Information for TPT Authors
The focus of The Physics Teacher is on the introductory-level physics course. The papers we publish are aimed at teachers of that course in high schools, two- and four-year colleges, and universities.
Papers reporting the results of research projects or announcing new physics theories are not suitable for The Physics Teacher.
Technical correctness is only one factor used in the selection of papers for publication. Organization and clarity of presentation are very important. We suggest that authors ask a colleague to read and critique their manuscripts before submission. Authors whose native language is not English should have someone with an excellent command of written English read their manuscript to improve the grammar and usage.
The principal criterion for acceptance is, whether in the opinion of the editors, the paper would be useful and interesting to teachers of introductory level physics.
Manuscripts are considered for publication under the condition that they have been submitted only to The Physics Teacher and have not been published or accepted for publication elsewhere.
Manuscripts failing to abide by the guidelines given in this document are likely to be returned to the authors.
Guidelines for Manuscript Preparation
Literature search
A complete literature search must be performed. Authors should especially make sure that a similar paper has not already appeared in The Physics Teacher by checking the searchable index at TPT-Online (http://www.aapt.org/tpt). Related papers that were published in this journal or elsewhere should be cited as references.
Length
Manuscripts should normally not exceed 2000 words. Occasionally, a longer manuscript of up to 4000 words (3000 words with pictures and diagrams) may be considered if the author has first submitted a brief description and an outline for preliminary approval. We especially welcome shorter contributions (1000 words or less).
Style and Level
Papers should be appropriate to as broad an audience as possible. Authors should not assume that the reader possesses background information in a specialized field. When technical terms are essential, they should be defined when first used. Mathematics up to the level of differential and integral calculus may be used as needed.
The title of the paper should be short and reflect the paper’s content. Papers in The Physics Teacher do not include abstracts. Instead, the first paragraph of each published paper should give a brief summary of the paper’s content. This paragraph is entered into TPT’s searchable online index.
Authors are encouraged to use SI units, but use of SI units is not mandatory in cases where other units are more appropriate. Measured and calculated numerical values should be written with the correct number of significant figures and include error limits.
The Physics Teacher does not use footnotes, which appear at the bottom of a page; instead, TPT uses endnotes. Endnotes should be double spaced and compiled in order at the end of the manuscript. Number each endnote sequentially in the text with a superscript, regardless of whether it is explanatory or a literature reference. Use sources that are widely available, generally avoiding esoteric journal articles and materials written in languages other than English. References to articles located on the web should be done with great care since many of these have short life spans. Endnote references to articles in periodicals should have the following form, with title and final as well as initial page numbers.
1. Adam Niculescu, “A rolling sphere experiment,” Phys. Teach. 44, 157–159 (March 2006).
Use this form for referencing a book:
2. R.A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 4th ed. (Saunders, New York, 1996), p. 9.
Each equation should appear on a separate line, have an equation number, and contain the correct punctuation placed before and after it. The number of the equation, in parentheses, should be placed near the right-hand margin.
The AIP Style Manual [American Institute of Physics, 4th ed. (1990)], available for download at http://www.aip.org/pubservs/style/4thed/toc.html, contains useful information on the preparation of manuscripts, including a list of standard abbreviations, correct rules of punctuation, spelling, choice of symbols, and suggestions for the arrangement and numbering of equations.
Figures
Graphs, charts, and line drawings submitted electronically should have a resolution of at least 1000 dpi. Graphs should be self-explanatory, with axes clearly labeled and units stated. The proper recording of error bars on data points should be taken very seriously.
Digital photographs, either scans or ones taken with a digital camera, are acceptable if submitted at the approximate size they will appear in print and at 300 dpi resolution.
Photos and other graphics should not be embedded in a Word file or PowerPoint, but should be saved separately as TIFF or JPEG files (for photos) or EPS files (for line art). Graphs and charts made in Microsoft Excel are also acceptable. PDFs exported from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint may also be acceptable for line art. Photo-quality ink-jet printouts of artwork and photos are not acceptable. Photos taken off the web are not acceptable because they are usually 72 dpi.
Figures should be numbered in the order in which they are referred to in the text. Captions can be included with the figures or appear sequentially on a separate page at the end of the manuscript. If any figures are taken from another publication, authors should obtain permission to use them before sending them to The Physics Teacher. Necessary credit information should be included with the submission. Please note that for photos of students, we require signed releases.
Tables should be typed on separate sheets and placed at the end of the text. Number tables sequentially with Roman numerals, and refer to them in the text at the appropriate places. Each table must be intelligible by itself, with a brief title, clear column headings, and units where needed.
Since the quality of computer screenshots of graphs, pictures, and diagrams sometimes renders them unreadable when reduced to column size, authors are encouraged to look critically at such artwork before submission.
EPAPS
It may be possible to place supplementary materials (such as computer programs or appendices containing detailed derivations) that are too lengthy to appear in the published paper on the Electronic Physics Auxiliary Publications Service (known as EPAPS). This electronic depository is also useful for other media, such as audio and video clips, that cannot be put into print. The URL for the appropriate EPAPS site is referenced as an endnote in the published paper. Inquiries about the use of EPAPS should be directed to the editorial office. Further details may also be found at the AIP website (http://www.aip.org/pubservs/epaps.html).
Submission of the Manuscript
We strongly encourage electronic submission of manuscripts in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. Send by email to tpt@appstate.edu.
Or, manuscripts may be sent by regular mail to the Editor, The Physics Teacher, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Appalachian State University, ASU Box 32142, Boone, NC 28608-2142. Send two copies of the manuscript including originals of all line drawings and other graphics in professionally finished form. Photo-quality ink-jet printouts of artwork and photos are not acceptable. Please include MS Word or WP files of the manuscript submission saved on disk (PC format). The submission should include the names of all the authors, their institution, including complete addresses and email addresses, plus a short (50 words maximum) biographical sketch for each.
Materials intended for specific columns should be submitted directly to the column editor.
Correspondence with the Editorial Office
Each manuscript will be given a TPT Editorial Office Manuscript Number. Please use this number in all correspondence with the Editorial Office and label any subsequent revisions with this number.
Receipt of a manuscript is acknowledged promptly by a message to the principal or corresponding author. We try to provide the authors a report on their manuscript within three (3) months of the date of receipt, but a longer delay is sometimes unavoidable.
Accepted or rejected manuscripts will not normally be returned. Artwork will be returned upon request.
Accepted Manuscripts
At the time of acceptance the corresponding author will be sent an acceptance message from the Editorial Office. Manuscript acceptance is provisional, pending final editing by the Editorial Office for length, style, and clarity. Substantial alterations will not be made without the permission of the author. Authors will receive page proofs before publication and are asked to return any corrections as soon as possible. Alterations in the proofs should be limited to corrections. Final responsibility for correcting errors lies with the author.
The minimum time between the submission and publication of an acceptable manuscript will ordinarily be about six months. Note that this journal is not published in June, July, or August.
The Physics Teacher is published by the American Association of Physics Teachers and dedicated to the improvement of the teaching of introductory physics at all levels.
