African Journal of Aquatic Science
Instructions to Authors
Following pdf/s available for download:
:: Instructions to authors
:: Figure guidelines
:: Reference exemplars
mdcoke@futurenet.co.za
or posted to:
The Editor
African Journal of Aquatic Science
81 Tatham Road
Pietermaritzburg 3201
South Africa
Tel./Fax: +27 (0)33 344 2789
The journal does not place restriction on manuscript length. Before submitting a manuscript, authors should peruse and consult a recent issue of the Journal for format and style.
Contributions are accepted on the understanding that the authors have the authority for publication. Submission of multi-authored manuscripts implies that all authors have approved submission of the article to this Journal, have read it and approved of its publication. Manuscripts should not have been published before and must not be under consideration by another journal. The submission of a manuscript by the authors implies that they automatically agree to assign exclusive copyright to the publishers of the African Journal of Aquatic Science, NISC (Pty) Ltd.
Corresponding authors will receive an electronic copy of the manuscript for reprint use.
Page charges of R171 (incl. VAT) for African contributors (R114 for subscribers) and US$30 for non-African contributors (US$20 for subscribers) per page are levied for contributors who are not members of the Southern African Society of Aquatic Sciences; page charges are waived for subscribers who are paid-up members of the Society. Colour pages can be printed at a cost of R2 000 (US$300) per page.
The SI system of metric units should be used. If non-standard units are used, these should be defined in the text.
Manuscript Format
Manuscripts must be in English in MS-Word format, doublespaced with all tables and figures attached at the end of the text. Figures should also be submitted as separate files according to the instructions pertaining to figures that follow. An electronic copy of the manuscript should be e-mailed to the Editor-in-Chief.
A summary of not more than 200 words, at the beginning of each paper, is required for articles and notes. Please submit a maximum of eight relevant keywords.
Tables, numbered with Arabic numerals and including an explanatory title at the head must be planned to fit the page vertically with a printed width of either 84 mm or 176 mm. Tables may include up to five horizontal lines but no vertical lines.
Figures should be numbered with Arabic numerals. Figures that are grouped together must be numbered using lowercase chronological letters. Figures should be planned with a maximum final width of either 84 mm or 176 mm. Authors must ensure that their figures conform to the style of the journal. Costs of redrawing figures may be charged. Graphs and histograms should preferably be two-dimensional and scale marks (turning inwards) provided. All lines (including boxes) should be clear (0.5 point thick) with lettering in an 8 or 9 point Arial font. Pattern textures can be used as well as grey shades, but in the latter case ensure that there is sufficient contrast between different elements. Please refer to www.nisc.co.za for figure format and style conventions, and exemplars. Illustrations, including all graphs and chemical formulae, must be submitted in electronic format, as a separate files, in TIFF, EPS, JPG or PDF format (using the ‘save as’ or ‘export’ commands of the graphics program). MS Office files (Word, Powerpoint, Excel) are acceptable, provided the embedded files are the correct resolution. For bitmap images, such as scanned images and digital photographs, resolution must be set to at least 300 dpi for colour or greyscale artwork and 600 dpi for black line drawings. For vector graphics, such as graphs, make sure that the fonts are embedded and that any bitmap images incorporated in the illustration are at an appropriate resolution.
References should be quoted chronologically in the text as surname and year within brackets, and listed alphabetically at the end of the manuscript. For references with more than two authors please cite the reference in the text as (Allanson et al. 1999). Where reference is made to more than one work by the same author, identify each citation in the text as (Allanson 1999, 2000a, 2000b). References must be submitted in the following style (refer to www.nisc.co.za for more examples):
Allanson BR, Baird D, Heydorn AE. 1999. Perspectives. In: Allanson BR, Baird D (eds), Estuaries of South Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp 321–327.
Paterson AW. 1998. Aspects of the ecology of fishes associated with salt marshes and adjacent habitats in a temperate South African estuary. PhD Thesis, Rhodes University, South Africa.
Whitfield AK. 1989. Ichthyoplankton interchange in the mouth region of a southern African estuary. Marine Ecology Progress Series 54: 25–33.
Proofs will be sent to the ‘corresponding author’ for checking. Corrections to the proofs should be restricted to those that have been introduced during the production process. Other than such corrections, substantial alterations may be charged to the author. Proofs are sent via e-mail as pdf files that can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded from the Internet free of charge. Prompt return of corrected manuscripts, preferably within five days of receipt, will minimise the risk of the paper being held over to a later issue.
Advertisements in the scientific field are acceptable. Rates are available on request.
Instructions to authors and other information pertaining to the journal is available at: http://www.nisc.co.za/journals?id=2
