Quarterly Review of Biology

The premier review journal in biology since 1926, The Quarterly Review of Biology publishes articles in all areas of biology but with a traditional emphasis on evolution, ecology, and organismal biology. QRB papers do not merely summarize a topic, but offer important new ideas, concepts, and syntheses. They often shape the course of future research within a field. In addition, the book review section of the QRB is the most comprehensive in biology.

Review articles may be submitted to the QRB without prior invitation or a proposal, but consultation with an editor prior to submission may be prudent in some cases. Manuscripts that are mere summaries of the prior literature on a topic are discouraged, as are manuscripts based primarily on unpublished data. However, quantitative analyses of published data as part of review articles are encouraged. Papers that cross biological subdisciplines are particularly appropriate, but papers that represent important contributions to a single subdiscipline (e.g., ecology) are also welcome. Manuscripts with a narrow taxonomic focus typically are discouraged, unless the group is of exceptional interest or offers clearly-stated insights of general importance. Review articles should be written so as to be interesting and accessible to a general audience of professional biologists, regardless of their area of specialty.

The QRB publishes longer review articles than many other journals, but submitted papers should generally be less than 50 double-spaced pages (12-point font), including all figures, references, and tables. Lengthy tables and appendices may be published electronically. Submitted manuscripts typically are vetted by an Editor and an Associate Editor and are peer-reviewed by two or three referees.