About Reviews in Colorado Archaeology

Reviews in Colorado Archaeology (RCA) is an open-access, refereed journal that publishes authoritative and critical syntheses, reviews, thematic studies, and methodological primers for archaeologists and historic preservation professionals working in Colorado and adjacent regions. RCA is published by Paleocultural Research Group, a 501[c][3] nonprofit archaeological research and education organization and is available through Online Resources for Colorado Archaeology and Historic Preservation (ORCA) at www.archaeologycolorado.org.

RCA also periodically publishes book-length contributions. Those “Special Publications” are numbered separately but otherwise follow the editorial standards and review processes applied to article-length contributions to RCA.

RCA publishes articles in five categories:

  • Review Articles: Authoritative topical or regional summaries that highlight new discoveries and recent research
  • Research Articles: Critical syntheses that present new interpretations on long-standing research questions and data gaps or new conceptual approaches to the study of Colorado archaeology
  • Thematic Studies: National Register of Historic Places contexts for evaluating the significance of archaeological resources
  • Method Reports: Descriptions of state-of-the-art field or lab techniques or documentation standards and best practices
  • Resource Reports: Descriptions of regionally or nationally significant archaeological sites, historic properties, or collections

RCA’s Publishing Model

RCA is available without charge or restriction. Articles are published online as they become available. Each annual volume opens on January 1 and closes on December 31. Articles are distributed as .PDF files. Authors are encouraged to provide appropriate supplementary data (datasets, shapefiles or coverages, images, or supporting documents) and these materials are distributed in a variety of widely available formats. After each volume closes, printed copies (apart from supplementary data) will be available through third-party vendors. A .PDF of the complete volume will also be available for download.

RCA publishes contributions on all aspects of the archaeology of Colorado and adjacent regions, from Paleoindian to industrial archaeology. RCA articles and special publications are intended both to summarize the current state of knowledge and to provoke new thinking and new research. RCA contributions are written primarily—although by no means exclusively—for archaeologists and other historic preservation professionals engaged in research and cultural resources management. Individuals working in a variety of settings, including colleges and universities, state and federal agencies, and cultural resources management firms, are encouraged to submit article- or book-length contributions. RCA’s editor also periodically solicits contributions on specific topics. All RCA contributions, including special publications, receive double-blind reviews by at least two subject-matter experts. RCA does not assess publication fees and accepts contributions of any length.

Special Publications

Special publications are not part of RCA’s annual volume but otherwise follow RCA submission, review, and production procedures. Like RCA articles, special publications are authoritative, critical, and synthetic; however, they are not assigned to one of the five article categories. Special publications typically exceed 25,000 words in length. Authors interested in submitting a special publication manuscript are encouraged to consult with the editor well prior to submission.

Distributed Publications

In addition to articles and special publications, RCA distributes, through the ORCA website, monographs or edited volumes produced by university departments, federal or state agencies, cultural resource management firms, or other organizations. Distributed publications are expected to adopt RCA’s scholarly standards, but need not follow RCA editorial or formatting conventions. Authors or editors may also elect to submit distributed publications for blind peer review. RCA’s editor and editorial board reserve the right to request changes to a submitted manuscript prior to publication. Final publication decisions are made by RCA’s editor. Authors or agencies wishing to take advantage of this powerful, low-cost publishing venue should contact the editor early in their planning process.

Contact Information

Editor
Dr. Mark D. Mitchell
Paleocultural Research Group
P.O. Box 745309
Arvada, Colorado 80006
(303) 439-4098
Mark.Mitchell@Paleocultural.org

 

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