Online First is a feature which allows final revision articles (completed articles in queue for assignment to an upcoming issue) to be hosted online prior to their inclusion in a final print and online journal issue. Online First option involves setting up an electronic version of the article immediately after the positive reviews and its acceptance, but before the placement in a specific volume and allocation pagination.
Online First articles have been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online, but have not yet been assigned to a journal issue. When an article is published in an issue it will be removed from this page.
After the article's online publication, no corrections (including the order of the authors' names) can be made. Changes can only be made in the form of technical editing.
Benefits of Online First
Online First provides clear benefits to all researchers and users of the journal's online content. Authors benefit from greatly reduced lead times between submission and publication of articles. With Online First, the article can appear online while other articles are being completed for an upcoming issue.