Author Policies & Guidelines

Objective

EMBC is the annual flagship conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS).  EMBC aims to provide EMBS members, IEEE Members, and other individuals and organizations with information and exhibits to assist in the advancement of electrical, electronics, and biomedical engineering and related arts and sciences. Whereas EMBC is an international conference, participation in EMBC creates opportunities for multiple researchers, practitioners, regulators, and all interested in the field of Biomedical Engineering to participate, network, and share the latest significant findings and developments in the field from across the world. While participating in EMBC as an author includes a large time commitment, it is fruitful, offers great exposure to the innovating research, and the ability to network with leaders in the biomedical engineering field. 

Type of Submissions

EMBC accepts paper submissions of the following types

  • Full Contributed Papers: an EMBC Full Contributed Paper is a complete paper describing research of scientific relevance to the field of biomedical engineering, in a full 4 to 7 pages, drafted on the EMBS Full Contributed Paper Template
  • 1 Page Research Abstracts: an EMBC 1 Page Research Abstract is an extended abstract which provides a high-level summary of research of scientific relevance to the field of biomedical engineering, in a single page, drafted on the EMBS 1 Page Research Abstract Template

Eligibility

All Papers submitted to EMBC must:

  1. Be compliant with the IEEE Publications Service and Products Board Operations Manual and all policies therein
  2. Be compliant with the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Code of Ethics www.embs.org/ethics

Formatting

The formatting of the paper must

  • Be written in the English language
  • Be original unpublished work
  • Have no more than 35 authors listed as authors and/or co-authors of the paper

The conference strongly encourages authors to utilize the templates provided by the conference in creating the paper manuscript. Whereas each submission will be reviewed for compliance of margins, headers, and footers, page numbers, and other size specifications, papers which are not compliant with these requirements, or have changed these specifications could result in rejection or removal from the program.

Authors

  • All authors listed on the paper must be eligible to submit a paper to EMBS conferences.
  • Paper which includes Authors who are listed on any of the following lists managed by IEEE or EMBS may result in rejection, removal from the conference program, and/or cancellation of other authorship benefits.

Corresponding Author

  • Each paper submitted to EMBC must has a designated author assigned.
  • While it is traditional for the first listed author to be the corresponding author, any author of the paper may be designated the corresponding author.
  • Whereas many of the responsibilities of the corresponding author will require compliance with legal terms and conditions, such as registration and transferring copyright, the corresponding author of the paper should be an adult of 18 years of age or older with the authority to agree to any and all legal requirements for the paper.
  • The corresponding author acts as the assigned manager of the paper, and should have the authority of all authors to speak collectively on behalf of all authors.
  • The corresponding author is the author responsible for completing all tasks and expectation required for the paper during the paper submission process.
  • The corresponding author is responsible for all activities related to the paper submission. This includes but is not limited to:
    1. Initial submission of a compliant manuscript on or before the submission deadline
    2. Ensure adherence to the deadlines during the paper submission process
    3. Making timely updates or changes to the paper that may be requested or required during the submission process
    4. Acting as the representative to all authors associated with the paper as the lead communicator and representative for the paper.
    5. Ensuring any and all fees related to the submission, such as conference registration fee and submission fees, are paid to support final paper upload in accordance with conference deadlines.
    6. Completing the accurate final submission of the paper on or before the final submission deadline
    7. Ensuring the paper is presented at the conference during the assigned presentation time scheduled by the organizing committee
    8. Adherence to the EMBS No Show Policy and processes therein

Paper Initial Submission

Timely Submission

  • All authors who wish to have a paper considered for inclusion in the conference program must submit and complete the paper submission process before the submission deadline for the respective submission type.
  • Whereas EMBS Editorial Board manages an equitable review process for all papers, and the review of papers does not begin until all papers of the particular submission type have been submitted and the deadline has closed, late submissions cannot be accommodated. This is to ensure the review process can begin and end timely for all authors.
  • Extensions of initial submission deadlines may be announced but are not guaranteed.

Submission Quality

  • Authors are encouraged to complete a thorough review of the initial submission manuscript. The paper which is submitted will be the paper which is reviewed by the reviewing body. Once the initial submission deadline closes any requests to edit the initial submission cannot be accommodated.
  • Reviews are assigned by theme and keywords included in the paper data during the initial paper submission process. Authors are encouraged to carefully select keywords and themes to ensure the paper is reviewed by peers in your subject area.

Review Process

  • Each paper will be reviewed by reviewers assigned by the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference Editorial Board team in connection with the conference organizing committee, and in compliance with IEEE & EMBS Publication and Review Policies.
  • Reviews are traditional single blind peer reviews where the identity of the reviewer is not visible to the author(s).
  • The qualitative and quantitative feedback from the reviews and other factors of consideration for the conference will be gathered to determine whether the papers should be either accepted or rejected to the conference.

Acceptance or Rejection

  • On or before the scheduled and communicated notification date set by the organizing committee the conference will notify the corresponding author of the acceptance or rejection of the paper to the conference program, along with comments and suggested feedback received from reviewers
  • Papers which are accepted will be advised of next steps and will be required to move forward with additional requirements and deadlines related to the conference submission process
  • Papers which are rejected are encouraged to review the feedback from reviewers, and apply said feedback to future submission opportunities

Final Submission

  • Papers which are accepted to the conference program are required to complete all steps outlined for the final submission process. Papers which do not complete the final submission steps on or before the deadlines outlined by the conference are subject to removal from the conference program
  • Whereas the conference program of author submitted work is a collective of all author contributions, timely completion of the Final submission process is critical.
  • Final Submission steps included, but are not limited to:
    1. Finalizing and Submitting the Presentation Ready/Photo Ready/ Publication ready Manuscript
      • The corresponding author of the paper must submit the final draft of the paper, on or before the published deadline
      • Corresponding authors are encouraged to complete a thorough review of the paper before the final submission deadline.
      • This will be the final opportunity to make any changes, adjustments, or acknowledgements; Requests to update, edit, change, or add information to the paper will not be accommodated after the final submission deadline.
    2. Transfer of Copyright to IEEE
      • In accordance with IEEE Policy and the IEEE PSPB Operations Manual, all papers must transfer copyright of the paper to IEEE before publication. You may visit the IEEE Author center for more details on the copyright process and requirement
    3. Registration to the Conference
      • The corresponding author of the paper is expected by the conference to register to attend the conference and present the work to participants of the conference.
      • If the corresponding author is not able to attend the conference, he or she may delegate this responsibility to a co-author.
      • Delegation of this responsibility requires that the corresponding author submit a substitute/Absentee case in advance.
      • At least one of the paper authors must register as an “author registration” in support of the paper, and attend the conference at full registration rate to support the paper.
      • Full registration rates are defined as rates which offer all full access to the conference for the duration of the conference.
      • Student Full rates can support a full paper
    4. All fees must be paid in full, including any applicable taxes.
  • Payment of any Applicable Submission Fees
    1. Additional Submission Fees
      • Each Author Full Registration will support up to 2 Accepted Papers of any submission type
      • Additional submission fees will apply to the third submission, and any submission greater than 2
    2. Over length Page Charges
      • Full contributed papers which exceed 4 pages in length will be charged an over length page fee per page count greater than 4.  
      • Over length page fees are applied regardless of page content. For example, a 5 page paper which contains 4 pages of research content and 1 reference page, is considered a 5 page paper, and will incur over length page charges.
        *The Maximum Page Length is 7 pages inclusive of the reference page.
    3. All fees must be paid in full, including any applicable taxes

Paper Presentation

  • Each paper that is accepted to the conference program by the organizing committee and meets the final submission and registration requirements will be required to present their work at the conference as scheduled by the organizing committee.
  • Decisions on the Presentation type or vehicle assigned to a paper are determined by the conference organizing committee members considering the factors which include, but are not limited to:
    1. Conference Editorial Board recommendation
    2. Recommendations and suggestions by the paper reviewer
  • Topic and content of the paper
  • Topic Interest
  • Conference delivery resources
  • Given the size of the conference and the number of papers presented during the conference, the committee is unable to accommodate special requests for presentation types and/or scheduling accommodations.
  • Authors are encouraged to plan attendance for the full conference scheduled as all presentation dates are subject to change with or without notice.

EMBS No Shows

  • Policy
    1. EMBS enforces a no-show policy. Any paper which is accepted to the conference, completes final submission, and is included in the final program must be presented at the conference. 
    2. The corresponding author is the scheduled presenter of the paper, and is required to present the paper at the scheduled presentation date and time determined by the conference organizing committee.
    3. The author(s) of any paper which is added to the final conference program but is not presented as scheduled will be subscribed to the no-show list compiled by EMBS. 
  • EMBS No Show Author List
    1. Authors who are listed to the EMBS no-show list will be included on said list for a period of no less than 2 years.
    2. The list of no-shows will be made available to All EMBS Conference organizers, and said organizers may reject submissions from authors included on the no show list.
  • Substitutions
    1. Whereas the corresponding author is required to present the paper, should any circumstances arise where the corresponding author is unable to present the paper at the conference, the corresponding author may delegate the presentation responsibility to one of the listed co-authors of the paper to present the paper in his or her absence.
    2. Said substitution of a corresponding author by a co-author must be documented and substantiated in advance via the EMBS Substitute/Absentee Form.
    3. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to submit a substitute/absentee case to the embs executive office before the scheduled date of the presentation.
    4. Undocumented Substitutions will be considered a corresponding author “no show”.
    5. Should a circumstance arise where none of the listed authors are able to present the paper at the conference it is the responsibility of the corresponding author to submit a substitute/absentee case to via the EMBS Substitute/Absentee Form documenting the reason for the absence.
    6. Cases submitted to the EMBS Substitute Absentee Form, where the paper is not presented by the corresponding author or a substitute co-authors will be reviewed on its merits, and supporting documentation may be required.

Paper Publication & Indexing

  • Papers submitted on the Full Contributed Paper type and path, which are accepted, complete all final submission steps as outlined by the conference, are presented at the conference as scheduled, and meet the IEEE Standards for Publication will be deemed eligible by EMBS for publication and indexing in IEEE Xplore and PubMed Medline as a paper include in the conference proceedings.
  • 1 Page Papers are not eligible for publication and indexing opportunities
  • Acceptance to the conference does not guarantee or imply the guarantee of publication

Code of Ethics

  • The EMBS AdCom approved the following Code of Ethics to provide a guideline of ethical consideration for all members and to establish its support for ethical conduct in research. https://www.embs.org/ethics/
  • This code should be applied to all paper submitted to the conference
    1. Patients and Human Subjects
      • Respect human dignity and privacy of patients and human subjects.
    2. Information
      • Ensure proper safeguarding of all confidential information, including information pertinent to patients, subjects, commercial entities, and trade secrets.
    3. Environment
      1. Promote a culture of cost‐effectiveness.
      2. Support the preservation of a healthy environment.
    4. Research
      • Engage in research aimed at advancing the contribution of science and technology to improving healthcare provision.
      • Report research results with scientific integrity and proper due credit.
      • Observe the rights of human research subjects and strive for a balance between benefits and potential harm.
      • Ensure a responsible and humane use of animals in research.
      • Conduct clinical research studies in accordance with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and Good Clinical Practices (GCP).
    5. Profession
      • Hold in high regard the inter‐disciplinary nature of healthcare delivery and research. Foster collegial inter‐disciplinary relationships. Respect, value, and acknowledge the contribution of others.
      • Encourage a culture of knowledge exchange and mentorship.
      • Avoid or properly disclose conflicts of interest.

Best Practices

  • Select your corresponding author carefully
    1. Whereas the corresponding author is the person responsible for all activities of the paper, he or she plays a large role in the author experience for all authors on the paper
    2. The corresponding author should be diligent and carry the capacity to receive and disseminate information to other authors promptly
    3. The corresponding author should be one who is an adult of 18 years of age or older, who has the license to speak on behalf of all authors.
    4. While the society recognizes that it is traditional for the first author to be the corresponding author, in the scope of the conference author process for EMBS, the corresponding author is a paper manager and lead, and should be willing and prepared to except the role and the responsibilities required by the role
  • Adherence to deadline
    1. Throughout the submission process there will be deadlines that must be adhered to. Timely engagement on the efforts required to meet said deadlines is critical.
    2. The committee sets these deadlines to ensure that the conference project timeline is met and that the conference experience is balanced for all authors and stakeholders.
  • Communication
    1. Whereas EMBS is an international membership organization, fueled by energy from volunteers all over the world, the primary sources of communication with authors include email, notifications in the author workspace, social media, and the conference website.
    2. Authors are encouraged to
      • Ensure your email address in the author profile are up to date
      • Check spam and junk folders for messages related to your submitted wor
      • Login as often as possible to your author workspace for any changes in status of notifications