frequently asked questions

We've provided a list of some of the most common questions that we receive. We hope these help you with any issues you may be experiencing in World Science. If it doesn't, or you have another question you would like to see answered here, you can always contact us.

1. How can I write a manuscript?

- click on "Start New Manuscript" from your home page
- follow the steps on the Manuscript Foundations page
- answer the questions for each prompt (there is no limit)
- use the powerful reference function (see FAQ #4)
- when completed you can preview the article to view it in standard format.
- the article can be submitted for peer-review with World Science or you can email yourself the text file (see work offline below [FAQ#6]. The file can then be reformatted for any other journal.

2. How can I write a commentary on a previously published report?

- click on "Start Commentary" from your home page
- conduct a search to choose the article you wish to comment on
- the citation becomes the title of your commentary
- answer the questions to provide the commentary components
- when completed, click on "publish"

3. How do I find and cite references while I am writing?

From your Manuscript center, under Knowledge Items, click on View/Edit for References and you can begin to add references to be cited within your manuscript. You have the ability to search our vast database of manuscripts, create your own reference, or select references from your previous World Science manuscripts to be used in your current manuscript. Once the desired references have been added to your manuscript, you can then cite them from within your writing sections. While answering a question, click on the "R" in the textbox toolbar to bring up a list of the references you have assigned to this manuscript. Selecting "add reference" next to the desired reference will insert an "R" where your cursor is. Hovering over this will show you the formatted reference citation. When your full paper is viewed, the "R" will be replace with the correct reference citation number.

4. How do I search the literature?

You can search the literature via the search box on the World Science Home Page, as well as via our Advanced Search tool. While writing, you can search our reference database from the References section of your manuscript.

5. How do I analyze the results of my search?

After each search, click on "Analyze Results" on the right side of the screen. Wait a few seconds, and you will have access to several reports including the years of publication, the top 30 journals containing those reports, and the top 30 authors writing on that topic.

6. How can work when I am not on the internet?

When you are on the Manuscript Sections page while authoring, click on "work offline" at the bottom of the page. You will be prompted to enter an email address. The current version of the report, with all the report questions will then be emailed to you. You can transfer the file into any word processing software to work on the report. Once you are back online, you can cut and paste the components back into World Science.

7. How do I add new keywords to the network?

If you begin authoring a manuscript in a Community/Sub-Community pair that does not yet have keywords available for it, you can enter keywords from the Manuscript Metadata page when you start the manuscript, after you've selected a Community/Sub-Community. These keywords will be marked as "pending for approval" from the World Science editorial and advisory board. Once approved, these keywords will be available to others authoring in the same Community/Sub-Community.

8. How do I combine the results from different articles?

From your home page, enter a search query to look for. This will provide you with a list of World Science References and external references. World Science References will have a "compare data" option above this list. Choosing this option will list the World Science References along with their Data Posts that can be compared. Check the Data Posts whose information you'd like to be compared and click on "combine selected data". A list of the combined data will be shown below the World Science References.

9. How do I ask direct questions of articles?

For any article published in World Science, you will see a list of interactive features below the title. Click on the drop-down menu for a list of available questions and answers will be provided from the text of the article.

10. Why is the peer-review process of World Science unique?

The process is unique for several reasons. First, reviewers provide their comments inside the article itself, below each of the questions within each section. Authors can then revise their work directly. Second, authors "grade" each of the review comments as to whether the comment was helpful or not, the revision made or not made. The editor can summarize these for each reviewer.

11. Are there videos available to take me through the process?

Absolutely. Our Tutorials page has a collection of video tutorials that will walk you through several of the processes within World Science.