EM Author Guidelines
Published by the Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) since 1995, EM Magazine explores a range of issues affecting the environment, health, and safety industry with timely, provocative articles and regular columns written by leaders in the field. EM also keeps readers abreast of important developments throughout the year with coverage of regulatory changes; EPA research; new technologies; market analyses; new products; professional development opportunities; and more.
Submitting an Article to EM
Issue Themes
Each issue of EM has a theme that is the focus of one or more of the feature-length articles. The themes for a given calendar year are finalized by EM's Editorial Advisory Committee (EAC) by September of the preceding calendar year (exceptions are made to capture late-breaking topics) and are included in an annual editorial calendar. Anyone interested in contributing a future issue theme should e-mail the following to the Managing Editor (Lisa Bucher, lbucher@awma.org):
- A clearly identified theme.
- The key topics within that theme that the articles would address.
- A list of key authors that might be solicited.
- The names of potential expert reviewers.
Review
All EM articles are subject to an informal editorial review conducted by members of the EAC. The Managing Editor makes a publication decision based on review comments. To volunteer as a reviewer, please contact the Managing Editor at lbucher@awma.org.
Submission Requirements
Articles should be submitted via e-mail, preferably in Microsoft Word (6.0 or later). Text can also be submitted in either .TXT or .RTF format. A PDF may be submitted for review purposes only; authors must provide an editable electronic copy once an article has been accepted for publication.
Phone, fax, and e-mail contact information for the corresponding author must be provided, so that we can contact him or her should questions arise concerning the article. Authors will be e-mailed a .pdf of the page proofs of their articles to review before publication and asked to complete and return a “permission to publish" form that gives A&WMA permission to publish their work in the magazine and on the A&WMA Website.
E-mail articles to Lisa Bucher, Managing Editor, at lbucher@awma.org.
Copy Requirements
Unless specifically approved by the Managing Editor, articles must be limited to no more than 1500 words. The opening of the article should identify to readers not familiar with the subject area why they should care about the topic, and clearly identify what the reader should expect to get out of the article (e.g., new information, relatively detailed information for those familiar with the topic, or a high-level summary of information for those relatively unfamiliar with the topic). In most cases, effort should be made to provide context for numerical data. Sensationalism should be avoided.
The wording of articles must be geared toward an audience of environmental professionals with a wide variety of backgrounds, not just specialists in a specific area. Also, authors from outside the United States are encouraged to propose articles on topics of interest in their countries. Case study articles are welcome, as long as the authors identify general lessons that readers can take away from them. Commercialism or self-promotion of a company or product must be avoided.
Articles should be no more than 1500 words in length and contain the following elements:
- A concise, descriptive title.
- A byline with the names of all authors in the order in which they are to appear in the magazine.
- Tables, figures, illustrations, photos, or additional content that would enhance or supplement the discussion are strongly encouraged. More information on these follows.
- A brief “about the authors” statement, providing the name, title, affiliation, and complete mailing and e-mail addresses and phone number for each author.
- One-and-one-half-space text, using 12-point Times New Roman typeface. Do not include any complex formatting, headers, or footers.
References
- Do not use an automatic footnoting or referencing function. Reference numbers must appear in consecutive order as they are cited in the text, using Arabic numeral superscripts.
- Use the reference style guidelines listed in The ACS Style Guide (3rd Edition, Anne M. Coghill, Lorrin R. Garson, eds.; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2006).
- List all authors in references; avoid using “et al.”.
- Provide complete information for all references, including full titles for papers/presentations and full names of organizations/publishers.
- Please limit text citations and references to those that are necessary for reader comprehension.
Tables
- Number all tables consecutively in Arabic numerals as they are cited within the text.
- All tables require captions; list the caption above the corresponding table.
- Footnotes can be used within tables; mark them within the table as superscript letters, and place the actual note(s) below the table (preceded by the appropriate superscript letter).
Figures
- Figures should be submitted in .TIF, .EPS, or .JPG format and should have a print resolution of at least 300 dpi (minimum) at the size they are to be printed (i.e., single-column width = 3.5 inches minimum; double-column width/full page width = 7 inches minimum). Figures should be submitted as separate files, separately from the text. Please do not embed figures within the text document.
- Number all figures consecutively in Arabic numerals as they are cited within the text.
- Include captions for all figures.
- NOTE: Figures may be withdrawn from publication if they are not submitted in the correct format or size.
Photos and Illustrations
- Photos should be submitted in .TIF or .JPG format and should be accompanied by hardcopies (for comparative purposes or, if necessary, scanning).
- Illustrations should be submitted in .EPS or .AI (Vector) format and should be accompanied by hardcopies (for comparative purposes or, if necessary, scanning).
- Include captions (and credits, where necessary) for all photos or illustrations.
Digital Enhancements
The mobile version of EM allows for the use of many digital enhancements, including:
- Audio: Audio files should be submitted in .MP3 format.
- Video: Video files should be submitted in .MP4 format. A YouTube or Vimeo link can be used as well.
- Geolocation: Maps can use Geolocation and coordinates to show users a specific location on a live map. Map coordinates are required to plot a map location.
- Slideshows: Slideshows can be added through the use of multiple images. Images should be submitted as individual sequentially numbered .JPG or .TIF files.
- Hyperlinks: Any information displayed on a web site can be linked to from within the mobile version. An active URL is required. NOTE: The Managing Editor must approve all external links before publication.
Copyrights
EM is a copyrighted publication of the Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA), all rights reserved. The information contained in this publication is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America and may not be republished, reproduced, displayed, transmitted, or broadcast without prior written permission from A&WMA. Copyright to individual articles is maintained by the author(s).
Questions
If you have additional questions regarding article submission or editorial style, please contact Lisa Bucher, Managing Editor.