The entire editorial procedure for a contribution - from submission to publication - is automatic and carried out electronically. It is required to provide an ArXiv id to submit an article to the journal.

Authors, editors, referees run their specific stages of the editorial procedure through personal web pages, which are automatically updated in real time as soon as new events occur.

Authors can access their personal page where they can check the status of their preprints throughout the editorial procedure and communicate with the Editorial Office and with the editor in charge of the preprint.

Referees also operate from a personal page where they can read and download the preprints to be reviewed, upload their reports and communicate with the Editorial Office.

From their personal pages editors can read and download preprints, select referees, communicate with the Editorial Office and make their decisions about the preprints.

In every page there are buttons for internal communication. Users should ALWAYS use these tools instead of normal e-mail. These messages will be saved in the database and associated to the document they refer to. One can find them in the "correspondence" section in every document page.

Authors submit their manuscripts via the Internet, from the JCAP website at SISSA Medialab. They can either upload the necessary files or simply enter the corresponding arXiv id.

At the time of the submission the preprint receives a preprint number which identifies it throughout the editorial procedure (fig. 1).

Figure 1. Preprint number

After submission the system automatically assigns the preprint to the appropriate editor according to the keywords chosen by the authors to characterise their work.

To submit preprints authors must carefully follow the instructions given in the section "For authors".

The JCAP refereeing procedure is based on the traditional peer review system in which an editor receives the submitted preprint, examines it, asks a number of referees for an opinion, and then decides accordingly. The confidentiality of both the submission and the identity of the referee are guaranteed.

Editors make their decision according to the JCAP editorial policy. They are ultimately responsible for deciding about preprints, although their decision is generally supported by one or more referees. As a rule preprints are processed as quickly as possible, in proportion to the time required to evaluate their scientific quality.

Accepted contributions are formatted according to the JCAP style. Authors can then proofread them. Only one round of proofreading is possible. After correction, contributions are sent for publication. Please note that contributions are published by the IOP Publishing Office if authors send no feed-back within 7 days from notification of the proofreading. At the time of publication, contributions are assigned a definitive number (fig. 2) which can be used for bibliographic reference.

Figure 2. Definitive number

Published contributions are made available on the IOP EJ's website in PDF and HTML formats as well as on the author's pages on the SISSA Medialab website.

Published contributions can be updated adding links to errata or addenda.

If the editor requires a revision, authors must tend to the modifications requested and provide a new version of their preprint and a cover letter within 90 days for major revisions and 30 days for minor revisions. Author may ask the editor-in-charge to extend these deadlines if strictly necessary. Revised versions are submitted by the authors from their preprint page. They are then reviewed again before a final decision or a further round of revision.

Contributions are selected, processed and reviewed as fairly as possible, with no discrimination by active scientists in the field. Authors of contributions that have been rejected can appeal and reply to the editor and referee(s). Appeals must be scientifically justified and not polemic. Please send your rebuttal letters by connecting to the preprint page and using the "write to Editorial Office" button.

Although the identity of editors is anonymous, authors can communicate at all times with them through the appropriate "write to editor" button on their pages, or through the Editorial Office.