Publication Guidelines

Scope of the Journal

Banisteria Banisteria accepts manuscripts that contribute to the public and scientific knowledge of the natural history of Virginia, including those derived from natural history observations, small-scale field projects, distribution surveys and reviews, species inventories, reports for contracted environmental projects, and unpublished theses. Biographies of naturalists influential in the field of Virginia’s natural history are welcomed by the editor, who will also consider publishing obituaries of recently deceased Virginia naturalists. The journal also is suited for papers on the history of natural history as it pertains to Virginia.

To qualify for publication in Banisteria, a manuscript must pertain in some way to the flora, fauna, geology, geography, climatology or Native Americans of the Commonwealth. The editor may consider manuscripts on any aspect of natural history from neighboring states if the information concerns a species native to Virginia or the topic is directly related to regional natural history. Papers may be full length or shorter contributions (notes). The editor will be happy to assist authors during the preparation of their manuscripts, because he would rather help get natural history information published for others to use than to have it remain on the shelf or in someone’s desk.

Citizen science special section NEW!!

Beginning in 2020, Banisteria will have a special section of citizen science papers dealing with natural history. Citizen science projects are conducted outside the realm of scientific research organizations, usually by people who are not scientists, but have an avid interest in collecting data that will increase our understanding and appreciation of natural history. An example of citizen science papers may be projects carried out by members of the Virginia Master Naturalist program, seasonal counts carried out by bird clubs, or high school or college science projects dealing with natural history.

Publication format

Beginning with volume 54 in 2020, Banisteria articles are published in an electronic-only format and posted for free download on the Society’s website. This format will save the society the costs of printing and mailing, will allow for the inclusion of color photos at no cost to the authors, and increase the speed of publication.

Submission of papers

All manuscripts should be sent to the editor, Todd Fredericksen (tfredericksen@ferrum.edu), with a list of names, email addresses, and qualifications for at least three potential reviewers. The editor will seek at least two peer reviews for each manuscript. One of the associate editors will serve as the editor for any papers written by the editor. Manuscripts, including figures and tables, should be submitted electronically as email attachments. Microsoft Word format is preferred. Contact the editor if you are unable to submit your manuscript electronically. Please do not attempt to produce “camera-ready copy.”

Manuscript preparation

All manuscripts, including Shorter Contributions and Historical Contributions, should be arranged in the following order: title, author’s name, author’s address, abstract, keywords, text, acknowledgments, literature cited, tables, figure legends, figures. Long manuscripts should have standard sections (e.g., Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion), although some papers may not be amenable to such division, and citizen science papers and short manuscripts (less than 4-6 pages) need not have these sections.

All pages should be numbered, including tables. Double spacing of lines, readable type size (12 point font), and line numbering would help expedite the review of papers. The title should be concise but informative. The title and the author’s name and address should be centered at the top of the first page. Keywords should not duplicate words that appear in the title. The text should begin on the first page beneath the abstract and keywords. Use italics (or underlines) for species’ scientific names.

Animal care and use, voucher specimens

Research in Banisteria submissions should comply with animal care and use guidelines for appropriate major societies. As appropriate, authors should identify the nature of any required research or collecting permits and approvals (e.g., animal care and use guidelines), and the disposition of voucher specimens collected as part of their study. Guidelines for collecting plants, animals, and historical artifacts, disposition of voucher specimens, and the importance of this work, may be published in an upcoming issue of Banisteria.

Format for literature citations

Literature Citations: Use the following as a guide for proper format. Do not abbreviate journal names.

Journal article with 1 author:

Carr, L. G. 1965. Floristic elements in southwestern Virginia: a phytogeographical consideration. Castanea 30: 105-145.

Journal article with 2 authors:

Hoffman, R. L., & S. M. Roble. 2000. Fourteen ground beetles new to the Virginia fauna (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Banisteria 16: 36-40.

Journal article with 3+ authors:

Wagner, D. L., J. W. Peacock, J. L. Carter, & S. E. Talley. 1995. Spring caterpillar fauna of oak and blueberry in a Virginia deciduous forest. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 88: 416-426.

Book (capitalize title):

Mitchell, J. C. 1994. The Reptiles of Virginia. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 352 pp.

Chapter in a book:

Handley, C. O., Jr. 1979. Mammals of the Dismal Swamp: a historical account. Pp. 297-357 In P. W. Kirk (ed.), The Great Dismal Swamp. University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA.

Report:

The Nature Conservancy. 1975. The preservation of natural diversity: A survey and recommendations. Report to the U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, DC. 189 pp. (include report series and number if present).

Thesis:

Ostby, B. J. K. 2005. Characterization of suitable habitats for freshwater mussels in the Clinch River, Virginia and Tennessee. M. S. thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. 203 pp.

Websites:

Virginia Botanical Associates. 2016. Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora. c/o Virginia Botanical Associates, Blacksburg, VA. http://vaplantatlas.org/. (Accessed 1 December 2016).

Tables and figures

Tables: Each table should be appear on a separate page, using a font size of 10 or larger. A caption for each table should follow the number and must be on the same page as the table. Ruled, horizontal lines should be avoided except at the top and bottom of the table.
Figures: All figures should be submitted as electronic files and not embedded within the manuscript. Color figures are preferred.

Abbreviations: The following common abbreviations are accepted in Banisteria: n (sample size), no. (number), SVL (snout-vent length; define on first usage), DBH (diameter at breast height), yr (years), mo (months), wk (weeks), h (hours), min (minutes), s (seconds), P (probability), df (degrees of freedom), SD and SE (standard deviation and standard error), ns (not significant), l (liter), g (gram), mm (millimeter), and C (degrees Celsius). Male and female symbols may also be used if appropriate. Do not abbreviate dates or undefined terms.
Reprints: Authors may share a pdf copy of their article from articles published online.
Page charges: Page charges are waived if the sole or first author is a member of the Virginia Natural History Society. Authors of manuscripts who are not members will be assessed a publication charge of $50.