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GUIDELINES FOR AUTHORS

The Journal ÁREAS NATURALES PROTEGIDAS SCRIPTA is an online scientific publication published in electronic format biannually. The aim of the journal is to disseminate research articles related to all aspects of Protected Natural Areas.

ÁREAS NATURALES PROTEGIDAS SCRIPTA accepts original research papers in the following categories: original journal articles, review articles, and research notes. Contributions on all the various topics and issues that concern the understanding and management of protected areas are considered; these topics include among others (and not restricted to) social, economic, biological, ecological, physical environment, cultural, conceptual, and they can also be multidisciplinary.

Manuscripts submitted in Spanish or English language are accepted. Each one of the manuscripts submitted to this journal is sent for review by at least two expert scientists in the field while the identities of both authors and referees are kept anonymous.

Final decision on acceptance of a manuscript by the Editorial Board is based on the recommendations submitted by the reviewers.

Editorials Guidelines

Original Journal Articles Scientific Notes Manuscript Review Process Review Articles Submitting a Manuscript Galley Proofs   Publication Costs

ORIGINAL JOURNAL ARTICLES

FRONT PAGE

Front page on a separate page of the manuscript and should include:

Title

It should indicate the central theme of the research precisely in a maximum of 150 characters including spaces.

Short Title

It should contain a maximum of 50 characters including spaces.

Author

The full name of all authors must begin with the name (s) and then the surname (s) followed by a comma and by the Arabic number in superscript indicating the adscription of each author to an institution; the name of the corresponding author should be marked with an asterisk, and his/her electronic mail should be included.

MANUSCRIPT

Skip herein any information about the identity of the co-authors and their institutions of affiliation. It should not exceed 30 pages including figures and tables.
All text must be written on letter size paper with 3 cm margins on all four sides and double spaced, using 12-point font Times New Roman, and it should include the following sections:

Title

The same as in the Front Page.

Abstract

It shall summarize the fundamental aspects of the investigation in no more than 300 words from setting out the problem to its main conclusions, avoiding references.

Keywords

A maximum of five words not included in the Title and contributing to locate the topics covered in the work. Each word should be separated by a period. Two-word utterances are accepted as: Aquatic Ecotoxicology. Ecosystem Services.

Resumen

Spanish version of the Abstract

Palabras Clave

Spanish translation for Keywords.

Introduction

It will describe the background of the problems that gave rise to the work and review of the literature related to it. The last paragraph of this section should communicate to the reader the aims of the article.

Materials and methods

Here the study site is described in detail and should cover the technical and methodological tools used to validate the results shown and the reproducibility of the work performed

Results y discussion

The results obtained are presented sequentially and concisely describing and discussing the relevance of each one of them.

Conclusions

The conclusions should highlight the importance of and/or recommendations deriving from the research.

Acknowledgments

This section is optional. If included, it should incorporate explicit recognition of research funds, institutions, and individuals who contributed to the development of relevant research presented.

References

Each author should make sure the references are properly cited. Those that appear in the text should be included in the list of references in the cited section and vice versa in the literature. The references must be related to the subject and should be included if they are important to validate or prove some criteria or approach. References should be listed alphabetically.

1. The format author (s) and year separated by a comma should be used in the text.
   
   Examples:
   
   "... represents an immature ecological gradient (Jain, 2012) ...".
   
   .... "... Smith and Jones (2013) state ...".
   
   
2. If several references are listed alphabetically, separate the author (s) from the year by a comma and each citation by semicolon.
   
   Example:
   
   "...... (Bert and Jones, 2000; Palmer, 1999; Valentine, 1997). ...".
   
   
3. When citing a work of more than two authors, use et al.
   
   Example:
   
   "... In accordance with the results obtained by Smith et al. (1980) ... "
   
   "... represents an excellent example of coastal management (Azouz et al., 2012) ... ".
   
   In the Reference section write the names of all authors included as et al.
   
   
4. Unpublished material (for example, reports and internal reports) should not be included as references. Personal communications should be excluded to the fullest and if used, they must be cited in the text and not in the literature cited section in all cases, for example: (A. González, personal communication).
   
   
5. Citations in the Reference section should be in the following format:

Journal article:

• Surname, First Name. Year. Article Title in italics. Name extensive magazine. Number (volume): pages.
  
  Example:
  
  Greig-Smith, P. 2009. Patterns in vegetation science: a review. Journal of Ecology 67 (3): 775-779. If more than one author, the initials of the co-authors’ names will precede their surnames:
  
  Example:
  
  Wester, D.B. y H.A. Wright. 2013. Ordination of vegetation change in Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico. Vegetatio 72 (1): 27-34.
  

Book:

• Last, First Name. Year. Book Title in italics. Editorial. City, Country. Number of pages.
  
  Example:
  
  Everitt, P. 2012 Cluster analysis. Heinemann Educational Books Ltd. Paris, France. 343 pp.

Book Chapter:

• Surname, initial of the name of the author of the chapter. Year. Chapter Title. Pages. In: Last name, First initial Editors. (Eds.). Title of the Book (in italics). Editorial. City, Country. Number of pages.
  
  Example:
  
  Barbault, R. 2013 The structure of lizard Communities. pp. 157-264. In: Pianka, E. and P. Folliott (Eds.). A new ecology. Pergamon Press. London, England. 434 pp.

Thesis:

• Last, First Name. Year. Thesis title in italics. Degree obtained. University. Country. Number of pages.
  
  Example:
  
  Hernandez, A. 2013. Problems in interdisciplinary analysis. Doctor of Science Thesis. Universidad Veracruzana. Mexico. 234 pp.

Web Pages:

• Institution or author. Year. Title. Last access date. In: URL.
  
  Example:
  
  National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC). 2013 Climate Change in Mexico. Information by State and Sector. Accessed: 11/27/2013. In: http://www2.inecc.gob.mx/cclimatico/edo_sector/estados/amenaza_bcs.html

General recommendations for the references:

• The names of journals should be written without abbreviations.
  
  The use of "&" in the case of references with several coauthors should be omitted and replaced by the word "and".
  
  The place of publication must be written in Spanish.
  
  The different citations of the same author should be ordered chronologically from the oldest to the most recent.

Tables

Tables should be inserted in the body of the text in its final location where appropriate. The following should be placed at the table heading:

1. Consecutive number in Roman numerals;
2. Description of the table; and
3. Source if it is not from the authors, in which case they are responsible for obtaining the required written permission for its use.

Tables should be prepared with the table editor word processor trying to avoid unnecessary lines both horizontally and vertically within them; only horizontal lines above and below their headers and edges should be used. The font used within the tables should be 10-point Times New Roman, and the paragraphs should be centered. The maximum size of each table should be one page and should not exceed its margins.

Figures

The photographs, illustrations, diagrams, drawings, charts, and all graphics should be inserted in the body of the text where its final location is appropriate. The following should be placed at the footer of each figure legend:

1. Consecutive number in Arabic numerals;
2. Description of the figure; and
3. Source if it is not from the authors, in which case they are responsible for obtaining the required written permission for its use.

Figures should be inserted in JPEG or TIFF format with no less than 300 megapixel resolution; if they contain text within, it should be a minimum of 12-point font Times New Roman.

All kinds of figures are accepted in color.

Scientific Names

Scientific names should be written in italics. The full scientific name should be provided followed by its species-specific name classification and authorship in parenthesis at first mention, e.g. Sceloporus grammicus (Wiegmann).

In the rest of the manuscript, only its abbreviated name should be provided S. grammicus, except at the beginning of a sentence and at the footer of Figures and headers of Tables.

Nomenclature

The abbreviations used must conform to the International System of Units ( %; PSU; ºC). As for the units of measurement the Metric Decimal System should be used.

Abbreviations should be written without a period, for example:

• 180 kilometer: 180 km
  250 square meters: 250 m²

The decimal point should be indicated; thousands and millions followed by a comma, for example:

• 34, 247, 354.17

Other recommendations

Do not include a footnote page. Only supplementary material will be included as Appendix where absolutely necessary.

States that constitute the country where the research is conducted and the names of protected natural areas should start in uppercase.

The quotes should be double: "example".

Whenever words are used in Latin, write them in italics, for example: a priori.

Figures should be expressed as follows:

1. One to two digits should be written in words, example: twenty copies.
2. More than two digits should be written with numbers, example: 315 species.
3. More than 3-digit numbers should be separated by commas, example: 2,500 m.

Abbreviations are indicated as follows:

1. Where reference is made to a figure in the text, use the abbreviation "Fig.".
2. Do not use the word BOX instead use the word “Table”.
3. The floristic and faunal lists and glossaries should be included in Appendixes.

REVIEW ARTICLES

For review articles or analyses, their structure will not include the sections of materials and methods or results. Review articles or analyses should include the following sections:

1. Title
2. Authors
3. Abstract and Keywords
4. Resumen y Palabras clave
5. Introduction
6. Thematic subsections
7. Academic Discussion
8. Conclusions and perspectives
9. Acknowledgments
10. References (same format as an original journal article)

Such a structure corresponds to the category of reviews for disseminating conceptual aspects and management of protected areas.

SCIENTIFIC NOTES

Findings of great importance for Natural Protected Areas deserve to be published immediately; however, they will be limited to a maximum of 7 pages, including figures, tables, and literature cited (same headings and format as an original journal article).

Scientific Notes should be in the same structure as for a scientific paper with the following exceptions:

1. The Summary and Abstract should include a maximum of fifty words.
2. The text should include the same sections as a scientific paper, but it should omit the separation thereof by subtitles.

SUBMITTING A MANUSCRIPT

The corresponding author should include a freestyle document attached to the manuscript indicating in a few sentences on behalf of all coauthors that the work submitted has not been published in any other printed or electronic magazine.

The cover letter should include the names, affiliations, and electronic mails of at least three potential referees, as well as a very brief explanation of the basis for such a suggestion.

For the proposal of potential referees if pertinent, the corresponding author may provide the names of those specialists who in his opinion may not act as referees of the manuscript due to conflicts of interest that could exist.

The manuscript, the front page, and the cover letter should be sent attached as separate files to the both following electronic mail addresses:

aortega@cibnor.mx

anp.scripta@gmail.com

MANUSCRIPT REVIEW PROCESS

Every manuscript submitted to the journal will be analyzed from the point of view of its relevance to the theme and objectives: it will also be verified if it complies with all aspects of presentation and format set forth in these editorial guidelines. The manuscript complying with the requirements will be assigned a specific encoding in a letter acknowledging receipt of such contribution.

Each of the contributions to ÁREAS NATURALES PROTEGIDAS SCRIPTA will be reviewed by a member of the Editorial Committee or the Editorial Board acting as Associate Editor. The Associate Editor will send the contribution to two referees who are experts in the subject of the manuscript. The referees must return their verdict within a maximum period of 30 calendar days, whose result may be:

• Accepted with major modifications. In this case the manuscript is returned to the corresponding author to carry out such modifications and return the improved version with no further evaluation.
  
  
• Aceptado con modificaciones mayores. In this case the manuscript is returned to the corresponding author to carry out those changes and return the improved version. The final acceptance thereof shall be subjected to carrying out those corrections, suggestions, and/or the arguments provided for keeping them without change.
  
  
• Rejected for re-structuring. In exceptional cases when the manuscript is poorly structured and/or developed but addresses a strategic issue for the Protected Natural Areas, it will be returned to the corresponding author exhorting him/her to proofread and to re-submit the new version to a new review process.
  
  
• Rejected. In this case the manuscript is returned to the corresponding author with the rationale behind the decision.

If one referee rules in favor of rejecting the manuscript and the other one in favor of accepting it, then the associate editor will issue his/her own opinion.

In all cases the corresponding author will receive both reports of the referees, as well as any annotations embodied in the manuscript itself.

The authors will have 30 calendar days to make appropriate modifications. If the corrected version is not returned in this time period, it will be assumed that the manuscript has been withdrawn for publication.

Upon acceptance of the article, authors are required to sign the transfer of rights for publication to ÁREAS NATURALES PROTEGIDAS SCRIPTA.

GALLEY PROOFS

The corresponding author will be sent galley proofs with a PDF copy of the final version for corrections previous to its publication, hoping that all comments and observations have been carried out in this version. A total of 5 calendar days will be allotted for this review. If the final version submitted for review is not returned in this time period, it will be assumed that the manuscript can be published as is.

After receiving the corrections of the galley proof and approved for publication, requests can no longer be made to modify the document.

PUBLICATION COSTS

Publication of a manuscript in ÁREAS NATURALES PROTEGIDAS SCRIPTA carries no cost to authors.

Verba volant, Scripta manent
(Cayo Tito)

Dr. Alfredo Ortega-Rubio
Editor-in-Chief

Head Photographies: Daniel Torres-Orozco Jiménez

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