. . . the state journal of record for bird research
Format follows The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers: Scientific Style and Format, 6th Ed. For items not covered there, see Merriam-Webster's Manual for Writers and Editors.
Numbers
In scientific text, arabic numerals should be used in preference to words when a number designates anything that can be counted or measured.
- This includes the numbers one through ten and ordinals (1st, 10th, etc.).
- Exceptions: numerals beginning a sentence, and two numerals adjacent in a sentence.
Again, these rules would apply to any scientific text. For papers or notes that are narrative in nature (i.e., biographical sketches), or photo quizzes, use the more traditional journalistic style of spelling out numbers from one to ten.
- For numbers consisting of 2 to 4 digits, the numerals have no commas. Five or more digits have commas (i.e., 1246 and 10,345)
Plural numbers
The plural of a single-digit numeral is formed with an apostrophe (2's); the plural of a number higher than 9 is formed by adding only s (the 1990s, persons in their 50s).
Inclusive numbers
- Do not delete digits from inclusive numbers (24-28). Same also for years (1998-1999 not 1998-99). SEPARATE NUMBERS WITH ONE HYPEN AND NO SPACES! See dates for more info.
Dates
Use continental dating (23 September 1999).
- The year should be four digits. If more than one year is given, both should be four digits (1998-1999).
- Spell the months out fully EXCEPT in graphs and tables, bird surveys, butterfly surveys, or papers where there are large numbers of dates (checklist papers, etc.) to conserve space. In these cases the three letter abbreviation will be used for specific dates; the month will be spelled when only month or month and year are given (July 1992 or December and January).
Abbreviations and periods
- Common abbreviations for measurements, no periods:
inch = in hectare = hafoot = ftgram = gryard = ydkilogram = kgacre = acmile = micentimeter = cmmeter = m kilometer = km
- All states abbreviated to two letter postal codes (MI, OH, etc.)
- County = Co., Township = Twp., Section = Sec. when referring to specific localities.
- Upper Peninsula, Lower Peninsula = UP, LP. Note that these should first be spelled out with initial caps and the abbreviation then given. See below for more on geographic designations.
Names of organisms
- Common names of organisms are in initial caps (Black-bellied Plover)
- Scientific names should always follow first mention of an organism, or, if there are many in a list, should be included in an appendix
- Author names (person who named/described the organism) are given for lower taxa, as recommended by the Zoological Code. For those not familiar with this convention, an example would be Enallagma anna Williamson.
- Author names are not italicized
- Author names may appear in parenthesis if the organism has been reclassified
- Author names need only appear at the first mention of the organism in a paper
Geographic designations
- Formal terms are capitalized (Western Hemisphere, the Midwest)
- Compass points that are not part of a formal name are not (southern Lower Peninsula)
- Generic geographic terms that form part of a proper name are capitalized (Atlantic Ocean), but not where it follows proper terms (Huron and Rouge rivers).
- Proper form is state of Michigan not State of Michigan
Miscellaneous
- et al. is not italicized, and has only one period
- Metric measurements should always be included following English measurements
- Time should be given in the 24-hour system without punctuation (1802 = 6:02 PM).
- Coordinates given in the form: lat 43° 25'N, long 83° 15'W
- Use the serial comma (a comma after the last item in a list before the word "and"). For example: The fields were full of sparrows, larkspurs, buntings, and grasshoppers. As noted by the CBE Manual, "... use of this comma saves having to take the time to consider possible ambiguities."
- The word following a colon is capitalized if what follows is a direct quotation or forms a complete sentence or independent clause.
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