Instructions for Potential Authors

To provide consistency to the Journal Catesbeiana, the following instructions are given to authors preparing Manuscripts and Field Notes.

For Manuscripts the following information should be provided in the indicated order:

The title of the manuscript (in bold font and centered on the page). The second line should include the author(s) name(s). The third line should include the author(s) mailing address. A short abstract, 200 word maximum stating the basic question asked, the methods used, and the primary conclusion(s) obtained. The Introduction should be titled Introduction (which is in bold font and centered on the line). Please use Times New Roman font, 11 point size. For surveys, a description of the Survey Sites should follow the Introduction. They should be numbered sequentially and a GPS coordinate for the center or starting point included. A map of the area divided to show the individual survey sites should be included. The Materials and Methods section should detail the methods used in the study/survey. For surveys, a table of the survey sites, number of surveyors, and time spent at each site should be included. The Results section should detail the results of the study/survey. For surveys, a table of the sites, species, and numbers per site should be included. For surveys an Annotated Checklist should list each species (amphibians first, then reptiles, in alphabetical order by specific epithet), the number found, the sites at which they were found, and any physical injuries or parasites should be listed. In the annotated checklist, sequentially number the species; give the specific epithet in italic font, the common name in parenthesis, and then the text. Skip a line between sequential species accounts. Do not use any type of auto-formatting in any section of the manuscript. The Discussion section should discuss the results of the study/survey. Include the significance of the results and put it into a context of previous studies/surveys. The Literature Cited should list (in APA format) any references cited in the text of the manuscript. Do not use hard line returns. The Acknowledgements should list participants in a survey, persons other than the author(s) who made significant contributions to the manuscript, and include the number of the Virginia Scientific Collecting Permit, any other permits used, and an IACUC approval if applicable, under which any collections/observations were made. For surveys, a group photograph of survey participants may be included. For the text of the manuscript tables should include a descriptive legend above the table. For figures, a descriptive legend should be given below the figure. Number figures and tables sequentially and cite them in the text. For text, do not indent paragraphs, but skip a blank line between paragraphs. Do not use hard page breaks. Leave two spaces after sentences. Articles will be refereed by the editor and one or more qualified reviewers. All changes must be approved by the author before publication; therefore, manuscripts must be received by the editor before March 1 and August 1 to be considered for publication in the spring and fall issues, respectively, of Catesbeiana. Reprints of articles are not available, but authors may reprint their own articles to meet professional needs.

FIELD NOTES

For Field Notes the following information should be provided in the indicated order:

Specific epithet [in bold and italic] (Common Name [in bold]). VA: County. Locality information including GPS coordinates if available. Date. (day/month/year) Collectors/Observer.

Text in a separate paragraph beginning with the general heading (County Record, Behavior, Reproduction, etc.). Provide enough information to indicate what is being reported and its importance. If a County Record, has the species been reported in surrounding counties? Does the record fill a distribution gap or extend the known range for the species? Provide some context so the importance of the record is clear. If a County Record, a voucher or digital photograph is necessary, showing the distinguishing characteristics for that species, and differentiating it from all other similar species. Local weather information is helpful and should be included if available.

After the text, the Author’s name and address should be included, the author name in bold font. If the author does not wish to list their entire mailing address, the city and state is sufficient.

Email manuscripts, field notes, and photos to Paul Sattler at pwsattle@liberty.edu, Catesbeiana Editor.