Magazine - Submission Guidelines

General

Effective January 2005, Nature Alberta will be published in March, June, September, and December. The deadlines for contributions are February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15 respectively. Submission of a contribution, on or before any deadline date, does not guarantee publication in the following or any issue.

Original, unpublished contributions are preferred and will be given priority over previously published materials. The Editor reserves the right to accept or reject any article, to send manuscripts for external review, and to require authors to revise articles prior to their publication. Further, the Editor may edit for length and format, to correct spelling and grammar, to meet accepted standards of nomenclature or to improve readability. Most word processing packages include grammar and spell-checking programs: please use them prior to submitting any article.

Authors must include their name, mailing address, e-mail address (when available) and phone number with their submission. If the submission has appeared elsewhere, authors must provide details of the prior publication and a letter from the original publisher that explicitly permits Nature Alberta to republish the work.

Contributors may submit manuscripts:

1. by e-mail to na@naturealberta.ca (please include “Nature Alberta” in the subject line)
2. on IBM formatted diskette
3. in typed or hand-written formats (double-spaced, on 8.5 X 11 inch paper).

Nature Alberta requests the electronic submission of contributions whenever possible.

Mail diskettes, typed/handwritten articles, and slide/print images to:

Nature Alberta
11759 Groat Road
Edmonton, Alberta
T6M 3K6

Specific Guidelines

1. Letter to the Editor: up to 550 words. Thoughtful comment on any subject of interest to naturalists, including Nature Alberta, will be considered.
2. General Article: 500 to 2000 words. This category includes manuscripts with a broad range of content ranging from personal observations of landscapes, flora or wildlife, reports of trips, profiles of natural areas, facilities, parks, “how to” articles, review articles, etc. Submission of several related photographs with articles is appreciated.
3. Profile Article: Up to 550 words. Profiles of notable Alberta naturalists should focus on the specific accomplishments of the individual and the impact he/she had. Authors must submit a photograph of the subject.
4. Research Article: 1000 to 2000 words. Research articles should describe original ecological or environmental research conducted, wholly or in large part, in Alberta. Articles should be written assuming an audience of “informed citizens”. Authors must avoid excessive use of scientific jargon and define all technical terms. Standard scientific format should be followed (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Literature Cited). Computer generated figures, tables and illustrations should be forwarded as printed copy and in electronic form. High quality black and white maps are welcome. Photographs of study sites and/or subjects are appreciated.
5. Book Reviews: Up to 550 words. Must include book title, name(s), author(s), publication details, price, a short synopsis of the book and a discussion of its strengths and weaknesses. Nature Alberta will also accept reviews of CDs, videos, documentaries and similar materials of interest to naturalists.
6. Feature Article: Feature articles are intended to provide overviews of important ecological or environmental issues. In general, these submissions will be invited by the Editor and prepared by recognized authorities. Length and format are flexible and will be determined by agreement between the author and Editor. Nature Alberta welcomes suggestions for future feature articles and potential contributors.
7. Literature Cited (all articles): All cited works must appear in the Literature Cited. Periodical entries should include author(s), year of publication, article title, periodical title, volume number and page reference. Book entries shall include author(s) or editor(s) (the latter, if the book includes a series of chapters by separate authors), year of publication, book title, publisher and place of publication. Nature Alberta permits a maximum of five entries in the Literature Cited.
8. Word Counts (all articles): Word counts include all text, literature cited, and acknowledgments.

Photo Submission Guidelines

1. Cover Photo Submissions: Nature Alberta will accept, never before published, high quality photographs of Alberta landscapes, wildlife, flora, and related subjects in competition for publication, in full-colour, on the front or back cover. Nature Alberta requires contributors to include photographer's name, location the photograph was taken, the subject and how the photograph was taken (digital/film camera/lens/filter used, etc.) for inclusion in the credit line. In addition, photographers may include a paragraph (maximum 125 words) describing the image or the circumstances under which it was taken. When a photograph includes identifiable persons, it must be accompanied by a signed release granting, Nature Alberta, explicit permission to publish the likenesses of the individuals in the photograph.
2. Minor digital/darkroom enhancement of images is allowable, but must be disclosed to the Editor. Composite images, such as generated by adding wildlife to a landscape image or combining two landscape images, are not acceptable. The Editor reserves the right to refuse any image or crop images to fit the front/back cover page format. Photographs may be held for publication in future issues or, by Editor’s choice, may be included as black-and-white images within the body of the magazine.
3. Submit images either electronically to na@naturealberta.ca or, for film format, by regular mail, to the address provided above. Although Nature Alberta's staff will undertake all reasonable efforts to return original images to contributors; Nature Alberta is not responsible for any failure to either receive or return images. No fee is payable to contributors.
4. Cover photos are printed at a finished size of 8(horizontal)×6(vertical) inches or 20×15 cm. If submitted electronically, slide/print images should be scanned to yield images of 2400×1800 pixels to take best advantage of Nature Alberta’s 300 dpi printing resolution. Nature Alberta will scan original slide and print film images forwarded to the Nature Alberta office.
5. Digital photographers are advised that 5 megapixel and larger formats are preferred for cover photo submissions.

Please Note: Exceptions to guidelines may be made in consultation with the Editor. (Dennis Baresco na@naturealberta.ca)