Concise manuscripts are essential
Authors can achieve more concise manuscripts by shortening and focusing the Introduction and Discussion. Introductions are not review papers. Eliminate overlap between the Introduction and Discussion.
Reduce the numbers of figures, tables, citations, and/or secondary parts of the methods wherever possible. The target (combined) number of tables and figures for a Report is 3; for an Article in Ecology, 5; a few more in most Ecological Monographs. Tables and figures intended for print should be pertinent to the text, highly relevant to your findings, and interesting. Such tables and figures are usually referred to multiple times in the text. Additional figures and tables may be placed in digital appendices. Note that condensed tables and figures can be expanded to larger size and number in the digital appendices (e.g., "see Appendix A for the full MANOVA table"). Only the most pertinent data and statistics need to appear in print.
Most tables that consist merely of P values and other statistical tests but without estimates of effect sizes should be in digital appendices. However, for complicated statistical designs that are carefully dealt with in the text, a table or two could better be placed in the text. Tables and figures that have appeared in dissertations and are published in University Microfilms may not be necessary at all, or they can be included in digital appendices. A principle to follow is that tables and figures of biological information (not merely of statistical test results) referred to multiple times should be in ink, in the manuscript. Other tabular and graphical material can be put in the archives.
Examine some digital appendices to get a feel for the ways in which authors have used Ecological Archives to shorten the print portions of their publications.
Use citations frugally.
It is your responsibility as an author to make
careful decisions before submission. Submissions are greatly improved
by the advice of colleagues, informed about your need to be concise.
rev 4/27/05
