Supplement Submission

Supplements are publications of single-topic articles of special educational merit that are published in addition to the regular issues of the journal.

Supplements may be based on the proceedings of meetings or an invited collection of manuscripts that are published through the financial support of nonprofit organizations, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, device and equipment companies, and their designates, or medical education companies. Supplements are mailed with the journal to the readership and are usually separately bound (free-standing) issues; however, in-journal supplement options are available.

Publishing a sponsored supplement offers a cost-effective method of reaching a target audience of professionals. Supplements are peer-reviewed, indexed, and covered by the major database and contents services (MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, etc) in the same manner as the journal. The supplement will also be available on the journal’s Web site as well as electronically to ~7 million subscribers of ScienceDirect, Elsevier’s database for the scientific world.

Here are the first steps in publishing a supplement:

1. Email Vicki Donoso (v.donoso@elsevier.com) or Jo-Ann E. West (j.e.west@elsevier.com) for page costs and questions about procedures.

2. All supplements require preliminary approval from the editorial office. You will be asked to submit the following:

• A proposed table of contents with names and affiliations of corresponding authors
• Name and affiliation of guest editor(s)
• Name of sponsor(s)
• If based on proceedings of a symposium, please provide date and venue of meeting.

3. If preliminary approval is granted by the editorial office, you will be asked to submit manuscripts for editorial and peer review.

Supplement FAQs

Are your supplements peer-reviewed?

Yes, all supplements are peer-reviewed.

Are your supplements indexed?

Yes, the supplements are indexed in the same way the regular issues are indexed. To ensure indexing by the National Library of Medicine, full disclosure is required as outlined in the Fact Sheet on Conflict of Interest Disclosure and Journal Supplements in MEDLINE.

Are supplements available online?

• All supplements are posted on ScienceDirect and on the journal’s Web site.
• We can also arrange through PubMed to have your supplement posted online, with full-text access.
• By special arrangement, clients may also request PDFs of the final printed supplement. Additional fees may be required for this option.
• By special arrangement, it is possible to set up a link on a client’s Web site, giving full-text access to those interested in reading the supplement. Additional fees may be required for this option.

What are your usual timelines from submission to publication?

For supplements, journal peer review often takes between 3 and 4 weeks to complete with an additional 4 weeks for manuscript revision. Production time generally takes about 2 months after receipt of the complete manuscript. In most cases, expect ~4 months from submission to publication of your supplement. This time frame may vary due to the size of the supplement.

How much does it cost to produce and mail a supplement?

Supplement costs are assessed by the page and are influenced by a journal’s reputation, circulation, and indexing status. Pricing may also vary by sponsor type, as discounted rates are available for nonprofit organizations. Current pricing information may be requested from Vicki Donoso (v.donoso@elsevier.com).

Are there limits on the number of pages in a supplement?

We can print as many pages as you need for a supplement; however, there is a minimum of at least 12 pages between the covers. Also note that there is a base rate for supplements that includes production of up to 24 pages (4 covers plus 20 pages).

Additional options you may wish to consider:

• CME, CPE, CE Accredited Supplements: We can publish your CME materials with a tear-out assessment test and evaluation form. Tests and certificates will also be available online.
• Elsevier Mailing Lists: In many cases we can obtain mailing lists from other Elsevier journals (North American and European titles) to increase distribution of your supplement.
• AMA Mailing Lists: We can acquire AMA mailing lists that specifically target demographics of your choosing.
• Overruns: Extra copies of your complete supplement issue. Overruns ordered before the supplement is printed are available at a reduced rate.
• Complete Distribution Services: We can bulk ship and/or mail individual copies of your supplement to any-size mailing list anywhere in the world directly from our printer.
• Online access: Free full-text access on the journal’s Web site and on PubMed can be made available to all readers.
• Your Published Supplement can be loaded onto a Flash Drive: The electronic formats may also contain video clips to further clarify and enhance figures or to more clearly demonstrate procedures and mechanisms of action.
• Pocket-Size Supplements: After publishing a full-size supplement, a pocket-size version that fits perfectly into a lab coat can be produced. These are great for Consensus Recommendations.
• Wall Charts: We can produce and print wall charts intended to educate either caregivers or patients (eg, regarding medication compliance).
• Reprints: Extra copies of a particular supplement article (contact Gail Gallo at g.gallo@elsevier.com).

We look forward to working with you. Please contact us with any questions.