Submissions

Author Guidelines

The Journal of Smart Sensors and Materials (JSSM) is a refereed, open‑access journal publishing original, well‑substantiated research in smart/functional materials, sensing devices, transduction mechanisms, integrated sensor systems, and their applications. Manuscripts submitted to JSSM must be original, not under consideration elsewhere (in print or electronic form), and not previously published. The corresponding author must confirm this upon submission.

Submission System: Submit via our online system (OJS). New authors must register prior to submission. For assistance, contact the Managing Editor.

Languages: English is the working language of JSSM. Clear, concise scientific English is required. Authors whose first language is not English are strongly encouraged to seek language editing before submission.

Manuscript

Style & Format: Use APA referencing format. Prepare manuscripts using the JSSM template or Microsoft Word. Use SI units and standard symbols. Figures must be high‑resolution (≥300 dpi) with clear, self‑contained captions. Tables must be editable (not images).

Length: As a guide, Original Articles 6,000–8,000 words; Rapid Communications ≤3,500 words; Reviews 8,000–12,000 words. Scientific quality takes precedence over word counts.

Keywords: Provide 3–6 keywords that reflect materials, mechanisms, platforms, and application domains.

Templates: Use the JSSM Word templates for detailed formatting (margins, heading levels, equation numbering, reference style).

Abstract

Include a 150–250 word abstract summarizing Background/Problem, Methods, Key Results (with quantitative metrics where possible), and Significance/Impact. Avoid citations and undefined abbreviations. For device papers, report core performance indicators (e.g., sensitivity, LOD, response/recovery, selectivity, stability, power).

Authorship

JSSM follows the CRediT taxonomy. All listed authors must have made a substantive contribution (e.g., conceptualization, methodology, investigation, software, validation, formal analysis, resources, data curation, writing, visualization, supervision, project administration, funding acquisition). All authors must approve the final manuscript and agree to be accountable for their contributions.

Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose financial and non‑financial interests that could be perceived to influence the work (e.g., funding sources, consultancies, equity, patents). Where none exist, state: “The authors declare no competing interests.”

Acknowledgement

Disclose funding and non‑author contributions. Use this format: “This work was supported by [Funder/Grant Name] (Grant No. XXXXX). The authors thank [Name/Facility] for [specific assistance].”

Timeliness

Please submit revisions within 14 calendar days for minor revision and within 30 days for major revision, unless otherwise agreed with the Editorial Office. If you require more time, contact the Section Editor before the deadline. Manuscripts with overdue revisions may be withdrawn from consideration.

Manuscript Format and Structure

Single File Submission: Submit a single compiled file (DOCX for Word) plus source files at revision.

Title Page Information (submitted separately for double‑anonymous review):

• Title: concise and informative (≤20 words), in Title Case.
• Author Names & Affiliations: full names; affiliations with full postal addresses; ORCID iDs for all authors.
• Corresponding Author: marked with an asterisk (*); provide email address.

Manuscript should include:

1. Abstract and Keywords (3–6).
2. Introduction & Related Work (objectives and contribution statement in the final paragraph).
3. Materials & Methods / Device Fabrication (parameters, equipment, calibration, environment; sufficient detail for replication).
4. Results (concise text with tables/figures as needed; avoid duplication between text and graphics).
5. Discussion (interpretation, limitations, comparison to benchmarks; uncertainty and error analysis).
6. Conclusion (key takeaways and recommendations/implications).
7. Data & Code Availability Statement (repository names, DOIs/links, access conditions).
8. CRediT Author Contributions.
9. Acknowledgement and Funding statements.
10. Conflict of Interest statement.
11. References (APA format) including DOIs; cite datasets/software with persistent identifiers.
12. Supplementary Information (e.g., datasets, firmware, CAD, videos), if any.

Equations: Number sequentially; define variables at first use; include units.

Figures & Tables: Place near first citation. Ensure readability at journal column width. Provide scale bars, legends, and uncertainty/error bars where appropriate.

Footnotes: Keep to a minimum; use superscript numbering.

Abbreviations: Define at first appearance; avoid in title and abstract.

Language and Nomenclature

Use International System of Units (SI). Apply IUPAC nomenclature and standard symbols where relevant. Report measurement uncertainty and significant figures consistently.

Ethics & Research Integrity

Follow COPE/ICMJE guidance. For studies involving humans/animals or clinical/field trials, include the ethics approval number and registry (if applicable). Disclose use of AI tools in writing/analysis; such tools cannot be authors, and authors remain responsible for accuracy and originality.

Plagiarism: All submissions are screened; a similarity index of ≤25% (excluding references/methods/common boilerplate) is generally expected.

After Acceptance

APC: JSSM does not apply an Article Processing Charge (APC) to support open‑access publishing. Full publication cost will be borne by the publisher (Sensor Malaysia) till December 2027.

Production & Proofs: Accepted papers undergo technical checks. Authors receive PDF proofs and must return corrections within 48 hours. One round of author corrections is included; substantial changes after proof may incur charges.

Retractions/Corrections: Managed per COPE guidelines. Requests to retract or remove an article must be justified in writing; such requests are discouraged after acceptance.

Article Withdrawal without Notification: Failure to respond to acceptance/proof communications without notice may be recorded and may affect future submissions.

Peer Review

JSSM operates double‑anonymous peer review with at least two independent expert reviewers. Authors may suggest 3–5 potential reviewers (with institutional emails) and must avoid conflicts of interest (same institution, recent co‑authors, advisors/advisees). Final reviewer selection rests with the editors.