Authors' Guidelines

The basic checklist for manuscript preparation

  • After acceptance for publication, the authors should provide the accepted paper source files (LaTeX or other templates that will be provided in due course) properly formatted in accordance with the provided templates;
  • For all contributions the benefits of the publication to the OpenFOAM community should be clearly outlined in the abstract;
  • For the review process the authors should submit a simple formatted document with one column and 1.5 line spacing, in PDF format, with figures, tables and equations, numbered consecutively and embedded in the text. The format for references should be the IEEEtran;
  • When using the provided templates please consider the following: 
    • LaTeX template (Link for the repository)
      • Please use only public packages available from CTAN (the Comprehensive TEX Archive Network).
      • Do not redefine already existing commands, however you can add additional ones if they support your work
      • The full LaTeX distribution is required (e.g. in Ubuntu run “sudo apt install texlive-full”)
    • authors should not modify the templates regarding formatting, as this may results in additional review cycles
  • The article should be prepared in accordance with the journal writing style
  • Rename the template to a file name which Identifies the selected journal Section ("FullPaper" for Full Papers, "RevPaper" for Review Papers and "EdPaper" for Educational Papers).
  • Use identifying file names for all submitted files. Avoid overly generic file names (e.g. article_final.docx, fig1.png, etc…)
  • Please use the provided template for referencing other publications. All bibliographic data must be incorporated into the article file.
  • Please do not provide a list of authors and affiliations and do not disclose the authors' identity in any of the documents sent for review for our double blind review process. In the final accepted version of the manuscript a full list of all authors, their affiliations as well as email addresses will be added.
  • Proofread your article thoroughly and carefully.
  • All texts must be written in British or American English.
  • The first page of an article must contain a descriptive title and the abstract
  • You have to make sure  that you have the consent of all authors and other entities for the publication. This is especially important for all auxiliary data (e.g. experimental data sets) you provide along with your article.
  • Make sure your article clearly outlines the two major core points of the journal
    • reproducibility
    • benefit for the OpenFOAM community
  • It is the author’s responsibility to focus on those two topics.
  • If any cases and codes are provided, we kindly request the authors to include README files (.md or .txt) at the top-level of the case(s) and code(s) folder. These README files should provide basic instructions on how to use the case(s) and/or compile the code(s). Furthermore, to facilitate running the case(s) and/or compiling the code(s), we request the authors to include appropriate "Allrun" and "Allwmake" scripts.
  • Please check the scope of the journal for more information.

 

Checklist for figures/tables 

  • All figures/tables have to be inserted into the text body.
  • Number figures/tables consistently throughout the paper.
  • Use an in-text reference at least once before the figure appears in the text.
  • Set captions below the figure and above the tables. Text within figures should be legible and its size should be no less than 80% of the main body text size
  • Make sure figures are sized correctly and do not extend into the margins of the page.
  • File format
    • min. 600 pixels per inch at 100%
    • If the figure is too large, resize the figure in a graphics program. This applies also to photographs.
    • Photographs must be at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
    • vector graphics figures are preferred (e.g. eps or PDF)
    • resolutions for bitmap graphics
    • Overly generic file names should be avoided (e.g. fig1.eps)
    • Fonts should be fully embedded in your graphics.
    • Do not crop by pasting areas of white over portions of the graphic.
  • Make sure that you have all rights to all your figures for publication.

 

AI Authorship

Current Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, do not meet authorship criteria in the OpenFOAM Journal. While they may enhance human-generated texts for readability and error correction, they lack accountability for their output and cannot be considered as content creators. When using an LLM, this must be documented in the Methods section of the manuscript. Final text versions must have human accountability and approval from the authors.

Generative AI Images

Generative AI image creation raises legal copyright and research integrity concerns. The OpenFOAM Journal adheres to copyright laws and cannot permit AI-generated images for publication, except in the following cases:

  • Images from contractually affiliated agencies created legally
  • Generative AI tools used with verified accountable scientific data, complying with ethical and copyright standards

All images created with Generative AI should be labeled as “AI-generated”.

This policy will be reviewed regularly as the field evolves.