Move to Continuous Publication

The Company of Biologists will move to a continuous publishing model in 2018. This means that as soon as an article is prepared it will be released online, creating a rapid flow of topical, quality articles. When an issue cycle closes, articles will go to print and the next issue will commence online.

With the publication of articles no longer dictated by our print schedule, your readers, students and colleagues can access our content and cite articles much faster.

Frequently asked questions

Why are you introducing continuous publication?

We feel that there is great benefit to publishing articles as soon as they are ready for publication. This not only means rapid article access but also quicker citation. Over the past few years, digital access of scientific articles has overtaken print, with, the majority of our content now accessed online. We are committed to making sure that we do our part in ensuring that research is available to the biological community as quickly as possible, while maintaining our journals’ high standards of quality.

What is the difference between continuous publication and the posting of accepted manuscripts?

Accepted manuscripts have not been copy edited or professionally formatted and may contain errors and inconsistencies that will not be corrected until the final version is published. With continuous publication, the article posted online is the fully formatted final version of record, with full citation details, and available in full text html and PDF formats.

What does the introduction of continuous publication mean for subscribers?

Our subscribers will benefit from the early publication of complete and citable articles, having access to the final version of the article as well as all of the supplementary data. Subscribers will have access to the same content they had before, but they will not have to wait until an issue is complete.

Which journals are switching to continuous publication?

All five journals of The Company of Biologists are switching to continuous publication:

 When will continuous publication be introduced?

We will start continuous publication with the first issue of 2018.

 How will I know what is new?

In addition to the regular Table of contents alerts, continuous publication alerts will be available for the latest published articles and will be issued daily or weekly, depending on your preference. All alerts are free of charge for all subscribers/readers.
To register for alerts go to:

http://dev.biologists.org/alerts/toc/edit

http://jcs.biologists.org/alerts/toc/edit

http://jeb.biologists.org/alerts/toc/edit

http://dmm.biologists.org/alerts/toc/edit

http://bio.biologists.org/alerts/toc/edit

Will there still be a print version of the journals?

The three journals that currently offer a print version, Development, Journal of Cell Science and Journal of Experimental Biology, will continue to do so. There will not be any changes to the frequency of print copies.

Will journals still have traditional page numbering?

Instead of using page numbers, each article will have a unique identifier that uses the last six digits of the DOI, and will be easily visible at the top of every page of the article.

Do I need to adjust my library management system?

Yes, if you receive print copies you will need to adjust your library management system. Please review the schedule below and update your system, to avoid unnecessary missing-issue claims.

As our journals are printed in the UK. Delivery times will vary depending on your geographical location.

Do you have any other questions?

Please contact subscriptions@biologists.com