What file formats are accepted?

We accept PDF, DOCX, or zipped LaTeX source files. Figures should be supplied as separate high-resolution files (PNG, JPG, or TIFF).

Are there any author charges?

Submission, formatting, and peer review are free. An Article Processing Charge (APC) applies only after acceptance and is quoted per manuscript by the editorial office. During the founding period, an automatic 50% waiver of the Standard APC applies to every accepted manuscript. Special hardship and student first-author waivers may reduce it further on a partial, case-by-case basis. See the APC page for full policy and to request a written quote.

What is your plagiarism policy?

All submissions are screened with similarity-detection software before peer review. Manuscripts with significant unattributed overlap are returned for revision or desk-rejected at the editor's discretion.

Can I add or change co-authors after submission?

Authorship changes after submission require written agreement from all listed authors and approval from the handling editor. Email the editorial office with the request and confirmation from the corresponding author.

Will my paper receive a DOI?

We are in the process of registering with a DOI registration agency. Until registration is complete, accepted articles are issued a stable Aperture Papers identifier and a permanent URL. We will update this page when DOI assignment is live.

Where will my paper be indexed?

Indexing is an editorial goal, not a guarantee. As a new publisher we are working toward inclusion in major scholarly databases; applications take time and are subject to each service's criteria. We will list active indexing once confirmed.

Can I request revisions after a decision?

Yes. Minor- and major-revision decisions include anonymized reviewer reports and a defined resubmission window.

How do I contact the editorial office?

For manuscript submissions, email manuscripts@aperturepapers.com. For general enquiries about the journal, email editor@aperturepapers.com. For post-publication matters — corrections, appeals, complaints, or copyright — email editorialoffice@aperturepapers.com.

Now accepting founding submissions to Letters in Basic and Translational Biochemistry. Target first decision: 4–6 weeks.

For Authors

Submit with confidence.

Submission guidelines, the review workflow, and answers to common questions from prospective authors.

Submission Guidelines

Manuscript formatting

Referencing

APA style

Word count

3,000 – 8,000 words

Abstract

Max 250 words, max 6 keywords

File formats

PDF, DOCX, or zipped LaTeX source files

Font

Times New Roman or similar, 12pt

Spacing

Double spaced

Review Timeline

From submission to publication

Submit

Day 0

Step 1

Editorial Check

1–7 days

Step 2

Peer Review

3–4 weeks

Step 3

Decision

1–3 days

Step 4

Publication

After acceptance

Step 5

Triage & editorial check

1–7 days

The editorial office verifies scope fit, formatting, ethics statements, and similarity screening. Manuscripts outside scope or missing required statements are returned without external review.

Editor assignment

2–5 days

A subject-matched handling editor is assigned. The editor reads the manuscript, checks for competing interests, and shortlists reviewers.

Reviewer invitations

5–10 days

Reviewer invitations are sent in waves until a minimum of two independent reviewers accept. A third is invited when reports diverge.

Under review

3–4 weeks

Reviewers evaluate the manuscript against the standing checklist and return anonymised reports through the editorial system.

Editor decision

1–3 days after reports arrive

The handling editor synthesises the reports and issues one of: accept, minor revision, major revision, reject-and-resubmit, or reject.

Revision round(s)

Author-controlled window

Minor revisions: 2 weeks suggested. Major revisions: 4–8 weeks suggested. Extensions are granted on request — email the editorial office.

Final acceptance & production

1–2 weeks

Copy-editing, proof review, metadata registration, and scheduling for publication.

Publication

On the next publication slot after proofs are approved

The article is published open access under CC BY 4.0 with a stable Aperture Papers identifier (DOI once registration is live).

Author tips

How to speed up processing

Most delays happen before external review even starts. These practical steps consistently shave days — sometimes weeks — off the total timeline.

Follow the Author Guidelines exactly — formatting, section order, and word/abstract limits.
Submit a fully anonymised main manuscript; identifying details in the file trigger a re-upload request.
Include every required statement at submission — ethics, consent, data availability, funding, conflicts, CRediT, and AI use.
Deposit data and code in a public repository before submission and cite the accession/DOI.
Provide a one-page cover letter with a clear novelty statement and 3–5 suggested reviewers with ORCID and institutional emails.
Make sure all co-authors have approved submission and their ORCIDs are on the title page.
Reply promptly to editorial-office queries — most re-upload requests are resolved same-day when authors are responsive.
For revisions, submit a point-by-point response alongside a tracked-changes manuscript and a clean version.
Flag any waiver or hardship context up front so the editorial office can process it in parallel with review.

Ranges above are targets, not guarantees. Complex manuscripts, reviewer availability, or holidays may extend the timeline. Status updates are sent to the corresponding author at every stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common author questions

Our target is an initial editorial decision within 4–6 weeks of assignment to the handling editor. Timelines depend on reviewer availability and manuscript complexity.

Paper template & submission checklist

Downloadable templates will be published alongside the submission portal. In the interim, please email editorialoffice@aperturepapers.com to request the current draft template.