Submissions Process:
Query letter and proposal required
The Biochar Journal does not accept submission of completed manuscripts. Instead, we ask that you first send us a query letter with a brief outline, abstract or summary of the article you propose to write, along with an anticipated approximate word count for the final article. The cover letter should list all of the authors and their affiliations, give the title of the proposed work, and provide contact information for all authors. Please include a statement about why you think this information would be useful to The Biochar Journal audience, and a list of the authors’ qualifications to write about the topic. You should also indicate the Content Format of the article you wish to submit. See the list of Content Formats given in the Writers Guidelines, below. If you have already written a manuscript, we still require that you first send a query letter before you submit your manuscript. Send all Queries to: editorial@biochar-journal.org
Writer’s Guidelines
Please review the Writer’s Guidelines below before you craft your article proposal and query letter.
Languages
We prefer that all query letters be sent in English. Final articles may be written in English, German or Spanish.
Manuscripts and final acceptance
If we accept your proposal and invite you to submit a complete manuscript, please know that an invitation to submit does not constitute the automatic acceptance of your manuscript. By submitting, you formally initiate the editorial review process. We will edit all articles for grammar, style and readability.
Editorial Review
All article submissions will be reviewed by members of The Biochar Journal editorial board or outside reviewers with appropriate knowledge and qualifications to review the article. The article submission and review process has the following steps:
- Submission Decision
- Post Review Decision
- Author Revisions
- Revision Re-evaluation
- Acceptance to Publication
- Editing & Translation
Translation
We will attempt to translate each article into German, English and Spanish, depending on funds available for translation services. Writers who are multi-lingual can facilitate the process by providing their own translations for languages they are familiar with.
Payment
Payment for authors depends on the availability of funds. Payment terms will be offered upon acceptance of the article proposal.
Writer’s Guidelines:
Scope and Purpose of the Biochar Journal
The Biochar Journal is based on science and practical experience and articles are written in an inspiring, highly understandable style that is solution oriented and favors the vision and comprehensive understanding of biochar and carbon intelligence. The need for carbon intelligent solutions is growing increasingly urgent. Biochar is one of the key technologies for the new bio-based carbon economy. Biochar will be one of the most important raw materials for sustainable building, electronics, consumer products, health and agriculture, and The Biochar Journal will shine a spotlight on these breakthrough technologies. Our goal is to provide relevant, cutting edge research and practical guidance which will help farmers, foresters and others to understand how the use of biochar and other climate friendly techniques can not only boost economic and environmental resilience but also regenerate local, regional and global ecosystems.
Science
The Biochar Journal is a science-based journal. Although we encourage independent thinking and vibrant, creative writing, we nevertheless insist that articles are based on a solid scientific foundation. Correct terminology, links to the latest state of knowledge, and use of properly sourced evidence and footnotes are required.
Ethics
Authors must ensure that all work submitted is original work and that all authors are represented accurately. Authors must also openly disclose the source of all data and third party material.
Audience
Authors should write with the audience in mind. The audience for The Biochar Journal is diverse. Please write for a general, science-literate but non-specialist audience of researchers, farmers, industrialists, policy advocates and other professionals.
Reader Value Proposition
Our readers are most interested in practical knowledge that can lead to real world improvements in practices and business development. Readers also want accessible explanations of biochar and carbon science to better inform their own ideas and inventions. Additionally, readers are interested in thoughtful assessments of the cultural, economic and policy aspects of “carbon intelligence” as applied to all spheres of life.
Topics
A current list of topics we most want to cover is below, however, we are very open to additional, new ideas about biochar and carbon that fit with the scope and purpose of the journal:
- Soil additive
- Livestock feed
- Forestry
- Gardening
- Compost and waste management
- Urban environment
- Brownfield remediation
- Disaster management
- Restoration of ecological landscapes and habitats
- Water quality
- Hydrologic cycle
- Nitrogen management
- Human health
- Sanitation
- Building materials
- Advanced materials
- Pyrolysis & gasification equipment
- Bio-stimulants
- Biomass Energy
- Food Processing
Content Formats
The Biochar Journal will publish articles in a variety of formats, as listed and described below:
- Research Summaries – longer, fully referenced summaries of current research results around a specific topic, written for a non-specialist audience.
- Best Practices – descriptions of best practices that have been distilled from a variety of different cases that may become the basis for policy recommendations or standards.
- Case Studies – descriptions of individual projects and results. Should include some data as well as pictures.
- Interviews and Transcripts – interviews with scientists, thinkers and practitioners. Especially useful for those who are so busy doing that they have no time for reporting on their own work.
- Opinion Papers/Vision Building – opinions and visions should be based on expertise and focused on solutions wherever possible.
- Tips and Do It Yourself articles – these can be very short items intended to share great ideas. Pictures may be very helpful.