1.0 General
To facilitate your experience, please read these Guidelines in their entirety before proceeding.
Please use the online submittal form provided on the Blog’s top page (click “Submit an Article”).
Submitters must include their real names and an e-mail address at which they can be reached. All posts will include the complete name of the submitter. E-mail addresses will not be shown unless requested. E-mail addresses will not be used for any purpose other than communication between the editors and submitters.
2.0 Text Posts
Posts should not exceed 1,200 words. Please submit a three to four sentence summary of your post if the post is substantially longer than two paragraphs. The editors may condense or otherwise edit content to arrive at an appropriate length for posting, consistent with the post’s intent.
Content transmitted in ways other than the online form should be formatted in Adobe PDF or plain text (filename.pdf or filename.txt). Submitting text through e-mail or other means may slow publication. Please use the online form unless submitting content other than text. (See “3.0 Other Content” below.)
The editors may, at their discretion, choose to correct grammatical errors, misspellings, and make other non-substantive changes to enhance comprehension of content. Editors may choose to supplement text articles with appropriate stock photos. Editors may choose but are not required to consult with submitters regarding these changes before publication.
Editors will strive to link posts to existing web sites as needed or requested.
Contributors must specify the URL of any desired links to other web content.
3.0 Other Content
Content that cannot be submitted through the online form should be submitted via email to seabrookislandbirders@gmail.com . Please follow the applicable instructions and provisions of “4.0 Intellectual Property” that follow below.
3.1 Supporting Documents
Submitters may choose to supplement posting content with stand-alone documents (e.g., reports, brochures, lists, notes, data, etc.). Preferred format for submitted documents is Adobe PDF (filename.pdf). Please check your word processor to see if exporting to PDF is an option, and use it if it is available. Recent versions of Microsoft Word (filename.docx) are permissible if a PDF version is unavailable. The Blog will link to documents thus provided and make them available for readers to view.
3.2 Photos and Other Images
Submitters may choose to submit photos or other images as part of their post. Images thus submitted must be consistent with the following guidelines:
- Image format: filename.png or filename.jpeg or filename.jpg
- Minimum width: 628 px (pixels)
- Minimum quality: 96 dpi (dots or pixels per inch)
Submitters may also link to existing galleries and web sites (e.g., Flickr, shared Dropbox folders, etc.) by providing the proper URL link.
3.3 Audio Files
The Blog has the capability to post audio files. Audio files must be submitted in one of the following formats: .MP3, .M4A, .OGG or .WAV.
3.4 Video Files
The Blog has the capability to post video files. The editors prefer video files that are already hosted (stored) on another site (e.g., YouTube or Vimeo) so as to easily embed and link them in posts. Submitters must specify the URL links to videos on these sites. The editors may provide limited assistance in posting video files that are not already hosted on another site on a case-by-case basis. In these instances, video will be accepted if submitted in one of the following formats: .FLV, .F4V, .MP4, .AVI, .MOV, 3GP and .WMV. (For assistance, contact seabrookislandbirders@gmail.com).
Video should be of high quality; i.e., in focus and free of extensive camera movement.
An audio track is not required; however, audio tracks with significantly compromised quality may preclude posting of video.
3.5 Mobile Devices
Content captured with mobile devices is acceptable for submittal if it meets the requirements specified above.
4.0 Intellectual Property
By submitting content to the blog, the submitter implies that he/she is the creator of that content. Previously published or copyright material may be shared, but the submitter must credit the original author and provide an online source link (URL) if one is available. This requirement applies for all media: text, supplemental documents, photos, audio, and video files.
Similarly, original content submitted to the blog may be reused or shared, with credit, at the editors’ discretion.
5.0 Publication Standards
The editors solicit content that informs members of Seabrook Island Birders (SIB) of important local events, communicates information of general interest, and depicts the richness of life on Seabrook Island. Such content includes but is not limited to the following:
- Announcements of and reports from Island or nearby off-Island events;
- Announcements of and reports from Island organizations, including SIPOA committees, volunteer or social groups, the Town of Seabrook Island, and the
- Seabrook Island Club;
- Articles concerning the natural environment on the Island;
- Images, video and audio files regarding any of the above.
Content that will not be published includes but is not limited to the following:
- Content that the impugns the integrity, motivation or competency of named individuals;
- Content that is inflammatory, disrespectful, or contains unsubstantiated allegations;
- Content that may violate copyrights;
- Content that is intended primarily for the advancement of private commercial interests, including but not limited to advertising and endorsements.
Content that does not meet the Blog’s editorial standards in whole or in part, or that does not, in the editors’ judgment, merit publication for other reasons will not be published. In such cases, the editors will inform the submitter of the reason(s) content was not published and offer an opportunity to resubmit revised content that meets editorial standards. The editors may choose to make minor revisions consistent with the intent of submitted content so as to bring it into compliance with editorial standards.
Please submit questions regarding application of these standards to seabrookislandbirders@gmail.com .
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