Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for Authors Submitting Manuscripts to This Journal

Prior to and following manuscript submission, authors frequently contact this journal via telephone, website messages and email to inquire about various issues due to lack of familiarity with our submission procedures. This document compiles frequently asked questions and corresponding answers below:

1. Is This Journal a Core Journal?

Question 1: Is your journal a core academic journal?

Answer: This journal is indexed in Peking University's *Chinese Core Journal Catalogue* (2023, 2020, 2017, 2014, 2011 and 2008 editions), is a echelon journal under the China Science and Technology Journal Excellence Action Plan, classified as a Chinese Science and Technology Core Journal, and is also an RCCSE Chinese Core Academic Journal (A+).

2. Manuscript Submission

Question 1: How can I submit a manuscript?

Answer: Please register and submit your manuscript via the official website of this journal: http://www.syyxzz.com.

Question 2: Has my submitted manuscript been received?

Answer: Upon receiving a submitted manuscript, this journal will send an acknowledgement of receipt to the email address that the first author registered in our submission system.

3. Review Fees, Page Charges and Institutional Introduction Letters

Question 1: How should I submit the review fee, page charge and institutional introduction letter?

Answer: The review fee (50 RMB per manuscript) and page charge shall be paid directly via online banking transfer. All submissions to this journal are required to provide the following materials: manuscript submission introduction letter and authorization letter, copyright transfer agreement, ethical approval certificate, and supporting documents for funded projects, etc. Please log in to the download center on the official website of this journal to download *Manuscript Submission Introduction Letter and Authorization Letter, Copyright Transfer Agreement of The Journal of Practical Medicine*, fill in the required information, affix the official seal of the author’s affiliated institution, scan the completed document and send it to the email address: ly@syyxzz.com (recommended method). There is no need to send hard copies anymor eand remark the manuscript number.

Question 2: Have the review fee, page charge and official introduction letter been received?

Answer: After our journal receives the review fee and page charge, the payment status will be updated in the submission system. If the payment is successfully received, the system will display a "Paid" status. Authors can log in to the official website of our journal to check the status.

Question 3: Question regarding the receipt of the invoice for page charges?

Answer: The electronic invoice for page charges will be directly sent by our journal to the email address that the first author registered in our journal system. Authors please pay close attention to incoming emails after completing the payment.

4. Peer Review

Question 1: My manuscript has exceeded the scheduled completion date, why does its status still remain "Initial Review"?

Answer: There are two possible causes: (1) The author has not paid the review fee nor submitted the official introduction letter issued by the author’s affiliation. Manuscripts that have not been processed in accordance with the instructions in the journal’s acknowledgement of receipt will be subject to delayed processing at the journal’s discretion; (2) The "scheduled completion date" displayed in the submission system is for reference only. The journal will endeavor to complete the full review process within approximately two months after receiving the review fee and the official introduction letter.

Question 2: My manuscript has stayed at the "Sent for External Review" stage for an extended period of time, what is the reason for this?

Answer: This delay is most likely caused by the conflicting schedules of the invited external reviewers. The editorial office will follow up on this issue and send reminders to reviewers in a timely manner. We will endeavor to issue the final decision within approximately two months after receiving the review fee.

Question 3: How can I check the current review status of my manuscript?

Answer: Authors are requested to regularly log in to the official website of this journal to check the progress of the manuscript. If more than two months have elapsed, you may contact the editorial office for inquiry via email, message or phone call.

5. Manuscript Revision

Question 1: How do I upload the revised manuscript?

Answer: When the manuscript status is "Revision Required", authors can log in to the journal’s official website and upload the revised manuscript following the on-screen instructions.

Question 2: Why can I not upload the revised manuscript?

Answer: The revised manuscript can only be uploaded when the manuscript status is "Revision Required", so you need to wait until the manuscript enters this stage before uploading. If you still fail to upload the manuscript after the status is updated, we recommend you send the revised manuscript to the journal’s official email address (syyxzz@syyxzz.com), and please indicate the manuscript ID and the phrase "Revised Manuscript" in the email subject.

Question 3: Has the editorial office received my revised manuscript?

Answer: The answer varies in three scenarios: If you uploaded the revised manuscript via the journal’s online submission system and the system shows "Upload Successful", the journal has received your revised manuscript; If you sent the revised manuscript via email, the handling editor will process it as soon as possible, and will contact you directly if any issue arises. If you do not receive any feedback for a long time after sending the revised manuscript, you may contact the editorial office for inquiry via phone call.

6. Acceptance of Manuscript

Question 1: When will the acceptance notification be issued?

Answer: The acceptance notification will be sent via email within approximately one week after the manuscript status is updated to "Accepted" in the system. When the system displays "Accepted, Pending Payment", it indicates that the acceptance notification has been sent, please check your email in time.

Question 2: When will my paper be scheduled for publication?

Answer: The approximate publication date is specified in the acceptance notification, please read it carefully. For the specific issue arrangement, please wait for the proofreading process, and authors are requested to check your email regularly for updated information.

Question 3: In what format and section will my paper be published?

Answer: If substantial modification is performed that changes the format of the paper, the editor will specify the relevant arrangement in the acceptance notification. If you need further information on this issue, you can contact the editorial office via phone call or email.

7. Journal Publication

Question 1: When can I receive the printed journal?

Answer: This journal is published on the 10th and 25th of each month. After publication, the journal will be sent to the correspondence address registered by the first author in our system via cash on delivery courier. Please ensure that your correspondence address and contact number are correct, so that the courier can contact you in time.

8. Supplement Issue

Question 1: Is a paper published in the supplement issue valid for the evaluation of senior professional titles?

Answer: Whether a paper published in the supplement issue of this journal is recognized for professional title promotion, graduation defense or other purposes depends on the regulations and requirements of your region and institution. Authors are requested to consult your institution or relevant competent authority by yourself.

Question 2: Can a paper accepted by the supplement issue be transferred to the regular issue, and can it be retrieved in major academic databases?

Answer: The review requirements for the supplement issue of this journal differ from those of the regular issue. Manuscripts accepted by the supplement issue cannot be transferred to the regular issue. The supplement issue is not indexed by major academic databases, and the term "Supplement Issue" will be clearly marked on the cover of the journal.