7 January 2005
Wanted: Contributions to The Citizen Scientist
The Citizen Scientist aims to be the best
possible source of information, news and projects for
amateur scientists. We are looking for contributors
to help us reach this goal.
Our staff is part time and tiny, so we are unable to
engage in lengthy correspondence about your submissions.
But we will do our best to publish your best.
Please scan what follows. Maybe you can help us advance
the cause of citizen science!
Do you have an idea but are not sure if it will fit
in The Citizen Scientist? Before writing us
about your idea, check the categories of articles below.
Also, be sure to check past articles on the web site.
Letters to the editor for "Backscatter" can
be submitted without a query. For other topics, send
a brief letter outlining your idea. If your topic
is interesting, we'll get back to you.
Please understand that we cannot enter into lengthy
correspondence, for there is very little time to assemble
each issue.
Do you have a comment about an article or column in
The Citizen Scientist? Have you learned about
some event, happening, discovery, accomplishment or
recognition that involves citizen scientists? Then send
a note to "Backscatter."
Be sure to place "Backscatter" in your subject
and include your first and last name. We do not publish
flames and anonymous letters. Submissions will be subject
to light editing for spelling and grammar.
The Citizen Scientist wants to publish news
stories about amateur scientists and their achievements.
We also want to publish news articles about science
that have an amateur connection. Any science magazine
can publish a story about the latest satellite launch
or rare species of bird or butterfly. We want to publish
stories about how citizen scientists can validate the
latest satellite or observe a rare bird or butterfly.
If you know of good news possibilities, please send
the details in an e-mail to the editor.
If you write well, send us a news article that we will
consider publishing over your byline.
Are you an amateur photographer? Have you made a sharp
photograph of a noctilucent cloud, unusual animal, rare
mushroom, the aurora, a rocket launch, interesting atmospheric
event, chemical reaction or anything else that will
interest citizen scientists? Then consider a contribution
to "Gallery." We prefer JPEGs with a resolution
of 640 x 480 pixels, but we can work with higher resolution.
Be sure to include your first and last name, details
about the photograph and where and how it was made.
If the subject is an animal, plant or fungus, be sure
to include the Latin name if possible.
We are looking for well written feature stories about
personal discoveries, amateur and citizen science activities,
science field trips, and historical amateur scientists.
Photographs or illustrations are essential. Be sure
to include your first and last name with your contribution.
Anything you borrow from others must be clearly explained.
Include references to specific items that you borrowed
from the work of others or that will allow our readers
to find additional information.
Have you designed and built a scientific apparatus
or instrument? Have you developed a scientific method,
process or algorithm? Have you devised a clever way
to study wildlife? Have you developed an efficient method
for analyzing a time series of data? All these are suitable
project topics for The Citizen Scientist. We
are especially looking for well written and illustrated
articles that will allow our readers to duplicate what
you have done. This means that details and sources of
supplies and materials must be provided. Project articles
require careful organization. A good way to organize
your article is to first collect the illustrations you
plan to use and place them in order. Then write your
article in the same sequence that your illustrations
will appear.
We are looking for brief reports from birders and amateur
naturalists, geologists, meteorologists and astronomers
about anything that will interest fellow amateur scientists.
Have you discovered a better way to photograph a dark
snake against a dark background? Do you have special
tricks for identifying songbirds by only their song?
Have you developed a simple way for determining the
altitude of a circling hawk? Please send the details
in a brief report. Likewise, we are looking for lab
tips on anything of interest to amateur scientists.
This includes culturing bacteria, building electronic
circuits, fabricating glassware, calibrating instruments
and all the other activities pursued by serious amateur
scientists.
We will copy edit your submissions for grammar, spelling
and style. But we don't have the staff or the time to
rewrite your material. So please be sure to send us
your best. Articles must be well organized. Web readers
prefer short article to long ones. They also want articles
that tell, show or teach something new, meaningful,
interesting or humorous.
Articles can be sent in Word, WordPerfect or plain
text. Please do not send articles as PDF or publication
files, as it is too difficult to disassembled these
and reassemble them into our HTML format.
It is important for our reputation and yours that your
article clearly acknowledge any sources that you used.
We will not knowingly publish plagiarized articles.
If you use a quote from a book or web site, include
the source before or after the quote.
For more information, click here
to read our author guidelines.
Photographs, drawings and illustrations are always
important. We prefer that you make these yourself. If
you want to copy or adapt material you find elsewhere,
it is essential that you properly acknowledge the source.
If the source is copyrighted, then you will need to
request permission. Be sure to include the original
source in the article or caption.
Illustrations must have simple file names, preferably
the numerical order in which they appear in the article
followed by a keyword (your last name and the subject
of the article). Acceptable figure file names are 1_Smith
and 2_Polaris.
The article must clearly show where each figure goes.
Just skip a few lines and insert the figure number.
We'll do the rest.
The Citizen Scientist aims to be the best
possible source of information, news and projects for
amateur scientists. Thanks to those of you who help
us meet this goal.
Forrest M. Mims
III  |
