Earthscan: 20 years of publishing for a sustainable future
  Home
    Sunday, July 06, 2008
Search | Advanced
Books
Journals
How to order
Information for...
Authors
-Notes for Authors
-Publish With Us
-After Publication
-Marketing Information
Booksellers
Lecturers
Librarians
NGOs
Rights and Permissions
Advertisers
Media
Earthscan e-alerts
Conference Diary
About Earthscan
Contact Us
Earthscan turns 20
e4books2008.jpg 
Get Adobe Reader
ABOUT SSL CERTIFICATES
Notes for Authors: Preparing your Typescript

The following guidelines are provided to help you in the preparation of your typescript, and to ensure the book's smooth progress through the editorial production process.

It is essential that authors prepare their material in accordance with these notes.
Please refer to the notes below on:

Typescript Presentation
Typescript Preparation
House Style

Our schedules are set up well in advance, so please let us know if you are likely to be abroad or unavailable at any time during the book's production. Similarly, we will warn you of when to expect the edited typescript, page proofs, publication date etc.

 Print   
Typescript Presentation

Hard Copy | Disks

Before we can begin work we require a paper copy and electronic version on disk. Please do not send us files by email. The script you present should be the final draft. Once the text reaches proof stage, it will be too late to make any major changes. If you wish to include any 'extras' (such as preface, foreword, glossary, list of recommended reading etc) these should be submitted with the script; scripts will not be dispatched to the copy editor until we have all of the material. If you think that material will have to be added at a later stage, you must let us know this in advance.


Hard Copy

Please number the pages consecutively. If new material is added after the script has been numbered, key it in as clearly as possible. Similarly, if a page has been deleted, please make sure that there is no confusion. If, for example, page 20 has been removed, then mark 'no p20' at the top of page 21.

Please supply the following with your script:

  • Contents - including chapter titles and 'a' level (main) headings;
  • Acronyms and Abbreviations - all those used, listed in full;
  • List of Figures;
  • List of Tables;
  • List of Boxes;
  • About the Contributors - a couple of sentences about the authors in an edited volume.

Do not staple, hole punch or separate into plastic wallets. A large rubber band is sufficient to keep all the pages together and in the correct order.

 

Disks
The text must also be provided on one or more PC formatted disks. Please make sure that the electronic version matches the final typescript exactly. We prefer files to be saved in Word; in all cases, please let us know the software package, version and system that you have used. Files should be uncompressed and contain minimal coding; please do not insert linked footnotes/endnotes, embedded figures or any other complicated coding - the setter will only have to strip it out and in certain instances such formatting will cause their computer to crash. If you wish to indicate a formatting command, please mark it in the printout in red pen. If you use software to link notes while writing your text, please make sure to 'de-link' and save them in a separate file. Boxes and tables should be saved in separate files, not within the main text files (see Figures, Tables and Boxes). Graphic files should be provided on a separate disk (see Supplying Graphics and Illustrations).

Do not save the whole book in one file. Each chapter should be saved as a discrete file according to the following naming system (use of the 00, 01 etc digits ensures that the files appear in the right order):

  • 00prel.doc (all prelims)

  • 01intro.doc (unless the Introduction is included in the prelims)
  • 02chap1.doc
  • 03chap2.doc
  • 04endm.doc (all endmatter)

Please keep a copy of everything you send us in case any of the files we receive are corrupted.

back to top | back to typescript presentation
 Print   
Typescript Preparation

Text | Headings | Lists | Figures, Tables and Boxes | Supplying Graphics and Illustrations | References and Notes | Permissions | Contentious Material | Indexes | Sections and Cross References | Proof-reading

Text
Paragraphs should be full out left, ie no indentation of the first line. Instead, insert an extra hard carriage return after each paragraph.

Headings
Pick a style for each level of heading/subheading and stick to that style. It is essential that levels of headings are clearly and consistently coded by 'square bracket tagging' each heading according to its level, ie '[a]' for the first level of heading after a chapter title, '[b]' for the next and so on. To simplify things, you can create a 'short cut' key for each tag. Do not leave a space after the tag and the text that it codes. For example:

[a]Public Policy

[b]Green taxes

[c]The EU carbon tax

Please do not number your headings. The only numbered heading should be the chapter heading.

Lists
You may wish to have bulleted or numbered lists. Only use the latter where there is a clear hierarchy in the list entries, or if the preceding statement warrants it (eg 'There are four points to be borne in mind...'). Please avoid lists with very long entries - it is often less confusing to use subheadings.

Please don't use Word or WordPerfect bullet or number list functions and don't type bullet symbols. This type of formatting tends to crash professional typesetting programs. Use a hard carriage return at the end of each point and insert an extra hard carriage return before and after the full list (ie one line space above and below). Type two asterisks, '**', followed by one character space, to indicate the start of each bullet point, as follows:

** first point in a bulleted list;
** second point in a bulleted list;
** third point in a bulleted list; and
** fourth point in a bulleted list.

Numbers followed by one character space will indicate a numbered list:

1 First point in a numbered list.
2 Second point in a numbered list.
3 Third point in a numbered list.

Where the points are complete sentences (or paragraphs), use an introductory colon, initial upper case (capital letter) on the first word and a final full stop; where they are continuations of the introductory sentence, use an introductory colon, lower case first word, semicolons after each point and a final full stop after the last point.

Figures, Tables and Boxes
Figures, tables and boxes must not be saved in the main text files. All captions should be inserted in the relevant place in the text and numbered sequentially within each chapters, eg 'Figure 1.1 The poverty spiral in Bangladesh' would be the first figure in Chapter 1; 'Table 4.6 Pesticide use and yields of major crops in Europe' would be the sixth table in Chapter 4. Full details of sources must be provided in each case, unless the work is your own and unpublished elsewhere. When referring to specific figures/tables/boxes within the text, please use an initial upper case, eg '(see Figure 3.2)'.

Figures
Please supply a hard copy printout and the electronic file (see Supplying Graphics and Illustrations). A numbered figure caption (and 'Source:' and 'Note:', where appropriate) inserted in the appropriate place in the main text is all that is needed to indicate the correct position for the typesetter. The illustration number should be bold and the caption italic, with initial caps for all main words, as below.

Figure 1.3 Effects of Global Warming in Europe

Tables
Please only place rules (lines) at the top and bottom of a table. Extra line spaces should be used for clarification rather than inserting additional rules. Type the appropriately numbered caption above each table.

Boxes
No special formatting is required for boxes. The caption should be centred above the box text.

Supplying Graphics and Illustrations                                                                                               

We prefer to receive files as tif, jpeg or eps format. Please check with us if you intend to submit figures in other file formats. It is best to avoid using Word documents with photographs or other image files embedded in them; it will result in additional work and poorer quality. We can accept hard copy (e.g. photographs or transparencies) although the cost of scanning them to produce an electronic file may be passed on (see next point). If figures are not supplied in the ideal format or to specifications outlined below we are likely to need to carry out additional work on the files or have the figure redrawn, and the cost of this is usually passed on to the author.

 Electronic Specifications

Please provide figures to be reproduced in monochrome as black and white (‘grayscale’) images and provide colour figures as CMYK, not RGB. Image size, when resolution is set to 300dpi, should be as close as possible to the size at which the image is likely to appear in the book. Often this will mean a width of 120mm, although it obviously depends on the chosen dimensions for the book. Save each image file using the name of the figure as referred to in the chapter text, e.g. ‘Figure 1.1.tif’. If a Figure is made up of multiple images they may be saved as ‘Figure 1.1a.tif’, ‘Figure 1.1b.tif’, etc. If you are creating a diagram, graph, etc. yourself, it’s preferable to use 8pt Helvetica font for any labelling (assuming the figure is at the correct size). Do not include the figure caption, source or notes in the illustration. These will be inserted in the appropriate position in the main text.

Additional costs: please bear in mind that we will have to charge the author if it is necessary to redraw or make corrections to figures or labels and keys. The costs will be deducted from future royalty earnings. Where illustrations are not camera-ready, charges for image manipulation range from £5 for simple line drawings and labels/keys corrections, to £35 for redrawing a complex figure such as a detailed map. Graphic files created in Word or WordPerfect are not considered to be camera-ready as they cannot be imported directly by the typesetter and will therefore require manipulating or, in some instances, redrawing.

References and Notes
We prefer the Harvard system of referencing, whereby the author's surname, date of publication and, where possible, page number are quoted in brackets in the main text (Hough, 1998, p23). The full references should be listed alphabetically by surname in one chapter, entitled 'References', at the end of the book (or under an 'a' level heading at the end of each chapter in a multi-authored volume). Please avoid using numbered references since the addition or deletion of references can create lots of work for the copy editor and proof-reader.

It is essential that you provide full information for all references: author's name, initials, date of publication, full title of publication, publisher, place of publication and page number. Please follow closely the style of referencing given below. If you chose a close variation, then take care to be consistent throughout. Correcting poorly presented or incomplete references is time consuming for the copy editor, typesetter and proof-reader.

Daniel, J (1989) 'The unkindest cut of all', Nature Canada, vol 8, pp37-44

Dyer, C (1996) 'Evidence rules plea rejected', The Guardian, London, 10 July, p4

Edwards, M and Hulme, D (1992) Making a Difference, Earthscan, London

Hawken, P (1996) 'A Teasing Irony' in Welford, R and Starkey, R (eds) The Earthscan Reader in Business and the Environment, Earthscan, London

New Economics Foundation and Friends of the Earth (1997) More Isn't Always Better: A special briefing on Growth and quality of life in the UK, FoE and NEF, London

World Bank (1995) Monitoring Environmental Progress: A report on work in progress, The World Bank, Washington, DC

If you quote material from another author's work, please make sure that you have quoted the passages correctly, have supplied an accurate reference, and have cleared copyright (see Permissions below).

For notes it is essential that the superscript numbers appear consecutively, ie '1' followed by '2', within each chapter. The sequence of numbers should start at number '1' in each chapter. Do not number them consecutively throughout the entire book. The notes should be listed numerically in one chapter, entitled 'Notes', at the end of the book under 'a' level headings of the relevant chapter. However, in a multi-authored volume, the notes should be placed at the end of each chapter under an 'a' level heading. The superscript note number in the main text should be placed after punctuation, such as when it comes at the end of a sentence or refers to bracketed text. For example:

The results proved to be inconclusive.1 The revised tests (based on research carried out in the early 1970s)2,3 were adopted worldwide.4

Permissions
Unless you have made other arrangements with us, it is solely the author's responsibility to clear permission to reproduce material protected by copyright; the publisher is indemnified against breaches of copyright by the author in the contract. As a rule of thumb, it is usually considered unnecessary to clear permission for text extracts shorter than 400 words, but if you are in any doubt, check with the copyright holder. Please bear in mind that permissions can take several months to clear, so you should apply at the earliest opportunity.

Contentious Material
Authors should make every effort to avoid using material which may give offence to readers. Racist and sexist remarks are unacceptable, and please avoid sexual stereotypes: the masculine pronoun should not be used inaccurately. Use 'people' or 'he' and 'she' alternately; 'businessperson', 'chairperson' and 'salesperson'; and don't use female diminutives, like 'poetess'.

It is the author's responsibility to check the accuracy of the material before it reaches the publisher. It is particularly important that any defamatory or potentially libellous material is checked carefully by a lawyer with competence in that field, and revised as necessary.

Indexes
The index is not compiled until the proofs stage, ie when the page layout is finalized. Under the terms of the contract, the author must provide a comprehensive index. If you decide to do the index yourself, please let us know, and we will advise you on preparation and presentation. Alternatively, we will be happy to commission a freelance indexer to do it for you, the cost of which (usually in the region of £350) is charged against author royalties.


Sections and Cross References
Please don't divide your text up into sections (1.0, 1.1 etc); this hierarchy should be satisfactorily replaced by levels of heading (see above). While sections are useful for exhaustive cross referencing, this is something we try to avoid; being constantly referred to other parts of the text is exhausting for the reader, and is usually only appropriate in the most technical kinds of text. Limited cross referencing can be achieved by typing 'see p000' at the relevant place in the script, and then filling in the appropriate page when you receive the proofs (see below).

Proof-Reading
Although proofs are read by a freelance proof-reader, you will be copied a set to check. Please bear in mind that corrections at proof stage are extremely costly, and must be kept to a minimum. No rewriting can be considered - particularly any which will require repagination - and author's corrections which exceed 10 per cent of the cost of the original setting bill will be charged to you.

Please mark any changes as clearly as possible in red pen in the margin of the proofs, and insert the correct page numbers in any cross references indicated.

back to top | back to typescript preparation
 Print   
House Style

Below is a list of Earthscan's house style points; please bear them in mind. We ask our copy editors and proof-readers to work to these rules, so if for any reason you haven't followed them, please let us know; otherwise, your script will probably be altered by the copy editor accordingly (and at considerable expense).

Spelling and Hyphens | En Dash | Capitalization | Full Stops and Dots | Acronyms and Abbreviations | Italicization | Numbers and Measurements | Punctuation | Jargon |
APPENDIX 1 - OXFORD 'Z' SPELLINGS

Spelling and Hyphens
Where there are alternative ways of spelling one word, please be consistent. Please use 'ize'/'ization' rather than 'ise'/'isation' spellings for words like realize, organization, specialize etc. Note that some words - generally those which don't stem from Latin - cannot take 'ize' eg analyse, comprise, revise (see Appendix 1); check in an Oxford English dictionary if in doubt. Exceptions should also be made for proper names, eg 'Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development'.

Please keep hyphenation to a minimum: 'cooperation' and 'medium sized company' rather than 'co-operation' and 'medium-sized company'.

En Dash

Please take care to use the en dash (-) correctly, as distinct from the hyphen (-), as follows:

  • with a space either side when used as parentheses: 'their daily domestic tasks - cooking, washing and child care - confine them to the environs of the house';
  • close up between words of equal relationship: 'the North-South divide';
  • close up between numbers and dates: 'pp45-87'; 'April 1998-October 1999'.

Capitilization
Keep to a minimum. Don't use capitals for words like 'company' or 'manager'; in general, use lower case for generic references ('European governments') but capitals for specifics ('the UK Government'). Again, be consistent.

Full Stops and Dots
Keep to a minimum; do not use for abbreviations: 'et al'; 'op cit'; 'etc'; 'vol'; 'eds'. They are no longer deemed obligatory, and make the page look messy, as well as being hard to keep consistent, particularly in lists of references. (See References and Notes for the preferred style.)

Acronyms and Abbreviations
Acronyms should be spelt out in full the first time that they are used, eg 'International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)'. Thereafter, the acronym only should be given. If a number of acronyms and abbreviations are used, please provide a list.

Italicization
This is the preferred method of emphasizing (don't use bold or underlining), but please use only where necessary. Italics are no longer used for common foreign words or phrases (et al, inter alia etc), but may be used for more obscure references. Italics should be used for the names of books, newspapers, journals, paintings, plays, films and ships (government papers or policy statements usually appear in inverted commas).

Numbers and Measurements                                                                                                       Numbers from one to ten should be written in full as words and 11 upwards as figures: 'ten days'; '30 days'. However, numbers should always be written out as words at the beginning of a sentence: 'Thirty-three days later...'. Percentages should always be expressed as figures, and 'per cent' should always be used rather than '%': '2 per cent'; '29 per cent'.

Measurements should be metric, eg '6.8 kilometres' ('6.8km') rather than '4 miles' and 'tonnes' rather than 'tons'. Money values should be given in '£', 'US$' or 'ecu' (use the symbol if you have it).

Punctuation
Please be sparing with punctuation; avoid littering the page with commas. Do not use a comma before the penultimate entry in a list, e.g. 'rats, mice, gerbils and guinea pigs'. Use single quotes to denote speech; only use double quotes when speech is being reported within an extant set of quotation marks. Avoid using inverted commas for unfamiliar words. It is usually unnecessary.

Jargon
Please bear your intended audience in mind. Jargon is acceptable in technical texts, but should be kept to an absolute minimum in more general texts, and should be explained thoroughly on first usage. 

back to top | back to house style

Appendix 1 - Oxford ' Z ' Spellings

The verb has been selected for demonstration (ie authorize - authorization).

This is not a complete list. If in any doubt, please refer to an Oxford dictionary.

'z' 's'
authorize advise

advertise

analyse



breathalyse


categorize catalyse
centralize comprise
characterize compromise
civilianize
civilize
colonize
conceptualize
criticize


democratize despise
dramatize


economize excise
emphasize exercise
equalize
exorcize


formalize


generalize
globalize


harmonize
hypothesize


immunize
industrialize
institutionalize


legitimatize lyse
legitimize
localize


materialize
maximize
minimize
mobilize
monetize
monopolize


organize otherwise
ostracize


patronize
plagiarize
polarize
prioritize
privatize


rationalize revise
realize
recognize
revitalize


specialize supervise
stabilize surmise
stabilize surprise
subsidize
summarize
symbolize


theorize


urbanize
utilize
back to top of page | back to house style
 Print   
Register   Login  
Copyright 2007 by Oxinet   |  Privacy Statement   |  Terms Of Use
Skin designed by Alldnnskins.com