CALL FOR PAPERS
for a special edition of the
Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers
dedicated to epsilon Aurigae, similar objects and amateur observing techniques of bright stars.
The AAVSO and Citizen Sky invite you to contribute an article to a special issue of the JAAVSO with a focus on epsilon Aurigae, similar objects and development of new observing techniques of bright stars. All articles must present new material and conclusions in a scholarly manner and will be peer-reviewed by professionals and other experts in the field.
Sample topics span the range of the scientific method and may include: analysis of personal observations, analysis of data from the AAVSO International Database, development of an innovative observation technique or technology, review papers, historical investigation, public outreach strategies, etc. We also encourage papers on scientific objects similar to epsilon Aurigae, such as objects that eclipse and exist in dusty environments. Please feel free to e-mail the editor of the journal for advice as to whether a particular topic is acceptable.
Assistance is available for those new to writing scholarly, refereed publications. Presentations and videos describing how to structure papers, conduct literature reviews, format figures, etc. are available at the AAVSO's web site. Upon request, we can also assign a professional liaison to look over your drafts and make suggestions. If this is desired, please make such a request as early in your paper's development as possible.
The AAVSO International Database has over 20 million observations of thousands of variable stars, including 22,000 observations of epsilon Aurigae dating back to 1842. All data is freely accessible via the AAVSO web site.
Authors
Anyone may submit articles to the JAAVSO. Membership in the AAVSO or participation in the Citizen Sky project is not required. Publication is free for this special issue, thanks to support from the National Science Foundation. Please note in your cover letter that this submission is for the special issue on epsilon Aurigae.
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Submission Guidelines & Procedures
- Sample Articles Published in the JAAVSO
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Suggested Article Outline for New Authors
- The AAVSO has held two workshops about authoring scientific publications. Below are links to the workshops that include PDFs, Power Point files and movies for most presentations at the workshops.
New authors that may need additional assistance may want to submit a proposed title, author list and abstract to the AAVSO as soon as possible to allow adequate time for advice prior to the submission deadline.
Deadlines
The issue is scheduled for online publication in August, 2012 and print publication on December 15, 2012. The deadline for submission is May 15, 2012. If extra time is required, please contact us as soon as possible. We may be able to extend the deadline on a case by case basis.
About the JAAVSO
Published semiannually since 1972, the JAAVSO's purpose is to speed and broaden the dissemination of variable star research to the global astronomical community. The JAAVSO is indexed and searchable through the Astrophysics Data Service (ADS), the main index of astronomical literature used by researchers. The JAAVSO is available for free online and printed editions can be ordered for $12 each.
Contact aavso@aavso.org with any questions.