Updated Guidelines for Superconductivity News Forum Authors
(Update 1.2 of December 03, 2007)
General Rules

1. The concept of the online News Forum aims at filling the gap between peer-reviewed scientific publications and the latest news disseminated by commercial newsletters.  This means that personal opinions and controversial statements are acceptable, albeit subject to editorial review and possible discussion.  The editor makes the decision to accept or reject.  Accepted material will be immediately posted, but initially as a “Preview” - until the pertinent issue of Forum is completed.  Institutional and project publicity is not acceptable.  Readership is invited to comment on the posted material, especially if there are disagreements, controversial issues, complementary information desired, etc.
   
   
2. Material for posting in the Forum can be submitted in the following categories:

                                   SECTION                                 CODE

1. Announcements                                A
2. Critical Reviews (invited)                 CR
3. News Highlights                               H
4. Letters to Editor                                 L
5. Regional News                                 RN
6. Science and Technology News     ST

        The chosen category code should be clearly identified when  submitting.

3. Only electronic submissions are acceptable, preferably in the WORD format.  The address for submittals is: superconductivityforum@ieee.org.  Acknowledgements of receipt are not issued.  The submitting contributor will be notified of acceptance, rejection or need for discussion with the editor(s).  Rejection can be appealed once to the Editorial Board.
   
   
4. Please read carefully.  Failure to follow these guidelines may result in long delays in posting on line or rejection.
   
   For contributions to: Announcements, Highlights and Letters to Editor there are no layout requirements.  For other submitted contributions and for invited critical reviews the details of the layout (title and authors listing, headings, numerations, symbols) are similar to those of IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, except that the double-column template is not applicable. 
   
   

   Formal rules for Critical Reviews, Regional News, and Science and Technology News are as follows.  The article should be in the “ready-to-post” form (one column layout). Please use an article already published in the pertinent section of the Forum as a general template (sample).

   Abstract:	40 to 100 words, starting with (example)“Abstract – First sentence….”, below affiliation.  Below affiliation and address leave 4 lines free.
   E-mail address:	of the submitting (corresponding) author should be included in the affiliation below the author(s) name(s).  Affiliation and address should be centered below the title.  In the case of papers having additional co-authors, please provide their e-mail addresses separately, for example below the list of references or in cover letter.
   Figures and tables:	Integrated into the text.  Figure caption below figure, table title above table.   When cited in the text, write “Figure…” and “Table…”, starting with capital letter.  In the caption, the abbreviation “Fig.” is preferred.
   Font:	Times New Roman.	Font size:
   	Title:	16 pts, bold, centered; all nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs must start with a capital letter.
   	Abstract:	10 pts, bold.
   	Text:	12 pts, one column only; section titles: bold capitals. Subsection titles: italics; all nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs must start with a capital letter.
   	Figure captions:	10 pts (Fig N., N = 1, 2, 3,… , should be bold, but not the text)
   	References:	10 pts, journal volume number should be bold.
   	Physical symbols:	12 pts, italics; no italics in subscripts and superscripts (except in equations if the mathematical editor sets italics automatically).
   Indentation:	1st paragraph below section or sub-section title – no indentation; indent 5 spaces in the first line of each following paragraph.
   Numeration:	Equation numbered by Arabic numerals in brackets placed on the right side of page, e.g.,  (1), (2), (3),…
   	Page numeration:	bottom of page, centered, 1st page inclusive; if N pages, the numbering should be (example) 1 of N, 2 of N, 3of N,… N of N (last page).
   	Sections:	numbered by Roman numerals: I., II., III., …. (Bold capitals)
   	Subsections:	numbered by letters: A., B., C., … (Italics)
   	Sub-subsections:	Not recommended; if used – either use no numbering or 1), 2), 3)... (Italics)
   	Table numeration:	Roman numerals.
   References:	listed at the end of the document.  Examples of listing style:
   	[1] A.B. Author, “Title of article (recommended, not mandatory)”, Journal Name 1, 1-5 (2006). In the example above, the volume number bold, followed by pages (first – last) and year in brackets. [2]  A.B. Author, “Title of Chapter” in Title of Book, Name of Editor (ed.), Publisher, locality, year, pp. (pages first – last or cited page). [3]  A.B. Author, Title of Book, Publisher, locality, year, pp. (pages first – last or cited page).
   URLs (links):	Provide links to all unpublished or otherwise not generally available references, if such links exist.

   
   

   The submission format should be always Microsoft WORD (the final document posted will appear in PDF format).

5. Text appearing in the online News Forum is IEEE copyrighted, but authors are free to later publish on the same topic in any peer-reviewed journal they choose.

Announcements, News Highlights and Letters to Editor
Any superconductivity-related announcement, highlight or letter to Editor may be submitted without any layout requirements.  The length should not exceed 1000 words.

Critical Reviews 

1. The main purpose of a critical overview is to provide professionally correct tutorial information and insight into:
1. What is the goal and scientific/technical principle of the project or field, its main characteristic parameters (technical, economical “essential numbers”)?
2. Where and why superconductivity is crucial to the project or enabling?
3. Which are the main obstacles (scientific, technical, economical, political, etc.) to success and possible problem solutions, alternatives?
4. What is the status and projected milestones?
2. The questions listed above are pertinent to applied topics.  However, also reviews of fundamental topics should clearly answer questions such as “what?”, “why?” and “how?”. The writing should be gauged primarily at professional members of the superconductivity community not working in the reviewed field, but, if possible, be also of some interest to those who do.  It should be also aiming at economic and political decision makers, who seek authoritative professional opinion and advice.
3. The critical review should only succinctly brush over the past, accentuating which essential contributions/milestones came from Europe, but openly & honestly acknowledging where credits are due worldwide.  The review should concentrate on the present activities, identifying the main European and international actors and succinctly describing their activity – on the worldwide background.  Future should be addressed in terms of major milestones only, possibly subject to periodical (annual, biannual) updates.
4. The length limit isn’t absolute, but preferred length is about 6-8 pages A4 using the 12 points Times New Roman font and single spacing, inclusive the abstract and crucial references for more reading, but not counting figures (meaningful diagrams preferable over pretty photos), tables and an optional comprehensive list of references.  The format should be always Microsoft WORD.
5. The IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity are likely to invite a more polished and complete version of the review (free of controversial or subjective statements and subject to peer review) if the topic fits their scope.

Regional News

1. Regional news may review superconductivity activities and related problems in a country or region, or in an institution, group or project network.  The writing should be aiming primarily at professional members of the superconductivity community and related science & engineering communities.  It may be also of interest to economic and political decision makers, who seek authentic unfiltered information from regions.
2. The length limit isn’t absolute, but the preferred length is about 2-4 pages A4 using the 12 points Times New Roman font and single spacing, inclusive the abstract and references, but not counting figures and tables.  The format should be always Microsoft WORD.

Science and Technology News

1. Technical contributions should present own original work, can draw on recent peer-reviewed publications, on those accepted while not yet published, and can also announce results not yet submitted for publication, e.g., released at a news conference, professional workshop, etc..
2. The length limit isn’t absolute, but the preferred length is about 3-4 pages A4 using the 12 points Times New Roman font and single spacing, inclusive abstract and references, but not counting figures (meaningful diagrams preferable over pretty photos) and tables.  The format should be always Microsoft WORD.

Updated January 21, 2008