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About JALA
JALA is a multi-disciplinary international forum devoted to the advancement of technology
in the laboratory. It is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation (ALA). Six issues are published
each year, providing a unique forum for the presentation of method-focused scientific papers, and related news, events, and product announcements.
JALA readers, reviewers, and authors are academic, commercial, and government researchers, scienttists, and engineers who
conduct research and develop new technologies to increase productivity, elevate data quality, reduce lab process cycle times, or enable
experimentation that otherwise would be impossible.
Manuscripts
JALA publishes manuscripts in four main categories:
Original Reports, Innovation Briefs, JALA Tutorials, and Technology Reviews. JALA also publishes Letters to the Editor,
and product and company news announcements.
Original Reports
Original Reports contribute new, original, significant
information and applications. Original Reports are a minimum of 2,000 words, with no maximum word limit. The editorial staff and reviewers
will evaluate a manuscript's content against its length and may suggest shortening the manuscript as appropriate. Original Reports are
peer-reviewed by at least two experts in the field.
Innovation Briefs
Innovation Briefs are practical descriptions of
a process, technique, instrumentation, device, or software containing technical content that would be of interest and use to readers
of JALA, but which do not necessarily represent original or novel work. Innovation Briefs are typically shorter than Original
Reports (approximately 2,000 words). Innovation Briefs should be of sufficiently non-commercial nature, so as not to be categorized as
a Technology Review. This does not preclude Innovation Briefs being written by product-providing companies. Innovation Briefs are also
peer-reviewed by at least two experts in the field.
JALA Tutorials
Tutorials provide an introductory overview
of a core topic in the field of laboratory automation or related areas. The content of a Tutorial must be presented in an instructional
manner. Tutorials are a minimum of 2,000 words, with no maximum word limit. Long Tutorials may be published in multiple parts. Tutorials
are peer-reviewed by at least two experts in the field.
Technology Reviews
Technology Reviews describe new and innovative
products of interest to JALA readers. They may focus on instruments, devices, or software. Technology Reviews are a minimum
of 1,000 words. All Technology Reviews are edited for commercial content. Technology Reviews are reviewed by at least one expert in the
field.
Manuscript Guidelines
JALA accepts manuscript submissions via the Elsevier Author Gateway at http://ees.elsevier.com/jala
.
All manuscripts and news releases submitted to JALA must be written in the English language. Microsoft Word is preferred.
Manuscripts must be prepared double-spaced, with wide margins (25 mm or 1 inch), and pages should be consecutively numbered. Tables
may be embedded in the Word file. Figures must be provided as separate, original files (for more information, see Figure Guidelines).
Manuscripts should include an introductory abstract of approximately 200 words or less that states the purposes of study or investigation,
main findings, and the principal conclusions. In addition, three to five keywords should be provided for indexing purposes.
Manuscripts
are expected to be concise, well organized, and clearly written. The format of the paper should follow that found in Chapter One of The
ACS Style Guide (Janet Dodd, Editor: American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1997). The author is responsible for the accuracy
and completeness of all references. Use the SI system of units and Celsius degrees; use L for liter. Where a company is mentioned, indicate
location (city, state, country if non-U.S.). All abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols must be defined upon their initial use in the text.
Figure Guidelines
It is the author's responsibility to provide original, high-resolution images for all figures, photos,
and illustrations. Images should be at least five inches wide and saved as TIF files at 600 dpi for line-drawn images or at least 300
dpi for color or black/white photography. Color images should be saved as CMYK. Each image submitted should be saved as a separate file,
and the file name should include the lead author's last name and identified as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.
Copyright and Simultaneous
Submissions
Manuscripts are considered for publication with the understanding that if the paper is accepted, copyright is transferred
to the Association for Laboratory Automation, and that no paper presenting the same information has been or will be published elsewhere.
If part of a contribution has appeared or will appear elsewhere, the author must specify the details in the comments portion of his or
her submission. Simultaneous submissions of manuscripts to multiple journals at the same time are not acceptable - please do not submit
manuscripts that may be under consideration by another publication or electronic medium.
The Peer-Review Process
The
review process is confidential, and reviewers are obliged not to discuss papers or authors with anyone outside of the JALA editorial
staff. Manuscripts are typically evaluated in response to the peer-review guidelines at http://www.labautomation.org/jalaprguidelines.php,
and initial feedback is usually provided to authors within four weeks after submission. Manuscripts can be accepted as written by reviewers,
declined as inappropriate, or as is often the case, reviewers will suggest revisions. Authors are then offered the opportunity to revise
and resubmit their manuscripts, or provide explanations in response to reviewer questions or suggestions. Revisions and responses are
re-reviewed by the peer reviewers before final publishing decisions are made.
Author Conflict of Interest Policy
All
authors will be asked to disclose to JALA in writing all relationships that could be viewed as presenting a potential conflict
of interest regarding the subject matter of their manuscripts.
On behalf of all authors, each manuscript's lead/corresponding author
will be asked to complete the Author Conflict Disclosure Statement when submitting a manuscript for consideration. Such information is
held in confidence while the paper is under review and does not influence the editorial decision.
Scientific Misconduct
In accordance with the Council of Science Editors, JALA recognizes that as a general guide, the term "research misconduct" applies
to any action that involves purposeful manipulation of the scientific record such that it no longer reflects observed truth. Research
misconduct generally falls into one of four areas: fabrication of data, falsification of data, plagiarism, and unethical treatment of
research subjects. If JALA suspects misconduct by authors, reviewers, editorial staff, or other editors, it will take action.
This duty extends to both published and unpublished papers. For definitions and details, please visit http://labautomation.org/jalainstructions.php
.
Other Submissions
Letters to the Editor
Comments on published articles are welcome and will be published if deemed
appropriate by the Editor. Letters should not exceed three double-spaced manuscript pages. Please include a brief title succinctly stating
the topic of your letter. Letters to the Editor are screened, but also may be peer-reviewed or subjected to rebuttal by the authors of
the initial article. Send Letters to the Editor to nhallock@labautomation.org.
Product and Company News Announcements
Announcements for World News and the Meetings and Events Calendar that may be of interest to JALA readers should be sent
to nhallock@labautomation.org for consideration at least three months before the first day of the month of issue.
Editorial Correspondence
Send questions, suggestions, ideas, or concerns regarding JALA to:
Nan Hallock
Managing Editor
Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation
819 Shorewood Blvd.
Manitowoc, WI 54220
USA
Tel: +1.920.652.0427
Fax: +1.630.762.0458
E-mail: nhallock@labautomation.org
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Address changes must be submitted
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Yearly Subscription Rates
The annual subscription rate for U.S.
and overseas members of the Association for Laboratory Automation is $90 and is included in annual association membership dues
of $120. For membership information, visit http://www.labautomation.org or e-mail ALA_office@ labautomation.org.
For current non-member pricing, please visit http://www.jalajournal.com/pricing. Current prices are in effect for back volumes and
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JALA
Online
Members of the Association for Laboratory Automation may access full text articles from past and present issues of JALA
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number in the "My society membership includes this journal" box. ALA membership numbers can be found on individual JALA mailing
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Access the JALA Media Kit directly at http://www.elsmediakits.com/journalDetail.php?jrn_id=00000486&ref=projou.
Author inquiries
For inquiries relating to the submission of articles (including electronic submission where available),
please visit www.elsevier.com/authors. This site also provides the
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• The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO
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available online may be obtained by purchasing Pay-Per-View access for $30 per article on the journal Web site, http://www.labautomation.org.
© 2009 Association for Laboratory Automation. All rights reserved. This journal and the individual contributions contained
in it are protected under copyright by the Association for Laboratory Automation, and the following terms and conditions apply to their
use:
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Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal
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Permission of the Publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations.
Electronic Storage
or Usage
Permission of the Publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including
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Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
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Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Rights Department, at the fax and e-mail addresses noted
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Notice
No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher or the Association for Laboratory Automation for any injury
and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any
methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular,
independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made.
Although all advertising material is expected to conform
to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value
of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer.
Indexing and Abstracting
Volume indexes appear in the
December issue and JALA is available on Elsevier's ScienceDirect. JALA is abstracted and/or indexed in CAS+, SciFinder, Analytical
Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Compendex, Inspec, CINAHL, Proquest CSA Technology Research Database, Google Scholar, Scirus, and
Scopus.
Updated March 2009
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