Which Editor to Contact?

Depends on the publication. Ideally, you want to identify the correct section of the magazine where your article will fit, then pitch the editor in charge of that section. If you can find submission guidelines, they might tell you which editor to pitch (just don't send to a general submissions email address -- that's a sure way to get yours lost in a sea of slush).

You have to find the name of the editor who will read the query. It's usually somewhere in the guidelines. Sometimes the correct name is preceded by "contact", and sometimes it's buried in prose, but it should be there. It's often whoever wrote the guidelines. The problem with sending something to the wrong editor is that the right editor might be working hundreds of miles away. At best, sending to teh wrong editor often means long delays. At worst, it can mean discarded queries.

Some of the market guides also list the editors. The masthead can be your friend for figuring out who edits each section.

Angie said:

(just don't send to a general submissions email address -- that's a sure way to get yours lost in a sea of slush).

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If that's where the magazine wants it sent, that's where you should send it. If you don't, you'll get lost twice, and probably deleted by the editor who wasn't supposed to receive it.

It's always a matter of find guidelines, read guidelines, follow guidelines/