Submission Process–instructions for manuscript submissions to HortScience, HortTechnology and the Journal of ASHS

Publishing Fees

*Member rate-papers -- must have at least one ASHS member as an author in order to qualify for the Member rate.
**Short Papers -- must be less than 1800 words including all titles, references, etc. May contain 2 scalable images only. Images may be either pictures or tables or a combination of both. Must indicate that paper is submitted as a Short Paper during the submission process.

*Member rate-papers -- must have at least one ASHS member as an author in order to qualify for the Member rate.
**Short Papers -- must be less than 1800 words including all titles, references, etc. May contain 2 scalable images only. Images may be either pictures or tables or a combination of both. Must indicate that paper is submitted as a Short Paper during the submission process.

*Member rate-papers -- must have at least one ASHS member as an author in order to qualify for the Member rate.
Due to the nature of the articles accepted for JASHS, there are no "Short paper" prices for this publication.

If you previously submitted a paper to one of our journals, you will be required to sign in with your log in name and password.

First-time users of the online submission system must register for an account.
Instructions on how to register for an account are accessed at the bottom of the login page.

After you have registered and logged in, you may submit a manuscript and check its progress through the system.

Getting Started

The manuscript submission and peer review processes are broken down into the following steps for each of the ASHS publications:

1. Author submits a manuscript.
2. Editor-in-Chief assigns Reviewers to the manuscript for peer review:
   • ASHS utilizes hundreds of volunteer reviewers who are experts in the field directly related to the manuscript subject matter.        
   • A Consulting Editor is assigned to each submitted manuscript.        
   • A minimum of 3 reviewers are assigned to each paper based on the reviewer's expertise.        
   • ASHS offers the option for double blind reviews where neither the author nor reviewer names are revealed at the author(s) request.        
3. Editor-in-Chief drafts a decision to be sent to the Corresponding Author.

Submission Process

The manuscript submission process is broken into four steps that gather detailed information about your manuscript and allow you to upload the associated files. The four steps of the submission process are:

1. General Information:  All information about your manuscript, including the Authors, Manuscript Title, Abstract, Manuscript Classification, and File Quantities is gathered using a single submission form. NOTE: There is a button at the bottom of the screen that will allow you to save your progress and come back later, if needed. However, it is highly recommended that you try to submit your paper in one session if possible.
2. Upload Files:  A screen asking for the actual file locations (via an open file dialog). After completing this screen, your files will be sent to be converted to PDF for the peer review process.
3. Receipt:  A completion screen that will provide you with a specific manuscript tracking number for your manuscript.
4. Approve Manuscript Files:  An approval screen that will allow you to verify your manuscript has been uploaded and converted to PDF correctly.  

Things to know before Submitting a Manuscript

• First and last names for ALL authors.
• ASHS membership status for ALL authors.
• Postal address (for corresponding author only).
• Work telephone number (for corresponding author only).
• E-mail addresses.
• Title and running title (you can copy and paste this from your manuscript).
• Abstract (you can copy and paste this from your manuscript).
• Turn on the line number feature in your word processing program. Line numbers are used as reference points during the review process.
• Article and Tables files as Word documents (Please make sure the "Language" is "English (U.S.)" via Tools->Language->Set Language), or RTF format. Note: PDF files are not acceptable for the article and table files.
• Figures as separate files (preferable - see Figures, Images, Tables for additional information).
• Supplemental Materials should be uploaded as separate files.
• Please note: The Correspoding Author is responsible for submitting a manuscript on behalf of ALL Contributing Authors.
• (Optional) In order to aid the peer review process, in a cover letter, please include the names, email addresses, and institutions of any potential reviewers for the paper. They many not be co-authors and may not be affiliated with the authors' universities or organizations.

Please do not confuse the cover letter with the cover page. The cover letter is an optional letter that accompanies the manuscript at submission. The cover page contains the title, and author names and affiliations.

ASHS Publication Style Manuals

Our style manual is available in three formats:

1. ASHS Style Manual (Word Document) - Complete original Word doc file containing the entire Publications Style Manual(now includes an Index and Section Footers for navigation). Best source file for conversion to Adobe In Design projects.
2. ASHS Style Manual (PDF Print) - PDF file generated for  optimized printing with enhanced resolution. Best source file for printing high-quality readable hard copies of the Manual.
3. ASHS Style Manual (PDF Web) - PDF file generated for optimized electronic distribution and accessibility. The Table of Contents is hyperlinked to the document and the entire document is searchable by keyword or phrase. 

Figures, Images, Tables

Figures/Images may be embedded in the manuscript file or sent as separate files in TIFF, JPG, PDF, Postscript, or EPS format.PDF is acceptable for figure files for production but not for text. Include a figure caption page with just the captions on it, double-spaced. Label the figures as Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, etc.

Please note that for initial figure/image submission, you should submit the lowest resolution possible at this time that still allows for a quality representation of your images.

At a later date, and once your paper is accepted for publication, we will request that you resubmit your images at a higher resolution. These higher resolution images will be used in the published version of your article. 

Review your Submission

Once your manuscript is submitted, you will be taken to a page that allows you to review your manuscript converted into PDF format. If the PDF conversion is not correct, you may replace or delete your manuscript files as necessary.

After you review the converted files, you need to click on "Approve Manuscript". This link has a red arrow next to it. Throughout the system, red arrows reflect pending action items that you need address.

Finally, you need approve your manuscript.

After a review by staff, you will receive an e-mail confirmation of successful completion of your submission.

Track the Progress of your Manuscript 

• To track the status of your manuscript through the review and publication process:
• Log into the system with your password.
• Click on the link represented by your manuscript tracking number and abbreviated title.
• Click on the "Check Status" link at the bottom of the displayed page.
• This procedure will display detailed tracking information about where your manuscript is in the submission/peer review process.

Browser Settings

• When you run the setup program for your browser, take the defaults to insure common utilities are available.
• Make sure your browser allows JavaScript. You will not be able to venture past the initial page without JavaScript enabled.
• You must also allow Cookies. The program writes a cookie to your system that is active until you log out. This cookie lets the system know you are a registered user and it is a security feature for the data contained in the system. The cookie is deactivated once you log out and you will receive a new one the next time you log in.

Getting Help

• Context-Sensitive - If you need additional help, you can click on the help signs spread throughout the system. A help dialog will pop up with context-sensitive help.
• Contact Journal Staff - You may contact the Journal Staff at any time by clicking the "Send Manuscript Correspondence" link under the "More Manuscript Info and Tools" header on the manuscript details screen.
• Login Help - If you have forgotten or do not know your login name or password, simply click the "Unknown/Forgotten Password" link on the appropriate journal submission page. You will be asked to enter either your Login Name or your First and Last Name. If a single account can be found in the database, the system will automatically and instantly send you an email with your login name and a new, temporary password. If a single account cannot be identified from the information provided, you will need to contact the Journal Staff to reset your password for you.

Should you have additional questions about our online submission process please direct your enquiries to the relevant editorial team:

HortScience, please email:               hortscience@ashs.org

HortTechnology, please email:          horttech@ashs.org

Journal of ASHS, please email:        journal@ashs.org