Guidelines for authors preparing manuscripts for publication in the IMGC24 conference series (Title of paper)

1st Authora,*, 2nd Authora,b, 3rd Authorb, 4th Authora

a Affiliation, 1st Author - email address, 2nd Author - email address, 4th Author - email address

b Affiliation, 3rd Author - email address

*Corresponding author

Abstract: These guidelines are provided for the preparation of papers accepted for publication from the ICMG24 Conference:

Springer Volume (double-blind peer review based on a full paper),

African SUN MeDIA (double-blind peer review based on a full paper), or

Scientia Military Special Edition (double-blind peer review based on full paper).

The guidelines are issued to ensure a uniform style throughout the envisaged publications. The publication of this manuscript is contingent upon receiving positive feedback from the peer-review process and is determined by its quality and contribution to the scientific field. All papers must be submitted by the due date and adhere to the specified guidelines. To assure timely and efficient production of the publications with a consistent and easy-to-read format, authors must submit their manuscripts in strict conformance with these guidelines. Authors are also encouraged to have their manuscripts language edited before final submission. The ICMG24 scientific committee may omit any paper that does not conform to the specified requirements.

Keywords: guidelines, formatting, style, Abstracts of the ICMG24

Introduction

The guidelines are to be used for the preparation of papers for the publication outlets of the International Conferences on Military Geosciences 2024 (ICMG24):

Springer Volume (double-blind peer review based on a full paper),

African SUN MeDIA (double-blind peer review based on a full paper), or

Scientia Military Special Edition (double-blind peer review based on a full paper).

1.1	General Instructions

The maximum paper length is restricted to 15 pages. The paper should have the following structure:

a)	Title of the paper

b)	Authors and affiliation

c)	Keywords (2 – 5 words)

d)	Abstract (150 – 250 words)

e)	Introduction

f)	Main body

g)	Conclusions

h)	Acknowledgements (if applicable)

i)	References

j)	Appendix (if applicable)

1.2	Preparation in Electronic Form

To assist authors in preparing their papers, style guides for preparing digital versions of papers are provided using this template. Authors should make sure to use the format elements available under the Styles tab, e.g. heading 1, heading 2, heading 3.

1.3	Page Layout, Spacing and Margins

The paper must be compiled in one column. All text should be single-spaced unless otherwise stated. Left and right justified typing is required. A4 paper size 297 mm × 210 mm (11.69 × 8.27 inches) should be used.

1.4	Footing

The footer will be provided by the publisher/publication editors. It will be composed of the peer review statement, the event name and date, etc., e.g., The Geoscience Compass: Navigating the New Terrain of Military Operations, 2024, 15th International Conference on Military Geoscience (ICMG24), 9 – 14 June 2024, Somerset-West, South Africa.

1.5	Length and Font

All manuscripts are limited to a size of no more than fifteen (15) single-spaced pages (A4 size), including abstracts, figures, tables, and references. The font type Times New Roman with a size of twelve (12) points is to be used. Figures/images are restricted to six (6) and tables to four (4).

Table 1. Margin settings for A4 size paper

Setting	A4 size paper
mm	inches
Top	25	1.0
Bottom	25	1.0
Left	20	0.8
Right	20	0.8

Title and Abstract

2.1	Title

The title should appear left-aligned in bold letters, at the top of the first page of the paper with a size of 18 points and single-spacing. After one blank line, type the author(s) name(s) (12 pt), affiliation and mailing address (including e-mail) (12 pt), left-aligned under the title. In the case of multi-authorship, group them by firm or organization as shown in the title of these Guidelines.

2.2	Abstract

Type “Abstract:” in bold letters, followed by a concise abstract (150 – 250 words) which presents briefly the content and very importantly, the news and results of the paper in words understandable also to non-specialists.

2.3	Keywords

Leave two lines blank, then type “Keywords:” in bold letters, followed by 2 – 5 keywords. Please use those keywords which you would use to find a paper with the content you are preparing.

Main Body of Text (heading 1)

Main headings are in 14 pt, left-aligned and in bold letters. The spaces before and after the headings are already included in the format (Before = 12 pt; After = 6 pt), thus, no extra blank lines are necessary. Use decimal numbering for headings and subheadings.

3.1	Subheading (heading 2)

Major headings are in 12 pt, left-aligned, and in bold letters.

3.1.1	Subsubheadings (heading 3)

Subsubheadings are to be typed 12 pt and in italics.

3.2	Footnotes

Mark footnotes in the text with a number. Place footnotes at the bottom of the page, separated from the text above it by a horizontal line.

3.3	Illustrations and Tables

3.3.1	Placement

Figures and tables must be placed in the appropriate location in the document, as close as practicable to the reference of the figure/table in the text. Figures and tables should be aligned horizontally on the page.

3.3.2	Captions

All captions should be typed in 12 pt, left-aligned. Captions of figures are placed directly beneath the illustration. Captions of tables are placed directly above the table. If they use more than one line 0.8 spacing is used. All captions are to be numbered consecutively, e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2, Table 1, Table 2. The spaces before and after the captions are already included in the format (Figure: Before = 6 pt; Table: After = 6 pt), thus, no extra blank lines are necessary.

Figure 1. Example figure, placement, caption, and numbering: the Stellenbosch University logo.

3.3.3	Copyright

If your article contains any copyrighted illustrations or imagery, please include a statement of copyright such as: © Springer Verlag Copyright 20xx (fill in year) or ArcGIS®/Esri. It is the author’s responsibility to obtain any necessary copyright permission. After publication, your article is distributed under the copyright terms specific to the publisher.

3.4	Equations, Symbols and Units

3.4.1	Equations

Equations should be numbered consecutively throughout the paper. The equation number is enclosed in parentheses and placed flush right.

(1)

where

=is the reflectance in the near-infrared spectrum

=is the reflectance in the red part of the spectrum

3.4.2	Symbols and Units

Use the SI (Système Internationale) Units and Symbols. Unusual characters or symbols should be explained in a list of nomenclature.

3.5	References

References should be cited in the text e.g., (Bondesan and Ehlen, 2022), (Faculty of Military Science, 2023), or (Guth, 2020); and listed in alphabetical order in the reference section, according to the Harvard referencing style. Spaces of After = 6 pt should be allowed after each reference entry.

3.6	Acknowledgements (optional)

Acknowledgements of support for the project / paper / author are welcome.

3.7	Appendix (optional)

Any additional supporting data may be appended, provided the paper does not exceed the limits given above.

References

Bondesan, A. and Ehlen, J. eds., 2022. Military Geoscience: A Multifaceted Approach to the Study of Warfare. Springer.

Faculty of Military Science. (2023). International Conference on Military Geoscience (ICMG24). Available at: https://www.sun.ac.za/english/faculty/milscience/about-icmg24 (Accessed: 15 March 2024).

Guth, P.L., 2020. Introduction: Geosciences Supporting and Analyzing Military Operations. In Military Geoscience: Bridging History to Current Operations (pp. 1-2). Springer International Publishing.

Place footnotes at the bottom of the page, separated from the text above it by a horizontal line. Font is 10 pt