Information for Contributors

Purpose: Physics highlights the best and most interesting papers in the Physical Review journals in the form of feature articles written by experts that explain, discuss, and connect with other fields. Categories of articles include Viewpoint essays (1000–1500 words, one figure) that focus on a particular published paper; Trends articles (3000–4000 words, two to three figures) that comment on a recent body of work and look to the future of the field; and staff-written Synopses (150–200 words) of current papers. The authors and editors will strive for broad accessibility, with the goal of timely commentaries for physicists and researchers in related fields.

Editors' note: Many readers have asked about our submissions policy. Physics does not publish original research papers. Viewpoints are commissioned by the editors and we do not accept unsolicited submissions at this time. Trends are commissioned reviews, and while we cannot accept unsolicited contributions we welcome your suggestions for topics. Synopses are written by staff only; however, your feedback on their readabilty and coverage of topics is appreciated.

Guidelines for Viewpoint Articles

Format: Viewpoint articles should be no more than 1500 words in length and contain only one figure (one author is preferred, but having a coauthor is permissible). You should create a first paragraph that (i) provides one or two sentences of background, (ii) mentions the associated paper and a brief statement of the result, and (iii) provides a one-sentence statement of the wider implications of the work. The main text should explain the result in terms that any physicist can understand, drawing in other recent work as appropriate. Imagine that you are explaining a hot paper in your field to a colleague or grad student in a very different area of physics. The conclusion should not simply restate the findings but provide the reader with some idea of where the work might lead (i.e., what are the future prospects and open questions?). Throughout the text, you should avoid the passive voice, complex constructions, and the specialized language of your subfield.

Editorial process: The editors of the Physical Review journals choose a subset of journal papers to highlight each week. We have asked you to write a Viewpoint article on the basis of your expertise and understanding of the field. We realize that you will make the best effort to explain the paper clearly to your colleagues in other fields, but you should expect heavy editing and rewriting if necessary to achieve the goal of communication across disciplines. You will have the chance to read and correct the final text and artwork. After your article is published, readers can offer feedback that the editors may choose to publish as Letters to the Editor.

Submission procedure: When you are ready to submit your manuscript, please email the text and figures to physics-corr@ridge.aps.org

Guidelines for Trends Articles

Format: Trends articles should be no more than 4000 words in length and contain 2–3 figures. Your assignment is to survey the most important research over the past couple of years in a given area of inquiry, while informing the reader about the future direction of the field. The introduction should clearly explain to physicists in all fields the central questions and wider implications of this area of research. The main text should explain the results in terms that any physicist can understand: Imagine that you are explaining a series of hot developments over the past year in your field to a colleague or grad student in a very different area of physics. The latter part of the text and the conclusion should not simply summarize the article, but provide the reader with some idea of where the field is heading (i.e., what are the current challenges and likely avenues of future work?). Throughout the text, you should avoid the passive voice, complex constructions, and the specialized language of your subfield.

Editorial process: We have asked you to write a Trends article on the basis of your expertise and understanding of the field. We realize that you will make the best effort to explain the research results in your field clearly to your colleagues in other areas, but you should expect extensive editing and rewriting if necessary to achieve the goal of communication across disciplines. You will have the chance to read and correct the final text and artwork. After your article is published, readers can offer feedback that the editors may choose to publish as Letters to the Editor.

Artwork: Figures in Trends articles should explain the concepts while remaining visually attractive. You may supply finished artwork, rough sketches, or a written description of an illustration. Our illustrators will create draft figures, and your suggested revisions will be incorporated into the final figure. IMPORTANT: If you wish to use previously published figures or figure components, you must supply written permission from the copyright holder with your submitted manuscript.

Submission procedure: When you are ready to submit your manuscript, please email the text and figures to physics-corr@ridge.aps.org

Guidelines for Letters to the Editor

The editors of Physics welcome letters for publication that comment on Viewpoints, Trends, and Synopses published within the last four months. We do not publish "open" letters, ghostwritten letters, or letters that address matters other than the content of Physics. Priority and citation disputes are not appropriate topics for letters.

Letters should be no longer than 400 words and should be accompanied by a signed copyright transfer agreement (http://forms.aps.org/author/copytrnsfr.pdf) and the author's full mailing address and telephone number.

If a letter is deemed suitable for publication, the author of the original article in Physics will be asked to respond. We will make an effort to publish the letter and response together, but we will not unduly postpone publication of the letter if the response is greatly delayed.

We reserve the right to reject submitted letters and to edit accepted letters for length and clarity. To inquire about submitting a letter please email physics@aps.org.