Guidelines for Submitting Feature Articles

Subject matter changes with each issue. Please refer to our Editorial Calendar to see what topics may be applicable to you. Articles are published in our Tools & Techniques section and, in general, fall into four basic categories:

1. Technical Application articles are most often used in Biomedical Products. Typically 1000 to 1500 words long, these articles describe new applications, improved methods or results, or advances in techniques or instrumentation which lead to increased efficiency. Technical application articles should generally adhere to the following format:
   1. An introduction which describes the laboratory or workplace environment.
   2. A review of the "problem" faced.
   3. A technical description of the solution chosen and the results achieved. (This section should represent the major part of the article. It should be as detailed as possible, and written to appeal to a sophisticated audience of senior scientists and researchers.)
   4. Appropriate conclusions and view to the future.

2. Review or Overview articles survey the use of a specific technology, application or approach to a problem in several different laboratories or settings. In general, articles of this nature should be between 1000 and 1500 words. Based on the survey, the author should draw specific conclusions about the use, applicability, success or future direction of the technology under consideration, particularly as it applies to science and engineering.

3. Notes are shorter articles up to 800 words which provide snap shots of the use of a new technology, tips to users, a new setting for equipment or a new application for existing equipment.

4. Industry Insights are up to 800 words long and focus on trends in a given industry. They offer an industry expert's viewpoints on specific technologies or products in the science and laboratory environments.

Basic Text Guidelines

• Lengthy manuscripts should be interspersed with appropriate subheadings.
• References should follow a standard format and be listed in order of appearance in the text.
• Authors should include a 50-word biographical brief containing relevant information.
• Submissions should adhere to the following guidelines:

  File Transfer: 3.5" floppy or e-mail

  File Format:
  

  • Acceptable - Major word processing programs saved as ASCII or Microsoft Word - text only

  • Unacceptable - Images embedded in text files

  Backup Required: Send or fax hard copy of files for proofing

Guidelines for Accompanying Artwork

• Authors should submit at least one four-color photograph (professional quality) and up to five additional camera-ready graphics (charts, tables, diagrams, equations, photographs, etc.) with captions.
• Graphics should be clearly referenced in the text as Figure 1, Figure 2, etc. Captions should be carefully coordinated with art.

  ART FOR SCANNING:

  • Preferable - Transparencies

  • Acceptable - Prints, slides

  DIGITAL FILES:

  Program Compatibility: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Quark Xpress

  File Transfer:

  • Preferable - 3.5" floppy, zip disk, CD

  • Acceptable - E-mail - small files (images and text as separate attachments)

  File Compression:

  • Acceptable - Zip It or Stuffit

  • Unacceptable - LZW

  File Formats:

  • Preferable - EPS, tif

  • Unacceptable ­ jpg, GIF, PDF

  File Size/Resolution:

  • Acceptable - Minimum dimensions 3" x 5", Minimum resolution 266 dpi

  • Unacceptable - Images created for the Internet or taken with a point -and-shoot digital camera (due to their low resolution - 72 dpi)

  Color Modes:

  • Preferable - CMYK or grayscale (for halftones), Bitmap (for line art)

  • Acceptable - RGB

  • Unacceptable - Index color, Lab color

  Backup Required: Send or fax a hard copy of files for proofing. Include separate files for graphics and fonts (both printer and screen) used or placed in Quark and Illustrator files.

Send all article submissions to:

Steve Ernst , Editor
Bioscience Technology
100 Enterprise Drive, Suite 600
Box 912
Rockaway, NJ 07866-0912 973-920-7029; Fax: 973-920-5521
Email: robert.fee@advantagemedia.com