Guidelines for authors (v. 1)

Note: This version 1 is applicable since 15/09/2017. This version 1 was approved by the Board of Directors on 15/09/2017. It was approved by the General Assembly on 15/12/2017. Previous version.

Publishing research articles on climate that are both of high quality and accessible to a broad audience is not only our goal, but an inspiring challenge for everyone in Climanosco’s community.

Our authors are pioneers, creating welcoming pathways into the dense and diverse anthology of cutting edge research and making climate science accessible to everyone.

Here are a few guidelines to help authors in this endeavor.

First know the basics

  1. The content of the manuscript must be based on published, peer reviewed scientific literature and references to primary sources must be provided throughout the manuscript.
  2. The manuscript must be self-contained. The main scientific concepts must be sufficiently explained so to allow the reader to apply critical thinking about the content.
  3. Manuscripts can be written based on one single source or on multiple sources of scientific literature. Single source manuscripts are a complete re-writing of one existing scientific paper published in scientific literature by the original author(s) or by another author. Single source manuscripts must stay within the boundaries of the original paper, while the emphasis and narrative may be changed for a broad audience. Multiple source manuscripts provide a balanced representation of the research available in the chosen topic.
  4. An updated article is an article that updates an existing article published by Climamosco with newly available research.
  5. The manuscript’s body is limited to 2500 words, which corresponds to about 5 pages.
  6. For introductory articles, we recommend limiting the manuscript’s body to 1500 words (approximately 3 pages).
  7. Make sure you read the Terms and Conditions for the Submission and Revision of a Manuscript.
  8. Have a look at the extended peer review process and the peer review criteria before you get started.

Put yourself in your readers’ shoes

Learning about a scientific topic for the first time can feel like fumbling through exotic terrain full of unfamiliar jargon, obscure concepts and a murky sense of relevance.

Do your best to clear the path for your readers with clear, plainspoken writing and concise explanations of key concepts, and by connecting the story to the bigger picture.

  1. Imagine the topic is completely unknown to you. Why should you care to learn about it? What about the topic might inspire to learn more? Make sure to share your excitement and insights with your readers.
  2. Consider how the topic is represented based solely on sensational headlines in the media. What sort of information and context might help you understand the full story beyond the click bate and sound bites? What sort of information might allow you to have an informed, logical conversation on the topic?
  3. Think about how abstract and remote climate science might be to you, were you not a climate researcher. What aspects or narrative might help you understand how the topic (or the research) impacts day to day life. What about the topic excites you, the researcher, and fuels your engagement? When relevant, share how the topic impacts specific communities and businesses and how they might apply research findings to their situation.

Draw the boundaries and choose a path

Your manuscript will be a pathway of your own creation, taking the reader on a journey into the landscape of climate science. The terrain is fascinating – and vast – so it’s important to establish the boundaries and the path.

  1. Choose the boundaries according to one of the three types of articles:
    • Introductory articles offer a first reading on a phenomena or topic, with an emphasis on well-established, basic knowledge.
    • General articles provide a general overview of an area of research.
    • Focus articles offer a more detailed dive into specific facets of an area of research.
  2. Decide the main feature(s) of the journey you’ll take your readers on – the sights to engage and interest your audience on the way to the final destination.

Create your narrative

Think about how to guide your readers through these features in a way that leaves them more knowledgeable, inspired and empowered. Consider what they might need to know about the terrain and if there are any particularly exciting aspects along the way that might help them better engage throughout their journey.

Writing your first manuscript

  1. The first step to writing your manuscript is to relax. Honing your narrative style is a progressive experience as everyone involved in the process knows. Your first manuscript draft might not be perfect but it will be the most important!
  2. Your first manuscript will go through a preliminary discussion and you will be able to use this feed-back to make improvements before finalizing the submission.
  3. Then, you will receive review reports and feed-back from the open discussion and you will be able to revise the manuscript accordingly.
  4. Have a look at the published articles for some examples, especially those that won awards.
  5. Finally, you may want to go through our Guide to writing science in non-scientific language (pdf).

Be prepared for the submission of your manuscript

  1. On submitting your manuscript, you will be asked to enter the following details:
    • Title
    • Questions addressed in the manuscript (maximum 3)
    • Proposed scientific and non-scientific reviewers
    • Type of manuscript (Single source/Multiple source/Updated, Introductory/General/Focus)
    • Authors, contact details and affiliations
    • Outline (maximum 200 words)
    • Flash outline (maximum 110 characters including blanks)
    • Keywords for Subject Area(s) and Geographical Sector(s)
    • Body (max. 2500 words, equivalent to about 5 pages; For introductory articles it is recommended to limit the text to max. 1500 words, equiv. to 3 pages)
  2. Figures, videos, tables, and equations:
    • Technical graphics, tables and equations are not recommended.
    • Figures (e.g. illustrations, photographs or videos) are welcome as they may help the reader visualize the content. We do not recommend to exceed 3 figures though.
  3. Citations and bibliography table shall be introduced in the text using the syntax described in How to handle references and citations. They do not count towards the body’s max. 2500 words. Citations are not allowed in the outlines.
  4. Up to three levels of headings may be used in the body to structure and ease the reading. They may be phrased with a narrative style.
  5. Read Formatting your content for more details on how to format your content, include figures or footnotes, and get it ready for submission.
  6. We ask you to provide contact details for 2 potential scientific reviewers. The suggested reviewers should be able to offer fair and impartial reviews of the material being submitted.
  7. You may also give names of individuals who might be in potential conflict of interest (see Conflict of Interest Policy). In that case, we will not consider them when selecting editors and reviewers.

If you encounter any problem or need any clarification contact the team at:

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