All submissions should be made through the Memory, Mind & Media ScholarOne system here.

Authors should indicate their Article type (see a description of each type in 'Article type’ above) in the online submission system in addition to whether the contribution is part of a themed collection.

Any queries about submission should be sent to the journal’s Managing Editor Rachel Hendrick via [email protected].

Manuscript preparation: Overall submission guidelines

 Authors should submit two documents via ScholarOne: 

1. A title page file containing:

• A title which is short, direct and accessible for non-specialists and which accurately reflects the content.
• The author(s) names and affiliation including institution and country.
• Email address for the corresponding author (who should be indicated with an asterisk).
• A number of required disclosure statements should be included including a competing interests statement, acknowledgements, data availability and funding (see ‘Disclosure statements’ below).
• Word count including references.
• We require all corresponding authors and encourage all co-authors to include an ORCID iD.
• An Author Bio in the following format or similar, up to a maximum of 50 words: First Name Last Name (University of X) is a professor/researcher/student of X at the University/Institution of X. His/her research interests include x, y, z. 

2. The main article file including no identifying information:

• Word document, in English, text of 12pt or larger, double line spaced and with margins of at least 2.5 cm.*
• Authors are required to submit a jargon free abstract within this file and also have the option of sending a graphical or video abstract as a separate file should their piece be accepted for publication (for more detail see ‘Abstract preparation’ below).
• Please include 6 to 8 keywords to be published with your paper. As well as including the topic of your paper (for example memory and war), you should include amongst these key words the most relevant subject disciplines or subdisciplines (for example history, cognitive psychology).
• Tables, figures and graphics should not be embedded in the manuscript but please indicate the position in the text (see more information below).
• Papers should adhere to the ‘Style’ guidelines included below.

Authors will have the opportunity to nominate potential reviewer names in the ScholarOne system and should also indicate whether they intend to submit an additional graphical or video abstract after acceptance.

Abstract preparation

Text abstracts

In the interest of engaging the many disciplines that this journal seeks to engage with, all authors are required to submit an easily understandable, jargon-free abstract. The abstract must summarise the purpose of the paper, be no more than 250 words in length and be written at a level that is understandable by a broad audience. To ensure your abstract meets this standard we ask authors to put their abstract (and ideally also the first paragraph of their paper) through a readability calculator such as SMOG or FOG. These calculators estimate the years of education required to comprehend a text based on the complexity of words and sentence structure. The Editors ask for authors to aim for a readability score of 16 to 18 and will repeat this test as part of the review process. Reducing sentence length and avoiding specialised terms in the abstract can help bring the score within the required range.

Graphical and video abstracts

Memory, Mind & Media is excited to offer the possibility of publishing a graphical or video abstract alongside the text abstract with an aim of making your work accessible to a broader audience and increasing discoverability. Videos tend to appear high up in search engine results pages and both videos and graphics can be shared easily on social networks. This is not compulsory and authors should indicate on submission whether they would like to include one of these additional formats alongside a text abstract. Authors should choose just one or none of these formats rather than both and accepted authors will upload these files at the final stage along with their final papers for production. These innovative abstract formats will appear alongside your published content and can be linked to from social media accounts to aid promotion and drive downloads. Should you choose to include one of these innovative abstract formats you will be required to follow these detailed specifications to avoid delays in the production process: 

Specifications for graphical abstracts 

Examples of graphical abstracts on other journals can be found here and here. A graphical abstract is a single image that summarises the main findings of a paper, allowing readers to gain quickly an overview and understanding of your work. Well-designed and prepared graphical abstracts are an important way to publicise your research, attracting readers, and helping to disseminate your work to a wider audience. Ideally, the graphical abstract should be created independently of the figures already in the paper but it could include a (simplified version of) an existing figure. A thumbnail of the graphical abstract is displayed on the table of contents page online and at article level.

Graphical abstracts should be clear and easy for the viewer to read, and should illustrate one main point only. Permission to reuse images should be sought by the authors before submitting a graphical abstract - by signing an author agreement for publishing your paper you are also agreeing to abide by this condition.

In our experience a good graphical abstract is: 

• Single panel.
• Landscape orientation.
• A simple, clean design with minimal text (if text must be used, it should be legible in a small thumbnail (2.4cmx2cm)).
• Aspect ratio 1.2:1 (e.g. 6cm x 5cm).
• GIF or high resolution JPEG format (300 dpi) - unless very large, vector graphics are preferred to ensure image sharpness regardless of sizing.

For further information about how to prepare your figures, including sizing and resolution requirements, please see our artwork guide. The image will be scaled to fit the appropriate space on Cambridge Core, so please ensure that any font used is clear to read, and that any text is included as part of the image file. There should be no caption and there is no need to include the title ‘Graphical abstract’ in your image. Your final graphical abstract file should be emailed to [email protected] as soon as possible after acceptance.

Specifications for video abstracts

You may choose to provide a video abstract should you feel it will help to illuminate the main themes of your paper. You may finding reading this guide for another Cambridge publication helpful when preparing your video abstract. 

A video abstract is a short video that allows you to directly introduce your paper to your audience to increase their interest and entice them to read your paper in full. You can be as creative as you like with the video but in our experience the best video abstracts are around 3 minutes long and feature the author briefly addressing why the article was written, its main message and implications for the future.

You can create your video abstract with any camera that can record a video with sound, ideally with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and 1920x1080 resolution. Most smart phones can record videos of this quality or use a computer webcam with a built-in microphone. Free editing software supplied with most PCs will allow you to make any required edits. We can only accept digital files in mp4 format with a maximum size of 2GB.

Tips:

• Start by stating your name, institution and the title of your paper.
• Record in a silent room and make sure there is no background noise.
• Pay attention to the background behind you. Have a neutral background, avoid backlighting but use flash. Avoid objects/material that can distract the viewer or that contain identifiable information such as personal photos or confidential documents.
• Ensure your face is not too close or too far from the camera - a head and shoulders shot works best.
• If using a laptop or phone camera, elevate the device so the camera is eye-level.
• Film in landscape frame - this provides a better viewing experience.
• Avoid back-lighting. Make sure the camera is not pointed at any windows or light sources without additional sources to light your face.
• Speak clearly.
• Don't overcomplicate your messages. Keep recordings concise and with definitive endings.
• Don't be afraid to do multiple takes, if you think it is necessary.
• You could consider a slide show with a voice over, an animation or a simple personal introduction to your work.
• Please don't add wording/titles/subtitles or logos to the video.

Anyone recognisable in the video must give you their permission to be recorded. Authors should ensure that all images are royalty free and are not subject to any copyright or usage restrictions. By signing an author agreement for publishing your paper you are also agreeing to abide by these conditions.

Authors should upload their completed video abstract to Dropbox and email the link to [email protected] along with a written transcript file so we can ensure your abstract is as accessible as possible.

Tables, figures and graphics

The journal is very interested in exploring the interaction of art and memory studies and is excited to be working with a journal Artist-in-Residence Emma Robertson. We support authors including images and photos where appropriate to enhance their text-based arguments  as well as being open to submissions entirely in image, artwork or video format (see ‘Article types’ above).

Please ensure that all tables, figures and graphics are provided in an editable format and are of a suitable quality and resolution to be published online. Do not embed these files in the manuscript – they must be supplied in separate files, one file per figure. Please indicate the position of figures, tables and graphics in the text along with any caption as follows:

Table 1: Table caption INSERT TABLE 1 ABOUT HERE

Figures, tables and graphic reproduced from already published work must be accompanied by the permission of the original publisher (or copyright holder, if not the publisher). Full information on how to prepare and supply tables, figures and graphics can be found here and should be followed with care.

Multimedia and supplementary materials files

Any multimedia and supplementary materials should also be provided as separate files.

Disclosure statements 

Authors will be asked in the ScholarOne system to confirm that the substance of the content presented has not been published previously and is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere.

In the interest of transparency, authors must also include the following disclosure statements in the title page).

Acknowledgments

This should recognise help and advice from associates and colleagues who contributed to the article but do not meet the recognised criteria for authorship, as well as other kinds of non-financial support from individuals and organisations.

Data Availability Statement

Research articles must contain sufficient information to allow others to understand, verify, and replicate findings. The article must contain a Data Availability Statement explaining how data and other resources were created, from where they are available, along with information about any restrictions on the accessibility of data and other resources.

Examples:

Data availability: The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in [repository name] at http://doi.org/[doi], reference number [reference number].

Data availability: The data that support the findings will be available in [repository name] at [URL / DOI link] following a [6 month] embargo from the date of publication to allow for commercialisation of research findings.

Data availability: The data that support the findings of this study are available from [third party]. Restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under licence for this study. Data are available [from the authors / at URL] with the permission of [third party].

See the Memory, Mind & Media research transparency policy for more details.

Funding statement

This must detail the sources of financial support for all authors in relation to the article, including grant numbers, or declare that no specific funding exists. The statement should also make it clear whether the funder had a role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

For example:

“This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under research grant XXXX. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.”

Where no specific funding has been provided for research, please provide the following statement: “This work received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.”

Competing interests

Authors should include a Competing Interest statement within their title page. This declaration will be subject to editorial review and may be published in the article:

• Competing Interests are situations that could be perceived to exert an undue influence on an author’s presentation of their work. They may include, but are not limited to, financial, professional, contractual or personal relationships or situations.
• Competing Interests do not necessarily mean that an author’s work has been compromised. Authors should declare any real or perceived Competing Interests in order to be transparent about the context of their work.
• If the manuscript has multiple authors, the author submitting the manuscript must include Competing Interest declarations relevant to all contributing authors. 
• Example wording for a Competing Interest declaration is as follows: “Competing Interests: Author A is employed at company B. Author C owns shares in company D, is on the Board of company E and is a member of organisation F. Author G has received grants from company H.” If no Competing Interests exist, the declaration should state “Competing Interest: Author A and Author B declare none”.

Open Access

All Memory, Mind & Media content is published online-only using a continuous publication model. All content is published on a Gold Open Access (OA) basis: it is made freely accessible immediately on publication under a Creative Commons licence that allows users to re-distribute and re-use the material. The standard license that Memory, Mind & Media uses is CC-BY 4.0, but authors are able to select other Creative Commons licenses in the publishing agreement that is signed on acceptance.

Gold Open Access publication in this journal is paid for through a series of different funding routes designed to ensure that every author, irrespective of their circumstances, can publish in the journal and enjoy the benefits of Gold OA. For full details, please refer to our open access options.