Journal Browser

Author Guidelines

- update at: 12 Dec 2024

Submission

Authors should kindly note that submission implies that the content has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere except as a brief abstract in the proceedings of a scientific meeting or symposium.

Once the submission materials have been prepared in accordance with the Author Guidelines, manuscripts should be submitted online https://www.cipjournal.com/user/login

Article Types:

  1. CIP publishes outstanding review articles and original articles reporting significant advances that span the discipline of cancer immunology, from basic investigations of host-tumor interactions to developmental therapeutics in model systems, and early translational studies in patients.
  2. The journal also publishes opinion pieces of broad significance across the spectrum of cancer immunology research.

 

Priority in CIP:

  1. At CIP, we prioritize publications that not only enhance our understanding of the foundational mechanisms of cancer immunity but also hold the promise of propelling the development of effective immunotherapies.
  2. We recognize the burgeoning interdisciplinary nature of cancer research and actively encourage submissions that exemplify the convergence of oncology with computer science, materials science, physics, and mathematics. These integrative approaches are pivotal for transforming our insights into the molecular underpinnings of cancer immunity, thereby driving innovative advancements in diagnostic techniques and therapeutic strategies.

 

Commitment to Fast and Fair Reviews:

  1. We are dedicated to ensuring a fair and expedited review process. Upon receipt, each submission undergoes a thorough initial assessment to ensure it meets our journal's criteria. We strive to deliver the first decision—whether it be a rejection or a request for revision—within a prompt five-business-day timeframe. For manuscripts that proceed to the peer-review stage, we anticipate our expert reviewers to provide their detailed recommendations, ranging from outright rejection to major or minor revisions, within a targeted 14-business-day window. This streamlined approach ensures both expedience and thoroughness in our evaluation process. Decisions on peer-review are typically made within two business days, with publication decisions following promptly after reviewer reports are received.
  2. Furthermore, we are dedicated to ensuring that the peer-review process is not only swift but also equitable. We are committed to upholding the integrity of the process by ensuring that each submission is judged on its scientific merit and contribution to the field.

 

Benefits to Authors:

CIP now offers all authors free complimentary language editing services, ensuring that their manuscripts adhere to the highest academic language standards. Our Standard, Rapid, and Academic services include premium language editing by native English-speaking experts, ensuring that papers are clearly and precisely articulated in English prior to submission.

 

Publishing Model and Copyright:

Our journal employs an immediate gold open access (OA) publication option. Authors maintain copyright ownership of their scholarly contributions. We have adopted the Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which facilitates broad dissemination by permitting users to freely disseminate, transform, and expand upon the content across various mediums and formats, always provided that proper credit is attributed to the original creator. This license also encompasses the flexibility for commercial applications.

 

Article Processing Charge:

We are waiving the article processing charge (APC), which is usually applicable for all the articles received in 2025. Please note that waiving the APC does not affect editorial decision-making. 

 

Editorial Workflow:

 

This journal follows a single anonymized review process.

 

Editorial Process:

1. Initial Assessment:

  1. We review each submission to fit with our journal.
  2. If suitable, it advances to peer review with at least two experts.
  3. Editors decide to accept or reject based on this feedback.

 

2. Submission Elements:

  1. You can recommend reviewers and note conflicts in your cover letter.
  2. We use an online system for you to monitor your submission's progress.

 

3. We evaluate submissions on:

  1. Academic rigor.
  2. English language proficiency.
  3. Adherence to ethical standards and policies—with immediate rejection for non-compliant works.
  4. Relevance to our journal's scope—check our Aims & Scope.
  5. Originality, using Crossref Similarity Check to detect plagiarism; we aim for under 20% similarity.
  6. Substantial author contributions, with changes requiring editorial approval.
  7. Poor-quality manuscripts are rejected without review.

 

4. Peer-Review:

  1. Approved manuscripts reach the Editor-in-Chief, who assigns an Associate Editor.
  2. This Associate Editor chooses at least two reviewers, considering the author's suggestions.
  3. If a reviewer can't participate, the editor finds replacements.
  4. Divergent feedback may prompt additional reviews.
  5. Once a reviewer is set, the manuscript enters "Under Review" status.

 

5. Revision Schedule:

  1. The editorial office encourages authors to revise their manuscripts in a timely manner. However, authors may request an extension of the revision time by emailing the editorial office.
  2. We've established deadlines and sent reminders.
  3. Quick revisions are urged, though extensions are possible by request.
  4. Failure to respond after the final reminder within two weeks typically leads to rejection, except in extraordinary cases.

 

Reviewer Guidelines:

  1. Upon receiving an assignment to review a manuscript, the reviewer will get an invitation email. Should the reviewer choose to decline, they can click "reject," and their feedback will be promptly sent back to the editor. If there are any potential conflicts of interest regarding the manuscript, reviewers must notify the editorial office and also select "reject" to decline the review.
  2. If the reviewer accepts the invitation, they are required to complete their review within 14 days. Reminder emails will be sent on the 14th, 21st, and 28th days following the invitation. If the reviewer submits their comments before these reminders, the automatic email notifications will cease.
  3. To streamline the peer-review process, an online review form has been created, consisting of four sections: check, score, decide, and comment. This form is designed to simplify the review process, acknowledging the value of reviewers' time.
  4. Reviewers are asked to offer a comprehensive evaluation of the manuscript, beginning with an overall assessment of the study. Subsequently, reviewers should identify both major and minor concerns or suggestions for improvement. We encourage detailed feedback, preferably exceeding 300 words, to ensure a thorough and constructive review process.
  5. Reviewers have access to view comments from other reviewers on all manuscripts within their review history, maintaining the anonymity of the reviewers involved.
  6. If the manuscript meets the established criteria, it will be sent to reviewers specializing in the relevant field, ensuring that the author receives at least two distinct comments from different peer reviewers.

 

Expectations for Reviewers:

    1. Accept review invitations only for manuscripts that align with your professional expertise.
    2. Conduct each review responsibly, fairly, and promptly.
    3. Report any suspected ethical misconduct, including plagiarism or data falsification, to the editor immediately.
    4. Maintain professionalism and respect in all communications; discriminatory or offensive language is strictly prohibited.
    5. Keep all content related to reviewed manuscripts confidential and refrain from disclosing any information to unauthorized individuals.

 

Associate Editor Guidelines:

The Associate Editor will select reviewers and encourage the reviewers to complete the peer-review in a timely and meaningful way or to find new reviewers. In the Submission and Tracking system of our journal, according to the detailed comments provided by our reviewers, the Associate Editor will make one of the following four decisions for the manuscript:

  1. Major revision
  2. Minor revision
  3. Reject in current form, but may be resubmitted
  4. Reject, with no resubmission
  5. Accept with minor revision
  6. Accept in current form

 

After the revised manuscript is submitted, the Associate Editor needs to confirm whether the author has made changes to the manuscript based on the comments from the reviewers and fully considers the author's reason for the suggestion of not revising some parts or all of the manuscript and the reason for questioning the reviewer's comments.

 

After that, the revised manuscript submitted by the author will be sent back to reviewers to make comments again, two reviewer reports are required to make an editorial recommendation. In addition, if most of the reviewers offer rejections, it is also rejected immediately.

 

Final Decision by Editor-in-Chief:

  1. The Editor-in-Chief will take the comments of reviewers and the decision of the Associate Editor into full consideration and decide to reject or send the manuscript back for revision or accept it immediately.
  2. Finally, the manuscript will be sent to the Editor-in-Chief, who checks whether the manuscript meets the quality standards to approve the final acceptance of the manuscript. If the editor-in-chief suggests rejecting the manuscript, it will be rejected immediately.
  3. When the manuscript is accepted, the author will receive a formal acceptance email from the Editor-in-Chief.

 

Proofreading:

Before typesetting, we strongly recommend non-native English authors polish the language of the manuscript, which will make the paper more readable. After typesetting, the author will receive a proof document, which needs to be confirmed or adjusted and supplemented with information as suggested by the executive editor within 48 hours. When the proof is confirmed by the authors, this paper will be published online in time.

 

Special Issues:

  1. Special Issues convene a selection of papers that address rising interests, offering a platform for pioneering research, accentuating key subfields, and detailing novel interdisciplinary ventures.
  2. Seasoned researchers are encouraged to step forward for the role of guest editor for our journal's upcoming Special Issue.
  3. As a guest editor, one will take the helm of the entire Special Issue, encompassing the development of the proposal and the oversight of peer reviews for all submissions.
  4. Following the submission of proposals via Email, the editor will select the high-quality ones, and submitting to the Editor-in-Chief for consideration. When the draft is approved, the editor will contact the applicant instantly.

 

 

Cover Letter:

We encourage authors to upload a Cover Letter. That will help authors let editors quickly obtain information and evaluate the scientific value of their research correctly.

 

The Cover Letter should explicitly outline the research's key aspects:

  1. Novelty: The submission should present a unique perspective, and deliver fresh insights that distinguish it from prior work.
  2. Scientific Importance: The submission is of notable significance, targeting critical voids in existing knowledge and offering discoveries that enhance our field's comprehension.
  3. Scientific Value: The manuscript is pioneering in its area, poised to garner widespread interest due to its pertinence and consequences for the scientific community at large.

 

Article Structure:

  1. For review articles, the main text typically adheres to a structure that may vary by review type (systematic, narrative, scoping, etc.).
  2. The manuscripts should be carefully structured into clear, comprehensive sections, including the Title, Author Information, Abstract, Keywords, Background, Main Body, Conclusions, References, Figure and Table Legends, Author Contributions, Acknowledgments, Financial Support, and Conflict of Interest Disclosure. 

 

Abstract:

The abstract, limited to 300 words, is compactly organized into four sections: Background, Objectives, Findings, and Conclusion, formatted as a single, unified paragraph.

 

Keywords:

Beneath the abstract, provide a list of 5 to 10 keywords.

 

Background:

Authors in this section define the review's goal, which could involve synthesizing existing research, identifying knowledge gaps, or evaluating the effectiveness of interventions or treatments. This section underscores the topic's significance, summarizes the current knowledge base, clarifies the review's intent, organizes the presented information, and establishes the study's boundaries and scope. 

 

Main text:

  1. The main text details the literature search approach, including databases and keywords used, along with the criteria for including or excluding studies, such as study types, languages, and periods. It concisely describes the review methods, selection process, and procedures for data extraction and synthesis.
  2. Within this section, authors condense and appraise the review's findings, dividing the content into distinct segments that each delve into a central concept and its relevance to the research question. Organization can follow a chronological, thematic, or other logical structure.

 

Conclusion:

The conclusion draws together the main points from each section, linking them to broader research imperatives and emphasizing their significance for the design of future studies. It offers a succinct summary of the review's implications, often underscoring the results' importance and suggesting avenues for subsequent research or practical application. 

 

References:

While there's no strict limit on the number of references (though typically fewer than 200), they must adhere to the formatting standards of PubMed and the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Authors are tasked with linking each reference to its DOI; any exceptions should be annotated in the document. The tool at https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery facilitates the swift matching of references to their DOIs.

 

Citation Requirements:

Overzealous self-citation, co-citation among multiple authors, needless citation of articles from the journal to which the manuscript is being submitted, and any other form of citation manipulation are deemed unacceptable. Such practices can lead to the manuscript's rejection and potential notification to the author's institution. Self-citation should constitute less than 10% of all citations.

 

When crafting the manuscript, authors should adhere to these principles:

  1. Cite any information derived from external sources, excluding personal insights, discoveries, or common knowledge.
  2. Refrain from citing secondary works instead of the original contributions.
  3. Ensure the precision and correctness of all citations.
  4. Avoid citing works that have not been personally reviewed.
  5. Do not over-rely on citations to substantiate a point.
  6. Authors should cite articles from peer-reviewed sources whenever possible.

 

Visual Abstracts:

Authors are invited, though not required, to submit a visual abstract. A visual abstract serves as a pictorial overview of the article's principal findings, paralleling the role of a textual abstract.

 

Image Specifications: Authors should provide an image with dimensions not less than 531 x 1328 pixels, at a resolution of at least 600 dpi.

Font: Arial

File Format: TIFF

 

Figure Data:

Authors are to upload figures to the submission platform, ensuring they either created the figures or hold the copyright for them. The figures must contain clear text, and authors should be open to editorial modifications to align with publication standards.

Image Specifications: Submit images with at least 531 x 1328 pixels, at a resolution of no less than 600 dpi.

Font: Arial

File Format: TIFF 

 

Table Data:

Tables should be succinct and accompanied by a title formatted in a three-line black table style. Use Arabic numerals for numerical data within the table. Any abbreviations present in the table must be fully explained in the notes. 

 

Additional Files:

Supplementary materials often encompass relevant content that is not included in the main article body, such as extra data, computer code, extensive tables, or appendices.

 

Author Contributions Clarification:

Adhering to the ICMJE's four criteria, only those who make significant contributions to the following aspects may be recognized as authors:

  1. Playing a substantial role in the work's conception, design, or data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation; AND
  2. Contributing to the drafting or critically revising the work for intellectual content; AND
  3. Approving the final version for publication; AND
  4. Taking responsibility for the work's integrity, ensuring any questions about the accuracy or integrity of the work are addressed.

 

Financial Support Disclosure:

Authors must disclose all funding sources for their research, detailing both the funding organization and grant numbers. If the research did not receive financial support, this should be stated explicitly.

 

Conflict of Interest Disclosure:

Authors are required to reveal any financial or personal relationships that could potentially bias their work, under the 'Conflict of interest statement' section. This includes but is not limited to, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, expert testimony fees, patent applications or registrations, and grants.

 

Originality Requirement:

Manuscripts submitted must be original works not previously published, with approval from all contributing authors. The manuscript's uniqueness will be confirmed through originality detection services.

 

Ethics and Policy 

 

Ethical Utilization of AI-Language Tools (ChatGPT):

  1. Our journal highly values the integrity and accuracy of scholarly work and encourages the adoption of diverse tools and methods to boost research productivity and excellence. With the use of AI language models like ChatGPT, it is imperative for authors to be vigilant regarding the semantic accuracy and potential cultural misinterpretations these tools might introduce, ensuring that their utilization does not compromise the study's quality or dependability.
  2. Consequently, our publication permits the use of ChatGPT for enhancing translation, summarization, and linguistic refinement, but prohibits its application in crafting the core content of research papers. Any infringement of this policy will lead to the paper's rejection and a two-year ban on further submissions from the offending author.
  3. Submissions with a significant portion (over 20%) generated by AI will either be rejected or sent back for amendments. 

 

Editorial policy:

In line with the principles of COPE, ICMJE, and DOAJ, we strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in publication practices. Our journal employs an online monitoring system to ensure adherence to the ethical guidelines and policies as outlined on our website.

 

Plagiarism, Data Fabrication and Image Manipulation:

  1. Plagiarism, copying content without citation, is prohibited, including self-plagiarism. Proper citation is mandatory for all borrowed material.
  2. Data Fabrication: We follow COPE guidelines for addressing data falsification.
  3. Suspected Data Fabrication: We investigate suspected fabricated data in both submissions and published works.
  4. Image Manipulation Guidelines: Authors must supply original images for all figures and file results. Adjustments for brightness, contrast, or color balance are not allowed. No image features can be altered or added.

 

Citation Policies: 

  1. Avoid excessive self-citation, co-citation, or unnecessary journal-specific citations; manipulation leads to rejection and institutional reporting.
  2. Cite external information used in the manuscript.
  3. Prefer original works over derivatives.
  4. Ensure citations are precise.
  5. Do not cite unread sources.
  6. Avoid over-citing to bolster arguments.
  7. Do not cite retracted sources. 
  8. Authors should cite articles from peer-reviewed sources.

 

Transparency Principles:

Adhering to the sixteen transparency principles established by COPE, our journal is committed to maintaining the utmost openness in all publication activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Updating Published Works:

Our policy and procedures for updating published papers are designed with openness and transparency in mind.

 

Updates Without Correction Notices:

During the proof stage, authors must verify their details. Unless there's an issue with the author's name spelling, these details won't be altered by the editor. Editorial approval is required for changes, and once granted, the article will be updated and re-posted on our site. We'll also inform the relevant databases to update their records.

 

Correction Notices Required:

  1. If there's an error in a publication's critical section, if data or interpretation are wrong (but don't affect conclusions), or if figures/tables are missing or unclear.
  2. If an author's name needs to be added or removed, including affiliations.
  3. If references need to be added or removed.
  4. If text needs to be added or removed.
  5. If there are changes to funding, contributions, or acknowledgments. Post-approval, the article will be updated, and the correction will be published online. The correction is a distinct piece, linked to the article, with its DOI, appearing in the latest issue. We'll also alert the databases to update their versions.

 

Retractions:

Retractions occur for various reasons, including:

  1. Research errors, ethical breaches, falsified data, plagiarism, and more. These compromise the scientific record.
  2. Fabricated Data.
  3. Errors: Mistakes leading to unreliable results.
  4. Plagiarism: Unauthorized use of others' work.
  5. Duplicate Publication: Publishing the same study in multiple journals without proper reference.
  6. Authorship Issues: Disputes over contributions.
  7. Ethical Violations: Failure to follow procedures, improper authorship, etc.
  8. Scientific Misconduct: Including fraud and related issues.

 

We adhere to COPE's guidelines for retractions. A retracted article is marked "Retracted" but remains accessible for reference. Retracted articles shouldn't be cited. The retraction notice, separate and linked to the original, will be published with its DOI in the latest issue. Partial retractions may apply if only some results are incorrect. In rare cases, an article may be fully removed from our site and databases.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments and Complaints:

When readers encounter issues with an article, they are encouraged to reach out to the authors in question to seek a resolution before involving the editorial team. Should direct contact be unsuitable, unresponsive, or unsuccessful, the editorial office is ready to step in. We will work in conjunction with those raising concerns, the authors, and the Editor-in-Chief or relevant editorial board members, adhering to the COPE guidelines, to thoroughly investigate and address all complaints or concerns.

 

Authorship Adjustments:

  1. Upon initial submission, authors are expected to provide a definitive list of contributors. Any alterations to the author order post-submission require prior approval from the editorial office. Authors must correspond with the editorial office via email, outlining the rationale for the change in order. The editor will then verify with all authors via email, ensuring unanimity in agreement before approving any adjustments.
  2. Generally, requests for author removal are not entertained once a manuscript is submitted, and additions are only considered following substantial revisions and resubmission. It is important to note that any new authors must align with the journal's Authorship criteria, mirroring the ICMJE's four criteria, and must be consented to by all existing authors.
  3. The editorial office will only entertain requests to add or rearrange authors post-acceptance under extraordinary circumstances, with the understanding that manuscript processing will be on hold during the review. Such requests are not entertained for manuscripts already published online or officially.

 

Privacy Policy:

Our journal adheres to a centralized Privacy Policy.

 

Advertising Policy:

We maintain a stringent policy against accepting any form of advertising, whether on our website, in print, or through other communication channels. This policy ensures the integrity and autonomy of our content, providing an unbiased platform for knowledge dissemination.

 

About Our Journal:

  1. Since our inception in 2024, CIP has functioned on a transparent open-access basis, rigorously peer-reviewed to optimize advantages for every party concerned. Embracing the Gold Open Access framework, we make certain that the ultimate draft of each piece is readily available to the public after it goes to press, eliminating the majority of restrictions on usage rights. Copyright for their writings remains with the authors, and we adopt the Creative Commons Attribution license, which streamlines the process of disseminating, modifying, and expanding the content, as long as due credit is allocated to the creator, and it permits usage for commercial ends.
  2. CIP is committed to adhering to the highest standards of editorial processes, ensuring that only articles of the utmost quality are accepted for publication.

We are dedicated to the highest standards of transparency and scholarly publishing, continually improving our editorial practices, policies, and compliance mechanisms. Our impartial decisions are based solely on the academic merits of the manuscripts, without regard to the authors' attributes.