Editorial
guidelines
21stC publishes articles about university research and the
world
of university research. It covers research at Columbia University in the context of university
research at large. Articles may report on research in any intellectual discipline, by department,
subject, topic, or line of inquiry in the physical sciences, life sciences, humanities, social
sciences, or cybernetic sciences. 21stC's purpose is to inform readers about the
world of university research in general as it is understood through a focus on particular
research
topics and disciplines at Columbia and elsewhere. It is intended for a general audience and is
not
a peer-reviewed forum for the reporting of original research discoveries to academic colleagues.
Topics should be directly related to research being conducted at Columbia, and may connect
that
research to other institutions or researchers elsewhere, as appropriate. Articles that provide
multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary approaches are preferred. Articles that help illuminate
the
significance of university research within contemporary society are strongly preferred. Articles
on the process and conduct of research, the management of the research enterprise within
universities, research policy, and the relationship of research to other missions of the
university
will also be considered.
Sections
Each issue will include feature articles (1,000-2,000 words, sometimes with multiple
components); a special extended section (approximately 5,000 words in total, usually
comprising
multiple articles) providing a focal point for the issue; Metanews articles about reporting of
research in the media (500-750 words); and an editorial section containing opinion pieces and
readers' responses to articles.
Readers
The readership will be faculty, researchers, administrators, and students within Columbia, as
well
as selected external audiences, including alumni, media professionals, affiliates of other
research
institutions, and other lay readers interested in following the world of university
research. Style
Authors should
use the Associated Press style. First-person perspective should be avoided unless specifically
assigned. Passages in languages other than English should be accompanied by English
translations.
Look and feel
21stC is oriented to the future, specifically to illustrate how university research
both focuses on the development of society and helps shape that development. It is published
in
hard-copy and online editions. Authors are invited to incorporate the hypertext and visual
resources of the Internet and World Wide Web in their work. The publication has an
innovative
layout, with graphics incorporated into the text in ways that contribute to the reader's
understanding of the specific material in the article. Article
assignments
Articles are commissioned by the editors. Article assignments are made after discussion and
agreement with the editors. Authors may independently submit article proposals, but the
submission of a proposal does not constitute an assignment unless specifically accepted in
writing by the editors. Compensation will be determined by the editors. Article assignments
will
be by written contract. Unsolicited articles may be submitted, but the editors reserve the right
to
accept unsolicited material for publication and determine appropriate compensation, or to
publish
such material without compensation.
Sources and interviews
Before formal acceptance of an article or article proposal, authors should not identify
themselves
as working for 21stC. Once the editors assign an article or approve the
development of a proposal, authors may identify Columbia sources to be interviewed,
reviewing
the prospective interviewees in advance with the editors. Authors must identify themselves as
writing for 21stC, a Columbia University publication, and can assure sources
that
the printing, quoting, or excerpting of any interview will be editorially approved within
Columbia's publishing procedures. No authors may identify themselves as writing for
21stC unless specifically authorized to do so in connection with a specific
topic.
21stC does not permit--or use material based on--interviews conducted or
intended
for multiple outlets. Authors are specifically prohibited from combining questions concerning
possible articles for other outlets with 21stC interviews, and material collected
during interviews for 21stC shall not be used for any other publication.
Violation of
these rules constitutes a violation of the contract, which will be terminated without
compensation. Interviewees may, if necessary, be referred to the Editor for questions
concerning
21stC, its policies, or its procedures.
Text references and verification
Interviews
should be audiotaped for quote verification. If the editors approve an exception to this
practice,
material to be directly quoted must be maintained in detailed interview notes. All quoted
material will be verified with sources or by audiotape review, but sources will not have
editorial
review of articles. Review of articles by others will be done at the sole discretion of the editors.
Footnotes to text and source citations are permissible, within reasonable limits.
Copyright
Columbia contracts for first serial rights, both in print and online, to all materials published or
collected for publication in 21stC. Copyrights revert to authors after one
complete publication in print and online, with the provisions that any republication of the
material will give appropriate credit to Columbia and 21stC as the original
publisher, and that Columbia retains a nonexclusive license to republish articles, either
without net profit to Columbia or with any future profit divided 50/50 between the author
and Columbia. Submissions
Authors may contact the Editor to discuss prospective ideas or proposals. Each proposal
should
take the form of a one-page written prospectus before formal assignment. Draft manuscripts
should be submitted on diskettes in a major word-processing format (WordPerfect, Microsoft
Word, XyWrite, WordStar, etc.), or uploaded in the form of ASCII or DOS text via the
Internet
to the Editor. A paper printout also should
be sent by mail to:
William B. Millard, Editor, 21stC
Columbia
University
Box 1369, Central Mail Room, Mail Code 4725
New York, NY 10027