Article types
Frontiers offers multiple article types to maximize your options for disseminating your work. Some article types, such as those that mention medicine, are section-specific. Only article types that appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process are available for submission to the selected section.
Please refer to your preferred journal and section to clarify which article types are available.
Ensure that any manuscript you submit conforms to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations for ethics, as well as to the general Frontiers article requirements. All submitted manuscripts will be checked by plagiarism detection software.
All Frontiers articles are peer-reviewed, receive a DOI, are citable, published in PDF and HTML format, and submitted for indexing in relevant digital archives.
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Original Research
Original Research articles report on primary and unpublished studies. Original Research may also encompass confirming studies and disconfirming results which allow hypothesis elimination, reformulation and/or report on the non-reproducibility of previously published results. Original Research articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 12,000 and may contain no more than 15 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (A-type article) to publish an Original Research article. Original Research articles should have the following format: 1) Abstract, 2) Introduction, 3) Materials and Methods, 4) Results, 5) Discussion.
Methods
Methods articles present either a new or established method, protocol, or technique that is of significant interest in the field. Methods articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 12,000 and may contain no more than 15 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (A-type article) to publish a Methods article. Method articles should have the following format: 1) Abstract, 2) Introduction (outlining the protocol and its possible applications), 3) Materials and Equipment (including a list of reagents/ materials and/or equipment required; formulation of any solutions where applicable), 4) Methods (including objectives and validation of the method; step-by-step procedures; timing of each step or related series of steps; pause points; example(s) of application and effectiveness; details of precision/ accuracy and limits of detection or quantification, where applicable) , 5) (Anticipated) Results (describing and illustrating with figures, where possible, the expected outcome of the protocol; advantages, limitations, possible pitfalls and artifacts and any troubleshooting measures to counteract them), 6) Discussion. Any analytical methods applied to the data generated by the protocol must be referenced or described. Results must be replicable.
Review
Review articles cover topics that have seen significant development or progress in recent years, with comprehensive depth and a balanced perspective. Reviews should present a complete overview of the state of the art (and should not merely summarize the literature), as well as discuss the following: 1) Different schools of thought or controversies, 2) Fundamental concepts, issues, and problems, 3) Current research gaps, 4) Potential developments in the field. Review articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 12,000 and may contain no more than 15 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (A-type article) to publish a Review article. Review articles should have the following format: 1) Abstract, 2) Introduction, 3) Subsections relevant for the subject, 4) Discussion. Review articles must not include unpublished material (unpublished/original data, submitted manuscripts, or personal communications) and may be rejected in review or reclassified, at a significant delay, if found to include such content.
Mini Review
Mini Review articles cover focused aspects of a current area of investigation and its recent developments. They offer a succinct and clear summary of the topic, allowing readers to get up-to-date on new developments and/or emerging concepts, as well as discuss the following: 1) Different schools of thought or controversies, 2) Current research gaps, 3) Potential future developments in the field. Mini Reviews articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 3,000 and may contain no more than 2 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (B-type article) to publish a Mini Review article. Mini Review articles should have the following format: 1) Abstract, 2) Introduction, 3) Subsections relevant for the subject, 4) Discussion. Mini Review articles must not include unpublished material (unpublished/original data, submitted manuscripts, or personal communications) and may be rejected or reclassified, at a significant delay, if found to include such content.
Hypothesis and Theory
Hypothesis and Theory articles present a novel argument, interpretation or model intended to introduce a new hypothesis or theory. They should provide the following: 1) New interpretation of recent data or findings in a specific area of investigation, 2) Accurate presentation of previously posed hypotheses or theories, 3) Hypothesis presented should be testable in the framework of current knowledge, 4) May include original data as well as personal insights and opinions. Hypothesis and Theory articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 12,000 and may contain no more than 15 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (A-type article) to publish a Hypothesis and Theory article. Hypothesis and Theory articles should have the following format: 1) Abstract, 2) Introduction, 3) Subsections relevant for the subject, 4) Discussion.
Perspective
Perspective articles present a viewpoint on a specific area of investigation. They should provide the following: 1) Discuss current advances and future directions, 2) Clear presentation of the authors’ perspective, 3) Accurate presentation and citations of other authors’ work, 4) May include original data as well as personal insights and opinions. Perspective articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 3,000 and may contain no more than 2 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (B-type article) to publish a Perspective article. Perspective articles should have the following format: 1) Abstract, 2) Introduction, 3) Subsections relevant for the subject, 4) Discussion.
Conceptual Analysis
Conceptual Analysis articles explore the concepts and issues that define a field. They should examine the constituent elements of each concept, and the connections between them. Conceptual Analysis articles must not include unpublished material (unpublished/original data, submitted manuscripts, or personal communications) and may be rejected or reclassified, at a significant delay, if found to include such content. Instead, Conceptual Analysis articles should extend current knowledge by presenting a novel argument, interpretation, model, or critique. Conceptual Analysis articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 8,000 words and may contain no more than 10 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (B-type article) to publish a Conceptual Analysis article. Any inclusion of verbatim text must be contained in quotation marks and clearly reference the original source. Conceptual Analysis articles should have the following format: 1) Abstract, 2) Introduction, 3) Subsections relevant for the subject, 4) Discussion.
Data Report
Data Report articles present a description of research datasets. Datasets must be deposited in a public repository and must be fixed and made publicly available upon publication of the report. Data Reports articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 3,000 and may contain no more than 2 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (C-type article) to publish a Data Report article. Data Report articles should have the following format: 1) Introduction, 2) Methods used to collect the data, including data collection period, filters applied, and information on how readers may interpret the dataset and reuse the data, 3) Should include some analysis of the data but should not report the results of any single study or group of studies, 4) Relevant subsections, but cannot include Results or Discussion. Data Reports must include the name of the dataset, the database/repository where it has been submitted and the link for confidential peer-review (which should be updated with the public link before publication). Any published Data Report will be considered for retraction should the data be removed from the repository or the access become restricted. Any updates to the dataset(s) should be deposited as independent versions in a repository and the relevant information may be published as Addendum/Commentary linked to the initial Data Report. Any detailed analyses or new scientific insights relating to the Data Report can be submitted as independent research articles. The protocols and methodology used to collect the data can also be submitted as Methods articles.
Brief Research Report
Brief Research Report articles present original research and/or preliminary findings in a more succinct way, and with fewer details, than Original Research articles. Additionally, in line with the Frontiers ethos of publishing scientifically-sound discoveries, Brief Research Reports also encourage submission of negative results and may report on the non-reproducibility of previously published results. Brief Research Reports articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 4,000 and may contain no more than 4 Figures/Tables. Authors are required to pay a fee (B-type article) to publish a Brief Research Report. Brief Research Report articles should have the following format: 1) Abstract, 2) Introduction, 3) Method, 4) Results, 5) Discussion. Supplementary material may be included with Brief Research Reports.
General Commentary
General Commentary articles provide critical comments on a previous publication at Frontiers. Authors wishing to submit commentaries on articles published outside of Frontiers are encouraged to reformat and submit them as an Opinion type. General Commentary articles are peer-reviewed, have a maximum word count of 1,000 words and may contain no more than 1 Figure/Table. They should not contain unpublished or original data. General Commentary articles must be submitted for consideration to the same Journal and Specialty as the original article. Authors are required to pay a fee (C-type article) to publish a General Commentary article. General Commentary articles should have the following format: 1) Title: “Commentary: Title of the original article” (mandatory), 2) Introduction, 3) Subsections relevant for the subject, 4) Discussion. At the beginning of your General Commentary, please provide the complete citation of the article being commented on.
Opinion
Opinion articles allow authors to contribute viewpoints on the interpretation of recent findings in any research area, value of the methods used, as well as weaknesses and strengths of scientific hypotheses. They should abide to the following guidelines: not contain unpublished or original data, be supported by evidence, be fully referenced, encourage constructive discussion, refrain from emotionally-charged argumentation. Opinion articles are peer-reviewed and have a maximum word count of 2,000 and may contain no more than 1 Figure/Table. Authors are required to pay a fee (C-type article) to publish an Opinion article. Opinion articles should have the following format: 1) Introduction, 2) Subsections relevant for the subject, 3) Discussion.
Editorial
Editorials are submitted exclusively by the host editor(s) of a Frontiers Research Topic, to convey to the reader the aims and objectives of the research that pertains to the topic, as well as placing it in a broader context. The Editorial should present the contributing articles of the Research Topic but should not be a mere table of contents. As the final contributing article to the Research Topic, Editorials should be submitted once all expected articles have been accepted and published. Editorials should not include unpublished or original data and the inclusion of references is strongly encouraged. Editorial articles may contain 1 Figure and have a word count of 1,000 for Topics with 5-10 articles. The word limit can be increased for each additional article in the Topic, up to a maximum of 5,000 words for 50 articles or more. Topic editors are not required to pay a fee to publish an Editorial article. Submissions are required to have the title Editorial: "Title of Research Topic".