The arrival of the internet has brought tremendous changes to the STM publishing world, an important one being electronic editions of journals. Many journals that were only previously available in print are now available electronically, which brings tremendous benefits to authors and readers around the world.
Each article undergoes a number of processing steps before a typeset proof can be sent to the author. This includes conversion into a neutral format such as XML, technical markup, image processing and typesetting.
Content is prepared so that it can easily be found on SpringerLink, Google, etc. and can be used for various outputs (e.g., conversion to HTML for Internet publication or into a typesetting system for printing). This means that the manuscript data is enriched with additional information (tags) that go beyond the pure contents of the text. For example, the tagging of the metadata such as author name(s) and affiliations ensures that all relevant data is available as required. The tagging of the reference list entries enables us to crosslink the cited references with the original publication.
The technical quality of the figures will be checked. The author will be requested to provide better quality figures if the original figures are unsuitable for reproduction. The figures will then be sized according to the layout requirements. They will be placed near their citation in the text, depending on availability of space. Please note that Springer will not redraw or re-letter any images. Part figure labels will not be changed according to the legend.
The copyedited text and the figures are now imported into the typesetting system and formatted according to the journal’s layout specifications.
One of the many benefits for journal authors is that article tracking is available for corresponding authors of a large range of Springer journals. It guides the author through the 7 stages from the moment their article has been accepted until it is published in print. Every step is described and Springer will let the author know whether action on their part is required.
An author receives their page proofs approximately two weeks after finishing the MyPublication process.
The proofs are sent via e-mail including a hyperlink. The purpose of the proof is to check for typesetting or conversion errors and the completeness and accuracy of the text, tables and figures.
The typesetter will insert queries in the proofs wherever clarifications are required from the author. The author will be asked to return the proofs with comments and/or corrections to the typesetter by e.Proofing, email or fax.
The author will also receive a metadata sheet showing the header information that will later appear on SpringerLink and other online platforms. This should also be checked, especially the author(s) names and affiliations
e.Proofing offers Springer authors an easy way of making corrections to their article, book chapter or entire book proofs — online. It speeds up the proofing process and minimizes correction-related errors. More detailed information on e.Proofing can be found here.
Many newly established journal have set themselves up as electronic only (e-only, or online-only), especially with the rise of open access journals, but others are still in transition, with libraries and publishers finding themselves with both paper and electronic editions. This form of publishing has also brought with it a new type of editor, a web editor, who is responsible for managing online content
Online First publishing (i.e. publishing an electronic version of the article in advance of the print edition) considerably reduces the time it would have previously taken for critical discoveries in the research community to be communicated, often by many months.
Once a proof has been corrected and finalized, an article is ready for Online First publication and can be published online. This means that readers can access peer reviewed articles well before print publication. These articles are searchable on the journal homepage and on PubMed and they can be cited using their unique DOI (Digital Object Identifier). The formatting depends on the reference style of the journal, but in principle you can simply use the DOI instead of volume and page numbers, as in the following example:
Gamelin FX, Baquet G, Berthoin S, Thevenet D, Nourry C, Nottin S, Bosquet L (2009) Effect of high intensity intermittent training on heart rate variability in prepubescent children. Eur J Appl Physiol. doi: 10.1007/s00421-008-0955-8
After OnlineFirst publication, the article is ready to be included in a (printed) journal issue. The OnlineFirst versions are paginated and the cover, table of contents and preliminary pages are created.
All issue files undergo a final quality check. In the next step the printer PDFs are created. The HTML, online PDF and metadata files are archived in Springer’s database and published via SpringerLink.
The journal issue is now accessible to readers all over the world. Printed issues are shipped to subscribers across the globe.