Author Guidelines For IFT Scientific Journals Details
Author Guidelines for IFT Scientific Journals Details for Formatting R
Manuscripts intended for all sections of the journal and the two online journals must follow the name-year reference format specified in Scientific Style and Format, 7th edition. Cite only necessary publications and prioritize primary references. It is acceptable to cite “forthcoming” work that has been accepted but not published, including the relevant year and volume number. Avoid citing works that are merely submitted and under review.
In text citations should include the author’s name and year, with specific formatting rules: when the author’s name is part of the sentence, include the year in parentheses immediately after the name; use “and others” instead of “et al.”; do not place a comma between the author’s name and year in parenthetical citations; use commas to separate works by the same author in different years; list multiple publications chronologically from earliest to latest, with examples provided.
In the References section, list only those references cited in the text, alphabetically by the first author's last name. When the same author has multiple references, sequence them by publication date. Format each reference with proper indentation and spacing, and do not manually indent within references; let text wrap naturally.
Reference formats include:
- Journal article: Author(s). Year. Article title. Journal title. Volume number: inclusive pages. Example: Smith JB, Jones LB, Rackly KR. 1999. Maillard browning in apples. J Food Sci 64:512-8.
- Electronic journal article: Author(s). Year. Title. Electronic journal name [serial online]. Volume: pages. Available from [site]. Posted date. E.g., Steinkraus KH. 2002. Fermentation in world food processing. Comp Rev Food Sci Food Safety [serial online]. 1:23-32. Available from IFT (ift.org). Posted Apr 1, 2002.
- Book: Author(s) [or editor(s)]. Year. Title. Edition or volume (if applicable). Place of publication: Publisher. Number of pages. E.g., Spally MR, Morgan SS. 1989. Methods of food analysis. 2nd ed. New York: Elsevier.
- Chapter in book: Author(s). Year. Chapter title. In: author/editor. Book title. Edition or vol. (if relevant). Place of publication: Publisher; pages. E.g., Rich RQ, Ellis MT. 1998. Lipid oxidation in fish muscle. In: Moody JJ, Lasky UV, editors. Lipid oxidation in food. 6th ed. New York: Pergamon. p 832-55.
- Conference Proceedings: Editor(s). Title of publication. Conference details; date; location. Place of publication: publisher; date. E.g., Webb R, Steagall T, Brown A, editors. PAAPT 2008. Proceedings of the 4th National Conference on Processing Technologies; 2008 April 9-12; Portland, OR. Chicago, IL: American Association of Processing Technology; c2008.
- Patent: Inventor(s); assignee. Year. Title. Patent number [Country]. E.g., Harred JF, Knight AR, McIntyre JS, inventors; Dow Chemical Co., assignee. 1972 Apr 4. Epoxidation process. U.S. patent 3,654,317.
- Dissertation: Author. Year. Title [type of thesis]. Place: Institution; total pages. E.g., Smith DE. 1988. Lipid oxidation at very low water activities. [DPhil dissertation]. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Univ. 210 p.
- Websites and internet materials: Title or webpage. Medium; publisher; date; date accessed; URL. E.g., FoodSciNet: Education resources online [Internet]. Columbus, OH: Food Science Education Association; c [Accessed 2008 Oct 17]. Available from: scinet.org.
For journal abbreviations and further examples, refer to recent issues of the journal or contact the Editorial Office at [email address].
Paper For Above instruction
The integrity and clarity of scientific communication hinge critically on adherence to precise formatting and referencing standards. The author guidelines for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Scientific Journals emphasize rigorous compliance with the name-year referencing system outlined in the 7th edition of Scientific Style and Format (Council of Science Editors, 2020). Proper citation practices ensure the traceability of sources, uphold academic honesty, and facilitate seamless dissemination of research findings within the scientific community.
In scholarly manuscripts intended for publication, the citation and referencing process is a foundational element. In-text citations are designed to be concise and contextually integrated, following specific conventions. When integrating a citation into a sentence, the author's surname appears naturally within the syntax, accompanied immediately by the publication year enclosed in parentheses. For example: "Dawson and others (1964) demonstrated that..." This style accentuates the narrative flow while maintaining clarity. Conversely, parenthetical citations exclude the author's name from the sentence structure, presenting only the author-year combination, for example: "(Smith 1999)." When multiple citations are listed within parentheses, they are ordered chronologically, separated by semicolons: "(Dawson 1964; Briggs 1999). For multiple works by the same author in different years, commas are used for separation, such as "(Dawson 1984, 1987)."
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Additionally, substantive guidance on the construction of the references section is provided to maintain consistency and facilitate identification. References should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author, with multiple works by the same author organized chronologically. The format rules specify the inclusion of all elements such as author names, publication year, article or book titles, journal names, volume, pages, and other pertinent details. For journal articles, the journal title must be abbreviated without periods, and no spaces are to be added around colons. For example:
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Smith JB, Jones LB, Rackly KR. 1999. Maillard browning in apples. J Food Sci 64:512-8.
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Electronic journal references should include a URL and posting date, recognizing the impermanence of web content. An example is:
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Steinkraus KH. 2002. Fermentation in world food processing. Comp Rev Food Sci Food Safety [serial online]. 1:23-32. Available from: IFT (ift.org). Posted Apr 1, 2002.
Proper referencing extends to books, chapters, conference proceedings, patents, dissertations, and online material, all following prescribed formats. Consistent formatting enhances the credibility and ease of locating cited sources, a cornerstone of scholarly publishing.
Following these guidelines not only ensures compliance with the journal’s standards but also streamlines the review process by providing clear, standardized references. Accurate citation and meticulous formatting play a vital role in advancing scientific knowledge and uphold the journal’s reputation for scholarly excellence, ultimately contributing to the integrity of scientific discourse.
References
- Council of Science Editors. 2020. Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. 8th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Day RA. 2015. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper. 7th ed. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group.
- American Chemical Society. 2021. ACS Style Guide. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: ACS Publications.
- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. 2022. Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. Available from: www.icmje.org.
- Rothman KJ. 2014. Epidemiology: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Hames I. 2012. Peer Review and Manuscript Management in Scientific Journals. 3rd ed. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
- Giles S. 2018. Scientific writing and communication: papers, proposals, and presentations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Day RA, Gastel B. 2012. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper. 7th ed. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group.
- American Psychological Association. 2020. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 7th ed. Washington, DC: APA Publishing.
- Council of Science Editors. 2020. Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. 8th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.