Author Guidelines
The Bulletin of the Oceanographic Institute of Venezuela is a biannual, peer-reviewed, digital journal that publishes original and unpublished contributions in marine sciences, including biology, geology and marine ecology, oceanography, evolution, systematics and taxonomy of marine organisms, pollution, fisheries, mariculture, marine biotechnology, and conservation and integrated management of marine and coastal resources.
The languages accepted are Spanish and English (in the case of English, authors are encouraged to have their writing reviewed by an English speaker or an English language specialist).
The Bulletin accepts articles, notes, and reviews. Articles are scientific publications of original experimental or theoretical research. Notes are short communications on a specific topic, sometimes reporting partial results of research. Reviews are communications requested from a researcher on a specific topic, in which the author has extensive experience, as reflected in their publications.
INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
Manuscript Preparation
Please write your manuscript on letter-sized paper (215 x 279 mm) and double-space it. Include the text, cited literature, tables, table headings, and figure legends. Use Times New Roman, 12-point font for all text. Margins should be 25 mm on all sides, justifying the right margin. Place page numbers in the upper right margin of all pages except the first. Main section headings should be written in bold capital letters, and subheadings should be left-justified. In general, articles should follow the following order:
Title, Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, Acknowledgments, References, Tables, List of Figures.
Notes and reviews do not necessarily need to be organized in this manner.
When there are more than three authors, a statement must be included indicating each author's contribution to the planning and execution of the research.
Long and complex lists indirectly related to the primary subject of the article should be included in an appendix at the end of the article. Appropriate lines for appendixes include: a list of specimens examined, a list of morphometric or ecological characters, complex mathematical derivations or statistical formulations, and algorithms for computer programs. Appendices may be arranged as paragraphs, in tables, or in another format deemed appropriate. Short lists, simple formulas, and all other material directly related to the subject of the article should be included directly in the text. All material not essential to the article should be omitted.
Write the full scientific name of the plant or animal when it is mentioned for the first time; thereafter, abbreviate the generic name (first letter and a period), except for those that begin a sentence or paragraph. Include the author and date where essential for taxon identification (such as in synonymy). All scientific names
must be written in italics; underlining and bold are not permitted. If subgeneric names are used, they must be placed in parentheses between the generic and specific names; they must be abbreviated thereafter. New descriptions in zoology should be written as: "new genus," "new species," "new subspecies," or "new combination." In botanical articles, use: "gen. nov.," "sp. nov.," "subsp. nov.," or "comb. nov.." Each description must be preceded by a comma. Descriptions must be written in Spanish, except for botanical ones, which must be written in Latin. Use the appropriate scientific name of the taxon if a vernacular name is included in the article.
Abbreviations, Spellings, and Miscellaneous
Paragraphs and sentences should never begin with an abbreviation. Do not use abbreviations, acronyms, or mnemonics for the names of localities, areas of study, morphological characteristics, government agencies, physiological parameters, statistical tests, and many other items. Acronyms for museum names, abbreviations for proteins or enzyme loci, and symbols used in mathematical equations are acceptable if they are defined or referenced the first time they are used in the text. Spelling and usage of words must be in accordance with the Diccionario de la Real Academia de la Lengua (DRAE). The use of words not included in this dictionary should be omitted, but the use of new, pronounced words and certain anglicisms is permitted. Scientific terms should follow the standards of recent specialized glossaries and dictionaries.
Do not use opposing parentheses ( ) ( ) when citing a reference and a Table in the text; use (sakai 1988; Table 1) not (sakai 1988) (Table 1).
Numbers and Mathematical Expressions
Use decimals instead of fractions except in some equations. Decimals not preceded by a whole number must always have a zero (0.25) in the text, tables, and figures. In the text, use numbers for quantities greater than 9, except when beginning a sentence. Cardinal numbers from one to nine must be written in words except when referring to units of measurement, but not in enumerations. Likewise, use numbers for serial lines that include at least one number greater than nine. This treatment should be the same for ordinal numbers. In taxonomic articles, specimens examined, diagnoses, and descriptions, numbers must be used.
Use a colon (:) and not a slash (/) to express proportions (e.g., 1:2.5 males: females); Do not present the total sample proportion (e.g., 20:50) as a sex ratio; calculate the true proportion and sample size (e.g., 1:2.5 for n = 63). Use the symbols “less than” (<) and “greater than” (>) with numbers (e.g., < 12, “not less than 12”; >8 spines, “no more than 8 spines”).
When writing intervals, use “from 12.4 to 20.8 mm” or 12.4-20.8 mm. Do not use the word “up to” unless preceded by the word “from.” When presenting equations and formulas, use the slash (/) for simple fractions and identify the meanings of symbols and variables in the text. The slash should be used when presenting data that relate one factor to another (e.g., g/m2). If there are three or more related measurements, then the fraction should be written using the exponent (-1) (e.g., 23 mg g-1). Do not present any previously published equations unless modified. Simply referencing them will suffice.
When writing statistical parameters such as the mean, mode, standard deviation, and standard error, the units of measurement should not be more precise than the measurement that originated them (e.g., total length in fish was measured to within 0.1 mm). The mean should be expressed as 35.5, and the mean and standard error should be expressed as 35.5 ± 0.1, not 35.5 ± 0.01. This applies to both tables and text.
Time and Date
Write dates as December 12, 1997, without punctuation; as an exception, the use of three letters for the month is acceptable in lists of examined specimens (e.g., December 12, 1997). The time of day should be written in a 24-hour clock with four digits; midnight is written as 0000 h, 6:15 a.m. should be written as 0615, and 8:30 p.m. should be written as 2030 h. The photoperiod under laboratory conditions should be expressed as 12 light: 12 dark.
Units of Measurement
Abbreviations according to the International System of Units should be used. Additionally, the following abbreviated variables are accepted:
degrees Celsius (ºC)
gravity (G)
second (s)
minute (min)
hour (h)
day (d)
gram (g)
micron (µm)
milligram (mg)
kilogram (kg)
microgram (µg)
kilometer (km)
meter (m)
millimeter (mm)
centimeter (cm)
hertz (Hz)
kilohertz (kHz)
watt (W)
megahertz (MHz)
magnification (X)
diameter (diam)
milliliter (ml)
hectare (ha)
microliter (µl)
molar (M)
liter* (l)
parts per thousand (ppm)
* The word should be written when confusion may arise, for example, when writing 12 1, it may be assumed that The number 121 is incorrectly spaced.
Miscellaneous abbreviations that may be used in the text and their correct punctuation:
Alternating and direct current (A.C., D.C.)
University degrees (Lic., M.Sc., Ph.D.)
Figure (Fig. or fig.)
Personal (oral) communication (pers. comm.)
P.O. box (box)
Motor vessel (M/N)
Motorboat (L/M)
Research vessel (B/I)
Scanning electron microscope (SEM)
Electron microscope Transmission Line (TEM)
Write weight, do not abbreviate
Latitude (coordinates) (Lat.)
Longitude (coordinates) (Long.)
DIRECTIONS AND COORDINATES:
North N South S
East E West W
Northeast NE Northwest NW
Southeast SE Southwest SW
Latin Words and Foreign Languages
Should be written in italics:
affinis = having affinity aff.
known from experience a posteriori
independent of experience a priori
ad libitum = freely available ad lib.
auctoris = of the author auct.
auctorum = or authors auctt.
conferre = compared cf.
exempli gratia = for example e.g.
et alia = and others et al.
such as i.e.
in a letter in litt.
in situ
in the uterus in utero
outside the living organism in vitro
in the living organism in vivo
nomen dubium = name of doubtful application nom. dub.
nomen nudum = name without validation nom. nud.
Partim = part part.
by itself per se
pro parte = in part p.p.
as defined sensu
sensu lato = in the broad sense s.l.
sensu stricto = in the strict sense s.s.
Statistical Terms
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
degrees of freedom (gl)
sample size (n)
probability (p)
correlation coefficient (r or R)
standard deviation (SD)
statistical tests (tf) (U) (Z) (X2)
mean (X)
SYMBOLS: The symbols for male and female (♂, ♀) should not be used in the text, but may be used in figures and lists of specimens examined. Write percentages in words, not symbols, but use the symbol after a cardinal number (e.g., 25%, 12%). Do not use the letter X as a symbol for the word "by," as it can be confused with a similar symbol meaning magnification or increase; write, for example, "trawl 15.4 m by 4.8 m." If you use the multiplication sign in a mathematical expression or to indicate magnification, indicate it as such in the margin of the manuscript.
Definition of Manuscript Elements
TITLE: On a separate page preceding the article, the title of the work, the name of the author(s), and their professional address must be indicated. The email address of the author responsible for all correspondence regarding the manuscript must also be provided. Center the title and write it in capital letters, including scientific names in italics. Three spaces after the title, and write the name(s) of the author(s) centered on the page; three spaces and write the professional address of the author(s). Include the email addresses of all authors of the work, as well as the ORCID code. The title should be short and contain sufficient information about the subject matter. When the title of the work mentions species unfamiliar to readers, include the class, order, and family (separated by a colon and a space) (e.g., Crustacea: Thalassinidea: Callianassidae). In subsequent uses of scientific names, abbreviate generic names where possible (e.g., Studies on Gourretia laresi and G. biffari). Do not abbreviate scientific names in titles or subtitles if they have not been fully mentioned previously.
ABSTRACT: Begin the abstract on a separate page, adding a tab in the left margin, followed by a colon. It should be no more than 250 words, written in a single, double-spaced paragraph, and should contain sufficient information about the subject matter. Three spaces after the abstract, and in the same manner, write the "Abstract" (summary in English). This should be as accurate a translation as possible of the Spanish abstract, observing English grammar rules.
In both the abstract and the Abstract: Add no more than five keywords.
INTRODUCTION: Center the abstract with three spaces and write "Introduction." It should be a statement of the study's purpose in relation to its background and importance. It should reflect research into the existing literature and define the problem or question to be answered by the study reported in the article. It should clearly explain why the research was conducted. When writing the introduction, avoid repetition, as this makes the article too long and loses objectivity. Support each statement with at least one reference and avoid creating interrogative phrases or sentences. Ensure that the bibliographic evidence presented in the introduction convincingly demonstrates the need for the article. Close the introduction with a brief summary of the research purpose and study design.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This should be limited to a simple statement, except when there has been an innovation in the method or technique used, or if the methodology is little known. The materials and methods section should clearly explain how the research was conducted.
RESULTS: It should present the new evidence generated to answer the question posed in the article's introduction. The text should include significant results; numerical data and illustrations are best presented in tables and figures (see below). If the author used statistical methods in the work, the results should be significant. Avoid writing phrases like: "There is a certain tendency for variations in...".
DISCUSSION: You must explain the effect of the results obtained in the study on the initial objective that prompted the research. The discussion should begin with a concise summary of the most notable results, and it is necessary to support them with relevant bibliographic references. Numerical data from the study should not be included in this section, as they are part of the results. In some cases, this section may be included in conjunction with the results section.
CONCLUSIONS: Conclusions should be supported by evidence from previously published works and the reported results. In some cases, or when the work allows it.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: It should be as brief as possible, citing the people involved in the research and editing of the article. The source of funding (if any) that made the work possible should be mentioned.
REFERENCES: The purpose of bibliographic references is to assist the reader in locating the citations made by the author in their article. It is a process of orderly growth of knowledge on the subject being discussed. Special care and precision must be taken when citing references; this is a very common mistake in manuscripts submitted for publication. Inaccuracies in references waste reviewers' and editors' time and consequently delay the publication of the article.
Documents written primarily to meet administrative requirements are not cataloged by most libraries; they should not be included in the references. Similarly, abstracts of oral presentations or posters submitted to professional conferences and printed separately should be excluded from the references, unless they appear in Dissertation Abstracts, Master Abstracts, or abstracts published in Journals, in which case they are permitted.
DOCUMENTATION STYLE: When citing information in the text of the manuscript, use the style “Sánchez (1993)” if the author's name is part of the sentence, and “(Sánchez 1993)” if it is not. Two articles by the same author cited at the same time should be written as “(Sánchez 1995, 1996)”; two articles published by the same author in the same year should be written as “(Sánchez 1995a, 1995b).” When referencing a specific table or figure from another publication, in addition to the author and year, you must also cite the pagination (e.g., “Sánchez 1995: 125” or Pérez (1992: 9, table 3).
“In press” citations in the manuscript are not permitted; write the expected year of publication (current or subsequent year) and end the citation with (in press) in the references.
Citations with two authors in the text should be written as “Sánchez & Figueroa (1997),” not “(Sánchez & Figueroa 1997).” Citations of more than two authors should be written in the text as “(Figueroa et al. 1996)” or “Figueroa et al. (1996). Multiple citations in the text should be ordered chronologically and alphabetically if they are from the same year, e.g., (Figueroa 1989, 1991; Martínez & Pérez 1991; Pérez 1996; Sánchez 1995; Sánchez & Pérez 1991; Sánchez et al. 1997). Use the ampersand (&) between authors' surnames instead of the letter "and".
In-text references to unpublished material should be cited as: pers. comm. (Information obtained orally) or in litt. (Information obtained by mail).
The names of the people who provided the information should also be included when referenced in the text (e.g., L. B. Lares, pers. comm.; J. Vélez, in litt.).
Bibliographic references should be written in alphabetical order. The names of the authors, both in the text and in the reference list, should be written in small caps or small capitals. For the same author, they should be arranged chronologically. For the same author with different co-authors, they should be arranged in Alphabetically, based on the first initial of the first co-author.
The names of publications in the references should be written in abbreviated and correct form, conforming to current international codes, and in italics. Manuscripts will be returned if the names of periodicals do not comply with the above. The following examples indicate how references should be made to (a) a journal, (b) a book, (c) a book chapter, (d) theses and fellowship papers, and (e) internet citations.
(a) Magazine:
Printed articles:
Aiken, D. E. 1969. Photoperiod, endocrinology and the crustacean molt cycle. Science 164: 49-155.
Buitrago, J. 1989. Environmental impact assessments of shrimp farms in Venezuela. Bol. Inst. Oceanogr. Venez. 28(1&2): 202-211. https://doi.org/10.7773/cm.v44i4.2861.
Teagle, h., S. J. hawkins, P. J. Moore & D. A. Smale. 2017. The role of kelp species as biogenic habitat formers in coastal marine ecosystems. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 492: 81–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
jembe.2017.01.017.
Crisp, D. J., A. Beau Mont, M. W. FlowerDew & a varDy. 1978. The Hardy-Weinberg test, a correction. Mar Biol 146:181-183.
Fukuoka, J. 1963. An analysis of the hydrographic conditions of the Caribbean Sea (II). Mem. Soc. Cienc. Nat. La Salle 22(63): 192-205.
