March 16, 2009

We invite ecology educators with figures and tables that can be used to teach ecological concepts at the undergraduate level to submit them for peer review and inclusion in EcoEd Digital Library

Figure and table subjects sought for EcoEd Digital Library will include:

• Conceptual figures depicting processes or organization, such as biogeochemical cycles and food webs. This includes theoretical figures depicting relationships predicted by theories, such as the intermediate disturbance hypothesis and island biogeography.
  
• Data figures, such as growth curves, survivorship curves, and relative species abundances, that report data collected during experiments or observational studies.
  
• Conceptual tables displaying comparisons or categories, such as biome characteristics and lake classification systems.
  
• Data tables, such as life tables, community structure, and global estimates of net primary production, that report the results of experiments and observational studies.
  

Formatting

Authors can submit their figure(s) or table(s) to EcoEd Digital Library by completing the Submission Form for Figures and Tables (login required). We are currently accepting files in GIF or JPG format with a maximum width of 800 pixels.

Review Criteria

All submitted items are peer reviewed and selected for scientific accuracy, instructional value, and visual quality. The information provided with each submission is important for ecology educators searching for resources and deciding how to use them effectively in their courses. Therefore, both the figure and its corresponding descriptions are required for a submission to be complete.

Only submissions that meet all of the following criteria will be included in EcoEd Digital Library:

• Quality, clarity, and appeal.
  Does the submission meet the visual standards of the collection? Is the subject easily detected in the submission? Can this figure and its underlying concept be described in terms familiar to a layperson?
• Scientific accuracy.
  Is the science presented in the figure or table accurate? Has the ecological significance of the submission been identified in the description? Has the author included appropriate guidance for interpreting the figure or table?
• Instructional value.
  Does the submission help foster understanding of ecological concepts/techniques? Is this submission and its underlying concept described in terms familiar to a faculty member?
• Adherence to the field of ecology.
  Does this submission fit within the discipline of ecology?
• Description of classroom use. Note: this is optional information for figures and tables.
  Has the author included guidance for applying the figure or table to ecology education? What should students know and be able to do after seeing and discussing the figure?

EcoEd Digital Library reviewers will use the Peer Review Rubric for Figures and Tables to review submissions.

Copyright Information

Materials submitted must be original works or copyright free. Copyright of the materials will remain with the author, and ESA agrees to give authors appropriate credit in all ESA reproductions, copies, and publications of the materials. ESA members are encouraged to peruse their private collections of teaching and learning resources. Individuals submitting materials for EcoEd Digital Library must attest that the materials are original and that they hold/own the copyright. ESA requires prospective authors to grant ESA the nonexclusive world rights to reproduce and/or distribute materials included in Ecoed Digital Librry. This arrangement permits authors to retain the copyright to the materials so that they may republish or otherwise use these materials.

General Submission Information for EcoEd Digital Library