Submit a Manuscript to the AGA Journals

Editorial Manager

Editorial Manager® is the online submission and manuscript tracking system that helps streamline the submission and review process for both Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH). Electronically submitted manuscripts are entered almost immediately into the review process, avoiding delays normally associated with handling paper submissions and translating them into electronic format for review. All users should go to our manuscript submission system by visiting www.editorialmanager.com/gastro/ for Gastroenterology and www.editorialmanager.com/cgh for Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

The online submission process is a chain of steps you will follow to submit your manuscript successfully. Each step includes on-screen instructions that prompt you to further action. Please follow these instructions carefully. If you make a mistake, the system enables you to go back and correct it.

The system also makes it possible to view a final proof (in PDF format) of your manuscript, allowing you to view your manuscript files, as they will appear to the editors and reviewers. If you are not satisfied with the appearance of your PDF, you may go back, delete it, and a create new one. You may repeat this step until the manuscript is ready for submission. Once you submit your manuscript, you must approve it. If you do not do this, the manuscript will not move in to the tracking system and will therefore delay the review process. Once you approve the submission, the system sends you a submission confirmation e-mail and then forwards it to the Editorial Office. Once the manuscript has been reviewed and approved by the staff and assigned to a handling associate editor, you will receive a manuscript number via e-mail. Please save this number for your records and refer to it any time you call or e-mail the Editorial Office with questions. Also, please be advised that you can easily view the status of your manuscript at any time during the peer-review process simply by logging into your Author Main Menu.

Setting up a User Account

If you think you already have an existing registration of any type (Author, Reviewer or Editor) in this system, please DO NOT register again. If you are unsure if you are already registered, click the “Send Username/Password” link. If you do not have an account with Editorial Manager, click on “Register Now” to begin the registration process.

Formatting Requirements

Prepare your manuscript according to the journal’s requirements for submission. For additional information see each journal's Instructions for Authors. Gastroenterology: http://www.gastrojournal.org/authorinfo; CGH: http://www.cghjournal.org/authorinfo.

Title

Include animal species; do not use abbreviations; limit to 120 characters including spaces between words.

Abstract

Organize abstract according to the following headings: Background & Aims, Methods, Results, Conclusions and Key Words; limit to 260 words and abbreviations must be spelled out at least once.

Manuscript

Arrange manuscript as follows: 1) Title page, (2) Abstract, (3) Introduction, (4) Materials and Methods, (5) Results, (6) Discussion, (7) References, (8) Figure Legends, (9) Tables. Submit a complete manuscript typed in 12-pt font size and double-spaced with 1-inch margins. Limit to 4,000 words and six figures and/or tables for original articles; or 5,000 – 6,000 words for review articles (for CGH); and 6,000 words and seven figures and/or tables for original articles (for Gastroenterology).

References

List the first three authors followed by et al.

Figures

Figures must adhere to the journals' style guidelines; for complete details, review the journals' Figures FAQs: http://www.gastrojournal.org/content/faqs.

Figure Legends

If your manuscript includes figures, a figure legend must appear within the body of the manuscript. Note: Contributors will be required to pay for printing of color figures ($650 for the first color figure and $100 for each additional figure) if the manuscript is accepted for publication. Figures that are reviewed in color must be printed in color. Alternatively, authors may submit figures in black and white for review and have them published in black and white in print and published in color online.

The Manuscript Review Process

The manuscript review process is fundamentally the same for Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Each manuscript is assigned to an associate editor within 24 to 48 hours after submission. The assigned associate editor will have expertise in the subject of the manuscript. After review by the associate editor, if the manuscript is judged to be appropriate and competitive for publication, it is sent out for external review. (If the associate editor judges the manuscript not to be competitive for publication, he or she will render a decision of reject with internal review.)

The associate editor chooses two or three reviewers, who remain anonymous. The reviewers have 14 days to complete and submit their reviews. Once all reviews have been received for a manuscript, the associate editor then renders a preliminary decision on the manuscript based on the reviewers' comments as well as on his or her own review of the manuscript. The associate editor can render one of the following decisions:

  • Accept.
  • Accept: electronic image of the month (CGH only).
  • Accept with revision.
  • Reject with hope.
  • Reject with hope: electronic image of the month (CGH only).
  • Reject.
  • Reject with internal review.
  • Reject with opportunity to submit to Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Gastro only).
  • Reject with opportunity to submit to Experimental Cell Research (Gastro only).
  • Reject with opportunity to submit as an image of the month (CGH only).
  • Reject with opportunity to submit as a perspective (CGH only).
  • Reject with opportunity to submit as a brief communication (CGH only).

The preliminary decision is then discussed at the next board of editors meeting for final approval. If the board approves the decision, a final decision is e-mailed to the corresponding author within two to three days after the meeting.

Note: If a manuscript submitted to Gastroenterology receives a decision of reject with opportunity to submit to Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, once the manuscript has been resubmitted to CGH (at the authors’ discretion), it will receive an expedited review only if the editor-in-chief feels as though no new additional reviews are necessary. Expedited reviews typically result in quicker decisions.

For further information, contact the editorial office at 301-941-9781 (phone), 301-654-1140 (fax), gastro@gastro.org (Gastro); 301-654-2055 ext. 683 (phone), 301-654-1140 (fax), cgh@gastro.org (CGH).