Gravitational and Space biology – Journal Updates and Invitation for general submissions

Dear Colleagues:

As many of you know, the Society’s journal, Gravitational and Space Biology, is undergoing a series of changes to become a completely electronic, Open Journal, and the September issue will be the first in the new format. One substantial change is that the journal will now accept the submission of manuscripts continuously. There will still be occasional time-delimited calls for issue-specific materials (such as the extended meeting abstracts) but all submissions, of any length, can be submitted for consideration and review at any time. Manuscripts will be published as space permits, in the order of acceptance.

For the time being, submissions can be made through the ASGSB web site http://asgsb.org/manuscript/submit.html using the same formatting template provided for the extended abstracts; however the length need not be limited to two pages.

As always, the main criteria for publication will be that the research presented is original and of significant interest to the community of gravitational and space biologists. All manuscripts will be peer reviewed.

Again, many thanks for your patience as we make this transition.
Below I have compiled a set of the most frequently asked questions to come across my desk in the past few months, but if you have any others, please do not hesitate to ask.

Anna-Lisa Paul
Editor, Gravitational and Space Biology
[email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are articles in Gravitational and Space Biology peer reviewed?

Yes; with the exception of solicited Review Articles, which are simply reviewed by an Associate Editor for format and clarity.

Can color be used in figures?

Yes; as an on line journal, we can use color freely without incurring cost. In fact, we encourage submission of cover art for each issue.

Is Gravitational and Space Biology indexed, and does GSB have an impact factor?

Not yet, but hopefully soon; we are working on fulfilling indexing requirements. Currently articles published in GSB can be found via several web search engines, but it is not yet indexed with either PubMed or Web of Science (ISI). Once GSB is indexed, it can begin developing an impact factor.

How many issues will be published per year?

Two; currently one volume in September, which will also contain annual meeting relevant information, and one in April (beginning in April 2012). The number of volumes may increase in future years as we further develop the Open Journal System (OJS) publication of GSB.

Do you need to be a member of ASGSB to publish in Gravitational and Space biology?

No; journal is open to all.

Does the Open Journal System of publication come with any fees for authors?

No, and there will never be any fees for ASGSB members. However, once we are indexed and carry an impact factor, we may consider a modest publication fee for non-members.

What is the average turnaround time between submission and publication?

Currently, about 4-6 months, based on the fact we are a biannual journal. However, if we find that in the coming years we have more manuscripts than we can publish in a timely manner with only two issues per year, we will transition to a tri-annual or quarterly journal. In which case, the turnaround time will decrease proportionally.