Share your story, send in your pitch
We invite you to submit your pitch detailing potential stories to bulletin@ibol.org. Please indicate the section you aim to publish in, the story’s angle, some of its important elements, and your credentials.
The Barcode Bulletin is an online publication launched by the International Barcode of Life (iBOL) Consortium. We are committed to sharing compelling scientific stories from around the world and across diverse perspectives and knowledges.
From articles to interviews, to videos and photo essays, our aim is to inform and excite readers about innovative biodiversity research and news as well as promote the various uses of DNA barcoding and emerging DNA-based research methods for cataloguing and understanding biodiversity on Earth.
Submission guideline for the barcode bulletin
iBOL’s Barcode Bulletin is divided into four editorial sections:
Features. Latest in BIOSCAN, iBOL’s current planetary biodiversity research program
Includes narrative storytelling, personal essays, and commentaries related to BIOSCAN. These stories are in-depth, sometimes investigative, and often showcase scientific thinking in a creative, prosaic form. Features articles range from 1,000 to 3,000 words.
National Updates. iBOL Consortium news, events & more
Research updates, events, and communications from the 30+ science committee members within the iBOL Consortium.
Research. Latest in DNA barcoding research
The place for ~500-word stories and commentaries related to specific research topics in DNA barcoding. We are looking for discussions on new projects or programs, analysis of preliminary results or summaries of published research as well as informed metanalyses of current scientific research.
Illuminations. Multimedia stories, profiles & more
The place for science communicators to get creative.
Videos: Original and short (less than 6 minutes)
Photo essays: High-quality photos accompanied by descriptive text to showcase the many aspects of your research—the site, sampling techniques, team, results, etc.
Profiles: Tell us about yourself, your team, or that inspirational someone who is redefining the field.
If you are interested in writing for us, here is how:
Read what we have already published
Get a sense of our content and style by reading what we have published in the past.
Be mindful of our non-academic tone
While the Barcode Bulletin is a place you can submit preliminary or published research findings (we have a DOI system to help facilitate this), we do not accept academic manuscripts. Please use an informal tone and avoid jargon in your piece and pitch.
It need not be perfect
As editors we will help you tell your story by helping you find your angle and improve your writing. Please do not feel you have to make your piece perfect before you send it to us.
All rules can be broken
The advice above aims to be helpful for most submissions. But there are always exceptions to the rule and if what you have in mind does not fit the above criteria, we still want you to get in touch with us.
Ask us if you are not sure
We are here to help. If you are unsure of anything, contact us with any questions by e-mail at bulletin@ibol.org
Technical details:
Use a Word file when possible.
Add a short catchy title and an informative one line abstract to accompany your article.
Include all author information (affiliation, email) including a picture to be included with the article.
Include high resolution images as separate attachments, with figure captions and credits clearly indicated in the article.
Include reference where necessary as follows:
In-text example:
DNA barcoding is a tool for species identification1.
Bibliography example:
- Hebert P, Cywinska A, Ball S, deWaard J (2003) Biological identifications through DNA barcodes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 270(1512), 313-321. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2002.2218
Submitting your article DRAFT to the iBOL Barcode Bulletin
The iBOL Barcode Bulletin is permanently archived by the University of Guelph Open Journal Systems:
When submitting your article draft to us, please follow the instructions below:
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- Agree to all submission requirements, leave any needed comments for the editor, and submit as the author.
- Upload Submission file by selecting ‘Article Text’ under Article Component and uploading your word file. Review and/or edit file name before confirming your submission
- Enter your article metadata. Add your title, subtitle, and all contributing authors
- Review your submission and finish. Save and continue. *Authors will be notified.
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