Geological Association of Canada

Overview

The intended readers for this document, in order of priority, are:

• authors,
• reviewers and
• associate (series) editors.

This document contains the following topics.

• Editorial Policy
• Manuscript Preparation
• Manuscript Submission

Editorial Policy

Our goal at Geoscience Canada is to publish review-type and broad-interest-type articles in the geological sciences, which are well-illustrated and written in a style that will interest and inform the non-specialist reader with a geoscience background.

Five types of manuscripts are accepted, as follows:

• Review papers, normally ~2000-7000 words in length, synthesize existing information in some field of the earth sciences.
• Series papers, normally ~2000-7000 words in length, are thematic, generally invited, and integrate recent research results with existing information on a specific topic.
• Topical articles, normally ~1000-4000 words in length, discuss the interaction of the earth sciences and Canadian society, or present new research results on a topic of interest.
• Conference reports, generally ~1000-3000 words in length, provide a review of some major scientific meeting and its implications to the earth science community.
• Regular features comprise book reviews and commentary, which include such things as editorials, letters to the editor, and comment and reply; they typically are less than 1000 words.

Manuscripts are considered for acceptance on the basis of the following criteria:

• The subject matter
• falls within the broad scope of earth science, as defined in the "Glossary of Geology" (fourth edition)
• is likely to be of general interest to the membership of the GAC^®, and
• preferably is concerned with or related to earth science in Canada.
• Articles are
• technically sound and can be understood readily by the non-specialist with a geoscience background, and
• well illustrated, with good use made of simple line drawings to express concepts clearly.
• Any controversial matters are treated in a rational manner, without undue polemics or stress on personalities.

Before submission of your manuscript, remember these points:

• You need to provide the editors with your contact information, including:
• telephone and fax numbers, and
• mailing, courier and e-mail addresses.
• Each manuscript is checked by the editor(s) for completeness and conformity to the "Instructions to Authors ..." and, if judged to be deficient, will be returned before any reviewing or editing is undertaken.
• Review papers, series papers and topical articles are peer-reviewed by at least two people who are knowledgeable in the subject matter.
• Conference reports and regular features are only reviewed by the editor(s).
• All manuscripts may be edited for style and length by the editor(s).
• Copyright Note: If the author is using a figure copyrighted by another, evidence of permission from the copyright owner must accompany the manuscript when submitted to the editor. It is the responsibility of the author to obtain written permission. (For a suggested Reprint Rights Request letter, please click Here for MSWord, or Here for PDF.) Acknowledgement of the source of figures should be made within the figure caption.
  
  Upon acceptance for publication, all copyright ownership transfers to GAC.

After formal review of your manuscript, expect:

• to receive the reviewers' comments plus the editor's decision with regard to the suitability of your manuscript for publication in Geoscience Canada.
• recommendations from the editor(s) regarding changes that are required if your manuscript is provisionally accepted for publication.
• to get a tentative due date from the editor(s) for submission of your revised manuscript, which you must confirm so your manuscript can be scheduled for publication.
• to have the opportunity to correct proofs, and
• to have the opportunity to order reprints.
• Copyright Note: If the author is using a figure copyrighted by another, evidence of permission from the copyright owner must accompany the manuscript when submitted to the editor. It is the responsibility of the author to obtain written permission. (For a suggested Reprint Rights Request letter, please click Here for MSWord, or Here for PDF.) Acknowledgement of the source of figures should be made within the figure caption.
  
  Upon acceptance for publication, all copyright ownership transfers to GAC.

Manuscript Preparation

The author(s) name(s) and affiliation(s) appear immediately after the manuscript's Title (Times New Roman #14 font), as follows:

1. first name (or initials), last name (Times New Roman #12 font),
2. affiliation (university, institution or company),
3. mailing address (including postal code), and
4. e-mail address of the corresponding author. 

For articles and papers (not conference reports or regular features), a short summary is required rather than a typical abstract. It will be:

• approximately 100 words in length,
• written in non-technical language,
• designed to tell the reader what the article is about, including the main conclusions, and
• translated into French or English.

NOTE: Authors are invited to provide their own translation of the summary.

All text shall be in draft format to facilitate editing, that is:

• on 8.5" x 11" pages with line-spacing of 1.5x,
• in Times New Roman #12 font throughout,
• with a hard return between paragraphs (no indents),
• with margins (left, right, top and bottom) of at least 2.54 cm (1"),
• with no imbedded figures or tables, and
• with a list of figure and table captions at the end.

For spelling, word usage and related matters, refer to the following:

• the Gage Canadian Dictionary, revised and expanded edition (1998),
• the American Geological Institute Glossary of Geology (1997),
• The Canadian Style: A Guide to Writing and Editing (1997, and
• Geoscience Reporting Guidelines (2003)

• NOTE: Canadian English is the standard. If in doubt about specific words, check with the editors.

All headings shall be flush with the left margin, and on their own line. Use three or fewer orders of headings, as follows:

1. PRIMARY HEADINGS are bold and in upper case,
2. Secondary Headings are bold and in upper and lower case, and
3. Tertiary Headings are bold and in italics. 

Footnotes are

• confined to relevant material at the beginning of the paper, such as change of address or institutional affiliation following the authors' names, or
• contained within a table and refer to notes at the bottom of the table.

Acknowledgments shall

• appear under a primary heading at the end of the text and preceding the references
• include reference to reviewers, technical support staff, funding agencies, and others as appropriate, and
• include permission to publish if appropriate.

In the text, references shall be referred to

by the author's name and year of publication, e.g.

• According to van Staal et al. (2003a, 2003b) and Goodfellow (2004), or

Their results (van Staal et al. 2003a, 2003b; Goodfellow 2004) show ...

as "in press" for material accepted for publication in a journal, e.g.

• According to Wilson (in press), or
• His results (Wilson, in press) show...

as personal communications ("pers. comm."), either written or oral, showing the communication date, e.g.

According to Nowlan (pers. comm. 2005), or

His results (Nowlan, pers. comm. 2005) show ...

NOTE: Manuscripts in preparation are not acceptable as references.

Sequential references are listed chronologically, not alphabetically, e.g. (Nowlan 1981; Abbott 1986; van Staal 1994; Fyffe 2003)

References appear as a compiled list called References under a primary heading at the end of the text after Acknowledgements.

Single-authored papers are listed alphabetically and chronologically, from oldest to most recent.

Dual-authored papers with the same two authors are listed chronologically, from oldest to most recent.

Dual-authored papers with a different second author are listed alphabetically.

Multi-authored papers with the same lead author are listed chronologically, from oldest to most recent.

Reference formats are shown in the following examples.

Abstract:

Bleeker, W., and Stern, R.A., 1997, The Acasta gneisses: an imperfect sample of Earth's oldest crust (abstract): Geological Association of Canada-Mineralogical Association of Canada, Annual Meeting, 1997, Abstracts, v. 22, p. A13.

Paper in Special Volume:

Monger, J.W.H., 1993, Cretaceous tectonics of the North American Cordillera, in Caldwell, W.G.E. and Kaufman, E.G., eds., Evolution of the Western Interior Basin: Geological Association of Canada, Special Paper, 39, p. 1-48.

Paper in Scientific Journal:

Stern, R.A., Percival, J.A., and Mortenson, J.K., 1994, Geochemical evolution of the Minto block: a 2.7 Ga continental magmatic arc built on the Superior craton: Precambrian Research, v. 65, p. 115-153.

Book:

Carswell, D.A., 1990, Eclogite Facies Rocks: Chapman & Hall, New York, 527 p.

Website:

Jones, A., 2006, Name of article: [www.goodsite.com/page.htm]; include digital object identifier (DOI) name, if available.

NOTE:

Use an en-dash (Alt 0150 on your keyboard) between page numbers.

• Use a single "p." for both single and multiple page numbers.

The following guidelines apply to all figures, which include line drawings, maps, and photographs.

Ensure that each figure is visually simple and clearly legible when scaled to fit a one-column, two-column or three-column width for publication.

Assign each figure a separate number, i.e. Figure 1, 2, 3, etc.; where it is necessary to use sub-numbers (e.g. Fig. 1a), insert a), b) etc. in the top left corner of each figure.

Assign a separate file name to each figure so that the file name reflects its author and Arabic number, e.g. "Wilson-etal-Fig-1."

Write "Figure" in full when using the word as a caption label or in the open part of a sentence. Use "Fig." when placing the word in brackets as a text reference.

• List figure captions at the end of the manuscript, after References.

The following guidelines are specific to line drawings and maps.

• Draft all line drawings and maps in CorelDraw or Corel-compatible software, i.e. readily importable into CorelDraw.
• Use patterns and/or simple labels instead of grey shades (colour is acceptable but authors are responsible for the extra cost).
• Use Arial or similar sans serif font on all line drawings and maps.
• Choose font sizes that remain legible when the figure is scaled to fit the desired publication size.
• Use a plain line-bar scale (metric) on all maps.

Use CorelDraw Geographic Symbol Alt 091 for the north arrow on all maps.

The following guidelines are specific to photographs.

Each photograph shall be in jpg format (300 dpi at published size).

Crop each photograph to show only what is necessary.

Where text or graphics are added to the photograph, use Arial or similar sans serif font, and choose line widths/symbols that are legible but do not obscure the image.

Where image orientation is unclear, indicate the correct way up.

Ensure that all photographs include a scale, either on the image or in the caption.

• Photographs will be printed in black and white unless the author requests colour reproduction; however, the extra costs for colour are charged to the author (contact the editors for current price information).

NOTE: If hardcopy figures are submitted, each figure shall be labeled in the bottom margin with an Arabic number and the author's name(s). However, the figure caption must be submitted as part of the text, following the references and before the list of appendices.

The following guidelines apply to all tables.

Prepare each table in Microsoft Excel or Excel-compatible software.

Assign each table a separate number, i.e. Table 1, 2, 3 etc.

Assign a separate file name to each table so that the file name reflects its author and Arabic number, e.g. "Wilson-etal-Table-1.xls."

• Use Arial or similar sans serif font at a size (usually 8 to 10 point) that remains legible when the table is scaled to desired publication size.
• Reduce the size of large tables containing extensive geochemical data by using representative samples or averaged values.
• Place explanatory notes at the bottom of the table in a font size smaller than the body text.

List table captions on a separate page at the end of the manuscript, following the list of figure captions.

NOTE: If hardcopy tables are submitted, both the table number and the author's name(s) should be written in the top margin of the table. However, the table caption must be submitted as part of the text, following the list of figures and before the list of appendices, if any.

Manuscript Submission

A single hardcopy manuscript is always required that shall:

• be in draft format (see specifications in "Manuscript Preparation"),
• include a list of captions for figures and tables (if any) at the end of the manuscript,
• contain an appended high-quality set of figures and tables (if any), and
• have a label (an Arabic number and the author's name) on each figure and table, but no caption.

EXCEPTION: Three paper copies are required if a PDF version of the manuscript is not submitted, or if the PDF file(s) is too large to send by e-mail.

NOTE: It is wise for authors to reduce figures and tables to the preferred printing size, in order to ensure that details will be clearly visible. Figures and tables may be reduced to one column (5.5 cm), two column (12 cm) or three column (18 cm) width.

For review purposes,

• a manuscript may be submitted as a PDF file in draft format, and
• according to the "preparation" specifications above;
• figures and tables can either be appended to this file, or
• be submitted as separate PDF files.

For accepted manuscripts, other digital files must be submitted, as follows:

• All text is in Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect, including the list of captions for figures and/or tables.
• The text files shall not contain imbedded figures or tables.
• Each text-file name includes the author's name(s), preferably at the beginning of the file name, for example:
• "Wilson-etal-subject.doc".
• Tables are in Excel, or an Excel-compatible spreadsheet, rather than as Word or WordPerfect tables.
• Line drawings and maps are in CorelDraw, or Corel-importable format, and
• Photos are in jpg or tif formats (300 dpi at published size).
• Each figure and table has a separate file name that includes its Arabic number, for example
• "Wilson-etal-Fig-1.cdr" or "Wilson-etal-Table-1.xls".

The nominal deadline for each issue of Geoscience Canada is the first day of the month, three months prior to that issue, as follows:

• March issue - 1st December
• June issue - 1st March
• September issue - 1st June
• December issue - 1st September

NOTE: Manuscripts are normally published in order of acceptance date, rather than submission date. The typical turn-around time of a manuscript, from submission to publication, is three to six months but some manuscripts can take more or less time, depending upon the speed of the review process and the number of accepted manuscripts in the queue to be published.

When the answer to each of the following questions is "yes," the manuscript is ready to submit to the editor(s).