About the Journal
Focus and Scope
The Journal of Melittology is an international, open access journal that seeks to rapidly disseminate the results of research conducted on bees (Apoidea: Anthophila) in their broadest sense. Our mission is to promote the understanding and conservation of wild and managed bees and to facilitate communication and collaboration among researchers and the public worldwide. We particularly encourage the submission of works on non-Apis bees. The journal covers all aspects of bee research including but not limited to: anatomy, behavioral ecology, biodiversity, biogeography, chemical ecology, comparative morphology, conservation, cultural aspects, cytogenetics, ecology, ethnobiology, history, identification (keys), invasion ecology, management, melittopalynology, molecular ecology, neurobiology, occurrence data, paleontology, parasitism, phenology, phylogeny, physiology, pollination biology, sociobiology, systematics, and taxonomy. The journal encourages submissions in any area of melittology. POTENTIAL AUTHORS SHOULD NOTE: When users register with the journal three check boxes are available towards the end of the form that allow a user to select potential roles: choices are "Reader," "Author," and "Reviewer" – anyone considering contributing to the journal should select all three. As a community-driven journal, we expect you to contribute by serving as a reviewer. Your role in this process is critical for the success of this non-profit journal. We encourage potential authors to discuss any possible manuscript with one of the editors prior to submission to make certain the paper is, 1) appropriate for the journal, and 2) composed properly (e.g., proper style, proper English, &c.). This will avoid undue delays for any paper and avoid rejection on the grounds of unsuitability. Thank you.
Peer Review Process
Journal of Melittology seeks two peer reviews per manuscript submission. In cases of conflict between reviews, additional reviewer opinions or that of one of the editors may be sought. In some cases, the editors may decide to return manuscripts to authors prior to review with preliminary comments designed to improve the manuscript's chances of eventual acceptance. Manuscripts which are poorly written will not be considered and will be returned to authors. After a paper has been reviewed by the Editors and reviewers, the assigned Subject Editor will decide whether to accept or reject it. Acceptance is based on the quality of the work and writing, and significance of the article to melittology. Each paper must stand on its own merits and be a noteworthy contribution to the field. The Editors reserve the right to reject a paper (before or after review) for any reason and without explanation to the authors. Authors of accepted papers will be asked to send an electronic version (Microsoft Word or Rich Text Format) of the final, accepted version of the manuscript to the journal’s website for editing, type-setting, layout, and publication.
Publication Frequency
Journal of Melittology will be published continuously, with papers appearing as they are ready throughout the year and with each article assigned a DOI.
Open Access Policy
All articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. This journal provides open access to all of it content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Such access is associated with increased readership and increased citation of an author's work. For more information on this approach, see the Public Knowledge Project, which has designed this system to improve the scholarly and public quality of research, and which freely distributes the journal system as well as other software to support the open access publishing of scholarly resources.
An international journal of bee biology, ecology, & evolution
The Journal of Melittology is an international, non-profit, open access journal that seeks to rapidly disseminate the results of research conducted on bees (Apoidea: Anthophila) in their broadest sense. Our mission is to promote the understanding and conservation of wild and managed bees and to facilitate communication and collaboration among researchers and the public worldwide. The journal encourages submissions in any area of melittology, particularly works on non-Apis bees. Manuscrips on Apis bees will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All articles are registered in ZooBank and conform to the latest standards of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, and each issue is assigned a unique DOI. All issues of the journal are archived at the University of Kansas and in Portico.
Statement on Authorship
Authorship of a paper carries with it responsibility as well as credit. All those whose names appear as authors should have played a significant role in designing or carrying out the research, writing the manuscript, or providing extensive guidance to the execution of the project. They should be able to present and defend the work in a public forum. Strictly honorary authorship is discouraged. All authors must be in agreement on both the submission and full content of any article carrying their name. Any violation of these conditions represents academic misconduct and will be dealt with accordingly.
Publication / Open Access Charges
Most scientists either pay a significant amount of money on printing fees, wait several months for a manuscript to be published, or have restricted rights to their own work. Journal of Melittology ascribes to the principle of FREE and OPEN ACCESS to publicize information about bees. Accordingly, no page charges or open access fees are requested. As we are an entirely volunteer-scientist operation, we ask authors and reviewers to be understanding as our team endeavors to maintain the highest standards for the journal while simultaneously keeping up with demanding, full-time jobs. Thus, we require authors to take care to follow the author guidelines as this will save time on our end and avoid delays in review and publication. Enthusiastic individuals and institutions wishing to support the journal’s mission and the efforts of those who undertake its production (type-setting, layout, editing, proof-reading, &c.) may inquire with the editors to learn more about how to help. Authors interested in requesting paper reprints should contact the editors to place an order at production cost plus shipping and handling, or are free to submit their print-quality PDF to any respectable printer to have them self-produced (the latter frequently being the most cost effective).
