Manuscript Instructions

for the Proceedings of the 21st North American Prairie Conference

Topics presented at oral sessions and poster sessions may be submitted for publication in the Proceedings of the 21st North American Prairie Conference.

If a manuscript that is not in the public domain is accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the 21st North American Prairie Conference, it will be assumed that the authors or their employers have transferred their copyright interests exclusively to Winona State University.  Prior publication or concurrent submission to other journals precludes publication in these proceedings.

When you arrive at the conference, please submit your manuscript in digital format as a Microsoft Word file.  If you must use some other application, save your files in the RTF format as well as the program's format.  These can be on CDs, jump drives, or as an email attachment to Bruno Borsari <NAPC@winona.edu>.  Always keep a copy for your records.

On the top left corner of page 1, enter the name and complete address of the person who is to receive editorial correspondence. On a header on succeeding pages, type the author's last name(s) in the top left corner, a "running head" no more than 45 characters long centered in the middle, and the page number in the top right corner.  Please follow the style shown in a recent issue of the Journal of Wildlife Management regarding format for headings, for tables, for illustrations, for references, etc.  (See http://www.wildlife.org /publications/journalguidelines.pdf)

For numbers, use digits except at the beginning of a sentence.  Use the percent sign (%) with digits.  Use no more than 20 words in your title.  Use vernacular names of organisms (most readers will not be botanists or zoologists).  Manuscripts require an abstract of about 1 typed line per double-spaced page of text.  In 1 paragraph describe the problem studied, why it was important to study, the most important findings, and their utility.  Only us footnotes for an author's address if it differs from the byline address and in tables. For measurements, use metric units with English units in parenthesis or vice versa, depending on the units actually used during the study.  It is important that all readers understand the measurements presented.

Do not use scientific names in the title or for names of domesticated animals or cultivated plants.  However, in the abstract and in your text, use the scientific name accompanying the first mention of a vernacular name of any species other than domesticated plants and animals.

Authors are responsible for accuracy and completeness of their references.  In your text, the sequence of references named consecutively is by date.  Show page numbers only for quotations, paraphrases, and for citations in books unless reference is to the entire publication.  Do not cite unpublished reports.  In composing your list of literature cited at the end of your paper, use capital and lowercase letters for authors' family names, and only initials for given names.  Do not abbreviate titles of serial publications; write them out in full.

Each table and illustration must be self-explanatory and be referred to in text. Avoid repeating information among tables, figures, and text.

Tables:  Start each table on a separate page and continue long tables onto more pages.  Double space throughout, omit vertical lines, and leave margins of at least 1.25 in.  Avoid unusual abbreviations.  Identify footnotes by Roman letters, or asterisks for probabilities.  Percentages shown for cursory comparison should have only 1 or 2 significant digits. Do not show percentages within small samples (n < 26).

Illustrations:  Graphs and pictures should be in either JPEG or GIF format, and should be sent as separate files, preferably with a resolution of 300 dpi or higher. Type captions for each illustration on a separate page at the end of your paper, in paragraph form, following your last table. Make all letters and numbers large enough to be at least 1.5 mm tall when reduced to fit onto a printed page.

Color:  The paper copy of the Proceedings of the 21st North American Prairie Conference will be printed black on white.  The compact disk version of the Proceedings of the 21st North American Prairie Conference will be in color.  Thus, if you choose to use color in your pictures and illustrations, also use distinctive patterns to allow easy interpretation of black on white copy and check that the color converts properly to gray-scale in digital media.