Guidelines for authors

  1. Scientific article. The text will have an extension of maximum 20 pages. The article comprises the sections: Abstract, Key words, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results and Discussions, Conclusions, Acknowledgements and References.
  2. Review article. It follows the format of articles regarding language, extension and format and has to comprise: Abstract, Key words, Introduction, Development and discussion of the topic, Conclusions and References.
  3. Research note. The text follows the format of scientific article, however it refers to partial results. Its extension is 10 pages maximum, including tables and figures. The sections must be: Abstract, Key words, Development of the topic and References.

Text typeface: Verdana.

The use of fillers and excessive repetition of terms must be avoided.  

The entire document is drafted in the third person and in active voice. Moreover, orthographic rules by Real Academia Española (2010) have to be taken into account. Some of them can be consulted at: http://rae.es/sites/default/files/Principales_novedades_de_la_Ortografia_de_la_leng pdf y http://rae.es/obras-academicas/ortografia/ortografia-2010

Structure and format of basic data

  1. The title in the original language of the article must be in bold, 14 point size, centered. It must be brief (no more than 15 words), concise and reflect the content. Scientific names in italics and the first letter of the genus in upper case with their describers updated. It does not have references to footnotes, asterisks, or scripts; avoid the use of numbers. It does not mention the country (Mexico) after a region, state or municipality, except when referring to another country
  2. The translation of the title must come in the next line, in bold and centered. If there are more translations to write, each one takes a different line.
  3. The names of the authors must be aligned to the left, each in a different paragraph, 12 point size. Each author must display a number or character as a superscript indicating their corresponding ascriptions.
  4. Ascriptions must be under the group of authors. Each ascription is written as a paragraph, 12 point size. Before each ascription the number or character that relates it to one or more authors must be written a superscript.
  5. The corresponding author must be aligned to the left, 12 point size.
  6. The abstract must be included after the authors’ ascriptions, aligned to the left, 12 point size. The word «Abstract» is written in bold. The text of the abstract must begin the next paragraph, 12 point size, with a minimum extension of 200 words and a maximum of 250 words
  7. Key words must be after the abstract, 12 points size. The text «Key words:» in bold followed by semicolon. Each key word is separated by a comma, and written in alphabetical order. They are important because they classify the articles in indexes of scientific bibliography. They are six and can include scientific names with their corresponding authors (descriptors).
  8. There must be English and Spanish versions of the abstract and key words. The first in the text must be in Spanish, the format for the English version must be the same as in Spanish.

 

Structure and format of the text

  1. Sections/paragraph subtitles: 16 point size typeface, centered, in bold, with the first letter in upper case.
  2. Subsections / subtitles of secondary paragraphs: 14 point size typeface, centered, in bold, with the first letter in upper case. Where there are subsections of a subsection, use 13 point size in bold and centered.
  3. Text: Verdana, 12 point size. There must be NO line breaks between paragraphs.
  4. Titles of images: 12 point size typeface, centered and in bold. Description of images: 12 point size typeface.
  5. Image footnotes: 12 point size typeface and centered in relation to the image, the first letter must be in upper case.
  6. Images: they must be in the text, inserted in png or jpg format and centered. Images must be in line with the text. Images are: graphs, photographs, diagrams, and in some cases tables with equations (NB: it is important to send the images in jpg files at its maximum resolution, over 300 dpi). The increase of microphotographs is indicated in the title. In the case of photographs of macro- and micro-structures, a bar that indicates the reference scale has to be included.
  7. The thickness of graph axes is lower than that of interior lines. In order to indicate the dimensions of the axes, suitable scales must be chosen, which underscore what is intended to show; include each axis legends. In case of locating experimental points or places, these will be placed at the ends of them.  
  8. Tables (text tables): the title of the columns in tables and data in the table proper in regular case. Scientific names must be in italics. Do not saturate the text with reduced tables; concentrate information from several on one table.
  9. All the variables included in tables and figures must be described in Materials and Methods, and as well interpreted in Results and Discussion.
  10. Table footnotes. 12 point size typeface and centered in relation to the table, the first letter must be in upper case.
  11. Equations they can be in Mathtype or as an image, in this case: it is important that the images are sent as jpg files at their maximum resolution. Equations are written in italics.
  12. Greek letters and symbols are explained immediately after they are used for the first time, except for those of public domain.
  13. To express fractions the linear form must be used, with negative exponents for denominators, for instance: g cm-2, kg ha-1, mol kg-1.
  14. In case of more than one, equations are consecutively numbered in parentheses to the right. In general, only those explicitly mentioned in the text are numbered.
  15. Consider the use of fractional powers (0.5, 0.33) instead of square and cubic roots, et cetera. Powers of “e” are expressed as “exp” (abbreviation of the exponential function). In the case of chemical formulas, ion charges are expressed as in the following example: Ca2+ and CO3-, not Ca+++ and CO3- -. If writing isotopes, the mass number is indicated in the upper left side of the symbol. Example: 15N, 14
  16. For formulas and equations that require an explanation of their variables, it will be placed under the mathematical expression, immediately after “Where”: each variable in italics, one below the other by their first letter and aligned by the equality sign =.
  17. The authors are subject to the nomenclature rules of:
  18. The international codes of Botany, Zoology and Bacteria.
  19. Agrochemical products, active ingredients and other compounds are identified by their name according to the international nomenclature.
  20. The molecular markers known as RAPD and ISR are still accepted in gene mapping studies or searching for markers for the diagnosis of species or features proper to species.
  21. Electrophoresis gels and immunoassays. The authors must include positive and negative controls, as well as the molecular size markers in each gel or immunoassay. It is recommended using photographs in grey tones (negatives). All the tools to acquire the images and the software to process them must be described.
  22. Sequences of nucleic acids or amino acids. The authors must include the registration number of any international database (GenBank/EMBL) as a requirement for the journal’s acceptance. When comparative analyses between sequences from various works are included, those used in the comparison must be available. If programs or criteria to align the sequences are used, these must be explicitly described in the text.
  23. Enzymes are accompanied by their EC number and for chemical nomenclature the guidelines by International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and the combined commission of IUPAC-IUB for biochemical nomenclature.
  24. Discussion. It explains the obtained results based on clear, objective and documented reasoning. This section may be included in the previous, mainly because of its extension or the need to reference own results. It is necessary to include references that favor contrast with similar results.

 

Structure and format of Acknowledgements, Conflict of interest and Contribution by author and References

 

Acknowledgements shall be placed after the last section of the text. This information must bear the title «Acknowledgements» or equivalent in other language, in bold, 12 point size typeface; the corresponding text in 12 point size.

Conflict of interest. The authors state if there is a relationship with the institutions that fund the research which substantiates the manuscript in such manner that the published data give them any advantage of professional, labor or economic nature.

Contribution by author. Each author will have to describe the way in which they participated in the execution of the study.

 

Structure and format of Citations in the text and References

Citations in the text

 

Citations with one author, first surname, in parentheses publication year. With two authors, the first surname of each separated by “and” followed by the year. Citations with more than three authors are added et al. and year.

Citations at the end of the sentence, phrase or paragraph, separate the authors and year with commas, and each citation with semicolon; all this in a general parentheses.

Citations of several works, alphabetical or chronological order. It is preceded by the mention of the specific contribution of each of the citations in the context of the work; the addition of a list of references to a reduced idea that does not justify a large citation is avoided.

Citations of one same author and year, they are differenced by letters: a, b, c, et cetera, written after the year, which are listed in References.

Citations in text, with no exception they are included in References.

 

References

References. They are presented in alphabetic order, with no paragraph line break, aligned to the left, in 12 point size.

References with a single author. First surname followed by a space and initial of the second surname, if applicable, followed by a period, a comma and a space and the initial of the first name followed by a comma and a space and the initial of the second name, if applicable, followed by a period and a space.

Example: Zeiler, M. 1999. Modeling our world: the ESRI guide to geodatabase design. ESRI. Redlands, CA, USA. 192 p.

Reference with two or more authors. Include all the coauthors, begin with the initials of first name and then the second, if applicable, followed by first surname, which is written in full and the initial of the second surname, if applicable. The aforementioned format is followed, but immediately after the period of the last initial of the first author, a comma is placed to difference the previous and coming author, it thus is made successively with the rest of the authors.

Example: Vega L., A., J. I. Valdez H. and M. Cetina A. 2003. Zonas ecológicas de Brosimun alicastrum Sw. en la Costa del Pacífico Mexicano. Madera y Bosques 9(1):27-53.

 

Book references. Authors are written followed by publication year, period. Full title, closing with a period and a space. Editorial data: city, state, country of publication and number of pages; compulsorily, it has to include the year of publication, publishing house, city and country of edition. At the end, the total number of pages is written, then “p” in lower case and period, or if a number of pages were consulted: “pp”, and then the pages.

Example: Rzedowski, J. 1981. Vegetación de México. Ed. Limusa. México, D. F., Mexico. 432 p.

 

References from compilation and memoirs. Authors and publication year. After the title the term In, in italics, is written, followed by a colon and a space. Names of the compilers or responsible editors, following the aforementioned format and closing with a period and a space, after which the document title is written followed by the rest of editorial data, with no abbreviations and the pages of the reference. Here are included book references, memoirs (full-text papers) of congresses or scientific symposia. The event data will be written followed by a comma and a space, then place and date of the event.

Example: Sáenz R., J. T., J. Anguiano C., H. J. Muñoz F., F. J. Villaseñor R., A. Rueda S. and J. García M. 2012. Áreas potenciales para plantaciones forestales comerciales en la Cuenca del Lago de Cuitzeo, Michoacán. In: Bravo-Espinosa, M., G. Barrera-Camacho, M.E. Mendoza, J.T. Sáenz, F. Bahena-Juárez and R. Sánchez-Martínez (eds.). Contribuciones para el desarrollo sostenible de la cuenca del Lago de Cuitzeo, Michoacán. INIFAP-Campo Experimental Uruapan, UNAM- Centro de Investigaciones en Geografía Ambiental. Morelia, Mich., Mexico. pp. 269-278.

Serial publications. Authors and publication year and then article title, closing with a period and a space. Name of the journal as registered, i.e., abbreviations used by the journal, closing with a period and space, volume, followed by a space, corresponding number of the publication in parentheses followed by a colon and number of pages. The country and publishing house are not included.

Example: Peters, C. M. and E. Pardo-Tejeda. 1982. Brosimum alicastrum (Moraceae): Uses and Potential in Mexico. Economic Botany 36 (2): 166-175

Thesis. The author is referred as previously indicated. Then, year, the title of the thesis, closing with a period and a space. Only postgraduate theses will be accepted as valid references; the level must be specified, master or doctorate. Then the name of the faculty or department, institution, without abbreviations, city, country and number of pages.

World Wide Web. To cite files, provide the name of the authors and year of publication following the format previously referred. Then in italics the name of the website, followed by the full electronic address (URL). It includes the following additional information: version number, edition or revisions and finally, date of access in parentheses.

Electronic publications and online databases. The authors and publication year are written as previously referred. The article title, file or electronic database, and in parentheses the file number or version; the electronic address and directory. The date of access is written in parentheses.

Computer programs (software). The authors and publication year are written as previously referred. Name of the program, version in parentheses (if applicable and it is not included in the title) and information on the publication such as place of edition and publishing house.

 

Any oversight of these guidelines is a reason for rejection by the Editorial Committee; conversely, duly observing and following them will help swiften the review and edition processes.