ALEC 604: Writing for Professional PublicationWeek 13: Submission for Publication

Activities Re-examine professional publication

standards and guidelines Discuss cover letters and related materials Review the checklist for manuscript

submission

Publication Standards and Guidelines Review journal submission guidelines Follow those guidelines

Editors can help with the submission process Experienced authors may help, but

YOU, are most responsible for attention to detail during the manuscript submission process

Check Calls for Conference Papers Deadline dates Specifics for Conference Calls:

Topic or theme for the conference Product: full papers vs. proposals Format: sections, font-type/size, etc. Submission: electronic or mail

Create a calendar for submitting research

Check Journal Guidelines No deadline dates, but very specific purposes

for each journal: Topics considered by each journal Page/word limits Formatting issues Citation standards Review processes Submission guidelines

Formatting Issues Every publishing venue is different Read and follow instructions to authors Look at published articles

Search for “Outstanding” articles/papers Collaborate with others in and outside your area

Preparing Cover Letters If the instructions include sending a cover

letter with your manuscript, then: Write a short introduction about your article Focus less on the content, more on the context Describe the type of paper submitted (article,

book review, etc.) Always include the title of your manuscript Provide your complete contact information

Online Submission Processes No need for a formal cover letter Online profile should reflect professionalism

No questionable e-mail addresses (baddude@aol.com) Use a correct title (Mr., Ms., Dr., etc.) for yourself

Typical Online Procedure: Create profile/account Submit the abstract or full manuscript

Note file types (*.pdf, *.doc, *.rtf, etc.) accepted by system

Related Issues Some journals may charge for submission

Charges vary If charges exist, discuss options with your

supervisor BEFORE submitting your manuscript Some journals have publication page charges

Charges vary per page or per article If print charges exist, discuss options with your

supervisor when your manuscript is accepted

Checklists for Manuscript Submission Conference/Journal manuscript preparation

relies on style manual standards, but not always exactly as indicated in the manual

APA Standards http://www.apa.org/journals/authors/manuscript_check.html http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

MLA Standards http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/

Checklists for Manuscript Submission CMS Standards

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html http://library.osu.edu/sites/guides/chicagogd.php

CBE/CSE Standards http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/library/cbe.htm http://www.wisc.edu/writetest/Handbook/DocCBE.html

Summary Submitting your manuscript for publication is

a joyful event, but attention to detail is needed when heeding: Conference- or journal-specific guidelines Style manual standards Differences between guidelines and standards

Cover letters are almost outdated elements Publication processes can cost you money