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Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration in the exact same form (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor). Articles may refer to other journals and serve as an interpretation of technical articles for a broader audience, but there must not be significant overlap in content.
  • The submission file is in OpenOffice, LibreOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
  • Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
  • The text employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
  • Images include caption and credit information, and the author(s) must have permission to use the images with the article. Images should properly attribute the source of the image. Refer to Creative commons attribution guidelines for CC-licensed images.
  • If there is technical content in the manuscript, it has been referenced to an appropriate publication so that Earthzine does not have to do a technical peer-review of the manuscript

Author Guidelines

Earthzine accepts articles at any time. Articles written for a specific theme should be submitted according to timelines set forth in each theme’s Call for Papers. Writers may submit completed articles or queries at any time.

Every effort should be taken to make an article’s language free of jargon and as accessible as possible to a non-specialized reader. For instance, use examples to show how a new technology or application would mitigate or solve a real-world problem. Earthzine serves an international audience. Therefore, articles should be written with a global perspective that does not assume specific regional or national knowledge by the reader.

Articles are typically between 500 and 2,500 words, depending on topic and scope. Please submit articles in a text format compatible with Microsoft Word, Libre Office or Open Office so that our reviewers can give suggestions.

Earthzine uses Associated Press (AP) style for its articles, and IEEE citation style for references.

Earthzine does not do rigorous technical peer-review. Hence, we would not be in a position to give detailed technical feedback for original research - for such articles, you may want to consider submitting to a peer-reviewed journal such as IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering. We recommend that technical statements that are not common knowledge, be backed by citations to already-peer-reviewed publications. Alternately, such statements may also come from citing experts or covering presentations at events. In the spirit of keeping up the quality, we will do a sanity check on the technical content.

Authors should submit photos and graphics in common formats such as jpg or png. Images should be of sufficient resolution to present all relevant detail. We suggest including at least three images per article or one image for every 400 words. Images must include caption and credit information, and the author(s) must have permission to use the images with the article. Images should be relevant to the subject of the article, and properly attribute the source of the image. Refer to Creative commons attribution guidelines for CC-licensed images, and try to use images from the public domain or Creative commons friendly image sharing platforms such as Flickr, Unsplash, Wikimedia commons , Canva or ChamberofCommerce. A CC-search tool can be used. Make sure you attribute the images as per its copyright license.

Earthzine does not pay royalties or use copyrighted material without permission. Submit a completed Earthzine copyright form with your final article.

Create hyperlinks within your article to words and phrases that should be defined, individuals and organizations with Web sites, and other external links pertinent to your topic. Linking to related previously-published Earthzine content is encouraged. Please do a search on the Earthzine website to find related articles and their connection to your content.

Please download a template article (available in PDF and Microsoft Word) as a guide to Earthzine’s requirements and helpful hints for preparing your article for submission. 

Earthzine’s practice is to capitalize “Earth” in honor of the planet on which we live.

Earthzine solicits and publishes voluntary submissions. First time authors are encouraged to submit an article query that presents your topic, primary sources, and cite your credentials for writing on this topic (see below). Each proposal and article will be reviewed by Earthzine’s editorial staff and volunteer reviewers with relevant expertise. See our Reviewer Guidelines and Editorial Policy. Publication fees for non-OES members will be $25 submission, $25 for one round of editing and publication, and additional fees in cases where extensive editing is needed.

Articles may include

- Scientific communication articles - which feature distiled versions of already-published work, literature reviews, or scientific interviews

- Quick Looks and multimedia: Brief descriptions and videos of Earth and Earth observing activities.

- IEEE OES News: Updates of the latest developments from IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society.

- Student Opportunities: Virtual Poster Sessions, Essay and Video competitions.

People: Interviews, biographies, and brief notes about Earth observers.

- Reviews: Reviews of the latest books, websites, and multimedia related to the Earth observations.

- Op-Ed: Columns from the Earthzine volunteer staff and volunteer Guest Editors, along with opinion pieces submitted by readers and contributors.

- Images of Note: Solicit submissions from IEEE OES members and audience for the images that portray the beauty and complexity of Earth observations.

- Events: Updated continuously with the latest in conferences, workshops, experiments, and Earth events.

- Resources: Extensive list of websites with brief descriptions that are grouped and cross-referenced by theme.

Science Communication Articles

Original Science Communication articles comprise the unique contextual contribution of Earthzine and serve to bridge the technical, expert and non-specialist in identified areas of societal needs.

Privacy Statement

The names and email addresses entered on the Earthzine site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this magazine and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

Earthzine is an online publication that fosters Earth observation, utilization of Earth information, sustainability, and global awareness. In so doing, Earthzine welcomes submissions that explore the disciplinary and regionally diverse topics encompassing Earth observation, application of Earth information and sustainable practices for the benefit of humanity.

Earthzine editors review submitted material for content, accuracy and appropriateness and may forward submissions to external subject-specific experts for additional review. Each submission may be edited for length, language, and factual content. Authors are provided an opportunity to review and revise the edited draft and respond to reviewers’ comments prior to publication. The final decision to publish is made by the Editor. Earthzine espouses the values of tolerance and respect in the content it posts.

The diversity of viewpoints and opinions is extensive. To accommodate and foster the benefits of this diversity, Earthzine encourages the inclusion of a wide range of perspectives in a vibrant discourse on relevant contemporary issues. Earthzine views favorably the submission of thoughtful and stimulating articles, Opinion Essays, Editorials, and Letters that offer fresh perspectives. The categories in which submissions are published are at the discretion of the Editor. Authors should consult Earthzine Writer’s Guidelines and Reviewer Guidelines for further information.

Views offered in published material are those of the submitting author, and not the Earthzine staff, Editor, OES, or IEEE.