the editor invites you to submit a revised version of
your manuscript, please carefully consider all editor and reviewer comments. If you are able to
suitably address these comments, we ask that you submit a response to each comment alongside
your revised manuscript. Please either outline how the criticism was addressed in the revised
manuscript or provide a rebuttal to the criticism. Your manuscript and the response to the
comments and criticisms will be assessed by the original editor whenever possible and, if
required, by the original reviewers.

Content innovation
You are invited to include the following article enrichments to enhance the reading experience of
your published article. Please visit Elseviers Content Innovation portalfor an overview of the
program.

3D Interactive Viewers
These interactive 3D viewers will be displayed with your article on Heliyon.com and
ScienceDirect. They allow readers to visualize molecules, models and anatomical structures and
download associated data.

Geometric Shapes and Models

Using this 3D viewer, the reader can select models, zoom into, rotate and pan the model, change
display settings, and download original data files. Please prepare your data in .u3d, .ply, or .obj
format and upload as 3D models.

Molecular Models
This interactive viewer displays the 3D molecular structure of molecules described in your
study. Readers can browse through 3D models, zoom into, rotate and pan the model, change
viewing modes and display settings, and download original data files. To take advantage of this
feature, please prepare your data in .pdb, .pse, or .mol/.mol2 or and upload these as 3D
Molecular Models or prepare your data in .cif format and upload zipped files as
Crystallographic Data.

Neuro Images
The 3D Neuroimaging viewer allows the reader to browse through the neuroimaging datasets;
zoom, rotate and pan the 3D brain reconstruction; cut through the volume; change opacity and
color mapping; switch between 3D and 2D projected views; and download the data. Please
prepare your human, non-human primate or rodent neuroimaging data in NIfTI format and
submit a zipped file including the standard brain template as 3D Neuroimaging Data. Please
ensure you follow our ethical guidelines when presenting data from human or animal studies.
Radiological Images
This 3D Radiological Viewer allows readers to browse through the datasets; explore the data as
2D series, 2D orthogonal MPR (multiplanar reconstruction), 3D volume rendering and 3D MIP
(maximum intensity projection); zoom, rotate and pan 3D reconstructions; cut through the
volume; change opacity and threshold level; and download the data. Please prepare your data in
dicom format and upload zipped files as 3D Radiology Data. Please ensure you follow
our ethical guidelines when presenting data from human or animal studies and that all
confidential patient metadata has been removed from these files.

AudioSlides
Heliyon encourages authors to create an AudioSlides presentation with their published article.
AudioSlides are brief, webinar-style presentations that are shown next to the online article on
Heliyon.com and ScienceDirect. This gives you the opportunity to summarize your research in
your own words, helping readers understand what the paper is about. You will automatically
receive an invitation e-mail to create an AudioSlides presentation after your article is accepted.

BrainLink
This application identifies all neuro-anatomical structures in the article, and displays available
2D- and 3D-images with the online article on ScienceDirect. For more information, please visit
the Brain Atlas section on Elseviers Content Innovation portal.

Chemical Compound Viewer

You can enrich your online article by providing .mol files of the main chemical compounds
described in your study. This information will be used to display chemical structures in your
online article on ScienceDirect and to automatically generate a InChI key allowing webbased
search of these compounds. To take advantage of this feature, please use your preferred drawing
tool, export chemical structures as mol files and submit these as Chemical Compounds. Please
create a separate file for each compound and ensure that each is well defined, complete and does
not contain aromatic bonds, R-Groups or other variables. For more information, please visit
the Mol files and InChI keys section on Elseviers Content Innovation portal.

Database Linking Tool

There are several ways in which we support interlinking of articles and data in your online article
on ScienceDirect.

Tagging identifiers or accession numbers

If your article contains relevant unique identifiers or accession numbers linking to information
on genes, proteins, diseases, structures or datasets deposited in supported public databases, and
you would like your article to link to that data, please identify these entities as described in
our Database linking section on Elseviers Content Innovation portal.

Data DOIs
Heliyon supports Data DOIs as persistent identifiers for scientific data. If you include a data DOI
in your article, it will automatically turn into a link to your data on ScienceDirect.

Genome Viewer
This application allows viewing, analyzing and downloading of NCBI accession number-tagged
genetic sequence in your online article on ScienceDirect. For more information, please visit
the Genome Viewer section on Elseviers Content Innovation portal.

Google Maps and KML files

You can enrich your online articles by providing KML or KMZ files which will be visualized
using Google Maps. The suitability of your KML or KMZ files should be tested online before
it is uploaded in our online submission system as Interactive Map data. KML is an XML
schema for expressing geographic annotation and visualization within Internet-based Earth
browsers. Heliyon will generate Google Maps from the submitted KML files and include these in
your article when it is published online on ScienceDirect. Submitted KML files will also be
available for downloading.

Interactive Plots
Heliyon encourages you to include data and quantitative results as interactive plots with your
online publication on ScienceDirect. To make use of this feature, please include your data as a
.csv (comma-separated values) file, and test the suitability of the fileonline before submitting it
as Interactive Plot Data

MATLAB FIG files

You can enrich your online article by providing supplementary MATLAB figure files with the
.fig file extension. These files will be visualized using an interactive viewer that allows readers
to explore your figures within the article. The files should be tested online before being
uploaded in our online submission system as Interactive MATLAB figure, and will be made
available to download from your online article on ScienceDirect.
Phylogenetic trees
You can enrich your online article by providing phylogenetic tree data files. These trees will be
visualized using the interactive tree viewer embedded within the online article in ScienceDirect
and will also be available for download. The viewer allows readers to zoom into certain tree
areas, change the tree layout, search within the tree, and collapse/expand tree nodes and
branches. Please prepare your tree data files in Newick or NeXML format (.new or .nwk)
and validate before uploading as Phylogenetic Tree Data. For more information on how to
prepare these files and upload them onto our editorial system, please visit the Interactive
Phylogenetic Trees section on Elseviers Content Innovation portal.

Protein Viewer
This 3D interactive visualization tool allows readers to explore protein structures in your online
article on Heliyon.com and ScienceDirect. To take advantage of this feature, please provide the
Protein Data Bank (PDB) codes of the proteins described in your manuscript. Please visit
the Protein Viewer section on Elseviers Content Innovation portal to learn more about this
application.

PubChem
You can enrich your article by providing a list of up to 10 chemical compounds studied in the
article, which will be used to extract and display relevant information from the NCBI PubChem
Compound database next to the online version of your article on ScienceDirect. To take
advantage of this feature please provide a section entitled Chemical compounds studied in this
article on the first page of your manuscript. For each compound, please provide the PubChem
CID of the most relevant record in the following format: Compound name: (PubChem CID:
########) and separate each compound from the next using a semicolon. More information and
examples are available at the PubChem Chemical Compound Viewer section on Elseviers
Content Innovation portal.

Virtual Microscope
The Virtual Microscope is a web-based viewer available on Heliyon.com and ScienceDirect
that enables readers to view high resolution microscopic images and to zoom, pan and rotate. If
you would like to take advantage of this feature, please
contact virtualmicroscope@elsevier.com stating your manuscript number. We will provide
you with instructions on how to prepare and upload the required high resolution images.