Are you a physicist in academia or industry with an interest in writing? Do you want to tell the wider physics community about the work you’re doing?
Physics World is always on the lookout for people in every area of physics to write about the latest breakthroughs, hot topics and developments in their field. From astronomy, quantum mechanics and particle physics, to condensed matter, medical applications and material science – our readers want to discover more.
If writing for Physics World sounds like something you’d like to do, here are some details about what we’re looking for, how to pitch an article and where to send it.
We are looking for feature articles – long-form pieces that explore a topic in detail and from different angles. These articles tell a story. They can, for example, highlight one groundbreaking study, or look at a new field from different perspectives. They can profile a historical figure who made an important impact in physics, or a rising star who’s making waves now. They could explore a topic synonymous with physics, or take one seemingly unrelated to the field and look at it with a physicist’s eye.
Remember that Physics World is a website and magazine, not a peer-reviewed journal. That means features should be written in an engaging, informal and upbeat style – they can be written in the first person, recall anecdotes and mention how you felt about something.
Features can be 1500–3000 words depending on the topic, and should be written at a level that can be easily understood by an undergraduate physics student or someone who did physics long ago. They shouldn’t be too technical or rely on in-depth knowledge of the area – and these articles don’t include equations and citations.
Feature articles are published on the Physics World website, which reaches an international audience of more than 150,000 readers per month. Feature articles are then included in the Physics World monthly magazine, which is available to all members of the Institute of Physics. If there is a careers angle, the article may also be published in the annual Physics World Careers Guide.
If you have an idea for an article, you can send us a pitch – about 250 words outlining the topic and how you envisage the piece will be structured.
We need to see you have a clear story in mind, with a beginning, middle and end. Include the names of people you intend to feature, and URL links so we can find out more. Keep it relaxed and personal, and avoid overly technical phrasing.
As Physics World is in a position to influence how the field of physics is portrayed, it’s vital we celebrate and acknowledge the work of people from under-represented groups. We therefore want to see that you plan to speak to a diverse range of people – keep in mind whether they represent all of physics, not just a corner of it.
Please note that if you have pitched the article elsewhere, or already had it published, we cannot accept it.
Once we have received your article idea, our features editors Tushna Commissariat and Sarah Tesh will discuss it in detail with Physics World editor-in-chief Matin Durrani to decide whether it is suitable. We will let you know the decision, and if you are successful, provide you with a wordcount and deadline to work to.
On receiving the draft of your article, we will assign an editor to work with you. They will edit the article for clarity and accessibility, and to ensure it follows Physics World house style. The editor will ask you to explain any points they don’t understand or expand on details where they think the reader would benefit from further explanation. Once you and the editor are happy with your article it will be polished and laid out by our production team, who will send you a PDF proof ahead of publication that you can check for any mistakes. After a final check, the article will be published online and in the magazine.
Please send any pitches to pwld@ioppublishing.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
We look forward to hearing from you!