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Guidelines for Formatting Your Manuscript

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  • Double-space the entire manuscript, including notes, bibliography, and internal quotations. Do not prepare an index at this time.
  • There should be no more than 24–25 lines per full page.
  • Font size should be 12 point throughout. Do not use a smaller font size for notes.
  • Font type should be Times Roman or a similar font. Avoid Courier or any sans serif fonts. Contact your editor if you have any questions about the font you are using.
  • Margins must be at least one inch on all sides.
  • Use 8.5 x 11 inch paper if possible. Authors outside the United States and Canada using A4 paper should leave at least a 2 inch (5 centimeter) margin at the bottom of each page.
  • Paginate consecutively. Do not begin each chapter with a new page “1.” If necessary, hand number the pages in black ink. Leave ample room so that the page numbers will appear when photocopied.
  • Do not use footnotes (notes at the bottom of the page). Notes should be placed at the end of the work or, for edited volumes only, at the end of each chapter. Notes to each chapter begin at #1.
  • Include a full Title page, a Table of Contents, and List of Illustrations (if applicable). Try to limit the Table of Contents to no more than 1–2 pages.
  • Follow an accepted style for notes and bibliography (e.g., Chicago, MLA, APA, etc.). Be prepared to provide guidelines of any style not noted above.

IF YOU ARE PREPARING AN EDITED VOLUME:

ELECTRONIC PREPARATION OF THE MANUSCRIPT:

  • Save the text of your manuscript in one large file, including notes. Notes are considered as back matter and should be placed towards the end of the file. See the Guidelines for Submitting Notes for more information. Insert a page break before each new chapter.
  • Use the automatic indent feature for paragraph indents, not the space bar or tab key. Do not put hard returns in the middle of a paragraph or in the middle of a sentence.
  • Automatic hyphenation is OK to use but do not manually break up words at the ends of lines. The only exception is compound words.

ILLUSTRATIONS (FIGURES, TABLES, MAPS, AND OTHER GRAPHIC MATERIALS):

  • Refer to the Guidelines for Nonelectronic Artwork, the Guidelines for Creating Charts and Graphs, and the Digital Art Requirements.
  • Number all copies of graphic material included in the manuscript, as they count towards the page total.
  • All illustrations must be submitted as separate, individual files, not embedded in the text.
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Guidelines for Submitting Notes

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Supplying a copy of your manuscript electronically (either on disk or CD) eliminates the need for the typesetter to retype your manuscript, thus greatly reducing the chance that errors will be introduced while producing the galleys and page proofs. However, if you use the automatic footnoting feature of your word-processing software, there is a chance that the footnotes/endnotes will be stripped from your document when your files are converted to the typesetter’s page-layout software. In these cases, it becomes necessary for the typesetter to retype your notes, which increases the chances for errors and therefore defeats the purpose of supplying electronic files. We therefore require that authors save their notes at the end of the manuscript, without using the automatic footnoting feature. In the case of edited volumes, notes are placed at the end of each chapter.

How to Do It

Basically, this is a simple “copy and paste” operation: copy the notes and then paste them at the end of the document (or in an edited volume, at the end of each chapter), in order by chapter. Renumber the notes if the numbers disappear. After successfully copying the notes to the new location, delete them from the old location. Be sure all notes have a corresponding note number in the text and that they match properly.

The ability to copy and paste the notes from your file to a new file is a common feature of many Windows- and Macintosh-based programs. However, if you’re uncomfortable with the copy and paste method, then please follow the numbered steps below, as that procedure works for Microsoft Word 2000 for Windows, and the same general strategy will probably work for many Windows- or Macintosh-based programs (allowing for differences in menus, commands, and other elements that vary from program to program). If you have difficulties with this procedure, or if you have problems in figuring out how to match the following steps to your particular word-processing program, we recommend that you consult a computer professional or support person at your university. Unfortunately, your SUNY Press editor cannot advise you on the ins and outs of each different word-processing program.

If you’re uncomfortable with the “copy and paste” method, then please follow the steps below:

  1. Create a new document entitled “notes” or “endnotes” (this will be the file into which you save the notes for each chapter; for edited volumes, however, you will need to save each chapter’s notes in a different document, e.g., “notes01” for notes to chapter 1, “notes02” for notes to chapter 2, etc.).

  2. Open the chapter that contains notes with the automatic footnoting feature. Note: We strongly recommend that you keep backup copies of all files until this entire process is complete.

  3. From the “View” menu, choose “Footnotes” (this will probably be different in different word-processors—the most important thing is to find out how to display the notes part of the document, and most Windows- and Macintosh-based programs should allow you to do this somehow).

  4. From the “Edit” menu, choose “Select All” (selects the text of all the notes).

  5. From the “Edit” menu, choose “Copy” (copies the text of all the notes into your clipboard). Then close the window that displays the notes.

  6. From the “Window” menu, choose the document you created in step 1 (re-opens the notes document).

  7. Type the following subhead: “Notes to chapter X” (where X is the number of the chapter you are working on).

  8. From the “Edit” menu, choose “Paste” (pastes the text of the notes into the notes document). At this point, the notes will probably all be renumbered to “1” (for instance, instead of having 37 notes numbered sequentially, you will now have 37 notes with the note number 1).

  9. You will now need to go through the notes document and type in the correct number for each note. We strongly recommend that you work from a hard copy of the notes at this point, to reduce the possibility of numbering a note incorrectly.

  10. After you have renumbered the notes in the notes document, you need to go back to your original chapter (by going to the “Window” menu and choosing the document name for that chapter).

  11. At this point, you need to go through the chapter and replace each automatic footnote number with a “hard” or “manual” number. You can do this either by scrolling through the chapter and replacing the numbers as you come across them, or (in Microsoft Word 2000, and perhaps other word processors as well) by doing a “Find” search (located under the “Edit” menu) for a “footnote mark” or “endnote mark” (this may make it easier for you to find a lot of scattered notes).

  12. As you come across each automatic note number, delete it and type in the note number. As before, we strongly recommend that you do this while looking at a hard copy of the manuscript in which the notes are numbered correctly—this will reduce the possibility that you will number a note incorrectly. Remember that as you delete notes, the program will renumber the following notes automatically—thus, if you start at the beginning of the chapter, you will always be deleting note number “1” and replacing it with a successively higher number (you can eliminate this problem by working backwards from the end of the document). It’s easy to get confused, so always have a hard copy on hand to compare to the screen version.

  13. In many cases, the program will keep the new number superscripted—this is fine. Or, you can manually superscript the number (by choosing “Font” under the “Format” menu), or bold it, or do something else that indicates that it is a note number. You can even enclose it in brackets.

  14. Repeat steps 11–13 until all the automatic note numbers have been replaced by hard numbers.

  15. Save the document. (Again, we strongly recommend that you keep backups of all your files, so that you can always go back to a correct version if you make errors in any of the above steps.)

  16. Once you have completed this process for all the chapters, print a copy of the entire manuscript, and submit two copies of the manuscript along with the disk version when you are ready to send it to the Press for production.
Remember, checking your notes carefully will help to reduce the possibility that errors will be introduced during the typesetting phase of production, and thus will also help to reduce costs, not to mention the chances that publication will be delayed. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated!
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Guidelines for Edited Volumes

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It is the responsibility of the volume editor(s) to gather materials from their contributors and format these consistently for submission to the publisher, if the contributors have not already done so. Please be sure to follow these file guidelines:

  1. The volume editor puts together the final electronic file that is submitted on disk or CD, and which matches the hardcopy exactly. Provide the electronic file when the manuscript is submitted for production, along with a copy of the Electronic Media Questionnaire indicating software, hardware, etc.

  2. Double-space the complete document. This includes all text, internal quotations, notes, and reference lists (bibliographies).

  3. Use one font only, in a 12-point size, preferably a serif font such as Times or Times New Roman. (It’s OK to use italics or underlining to indicate emphasis.)

  4. All chapters must follow the style determined by the volume editor (e.g., Chicago, MLA, APA, etc.).

  5. Place notes at the end of each chapter, NOT at the bottom of the page.

  6. Consecutively paginate the entire manuscript, NOT individually by chapter or part.

THESE GUIDELINES WILL PRODUCE AN OPTIMAL MANUSCRIPT. We ask that you follow them. The electronic file must match the hardcopy exactly.
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SUNY Press's Digital Art Guidelines

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As many authors include art (i.e., graphs, charts, photos, and tables), in their volumes, SUNY Press is pleased to provide the following guidelines for proper formatting and appropriate specifications for digital art submission. It is strongly recommended that all authors who intend to include art in their volumes (as defined above) read this document carefully, so as to avoid complications in the production process. If you have any questions about these guidelines, please contact your acquisitions editor.

Some General Points about Digital Art Submissions:
  • All images, tables, and figures associated with your manuscript should each be submitted as separate, individual files.
  • Digital art files should NOT be embedded in your manuscript. Please use “callouts” i.e.: [Figure 2.1 about here.] in the manuscript to indicate roughly where an image, table, or figure is to be set. When your book is typeset, the compositor will use this as a guide to ensure proper placement of the art.
  • Files should be named according to our naming convention. Please name files as: “author last name_figure_4.2” for example, using underscores, not spaces, between elements.
  • A typical SUNY Press book is a 6” x 9” volume, with an estimated text area of roughly 4 ½” x 7 ½”.  Please keep this size in mind when planning art and be aware that larger items will be scaled down. Text in figures that are scaled down in size will be correspondingly smaller.

Image Submission (i.e., photographs, paintings, etc.)

Format
  • Images must be submitted in TIFF format.
  • Images may be submitted as either color or grayscale, but bear in mind that the image will be grayscale halftone in the text.
  • JPEG files are not recommended for use in your volume, as the resolution quality is adversely affected when the file is accessed and saved; if no other format is available, do not edit or save the image as a new file—this will lower the resolution.
  • File formats not suitable for reproduction include, but are not limited to: .GIF, .PSD, .PNG, or .BMP.
Resolution and Image Size
  • Art must have a resolution of no less than 300 ppi (pixels per inch, also called “dpi,” or dots per inch.)
  • A 300 ppi image that measures 1 inch square can only be printed at the 1 inch square size. Enlargment will cause resolution loss and result in an unprintable image. Scanning these images at 600 ppi or larger is the only way to enlarge the image area without causing resolution loss. A 1x1 image scanned at 300 ppi will give you a 1x1 image, scanning that same image at 600 ppi will roughly double that.
Permissions
A Word about Digital Cameras
Many authors are now submitting images for their books that they have taken with a digital camera. Check your camera settings before taking photos, as even the simplest of digital cameras should have different settings for low and high resolution (sometimes noted as smaller or larger images). It is important that the camera be set properly before you begin to take pictures for submission. Just because a picture has been taken with a digital camera, this does not necessarily guarantee that it will be high resolution, or even in the proper format. It’s best to consult your owner’s manual for how to correctly set up your digital camera to take high-resolution images. Check the resolution of the pictures you have taken before submission.

Line drawings
  • Line drawings (sketches with no gray tones) should be submitted at no less than 1200 ppi resolution, if the image is a simple black and white scan. This is to ensure no pixelation (such as the “staircasing” effect on an angled line) when the image is reproduced.

Charts and Graphs

Formats
  • Charts and graphs need to be created in Illustrator, CorelDraw, or another computer drawing program and saved as .EPS files. SUNY Press realizes that some authors may not have access to, or proficiency in, such programs. If an author cannot create the illustration themselves in these programs, it is strongly recommended that the author enlist the services of a graphics professional to produce the charts and graphs for the volume in the proper format.
  • Do not submit Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files; they will be returned to you as unacceptable and you will need to have the file recreated in an acceptable program.
  • Please be sure to indicate which platform (i.e., Mac or PC) was used to create the figures.
Color and Lines
  • Do not use colors in charts or graphs; your images will be reproduced as black and white halftones.
  • Use shades of gray or simple graphic patterns to distinguish between different areas within a figure (i.e., the different bars of a bar graph).
  • Lines within charts and graphs should be 100% black.
Text
  • Choose a simple, legible, sans serif font such as Helvetica, using capital letters for emphasis rather than italics or boldface.
  • Make sure that the elements and style of each chart or graph are consistent with the other figures in your book. This includes typefaces, borders, shading, etc.
  • Include the figure number, title, and caption beneath the figure. Do NOT set this information within the figure itself.
General Note: When composing charts and graphs, simplicity is key. A clear, concise graph or chart both clarifies the author’s points succinctly and improves readability for the end-user.

Maps

Composition of maps for use in your volume can be an involved and complicated task. If an author needs to create a map for his or her volume, they should employ the services of a professional cartographer (SUNY Press can suggest an appropriate cartographer if need be).

Tables
For tables, Word format is acceptable, but please do NOT embed the tables within the manuscript, but submit each in a separate file.

Hardcopies of Art for Submission
If it is absolutely impossible for an author to submit art in a digital format, SUNY Press is willing to accept art in hardcopy format. One caveat: Although great care is taken with original materials, the possibility of lost or damaged materials remains.

SUNY Press can accept 8 x 10 inch black and white glossy prints or sharp black and white line drawings. Please include with each illustration only what you want printed. Write the number and title of the illustration on the back, and also submit the art captions separately, in a list form.

Items that are discouraged for submission in hardcopy format include: scans of previously printed black and white halftone illustrations (these images retain the half-tone pattern of the first printing and do not reproduce well). Photocopies of art, whether from original photographs or printed material, are totally unacceptable. We discourage submission of slides and transparencies. Slides and transparencies of color photographs, charts, graphs, and maps must be professionally scanned. Authors will be charged the resultant fees for such scanning.

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Permissions Guidelines

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COPYRIGHT PERMISSIONS, CREDITS, RELEASES, AND CONSENTS

SUNY Press policy dictates that manuscripts will not be turned over for production until all necessary permissions have been secured.

A permission request often takes at least a few months to be filled, so you are urged not to delay in writing for permission. Delays are costly in scheduling, adoptions, and author’s alterations.

Every SUNY Press author (or editor of a multiauthor volume) is legally responsible for observing the copyright laws and the laws of privacy and libel. These guidelines will help you to meet these responsibilities. The Press is not able to offer legal advice; either consult an attorney or request permission in doubtful cases. Certainly there will be instances when these guidelines are insufficient. For more detail, you should refer to The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, chapter 4.

WHAT IS FAIR USE?

The “fair use” exception to the copyright law allows one to quote or paraphrase brief excerpts from copyrighted material without asking for permission (but NOT without giving appropriate credit). Copyright law does not specify the exact number of quoted words that may be used without permission; instead, it bases “fair use” on the following factors:
  1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes


  2. The nature of the copyrighted work


  3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole


  4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work
For more detail regarding fair use, you should refer to The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, sections 4.75–4.84. If you have further questions you should consult your editor at the Press or seek legal advice as to the limits of the fair use exception.

Once you have determined that your use of a work falls under the fair use guidelines you should claim and use it. It is not advisable to ask for permission as you would be tacitly admitting that permission is needed, thus undermining your right to exercise the fair use option.

General guidelines regarding fair use:

  • Whether permission is needed or not, you should always credit any work by another person, citing the source of the work from which you are borrowing.
  • Some material that is considered to have high commercial value is treated by its owners as if it had a special status, to which the fair use exception does not apply. The most common example is a song lyric. We recommend therefore that you secure permission for use of any song lyric or portion thereof. Be aware that the music publishing industry has the will and means to insist that lyrics not be quoted without permission. Poetry is also considered by many to constitute a special case, and we recommend that you carefully consider whether to request permission when quoting or excerpting poetry.
  • The reproduction of all or almost all of a complete unit (e.g., a journal article or book chapter, a poem, a chart, table, outline, or map or other illustration) is generally not considered fair use, no matter how short the piece is. In particular, permission is needed to reproduce an illustration that is in copyright, even if it is used for purposes of scholarly discussion. However, if you are using only facts, not the format, of such entities as a table or chart, you need to give the source but permission is not necessary. If there is a significant change in the redrawing of a copyrighted illustration, and no permission is needed, do not give credit unless the idea in the illustration is quite original.
  • The inclusion of a piece in an anthology or collection of readings does not fall within the fair use exception and permission must be obtained.
  • Fair use applies only narrowly to unpublished work, because the creator has the right to keep the work unpublished. In such instances, you should obtain permission before using such material. Bear in mind that unpublished letters are particularly difficult; the writer of the letter (or the writer’s heirs) normally maintain publication rights even if the letter is held by another person or in a library.
REQUESTING PERMISSIONS/RELEASES

  • Start early.
  • Use the Permissions Request form letter, retyped on your own letterhead. If you do not use our sample letter, you must enclose a copy of the letter you sent to the publisher or copyright holder.
  • To obtain permission, you should begin by writing to the original publisher, even if the copyright is in the author’s name. If that publisher does not retain publication rights, it should be able to refer you to the owner of the material. For unpublished material, you should write to the author.
  • Please note that a photograph of a work of art often needs permission from both the artist and the person who photographed the work. Other works may also require permission from two or more persons or organizations.
  • Copy and enclose with the Permissions Request the page(s) of your manuscript on which the quoted matter appears. If you do not get a response within a month, write a follow-up letter or make a telephone call to the publisher’s rights and permissions department.
  • In order for the Press to be able to distribute your book worldwide in both hardcover and paperback formats, you should ask for nonexclusive world rights in all languages and editions (see the Permissions Request form letter). Nonexclusive world rights for cloth and paper editions are essential. Many copyright holders will grant only one-time rights (i.e., for one edition of the book), and these are often sufficient. Be sure to note any restrictions, such as no electronic rights, no UK rights, English-language only rights, etc. If the copyright-holder does not control all of the world rights (e.g., only U.S., Canadian, and open market rights), or all of the language rights, please inquire as to who holds the rest of the rights (such as a British publisher). If you or your editor think the book might be translated into a foreign language, you will also need to inquire about foreign-language rights from any copyright-holder who grants only English-language rights.
  • Be certain to note if any of the permissions specify a particular wording or placement of the credit so that these instructions may be followed.
  • Some publishers will ask for additional information, request a copy of the book once published, or levy permission fees. You are responsible for all fees and for listing those requesting a copy of the book on your Marketing Questionnaire (we will send the complimentary copies).
  • You must obtain a release for any photograph of an identifiable individual that was taken in a private place, such as the person’s home. Use the Picture Release Form for this purpose. A parent or guardian should sign a release form for a photograph of a minor. Even if the person agreed to have the photograph taken, that does not necessarily imply that he or she agrees to its publication.
  • You must also obtain a release for any photo that could harm or embarrass the person in the photo, regardless of whether it was taken in a private or public place.
  • If someone gives a release for publication of a photograph or artwork inside your book, this does not necessarily imply that he or she agrees to its publication on the dust jacket or cover or in advertisements and other promotional materials for the book. The release should specify all the intended uses of the photograph. Therefore, be sure to use either the Interior Artwork Permissions Request letter OR the Cover Artwork Permissions Request letter depending on how you wish to use the artwork.
  • Contributors to edited volumes, as well as individuals who write forewords or introductions, etc., must sign a letter of consent to publish, or Contributor Release letter, which must be printed on your own letterhead.
  • Send with your final manuscript the original of all permissions, agreements, and releases. At the top of each Permissions Request, note in which chapter the material in question appears in your manuscript. Make sure you keep copies of all materials for your files.
  • If the restrictions on a particular excerpt seem excessive, we strongly recommend that you reconsider your use of the material. If it is not essential to the discussion (as in the case of an epigraph), or if you may in some way avoid quoting or excerpting the material at length, we recommend that you seriously consider revising the manuscript so as to eliminate the quotation or bring it down to the levels of fair use. You should then write to the copyright holder(s) and inform them that you no longer plan to make use of the material, or that you have reduced it to the level that would be covered under fair use.
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