International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Submission Process

Papers, articles, and all other manuscripts must be submitted by one of the authors of the paper, and should not be submitted by another person on the author's behalf. The submitting author takes responsibility for the paper during the submission process.

Please note that the International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine levies a paper-processing charge on all accepted papers. Most open-access journals rely on author charges to offset the costs of managing the journal.

The International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine accepts online paper submissions only. Simply click the Submit a Paper button to begin the process. During submission, you will be asked to do the following:

1. Register with Journal Network, or Login
2. Agree to the author statements and publication terms
3. Provide the title, abstract, keywords for the paper
4. Add additional authors to the paper (if any), including their full name and email address
5. Upload a PDF copy of the paper
6. Submit the paper-processing charge using a credit card
7. Finalize the submission

Paper Format

File Formats

Only a single portable document file (PDF) document is accepted. Please include all illustrations, figures, and so forth in the document.

The document should be in a full-text format of good quality, for indexing purposes. PDF documents saved as images (where the text cannot be highlighted) cannot be indexed by services such as Google Scholar. If you are using Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, Apple Pages, or Google Docs, simply save the paper as a PDF to preserve its full-text format.

Paper Style

Different papers require different formatting styles; for example, scientific research papers will differ from historical essays. Please format your paper using a standard convention or style.

Abstract

The Abstract of the paper is a summary of what the paper is about. It should not exceed 350 words. If a research paper, please include relevant background information, results, and an the potential implications of the paper.

Keywords

Include 3-8 keywords representing the main content of the paper. Separate each keyword with a comma.

Body

The main text of the paper. It is the author's responsibility to follow a clear and (where possible) standardized format for the paper.

References

Please include references or citations (if any) after the body of the paper, or in the page footers, in a numbered format. APA or MLA format is recommended.

Availability of Supporting Data

The International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine encourages authors to include supporting data sets (if applicable) in an appendix at the end of the paper. Do not submit data as an additional file.

Review Process

The International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine is based on a model of instant distribution, editorial transparency, and continuous peer-review. A submitted paper undergoes a two-stage referee process. The purpose is to minimize time delays between submission and publication, and to promote ongoing conversation and paper refinements between authors and reviewers.

In stage 1, the paper is either accepted or rejected by the managing editorial team, usually within a week. If the article is accepted, it is published immediately in the journal.

In stage 2, the journal's associate editors are notified of the publication, and can provide additional public reviews of the paper. Associate editors must apply to the role, and provide a detailed curriculum vitae to indicate their qualifications in reviewing the paper. Authors are encouraged to upload revised manuscripts based on the reviews of the associate editors.

Endorsements

Both papers and reviews can be endorsed for their scholarly merit, rigor, and relevance to the field. Endorsements are displayed on author and editor profile pages, to provide a real-time rating system of their scholarly contributions to the journal.

Indexing

The International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine is indexed by Google Scholar, and are registered through Ulrich's Serials Directory. ISSN/SISSN numbers are listed for older library systems. We do not offer print subscriptions at this time.

Becoming an Associate Editor

Qualified scholars are encouraged to become an associate editor of the International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine, and help review submissions. You must have a background in the field to qualify. Full professors, associate and emeritus professors, researchers, graduate students, professionals, and others are welcome to apply, but the decision will be based upon the curriculum vitae in your profile.

Decisions are made by the managing editors.

Application Process

You must apply to become an associate editor. To apply, you will need to take the following steps:

1. Register with Journal Network, or Login
2. Make sure your full name, email address, primary affiliation, and status within your profile are correct and up to date
3. Complete your curriculum vitae located in your profile
4. Click on the Become an Editor button on the journal page
5. Agree to the Editorial statements, and click the Apply Now button

Your application will be sent to the managing editors. When a decision is made regarding your application, you will be notified by email.

Review Process

The International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine is based on a model of instant distribution, editorial transparency, and continuous peer-review. A submitted paper undergoes a two-stage referee process. The purpose is to minimize time delays between submission and publication, and to promote ongoing conversation and paper refinements between authors and reviewers.

In stage 1, the paper is either accepted or rejected by the managing editorial team, usually within a week. If the article is accepted, it is published immediately in the journal.

In stage 2, the journal's associate editors are notified of the publication, and can provide additional public reviews of the paper. Authors are encouraged to upload revised manuscripts based on the reviews of the associate editors.

Considerations for Editors Making Reviews

Associate editors are encouraged to provide detailed, constructive reviews that will help the author(s) improve their manuscript, and help readers evaluate the paper. Key issues are whether the work has serious flaws, or whether there are additional experiments, data, considerations, or treatments required to support the conclusions drawn. Where possible, editors should provide references to substantiate their comments. All reviews are publicly visible; however reviewers may use the private messaging system to communicate privately with the author or other editors in service of improving the paper. Authors are encouraged to submit revised manuscripts based on these reviews and other editor input.

Endorsements

Both papers and reviews can be endorsed for their scholarly merit, rigor, and relevance to the field. Endorsements are displayed on author and associate editor profile pages, to provide a real-time rating system of their scholarly contributions to the journal.

Notifications

You will be notified by email when new submissions to the International Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine are published.

Editing or Deleting Reviews

You can edit or delete your reviews in the Edit Review section of your profile.