Menu
Log in
Forgot password
Search
Log in
Forgot password



Guidelines for Submission of Articles

  for Possible Publication in The Portolan


The Portolan, while the journal of the Washington Map Society, does not focus only on Washington, DC and the surrounding region. Just as our membership is very scattered, in many US states and numerous foreign countries, the articles published cover a wide range of topics related to map history, map collecting and cartography. See the index to the contents of The Portolan and you will see the wide range of subjects so far appearing in the journal.

Our articles come from many sources. Some are summaries or articles based on presentations before the society. Some are articles that have won (or received honorable mention) in the society's annual Ristow Prize Competition. Some are contributed by members based on individual research or travels that have included cartographic experiences. Still others are contributed by scholars or researchers from throughout the world who wish to present their writing to a worldwide audience of map aficionados, academics and national and university libraries.

To submit an article for possible inclusion in The Portolan, please refer to the following guidelines.


Manuscript Preparation

Please submit your manuscript as follows:

  • The preferred length is 3,500 to 5,500 words.
  • Endnotes are the style used in the journal, not footnotes. Please keep these to a reasonable number as too many following the article can numb the reading experience!
  • You may use script, italics, or all-caps (all capital letters) as your text typeface or to emphasize words or phrases. Instead, indicate words that you think should be emphasized or italicized (e.g.. book titles. foreign words) or you may underline them. The entries will be converted to italic, as appropriate. Use such emphasis sparingly, however. Frequent switching from roman to italic type disrupts the flow.
  • Indent paragraphs. Five spaces or tabs are fine. Be consistent.
  • Type only one space -- not two -- between sentences within a paragraph.
  • If you are typing the numeral 1-in 1919, for example, remember to use the 1 key and not the lower-case letter I.
  • On the first page, date and title your manuscript and include your full name, address, and phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. On the second page, include the title of your paper, but with no personal identifying information. Always put the new date on any revised manuscripts.
  • Please do reference (some) further reading or future publication if you wish.
  • Please provide a brief Bio note about yourself and other contributors (see past articles – also available on our website).
  • Submit a summary of the intended article/paper to the Editor (editor@wmsdc.org), prior to submitting the full piece. Please include as much detail as specified above as possible and whether the piece is already written or if it is still in the planning stage. Submit your article digitally via email attachment.


Graphics

In the study of the history of cartography, graphics help so much in the understanding of the material. Thus, graphics are a vital part of every article in The Portolan.

      • Illustrations/Images: 5 – 12 complete with captions.
      • Maps and other images are provided separately from the article, not embedded. The text should clearly note where the images appear, so the layout team can incorporate them with captions close to the text appearance of the image.
      • Images should be print quality, i.e., about 300 dpi at a 4 inch width in the format of JPEG, PDF, or TIFF. Images may be in color or black and white.
      • All images used must be permissible for use in our journal – authors are expected to reach out to owners of whatever copyrights and solicit permission to use the images in this non-profit educational society’s journal.
      • The normal article will contain about three pages of graphics. They may be of varying sizes.
      • Once an article has been accepted, graphics may be sent by email or  a File Transfer Service (FTS) such as WeTransfer (www.wetransfer.com).


Prior Submission of the Proposed Article

Indicate if the article being submitted has been previously submitted to any other publication. If so, indicate the status of that submission. The Portolan wishes to be first publisher, with no similar submissions appearing in related journals.


Style References

Submissions should reflect the most current editions of the following style references:

  • for citation style - The Chicago Manual of Style
  • for punctuation style - Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style
  • for spelling style - Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

            


Contact Information for Inquiries or Submission of Manuscripts:

Submit articles for consideration to the Editor, Andrew Adamson, at editor@wmsdc.org.






© 2021 Washington Map Society.  All Rights Reserved.

  

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software