Preparing accessible materials for your article
We are committed to ensuring our books, journals and Elements accessible to all our readers. Making our journal articles accessible ensures more people engage with your work and digital accessibility is now a required condition of sale in many regions.
Accessibility requirements for content
We recommend all authors provide their own alt-text/descriptions to us as part of the manuscript submission process in the Accessibility Descriptions Submission Form. If not provided by authors, these will be machine generated and available to review at proof stage. The accuracy of all alt-text and multimedia descriptions in the published article is the responsibility of the author. Please do not rename this file and if using one of our OPRS systems, upload the file under the supplementary material designation.
File Name
File Size
File Type
Link
Images
- All images require descriptions (concise alt-text, plus long descriptions in certain circumstances). This applies to everything captured as an image, including graphs, diagrams, etc. The only exceptions are images that are purely decorative or that are fully described in the caption and/or main text.
- All images must be numbered, captioned, and cited in the text.
- We recommend authors provide their own accessibility materials through the Accessibility Descriptions Submission Form.
Read our Image descriptions guide for further information.
Tables
- Tables must always be numbered, captioned, and cited in the text.
- Tables will be captured as an image, meaning alt-text and long descriptions need to be provided in the same way as for other images.
- We recommend authors provide their own accessibility materials in the Accessibility Descriptions Submission Form.
Read our Accessible tables guide for further information.
Mathematical graphical diagrams
- Graphical diagrams are line drawings which use mathematical notation, such as commutative diagrams and Feynman diagrams. They do not typically appear as a numbered figure in manuscripts.
- Due to their complex nature, they need to be captured as an image, and require alt-text and an equation number.
- In most cases, these diagrams will already be described in the text, so alt-text indicating this will automatically be applied. However, it is the author’s responsibility to flag if this is not the case for any of these diagrams. In these instances, the author must provide alt-text and long description using the Accessibility Descriptions Submission Form.
Contrast
- Simple graphs and charts must meet minimum colour contrast requirements to ensure they are accessible. Please try to use accessible colour contrast for these from the start.
- If any simple graphs and charts are found to not use accessible colours, the colours will be adjusted.
Read our Accessible colour contrast guide for further information
Boxes
- All boxes must be numbered and labelled, e.g. 'Box 1.1' or 'Case Study 1.1'.
Inline graphics
- Inline graphics are symbols, characters, or small images that are positioned within the body of the text. All symbols and characters should be in Unicode.
- If this is not possible, the author will need to provide alt-text for the graphic in the Accessibility Descriptions Submission Form.
Video and audio
- All videos hosted on Cambridge Core must have alt-text, closed captions, and a second version with audio description. This includes video abstracts.
- All audio files hosted on Cambridge Core must have alt-text, closed captions, and a descriptive transcript.
- We recommend that authors provide their own video and audio captions, descriptions, and transcripts through the Accessibility Descriptions Submission Form.
Read our Accessible video and Accessible audio guidance.
Lists
- Multi-column lists cannot always be read correctly by screen readers and are thus not accessible. Single column lists should be used wherever possible. If this is not possible, the list will be captured as an image. The author will then need to provide alt-text and long description. If not provided, this will be machine generated and available to review at proof stage.