Instructions to Authors
Scope of Biology of Reproduction
Overview of Submission and Review
Nomenclature for Genes and Proteins
Availability of Data and Materials
After Your Article is Accepted
Publication and Open Access Charges
Ethical Guidelines and Responsibilities
Submit an Article
All manuscripts are submitted through the Editorial Manager system. Authors who have not previously used this system will be asked to create an account. To begin a submission, please go to the Submission Site.
Submissions must be accompanied by the cover letter. The cover letter should contain (i) a brief statement of the main point and significance of the paper; (ii) a statement that this work is not under consideration and will not be submitted for consideration by another journal (submission to pre-print servers is acceptable); (iii) if applicable, a statement that written permission has been obtained from any author whose work is cited as a personal communication, unpublished work, or work in press, but is not an author of the manuscript. A copy of this permission may be requested; (iv) if applicable, a statement that written permission has been obtained from all publishers, individuals, or institutions that hold copyright or exclusive license for any work (figure, table, textual extract) included in the submission, whether it is the same or modified. Upon acceptance, a copy of this permission will be requested.
Below are detailed instructions for submitting a manuscript. Click on the following links to obtain downloadable Quick Access Instructions and a Submission Checklist.
Pre-submission Language Editing
You may wish to use a language-editing service before submitting to ensure that editors and reviewers understand your manuscript. Our publisher, Oxford University Press, partners with Enago, a leading provider of author services. Through the OUP-Enago partner page, prospective authors are entitled to a discount for language editing, abstract and layperson summary writing, rejected manuscript editing, and creation of graphical abstracts, illustrations, and videos.
Enago is an independent service provider, which will handle all aspects of this service, including payment. As an author you are under no obligation to take up this offer. Language editing and other services from Enago are optional and do not guarantee that your manuscript will be accepted. Edited manuscripts will undergo the regular review process of the Journal. For more details and a list of additional resources, please see OUP’s page on language services.
Author Guidelines
Scope of Biology of Reproduction
Biology of Reproduction (BOR) publishes high-quality research that provides mechanistic insight into animal reproduction, reproductive diseases, and embryonic development. Descriptive manuscripts that contribute substantial and important new information may also be appropriate.
We welcome submissions on topics including but not limited to: reproduction in mammalian and non-mammalian species; biology of reproductive organs and tissues; hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis; pregnancy; contraception and reproductive technologies; reproductive immunology; reproductive microbiomics; cancers of the gonads, accessory glands, and reproductive tracts; and reproductive toxicology. Submissions that focus on, or relate to, domestic livestock models and human reproduction are encouraged.
Studies of breast cancer, clinical meta-analyses, clinical case studies, randomized controlled trials, or studies on botanical mixtures are outside the scope of BOR.
In addition to original research, the journal publishes reviews, letters to the editor, research highlights, methods, and forum pieces on topics of current interest or controversy in reproductive biology. Author inquiries for articles other than original research should be directed to the Biology of Reproduction Editorial Office: [email protected].
Types of Articles
Research Articles: A research article should contain up to 8,000 words (~10 pages) in the main text (Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion) and up to 8 display items (Figures and Tables). Additional information, including detailed Methods where appropriate, may be provided as Supplementary Material.
Reviews: A review should contain up to about 10,000 words (~12 pages) and up to 8 display items (Figures and Tables).
Letters to the Editor: Letters are concise reports of novel findings of general interest to the field. A Letter should start with “Dear Editor,”, and contains no abstract or subsections. They may contain a text of up to 1,000 words, up to 10 references, and one display item. If necessary, methods can be included in Supplementary Material.
Research Highlights: Research Highlights point readers to recent key research advances in reproductive biology. Typically solicited by the EiCs or an AE, a Research Highlight may contain up to 1,000 words of text, up to 10 references, and one display item. All Highlights must be approved by the corresponding author of the paper to be highlighted.
Interviews: BOR publishes interviews with prominent investigators in the field, usually conducted by the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors or members of the Board of Reviewing Editors. An interview should contain no more than 1,000 words, up to 10 references, and one portrait of the investigator.
Forum: Forum hosts opinion and advocacy pieces on topics of current interest or controversy. They may contain up to 1,000 words of text, up to 10 references, and one display item. Please consult the editors [email protected]; [email protected]) if you are interested in contributing to Forum.
Methods: Methods papers describe a method or technique used in reproductive research. Methods papers should include the method’s purpose, materials, detailed descriptions to accurate replicate the method, representative results, troubleshooting, and a discussion of its significance, limitations, and potential applications. Methods should follow the format as outlined in these instructions.
Overview of Submission and Review
All manuscripts must be written in English and must meet professional standards for grammatical accuracy, quality and style. To make submission more user-friendly, BOR has introduced format-friendly submission, meaning that it is not required that the initial submission follow the journal manuscript style. To facilitate rapid and constructive review, it should comprise the standard sections of a scientific manuscript – Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion (the latter two may be combined), References, and up to approximately eight display times (Figures and/or Tables). Line- and page-numbers are required. Revised and final submissions must follow the journal style and formatting requirements.
All submissions must be accompanied by a Cover Letter. The cover letter should contain (i) a brief statement of the main point and significance of the paper; (ii) a statement that this work is not under consideration and will not be submitted for consideration by another journal (submission to pre-print servers is acceptable); (iii) if applicable, a statement that written permission has been obtained from any author whose work is cited as a personal communication, unpublished work, or work in press, but is not an author of the manuscript. A copy of this permission may be requested; (iv) if applicable, a statement that written permission has been obtained from all publishers, individuals, or institutions that hold copyright or exclusive license for any work (figure, table, textual extract) included in the submission, whether it is the same or modified. Upon acceptance, a copy of this permission will be requested.
All submissions are checked by the Editors-in-Chief and/or an Associate Editor to determine whether the subject and content are appropriate for the journal. Manuscripts that enter the review process are assigned by the Editors-in-Chief to an Associate Editor with expertise in the subject area. The Associate Editor selects reviewers, including whenever possible at least one from the Board of Reviewing Editors. Reviewers are expected to submit a report within two weeks. The Associate Editor then makes a recommendation to the Editors-in-Chief, who make a decision that is sent to the corresponding author.
Accepted articles are posted on-line in manuscript form, typically within 1-2 days after the corresponding author has returned the completed License to Publish. At this point, the article is assigned a DOI number and will be indexed in PubMed. Within about two weeks, the proofs will be sent to the corresponding author. Once the corrected proofs have been returned, the formatted article will be posted on-line.
Preparing the Manuscript
All manuscripts must be written in English and must meet professional standards for grammatical accuracy, quality and style. BOR has introduced format-friendly submission, meaning that your initial submission does not need to follow the BOR manuscript style, provided that it comprises the usual sections of scientific manuscripts – Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion (the latter two may be combined), References, and up to approximately eight display times (Figures and/or Tables). Revised and final submissions must follow the style and formatting requirements described below.
Use a font such as Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial, 11- or 12-point, and double-spaced lines. Set the page size as Letter (8.5” x 11”) or A4, and insert line and page numbers. Place each Figure and Table on a separate page. Cite references using numbers within parentheses in the text and list them in the References section in the order in which they are cited. Only published works should be cited. Do not italicize Latin terms such as et al., in situ, in vitro, or in vivo.
Instructions for formatting gene, transcript and protein names and abbreviations
Instructions for preparing Figures
Instructions for formatting References
Preparation of Research Articles
Graphical abstract
All Research Articles submitted after January 1, 2023 are now required to include a graphical abstract or video abstract, in addition to the text abstract. Graphical abstracts are optional for other article types. The graphical/video abstract should clearly summarize the focus and findings of the article in a visually compelling manner. Graphical abstracts should be one panel, 1200 pixels (width) x 900 pixels (height) square at 300 ppi. This corresponds to 4 inches/10 cm x 3 inches/7.5 cm at 300 ppi. Use 12- to 16-point Arial font to ensure legibility. Please provide as a TIFF, PDF or JPG file. Provide videos as AVI or MP4 files.
Title page
Title: State the key point of the manuscript. Indicate the species studied and avoid uncommon abbreviations. Maximum 120 characters including spaces.
Authors and affiliations. List all authors and provide the full name and location of each institution where work was performed. Do not use abbreviations and do not provide street addresses. Use superscript Arabic numerals to key the authors to their institutions.
Grant support. In a footnote, indicate financial support including funding agency name(s) and grant or contract numbers where applicable.
Correspondence. In a footnote, provide complete contact information including street address for the corresponding author.
Running title. Provide an abbreviated title (maximum 50 characters including spaces). This will appear on each published page of the article.
Summary sentence. Provide a one-sentence statement (maximum 250 characters including spaces) of the key finding reported in the manuscript. Avoid phrases such as "this paper demonstrates…" or "we show that…". This will appear in the Table of Contents and beneath the abstract in the published article.
Keywords. Supply up to 10 keywords that are relevant to the work reported in the manuscript.
Additional footnotes. If two or more authors contributed equally to the work, or if an author's contact address has changed since the research was performed, provide this information in footnotes.
Abstract
Describe the relevant scientific context and goal of the study, experimental strategies used, and results obtained. All key results described in the text should be mentioned in the abstract. Conclude with a statement of the significance of the findings. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms and do not cite references. Maximum 250 words.
Introduction
Concisely explain the background that the reader needs to know in order to understand the aim and significance of the work reported in the manuscript. An important knowledge gap and how the new work fills this gap should be clearly presented.
Materials and methods
Ethics: It must be stated and documented that investigations using experimental animals or human subjects were conducted in accordance with the relevant institutional and/or national guidelines and standards.
Describe methods in sufficient detail that a competent scientist could replicate the experiments. Common techniques should not be explained in detail, unless a specific aspect is important to obtain or interpret the results. If an extended description of methods is needed, this can be provided in Supplementary Material. The source of all reagents should be clearly identified. Any modifications of images must be clearly explained. State the statistical methods used for data analysis.
If antibodies are used, indicate the name of the target, supplier, catalog number, specific use in this manuscript, dilution, and Research Resource Identifier (RRID) where available. RRID information may be found in the Antibody Registry. If a large number of antibodies are used, please list them in a Table included in the Supplementary Material.
Results
Following a logical order, describe the experimental results. Begin each paragraph with a brief (usually one sentence) statement of the specific aim of the experiment to be described, followed by the approach. State the results clearly and concisely, using the past tense and referring to the appropriate display item(s). Where appropriate, the paragraph may be concluded with a statement indicating the meaning or significance of the results.
Nucleotide sequences should be submitted to GenBank, EMBL, or DNA Data Bank of Japan, and the accession number and date of accession noted in the text. Authors are encouraged to provide a link to the deposit. Genomic and proteomic data should be deposited with the NCBI gene expression and hybridization array data repository (GEO). The GEO accession number and sequence deposit information should be referenced in a footnote on the Title Page.
Discussion
Provide a clear and concise interpretation of the results; avoid repeating them. Place them in a larger context, making clear how they advance knowledge both in the specific subject area and more generally in the field of reproductive biology.
Acknowledgments
Individuals who have provided important contributions, such as reagents, services, editorial assistance or conceptual advice, to the research described in the manuscript but are not co-authors should be acknowledged here. List funding support on the title page.
Conflict of interest
Provide a statement indicating any potential or actual conflicts of interest with respect to the work reported in the article.
Author contributions
Indicate the contributions to the manuscript made by each author, identified by initials corresponding to first and last names.
References
Only articles that have been published or accepted for publication in recognized professional scientific journals or books may be cited. For information on how to format references, please see the Formatting the References section.
Figure legends
Figure legends should be concise while providing enough information for the reader to understand the Figure without referring to the text. Indicate sample size and which statistical tests have been performed where appropriate.
Tables
Each Table should be numbered and have a brief title. Column and row headings should be self-explanatory. Use footnotes where necessary, but sparingly.
Figures
High-quality images, graphics and diagrams that clearly illustrate the intended point are key to drawing attention and making the data more convincing. Instructions for preparing Figures may be found in the Preparing the Figures section.
Videos
Videos can be published in the online article. Please submit videos in AVI or MP4 format. All videos should have an accompanying legend.
Supplementary material (if applicable)
Supplementary Material that clarifies the main points of the manuscript may be provided. All supplemental data must be cited in the manuscript text (e.g., "see Supplemental Table S1"), and supplemental Tables and Figures should be numbered in the order in which they are cited.
Nomenclature for Genes and Proteins
The full name of a gene and its abbreviation should be given at its first mention and its abbreviation should subsequently be used. Previous gene-names may be included in parentheses at the first mention of the gene.
Website for human nomenclature rules
Website for mouse nomenclature rules
General nomenclature rules for a mouse, rat, worm, frog, or fly:
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Full gene names are in Roman font (not italic); e.g., insulin-like growth factor 1.
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Greek symbols are not used.
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Gene, mRNA, and cDNA symbols:
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Italic font, with only the first letter upper case; e.g., Igf1.
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Greek symbols are not used. Hyphens are rarely used.
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Protein symbols:
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Use the same symbol as the gene.
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Roman font (not italic), with all letters upper case; e.g., IGF1.
Mutant alleles:
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Define when first mentioned; e.g., "Igf1tm1Arge/Igf1tm1Arge is one of several knockout alleles of Igf1."
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Italic font is used for all letters and numbers, with the allelic designation (e.g. tm1Arge) in superscript.
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After first mention, the homozygous KO can be indicated as Igf1-/-; the heterozygote can be indicated as Igf1+/-, etc.
General nomenclature rules for humans, nonhuman primates, chickens, domestic species, and everything that is not a mouse, rat, fish, worm, frog, or fly:
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Full gene names are in roman font (not italic); e.g., insulin-like growth factor 1.
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Greek symbols are not used.
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Gene, mRNA, and cDNA symbols:
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Italic font, with all letters upper case; e.g., IGF1.
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Greek symbols are never used.
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Hyphens are used only in very specific cases (please refer to the nomenclature guidelines).
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Fish
Please consult ZFIN
Preparing the Figures
Please adhere to the following guidelines. Figures that do not conform may be returned to the authors for modification.
General
Prepare Figures at their final publication size, corresponding to either one (3.25 in/8.3 cm/19.5 picas) or two (5.8 in/14.7 cm/35 picas) column-widths. Maximum length is 9.25 in/ 23.5 cm/55.5 picas. This will avoid delays at the proofing stage.
Use software that enables images and line drawings to be uploaded as high-quality TIF, EPS, PDF or Adobe Illustrator (AI) images. If JPG must be used, save the files at the highest-quality setting.
Powerpoint is not recommended as the resolution of micrographs may be inadequate.
Use a Sans Serif font (eg, Arial, Calibri, Helvetica) for all text in the Figure. Use the same point-size for corresponding parts (eg, axis labels) of all figures.
Number figures consecutively with Arabic numerals (e.g., 1, 2, 3) in the order in which they are discussed in the text. This number should be included on each figure above or below the figure itself.
Label the different sections of each figure using A, B, C, … placed in the upper left corner of the appropriate section.
Clearly label relevant structures.
Ensure that the resolution and magnification of micrographs enables the relevant structures to be clearly identified.
Include labeled scale bars in micrographs. Do not state the magnification.
Use a non-proportional font, such as Courier, for nucleotide and amino-acid sequences.
Avoid using patterns in bars; use open and solid bars wherever possible.
Digital Images
Use RGB format rather than CYMK. Images should be minimally processed. Adjustments are acceptable provided that they are equally applied to the relevant control images. No specific feature within an image may be obscured, moved, removed, or introduced. The final image must conform to current standards for ethical scientific imaging and must accurately and fully represent the information present in the original image.
Original, unaltered images must be provided to the Editors if requested. If the original data cannot be produced, manuscript acceptance may be revoked.
Gels and blots
The grouping of images from different parts of the same gel, or from different gels, fields, or exposures must be made explicit by the arrangement of the figure (e.g., dividing lines) and in the figure legend.
Appropriate controls and molecular size markers should be included on each gel and/or blot or provided in Supplementary Material. Cropping is permissible if it improves the clarity and conciseness of the presentation. All cropping must be described in the figure legend.
Figure accessibility and alt text
Incorporating alt text (alternative text) when submitting your paper helps to foster inclusivity and accessibility. Good alt text ensures that individuals with visual impairments or those using screen readers can comprehend the content and context of your figures. The aim of alt text is to provide concise and informative descriptions of your figure so that all readers have access to the same level of information and understanding, and that all can engage with and benefit from the visual elements integral to scholarly content. Including alt text demonstrates a commitment to accessibility and enhances the overall impact and reach of your work.
Alt text is applicable to all images, figures, illustrations, and photographs.
Alt text is only accessible via e-reader and so it won’t appear as part of the typeset article.
Detailed guidance on how to draft and submit alt text.
Formatting the References
All references should be cited in numerical order in the text using square brackets. If a reference citation appears only in a table or figure, number that reference last. For example, if there are 50 references in the text, four in a table, and two in a figure, the in-text references would be numbered 1-50, the references in the table would be numbered 51-54, and the references in the figure would be numbered 55-56. Abbreviate journal names according to Serial Sources for the BIOSIS Database, Index Medicus, or PubMed's Journal Browser and may also be obtained at
https://images.webofknowledge.com/images/help/WOS/A_abrvjt.html
Journal article
Demas GE, Nelson RJ. Photoperiod, ambient temperature, and food availability interact to affect reproductive and immune function in adult male deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). J Biol Rhythms 1998; 13:253–262.
Where there are more than 12 authors, list the first twelve followed by et al.
Journal article, e-journal.
Yuen T, Wurmbach E, Pfeffer RL, Ebersole BJ, Sealfon SC. Accuracy and calibration of commercial oligonucleotide and custom cDNA microarrays. Nucleic Acids Res 2002; 30:e48.
Book.
Sokol RR, Rohlf FJ. Biometry. New York: WH Freeman and Co; 1981:253-261.
Book chapter.
Harrison RJ, Weir BJ. Structure of the mammalian ovary. In: Zuckerman S, Weit BJ (eds.) The Ovary, vol. 1, 2nd ed. New York: Academic Press; 1977:113-217.
Database.
Mouse Tumor Biology Database (MTB), Mouse Genome Informatics. Bar Harbor, ME: The Jackson Laboratory; 2004. http://www.informatics.jax.org. Accessed 11 October 2012.
Availability of Data and Materials
Availability of Data
Biology of Reproduction operates under a Level 2 Data Availability Policy which states that the journal strongly encourages all authors, where ethically possible, to publicly release all data underlying any published paper. Authors of papers that include genomic, proteomic, or other high-throughput datasets are expected to make their data accessible. Authors whose studies are funded by the NIH should follow all mandated NIH policies on data management and sharing. Authors must include a Data Availability Statement in their published article.
The data should be presented in the main manuscript or in supplementary material or deposited in an appropriate public repository. Genomics data should be submitted to the NCBI’s Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/); or, you may provide a link to a secure or publicly accessible website that hosts the data. Authors should include the relevant database identifiers and accession numbers for deposited sequences or raw data within the manuscript using the format: Database: xxxx (eg GEO: For information on general repositories for all data types, and a list of recommended repositories by subject area, please see Choosing where to archive your data.
Authors are required to include a Data Availability Statement in the article text. The goal of this statement is to provide the reader with information on the availability of the data that served as the foundation for the results presented in the article. This statement should encompass any original data or third-party data analyzed in the article. The statement should include information on where the data is stored, a means of access, and when relevant, any unique identifiers.
The Data Availability Statement should be included in the endmatter of your article under the heading ‘Data availability’.
More information and sample Data Availability Statements be found here.
Data Citation
BOR supports the Force 11 Data Citation Principles and requires that all publicly available datasets be fully referenced in the reference list with an accession number or unique identifier such as a digital object identifier (DOI). Data citations should include the minimum information recommended by DataCite:
- [dataset]* Authors, Year, Title, Publisher (repository or archive name), Identifier
*The inclusion of the [dataset] tag at the beginning of the citation helps us to correctly identify and tag the citation. This tag will be removed from the citation published in the reference list.
Preprint policy
Authors retain the right to make an Author’s Original Version (preprint) available through various channels, and this does not prevent submission to the journal. For further information see our Online Licensing, Copyright and Permissions policies. If accepted, the authors are required to update the status of any preprint, including your published paper’s DOI, as described on our Author Self-Archiving policy page.
The Review Process
All submissions are reviewed by the Editors-in-Chief and/or an Associate Editor to determine whether the subject and content are appropriate for the journal. Manuscripts that enter the review process are assigned by the Editors-in-Chief to an Associate Editor having expertise in the subject area. The Associate Editor selects reviewers, including whenever possible at least one from the Board of Reviewing Editors. Reviewers are expected to submit the report within two weeks. The Associate Editor then makes a recommendation to the Editors-in-Chief, who make a decision that is sent to the corresponding author.
Following review, manuscripts will receive one of four decisions: Accept; Reconsider after Minor Revision; Reconsider after Major Revision; Decline.
A decision of Reconsider after Minor Revision generally means that certain points need to be clarified but that no substantive additional experimental work is required. Revised submissions are not sent for re-review, but are assessed by the handling Associate Editor.
A decision of Reconsider after Major Revision generally means that the reviewers recognize significant strengths of the manuscript, but find that additional experimental work and/or substantial editorial revision is necessary, and that they consider that this work can be accomplished and a revised manuscript submitted within three months. Revised submissions are whenever possible sent to the reviewers of the original submission.
A decision to decline a manuscript generally means that, in the view of the reviewers and editors, the additional experimental or editorial work required to bring the manuscript to the point where it could be considered for publication cannot be completed within three months.
In general, the journal will permit only one Major Revision of any submission. If the reviewers and editors find that a revised manuscript requires a second round of major revisions, it may be declined for publication at this stage.
After Your Article is Accepted
Once the manuscript has been accepted for publication, the DOI number is generated and within about two days an email containing the License to Publish is sent to the corresponding author. Once the License has been completed and returned, the manuscript is published on-line and can be found in the Advance Articles section on the journal website. This establishes the date of publication and the manuscript will be indexed in PubMed. Please note also that the journal and publisher have no control over how quickly an article, once published on-line, appears in PubMed.
When the License to Publish has been completed and returned, the article is sent for editing and type-setting. This generally takes about two weeks, after which the proofs are sent to the corresponding author. We ask that the corrected proof be returned within three days. Once this has been done, the corrected proof will be posted in the Advance Articles within 10 days. If extensive corrections are required, this will delay posting of the corrected proof.
Permissions for Third-Party Copyright
In order for Biology of Reproduction to publish any third-party material, including tables, figures, or images in an article, authors must obtain permission from the copyright holder and be compliant with any requirements the copyright holder may have pertaining to this reuse. When seeking to reproduce any kind of third-party material authors should request the following:
- non-exclusive rights to reproduce the material in the specified article and journal;
- electronic rights, preferably for use in any form or medium;
- the right to use the material for the life of the work; and
- world-wide English-language rights.
It is important to clear permission for use in online versions of the journal. The publisher is not able to accept permissions that carry a time limit because journal articles are archived on-line. Further guidelines on clearing permissions.
Publication and Open Access Charges
Biology of Reproduction offers the option of publishing under either a standard license or an open access license. Please note that some funders require open access publication as a condition of funding. If you are unsure whether you are required to publish open access, please do clarify any such requirements with your funder or institution.
Publication Charges (Standard License)
Regular Research Articles, Letters to the Editor
Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) members:
- New submissions from January 1, 2024: $0
- Submissions received before January 1, 2024: $650
To receive discounted SSR member pricing, the corresponding author of the paper must be a current SSR member (Regular or Emeritus) at the time of initial submission. Learn more about SSR membership at https://www.ssr.org/membership/join.
Non-SSR members: $1400
Research Highlights, Interviews, Forum: No charge
Reviews: No charge
There are no charges for color figures.
Open Access Charges (Open Access License)
Should you wish to publish your article open access, you should select your choice of open access license in our online system after your article has been accepted for publication. You will need to pay an open access charge to publish under an open access license. There are no further publication charges (see above, Publication Charges) to publish Open Access, only the open access charges as detailed below.
Details of the open access licenses and open access charges.
OUP has a growing number of Read and Publish agreements with institutions and consortia which provide funding for open access publishing. This means authors from participating institutions can publish open access, and the institution may pay the charge. Find out if your institution is participating.
Please note that you may be eligible for a discount to the open access charge based on society membership. Authors may be asked to prove eligibility for the member discount.
Self Archiving Policy
This policy sets out the ways in which authors may self-archive versions of their work on their own webpages, on institutional webpages, and in other repositories. The embargo period for non-Open Access papers in Biology of Reproduction is currently 12 months.
To learn more about Biology of Reproduction’s self-archiving policy, please visit the Author self-archiving policy page.
Ethical Guidelines and Responsibilities
All authors bear responsibility for the validity and accuracy of the data and manuscript. These responsibilities include verification that:
- No scientific misconduct occurred during the performance or reporting of the research.
- All relevant data is reported, including that which may contradict the interpretations and conclusions.
- The data reported in the manuscript has not been submitted or published elsewhere.
- Previous relevant contributions are acknowledged with accurate citations.
- All criteria for ethical conduct of research with animals and/or humans have been met, and statements to this effect are included in the manuscript.
- All reagents and research materials not commercially available, including but not limited to plasmids, antibodies, cell lines, hybridomas, DNA sequences, and expression array data used in the studies reported, are freely available to other researchers.
- The submitted manuscript, once accepted, is not materially altered in the proof stage. All changes, other than minor ones in the text, must be approved by the Editors-in-Chief.
- All DNA, protein, microarray, and genomic sequence data generated during the course of the work and that forms a part of the data that is reported are available in public databases at the time of publication.
Authorship
Authorship is limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the design and execution of the work described. Any contributors whose participation does not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged but not listed as an author.
The Journal does not allow ghost authorship, where an unnamed author prepares the article with no credit, or guest/gift authorship, where an author who made little or no contribution is listed as an author. The Journal follows Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance on investigating and resolving these cases. For more information, please see the OUP Publication Ethics page.
Natural language processing tools driven by artificial intelligence (AI) do not qualify as authors, and the Journal will screen for them in author lists. The use of AI (for example, to help generate content or images, write code, process data, or for translation) should be disclosed both in cover letters to editors and in the Methods or Acknowledgements section of manuscripts. Please see the COPE position statement on Authorship and AI for more details.
After manuscript submission, no authorship changes (including the authorship list, author order, and who is designated as the corresponding author) should be made unless there is a substantive reason to do so. The editor and all co-authors must agree on the change(s), and neither the Journal nor the publisher mediates authorship disputes. If individuals cannot agree on the authorship of a submitted manuscript, please contact the editorial office. The dispute must be resolved among the individuals and their institution(s) before the manuscript can be accepted for publication. If an authorship dispute or change arises after a paper is accepted, contact OUP’s Author Support team. COPE provides guidance for authors on resolving authorship disputes.
After submission, changing who is designated as the corresponding author will be permitted only where there is a substantive reason to do so. For the avoidance of doubt, changing the corresponding author in order to access Read and Publish funding is not permissible. For more information on Read and Publish funding, please see the Publication and Open Access charges section.
The Use of Experimental Subjects
- All studies involving human subjects or human tissue must be in accordance with the principles set out in the Declaration of Helsinki and must have been formally approved by the appropriate institutional review board, ethical review committee, or equivalent.
- Experiments involving risk or discomfort to subjects require documentation that informed consent was obtained from the subjects and that an institutional human research committee approved the investigations.
- A statement that these guidelines were must shall appear in the Materials and Methods section of the manuscript.
- The Editor(s)-in-Chiefs reserve the right to decline any manuscript that does not meet acceptable standards of research behavior.
The Care and Use of Experimental Animals
SSR acknowledges that all animals are creatures of great intrinsic value and remarkable complexity. Research reported in the journal must have been carried out following the highest possible standards for the humane care and use of animals in research.
- Institutional approval is required for all animal studies.
- Due consideration must be given to the use of in vitro models, the appropriateness of the animal species, and the minimum number of animals needed to meet rigorous scientific and statistical standards.
- All research animals must be acquired, retained, and used in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
- Research animals must be properly housed and fed, and their environment must be maintained in accordance, in the United States, with the National Research Council's Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals or the Consortium Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching and, in other countries, with the corresponding guidelines and regulations.
- Research animals must receive appropriate anesthetics, analgesics, tranquilizers, and care taken to minimize pain and discomfort during procedures. The choice and use of the most appropriate drug shall be made in strict accordance with local regulations, and all procedures must conform to accepted veterinary medical practice.
- If the study or the condition of the animal requires that the animal be killed, then a humane method must be employed.
- Use of animals must be under the direct supervision of an experienced teacher or investigator.
Due Process
Allegations involving possible violation of the above guidelines should be addressed to the Editor(s)-in-Chief. The Editor(s)-in-Chief may in turn contact the Chair of the SSR Publications Committee and the SSR President. These individuals will determine the course of action in accordance with best practices in scientific publishing.
Need Help or More Information?
At any time during the review process, you may log in to Editorial Manager to view the status of your manuscript. For any questions regarding how to submit a manuscript or the status of a manuscript under review, please contact our Editorial Office at [email protected].
For questions regarding Proof Corrections, please contact [email protected]
For questions regarding Proof status, Licensing or Invoicing, please contact the OUP Author Support Team at [email protected]
For all other inquires regarding manuscripts after they have been accepted, please contact [email protected]
For information on Latex files, please see Author Resources.
For general information about the journal, questions about your accepted manuscript, or any other issues not addressed above, please contact Jenny Kimbel, SSR Publications Manager, at [email protected].
