Call for Papers

Why Submit to ASCR

What We Publish

ASCR publishes scholarship across general and subspecialty surgery—trauma and acute care, minimally invasive and robotic, oncologic, endocrine, vascular, colorectal, hepatopancreatobiliary, thoracic, transplant, pediatric, and plastic/reconstructive—plus perioperative medicine, anesthesia interfaces, critical care, infection prevention, rehabilitation, surgical education, and health-services research. We also consider biomedical engineering and digital surgery studies when the clinical surgical context is central and methods are transparent.

How to Submit

1. Create an account in our online submission system and complete your profile (name, affiliation, ORCID if available). Use the “Submit Manuscript” button above.
2. Prepare files: main manuscript (Word/RTF), figures/tables embedded or supplied as separate files, and any supplementary materials. Ensure references include links/DOIs where possible.
3. Enter metadata for title, abstract, keywords (MeSH/Emtree where relevant), funding, conflicts of interest, and author contributions (CRediT).
4. Attach statements: ethics approvals and consent (human/animal), trial or protocol registration IDs, and data/code availability details.
5. Confirm checklist (file format, formatting, originality, conflicts, figure placement) then submit. You’ll receive a tracking ID for all correspondence.

Submissions are accepted year-round. Occasional thematic collections may specify additional requirements or timelines—see Special Issues below.

Peer Review & Editorial Process

All manuscripts undergo editorial triage for scope and minimum reporting standards, followed by external double-blind review where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous. Editors select qualified reviewers for methodological and subject-matter expertise and absence of conflicts. Decisions may include accept, minor revisions, major revisions, or reject, with constructive feedback focused on strengthening scientific validity and clarity. Revised submissions are re-evaluated by editors and, when appropriate, the original reviewers.

We aim for timely decisions while ensuring rigorous evaluation. Editorial decisions are independent of the ability to pay APCs; waivers and fee discussions occur only after acceptance.

Ethics, Registration & Integrity

ASCR follows widely recognized community standards for publication ethics. Authors should disclose all relevant relationships/activities that could influence the work, certify originality, and promptly report errors post-publication. Human studies require ethics committee approval identifiers and appropriate consent; clinical trials and prospective interventional studies are expected to be registered in a recognized registry prior to first patient enrollment. Animal studies should report protocol approval and humane care. We use plagiarism-detection tools and follow established procedures for concerns about misconduct, including corrections or retractions with clear notices and DOIs where necessary.

Open Access & Reuse

ASCR provides immediate open access to readers. Articles are typically distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which permits sharing and adaptation with attribution. Authors retain copyright. Third-party materials should be properly credited and may require separate permissions. We register license information alongside article DOIs to support compliance with funder mandates and discovery tools.

Article Processing Charges (APCs) & Waivers

Submission is free of charge. If your manuscript is accepted after peer review, an Article Processing Charge (APC) is payable to cover editorial management, production, hosting, indexing, and preservation services. ASCR offers waivers or discounts based on clear criteria (e.g., limited funding or authors from low- and lower-middle-income countries) when requested at submission/acceptance communication. APC policies do not influence editorial decisions.

Some funders or institutions reimburse APCs for CC BY content; check your grant terms and institutional agreements.

Special Issues & Guest Editing

ASCR periodically curates Special Issues on emerging or cross-disciplinary topics in surgery and perioperative science. We welcome proposals that articulate the theme, its clinical significance, and a plan for outreach to attract high-quality submissions. Guest Editors are selected for expertise and absence of conflicts and are expected to apply the journal’s peer-review and ethics standards consistently. Accepted Special Issue articles are published on a rolling basis online and compiled into a collection page upon completion.

Reporting & Transparency Expectations

• Use appropriate reporting guidelines (e.g., CONSORT/CONSORT-SPI for trials, PRISMA for reviews, STROBE for observational studies, TRIPOD or STARD for prediction/diagnostic accuracy, SQUIRE for QI, ARRIVE for animal studies, CARE for case reports).
• Provide sufficient methodological detail to enable replication (sample-size justification, randomization/blinding where applicable, handling of missing data, sensitivity analyses).
• State how datasets and code can be accessed; cite repositories and software with persistent identifiers.
• For AI/ML studies: document dataset provenance, inclusion/exclusion criteria, splitting/validation schemes, calibration, external validation, performance metrics, and human-factors considerations.
• Use accessible figures and tables: self-contained legends, axis units, abbreviations defined, and color choices compatible with readers with color-vision deficiencies.

Quick Fit-Check Before You Submit

Post-publication Visibility

To maximize impact, we encourage plain-language summaries, data and code citations, and sharing links to the version-of-record DOI on professional networks. Press or media queries can be coordinated with the editorial office; authors should avoid releasing undisclosed, non-peer-reviewed claims that could mislead readers or patients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you consider preprinted manuscripts?

Yes. Preprints are welcome when fully disclosed during submission, including the preprint DOI and a summary of substantive changes made during peer review.

Can I suggest reviewers?

You may suggest qualified, conflict-free reviewers and indicate non-preferred reviewers; final selections are at the editors’ discretion.

Are case reports acceptable?

Yes—when they provide generalizable learning points (diagnostic challenges, complication management, technique refinement) and include an informed literature context.

When will I know the decision?

Timelines vary by article type and reviewer availability. You will receive status updates via the submission system, including decisions and revision requests.

What if I need to withdraw my manuscript?

Please write to the editorial office with your manuscript ID. If withdrawal is requested after acceptance, specific publisher rules and archival policies apply; the editorial office will advise on next steps.

Contact the Editorial Office

For pre-submission inquiries, special-issue proposals, and policy questions, contact: [email protected] · [email protected] · [email protected]