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Publishing Your Results

Publishing in the peer-reviewed literature is the currency of academia and presents several difficulties for trans-disciplinary research. Although not as easy as single discipline research, with a little thought and careful preparation it is possible to publish these kinds of research. The first difficulty is finding an appropriate journal. Because of the rapid proliferation of journals, many are becoming more specific in their content and trans-disciplinary research may be seen as outside their scope of interest. Trans-disciplinary research is often seen as being too biological for a social science journal, and too “touchy feely” for straight biological journals.

Fortunately, there are several journals that focus on these unique kinds of research (see http://www.conbio.org/workinggroups/sswg/toolkit.html for more information on specific journals). Identifying one of these journals and tailoring your paper to their recommendations for authors will greatly improve your chances for being published.
Although it may seem obvious, remember that each journal has a specific audience. It is common for authors to write several very different papers from the same initial research depending on which journal they intend to submit to. For instance, a researcher submitting to a society and development journal would have a much different focus than one submitting to an ethnobiology journal, even if the data are drawn from the same set of interviews.

The first task is to review the journal web site and carefully consider its aim and scope. Once you determine that the journal seems like a ‘good fit” contact an editor to see if they agree. Managing editors do not want to overly burden their staff and editorial board with inappropriate papers so they are going to be willing to give you a quick idea of how well the paper matches their aim and scope. Don’t take it personally if the editor does not think the paper a good match. Rather, there may be real and fundamental differences in philosophy. Helpful editors will occasionally suggest other journals to submit to, although this often requires tweaking of the manuscript for the new journal.

Additionally, writing an introductory letter describing the paper’s hypothesis, results and importance to the journal’s readers will help properly frame your research. Within this letter it is often useful to suggest one or two people who you feel are appropriate to review your paper, (however do not suggest your major professor). This is especially true if the journal to which you are submitting does not often carry papers similar to yours (i.e. different geographic, taxonomic or disciplinary focus).
Don’t forget to follow up on your correspondence. Editors are often inundated with requests and other duties and responsibilities. Being polite yet persistent with your questions can often times be to your advantage.

Finally, meeting and talking to editors at conferences and other meetings is a great way to improve your chances. You can often find information through these informal situations that is not available on web sites. You can also sell your research in person! Giving a talk before submitting is also a wonderful way to get comments. These can vastly improve your manuscript, and identify any assumptions you may have. This last point is especially pertinent to trans-disciplinary research as each academic discipline has its own assumed body of knowledge and language. Identifying and expressing these assumptions in clear language is critically important when preparing a manuscript for publication.

Jack Duffy Ph.D., Interdisciplinary PhD Program, Dalhousie University, Canada) has given us this sage advice:

1. Choose a journal where most of your references are from. (Highlight this in the letter to the editor – see #4).
2. Aim for a journal one level higher than you think you should publish.
3. Look at the editorial board, and what research they do.
4. Send a letter to the editor, highlighting why you think the editor’s readers would be interested in your paper.
5. Be positive in your write up.
6. Send the paper to colleagues you trust for comments
7. Register your abstract to receive e-mails of other research related to your paper and to find out what other people are doing.
8. Collaborate with a good publisher.
9. Collaborate with others besides your supervisor and committee.
10. 48 hour rule – after receiving a rejection letter, fix your paper and send off a response within 48 hours.
11. It is okay to argue points in the rejection letter (justify why you don’t want to take their recommendations).
12. Revise and re-submit.
13. Have some 1st author articles.
14. Have some solo author articles.
15. For graduate students and assistant profs especially – quantity trumps quality.

Where to publish:

Conservation Biology

Inaugurated in 1987, the journal, Conservation Biology was originally developed to provide a global voice for an emerging discipline. It quickly became the most important journal dealing with the topic of biological diversity. The journal continues to publish groundbreaking scientific papers on topics such as population ecology and genetics, ecosystem management, freshwater and marine conservation, landscape ecology, and the many human dimensions of conservation and is the most frequently cited conservation journal in the world.

In concert with the larger goals of the Society for Conservation Biology, the journal promotes the highest standards of quality and ethics in the activity of conservation research and encourages the communication of results to facilitate their application in conservation decision-making. With provocative essays and editorials, regular topical reviews, practical approaches to conservation, and the publication of original research, Conservation Biology remains instrumental in defining the key issues contributing to the study and practice of conservation.
http://www.conbio.org/Publications/ConsBio/

Human Ecology

An Interdisciplinary Journal provides a forum for papers concerned with the complex and varied systems of interaction between people and their environment. Research papers from such diverse fields as anthropology, geography, psychology, biology, sociology, and urban planning are welcomed. A Book Review section also appears in the journal. All submissions are peer reviewed. Human Ecology is published by Springer Science and Business Media, 233 Spring Street, New York, New York 10013.
http://maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/anthro/ecology.html

Journal of Ethnobiology

The Journal of Ethnobiology invites manuscripts based on original research in any area of ethnobiology, the interdisciplinary study of the relationships of living things with human cultures worldwide. Topics include but are not limited to paleoethnobotany, zooarchaeology, ethnobotany, ethnozoology, ethnoecology, linguistic ethnobiology, and other related areas in anthropology and biology.
http://ethnobiology.org/journal/guidelines/

Ecology and Environmental Anthropology

Ecological and Environmental Anthropology publishes articles and commentary by scholars in diverse fields such as anthropology, ecology, and geography, as well as practitioners who specialize in conservation, health, and other socio-natural issues, and all of our articles are peer-reviewed before publication.
http://www.uga.edu/eea/

Ambio

Ambio is an international journal publishing recent work in the interrelated fields of ecology, environmental management,technology and natural sciences. Ambio publishes papers of high scientific standard in a form that is comprehensible not only to specialists, but also to scientists in other fields, to students, politicians, professional planners, and interested laymen. All manuscripts submitted to Ambio are accepted for consideration with the understanding that they have not been published elsewhere and are not under consideration by any other journal. However, papers that have been reproduced elsewhere, for very limited distribution, may be submitted. All papers submitted should be accompanied by an introductory letter.
http://www.ambio.kva.se/

Oryx

Oryx - the International Journal of Conservation, is a leading scientific journal in the field of conservation biology and management, and is published quarterly by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna and Flora International The aim of this flagship journal is to provide a comprehensive and accessible view of the conservation and status of fauna, flora and habitats, and of conservation policy an d sustainable use. Oryx invites manuscript submissions in all aspects of conservation, particularly material that has the potential to improve conservation management and that enhances understanding of conservation needs.
http://www.fauna-flora.org/oryx/index.htm

Environment and Society

Ecology and Society is an electronic, peer-reviewed, multi-disciplinary journal devoted to the rapid dissemination of current research. Manuscript submission, peer review, and publication are all handled on the Internet. Software developed for the journal automates all clerical steps during peer review, facilitates a double-blind peer review process, and allows authors and editors to follow the progress of peer review on the Internet. As articles are accepted, they are published in an "Issue in Progress." At six month intervals the Issue-in-Progress is declared a New Issue, and subscribers receive the Table of Contents of the issue via email.

We encourage publication of special features. Special features are comprised of a set of manuscripts that address a single theme, and include an introductory and summary manuscript. The individual contributions are published in regular issues, and the special feature manuscripts are linked through a table of contents and announced on the journal's main page.

The journal seeks papers that are novel, integrative and written in a way that is accessible to a wide audience that includes an array of disciplines from the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities concerned with the relationship between society and the life-supporting ecosystems on which human well being ultimately depends.

Content of the journal ranges from the applied to the theoretical. In general, papers should cover topics relating to the ecological, political, and social foundations for sustainable social-ecological systems. Specifically, the journal publishes articles that present research findings on the following issues: (a) the management, stewardship and sustainable use of ecological systems, resources and biological diversity at all levels, (b) the role natural systems play in social and political systems and conversely, the effect of social, economic and political institutions on ecological systems and services, and (c) the means by which we can develop and sustain desired ecological, social and political states.
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/

Environmental Conservation

Environmental Conservation is one of the longest-standing, most highly cited of the comprehensive interdisciplinary environmental science journals. It includes research papers, comments, subject reviews, and book reviews addressing environmental policy, practice, and natural and social science of environmental concern at a global level. The journal's scope is very broad, including issues in human institutions, pollution and habitat degradation, resource exploitation, terrestrial biomes, atmospheric and oceanic processes, and coastal and land management. Environmental Conservation is essential reading for all environmentalists, managers, consultants, agency workers and scientists wishing to keep abreast of current developments in environmental science.
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=ENC

References for publishing: