Polymer Journal
Notes for Contributors
2005
(2005 Edition)
No page charge is required for publication of any paper in the Polymer Journal.
1. Papers and Editorial Policy
1.1 .Polymer Journals publishes original research on all fundamental aspects of polymer science including synthesis, polymerization mechanism and kinetics, chemical modification, solution/melt/solid-state characteristics, and surface properties of organic, inorganic, and naturally occurring polymers.  Manuscripts that present innovative concepts, experimental observations and methods, or theoretical developments are of primary interest.  Papers already published or scheduled to be published elsewhere will not be accepted.
     
1.2 Papers appearing in the Journal comprise Regular Articles, Notes, and Short Communications. Notes is limited to less than 2,500 words (four printed pages).  Review Articles and Invited Papers are occasionally accepted on invitation: suggestions as to authors who may be invited or topics are welcomed.
     
1.3 Notes are to be concerned with subjects of limited scope which require no further information in a future publication.  Short Communications deal with significant findings worthy of urgent publication.
  
2. Submission of Papers
2.1 Web submission
Papers should be submitted via the Web. Directions and an overview of the electronic submission process are available at URL [http://www.spsj.or.jp/c5/pj/pj.htm]. Authors can submit cover letters, manuscripts, and Supporting Information via the Web. Authors may also submit final, accepted manuscripts via the submission site. The complete manuscript should be placed in one file. Each graphics should be included in the file. The manuscript submission site employs state-of-the-art security mechanisms by the J-stage to ensure privacy for all electrically submitted manuscripts. These same security mechanisms are utilized throughout the peer review process, permitting access only to those editors and reviewers who are assigned to a particular manuscript. An optional electronic template is available in several word processing versions at the Polymer Journal Web home page.
  
2.2 Hardcopy Submission
If an author prefers conventional hardcopy submission, manuscripts should be submitted in one original and three copies to the Editor-in-Chief of the Polymer Journal.  The corresponding author's mailing address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address should be included.
  
2.3 Submit all the following documents together.
1. Submission Cover Letter
2. The manuscript that includes title, text, running heads (See3.3), abstracts, and key words.
3. Summarised figure captions
4. Tables with captions
5. Figures and Photographs
6. One original graphical abstract
7. Copyright Transfer Form
  
2.4 In the cover letter, an author should specify one of these six fields as the one which the submitted paper is to be reviewed.
1. Polymer Syntheses and Reactions
2. Polymer Structures
3. Physical Properties of Polymers
4. Functional Polymers
5. Biopolymers
6. Polymer Engineering
In addition, an author should choose the type of the paper such as regular article, note, or short communication (See1.2).
  
2.5 Manuscripts should be sent to:
Editor-in-Chief
Polymer Journal
The Society of Polymer Science, Japan
Shintomicho Bldg.,
3-10-9, Irifune, Chuo-ku,
Tokyo 104-0042
Japan
  
3. Manuscripts
3.1 Manuscripts must be written in English, and should be prepared using the Template （Template for Regular Articles & Notes ,Template for Short Communications) available on the Web. URL:http://www.spsj.or.jp/c5/pj/pj.htm
  
3.2 Manuscripts should be written in double-spacing using letter sized paper (A4) with 3 cm margins on all four edges of the paper.  The pages must be numbered consecutively.
  
3.3 Running Heads (less than 60 letters), Abstracts (not needed for Notes and Short Communications), and Key Words (fewer than 7 words) should be placed between the title of the paper (including authors' names, affiliations, and addresses) and the text. Abstracts should be written as concisely as possible, preferably in less than 200 words.
  
3.4 It is preferable that the text be divided into the following sections: Introduction, Experimental (or Theoretical), Results, and Discussion. Results and Discussion sections may be combined, if desired.
Authors should consult recent issues of Polymer Journal for examples of style, format, and the use of abbreviations.
  
3.5 References to the literature and all footnotes should be numbered in one consecutive series. The following format must be followed for bookls (1,2), journals (3,4) and patents (5) cited.
1. D. Demus, J. W. Goodby, G. W. Gray, H.-W. Spiess, and V. Vill, Ed., “Handbook of Liquid Crystals”, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 1998.
2. C. J. Allender, K. R. Brain, and C. M. Heard, in "Progress in Medical Chemistry, 2nd ed.," F. D. King and A. W. Oxford, Ed., Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 1999, vol. 36, chap. 6, p 235.
3. M. Jikei, R. Mori, S. Kawauchi, and M. Kakimoto, Y. Taniguchi, Polym. J., 34, 550 (2002).
4. K. Murata, M. Aoki, and S. Shinkai, Chem. Lett., 739 (1992).
5. J.M.Schaefer and D. Ganbarg, U. S. Patent 5 371 138 (1994), Chem Abstr., 93, 46241 q (1995).
  
3.6 Prepare each table on a separate sheet of paper, with an appropriate caption. Number all tables consecutively in Roman numerals;I, II, etc.
  
3.7 Draw each figure on a separate sheet.  Number all figures and photographs in Arabic numerals; 1, 2, etc.  Figure captions should be summarized on separate sheets and placed at the end of the text.  Include photographs as part of consecutive figures.
  
3.8. Chemical structures should be drawn using the ChemDraw program listed below.
Draw settings:
Font 10pt Helvetica
chain angle 120o
bond spacing 18% width
fixed length 14.4 pt (0.508 cm)
bold width 2.0 pt (0.071cm)
line width 0.6 pt (0.021 cm)
tolerance 3 pt (0.106 cm)
margin width 1.6 pt (0.056 cm)
hash spacing 2.5 pt (0.088 cm)
  
3.9. A Graphical Abstract (not more than 85 words plus one figure or chart) should be prepared on a separate sheet and attached to the manuscript. The Graphical Abstract should be described within the frame sized 17 cm width 5 cm length.
  
3.10. The corresponding author should be indicated with a dagger mark (†) together with an E-mail address, a phone number, and/or a fax number on the bottom of the first page of the manuscript.
  
4. Galley Proofs and Reprints
4.1. Only the first galley proofs are sent to the contributor.  The contributor can correct typographical errors only. Any additional corrections, if any, should be approved by the Editorial Boards; their costs should be paid by the contributor.
  
4.2. Reprints should be ordered at the time when the galley proofs are returned to the Editorial office of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ)
5. Reviewing and Revision
5.1. All manuscripts submitted to the Polymer Journal are reviewed by Associate Editor and reviewers.  The Associate Editor finally decides on each manuscript's acceptability for publication.  Manuscripts that need extensive revision to match the format of the Polymer Journal may be returned to the authors without review.  Accepted manuscripts may need a grammatical check by a native speaker of English for clarity of language.
  
5.2. The editors may ask that a manuscript be revised.  Requested revisions must be submitted as soon as possible.  If the revised paper is not submitted within two month, and the reason for the delay is not acceptable, or not given, the manuscript may be regarded as having been withdrawn.  Revised manuscripts should be submitted in duplicate, unless otherwise indicated.  The revised manuscripts must be accompanied by the original manuscript and also must be accompanied by a covering letter of response to each of the comments of the reviewers and a list of changes made in the original.
  
6. Suggestion of Potential Reviewers.
Authors are encouraged to suggest potential reviewers for their work.  Such reviewers may be used at the discretion of the editors.
  
7. Copyright
7.1 The copyright of every paper published in the Polymer Journal shall be transferred to the Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ).  SPSJ shall have the right to publish the article in any medium or form, or by any means, now known or later developed.
7.2 Copyright Transfer Form: All contributors are requested to send manuscripts with the Copyright Transfer Form.
7.3  Copyright Transfer Form is available to be downloaded on our homepage (http://www.spsj.or.jp/c5/pj/pj.htm)
  

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