Changes to ES&T in 2010: Viewpoints, Features, and Call for Table of Contents Art In response to trends in the Feature/Viewpoint manuscripts we receive, the growing import and rapidity of ideas in the environmental sciences and technology, and our own delivery methods, Environmental Science & Technology is making three editorial changes to start on January 1, 2010. In advance of the revised Instructions to Authors available through our website, we highlight the changes here. Please note as well the reminder of word limits for all manuscript types found at the end of this communication.
1. Viewpoints These will become a shortened manuscript type to afford an “op-ed” style for authors who wish to write a commentary on an issue of relevance to the ES&T readership. A strict word limit of 1500 (not including author names and affiliations) plus a maximum of 5 references and 1 figure will be enforcedsany Viewpoints exceeding these limits will be rejected upon submission. All Viewpoints will be subject to editorial approval but will not be edited in any way aside from the style guide. Newly accepted Viewpoints will be immediately sent to production for posting online as an ASAP and queued for the next most convenient print issue, as with research content. Note that comment on manuscripts published by ES&T constitutes either a Letter to the Editor (for Comments, Features, Viewpoints, News/Perspectives) or Correspondence (for Research Article, Policy Analysis, Critical Review). Any accepted “Viewpoint” that adheres to the 2009 or earlier formats by virtue of submission prior to December 1, 2009, and to be published in an issue after January 1, 2010, will have an Editor’s note attached. Viewpoints of the old format submitted between December 1, 2009 and February 15, 2010 will be unsubmitted; after February 15, 2010, old format Viewpoints will be immediately rejected.
2. Table of Contents (TOC) Art One image, illustrative or photographic, to serve as a “visual abstract” known as “TOC Art” can be easily displayed in our online environment. We feel this sort of imagery can add to a manuscript’s impact, presentation, and afford the opportunity, especially for field work, to put the research in its greater context. Starting January 1, submission of TOC Art will be required for Features and optional for Research Articles, Policy Analysis papers, and Critical Reviews; 10.1021/es903081n
2009 American Chemical Society
Published on Web 10/28/2009
submission is to occur with the original paper and will thus go through peer review. A generic illustration will be used for Viewpoints; TOC Art will not be accepted for Letters to the Editor or Correspondences. TOC Art will appear with the online version of the paper next to the abstract, and as “Figure 1” in the electronic TOC for the given issue (i.e., TOC Art will not appear in print). TOC Art may be selected for featuring in our online highlights box and/or journal cover(s).
Important notes on TOC Art a. Figures from the manuscript cannot be duplicated as TOC Art, but they may be simplified and/or used in a collage for illustrative impact. b. Only images that can have full rights transferred to the ACS will be accepted as TOC art; public domain material is also permissible. i. The burden of securing rights for transfer to the ACS and/or proving public domain status lies, as always, with the authors - see our Copyright/Permissions page for more information at http://pubs.acs.org/page/esthag/ submission/copyright.html. ii. Do not use imagery that requires permissions. iii. For photography, the photographer signs over the copyright (i.e., not necessarily the owner of the camera nor the corresponding author). iv. Also for photography, any recognizable person(s) must sign model release(s) sfor this reason it is best to avoid inclusion of individuals not yet 18 years of age (i.e., minors who cannot legally sign their own model release).
3. Changes to Features’ Peer Review Given the magazine style of presentation, all Features are currently edited post-acceptance. For all Features submitted on or after January 1, 2010, a two-round review handled through our online Paragon Plus system will fold in this existent practice. Round One is traditional peer review, garnering one of several possible decisions: -
accept as is minor revision major revision reject and resubmit reject
Following revision as per Round One, or immediately upon an “accept as is” decision, Round Two will constitute editing for language (grammar and spelling), style, and semantic accuracy by the Managing Editor, who will also format the document in anticipation of submission to production upon acceptance. Changes will be indicated with “Track Changes” in Word and will be returned to the corresponding author for minor revision. Accepted papers will then be forwarded to December 1, 2009 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 9 8703
production. Note that all Features go up as ASAPs online in advance of the issue for which they are selected to appear; scheduling for an issue is at the discretion of the Managing Editor and is not decided until after acceptance. This alteration in review only applies to Features and will not lengthen the amount of editorial time required to process Features. Features’ submission should still be preceded by a query email to the Managing Editor as to ES&T’s possible interest.
Word Limits Unless explicitly stated (Letters and Viewpoints), ALL WORD LIMITS INCLUDE FIGURES, SCHEMA, TABLES, AND References. Small figures, schema, and tables (∼1/3 column in PDF version) constitute 300+ word equivalents, large figures, schema, and tables constitute 600+ word equivalents. Thus, for example, a research article with 6000 words including references and 4 small figures is considered a 7200 word article, and in excess of the limit. Manuscripts that exceed the word limit may be subject to unsubmission to the draft stage or immediate rejection.
8704 9 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / December 1, 2009
Research Articles and Policy Analysis: 7000 word equivalents Critical Reviews: 10,000 word equivalents, usually including >100 references Correspondence: 1000 word equivalents Features: 5000 word equivalents Viewpoints: 1500 word equivalents + author names and affiliation(s) + 5 references + 1 figure (Viewpoints exceeding this will be immediately rejected) Letters to the Editor: 500 word equivalents + 250 word equivalents in references + author name(s) and affiliation(s) (Letters exceeding this will be immediately rejected) All authors are directed to our detailed Instructions to Authors at http://pubs.acs.org/page/esthag/submission/authors.html. Note that this communication will be published prior to the Instructions’ revised version appearing. Jerald L. Schnoor, Editor
[email protected] Darcy J. Gentleman, Managing Editor
[email protected]
