Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the aim of BWII?
BWII is a student-run in-house journal edited by research scholars in WII who have previous experience of publishing in peer-reviewed high-impact factor journals. BWII offers a strict editorial review of the submitted manuscripts in a fashion that they become qualitatively improved and reach a stage where their chance for consideration for publication in peer-reviewed journals is higher. Moreover, it aims to provide students at WII with practical experience undergoing the editorial process. This becomes important in their future academic career when they intend to serve on international journal editorial committees.
Who can contribute to BWII?
Past and current M.Sc., PhD and Diploma students and research scholars at WII may contribute to BWII. This includes applying for Editorial Board positions, writing for the blog and submitting papers.
Can I submit my BWII article to a peer-review journal?
Yes! The primary mission of BWII is to help authors prepare manuscripts for peer-review journals, and submitting to BWII does not preclude authors from submitting elsewhere. BWII is considered an in-house bulletin primarily intended for the WII community, and is not an official registered publication. Publishing in BWII does not mean that the article has been published in a peer-review journal, so authors do not need to declare their publication in BWII when submitting to peer-review journals. We have confirmed with the Executive Editors of peer-review journals, including Nature, that articles posted on BWII will be fully eligible for publication in peer-review journals.
Who edits my article?
After submission, articles are reviewed by a BWII Executive Editor and Editor as well as an external Technical Reviewer who is a WII scholar with expertise in the subject. This allows the author to receive both grammar- and technical-related feedback on their manuscript to strengthen all elements prior to publication. The editing process is strictly confidential and double-blind between authors, Editors and Technical Reviewers.
Can I submit a manuscript from a project I worked on before or after working at WII (e.g. undergraduate, Master’s or PhD projects or work with another organization)?
Yes, you are welcome to submit a manuscript based on research you conducted outside of WII. The only requirement is that you are the corresponding author and are heavily involved in writing the article, since our editors will be corresponding with you through the editing process. Also, if the research was conducted with another organization, we ask that you speak with your co-authors to ensure that they agree that BWII would be the best fit for the article at this time.
How do I submit an article to BWII?
Submissions will be accepted once a year in early summer and undergo a rigorous editing process for publication in the fall. Please visit the Submission Instructions for current deadlines and submission information.
What sort of articles does BWII publish?
BWII publishes research articles, data papers, review papers, notes and field stories related to wildlife biology and biodiversity conservation, including social, economic and political topics. In case of research work conducted outside the umbrella of WII, the corresponding author should be part of the current WII student or research body. For more details about the type and length of the article, see the Submission Instructions.
Can I submit more than one paper at a time?
Authors can submit more than one article at a time. However, we will prioritize our Editors' time to publish a diversity of paper types from multiple authors and may not be able to edit secondary papers immediately.
How can I maximize the chances of my article being reviewed and accepted?
BWII aims to review and accept all submitted manuscripts. That said, a submitted manuscript must be of high scientific rigor, writing quality and acceptable formatting to enable a productive review. BWII will return your manuscript without review if the authors have not put in time and effort to produce mature material for publication; in these cases, authors will be invited to re-submit once they have improved the quality of the piece. To ensure that your article is accepted for the revision process, please follow the Submission Instructions and ensure that your manuscript is appropriately formatted.
Can I recommend reviewers for my article?
Currently BWII doesn’t have the provision to take recommendations about reviewers from authors. Executive Editors aim to assign reviewers who have prior research experience in the subject matter of the manuscript.
How soon will I hear about the status of my article following submission?
You will receive an e-mail confirmation that your article has been received. We aim to make a decision regarding suitability for publication within 8 weeks. You may contact the Executive Editors to request an update on the progress of your article.
How quickly will my article be published?
We aspire to publish articles online within six to nine months after your submission, depending on the amount of editing required.
How should a BWII article be cited?
Articles in BWII are considered 'journal articles' by most citation software. Check the details on the article webpage for specific details, and consider that you may need to adapt the citation to the format requirements for which you are writing. That said, a general-rule citation format could be the following: Patel, L., Bose, S. and J. Khan. 2013. Distribution of a new butterfly species in Assam, India. Bulletin of the Wildlife Institute of India 3: 4-9.
Who owns the copyright for my published article in BWII?
The material published in BWII is made freely available online. All readers have full rights and permission to reproduce material from all BWII manuscripts through any medium (including photocopying and posting online). BWII encourages authors and readers to circulate publications to teaching institutions, researchers other interested parties. If quoting or referring to a publication, please cite the manuscript appropriately.
May I change the material in my article once it's been published in BWII?
To prevent the circulation of multiple versions of an article, BWII does not typically permit the revision of articles once they have been published and posted online. However, if an author has firm evidence of why they need to amend an article that has already been published through BWII, please contact an Executive Editor.
Will I be able to use the data published in BWII for further publication in other peer-reviewed journals?
Definitely! BWII encourages authors to use their publication in BWII as a launching pad for subsequently publishing in high-impact factor peer-reviewed journals. You are free (and encouraged!) to use any part of the manuscript text or data for further publication.