Submissions

Author Guidelines

Before preparing a manuscript, authors should consult the journal’s Focus and Scope and Peer Review & Editorial Policies. Image Analysis and Stereology publishes Original Research Papers, Review Articles, Technical Notes, and Short Research Communications.

Submission of a manuscript to Image Analysis and Stereology implies that the work has not been previously published (except in abstract form) and is not under consideration elsewhere.

All submissions undergo an initial editorial assessment for scope, originality, scientific and methodological quality, reporting standards, and compliance with journal policies. Manuscripts selected for external peer review are normally evaluated by at least two independent experts using a single-anonymized peer-review process. 

Sample articles:

• Original research paper (sample 1) - pure mathematical papers
• Original research paper (sample 2) - other papers
• Review article (sample)
• Technical note (sample)

Manuscript Submission. Manuscripts should be submitted electronically via the Online Submission system. For the initial submission, files must be in PDF format. Upon acceptance, the final version should be submitted in either Word or LaTeX format.

What To Submit:

• Manuscript (PDF) – Required for the initial submission
• Cover Letter – Required. Should include the names and contact details of suggested referees
• Supplementary Material – Optional. Include only if necessary to support the main text
• Final Manuscript and Figures – Required upon acceptance. Should be submitted in editable Word or LaTeX format, with high-quality figures

Correspondence. For any inquiries regarding article submission, please do not hesitate to contact the journal’s online submission system or via ias@guest.arnes.si

Guidelines for Manuscript Preparation. To ensure rapid and accurate publication, manuscripts must adhere strictly to the guidelines outlined below. Manuscripts should be prepared using Microsoft Word or LaTeX.

LaTeX. LaTeX style guide PDF file is available, providing instructions for preparing manuscripts for Image Analysis and Stereology. The guide also serves as an example of a properly formatted LaTeX manuscript. The complete LaTeX submission package, including templates and instructions, can be downloaded online:

• LaTeX zip package
• LaTeX style guide PDF file

The language requirements. All manuscripts must be written in English. Please ensure consistency by using either British or American English throughout the entire text. Choose one form and apply it uniformly.

Length Requirements. Articles, including tables, figure legends, and references, should not exceed 30 manuscript pages when prepared in Microsoft Word, or 15 typeset pages if prepared in LaTeX.

Title. Provide a concise and informative title of no more than 120 characters, including spaces. Use normal title or sentence capitalization; do not write the title entirely in capital letters. Also provide a short running title.

Abstract. The abstract should be written in the third person and must not exceed 250 words. It should provide a clear and concise summary of the work presented in the manuscript, highlighting the key objectives, methods, results, and conclusions. The abstract must be understandable to a nonspecialist audience.

Keywords should be listed immediately after the abstract. Provide no more than six keywords, arranged in alphabetical order. The keywords should accurately reflect both the methodological focus and the field of application, enabling proper classification and indexing of the paper.

Text. The manuscript must provide sufficient detail to ensure that an interdisciplinary audience can fully understand the problem addressed and the methods used. Avoid unnecessary subheadings. Within the text, do not underline words or use bold type for emphasis.

Methods. New methods or theoretical results must be supported with appropriate reasoning or derivation. The application of methods is encouraged, and authors should provide relevant real data, simulations, or numerical results to illustrate and validate the main findings.

Figures and Tables.  The minimum font size used in all figures and tables should be 9 pt. They must be numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals (e.g., Fig. 1; Table 1), each accompanied by a brief, descriptive title. Every figure and table must include a self-explanatory legend to ensure clarity. For the initial submission, all figures and tables must be included within the manuscript file. For accepted manuscripts, figures should be supplied as separate high-quality files. Preferred formats are TIFF, JPEG or PNG for raster graphics and PDF, EPS or SVG for vector graphics. Continuous-tone images should normally be at least 300 dpi at final publication size; line art should normally be at least 600 dpi. Labels and symbols must remain clearly legible at final size.

Equations should be placed on separate lines with additional spacing above and below to enhance readability. Each equation must be numbered consecutively, with the number enclosed in parentheses and aligned to the right margin. When including mathematical expressions within the text, maintain single-line spacing by using brackets—for example, (1 – x)/(3 – h). When referring to equations in the text, use the abbreviation "Eq." followed by the number (e.g., Eq. 1).

Units. SI units must be used wherever applicable to the parameter in question. A space should be placed between the numerical value and the unit (e.g., 5 µm, 2 mg, 1 min). Exceptions to this rule include the degree symbol, degrees Celsius, and percentages, where no space is used (e.g., 90°, 37°C, 50%).

Research Data: Include a Data Availability Statement in every manuscript according to the policy. Deposit supporting data (and where applicable code/models) in a trusted repository that provides a persistent identifier (preferably DOI). Cite datasets/software in the reference list using their DOI/PID. If data cannot be openly shared, provide open metadata and describe the access restrictions (controlled access, anonymization, embargo, etc.).

Data Availability Statement templates

Open data: “The data supporting the findings of this study are available in [Repository] at [DOI].”
Embargo: “The data are deposited in [Repository] at [DOI] and will be made openly available on [date] due to [reason].”
Controlled access: “Access to the data is restricted due to [reason]. Metadata are openly available at [DOI/URL]. Qualified researchers may request access via [repository procedure/contact].”
Derived/partial open data: “Due to [reason], raw data cannot be shared. Derived data sufficient to reproduce the analyses are available in [Repository] at [DOI].”
No new data: “No new data were generated or analyzed in this study.”

References. Citations should appear in parentheses: (Fish, 1971) for one author; (Fish, 1971a,b) for multiple works in the same year; (Fish, 1971; 1972) for works in different years; (Flesh and Fowl, 1954) for two authors; (Good et al., 1962) for more than two; (Flesh and Fowl, 1954; Good et al., 1962) for multiple references. When the author's name is part of the sentence, write: as shown by Miller (1967). Use letters to distinguish multiple works by the same authors in the same year (e.g., 1985a, 1985b). The reference list must be in alphabetical order and follow the format shown below:

• Macpherson IA (1973). Soft agar technique. In: Kruse PF, Patterson IMK, eds. Tissue culture methods and application. Ch. 7. New York: Academic Press, 276-81.
• Osler AG (1976). Complement: Mechanisms and functions. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 51-5.
• Solter NA, Wasserman SI, Austen KF (1976). Cold urticaria: release into circulation of histamine and eosinophilic chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis during cold challenge. N Engl J Med 294:687-90.
• Bengtsson S, Solheim BG (1992). Enforcement of data protection, privacy and security in medical information. In: Lun KC, Degoulet P, Piemme TE, Rienhoff O, eds. MEDINFO 92. Proceedings of the 7th World Congress on Medical Informatics, 1992 Sep 6-10; Geneva, Switzerland. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1561-5.

"Personal communications," "unpublished observations," and "in preparation" should be cited only in the text and must not be included in the reference list. References can be automatically formatted using our EndNote style file, available online. The internet source (URL), where referencing to the author is not applicable, should also be given in text only, e.g. (www.issia.net). 
Online documents may also appear in the reference list, e.g.:
Reinking L (2007, June). Examples of Image Analysis Using ImageJ. Retrieved May 31, 2021, from https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/docs/pdfs/examples.pdf

References can be automatically formatted using our EndNote style file, available online:

• EndNote style file for Image Analysis & Stereology

Page Numbering. All pages of the manuscript, beginning with the cover page, should be numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals.

Supplementary Materials  may include images, videos, datasets, additional tables, or other files that support and enhance the manuscript. These materials are published exclusively in the online version of Image Analysis & Stereology and must be referenced appropriately within the manuscript. They must be submitted alongside the manuscript at the time of submission and accompanied by a complete set of legends - one for each supplementary item.

A cover letter must be submitted in the text box provided during the first step of the submission process. Manuscripts submitted without a cover letter will not be processed for peer review. The letter must include the following:

1. Significance Statement. A brief explanation highlighting the importance and relevance of the submitted work.
2. Conflict of Interest Declaration. Clearly state whether a conflict of interest exists. If so, describe it explicitly. If there is no conflict, this must also be declared.
3. Author Contributions. Confirm that all listed authors were directly involved in the planning, execution, or analysis of the study and the writing of the manuscript. All authors must have read and approved the submitted version. Contributions of each author must be listed individually. Submissions lacking this statement will not be considered for peer review.
4. Language. Manuscripts must be written in clear, publication-quality English. Either British or American English may be used, provided usage is consistent throughout the manuscript.
5. Patient Consent (if applicable). If the manuscript includes any personal patient information (e.g., names, initials, hospital numbers, photos, or pedigrees), the authors must confirm that written informed consent has been obtained for both print and electronic publication. This statement should be included in both the cover letter and the manuscript. Do not send signed consent forms to the journal.
6. Suggested Reviewers. Provide the names, affiliations, and email addresses of four potential reviewers who are qualified to evaluate the manuscript. 

Article Processing Charges (Publication Fee)

A publication fee of 200 EUR is applied to each article accepted for publication in this journal. However, if any of the authors is a member of the ISSIA, the fee is reduced to 150 EUR. Please indicate in the cover letter which author holds ISSIA membership. There are no charges for article submission. All manuscripts are evaluated solely on the basis of scientific merit, and acceptance or rejection is not influenced by the authors’ ability to pay the publication fee.