About the Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

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The Iowa Academy of Science began publishing the Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Sciences in 1887 and continued until 1987 when it became known as the peer-reviewed Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science. The change coincided with the 100th Annual Meeting of the Academy concluding a process that began in 1971 when the Proceedings became a quarterly periodical which included papers that had not been presented at the previous annual meeting.

Some of the goals of that change were to provide a place for the publication of important regional studies, an opportunity for the immediate publication of timely data, and to permit those who report on very recent work at the meetings to have more time to prepare their manuscripts. 

Articles cover all areas of science, particularly disciplines associated with the 12 scientific sections of the Academy. Many articles are on the biological sciences, conservation, and Iowa related research. On occasion, the Academy has printed special additions including the 2000 special issue Investigating Amphibian Declines: Proceedings of the 1998 Declining Amphibians Conference. In July of 2015 the Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science became an online publication.

Accessibility

Beginning with Volume 120 (2013) the Journal changed from a print to an online journal.  The most recent 5 years of issues are available exclusively by subscription or IAS membership through the Iowa Academy of Science website here: http://www.scienceiniowa.org/iasjournal. Log-in is required.

Print issues from Volume 1 (1887) to Volume 119 (2012) are available from the University of Northern Iowa Scholarworks website: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ias/  No login is required.

All issues on UNI ScholarWorks are open access.

UNI ScholarWorks also links to the IAS Journal website for the most recent 5 years of issues.

The Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science is listed with CrossRef and EBSCO and may be also searched through common search engines. Libraries wanting to link directly to the online Journal should contact the Iowa Academy of Science. 

The Iowa Academy of Science would like to thank the University of Northern Iowa Library for hosting past issues of the Journal on UNI Scholarworks: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ias/ 

Publication Policy

Peer reviewed manuscripts will be sent to reviewers within 14 to 30 days of submission. The Iowa Academy of Science uses a double-blind review process where the identity of the reviewers and the authors are hidden from each other. Authors should expect requests for revisions to begin at about 60 days from submission. The process from submission, through review, revisions, acceptance and publication is expected to require 4 months. As an online Journal we are able to add articles to an issue as they become ready for publication. 

The Journal accepts manuscripts in the following areas:
- Scientific research for peer-review
- Articles of general interest
- Book reviews
- Annotated bibliographies
- Documented informed commentaries
- Iowa Junior Academy of Science invited research manuscripts

The Iowa Science Teaching Section (ISTS) Journal is now published in the IAS Journal. The section accepts articles on science teaching techniques including experiments, laboratory exercises, lecture demonstrations, etc.

Subscriptions

The Journal is distributed to Professional Members and the libraries of  Institutional Members as part of their membership. Subscriptions for non-members including individuals and libraries may be purchased by contacting the IAS Office. Subscriptions to the Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science may be purchased at an annual rate
of $22 (U.S. Dollars).

Copyright

The Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science is copyrighted by the Iowa Academy of Science. For permission to copy or reproduce the Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science in any format please contact:

Executive Director
Iowa Academy of Science
BRC 50, University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0508
Phone: 319-273-2581
Email: iascience@uni.edu

Join the Academy and receive access to the Journal as part of your membership. 
Click "Membership" on the top menu bar to join.

Copies of the Proceedings and Journal: Volumes 1 - 119

Original issues of the Journal or the Proceedings may be purchased from the Academy office for $15 plus shipping while supplies last. An entire volume with multiple issues may be purchased for $20 plus shipping. Issues from 1887 to 1969 are hardbound while those from 1970 to 2012 are soft cover. Some issues from the early years will only be available as PDFs. Photocopies of individual articles from Volumes 1 - 119 may be purchased for 50 cents per page with a minimum of $5. Copies will be emailed as a PDF. Mailed hard or soft cover copies of Volumes 1 - 119 will incur a mailing charge.  Contact the IAS office with your request by submitting the form below or contact the IAS Office Manager calling 319-273-2021 or email iascience@uni.edu. 

The Academy would also like to thank The Office of the State Archaeologist for scanning all print issues of the Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science.  The project provided IAS with the first complete set of scanned print issues.

The Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science Online

The 2013 issue became the first online publication of the Journal. This ended a 126 year history as a print publication. Moving the Journal online offers advantages to authors and readers:

• Faster publication. Manuscripts will be published when ready - no more waiting for all articles in an issue to be ready for print publication. The process from submission to publication should require 4 months.

• Search engines reference articles in the Journal.

• The Journal is cross-referenced online.

• Issues are available in HTML and PDF format. PDF files may be printed while HTML versions may be read on line
  with linked references.

• The Journal is accessible wherever there is internet access.

Volunteer Opportunities

Reviewers

• Receive manuscripts and work with the Editor and Associate Editor.

• Review manuscripts for science content.

• Reviewers read manuscripts in their area(s) of expertise.

• Manuscripts are expected to be reviewed in 30 days.

• Reviewers may accept or decline reviewing a manuscript.

• To volunteer as a reviewer please submit your CV to the Academy for consideration using the form below.

Associate Editors

• Receive manuscripts submitted for peer review from the Editor.

• Assist the Editor in selecting reviewers from the Academy reviewer volunteers.

• Work with reviewers and the Editor to have manuscripts reviewed in a timely fashion.

• Make recommendations to the Editor to accept or reject manuscripts.

Manuscripts accepted by the Journal

The Journal accepts manuscripts in the following areas:
- Scientific research for peer-review
- Articles of general interest
- Book reviews
- Annotated bibliographies
- Documented informed commentaries
- Iowa Junior Academy of Science invited research manuscripts

The Iowa Science Teaching Section (ISTS) Journal is now published in the IAS Journal. The section accepts articles on science teaching techniques including experiments, laboratory exercises, lecture demonstrations, etc.

Volunteer to be an Associate Editor or Reviewer

The Iowa Academy of Science greatly values the work of Associate Editors and reviewers for the Journal. Scientific progress depends on the communication of scientific information. The Journal of the Iowa ACademy of Science plays an important role in the dissemination of this information in Iowa. Manuscripts submitted by faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students are accepted by the Journal. Submissions for peer review must represent original research and not be published or under review by other publications. The work of associate editors and reviewers is critical to this endeavor.

We are building a group of editors and reviewers to prevent interruptions in our publishing schedule and to keep the work load light for everyone. We currently have openings for reviewers in all areas and plan to expand the number of Associate Editors as demand dictates. The Journal review process is double-blind. An important component of this effort is our goal to publish accepted manuscripts online within 4 months of the original submission date. Please feel free to contact the IAS office if you have questions. 

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science Editors

Managing Editor

Craig Johnson, Executive Director
Iowa Academy of Science

Editor

Position open. Please contact the Managing Editor to learn more about the position.

Associate Editors

Agricultural Sciences
Dr. Arnel Hallauer
Emeritus Faculty
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-1010

Botany
Dr. Tom Rosburg
Professor, Ecology and Botany
Drake University
Des Moines, IA 50311

Conservation
Dr. Melinda Coogan
Associate Professor of Biology
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, IA 50588

Education
Dr. Cherin Lee
Emeritus, Science Education
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614
                               

Geological Sciences and Anthropology/Archaeology
Dr. Mohammad Iqbal
Professor of Geology
Department of Earth Science
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0335

Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Dr. Joseph Nguyen
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Mount Mercy University
1330 Elmhurst Drive NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

Psychology
Dr. David Lopatto
Professor, Department Chair
Department of Psychology
Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA 50112

Zoology
Dr. Felicitas Avendano
Professor of Biology
Biology Department
Grand View University
Des Moines, Iowa