Description and Remit of Northeastern Geographer
The Northeastern Geographer welcomes submissions in research and practice articles on any geographical topic, and especially invites contributions related to the Northeast, the St. Lawrence Valley Region, and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. The Northeastern Geographer aims to be an inclusive space for critical reflection and experimentation on how geographical thinking, research, and practice can positively influence policy and action.
Papers should be grounded in, and informed by appropriate academic and/or policy relevant geographical literature. Papers should always be original, well-written, and broadly accessible to the journal’s readers, who extend well beyond the geographical academy.
Article Types in Northeastern Geographer
The Northeastern Geographer welcomes various forms of submissions including: Research Papers, Case Studies, Policy Briefs, Commentaries, and Book Reviews. These are outlined in more detail below:
Research Paper (max. 6000 words)
Research articles devoted to theoretical, empirical, and experimental analyses of important questions in the discipline and/or region. The Northeastern Geographer welcomes research articles on any subfield of Geography and Environmental Studies. Research papers serve as a space for high level critical engagement with addressing key questions and issues in the field and/or region. Research papers should make substantive contributions to our thinking in the discipline and allied fields, and be based on original theoretical, methodological, and/or empirical work. Papers are invited on any theme, and may also include papers on the techniques, problems, and results of natural, social, and sustainability-related research as well as those concerned with the principles, policies, and practices of geographical and environmental research. Research papers are evaluated by two or three outside reviewers in a double-blind peer review process.
Case Studies (max. 4000 words)
Case studies link knowledge and practice. Exemplifying how geographical concepts, challenges, and implications manifest themselves in practice illustrate the complex interactions between people and their environments that are often mediated by a range of factors. Case studies involve close examinations of an actual geographical or environmental problem or issue and outlines where decision-making, challenges, and/or opportunities and implications are faced by individuals, communities, organisations or societies. Submissions of case studies should be designed for use in academic environments (e.g. students and faculty) and/or by geographical and environmental practitioners. Case studies should present a contextual analysis of events, conditions, decisions, and their relationships anchored in specific times and places. Often, case studies present a story involving issues that require resolution. Case studies are evaluated by the editor and one outside reviewer in a double-blind peer review process.
Policy Brief (max. 2000 words)
Geographical concepts, challenges, and implications manifest themselves within a variety of diverse ways and traverse many disciplines, policies, and practices that are high on the agenda of many countries and international organisations while also being prevalent to the NESTVAL region. Consequently, it makes sense to dedicate space in the journal for policy briefings in which new insights and ideas are translated to a broader audience and policymakers. Policy briefs should outline the implications of findings from studies form a policy perspective. The policy brief should be structured as follows:
- Messages for policy: three to five bullet points outlining the key messages of the policy implications and how findings of studies can improve or impact upon policies and application of policies.
- The policy problem: an outline of where current policy is limited in scope, impact, or application. The potential costs of failing to improve upon existing policies may also be outlined here.
- Key findings: a short presentation of key findings from a study or multiple studies that have clear implications for a policy or range of policies dedicated to addressing geographical or environmental problems in the region.
- Implications for policy: indications of how the findings present clear implications for policy and how they can be addressed to enhance their efficiency and/or impact. An outline of potential steps or ideas of how to transform policies to become more successful should be presented.
Policy briefs are evaluated by the editor and one outside reviewer in a double-blind peer review process.
Commentaries (max. 1000 words)
Commentaries are topical and timely short pieces. The goal of publishing commentaries is to advance the research field by providing a forum for varying perspectives on a certain topic under consideration in the discipline and/or region. New and unique viewpoints on existing problems, fundamental concepts, or discussions of the implications of newly implemented innovations are welcome. Commentaries may also draw attention current advances and speculate on future directions of a topic. Typically, commentaries do not contain figures or tables and should have a maximum of ten references. Commentaries are evaluated by the editor and/or one outside reviewer at the editors’ discretion.
Book Review (max. 1000 words)
Reviews of recent books in the field, with the possibility of comparing books addressing similar topics. The journal offers a number of different formats for book reviews; including the standard review of one book or a review essay in which the reviewer reflects upon a number of books on a particular theme. Reviewed by the editor.
Special Issues
The journal is open to special issues addressing topical and exciting themes, as long as these consist of very coherent and quality contributions that tie together well. Please send a proposal to the editor including the following items: title of the special issue, guest editors (names, positions, affiliations, and a short bio), a short 500-word summary (motivation, goal, questions the special issue aims to address, approach, and value to the discipline and/or region), and a list of potential contributions (with authors, affiliations, initial title and short abstract).
Peer Review
The Northeastern Geographer uses double-blind peer review so that the identities of authors and reviewers are not known to one another. Consequently, the main body of the submitted manuscript should not include any identifying information such as authors’ names, affiliations or acknowledgements. A separate title page will provide all relevant author information. Papers sent to peer review will be sent to reviewers who will be asked to evaluate the extent to which papers make a contribution to advancing geographical understanding on the topic. Please note that papers may be desk rejected, before peer review, if they do not meet the criteria for publication in The Northeastern Geographer.
Instructions for Submission of Manuscripts
Articles submitted for consideration must be typewritten using Calibri, Times New Roman, or Arial as a 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing, and 1-inch margins. Electronic submission is by Word document only (any other formats will not be considered). Do not place any identifying information in your manuscript or file names to ensure a blind review. Submissions must include a statement that the paper has not been submitted for publication elsewhere and will not be submitted until a decision has been communicated by the editor.
The Chicago Manual of Style should be consulted for all style questions corresponding to referencing. Authors may use the Annals of the Association of American Geographers to help resolve any formatting questions or issues. See the Annals style sheet: http://www.aag.org/galleries/publications-files/Annals_of_the_AAG_Style_Sheet.pdf
Referencing: The Northeastern Geographer uses the author/year/page system for referencing published within the body of the text. You may use a limited amount of numbered endnotes of an informational nature, which should be consecutively numbered on a separate page included at the end of the article. Bibliographic entries should appear on a separate page entitled “References”, and should be ordered alphabetically by the author’s last name, date of publication, title of work, journal title, volume number and pages for periodicals, or place of publication and publisher’s name for books.
Ensure that the following items are present prior to submission:
- One author has been designated as the corresponding author with full contact details e.g. postal address and email address
- All necessary files have been submitted:
- Title page with author details,
- Title page with max. 250 word abstract and up to 5 keywords and without author details for peer review
- The main body of the paper / manuscript
- Separate pages for figures, tables, and maps
- Separate pages for notes (if used)
- Ensure all figures and tables in the text match the files provided
- Manuscript has been ‘spell checked’ and ‘grammar checked’
- All references cited in the Reference List have been cited in the text, and vice versa
Electronic submissions should be sent to the editor for consideration:
Dr. Stephen Axon
Email: axons2@southernct.edu
Download a PDF version of these notes here: Author Information Pack.