e-First is a publishing module that helps SAcLJ (Singapore Academy of Law Journal) and SAL Ann Rev (Singapore Academy of Law Annual Review of Singapore Cases) authors get published faster. Papers or chapters submitted will still go through the standard editorial process: be copyedited, typeset and approved by the author. The difference is the speed at which the paper is published and released for viewing. As soon as a paper or chapter is accepted, it is processed editorially and published online without waiting to be included in a print edition. This substantially reduces the time it takes for a paper or chapter to be published thus improving on currency of the content, and offers readers quicker access to topical subjects. A paper or chapter that appears in e-First will constitute publication hence establishing publication precedence for SAcLJ and SAL Ann Rev authors.

Once an e-First paper or chapter is published in a print edition, the paper or chapter is removed from the e-First portal and posted under the respective print issue in the e-Archive. This incorporation of e-First papers or chapters into the print edition, and subsequent removal from the e-First portal may result in there being no papers or chapters viewable in e-First.

All e-First papers or chapters will be published in the print edition.

Establishing Publication Date

Submissions published in e-First are considered published. The date the paper or chapter appears in e-First is the publication date which establishes publication precedence.

Citing an e-First Paper

As an e-First paper or chapter is published pre-print, it will not be paginated and hence should be cited by its publication date as follows:

Citing a Paper after Publication of the Print Edition

As there will be only one version of each paper or chapter, when citing an SAcLJ paper, no distinction need be made between the e-First or print citation; both citations may be used interchangeably.

Should the citations be combined, a paper or chapter may be cited as follows: