Whalewatcher Submission Guidelines for Authors

The purpose of Whalewatcher is to serve as a bridge between the scientific community and the general public, providing education about cetaceans and their environment. Receipt of Whalewatcher is a benefit of membership in the American Cetacean Society (ACS). Whalewatcher is not a scientific research publication and articles should be directed to an educated lay audience. The following guidelines are for authors who wish to submit articles for publication in Whalewatcher.

manuscripts

Publication is subject to review and approval by the Whalewatcher editorial/scientific review panel. Manuscript length can range from 1200 words to 2200 words. Longer articles may be permitted at the discretion of the editor and review panel. In such cases, authors should consult with the editor in advance of submitting a manuscript.

Manuscripts must conclude with a short biography of the author. References should not be cited. Suggested further reading is permissible if appropriate to the article. Manuscripts will be edited for conciseness, clarity, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Authors should avoid scientific jargon that cannot be easily understood by the average reader.

Manuscripts including information about cetacean/human interactions must state clearly that procedures and protocols were followed in conformity with the applicable codes of the country of origin. This includes information about experimentation, approaching cetaceans, swim-with programs, and etc.

photographs

Once the manuscript has been accepted by ACS' editor and review panel, authors should submit a minimum of four color slides (originals or duplicates) or photographs with their accepted manuscript. Line drawings can also be submitted. Additional slides or photos may be submitted, depending upon the length of the article. In such cases, authors can consult in advance with the editor. Each image must include a caption and the photographer's (illustrator's) name. Captions and credits should be included with the manuscript text and a hard copy attached to each individual image.

Black-and-white-photos or slides are acceptable. Strong contrast and sharpness are desired for the best reproduction. Digitized images may be submitted with the proper documentation. Digitized images should be in TIF file format, at 300 dpi, and an image size of 5x7 inches. If images are sent on Zip disks, the disks will be returned to the author.

If copyrighted slides are sent, authors must include a letter of permission for ACS to use the slide(s) for publication.