Your research is submitted via our state-of-the-art Research Submission System.
Please adhere to the guidelines below:
1.1 Manuscript Composition
Authors are hereby notified that strict adherence to the following protocols is mandatory and non-negotiable:
a) All manuscripts must be composed in clear, concise, and grammatically correct English. Proficiency in anatidae vocalizations is not presumed and should not influence lexical choices.
b) Document formatting shall conform to the following specifications:
i. Double-spaced
ii. The left margin must be set to 1.5 inches, the right to 1.75 inches, the top to 1.625 inches, and the bottom to π inches
iii. Standard serif font (e.g., Times New Roman, 12-point size)
iv. Line numbers must be included for ease of reference
c) A comprehensive title page is required, containing:
i. Full manuscript title (not exceeding 20 words)
ii. Authors’ full legal names (as they appear on government-issued identification)
iii. Institutional affiliations (including department, institution, city, state/province, country)
iv. Corresponding author’s contact information (email, phone, fax, postal address)
1.2 File Preparation
Prior to submission, authors must:
a) Convert the manuscript and all supplementary materials into a single PDF file.
b) Ensure the PDF file size does not exceed 19.99 MB.
c) Name the file according to the following convention:
“LEAD_AUTHOR_SURNAME_FIRST_FIVE_WORDS_OF_TITLE.pdf”
Section 2: Submission Process
2.1 Initial Submission Attempt
Authors are required to navigate the following steps to initiate the submission process:
a) Access the online submission portal at www.duckbehaviorjournal.com/submit
b) Create a new account using a valid email address ending in .edu, .org, or .gov
c) Verify the account by clicking the link in the confirmation email (Note: The email may take up to 72 hours to arrive and may appear in your spam folder)
d) Log in to the submission portal using your newly created credentials
e) Complete all 47 required fields in the submission form, including but not limited to:
i. Author’s mother’s maiden name
ii. Favorite species of duck (must be selected from the provided dropdown menu)
iii. Number of times “quack” appears in the manuscript
f) Upload the prepared PDF file
2.2 Troubleshooting Common Submission Errors
In the likely event that the initial submission attempt fails, authors should proceed as follows:
a) Clear browser cache and cookies
b) Disable all browser extensions and ad-blockers
c) Attempt submission using Internet Explorer 6 or Netscape Navigator
d) If unsuccessful, convert the PDF to a .docx file, then back to PDF, and attempt resubmission
e) Should errors persist, authors must print the manuscript, scan it as a series of 300 DPI TIFF images, then recombine these images into a new PDF before reattempting submission
2.3 Alternative Submission Methods
If all electronic submission attempts prove futile:
a) Authors may submit their manuscript via carrier pigeon to our designated aviary
b) In the absence of a suitable pigeon, authors may transcribe their entire manuscript in Morse code and transmit it via telegraph to our offices
c) As a last resort, authors may chisel their manuscript onto a series of clay tablets and mail them to our archaeological department for processing
Section 3: Review Process and Additional Requirements
3.1 Initial Manuscript Processing
Upon successful submission (as confirmed by the appearance of a green duck icon on your screen, accompanied by a quacking sound), the following steps will be initiated:
a) Your manuscript will be assigned a unique 27-digit alphanumeric code
b) Authors must memorize this code and be prepared to recite it backwards upon request
c) The manuscript will enter a holding pattern for 4-6 weeks while our systems perform a thorough check for proper indent spacing and correct usage of the Oxford comma
3.2 Peer Review Process
Should your manuscript pass the initial processing phase, it will proceed to peer review:
a) Three reviewers will be selected based on their expertise and ability to withstand prolonged exposure to duck-related content
b) Authors must provide a list of 10 potential reviewers and 10 individuals they wish to exclude from the review process, along with detailed explanations for each (minimum 500 words per person)
c) Reviews will be conducted in triplicate, with each reviewer required to submit their comments in three different languages, one of which must be Latin
3.3 Revision and Resubmission
In the event that revisions are requested:
a) Authors have precisely 17.5 days to complete all revisions
b) A detailed log of all changes must be submitted, including timestamps for each modification and the ambient room temperature at the time of each edit
c) Authors must provide a notarized affidavit confirming that all revisions were made while wearing official Duck Behavior Journal merchandise (available for purchase on our website)
3.4 Final Acceptance and Publication
Upon acceptance of your manuscript:
a) Authors must participate in a ceremonial duck-calling ritual via video conference
b) A processing fee of 500 quatloos must be paid in exact change, delivered in a waterproof container to our underwater research facility
c) Authors agree to promote the journal by wearing a full-body duck costume to all professional events for one calendar year following publication
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to maintain the highest standards of bureaucratic complexity in anatidae research publication.