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Information for Contributors

Journal
Condor
Volume
87
Issue
1
Year
1985
Pages
160-161
Online Text

INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS

The Condor publishes original research reports and review articles pertaining to the biology of wild species of birds. New records of range expansion, with rare exceptions, must be documented by specimens or clearly recognizable photographs, and be of more than local significance.

At the time a manuscript is submitted, its author must inform the Editor of the extent to which its data have been used in other papers that are published, in press, submitted, or soon to be submitted elsewhere. For the rationale behind this policy, see Volume 84, page 135.

Submit material to be considered for publication to the Editor, The Condor, Meriden Road, #64-255, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03766.

ARTICLES

Script. Submit the original plus two copies of the text, tables and illustrations for the use of the reviewers. Type the text, tables, legends and literature-cited section double­spaced on one side ofstandard (8 1h x 11 in.), good quality bond paper, with at least one-inch margins. Typing or letter-quality printing is strongly preferred over dot-matrix printing. Do not use erasable, light-weight, or mimeo bond. Avoid hyphenating words at the ends of the lines. Put the author's name in the upper right-hand corner of every page. Number text pages through the list of references; combine legends for figures on one unnumbered page. A void footnotes. Provide a concise, definitive title, and for regular articles, an abridged title for the running head. Subheadings within the text should have no more than three levels. Keep tables (unruled) to a minimum, using text or illustrations where possible. Put each table on a separate unnumbered page. Material in the tables orgraphs should not be repeated in the text. Write mathematical formulas on one line, where possible. Every longer article should have an abstract designed to acquaint potential readers with the essential points in the text. The abstract should be informative rather than descriptive, and intelligible when divorced from the article itself. It should contain no more than 250 words and should be suitable for use by abstracting services. Give the scientific name at first mention of a species, both in the abstract and in the article. Scientific and English names of birds should follow the usage of the AOU Checklist of North American Birds (6th ed., 1983) or an authoritative source for other regions. Do not give subspecific identification unless it is pertinent and has been critically determined. When both the English and scientific names are given as a paragraph heading (e.g., in regional lists of species), put the scientific name first. Metric units are strongly favored in all measurements. Abbreviations or symbols for thermal physiology should be based on the International System of Units. Abbreviations of statistical terms and mensural units should conform with the CBE Style Manual (see below), except for temperatures, where the degree sign is to be retained. Designate clock time in the 24-hour system and write it as 08:00 or 17:25 (not 0800 hours or 1725 hours). Use the military system of calendar notation(e.g., 1 January 1984).

Give your present address at the end of the article. If you are no longer at the institution where you did the work and you wish to credit that institution, you may mention it first.

Illustrations. All illustrative material should be arranged in the form of figures, each with an arabic number. Line illustrations (e.g., maps, graphs, drawings) should be designed for reduction by one-third to one-half. The artwork should be no larger than 81h x 11 inches, including labels or coordinates. Artwork for one-column figures (2 3/4 in.), should be no more than 6 inches wide, and for two-column figures (53/4 in.), no more than 11 inches wide. Design the illustrations to be compact in order to save space. Try to plan graphs for a single column.

Use mechanical lettering devices or adhesive transfer letters. Typewriter or computer lettering is generally not acceptable. Choose a medium-weight, simple typeface (e.g., Futura Medium, Helvetica), one that is not bold, ornate or compressed. Lettering should be of such a size that it will be about as large as text type (7-10 point) when reduced. The size of the lettering is simple to plan with 50% reduction of the illustration. For patterned lines and areas, printed adhesive tapes and sheets are preferable to hand­work. For shading, use a pattern of lines or dots, not a solid tone. Make sure that lettering and patterns will not block up when reduced.

Include a key to symbols in the illustration unless the symbols can be described in the legend. The printer cannot set special symbols in the legends. If a magnification scale is needed (e.g., photomicrograph), put it in the picture, not the legend.

Coordinate paper (light-blue grids only), and smooth­finish drafting paper are suitable. Tracing paper and cloth are not recommended; if submitted they should be mounted on white cardboard. Use only carbon drafting or India ink. Submit either the original artwork or a crisp, high-contrast photographic copy, never larger than 8 1/2 x 11 inches. Copies by duplicating machines are acceptable only for the reviewers, and even then, only if they are clearly legible. Photographs must be sharp and of good contrast, showing details in important areas. Prints should be made from monochrome ("black-and-white") film whenever possi­ ble. If a color transparency must be used, make the print from a custom-made monochrome internegative; prints from color internegatives are seldom acceptable. Photographs or paintings cannot be published in color unless subsidized by the author; ask the Editor for details.

Photographs should be glossy or lustre-finish, on single­weight paper, and preferably mounted on artist's mounting board. Half-tones should be the actual size they are to be reproduced or slightly larger. Unlike line illustrations, they will not benefit from much reduction. They must be no larger than 8 x 10 inches and smaller sizes are preferred.

If a figure is to contain two or more photographs, cut them squarely and mount them neatly together so that no white space shows between them. (The engraver will insert a hairline.) Identify the pictures and label the structures as necessary using adhesive transfer letters.

Write the author's name and the figure number on the back of each photograph, using a soft pencil or special marker, never a ballpoint pen. Do not fold photographs or use paper clips or staples on them. Attach a protective overlay.

For sound spectrograms (sonograms), use the actual tracing if it is sharp, clear, and relatively short. If intensity differences are not important, submit a high-contrast photograph ofthe lettered sonogram. Ifthe graph is long, faint, or blurred, make a pen-and-ink tracing if possible.

Faulty illustrations may be returned to the author. If they are fixed by a scientific illustrator under the Editor's direction, the author will be charged.

Literature cited. Make sure that all citations in the text are listed at the end of the paper, and that all papers listed have been cited. If five or fewer references are cited, put them in the text, following these examples: (Brown and Amadon, Eagles, hawks and falcons of the World. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1968), or Crowell (Auk 85:265, 1968). Check the accuracy of citations against original sources. Cite the original version instead of a reprint, wherever possible (e.g., Bent Life Histories). In-text citations of publications by three or more authors should be in the form "Jones et al." A series of citations should be listed in chronological order (e.g., Moreau 1944, Lack 1974). For abbreviations and forms of titles ofserial publications, follow the Serial Sources for the BIOSJS Data Base (BioSciences Information Service, 1982). Consult recent issues of The Condor for additional details.

Proofs and reprints. Proofs, typescript, and reprint order forms will ordinarily be sent to the senior author. Please inform the Editor well in advance of any change in address or system for handling proofs. Check proofs carefully against typescript for errors. Examine illustrations to be sure that press-on materials have not been accidentally lost. Corrections will be made without charge but revisions that are an author's doing will be charged to the author at $1.75 per revision line.

If a change is needed, try to make the replacement the same length as the deletion. Otherwise, it may be necessary to reset additional lines. Return proofs and typescript promptly to the Editor. Order reprints directly from Allen Press.

Guidance. For further instruction, see the following:

  • ALLEN, A. 1982. Steps toward better scientific illustrations. 3rd ed. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, KS 66044.
  • CBE STYLE MANUAL COMMITTEE. 1983. CBE style manual. 5th ed. Council of Biology Editors, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814.
  • DAY, R. A. 1983. How to write and publish a scientific paper. 2nd ed. ISI Press, 350 I Market St., University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
  • MACGREGOR, A. J. 1979. Graphics simplified/How to plan and prepare effective charts, graphs, illustrations, and other visual aids. Univ. of Toronto Press, Toronto.
  • O'CONNOR, M., AND F. P. WOODWARD. 1975. Writing scientific papers in English. American Elsevier, New York.
  • THOMPSON, W. L. 1979. Suggestions for preparing audiospectrograms for publication. Condor 81 :220-221.

COMMENTARY

The Editor invites letters that comment on articles published in The Condor. Letters should be submitted in duplicate so that one copy can be forwarded to the person whose work is being discussed. The recipient will be invited to reply. Letters should be as brief as possible; they are subject to editing. They must be typed double-spaced and signed.

NEWS AND NOTES

This section is for noncommercial ornithological news, announcements, and requests for assistance. Submitted items should be concise, in Condor format and typed dou­ble-spaced. Announcements that carry a deadline should be submitted at least six months beforehand to allow enough time for publication and response. Announcements of more immediate events should be submitted to the Ornithological Newsletter (edited by Dr. Richard C. Banks, Bird and Mammal Laboratories, U.S. National Museum, Washington, DC 20560), which is published more frequently and more quickly than The Condor.

BULLETIN BOARD

Every member of the Society may publish free of charge one short advertising notice (six lines or less) in any issue of The Condor. This service is reserved for the convenience of members and is not available for regular commercial purposes. Copy must be typed double-spaced in Condor format and should be sent to the Editor. Inquiries about display advertising should be sent to the Advertising Manager at the editorial office.

PUBLICATION NOTICES

The journal publishes brief notices about selected new books, booklets, and sound recordings that are received in the editorial office. Authors and publishers are encouraged to submit a copy of their work, not just an announcement, for consideration. Make sure that its price and source (if not a commercial publisher) are given.

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