Illinois Science Teachers Association

Spectrum, Journal of the Illinois Science Teachers Association, is published three times per year, in Spring (April), Fall (August), and Winter (December) by the Illinois Science Teachers Association, University of Illinois, College of Education, 1310 S. Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820. The Illinois Science Teachers Association (ISTA) is a state chapter of the National Science Teachers Association, 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000.

Send submissions, subscriptions, and inquiries regarding the journal to:
Judith Scheppler
ISTA Editor
E-mail: quella@imsa.edu

Write for the Spectrum

The quality of the Spectrum is directly proportional to the relevance of its contents to your classroom. This invitation is a request for you to help colleagues across the state to take advantage of your experience. In responding to this invitation, you will get a three-fold return on the opportunity.

You will:

1. Obtain experience in publishing.
2. Receive some feedback from the teachers across the state about your ideas.
3. Participate in the responsibility that is key to science and science education—the communication of ideas!

Author Guidelines

With this in mind, share with us your teaching ideas for curriculum, laboratory experiences, demonstrations, assessment, portfolios, and any innovations that you have found to be successful with science students. Photographs for the cover are also needed. Please send to the editor, Judy Scheppler, at quella@imsa.edu, or to the appropriate area focus editor (as found in the Spectrum). Your manuscript should:

• Be typed or printed, double-spaced copy with standard margins,
• Be less than 3000 words in length, although there is no strict length guideline; articles of substance of most any length will be reviewed and considered for publication,
• Be submitted electronically, as an email attachment or on disk (IBM or Mac), saved in Word format,
• Include a title page with the author’s name and affiliations, a brief biographical sketch of three or four sentences, home address, home telephone number (If there is more than one author, send all information for each), and email address (if applicable),
• Include sketches, photographs, figures, graphs, and tables when appropriate. These should be numbered and referenced in the text by number. Any sketches, figures, graphs, or tables should be included at the end of the document on separate pages. They should not be embedded in the text. Photographs should be jpg images, included as separate files. Photographs, sketches, and so forth should be back and white, of good composition, and high contrast,
• Include references if necessary, in the format of your choice (APA style is preferred),
• Include a statement indicating whether or not the article has been published or submitted elsewhere.

The Spectrum is published three times a year. Materials submitted must reach the editor by the following dates: February 15, June 15, November 15. Materials, including photographs, will be returned only if accompanied by a request in writing and a self-addressed stamped envelope.