NEUROSURGERY Publications

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Instructions for Authors - Neurosurgery Publications

Note: Visitors who would prefer to read these Instructions for Authors in a language other than English are encouraged to use Google Translate (https://translate.google.com/).

Disclaimer: The Congress of Neurological Surgeons is not responsible for the Instruction for Authors translation provided via Google Translate. The original English version of the Instruction for Authors is the only official text. The translated version is subject in all respects to the official text of the Instruction for Authors. If there are any concerns or issues regarding the accuracy of the translations or information presented within the translated version please refer back to the official English-language version.

About Neurosurgery Publications

Neurosurgery Publications is the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) suite of journals that includes Neurosurgery, Operative Neurosurgery, and Neurosurgery Practice.​

Neurosurgery is the official publication of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Neurosurgery provides multimedia, prompt publication of scientific articles on clinical or experimental surgery topics important for the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves, reviews, and other information of interest to readers across the world.​

Neurosurgery specifically features:
⦁ Clinical Research
⦁ Basic Research Studies
⦁ Reviews

Clinical Neurosurgery, published annually as a supplement to Neurosurgery is the official register of the CNS Annual Meeting.

Operative Neurosurgery is focused on the technical aspects of the discipline featuring operative procedures, anatomy, instrumentation, devices, and technology. Operative Neurosurgery is the practical resource for cutting-edge material that connects the surgeon directly to the operating room.

Operative Neurosurgery specifically features:
⦁ Clinical Research
⦁ Instrumentation 
⦁ Surgical Videos

Neurosurgery Practice publishes scientific articles, both clinical and experimental, from across the neurosurgical subspecialties including but not limited to vascular, spine, and tumor. Neurosurgery Practice features clinical research, reviews, case instructions, and other information of interest to neurosurgeons. Neurosurgery Practice is an online-only, fully Open Access publication with content publishing under either the Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-NC-ND or CC-BY license.​ 

Neurosurgery Practice specifically features:
⦁ Clinical Research
⦁ Case Instruction

The Instructions for Authors

Important Note: Authors should review this document and the relevant journal-specific Instructions for Authors prior to submitting to ensure they fully understand all policies, procedures, and requirements. Failure to do so may delay the manuscript's clearance for peer review.

​ How to Navigate the IFA:

The Neurosurgery Publications Instructions for authors is your guide to journal selection, editorial policies and processes, preparation of your submission materials, guide to accepted or rejected content, and post-publication information. This document should be reviewed thoroughly prior to submission. Once you have selected a journal for submission, review t​hat journal's specific Instructions for additional information and to determine which article type best fits your needs. Journal-specific Instructions can be found at Neurosurgery, Operative Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Practice.

First-time Users: Please click "Register" on the Editorial Manager homepage of your journal of choice to create your account. Users need only register for one submission site; registration on one site automatically registers the user on all others. Authors who have a registered ORCID iD can login to Editorial Manager using those credentials. To find out more about ORCID, please visit the ORCID website. Contact the Editorial Office via phone (+1)847.240.2500 or email: [email protected] with any questions.

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Editorial Policies

Publication Ethics: Neurosurgery Publications subscribes to the principles of both the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Accusations of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, and duplicate and redundant publication will be managed according to COPE Guidelines. Authors will notice ICMJE recommendations referenced throughout this document as best-practices. Therefore, in addition to reviewing all Editorial Policies outlined in this document authors are encouraged to review both the COPE Code of Conduct and ICMJE Recommendations prior to submission.

​ Peer Review: Each Neurosurgery Publications journal operates under a double-blind peer review process, in which both authors and reviewers are anonymous. The journal asks all reviewers who suspect they have a conflict of interest related to a submission which they are invited to review to contact the Editorial Office. If the reviewer is indeed found to have a conflict, the reviewer is recused and uninvited. For more information, please visit the ICMJE's position on the reporting of conflicts of interest. All reviews are considered confidential and should not be made publicly available without the express permission of the submission's authors (which should be requested through the Editorial Office) and the journal's Editor-in-Chief.

Author Responsibilities

Defining Authorship: Neurosurgery Publications requires that each listed author make a major contribution to the conception or completion of the submission. Neurosurgery Publications adheres to the Authorship Requirements as defined by ICMJE which recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:

⦁ Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND

⦁ Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND

⦁ Final approval of the version to be published; AND

⦁ Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Please note: Neurosurgery Publications does not consider Artificial Intelligence authoring tools to meet the requirements for Authorship as recommended by the ICMJE. The use of such tools should be outlined in the article's Methods section as indicated in the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software section below.​

Role of the Corresponding Author

A single corresponding author will serve on behalf of all coauthors as the primary correspondent with the Editorial Office and Wolters Kluwer during the submission, review, and proofing processes. This author will submit the article in Editorial Manager through their account and that account information will be used to contact the author for any required next steps or queries. This corresponding author will be wholly responsible for the article's content and for responding to requests from reviewers as well as staff from the Editorial Office and Wolters Kluwer. Different post-publication author(s) (up to 2) may be designated to handle post-publication queries from readers. This author must be listed in the submitted title page, including full contact information (see Title Page​​​​​ section), and should be designated as post-publication corresponding author in Editorial Manager, Author Information.

Authorship Responsibility, Disclosure, and Copyright Transfer Agreement for Neurosurgery and Operative Neurosurgery​

The "Authorship Responsibility, Disclosure, and Copyright Transfer Agreement" requires authors to acknowledge, speak to, and accept key components of Journal policy. This form must be completed by the corresponding author in order to submit the manuscript and will be facilitated through Editorial Manager. Upon submission each co-author will receive an email with a link to complete the form as well. Please note a manuscript cannot be published unless each author as completed this agreement.

Authorship Responsibility and Disclosure Agreement for Neurosurgery Practice

The "Authorship Responsibility and Disclosure Agreement" requires authors to acknowledge, speak to, and accept key components of Journal policy. This form must be completed by the corresponding author in order to submit the manuscript and will be facilitated through Editorial Manager. Upon submission, each co-author will receive an email with a link to complete the form as well. Please note a manuscript cannot be published unless each author as completed this agreement.

Funding and Disclosures: At the time of submission, all authors are expected to disclose any and all personal conflict(s) of interest such as industry affiliations, grants, or funding as well as funding related to the submission, including all sources of financial support and industry affiliations. For more information, please read the ICMJE's position on the reporting of conflicts of interest. If no funding or conflict(s) exists, that must be stated explicitly. These disclosures should be reported in both the Copyright Transfer Authorization Form and in the title page of the submission. The title page should include discrete Funding and Disclosures Statements, which will be published with the article.

Group Authorship: The journal does not allow groups to be listed as authors, but authors may indicate that the work was completed "on behalf of" a group as in "Susan Smith, MD, PhD, John Jones, MD, on behalf of the UGU Research Group." The author list will appear as such in the PDF and print publication. Due to PubMed style restrictions, the words "on behalf of" will not appear in the HTML version of the article or the PubMed record, which using the above example would show as "Smith S, Jones J, UGU Research Group." If the members of the group should be PubMed indexed as collaborators, they should be listed in the acknowledgments and a note should be made in the Author Comments during submission asking that the acknowledged group members be PubMed indexed as Collaborators, as in Zamanipoor Najafabadi et al.

Changes to Authorship: The Corresponding Author is responsible for informing the journal of any changes to authorship that occur after submission, including changes to author order. This notice must be accompanied by a signed copy of the Authorization to Change Authorship form. The completed form and revised author list should be sent to: Neurosurgery Publications Editorial Office Email: [email protected]. Note that any changes to authorship post-publication will require publication of a Corrigendum.

Author and Non-Contributor Acknowledgments: Neurosurgery Publications encourages authors to utilize the Acknowledgments section to detail specific contributions from each listed author as well as acknowledging any non-author contributors. For more see the Title Page Formatting Requirement section below.

Originality of the Submission: All authors must certify that, with the exception of those instances outlined below, their submission (i) is unique, (ii) has not been submitted and is not being considered for publication by any other source in any medium, and (iii) has not been published, in part or in full, in any form. At the time of submission, authors must describe all prior publications, postings, or instances of reuse. Any material being reused from another source must be properly attributed and acknowledged. The author must obtain permission for any reused or copyrighted content to be published in the journal. This permission must be for unrestricted use in all print, online, and licensed versions of the journal. Authors found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action including but not limited to immediate removal of the submission.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software: In keeping with recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)  Neurosurgery Publications asks authors who utilize AI software for any purpose related to the composition of the manuscript including in the collection and analysis of data to indicate how the software was used, the extent of its use, and  to identify the name of the specific program used in the Methods section of the manuscript.​

Plagiarism: Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is scientific misconduct and is not tolerated. Neurosurgery Publications actively screens all accepted articles for plagiarism prior to publication utilizing iThenticate software. In the event plagiarism is discovered post-publication, the Editorial Office will take appropriate action to notify both the public and the author's employers of the infraction.

Previous Presentations: Works that have been previously presented at a meeting or that have been published as an abstract will be considered for publication as full-length papers. Authors should provide details of the previous presentation(s) on the title page. Details of any previous presentations should be included on the title page of the submission and include the name of meeting, sponsoring society (if applicable), date, location, and presentation type (ie, poster, plenary, etc).

Preprint Repositories: Content should only be submitted to a preprint server before submission to a Neurosurgery Publications journal. Once an article is under peer review with Neurosurgery Publications, submitting to a preprint server is not appropriate.

Neurosurgery Publications journals will review submissions previously published on preprint repositories such as bioRxiv, provided that submission does not infringe upon any other copyright, license agreement, or other interest(s). Authors submitting preprints to a Neurosurgery Publications journal must inform the editorial office in writing at the time of submission that the manuscript is a preprint. This information must be disclosed in the cover letter of the submission, along with all prior publications or postings of the material in any form of media, and included in a section on the title page labeled: "Publication history". Please use the following as an example: "Posted history: This manuscript was previously posted to bioRxiv: doi: https://doi.org/10.1101"

Upon acceptance, authors must add the following acknowledgment to all web pages where the preprint had been deposited: "This article has been accepted for publication by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.​"

Upon the final publication, authors must add the following to all web pages where the preprint had been deposited: (i) a link to the final published article; (ii) attribution to Neurosurgery Publications as the original place of publication; and (iii) full citation information.

Authors retain the right to make an Author's Original Version (the version prior to peer review) available through various channels, and this does not prevent submission to the journal. For further information see our Online Licensing, Copyright and Permissions policies (https://shop.lww.com/journal-permission). If accepted, the authors are required to update the status of any preprint, including the published paper's DOI.

Major Update of a Previous Publication: Submissions that represent major updates of a previously published study may be submitted. They should be flagged as such in the accompanying cover letter. As a general rule, such updates should show an increase in either (1) the number of patients by 50% or more OR (2) the reported mean follow-up by at least 2 years. The Editor-in-Chief will review all previously published material to determine whether or not the submission warrants further consideration.

Resubmission of a Rejected Submission: Unless otherwise indicated in the decision letter, rejection precludes resubmission to any Neurosurgery Publications journal. Authors wishing to have a rejection reconsidered must email the Editorial Office and explanation of why they believe re-review is warranted. Previously rejected submissions that are resubmitted without approval from the Editorial Office will be removed.

​ Authorized Reuse: All material included with a submission must be owned solely by the author(s). Any material not meeting this requirement must be accompanied by a written statement permitting use by Neurosurgery Publications. Obtaining this permission and complying with the terms of the license is solely the responsibility of the author(s).

⦁ Previously published materials (including but not limited to text, figures, tables, and videos) require permission from the original publisher (copyright holder).
⦁ Direct quotations of more than 50 words.
⦁ Unpublished data (ie, manuscript in preparation) require permission from the appropriate investigator.

Credit must be included in the applicable location (figure legend, table legend, video legend, in-text, etc) for all material being reused with permission. If excerpts (eg, text, figures, tables, illustrations, or audio/video files) from copyrighted works are included in the submitted manuscript, a written release will be secured by the authors prior to submission, and credit to the original publication will be properly acknowledged. Copies of such written releases are required at acceptance of the article.

To assist with this process, the journal has created a Media Usage Agreement which can be downloaded here. This agreement is between the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the Copyright Holder. This document must be completed in full and include (a) screenshot(s) of the file(s) to which the license applies. The CNS does not provide payment for use of copyrighted material, so if payment is required by​ the copyright holder the responsibility for that lies with the authors and a receipt of payment must be included with the Media Usage Agreement. Using the Adobe Acrobat "Fill & Sign" feature, complete the first page of the file as in this example completed Agreement.​ Then write and sign the copyright holder's name on p. 3. Finally, attach screenshots of the files that the license addresses where indicated on p. 3 using the Adobe "Attach File" tool. This document can be uploaded into submissions in Editorial Manager as a "Permissions" file type or emailed to [email protected] for inclusion. ​​

Further guidelines on clearing permissions can be found at https://shop.lww.com/permissions​. Republication licenses must be uploaded in Editorial Manager under article type "Permissions".

Research Ethics

Human Subjects: Submissions that involve research conducted on human subjects must follow the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and include a statement in the Methods section cover letter. Though not required at the time of submission, authors should be prepared to provide evidence of IRB/Ethics Committee adherence if requested by the Editor.

Health Information Privacy/Patient and Individual Consent: It is the policy of the Journal that no identifiable protected health information of any person may be included in any submission to or publication of Neurosurgery Publications unless the information is essential for the scientific integrity or purpose of the submission or published work and the patient/individual or their legal guardian has given written informed consent for publication of their protected health information. This policy includes, but is not limited to, any identifiable protected health information subject to applicable laws and regulations concerning the privacy and/or security of personal information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and other U.S. federal and state laws relating to privacy and security of personally identifiable information, the European Union Directive 95/46/EC and member state implementing directives, Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, India's Information Technology Act and related Privacy Rules (collectively referred to herein as "PHI"). A list of PHI identifiers is included at the end of this policy.

Authors should pay close attention to images that contain identifiable individual characteristics or data such as eyes, faces, date of birth, case number, initials, birthmarks, scars, tattoos, piercings, etc. Care should be taken where an individual's head or face appears, or where reference is made to an individual's name or other personal details. Particular care should be taken where children are concerned as described below.​

Authors shall take all steps necessary to ensure that (1) there is no PHI contained in any text, data, or images in the submission unless that PHI is necessary to the scientific integrity of the publication and the patient/individual has provided written consent to the publication of their PHI; and (2) all other pre-existing PHI, if any, has been fully anonymized and de-identified (see below for how to properly anonymize and de-identify data).

Authors should additionally be mindful of any other identifiable individuals depicted in their submission files, including but not limited to medical personnel, patient family members, portrait and group photo subjects, etc, and ensure that all such persons have provided written consent for publication of their image/likeness.

As a condition of submission to Neurosurgery Publications, all authors warrant that they have obtained, prior to submission, written releases from patients and individuals whose names, images, or likenesses are submitted as part of the Work. Any submission containing such material must also include a statement affirming that this consent has been obtained.

Should the Journal or Publisher request copies of such written releases, authors shall provide them in a timely manner. In addition to the foregoing requirements, each author must ensure that each authorizing individual, or the individual's legal guardian or other person with legal authority to act on the individual's behalf, who may be identified in any video, recording, photograph, image, illustration or case report (or in any other identifiable form) relating to a proposed submission is made aware in advance of the fact that such photographs are being taken or such video, recording, photograph, image, illustration or report is being made, and of all the purposes for which they might be used, including disclosure to Neurosurgery Publications and use by Neurosurgery Publications and any affiliated publication. Such individual, legal guardian, or person with legal authority must give his/her explicit written authorization in writing. If authorization has been obtained, care must be taken to ensure that the portrayals and captioning of any individual are respectful and could not be seen as denigrating that individual. In the case of images of a child, it is important to ensure that images show only children in suitable dress in order to reduce the risk of images being used inappropriately. If such authorization is made subject to any conditions (for example, adopting measures to prevent personal identification of the person concerned), Neurosurgery Publications must be made aware in writing of all such conditions. If an author does not obtain the written authorization of the individual or the individual's legal guardian, the video, etc, cannot be used in the submission.

Anonymizing and de-identifying data. It is not acceptable to use black boxes over the eyes in an attempt to deidentify images of identifiable persons including patients. Cropping may be acceptable as long as the modification does not reduce the salience of the image (that is, important anatomic features and/or therapeutically necessary features are still visible). If an image cannot be deidentified and remain salient, it must be removed.

PHI identifiers that must be fully anonymized and de-identified include:

Animal Subjects: Submissions that report animal experiments must include a statement in the Methods section stating that the study was approved by the IRB and that the animal care complied with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council. Washington: National Academy Press, 1996). Authors should indicate the mechanism used for reviewing the ethics of the research conducted in their cover letter. Though not required at the time of submission, authors should be prepared to provide evidence of IRB/Ethics Committee adherence if requested by the Editor. See here for a helpful FAQ on IRB related matters.

Research Reporting Requirements

Product Information: Articles must give a balanced view of therapeutic options. Authors' use of generic names will contribute to this impartiality. If trade names are used, those of several companies should be used rather than only that of a single support company. Reference to non-generic/branded medications, materials and devices including statistical programs must be identified by full proprietary name as well as brand name and the manufacturer's name. Place this information in parentheses in the text, not in a footnote. Please note it is each author's responsibility to disclose in the article any commercial support related directly or indirectly to the subject of their article. It is also each author's responsibility to include the Food and Drug Administration clearance status of any device or drug requiring FDA approval discussed or described in their presentation or to describe the lack of FDA clearance for any "off label" uses discussed.

Statistical Analysis

For submissions that report statistics, the authors must provide evidence of statistical consultation (or at least expertise) by adhering to the following requirements:

⦁ In the Methods section (a) identify the statistical tests used to analyze the data, (b) indicate the prospectively determined P value that was taken to indicate a significant difference, (c) cite only textbook and published article references to support your choices of tests, and (d) identify any statistics software used and the software developer.

⦁ In the Results section (a) report actual P values rather than thresholds: not just whether the P value was above or below the significant-difference threshold. Example: write "P = .18", not "P > .05" or "P = NS." and (b) note that in accordance with the AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition the Journal does not use a zero to the left of the decimal point.

Research Reporting Guidelines:

​ Neurosurgery Publications​ endorses the use of EQUATOR Network Reporting Guidelines and requires authors to submit their research in accordance with the appropriate statement(s) and checklist(s). A few of the most commonly applicable reporting guidelines and their associated article types are outlined in the table below. Checklist and flow diagram templates for the guidelines outlined below are available on the home page of each Journal's Editorial Manager website. Completed checklists and flow diagrams must be included with the submission. Authors should include a phrase indicating which reporting guideline has been implemented in the Methods section of their manuscript.

The Equator Network

Common Checklists for Submissions to Neurosurgery Publications Journals

* This list is not exhaustive and is meant as a starting point only. Authors are encouraged to use the Equator Network to locate the Reporting Guidelines Checklist that most-closely matches their submission. If no checklist is found for the submission, please note in the "Author Comments" section of Editorial Manager that the Equator Network was referenced. Reviewers may request a specific checklist after peer review. If a checklist is found that matches the submission with a few exceptions, please note that "N/A" is an acceptable response to certain checklist points if they are not applicable to the study type.

Data Availability Statement: Neurosurgery Publications encourages all authors, when ethically possible, to make publicly available all data underlying their submission and asks that authors include a Data Availability Statement in the Methods section of the manuscript file. This statement should indicate whether the data is publicly available and, if so, include a full reference to the location of the data including a DOI if available following journal reference style. The following article types are relevant for Data Availability Statements: Clinical Research, Laboratory Research, Clinical Protocols, Review (Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), and Special Article (when appropriate). Please note there are specific requirements for Data Sharing Statements in Clinical Trials. Please refer to the Clinical Trial Registration section immediately below for additional information. 

Please note that this data should not be submitted as part of the Manuscript or as Supplemental Digital Content. Rather, the data should be hosted on a data repository that is publicly accessible, either through a third party or through the author's institution. If authors are unsure which repository is most appropriate, they should consult their institutional librarian or co-authors for guidance. Authors may also find the following resources helpful in identifying a third-party data repository: FAIRsharing.org and/or re3data.org.

Systematic Reviews Registration: In order to avoid duplication of study theme Neurosurgery Publications recommends that authors of Systematic Reviews register their study in the PROSPERO registry and include the registry name and registration number in the Methods section of the article. The registration number should be blinded for review purposes in keeping with the journal’s policy on double-blind review. If authors do not register their study they should include a statement in the Methods section stating that the study was not registered.​

Clinical Trial Registration: In line with ICMJE recommendations, Neurosurgery Publications requires that all clinical trials (regardless as to country of origin) be registered in a public trials registry at or before the time of first patient enrollment as a condition of submission to the Journal. According to the ICMJE, a clinical trial is any research project that prospectively assigns people or a group of people to an intervention, with or without concurrent comparison or control groups, to study the cause-and-effect relationship between a health-related intervention and a health outcome. More information regarding Clinical Trial Registration can be found here.

Additionally, clinical trials that began enrolling participants on or after 1 January 2019 must include a data sharing plan in the trial's registration. A corresponding data sharing statement must be included in the manuscript Methods section and address the following: whether individual deidentified participant data (including data dictionaries) will be shared ("undecided" is not an acceptable answer); what data in particular will be shared; whether additional, related documents will be available (eg, study protocol, statistical analysis plan, etc); when the data will become available and for how long; by what access criteria data will be shared (including with whom, for what types of analyses, and by what mechanism). If the data sharing plan changes after registration this should be reflected in the statement submitted and published with the manuscript, and updated in the registry record. Please refer to the link here for ICMJE's full policy on data sharing as well as example statements. ​​

Article Ownership

Neurosurgery and Operative Neurosurgery: In consideration of the time and resources involved in the peer-review and publication processes and of the professional benefits related to publication in Neurosurgery and Operative Neurosurgery, authors are required to transfer copyright of published materials to CNS. Exceptions include work that is protected by UK Crown Copyright, are in the public domain (eg, US Government Publications), are licensed for reuse and copyright held by an external party, or those cannot be fully licensed as requested above. Authors will be asked to complete an Authorship Responsibility, Disclosure, and Copyright Transfer Agreement upon submission.

Neurosurgery Practice: Authors (or their chosen designee) retain copyright to content published in the Neurosurgery Practice and assign the Journal a license to publish their work. The license to publish will be completed once the article is accepted. As an Open Access journal, Neurosurgery Practice requires the payment of an Article Processing Charge (APC) which authors will be required to pay prior to publication. See the Open Access section of this Instructions for Authors for more information on current license options and APCs.

Open Access

Neurosurgery and Operative Neurosurgery offers authors the flexibility to publish Open Access should they wish to do so. Authors will be asked at the time of submission to indicate if they would like to publish Open Access. At article acceptance, authors electing OA publication will be required to complete the Open Access License Agreement and select the appropriate license. Payment will be handled through a secure interface online after the License Agreement is confirmed. Neurosurgery and Operative Neurosurgery offer the following license types:

⦁ CCBY: $4,250

⦁ CCBY-NC-ND: $4,250

Authors publishing in Neurosurgery Practice are required to publish Open Access. At article acceptance, authors will be required to complete the Open Access License Agreement and select the appropriate license. Payment will be handled through a secure interface online after the License Agreement is confirmed. CNS members are entitled to a twenty percent (20%) discount on the stated APC. Authors will be able to claim this discount by entering their CNS Member ID during the initial submission process. Neurosurgery Practice offers CCBY and CCBY-NC-ND license types. APCs are listed below:​ 

Author Services

Wolters Kluwer Author Services provides authors with a range of editorial and educational services designed to help with manuscript preparation. These services combine the authoritative, trusted healthcare information from Wolters Kluwer with scientific communication and language editing services provided by Editage. To learn more about these services and to obtain a price quote please visit: https://wkauthorservices.editage.com/

Preparation for Submission

Please note the following list represents the essential components of a submission. These items should be prepared as separate files with each file name including a valid file extension. Author/institutional information should be blinded in all submission files except the cover letter and title page. Specific requirements for Title Page and Manuscript files depend on the selected article type. Templates for these are available for download from the Journal-Specific Instructions for Authors: Neurosurgery, Operative Neurosurgery, and Neurosurgery Practice.

⦁ Cover Letter

⦁ Title Page

⦁ Manuscript

⦁ Abstract

⦁ Manuscript Body

⦁ References

⦁ Figure/Video/Supplemental Digital Content legends

⦁ Visual/Video Abstract (when appropriate)

⦁ Figure(s) (when appropriate)

⦁ Table(s) (when appropriate)

⦁ Video(s) (when appropriate)

⦁ Supplemental Digital Content (when appropriate)

⦁ Research Reporting Guideline Checklist

⦁ Reuse License(s) (when appropriate; submit as article type Cover Letter)

Cover Letter

A brief explanation of the submission and its perceived value. Address to: Editor-in-Chief, Neurosurgery Publications.​

Title Page Formatting Requirements

⦁ Text: Single-spaced

⦁ Font: Times New Roman or similar serif typeface, 12

⦁ Page size/Margins: US Letter with 1 inch margins

⦁ File Type: DOC or DOCX A Title Page template has been created describing the technical requirements. Please click here to access the template.

Contents in Order (required elements are designated with a *, others are optional)

Manuscript Formatting Requirements

⦁ Font: Times New Roman or similar serif typeface, 12

⦁ Page size/Margins: US Letter with 1 inch margins

⦁ File Type: DOC or DOCX

⦁ Structure & Length of abstract and manuscript body based on article type. Click for more information for Neurosurgery, Operative Neurosurgery, and Neurosurgery Practice.

⦁ Contents in Order

Abstract

Running Title: 50 characters or less

Keywords: Maximum of 7 listed in alphabetical order. Consult the Index Medicus for appropriate keywords.

Abbreviations, Nomenclature and Symbols: Use should conform to the AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition. Please note that the use of nonstandard abbreviations is strongly discouraged and may cause a delays in the copyediting process for accepted submissions.

Manuscript Body

Research articles should include statements of adherence to ​​​Research Ethics and ​​​Research R​eporting Requirements as appropriate.

Research articles should include a Limitations subsection at the end of the Discussion section.

Articles that include Figures​​​​​, Tables​​​​​, Videos​​​​​, and/or Supplemental Digital Content must include numbered in-text citations for each of these files in the Manuscript Body.

References: Should conform to the AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition. Each reference used in the Manuscript or other files should be listed in the Manuscript References section in consecutive numerical order by mention, using superscript Arabic numerals. As a note of caution authors should be mindful of works cited to ensure none have been retracted or flagged with a note of concern.​

Figure Legends

Brief and specific legends are required for each individual figure panel; legends for composite figures should be formatted as a single legend containing necessary information about each panel. Eg:

FIGURE LEGENDS

Define any scale markers used in the image for electron micrographs, and indicate the type of stain used

All symbols and/or abbreviations appearing in a figure must be defined in the legend

Use of any previously published or copyrighted material requires that a license to republish be submitted with the material and proper credit given in the legend, including full reference to the source of the material, copyright holder, and licensing information. See Authorized Reuse section for more details.

Brief and specific legends are required for each inline video except in Surgical Video type articles.

Eg: Video 1. This video shows the different steps of posteromedial hypothalamic deep brain stimulation (PMH DBS) surgery for refractory aggressiveness. Firstly, the preoperative imaging planning with the coordinates to identify the PMH bilaterally is shown. Subsequently, the surgical setting and preparation of the microelectrode recording (MER) system is shown, followed by the stimulation phase, with the identification of theta waves on EEG and the clinical sympathomimetic response, data that confirm the correct identification of the posteromedial hypothalamus. Lastly, postoperative imaging shows the correct position of both electrodes and the absence of any surgical complication.

Use of any previously published or copyrighted material requires that a license to republish be submitted with the material and proper credit given in the legend, including full reference to the source of the material, copyright holder, and licensing information. See Authorized Reuse section for more details.

3-Dimensional Interactive Model Legends (Operative Neurosurgery Only)
Brief and specific legends are required for each 3-Dimensional Interactive Model.

Eg: Model 1. The outline of osteotomies for the OZ are shown. The neural structures within the operative corridor are highlighted. The instructions for use of this model are as follows: please use the full-screen function for optimal visualization [by clicking on the arrows on the right lower corner of the model]. To move the model in 3D space, use your mouse's left-click and drag; to enlarge or decrease the size of the object, use the mouse's wheel. The right-click and drag function moves the model across the plane. With permission from The Neurosurgical Atlas by Aaron Cohen-Gadol.
Legend from https://doi.org/10.1093/ons/opaa169

Use of any previously published or copyrighted material requires that a license to republish be submitted with the material and proper credit given in the legend, including full reference to the source of the material, copyright holder, and licensing information. See Authorized Reuse section for more details.

A legend is required for each SDC file and should include a title and file description

Eg: Supplemental Digital Content Table. Literature review. A. A reverse search of the literature was conducted using coordinates of the left temporal gyrus for fMRI studies with Sleuth software. B, Results of this search were qualitatively categorized based on their relation to the six key domains of cognitive function according to the DSM-5. Abbreviations: LTGv, left temporal gyrus; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging; ROI, region of interest.

All symbols and/or abbreviations appearing in SDC should be defined in the legend.

If one collated SDC file is uploaded, one legend should be provided; if separate SDC files are uploaded, separate in-text citations and legends should be provided

Use of any previously published or copyrighted material requires that a license to republish be submitted with the material and proper credit given in the legend, including full reference to the source of the material, copyright holder, and licensing information. See Authorized Reuse section for more details.

​

Enhanced Abstracts

A visual abstract is a visual representation of the central finding(s) of a paper. It will be displayed below the traditional abstract in the online version of an article. Authors should strive to make the visual abstract informative, interesting, visually appealing, and straightforward. The main goal of a visual abstract is to convey the essential finding(s) of a paper clearly and succinctly so that a reader can determine interest at a glance.

Key Components

⦁ Key Question

⦁ Summary of Outcomes

⦁ If the article contains multiple outcomes, authors should identify the outcome they wish to prioritize.

⦁ Outcome Comparison

⦁ A short phrase that clearly states the outcome with respect to groups being compared.

⦁ Visual Display of Outcome

⦁ Data of Outcome

⦁ Provide the numeric representation in the relevant units.

The visual abstract should:

⦁ Be simple

⦁ Be original

⦁ Use color

⦁ Use text sparingly, mainly for labels

⦁ Consist of a drawing, diagram, graph, etc, illustrating a main point or methodology of the paper

⦁ Read from top-down or left to right

⦁ Include the same title as your manuscript.

Technical Requirements

Template: Visual abstracts must be created using the appropriate template for each journal (download here for Neurosurgery, Operative Neurosurgery, and Neurosurgery Practice. Published examples are available for further guidance.

Imagery: Authors may use any images they deem appropriate. Any images pulled from another source must be fully acknowledged and the appropriate permission should be obtained. Neurosurgery Publications recommends Noun Project design icons. For a very small fee, users can purchase rights and the ability to use images without attribution.

Font: Any text or labels used in the image should be formatted using Arial font.

File type: PPT

Submission

Authors who choose to include visual abstracts with their submissions should choose "Visual Abstract" from the "Item" drop down menu during the "Attach Files" step of the submission process.

These guidelines have been adapted with permission from "A Primer on How to Create a Visual Abstract" by Andrew M. Ibrahim MD, MSc. Readers interested in the original document may visit Dr. Ibrahim's website.

Note: once published online, Visual Abstracts can be shared on social media, provided you include the citation/link to the article and don't assign it a separate Creative Commons license (unless the article itself is OA and the licenses are aligned) or any other copyright.

Video Abstracts

The aim of a video abstract is to convey the scientific or clinical context of a manuscript and the implications of its findings. The ultimate goal is to provide readers with an easy-to-understand visual summary of your manuscript. Video abstracts also provide journals and authors with an excellent, social media-friendly promotional tool.

As you create your video we encourage you to review our publisher's video and media guidelines and to consult any resources you may have at your department or institution.

Below you'll find some best practice "tips" for making a video abstract:

Sound

⦁ Record in a quiet space.

⦁ Use a plug-in or a clip-on lapel mic.

⦁ Avoid spaces that echo.

⦁ Speak normally, but at 75% speed.

⦁ BACKGROUND

⦁ Use an interesting background.

⦁ Place light on your face.

Format

⦁ Consider various formats (interviewer, direct to camera, narration, etc)

⦁ Incorporate co-authors to demonstrate the stages of the manuscript

⦁ CUTAWAYS (video with no speech)

⦁ Useful for illustrating methodology.

⦁ Don't worry about sound.

Animations

⦁ Work much better than static slides or figures.

⦁ Keep them simple – PowerPoint is a good tool.

Editing

⦁ Most computers come with simple editing software.

⦁ Keep it simple! Good videos are made in the initial filming, not the edit!

Technical Requirements

⦁ Video Abstracts must meet all General Technical Requirements for Videos​​​​​

⦁ Video Abstracts should be blinded for review purposes. Do not include author/institution information or "title page" slides in videos. Authors may request that the video abstract be un-blinded prior to publication by emailing Journals Production Manager, Jessica Striley at [email protected] post acceptance.

Submission

⦁ Authors who choose to include video abstracts with their submissions should choose "Video Abstract" from the "Item" drop down menu during the "Attach Files" step of the submission process. Videos must be uploaded as external links (using a URL). You must retain the video at the external location until the article has published.

⦁ These guidelines have been adapted with permission from the journal Brain.

Figures

⦁ To ensure the highest quality reproduction of figures, please follow these guidelines carefully. Figures refer to both photographic and computer-generated graphs and charts.

⦁ Neurosurgery Publications is not responsible for the quality of images in print; it is the responsibility of the authors to submit publication-quality, high-resolution images. If you have questions, please consult a graphics specialist.

Creating and Saving

⦁ Art should be created/scanned, saved, and submitted as either a TIFF or an EPS file.

⦁ Art should be created or scaled to the size intended for print. Image orientation should also be the same as intended for print.

⦁ Artwork originating and generated from office suite programs such as MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel should be saved as a PDF and converted to a high-resolution TIFF or EPS file using Photoshop.

⦁ Figures should look sharp and crisp when viewed at 100% magnification in Photoshop.

⦁ Any text or labels used on an image should be formatted using Helvetica or Arial font at minimum 8 pt size. The text should be clearly legible at 100% magnification.

⦁ Figures should not be manipulated; ie, no feature within an image may be enhanced, obscured, moved, removed, or introduced.

⦁ Figures are numbered with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc) when there is more than one figure included with the manuscript. Do not use roman numerals to number figures.

⦁ If a figure has multiple parts ("composite figure") each part ("panel") is designated with uppercase alphabetical letters in the figure legend and in-text reference.

⦁ Composite figures must be submitted as separate panels without embedded labels, eg, Figure 1A.tif, Figure 1B.tif, to be combined during production if accepted for publication.

⦁ Each file should be saved as the appropriate figure number (eg, Figure 1.tif). Do not include the author name in figure file name.

Formatting Specifications

⦁ File formats appropriate for figures: TIFF and EPS

⦁ All color figures must be submitted in the RGB color mode; black and white or grayscale images may be submitted in the grayscale color mode (4bit, 16 grays or 8bit, 256 grays).

⦁ Figure files that will publish in print will be converted to CMYK during production. Authors should note that the RGB color space is significantly larger than the CMYK color space, and therefore, depending on the content of the image, color shifts may occur during the conversion.

⦁ Photographs, radiographs, and other halftone images must have a resolution of at least 300 dpi at 3 inches (18 Picas) in width.

⦁ Photographs and radiographs with text must be saved at a resolution of at least 600 dpi at 3 inches (18 Picas) in width.

⦁ Diagrams, drawings, graphs, and other line art must be vector or saved at a resolution of at least 1200 dpi. Files created in an MS Office program should be saved as a PDF and converted to a high-resolution TIFF or EPS file using Photoshop.

⦁ Digital art files should be cropped to remove non-printing borders (such as unnecessary white or black space around an image) and should not include embedded "legend" text.

  

Submitting

⦁ Attach a separate file for each individual art submission.

⦁ Do not embed figures in the manuscript file.

⦁ Figures should be labeled using the Description field provided in the Attach Files section of Editorial Manager (eg, Figure 1, Figure 2). This provides a label for each figure in the PDF generated by Editorial Manager.

⦁ Cite figures consecutively in the manuscript, and number them in the order in which they are discussed. If a figure contains multiple panels (A, B, C, etc) all panels must be cited in alphabetical order or the figure must be cited as a whole before proceeding to the next numerical figure.

⦁ Ensure the file format is either TIFF or EPS and the resolution is at least 300 dpi.

⦁ Carefully review the PDF conversion of your submission files to ensure the figures uploaded without error and appear as intended. If you experience any difficulties uploading figure images, or have questions regarding submission specifications please contact the Editorial Office via phone (+1)847.240.2500 or email: [email protected].

Figure Layout

⦁ Figures will be composed from individual panels in production based on fundamental aesthetic and practical guidelines. They will be resized as appropriate for best fit on the page. Common-sense layout will be followed as indicated by panel sizes and content.

⦁ If authors desire a specific layout of panels in figures, they can submit a Figure Layout Mockup file which will be for composition guidance only. The production team will use this file to know how to organize the Figure panels into a composed figure, but the Figure Layout Mockup file itself will not publish.

⦁ Figure Layout Mockup files must be named "Figure # Layout Instructions" and follow the above figure file requirements.

⦁ Titles and Legends should be in the Manuscript file, not in the figures themselves.

Tables

Creating and Saving

⦁ Create tables using the table formatting and editing feature of Microsoft Word. Do not use Microsoft Excel or comparable spreadsheet programs.

⦁ Tables are text-only items. Images may not be embedded within tables.

⦁ The use of color in table cells or other color elements is not permitted.

⦁ Save each table as a separate Microsoft Word document with all elements created as editable text.

⦁ Tables that include multiple parts (eg, Table 1A, Table 1B) should be submitted in one single file.

⦁ Credit for any previously published Table must be given in the corresponding legend. This includes reference to the original source and indication that permission has been obtained to reuse the Table (if required).

Formatting Specifications

⦁ Accepted file formats for tables: DOC and DOCX

⦁ Each table file should include the table title, appropriate column heads, and any legends (including abbreviations). Table titles and legends should not be included within the manuscript file.

⦁ Do not include author names in headers or footers of table files.

⦁ Abbreviations are not permitted in table titles. Any abbreviation(s) used in the body of the table, including dashes must be defined in a footnote to the table, listed in reading order. They should be self-explanatory and should supplement, rather than duplicate, the material in the text.

⦁ Tables are numbered with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc) when there is more than one table included with the manuscript. Do not use roman numerals to number tables.

⦁ Cite tables consecutively in the manuscript, and number them in the order in which they are discussed.

⦁ Many tables include information from other articles and series of patients. In these tables, include the name of the first author of the series in the far left column of the table, and include the reference and year alongside the author's name. Each series mentioned in a table must list a corresponding reference in the Reference section of the manuscript.

Submitting

⦁ Table files are uploaded individually as separate documents during the submission process.

⦁ Do not submit tables embedded within the manuscript file.

⦁ Carefully review the PDF conversion of your submission files to ensure that any tables submitted are legible, and are not cut-off on either side of the page.

⦁ For further information on Table formatting, please see the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors, 11th Edition or visit online.

⦁ Titles and Legends must be present in each Table file and should not be in the Manuscript file

Videos

General Technical Requirements for ALL Videos

⦁ Video length: no more than 10 minutes

⦁ Video files should be less than 1 GB

⦁ Accepted video file types include: mp4

⦁ 3D videos should be submitted as one single stereoscopic (left-right or top-bottom) video file.

⦁ Video files should be formatted with a 320 x 240 pixel minimum screen size.

⦁ Videos will display within a frame of aspect ratio 16:9.

⦁ Videos must include embedded audio narration in English or detailed subtitles in English.

⦁ Any text used in videos should be formatted using Arial font.

⦁ Do not include author/institution information or "title page" slides in the video.

⦁ In order for the video link to be completely blinded, we ask that (1) authors anonymize the name associated with their account by changing the first and last name to "Anonymous, Anonymous" and (2) disable comments on the video by clicking the three dot symbol in the sidebar of the video as uploaded to Dropbox and selecting "Disable Comments".

Submitting

⦁ Each video should be uploaded individually as a separate file during the submission process.

⦁ Videos should be labeled using the Description field provided in the Attach Files section of Editorial Manager (eg, Video 1, Video 2). This provides a label for each video in the PDF generated by Editorial Manager.

⦁ Do not embed videos in the manuscript file.

⦁ Carefully review the PDF conversion of your submission to ensure that any videos submitted are accessible.

⦁ Videos must be uploaded as a URL for downloading (via a file transfer or cloud storage website, such as Dropbox) at the "Attach Files" step in Editorial Manager. Please note that the link and the video itself must be fully blinded for review. Edits to the video should not be made while a video is under review, and the video must be retained at the external URL until the article has published.

⦁In order for the video link to be completely blinded, we ask that (1) authors anonymize the name associated with their account by changing the first and last name to "Anonymous, Anonymous" and (2) disable comments on the video by clicking the three dot symbol in the sidebar of the video as uploaded to Dropbox and selecting "Disable Comments".

⦁ Titles and Legends are required and should be placed in the Manuscript file

​3-Dimensional Interactive Models (Operative Neurosurgery Only)

Neurosurgery Publications now supports publication of 3-dimensional interactive models in Operative Neurosurgery article types. Authors must submit both a URL where the functional model is available for editor and reviewer access, and the source files from which the publisher will build the model into the Operative Neurosurgery website.

Technical Requirements

⦁ Models must be transmitted with the article at submission.
⦁​ .obj, .mtl, .gtf, .gth, .stl, .fbx, .jpg, .png, .tga, and .bmp files are accepted.
⦁ The total file size should be less than 300MB. The recommendation for best performance is to limit textures to 300MP, where MP is megapixel.
⦁​ The submission should be packaged as a single .zip file per model containing the source and textures. .zip files cannot be nested inside the parent .zip.

Textures must be decleared within the source. .glb (binary glTF format) will preserve all the textures using standard notation, and is recommended if textures are being exported with the source.

 Annotations should be embedded into the source file in order to be included. ​

Formatting Requirements

⦁ Model files must be uploaded into Editorial Manager as a .zip file, using file type "3-Dimensional Model."

⦁ A URL where the built, functional model can be accessed must be uploaded into Editorial Manager using file type "3-Dimensional Model Link".

⦁ If you have more than 1 model to include in your submission, please name your files accordingly and use the Description field to specify which model is which.

⦁ Models must be cited within the text of your manuscript. Eg, "This anatomy can be seen in Model 1." If more than one model is included, each should be cited in the manuscript in ascending order.

⦁ Model Legends should be provided at the end of the manuscript file.

Supplemental Digital Content

Authors may submit Supplemental Digital Content to enhance their article's text in online-only posting. Supplemental Digital Content may include the following types of content: text documents, graphs, tables, figures, graphics, and illustrations. Videos are no longer allowed as Supplemental Digital Content files. Videos can be submitted as file type Video​​​​​. Please Note: Supplemental Digital Content will not be copyedited or formatted in any way by the Editorial Office or the Publisher. These materials will be published as accepted, as a .zip companion file to the manuscript. As such the visibility of Supplemental Digital Content is low; the journal encourages authors to include any material directly related to their submission as a formal component thereof to ensure proper visibility.

​ Technical Requirements

Acceptable file types:

⦁ Text Files and Tables: Any format or file type is acceptable (eg, .doc, .xls, .pdf, .pptx, .xlsm)

⦁ Figures and Images: .tif, .eps, .ppt, .jpg, .pdf, .gif

⦁ Audio: .mp3

⦁ All file types are supported up to 10MB. Larger files will not be accepted.

Formatting Requirements

⦁ Do not include author/institution information within supplemental material or in the file names.

⦁ Supplemental Digital Content items should be numbered with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc) when there is more than one.

⦁ Items may only be grouped into one singular Supplemental Digital Content file if they are referenced as a whole in the text. Each uploaded Supplemental Digital Content file must be cited as a whole before any part of it can be cited individually within the text, and the Supplemental Digital Content legend should describe that one, singular file. Example:

In text: (see Supplemental Digital Content).

Note, after citing the whole it is acceptable to cite parts of the file; eg, (see Figure in Supplemental Digital Content).

Legend: Supplemental Digital Content. Methods, 2 Figures, 1 Table. The Supplemental Digital Content expands on the Methods provided. Figure 1, funnel plot. Figure 2, Anatomic illustration. Table, review of the literature.

Cite all Supplemental Digital Content consecutively in the text, and number them in the order in which they are cited. Citations should include the type of material submitted and should be clearly labeled as "Supplemental Digital Content." Example:

Supplemental Digital Content (if uploaded as one file).

Supplemental Digital Content 1, Figure; Supplemental Digital Content 2, Table; Supplemental Digital Content 3, Figure; Supplemental Digital Content 4, Supplemental Methods (if uploaded as separate files).

⦁ All Supplemental Digital Content files should include a title, legend, abbreviations list, etc, as appropriate, within the Supplemental Digital Content file. Legends for Supplemental Digital Content should be provided at the bottom of the manuscript file in addition to within the Supplemental Digital Content files themselves (figures excepted). If one collated Supplemental Digital Content file is uploaded, one legend should be provided. If separate Supplemental Digital Content files are uploaded, separate citations and legends should be provided. Examples:

If provided as one file:

Supplemental Digital Content. Methods, 2 Figures, 1 Table. The Supplemental Digital Content expands on the Methods provided. Figure 1, funnel plot. Figure 2, Anatomic illustration. Table, review of the literature.

If provided as multiple files:

Supplemental Digital Content 1, Figure. Funnel Plot.

Supplemental Digital Content 2, Figure. Anatomic illustration. A, the surgical approach is through the lateral canthus. B, The completed incision is shown.

Supplemental Digital Content 3, Methods.

⦁ If a Supplemental Digital Content file includes references, they should be formatted according to the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors, 11th Edition, as with references in the main text.

⦁ Titles and Legends are required and should be included in the Manuscript file and in each text-based SDC file.

Other Requirements

​Taxonomy

To enhance the discoverability of articles, Neurosurgery Publications employs two custom taxonomies: "Anatomical Areas" and "Procedures". As part of the Additional Information step of the submission process authors are asked to select relevant taxonomic labels or "nodes" from each category. The first line of each option shows the selectable checkbox. Click this to select the "node". A minimum of one (1) "node" is required, and a maximum of five (5) is recommended, but this should be exceeded if appropriate. Please note that we cannot accept "Select All" as an option when completing the "Anatomical Areas" and "Procedures" portion of your submission. This spreadsheet may help authors navigate these large taxonomies.

Video Cue Points

To improve the use of videos, Neurosurgery Publications asks authors whose submission contains video(s) to complete a Video Cue Points (VCP) file which will be used to create markers indicating a significant event or new topic in each video. These markers will greatly enhance readers' navigation and understanding as they will allow the reader to browse the markers and navigate to the corresponding location in the video. Please note that VCPs are not currently available for videos in the Supplementary Digital Content section. If your manuscript is accepted you will be asked to provide a VCP file to the editorial staff via the acceptance letter following these instructions:

1. ​Download this VCP Maker file here to your computer.
2. Open the VCPMaker file and read the guidance on the "Instructions" worksheet.
3. Enter the total duration of your video (separate cells for hours, minutes, and seconds).
4. Enter each VCP's:
Timestamp (separate cells for hours, minutes, seconds, and optionally; tenth of a second) Text (the label to be shown at this point in time of the video).
5. Save the "VCPData" worksheet as a CSV (specific instructions are provided in the file).
6. Send the created CSV file as a reply to your acceptance letter.

Research Reporting Guideline Checklist

As discussed above, completed research reporting guideline checklists and flow diagrams form must be included with the submission. Read more above​​​​​.
.

Reuse License(s)

Use of any previously published or copyrighted material requires that a license to republish be submitted with the material and proper credit given in the legend, including full reference to the source of the material, copyright holder, and licensing information. See Authorized Reuse section for more details. Licenses must be submitted as file-type Cover Letters.

First-time Users: Please click "Register" on the Editorial Manager homepage to create your account. Users need only register for one submission site; registration on one site automatically registers the user on all others. Authors who have a registered ORCID iD can login to Editorial Manager using those credentials. To find out more about ORCID, please visit the ORCID website.

Important Note: Authors should review this document and the relevant journal-specific Instructions for Authors prior to submitting to ensure they fully understand all policies, procedures, and requirements. Failure to do so may delay the manuscript's clearance for peer review.

Accepted Articles

Overview of Post-Acceptance Process

Intake

Prior to passing your article to the publisher's Production team, we ensure that all article materials are accounted for and are formatted correctly for publication. You may hear from our Editorial Associate or other office staff regarding essential issues that need to be resolved. Please prioritize these communications as they must be resolved prior to transmittal. These issues may include (non-comprehensive list):

⦁ iThenticate review request for edits: At acceptance, Neurosurgery Publications submits every article to an anti-plagiarism check that compares a submitted work to all available published material. If we find significant overlap, you may be asked to edit your content to correct this issue

⦁ VCP file request: At acceptance, any authors whose submission contains (a) video(s) will be asked to complete a Video Cue Points file which will be used to create markers in the video player in the HTML publication of the article.

⦁ Urgent request to have authors complete required forms

⦁ Any placeholders for blinded information will need to have specific text provided; this is true for all submission items. We may request replacement files when necessary

⦁ Any content found to be copyrighted by any party will require permission be obtained and licenses on file, as well as correct credit text in the applicable legends. The EO will work with the authors to finalize this material.

Transmittal

We then package your article contents and send them to the publisher with key information highlighted to ensure accurate publication. Authors will then receive a confirmation email from the publisher saying that their article has been received into production.

Copyediting

The publisher's team will then perform a thorough copyedit of your article and will typeset the content into our journal article format. This composition step creates the page proofs for author review.

Page Proofs/Electronic Proofs

Authors will be sent a downloadable PDF over email that they are required to review and return. The Page Proofs will also contain queries that the author must answer in order for the article to publish. This email will be sent from editorialmanager.com/editorialsolutions.com. Please add these domains to your institution's white list so that you do not miss these emails.

Reprints and Offprints

Reprints and offprints can be ordered from https://shop.lww.com/author-reprint

Open Access License Agreement

Authors who choose to publish Open Access will be required to complete an Open Access License Agreement upon acceptance and pay the corresponding Article Processing Charge (APC). See the Open Access section of this Instructions for Authors for more information on current license options and APCs.

Publication and Post-Publication

Latest Articles

Latest articles are published online an average of 4-6 weeks after they have been transmitted to the publisher, in advance of their appearance in a journal issue. Publication on the Latest Articles page constitutes official publication. This version can be cited by a unique DOI (Digital Object Identifier). When an article appears in an issue, it is removed from the Latest Articles page. Articles published on the Latest Articles page have been copyedited and typeset and any corrections from the proof review included. This is before they are paginated for inclusion in a specific issue of the journal.

Reviewer Comments

When appropriate, reviewer comments will be printed at the end of a published article.

To be considered, reviewer comments should be 250 words or fewer and add substantively to the scholarly dialogue.

Post Publication Corrections

Corrections to published content are allowed only when necessary for the scientific integrity of the article; all corrections must be approved by the Corresponding Author of the article, Editor-in-Chief, and Director of Publications.

Corrections include Errata and Corrigenda: Errata are reserved for corrections of errors introduced by the Editorial Office and/or Publisher while Corrigenda are reserved for errors made by authors.

Proposed corrections to published content should be sent to the attention of the Journals Production Manager at [email protected]

When submitting a correction request, indicate the reason for the correction and the specific changes required; If the correction requires a change to a table, figure, video, or supplementary file, please provide the corrected file in question.

Once a correction notice is approved, a draft will be supplied to the authors for review and approval.

Funding Compliance

To enable authors to comply with the requirements of outside funding bodies, CNS will deposit, into the PubMed Central (PMC) Archive, the final published version of any article funded by a body requiring such deposit. Authors should identify on the electronic Copyright Transfer Agreement (eCTA) whether their article is based on research funded in whole or in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Wellcome Trust, Research Councils UK (RCUK), or another funding agency requiring deposit to a repository. CNS will identify these articles to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and transmit them to PMC. PMC will make these articles freely available after an embargo period that satisfies the funding agency's requirements (or immediately upon publication if the author chose the open-access option). More information on these requirements and relationships can be found on our information for Institutions and Funders page.

Self-Archiving Policy

For information on self-archiving when required by funders, please review our policies at https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/lippincott-journals/lippincott-open-access/partner/institutions. More information about sharing your research is available in our Article Sharing Guidelines​.​

Publicity and Promotions

Communicating your work so that it is discovered, read, and cited from among increasing published content has become more important than ever. Increase the discoverability of your science using a range of services including infographics, videos, and brief summaries. https://wkauthorservices.editage.com/editing/research-communication.html

Rejected Submissions

If a submission is rejected, reviewer comments (if applicable) will be returned to the author as part of the decision letter.

Neuroscience Peer Review Consortium: Neurosurgery Publications is a member of the Neuroscience Peer Review Consortium which is an alliance of neuroscience journals that have agreed to accept reviews from each other. If your submission is rejected and you submit a revision to another Consortium journal, we can forward the reviews of your submission to that journal, should you decide this might be helpful. See the list of Consortium journals and details about forwarding reviews.

Rejection precludes resubmission to any Neurosurgery Publications title. Authors wishing to have a rejection reconsidered must email the editorial office an explanation of why they believe re-review is warranted. Previously rejected submissions that are resubmitted without approval from the Editorial Office will be removed.

General Disclaimer

The statements and opinions expressed in Neurosurgery Publications​ are those of the individual contributors, editors, or advertisers, as indicated, and do not necessarily represent the views of the other editors, the publisher, or the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Unless otherwise specified, the authors and publisher disclaim any responsibility or liability for such material.