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IECA Publications

Environmental Connection Instructions to Authors

Editorial Scope

Environmental Connection publishes both columns and full-length articles. The publication’s goal is to present industry and association news, highlight member contributions to society and promote the exchange of scientific and technical information. Our readers want serious, in-depth information about erosion control, accompanied by examples of technology in action and tips on how to apply the information.The most sought after papers are those that give practical, hands-on advice that many readers will want to apply immediately.

While most erosion and sediment control articles are welcome, those that are preferred will offer readers good advice on what they can do on their sites elsewhere. For example, you might like to present an article relating to the rehabilitation of a particular ecological community (very site specific) and with an erosion and sediment control component. This is fine; if possible however, the focus of your paper should be the principles that applied in your study with details on the particular ecological community presented as an example. This still means you can present all your data, but it is done in a way that might have a broader applications and be more useful to our readers. Where your data must be site specific, you should explain clearly the conditions under which you operated to help people who try to replicate your work elsewhere know precisely the boundaries under which you operated.

Our goal is to publish articles that report both the practical applications of research findings and the knowledge gained by experienced professionals. This mission includes, whenever possible, integrating these two sources of knowledge, providing practitioners with the most accurate information available, and providing a forum for the exchange of information between the many disciplines involved in erosion and sediment control.

Environmental Connection does not publish original scientific research. If your paper includes methods and results sections, and is not a case study, this is a good indication that it is original research that would be more appropriate for a research journal.

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Editorial Office

Submissions should be sent to the editorial office:
IECA
Attn: Environmental Connection Editor
3401 S Quebec St, Ste 3500
Denver, CO 80207

Full-Length Articles

Case Studies

A case study runs 750 to 1,500 words and should include a description of the issue, the steps taken to address the situation, and a conclusion. A case study should clearly define the problem or situation and concisely document the objectives of the project. It should also reveal the organization of the project and the logic that led to the recommendations or solution within the case study. It should provide as much information as possible on the conditions under which you operated to help others who might choose to copy your procedures and take advantage of your work. Quotes, photos and figures can be included in the article to add realism and life to the case study.

Short Technical Articles

Short technical articles run 1,000 to 1,500 words in addition to technology in action examples showing the reader how to apply the concepts discussed in the article. Authors should add value for the reader by using charts, sidebars, case studies, illustrations, checklists and other similar elements. Short technical articles should include a 100-word summary of the article.

Long Technical Articles

Long technical articles run 2,000 to 5,000 words in addition to technology in action examples showing the reader how to apply the concepts discussed in the article. Authors should add value for the reader by using charts, sidebars, case studies, illustrations, checklists and other similar elements. Long technical articles should include a 100-word summary of the article. Long technical articles will be published electronically and available for members to download from the IECA web site. Article summaries will be published in print.

Feature Articles

Feature articles run 1,000 to 2,000 words in addition to photographs, charts and illustrations. A feature article is an in-depth look at people, places and programs of interest to the IECA membership.

Columns

Columns that regularly appear in Environmental Connection include Industry News and Tech Talk. Columns should be approximately 800 – 1000 words with appropriate references (generally no more than 5 references). If tables or figures are used, the number of words should be reduced accordingly.

Manuscript Submission Guidelines

Authors should submit the original and either a PC-formatted CD or a PC-formatted high density 1.44 MB 3.5" floppy diskette to the editorial office. The file should be in one of the following formats: Microsoft Word (.doc, .rtf, .txt) or plain text (.txt). Arrangements may also be made to submit a manuscript via email—contact the editorial office at meg@ieca.org or 800-455-4322.
A covering letter signed by the author(s) must accompany the manuscript and state the following: “This manuscript contains material that is original and not previously published in text or on the Internet, nor is it being considered elsewhere until a decision is made as to its acceptability by the Environmental Connection Editorial Review Board.”
The International Erosion Control Association must receive in writing the exclusive assignment of copyright from all authors at the time of manuscript submission. This form can be found at www.ieca.org/membership/getinvolved/newstouse/copyrightrelease.pdf. If only one author signs the copyright assignment form, such author warrants that he/she is the duly authorized agent of all other co-authors. Your manuscript will not be published if a signed copyright release form is not returned. Please return your original signed copyright assignment form to the editorial office at the time you submit your manuscript. Please keep a copy for your records. Manuscripts are considered for publication on the condition that they are contributed solely to Environmental Connection and, therefore, have not been and will not be published elsewhere, in part or in whole.
All authors should be aware of the publication and be able to defend the manuscript and should have signed off on the final version that is submitted.
Authors must use terminology based upon the Système International d'Unités (SI). A full list of SI units can be accessed online at http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/index.html. As a general rule, only standardized abbreviations and symbols should be used. If unfamiliar abbreviations are employed, they should be defined when they first appear in the text.
Environmental Connection is an English-language publication. Authors who speak English as a second language are encouraged to seek the assistance of a colleague experienced in writing for English language journals. Authors are encouraged to use nonsexist language as defined in the American Psychologist 30:682 – 684, 1975.

Format of Manuscripts

The “manuscript file” should contain a title page including author contact information, key words, lead summary, text, brief author bio, table and figure captions (if applicable), and references. Environmental Connection blinds author’s names to reviewers during the review process.

Title Page

The title page of the manuscript should include the title (not to exceed 75 characters and spaces in length), full name of the author(s), academic degrees, positions, and institutional or organizational affiliations. The corresponding author's address, telephone number, email address, and fax number (if available) should also be given. The title page should also list five or six key words or short phrases that will assist indexers in cross-indexing the article. Key words may come from the title as well as the body of the article.

Lead Summary

The article or column should include a brief lead summary for indexing purposes. Column lead summaries should be no more than 50 words, and article lead summaries should be no more than 100 words.

Text

A simple, straightforward writing style is most effective for articles submitted to Environmental Connection. Priority will be given to articles that have useful practical information presented in a concise, logical, and clear manner.

Corporate, company, trade and brand names may be used only once in a manuscript. Their inclusion is allowed to provide proper identification. All other references to proper names must be generically stated, e.g. “The author provided…” or “The erosion control blanket stabilized…”

Please include all information necessary to allow readers to interpret your information in the correct geographical and physical context. Whenever possible include information about regional location (e.g. western foothills of the U.S. Rocky Mountains), watershed size, topography and elevation range (lowest and highest points in the watershed), climate, soils, vegetation, current and historic land uses, hydrologic regime, stream discharge and other factors that help the reader understand the context of the problem.

Brief Bio for all Authors

Author bios will generally be limited to 25 words, and should include the current job position and location for each author.

References

When quoting a source, provide the source’s title and professional affiliation at first mention. When citing research, provide the source of the research.

Primary sources such as published studies and interviews with experts are recommended as the basis of research for all articles. Any information gleaned from secondary sources should be fact-checked by the writer prior to submission of the article. We ask that writers include bibliographical information on any publications cited and contact information for the people they interview for each article (including a phone number and address and whenever possible a fax number and/or e-mail address). We request that all interviews be taped and advise that writers keep those tapes for at least one year after the date of publication.

The accuracy of references used is the responsibility of the author. Please avoid references to “personal communications” and “unpublished data.”

In-text reference citations should contain the number of the citation in the reference list at the end of the manuscript or article. The reference citation should be typeset parenthetically [(1); (4,5); (1,2,3,5,6,10)]. Reference citations for multiple references are separated only by a comma.

All references in the reference list should be alphabetized by the last name of the lead author. Numbers should then be assigned to each reference. Parenthetical numbers in the text should correspond to the numbered alphabetized reference list. Each reference listed must be cited in the text.

Do not use et al. in the reference list. List all authors. Multiple texts by the same authors are listed chronologically, then alphabetically. Please double check all references to ensure that they contain correct information and are in the correct order. References are to follow upper/lower case format as illustrated below.

For a journal or magazine article

Franklin, H.D. 1980. “Ground Water in the Denver Basin.” Ground Water Journal, 60:80 – 91.

For a professional paper

Kuhndahl, D.L. and H. Smith. 1978. “Diamond Pipes of Northern Colorado.” U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 911, p.17.

For a book reference

Norma, Richard, C. Hansen and J. Mackee. 1980. Wave Theory. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico, p.67 – 68.

Tables

Tables should be placed in a separate electronic file. Do NOT submit tables as photographs. Number tables consecutively in the order of their first citation in the text and supply a BRIEF title for each. Give each column a short or abbreviated heading.

Electronic Figures, Illustrations and Photographs

We encourage submission of electronic figures, illustrations and photographs that help to illustrate the article. Do NOT send files with figures (photographs, charts, tables, graphics) embedded in the text. Figure files MUST be separate from text files. Electronic photographs copied and pasted into Word and PowerPoint will NOT be accepted.

If you will be using a digital camera to capture images for print production, please use the highest resolution setting option with the least amount of compression. Digital camera manufacturers use many different terms and file formats when capturing high-resolution images, so please refer to your camera’s manual for more information.