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 The Western North American Naturalist welcomes manuscripts dealing with the biological natural history of western North America. Manuscripts undergo a rigorous peer review process prior to publication. Based on manuscript reviews, decisions regarding publication are then made by the journal's editor and associate editors, often with input from the editorial board.
The journal will consider for publication manuscripts covering research within the various disciplines of the biological sciences. Questions regarding the suitability of a topic should be addressed to the journal's editor.
How to Submit a Manuscript
Authors may submit manuscripts in one of two ways:
- Submit via the web at https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/ojs/index.php/wnan/index Click on the "For Authors" link on the right side of the page. This web site went live on 16 January 2008, and parts of it are still under construction. Please contact us if you encounter any difficulties or have questions. wnan@byu.edu
- Send a hard copy and an electronic version of the manuscript to the journal's editorial office:
Western North American Naturalist
190 Monte L. Bean Museum
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
How to Format a Manuscript
Please format all manuscripts in WordPerfect or Microsoft Word, adhering strictly to the following requirements.
 Cover letter. An accompanying cover letter must include phone number(s) and e-mail address of the author submitting the manuscript; the letter must also provide information describing the extent to which data, text, or illustrations have been used in other papers or books that are published, in press, submitted, or soon to be submitted elsewhere.
Manuscript preparation. In general, the Western North American Naturalist follows recommendations in Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, 7th edition (www.councilscienceeditors.org). However, we do differ in our treatment of entries in Literature Cited. Authors may consult the most recent issue of the Western North American Naturalist for formatting guidelines.
Type and double space all materials, including literature cited, tables, table headings, and figure legends. Avoid hyphenated words at the right-hand margins. Use the word processor's italics feature for words to be printed in italics. Use standard page size (8.5 by 11 inches), leaving 1-inch margins on all sides.
Submit an electronic copy via the web. Manuscripts should be prepared in a standard word processing program (e.g., WordPerfect or Microsoft Word). Number all pages and assemble in the following order: title page, abstract and key words, text, acknowledgments, literature cited, appendices, tables, figure legends, figures.
Title page includes an informative title no longer than 15 words, names and addresses of authors, a running head of fewer than 40 letters and spaces, footnotes to indicate change of address and author to whom correspondence should be addressed if other than the first author.
Abstract states the purpose, methods, results, and conclusions of the research. It is followed by 6-12 key words, listed in order of decreasing importance, to be used for indexing.
 Text has centered main headings printed in all capital letters; second-level headings are centered in upper- and lowercase letters; third-level headings begin paragraphs.
Voucher specimens. Authors are encouraged to designate, properly prepare, label, and deposit high-quality voucher specimens and cultures documenting their research in an established permanent collection, and to cite the repository in publication.
References in the text are cited by author and date: e.g., Martin (1998) or (Martin 1998). Multiple citations should be separated by commas and listed in chronological order. Use "et al." after name of first author for citations having more than two authors.
Acknowledgments, under a centered main heading, include special publication numbers when appropriate.
Literature Cited, also under a centered main heading, lists references alphabetically in the following formats:
Brady, N.C. 1990. The nature and properties of soils. 10th edition. MacMillan, New York.
Kondole, G.M. 1997. Hungry water: effects of dams and gravel mining on river channels. Environmental Management 21:533–551.
Saab, V.A., and T.D. Rich. 1997. Large-scale conservation assessment for neotropical migratory landbirds in the Interior Columbia River Basin. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-399. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR.
Tokeshi, M. 1995. Life cycles and population dynamics. Pages 225–268 in P. Armitage, P.S. Cranston, and L.C.V. Pinder, editors, The Chironomidae: biology and ecology of non-biting midges. Chapman and Hall, London.
Tables are double spaced on separate sheets and designed to fit the width of either a single column (2 5/8 inches) or a page (5 inches). Use lowercase letters to indicate footnotes whenever possible.
Electronic copies or photocopies of figures are submitted initially with the manuscript; editors may suggest changes. Lettering on figures should be large enough to withstand reduction to one- or two-column width. Originals must be no larger than 8 x 11 inches. Carefully choose wording for axis labels to match the caption, and generally include units in parentheses. Be advised that figures with grayscale do not scan well from hard copy and must be submitted in EPS, TIF, or JPG format.
Notes. If the manuscript would be more appropriate as a short communication or note, follow the above instructions. Please include an abstract, but do not include section headings.
A charge of $55 per page is made for articles published; the rate for individual subscribers will be $40 per page. However, manuscripts with complex tables and/or numerous photographs may be assessed an additional charge. Reprints may be purchased at the time of publication (an order form is sent with the proofs).
Final check:
- Cover letter explaining any duplication of information and providing phone number(s), FAX number, and e-mail address
- Electronic copy of the manuscript
- Conformity with instructions, particularly for table and figure formatting
Although dated in some aspects of electronic manuscript preparation, Guidelines for Authors (January 2000) provides more detailed information on style and formatting. HTML | PDF
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