Diatom Research General guidelines (2/2020)
Please read these carefully before submitting a manuscript. We expect authors to follow guidelines. Manuscripts that do not conform may be sent back immediately without review.
- Manuscripts must be written in English, preferably using English (not American) spelling and grammar. Please use single quotation marks, except where ‘a quotation is “within” a quotation’.
- Manuscripts should be compiled in the following order: title page; abstract; keywords; running head; main text (introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion); acknowledgements; references; appendices (as appropriate); table(s) with caption(s) (on individual pages); figure caption(s) (as a list).
- Manuscripts should be submitted as a word doc, double-spaced throughout, indenting first line of paragraphs, except for the first paragraph following a heading.
Paragraphs should be left aligned (not justified) and single column.
Do not number lines (these are automatically inserted in the pdf).
Latin names should be given in full at the start of a sentence, and authorities for Latin names should be given when they are first mentioned. Thereafter abbreviate generic name, unless two taxa share same initial letter and specific epithet.
Please ensure that journal style is followed for references and that all references listed are referred to in the text.Species descriptions should be set out as follows (only those sections that apply):
Species name authority sp. nov., or Species name (authority 1) authority 2 comb. nov.
(Figs 1-x).
Description. (Text continues on same line. Please ensure that clear distinction is made between LM and SEM observations, external and internal views, etc.)
Holotype. (Text continues on same line)
Syntypes. (Text continues on same line)
Type locality. (Text continues on same line)
Etymology. (Text continues on same line)
Distribution. (Text continues on same line)
Ecology. (Text continues on same line)
Comparisons with similar taxa. (Text continues on same line)
In presenting additional information on previously described taxa, please ensure that it is clear what are new observations and what was previously known. Do not simply present another description.
- Figures should be submitted as separate files (high resolution tiff files with good contrast). Please ensure figures are organised to fit either a single column (82mm) or the full width of the page (172mm), with space below for the legend. Figures should be numbered individually and arranged in the order in which they are referred to in the text.
Tables should also be submitted as separate files. Please think carefully about the layout.
Legends should ensure that Figures and tables can be understood without reference to the text. Give Latin names in full, except when repeated within a legend.
- Abstracts of up to 300 words are required for all manuscripts submitted.
- Each manuscript should have 4 to 8 keywords (arrange alphabetically).
- Search engine optimization (SEO) is a means of making your article more visible to anyone who might be looking for it. Please consult our guidance here.
- A short running title should be included.
- Section headings should be concise. Do not number sections.
- All authors of a manuscript should include their full names, affiliations, postal addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses on the cover page of the manuscript. One author should be identified as the corresponding author. Please give the affiliation where the research was conducted. If any of the named co-authors moves affiliation during the peer review process, the new affiliation can be given as a footnote. Please note that no changes to affiliation can be made after the manuscript is accepted. Please note that the email address of the corresponding author will normally be displayed in the article PDF (depending on the journal style) and the online article.
- All persons who have a reasonable claim to authorship* must be named in the manuscript as co-authors; the corresponding author must be authorized by all co-authors to act as an agent on their behalf in all matters pertaining to publication of the manuscript, and the order of names should be agreed by all authors.
* Reasonable claim to authorship assumes a significant contribution to the manuscript.
- Biographical notes on contributors are not required for this journal.
- Please supply all details required by any funding and grant-awarding bodies in an Acknowledgement, in a separate paragraph, as follows:
- For single agency grants: “This work was supported by the [Funding Agency] under Grant [number xxxx].”
- For multiple agency grants: “This work was supported by the [Funding Agency 1] under Grant [number xxxx]; [Funding Agency 2] under Grant [number xxxx]; and [Funding Agency 3] under Grant [number xxxx].”
- Authors must also incorporate a Disclosure Statement which will acknowledge any financial interest or benefit they have arising from the direct applications of their research.
- For all manuscripts non-discriminatory language is mandatory. Sexist or racist terms must not be used.
- Authors must adhere to SI units. Units are not italicised.
- When using a word which is or is asserted to be a proprietary term or trade mark, authors must use the symbol ® or TM.