Submission Guidelines

To download a PDF of the Submission Guidelines, click here.

Conservation is a quarterly magazine dedicated to bridging the gap between conservation science, practice, and policy. Our style is best described as a hybrid between a magazine and journal—combining scholarly rigor with an accessible look and engaging writing style. In other words, not standard academic fare.

We welcome ideas/articles that can be translated into management action, and that reflect clear and innovative thinking along with outstanding jargon-free writing—a lofty but we believe worthwhile goal.

Submitting an Idea or Article

The first step to submitting an article is to complete a 1-2 page proposal. Please indicate which section best fits your article based on the descriptions below. This proposal can stand alone, or accompany a manuscript or outline. Either way, the proposal is key. We will use it to judge submissions relative to one another and make publication decisions in regular editorial meetings. We also hope it may help you clarify and sharpen your idea(s).

The proposal should succinctly address the following:

  • Proposed Title. As a matter of style, we try to begin article titles with an action verb (e.g., creating, changing, choosing, etc.) Crafting a final title is a cooperative effort between author(s) and editors.
  • What is your main message? If readers retain only one thing from your article, what do you want that to be? Or put another way, if we asked someone to describe your article a week after reading it, what would you like him or her to say?
  • Why is your message important—What are its implications? This is that quintessential editorial question, “So what?” Why should a busy manager or policy maker read your article? What does it offer them? What is new, counterintuitive, or innovative about your message?
  • What is your source of information? (E.g., a study, personal experience, etc.)

Sections

Each issue is comprised of the following sections:

  • Features introduce readers to new ideas, research, and theories in conservation and discuss their practical applications. We welcome articles on the biological, ecological, and/or human dimensions of conservation Themes should reflect bold and original thinking that can be translated into management action. Authors should draw upon examples to illustrate key concepts and theories. (up to 3000 words).
  • Case Studies build on the idea that people learn through stories. They focus on creative approaches to conservation challenges and highlight lessons from successes as well as failures. Upon accepting a case study proposal, we generally hire a freelance writer to interview participants and write the article. We do, however, make exceptions (i.e., having people write their own case study), particularly if you have a strong writing background and/or the piece is written in the first person. When picking a good case study, we often look for three attributes: 1) an individual or organization has faced (or faces) a conservation challenge; 2) they addressed it (or they are working toward a solution) in an innovative, interesting, or noteworthy fashion; and 3) they have lessons to share. (up to 2500 words)
  • Innovations is a section that features concise, engaging commentaries on conservation tools, techniques, and ideas that are defining the frontlines of conservation. Topics range widely from the promises and pitfalls of GIS mapping to the viability of artificial reef systems to seafood rating systems that enable consumers to vote for conservation at the cash register. (up to 1000 words).
  • Numbers in Context is a 2-page spread of graphs charts tables, and other data. It relies on minimal text (up to 500 words) and is designed to give readers a quick, accessible way to grasp the context and relevance of often counter-intuitive results. We are particularly interested in the juxtaposition of data from different disciplines that provide readers with fresh perspectives on conservation trends and challenges.

Our Procedure and Policies

We do our best to make decisions on submissions within 2 months. Since our lead time to publication may be several months, articles should not be so time-bound that they will become quickly dated.

Initial acceptance of a proposal or manuscript (or the assignment of a commission) does not guarantee publication. After initial acceptance, authors and editors work closely on all revisions—often we go through several iterations.

All submissions are subject to an informal review by other professionals in the field prior to publication.

Style

  • The best articles are engaging and draw upon anecdotes and stories to illustrate key concepts and/or theoretical points. We hold clarity, conciseness, and the lack of jargon in high esteem.
  • Graphics and illustrations are welcome. They should add to the text as well as be understandable on their own. Also keep in mind that all graphics and photos need to reproduce well in black and white. Following initial acceptance, we will work with you to revise and/or create graphics to fit our format.
  • Space for references is limited. We limit feature articles to ten references. Other sections do not generally have a literature cited section. However, we make exceptions on a case-by-case basis. We also request a list of 5-10 sources of further information for each article. These can be books, other articles, web sites, or contact information. This is one of our editorial goals—to introduce readers to a variety of ideas and information and lead them on to further resources.

Send Proposals to

One copy via email or regular mail to:

The Editors
Conservation Magazine
Department of Biology, Box 351800
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-1800

email
phone 206/221-5292
fax 206/221-7839

Please include your full contact information, including your title, company/institution/organization and its location.