Review Guidelines
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DESIRED KINDS OF PROTOCOLS
We are most interested in protocols which fall into three broad categories:
Fundamental Techniques: Primarily for use in teaching and as a vehicle for students to demonstrate the quality of their work, this type of protocol usually covers established laboratory techniques. Video is particularly important in this kind of protocol. Data samples that show off the quality of the results should be included, if applicable.
Examples:
- How to passage cells
- How to set up a Southern blot
Real Methods: The purpose of this type of protocol is to bridge the gap between what is given in a “Methods” section of a manuscript, and what researchers actually do. Primarily, these protocols show specific applications of established approaches. These protocols must either be linked to publications or contain sample data.
Examples:
- How to successfully analyze a particular protein by Western blot
- How to analyze cellular localization of a protein of interest
Novel Technologies: These protocols are intended to provide ample detail about innovative approaches such that other researchers will be able to successfully adopt the approach. These protocols should be linked to publications that demonstrate the efficacy of the approach.
Examples:
- A new method for quantifying infiltration of a certain cell type using novel software
- A new method for quantifying a cellular response using in-house molecular tools
KEY REQUIREMENTS
All protocol submissions must meet the following key requirements:
Demonstration of efficacy of the protocol is required, either by inclusion of sample data, or by reference to a publication describing experiments for which the protocol was used.
The protocol must be original. Materials cannot be copied from commercial or other sources without prior written consent.
All authors must have the opportunity to review and critique the protocol, and must agree to submission of the final version.
Authorship for a protocol recognizes the researchers who did the bench work and wrote the protocol. Protocols that referenced published manuscripts do not need to list all the authors on the original manuscript, since credit has already been given via the previous publication. As such, all of the authors on the published paper need not be included on the protocol. Nevertheless, recognition should go to those who helped to develop the protocol (including authors on the published work, if applicable), and who helped to prepare the submitted protocol.
Any person whose image appears in submitted materials (still image or video image) must give approval for including those images with the protocol and for sharing those images online.
Likewise authors must approve the use of any original images submitted as illustrations within the protocol and must approve the sharing the image(s) online.
Video clips may be five seconds to 10 minutes in duration. Several shorter video clips are generally preferable to a single long clip.
Lead author images and protocol images must be minimum size 150 x 150 pixels, maximum size 300 x 300 pixels, and in .jpg, .png, or .gif format.
PEER REVIEW
A team of peers will review submitted protocols. Acceptance and publication of protocols depends on how successfully the protocol meets key requirements, the completeness of information, clarity of presentation, and compliance with formatting standards.