Call for Special Feature Proposals

Call for Special Feature Proposals

The American Naturalist

The American Naturalist seeks to publish conceptually innovative research in all areas of organismal biology, with emphasis on ecology, evolution, and behavior.  To showcase the breadth of topics that the journal covers, we are beginning a series of Special Features.  These Features will be collections of 4-8 articles, each on a coherent theme that are published together within a monthly issue, typically with an introductory synthetic essay by the Feature organizers. Such special features often attract a larger readership and can help define the direction of a research topic. Perhaps the most famous example of such a special feature is the November 1983 issue on the role of competition in community ecology (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/an/1983/122/5).

We are inviting proposals for these special features. Successful proposals should represent innovative thought-provoking research on a topic of current interest to our broad readership. Proposals may be focused on ecology, evolution, behavior, and related subjects in organismal biology. We especially encourage proposals that integrate across disciplines. Papers within special features should present state-of-the-art research and help define future directions of the relevant field.

To submit a proposal, email the following information to the journal Editor-In-Chief, Dr. Daniel Bolnick (daniel.bolnick@uconn.edu):

1) A Special Feature Title

2) A description of and justification for the special feature (approximately 300 words), explaining the topic and why this is innovative and timely for the discipline(s) concerned.

3) A tentative list of potential papers (titles, authors), with a couple-sentence description of each. There should be a minimum of four papers to constitute a Special Feature, and no more than ten. Indicate whether the authors have confirmed their intention to write and submit the papers in question.

4) An estimated deadline for submission.

There is no submission deadline for these proposals, they will be considered on a running basis, each on their own merits. If a proposal is successful, the organizers will be asked to coordinate the submission and review process.

Special Feature manuscripts will be subject to full review. Special Feature organizers will act as Associate Editors (soliciting reviews and writing decision recommendations) and will be acknowledged as such on the manuscript and journal Table of Contents. They will be responsible for ensuring manuscripts are submitted and revised in a timely manner, so the journal can publish the accepted papers together without undue delay. Final decisions on papers will be made by a journal Editor who is independent from the Special Feature, to ensure adherence to the journal’s high standards of quality and novelty. A minimum of three papers must be accepted to make a Special Feature; if fewer are accepted they will be published as regular articles.

The American Naturalist is a ‘hybrid’ journal produced by a nonprofit publisher. Accepted papers will be subject to regular author page charge system (which includes the availability of waivers and paid APC open access).