Information for Contributors

Editors' note: Many readers have asked about our submissions policy. Physics does not publish original research papers. Articles in Physics are commissioned by the editors and we do not accept unsolicited submissions at this time.

Guidelines for Viewpoint Articles

Viewpoints explain the importance and excitement about a new result reported in a paper or set of papers appearing in the Physical Review journals. Viewpoints are primarily aimed at physics students and researchers, but the introduction should be written at a level such that any reader with a general interest in physics can appreciate the result.

Format: Viewpoint articles should be no more than 1200 words in length, contain one figure and 10 or fewer references (including the titles). 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.

Guidelines for Letters to the Editor

The editors of Physics welcome letters for publication that comment on articles published within the last two 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 We do not publish "open" letters, ghostwritten letters, or letters that address matters other than the content of Physics.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 300 words and should address points that would be of clear interest to Physics readers.

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