New Mexico Geology — Guidelines for Contributors
We are a research and service division of:
Overview
New Mexico Geology publishes original research concerning the geology of New Mexico and surrounding areas, primarily for an audience of geoscientists. The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR) has produced New Mexico Geology since the first edition was published in 1979. New Mexico Geology strives to present articles that are of high technical and editorial quality, yet may be less suited for publication in some journals if research topics are considered “of local interest.” Originally a printed publication, New Mexico Geology is now an open-access electronic journal, making it readily available to a wider audience. A repository is also available for supplemental data and can be accessed online. There are no page charges or repository fees. New Mexico Geology is published as part of our mission to disseminate information regarding the geology of New Mexico.
Categories of Research Articles
Manuscripts submitted to New Mexico Geology should present new data from original research that will be of interest to a diverse audience. Manuscripts that present material from previously published work may also be acceptable, particularly if arranged to address an item of local interest. Longer papers are typically 20–40 double-spaced pages in length, although no rigid length limitations are set. Shorter articles are typically 1,000–3,000 words.
Submitted papers are examined by the science editor or other NMBGMR professional staff. If the manuscript appears suited for New Mexico Geology, it will be sent to a qualified referee(s) (generally two for longer papers) to judge the scientific merit of the work. Clarity, conciseness, and adherence to a standard scientific presentation style are key. In particular, interpretations must follow from clearly stated observations. Manuscripts are accepted based on the recommendation of the referee(s) and willingness to address reviewer’s comments.
We also welcome submissions to our “Gallery of Geology,” a short section within New Mexico Geology that is intended to showcase an interesting image, including landscapes, specimens, historical images, and other items of interest, along with an extended caption or a brief discussion.
Author Instructions
Manuscript submissions, inquiries and correspondence should be sent to:
nmbg-nmgeology@nmt.edu
Authors may browse back issues of New Mexico Geology online for examples of topics, reference style, and figures that have appeared in previous issues.
Text should be attached to an email as a MS Word or RTF file. All text should be double spaced. Captions for figures and tables should be placed at the end of the file, after the reference list. Figure captions should be self-contained and explain all symbols and abbreviations used in the figure. Do not embed figures or tables in the manuscript file (place-marker suggestions may be included, but the layout editor will decide the figure placement).
Figures should be submitted as close to final size as possible. Email systems usually limit the total file size of attachments, so consider using Google Drive, Dropbox, or similar services for larger files. Figures may be submitted as lower-resolution PDF files for initial viewing. High-resolution, editable native files will be required if the manuscript is accepted for publication. Adobe Illustrator files are preferred for artwork; PowerPoint, Canvas, and CorelDraw files should be avoided. Other acceptable formats include MPK (packaged ArcMap files for maps), as well as editable, high-resolution PDF files. Photographs may be submitted in TIF, JPEG, or RAW formats. Resolution should be 300 dpi or higher. Line or text overlays on photographs should be editable layers that will allow our graphic artists to improve the clarity of figures if needed.
Tables should be provided as Excel spreadsheets, comma-delimited text files, or as tab-delimited MS Word files.
Text, figures, tables, references, captions, and all other kinds of files may be subject to adjustment in order to conform to New Mexico Geology style or sizing. In general, we request that authors us the International System of Units (metric) in manuscript text, captions, and illustrations. Allowable exceptions include acre-feet and gallons for water volume; tons, pounds, or ounces for mine production; and feet for well depths, to name a few.
References should be formatted using GSA style.
Data files, appendices, or plates are typically placed in a repository that is linked to the manuscript. Short appendices may be included at the end of the paper, depending on editorial preference.