Prepared by the Publications Division of ASCE
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports a robust book-publishing program to provide in-depth information on a variety of topics of interest to civil engineers and allied professionals. The books program encompasses ASCE Standards, Manuals of Practice, conference proceedings, technical reports, and the ASCE Press imprint. The Publishing Books section of the ASCE Author Center provides information to authors, editors, and members of ASCE's technical committees who are working on books to be published by ASCE.
This Author Center describes the types of books published by ASCE, including the review and approval process for each type; the role of the lead editor/author; publication path; and submission requirements. The basics of ASCE's copyright and permissions policies are outlined. Various aspects of preparing the final manuscript are explained, including writing style, parts of a book, and preparing text, tables, illustrations, math, and the author-date reference system. Marketing, promotion, and sales after publication are covered, as well as antipiracy efforts, errata, and publishing ethics.
The Publishing Books section of the ASCE Author Center is a key reference for any current or prospective author of a book to be published by ASCE.
Types of ASCE Books
ASCE supports a robust book-publishing program, introducing 60 to 70 new titles each year and maintaining a backlist of about 1,000 titles. Many titles are the work of ASCE’s technical committees, under the leadership of an editor. Others are collections of proceedings papers prepared for conferences sponsored by ASCE’s Institutes and Technical Groups. Individual authors may submit proposals for publication under the ASCE Press imprint.
Five Types of ASCE Books
- Standards
- Manuals of Practice
- Technical Reports
- Proceedings
- ASCE Press
Each type has a different peer review and approval process, and a different pathway to publication.
Contributors to ASCE’s books come from all walks of civil engineering: private firms and consulting companies, universities, research centers, and government agencies at all levels. As practitioners, researchers, and teachers, they are dedicated to the advancement of the civil engineering profession.
ASCE books and proceedings benefit from peer review by engineering professionals and careful attention to the preparation of each title for publication. Ultimately, ASCE books reach the readers who need the content from the source they trust the most.
ASCE books are available in print and electronic versions; most new titles are published simultaneously in print and electronic editions. ASCE sells books directly through the online bookstore (for print) and the ASCE Library (e-books, standards, book chapters, and proceedings papers).
This guide addresses the questions and concerns of authors, editors, and members of ASCE’s technical committees—anyone working on books that will be published by ASCE.
ASCE’s books are organized into five product lines according to the type and level of peer review, the pathway from manuscript to publication, and channels for marketing and distribution. The five types of books are compared in Table 1.
Table 1.
Standards provide technical guidelines for promoting safety, reliability, productivity, and efficiency across all areas of civil engineering. ASCE Standards are developed by standards committees under the direction of an ASCE Institute, Technical Group, or the Committee on Advancing the Profession (CAP). They must undergo a rigorous consensus process, which includes public commenting periods, managed by the Codes and Standards Committee (CSC).
Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice, also known as Manuals of Practice or MOPs, present in-depth technical information on a specific topic and provide detailed analysis of the limitations and applications of the described methods and technologies. Manuals of Practice must be prepared by committees under the direction of an ASCE Institute, Technical Group, or the Committee on Advancing the Profession; undergo peer review by a Blue Ribbon Panel; and secure approval from the appropriate executive committee.
Technical Reports are also known as committee reports, white papers, monographs, or by the name of the topical series. These books are usually prepared by committees under the direction of an ASCE Institute, Technical Group, or the Committee on Advancing the Profession. They are intended to present the use of cutting-edge technologies or methods in a specific engineering application. The final manuscript for a technical report must be approved by the appropriate executive committee.
Proceedings collect papers presented at ASCE-sponsored conferences. In most cases, the technical program committee for a conference issues a call for papers and then uses abstracts to select papers for the conference. Full-length papers are submitted for publication and become available for individual download from the ASCE Library after the conference. (Abstracts and slide presentations may not be included in ASCE proceedings.)
(See Publishing Proceedings with ASCE: A Guide for Conference Committees and Proceedings Editors for detailed information about publishing an ASCE proceedings.)
ASCE Press publishes carefully chosen, thought-provoking books written by leading authorities to enhance the technical knowledge and professional development of engineers. ASCE Press contracts with individual authors, who initiate the process by submitting a proposal. Proposals and draft manuscripts are peer-reviewed, and authors receive royalties on par with commercial publishers.
Topical Book Series
The ASCE Books program also includes several book series organized around specific disciplines in civil engineering. The sponsoring Institute or Technical Group establishes the guidelines for inclusion in its series. Books in these topical series are published as either technical reports or proceedings.
Cold Regions Engineering Division (CRED) reviews the state of the practice within the defined area of cold regions engineering. Each title consists of a set of papers written by invited experts in the field, and each paper undergoes a technical review before publication. CRED monographs and other publications must be approved before acceptance.
Geotechnical Special Publications (GSPs) are the primary outlet of ASCE’s Geo-Institute for continuing the tradition of geotechnical knowledge transfer. GSPs reflect the broad variety of geotechnical activities, ranging from proceedings of a specialty conference or annual Geo-Institute Congress to guidelines and special reports prepared by technical committees. New GSPs are developed under the auspices of the Geo-Institute’s Technical Coordination Council. Papers must receive two positive peer reviews before acceptance.
Geotechnical Practice Publications (GPPs) showcase practice-oriented papers presented at conferences and workshops sponsored by local sections and branches of ASCE and the Geo-Institute. GPPs serve as a conduit to make material developed by practicing engineers available to a broader audience. New GPPs are prepared under the auspices of the Geo-Institute’s Technical Coordination Council. Papers must be reviewed by an editorial board or receive one positive review from a designated reviewer.
Infrastructure Resilience Publications (IRPs) are the primary vehicle of the Infrastructure Resilience Division for resilience-related knowledge transfer. IRPs the broad variety of resilience activities, ranging from proceedings of a specialty conference or annual Infrastructure Resilience Division Congress to post-event investigations, guidelines, and special reports prepared by technical committees. Specific areas of interest include risk and resilience measurements, civil infrastructure and lifeline systems, emerging technologies for improving infrastructure resilience, disaster response and recovery, and a of social-economic aspects associated with infrastructure and community resilience to natural and other hazards. Civil infrastructure and lifeline systems include building clusters, electric power, telecommunication, water, wastewater, inundation protection, transportation, solid waste management, and gas and liquid fuel systems. IRP titles must be approved by ASCE’s Infrastructure Resilience Division.
Lecture Notes in Mechanics (LNMech) provide for the rapid dissemination of comprehensive treatments of current developments in mechanics, serving as a repository and reference for innovation in mechanics across all relevant application domains. LNMech publish peer-reviewed original contributions, including monographs, extended surveys, and collected papers from workshops and conferences. LNMech titles must be approved by ASCE’s Engineering Mechanics Institute.
Trends in Engineering Mechanics Special Publications (TEMSP), sponsored by ASCE’s Engineering Mechanics Institute, report on important developments in areas of engineering mechanics. TEMSP titles must be approved by ASCE’s Engineering Mechanics Institute.
Proceedings
Proceedings collect papers presented at ASCE-sponsored conferences. In most cases, the technical program committee for a conference issues a call for papers and then uses abstracts to select papers for the conference. Full-length papers are submitted for publication and become available for individual download from the ASCE Library after the conference. (Abstract-only papers and slide presentations may not be included in proceedings.)
The path to publication for conference proceedings is considerably different from the other types of ASCE books.
ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice
ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice, also known as Manuals of Practice or MOPs, are developed by ASCE technical committees under the direction of an ASCE sponsor, namely, an Institute, Technical Group, or the Committee on Advancing the Profession. The distinguishing characteristic of Manuals of Practice is that each one undergoes peer review by a Blue Ribbon Panel of experts before final approval is sought from the appropriate executive committee. The peer review by the Blue Ribbon Panel gives weight to Manuals of Practice, so the content is valued by engineers, librarians, and book sellers.
Review and Approvals
When the committee undertaking a Manual of Practice has completed a draft manuscript, the executive committee of the ASCE sponsor appoints a balanced “blue ribbon” review panel consisting of at least three experts in the area covered by the manual. The Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) reviewers must not have been involved in the writing of the MOP and should, by stature and professional affiliation, comprise a group that can deliver an unbiased technical review.
Members of the BRP (separately or under the leadership of a chair) conduct an independent peer review of the draft manuscript and report the findings to the committee. The committee takes the BRP review into account in preparing a final manuscript, and any BRP recommendations that are not incorporated must be refuted in writing. The executive committee of the ASCE sponsor determines whether the BRP recommendations have been addressed satisfactorily and approves the manuscript for publication.
When all reviews and approvals are complete, the final manuscript with accompanying documents is then delivered to a staff contact for the ASCE sponsor, who submits all materials to the acquisitions editor for book production and publication.
Corresponding Editor for an ASCE Manual of Practice
Every MOP has a corresponding editor, sometimes (but not always) the committee chair. The corresponding editor is responsible for organizing the MOP, obtaining permissions for figures and tables (when applicable), clarifying special instructions or requirements, and managing the review of copyediting and page proofs with the ASCE production manager.
Publication Path for a Manual of Practice
When the final manuscript is delivered to ASCE Publications, the acquisitions editor checks that the manuscript is complete, required approvals have been obtained, the copyright is clear, and all permissions have been secured and documented. The acquisitions editor is also responsible for finalizing information about the title, subtitle, author/editor/committee names, and any other bibliographic data that will be distributed for the book.
When these tasks are complete, the acquisitions editor turns over the manuscript and its associated documentation to a production manager. The production manager arranges for a professional, technical copyeditor to ensure that the manuscript text flows smoothly, is grammatically correct, and adheres to ASCE style. The copyeditor also edits the tables, figure captions, and other accompanying materials and reviews the figure artwork. ASCE copyeditors use Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature to indicate corrections and suggested changes. Queries are inserted regarding other issues such as ambiguous wording, incomplete references, or missing callouts in text.
The production manager then forwards the copyedited files to the corresponding editor to review the changes and resolve all queries. The corresponding editor is responsible for circulating the copyedited manuscript to committee members who should see it and then collating all changes into a single document to return to the production manager. All queries need to be answered at this time, even if the answer is a simple “Okay”; this way, the production manager can verify that all queries have been addressed. Next, the reviewed-and-approved copyedited manuscript is sent to a compositor for page creation.
Page proofs are sent to the corresponding editor to review; at the same time, the proofs go to a professional proofreader and professional indexer. Because of this, only minor changes are acceptable during page proof review. Other changes that may affect the flow of page content from one page to another affects the index and incurs costs. The corresponding editor returns only the pages with changes to the ASCE production manager. The final, corrected files are reviewed by ASCE then sent for book printing and upload to the ASCE Library as a PDF.
The publication turnaround time for a typical Manual of Practice (up to 200 pages) is approximately five to seven months. Longer books and/or missing materials will add time to the publication timeline. See Table 2 for a typical timeline for Manuals of Practice.
Table 2. Typical Publishing Timeline for an ASCE Manual of Practice
Submission Checklist for Manuals of Practice
▪ Contact information for the corresponding editor
▪ Names and affiliations of Blue Ribbon Panel reviewers and indication that BRP review is complete
▪ Approval from the executive committee of the ASCE sponsor
▪ Complete text, including figures, tables, and references
▪ Complete front matter, including working title, table of contents, preface, and acknowledgments.
▪ Abstract describing the book contents
▪ Signed ASCE Authorship Originality and Copyright Transfer Agreement
▪ Permissions Inventory form
▪ Permissions documents
▪ Possible cover images or suggestions
Copyright Transfer
Most Manuals of Practice are the work of an ASCE technical committee, so the editor will sign an ASCE Authorship Originality and Copyright Transfer Agreement on behalf of the committee.
If individual authors or groups of authors prepare different chapters or sections of a Manual of Practice, each author or group of authors must submit a fully executed Authorship Originality form.
More information on ASCE policies regarding copyright is available in
Copyright Basics.
Permissions
Any materials that are not the original work of the technical committee preparing a Manual of Practice must have the source identified in a credit line immediately below the figure or table (or at the end of a text extract). The corresponding editor (or a designee) is responsible for securing permissions for any non-original materials and submitting the permissions documents along with the final manuscript.
Information on what needs permission and how to obtain it can be found in Permission Basics. Manuscripts should be accompanied by a Permissions Inventory Form that lists all figures and tables by chapter and identifies which figures and tables are original, which need permission, and whether permission has been obtained. All correspondence granting permissions must be submitted along with the final manuscript.
Abstract
A brief abstract (about 150 words) of the Manual of Practice should describe what is covered (or not) in the manual, how the manual should be used, and who should use it and/or benefit from it. If the manuscript is a new version of an existing MOP, the abstract should also describe changes or differences between the versions. The acquisitions editor and the marketing manager will use the abstract to develop appropriate marketing copy for the back cover, catalogs, Web pages, and so on.
Cover
The production manager will arrange for a graphic designer to design a full-color cover. Authors and editors are welcome to submit suggestions, including photographs, to be used on the cover. Photographs submitted for use must be available in a high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) TIFF or JPEG format. They must also be accompanied by permission from the photographer or photo owner.
Please note that photographs with company names or logos are inappropriate for book covers. Photos that include recognizable people must be accompanied by a Photography Consent Form for each recognizable person.
A cover proof will be sent to the corresponding editor for review. Comments from the editor are important, but all final decisions about the cover belong to ASCE Publications.
Marketing Questionnaire
When the acquisitions editor turns over a manuscript for production, the corresponding editor will be asked to complete an ASCE Author Marketing Questionnaire. The marketing manager uses information from the questionnaire to develop a marketing plan and promote the new book.
After Publication
Complimentary Copies
ASCE Customer Service coordinates the distribution of complimentary copies in conjunction with the ASCE sponsor. Corresponding editors are encouraged to submit a list of names and shipping addresses to the staff contact of their sponsor no later than a month before scheduled publication.
Technical Reports
Technical reports are books known by a variety of other names including committee reports, white papers, and monographs, as well as by their topical series name. This type of book is prepared by technical and professional committees before being approved for publication by the executive committee of the ASCE sponsor, namely, an Institute, Technical Group, or the Committee on Advancing the Profession (CAP).
Review and Approvals
Technical reports are reviewed initially by the technical committee members and revised until the committee is satisfied. Some committees choose to conduct informal peer review by seeking feedback from the broader civil engineering community, but this is not required. The path for obtaining final approval for publication can vary among the Institutes and Technical Groups, so committee chairs should consult with their staff contacts.
When all reviews and approvals are complete, the final manuscript with accompanying documents should be delivered to the staff contact of the ASCE sponsor who then submits all materials to the ASCE acquisitions editor for book production and publication.
Corresponding Editor for an ASCE Technical Report
Every technical report has a corresponding editor, sometimes (but not always) the committee chair. The corresponding editor is responsible for organizing the report, obtaining permissions for figures and tables (when applicable), clarifying special instructions or requirements, and managing the review of copyediting and page proofs with the ASCE production manager.
Publication Path for a Technical Report
When the final manuscript is delivered to ASCE Publications, the acquisitions editor checks that the manuscript is complete, required approvals have been obtained, the copyright is clear, and all permissions have been secured and documented. The acquisitions editor is also responsible for finalizing information about the title, subtitle, author/editor/committee names, and any other bibliographic data that will be distributed for the book.
When these tasks are complete, the acquisitions editor turns over the manuscript and its associated documentation to a production manager. The production manager arranges for a light copyedit to correct typos, grammatical errors, and check to ensure that style is consistent throughout the manuscript. ASCE copyeditors use Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature to indicate corrections and suggested changes. Queries are inserted regarding other issues, such as ambiguous wording, incomplete references, or missing callouts.
The production manager then forwards the copyedited files to the corresponding editor to review the changes and resolve all queries. The corresponding editor is responsible for circulating the copyediting to committee members who should see it and then collating all changes into a single document to return to the production manager. All queries should be answered, even if the answer is a simple “Okay”; this way, the production manager can verify that all of the queries have been addressed.
The reviewed-and-approved copyedited manuscript is sent to a compositor for page layout. Corresponding editors will be given the opportunity to review page proofs. At the same time, a professional indexer will prepare the index. Because of this, only minor changes are acceptable during page proof review. Other changes that may affect the flow of page content from one page to another affects the index and incurs costs. The corresponding editor returns only the pages with changes to the ASCE production manager. The final, corrected files are reviewed by ASCE then sent for book printing and uploaded to the ASCE Library as a PDF.
The publication turnaround time for a typical Technical Report (up to 200 pages) is approximately four to six months. Longer books and/or missing materials will add time to the publication timeline. See Table 3 for a typical timeline for technical reports.
Table 3. Typical Publishing Timeline for an ASCE Technical Report
Submission of Final Manuscript
When the final manuscript of a technical report is submitted to ASCE Publications, the submission must include the complete manuscript, as well as various approval documents and forms. A clean manuscript with all approvals and permissions will be able to pass efficiently through the publishing process.
Submission Checklist for Technical Reports
▪ Contact information for the corresponding editor
▪ Approval from the executive committee of the ASCE sponsor
▪ Complete text, including figures, tables, and references
▪ Complete front matter, including working title, table of contents, preface, and acknowledgments
▪ Abstract describing the book contents
▪ Signed ASCE Authorship Originality and Copyright Transfer Agreement
▪ Permissions Inventory form
▪ Permissions documents
▪ Possible cover images or suggestions
Copyright Transfer
Most technical reports are the work of an ASCE technical committee, so the editor will sign an ASCE Authorship Originality and Copyright Transfer Agreement on behalf of the committee.
If individual authors or groups of authors prepare different chapters and are identified as authors of those chapters, then the individual author or lead author of a group of authors must submit a fully executed Authorship Originality form.
More information on ASCE policies regarding copyright is available in Copyright Basics.
Permissions
Any materials that are not the original work of the technical committee preparing a technical report must have the source identified in a credit line immediately below the figure or table (or at the end of a text extract). The editor (or a designee) is responsible for securing permissions for any non-original materials and submitting the permissions documents along with the final manuscript.
Information on what needs permission and how to obtain it can be found in Permission Basics. Manuscripts should be accompanied by a Permissions Inventory Form that lists all figures and tables by chapter and identifies which figures and tables are original, which need permission, and whether permission has been obtained. All correspondence granting permission must be submitted along with the draft manuscript.
Manuscript Formatting
The final manuscript should be prepared with a minimal amount of formatting. It is not necessary—in fact, it is counterproductive—to make the manuscript look like a finished book.
Front Matter
Front matter consists of materials that appear before the text of a book. For technical reports, the front matter always includes the title page, copyright and notices page, the table of contents, and a preface. Front matter may also include a dedication, acknowledgements, list of contributors and reviewers, and committee rosters; these materials should be submitted with the final manuscript.
Abstract
A brief abstract (about 150 words) of the technical report should describe what is covered (or not) in the book, how the book should be used, and who should use it and/or benefit from it. If the manuscript is a new version of an older book, the abstract should also describe changes or differences between the two versions. The acquisitions editor and the marketing manager will use the abstract to develop appropriate marketing copy for the back cover, catalogs, Web pages, and so on.
Cover
The production manager will arrange for a graphic designer to design a full-color cover. Authors and editors are welcome to submit suggestions, including photographs, to be used on the cover. Photographs submitted for use must be available in a high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) TIFF or JPEG format; they must also be accompanied by permission from the photographer or photo owner.
Please note that photographs with company names or logos are inappropriate for book covers. Photos that include recognizable people must be accompanied by a
Photography Consent Form for each recognizable person.
A cover proof will be sent to the corresponding editor for review. Comments from the editor are important, but all final decisions about the cover belong to ASCE Publications.
Marketing Questionnaire
When the acquisitions editor turns over a manuscript for production, the corresponding editor will be asked to complete an
ASCE Author Marketing Questionnaire. The marketing manager uses information from the questionnaire to develop a marketing plan and promote the new book.
After Publication
Complimentary Copies
ASCE Customer Service coordinates the distribution of complimentary copies in conjunction with the ASCE sponsor. Corresponding editors are encouraged to submit a list of names and shipping addresses to the staff contact of their sponsor no later than a month before scheduled publication.
ASCE Press
Books published under the ASCE Press imprint have a substantially different review and approval process from the other books published by ASCE. ASCE Press titles are not sponsored by one of ASCE’s Institutes or Technical Groups. Instead, individual authors publish books under contract to ASCE Press and receive royalties based on book sales. Projects under consideration by ASCE Press undergo two rounds of anonymous peer review before the title is accepted. Unlike the other types of books that ASCE publishes, ASCE Press titles are also expected to meet certain financial criteria once they are published.
ASCE Press titles are usually written by one author, although there can be as many as five authors. These titles may also be edited volumes, where an editor solicits chapters from authors on a particular topic.
Authors interested in publishing with ASCE Press initiate the process by submitting a proposal. The proposal is reviewed and, if accepted, the author is offered a publishing contract offering terms on par with commercial and university press publishers. The draft manuscript will be reviewed by at least two anonymous technical reviewers. Then the author prepares and submits a final manuscript to the ASCE Publications acquisitions editor for book production and publication.
Submitting a Proposal to ASCE Press
Authors with a book idea are encouraged to submit a proposal concerning their work before they begin drafting a manuscript. This way, authors can consult with the ASCE acquisitions editor to identify a book’s best audience and to shape the content for best delivery to that audience. Full manuscripts will not be considered in lieu of a proposal.
A strong proposal combines details about a book and its potential readers with a demonstration of the author’s qualifications to write it. The proposal should be in the form of a memo or report, accompanied by a cover letter. The proposal should consist of the required elements listed below and as many of the optional elements as possible. A typical proposal runs 8 to 12 single-spaced pages, plus two or three sample chapters.
Required Elements of a Book Proposal
• Contact information for the authors and an indication of the lead author, including complete name, address, telephone, and email address.
• A working book title (and optional subtitle).
• One or two paragraphs summarizing the book’s intention, scope, and content, including details about the book’s special or original features.
• An annotated table of contents, with chapter titles and main subheadings, plus a brief summary of each chapter.
• A description of the target audience, with main and secondary audiences for the book, including their expectations for content and technical level.
• A description of how the proposed book relates to previously published works in the field, along with a list of competing titles (including author, title, publisher, and year of publication).
• A résumé or brief summary of each author’s experience and relevant qualifications, including significant publications or civil engineering projects, not to exceed four pages per author. For edited volumes, include the names and affiliations of all contributing authors.
Optional Elements for a Book Proposal
• Sample chapter(s), not to exceed a total of 40 double-spaced pages. (Alternatively, authors may submit published papers or articles on a similar topic as writing samples.)
• Manuscript details, including the estimated number of double-spaced manuscript pages, approximate number of illustrations, and projected date for completion of a draft manuscript.
• Potential reviewer list of colleagues and peers qualified to review the proposal, including complete names, affiliations, phone numbers, and email address.
Proposals may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected] or by postal mail to: ASCE Press, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191. Queries and proposals may also be addressed to one of the acquisitions editors listed in ASCE Books Staff.
The acquisitions editor will acknowledge receipt of a submitted proposal and may request further information or clarification about the project. Then the proposal is reviewed by several experts in the field. Suggestions for revision may result from this anonymous peer review, and authors may be asked to respond to the critiques. If the review process offers support for the proposed book, the project will be submitted to the Managing Director, ASCE Publications, for contract approval. Authors will then be offered a publishing agreement and given an opportunity to review terms with the acquisitions editor. See Table 4 for a typical timeline for proposals to reach contract.
Table 4. Typical Timeline for Proposals to ASCE Press to Reach Contract
Technical Review of Draft Manuscripts
Under the publishing agreement, authors are given a due date for submission of a draft manuscript. Extensions may be granted at the discretion of the acquisitions editor. The draft manuscript of an ASCE Press book should be mostly complete—sufficient for the technical reviewers to make a competent assessment of the content. Most references should be complete, and most figures and tables selected and in place. Given that the technical review takes several months, however, it is not necessary for the draft manuscript to be 100% ready for book production.
The acquisitions editor arranges for the anonymous peer review of the draft manuscript. Two or three knowledgeable reviewers read the draft manuscript carefully, checking for both technical accuracy and clarity of presentation. This technical review generally takes about three months, but it is essential to guarantee the quality of ASCE Press titles. Reviewers are asked to complete a questionnaire and encouraged to make notes on a copy of the draft manuscript.
The questionnaires and comments from the technical review are shared (anonymously) with the authors. Authors and the acquisitions editor determine how the manuscript should be revised. At the same time, the acquisitions editor identifies other issues that might delay the manuscript once it goes to book production. The amount of time allowed for revision is determined by the authors and acquisitions editor. For most manuscripts, one or two months is sufficient for preparation of the final manuscript.
Publication Path for ASCE Press Books
When the final manuscript is submitted, the acquisitions editor checks that the manuscript is complete, and all permissions have been secured and documented. The acquisitions editor is also responsible for finalizing information about the title, subtitle, author/editor/contributor names, and any other bibliographic data that will be distributed for the book.
When these tasks are completed, the acquisitions editor turns over the manuscript and its associated documentation to a production manager. The production manager arranges for a professional, technical copyeditor to ensure that the manuscript text flows smoothly, is grammatically correct, and adheres to ASCE style. The copyeditor also edits the tables, figure captions, and other accompanying materials and reviews the figure artwork. ASCE copyeditors use Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature to indicate corrections and suggested changes. Queries are inserted regarding other issues such as ambiguous wording, incomplete references, or missing callouts in text.
The production manager then forwards the copyedited files to the lead author to review the changes and resolve all queries. The lead author is responsible for circulating the copyediting to coauthors and contributors who should see it and then collating all changes into a single manuscript to return to the production manager. All queries should be answered, even if the answer is a simple “Okay”; this way, the production manager can verify that all queries have been addressed.
The reviewed-and-approved copyedited manuscript is sent to a compositor for page layout. Page proofs are sent to the editor to review; at the same time, the proofs go to a professional proofreader and professional indexer. Because of this, only minor changes are acceptable during page proof review. Other changes that may affect the flow of page content from one page to another affects the index and incurs costs. The corresponding editor returns only the pages with changes to the ASCE production manager. The final, corrected files are reviewed by ASCE then sent for book printing and upload to the ASCE Library as a PDF.
The time frame is for a typical, 200-page book; longer books will take more time at each stage. Missing materials, especially permissions, can delay turnover by acquisitions to production. See Table 5 for a typical timeline for ASCE Press manuscripts.
Table 5. Typical Publishing Timeline for an ASCE Press Manuscript
Submission of Final Manuscript
When a final manuscript is submitted to ASCE Press, the submission must include the complete manuscript as well as various approval documents and forms. A clean manuscript with all approvals and permissions will be able to pass efficiently through the publishing process.
Copyright Transfer
Under terms of the publishing agreement, authors agree to transfer copyright for their ASCE Press book to ASCE, so no other form is needed.
If anyone other than the authors named in the publishing agreement contributes a chapter (or foreword) to the book, then that contributor must submit a fully executed ASCE Authorship Originality and Copyright Transfer Agreement. If a chapter has more than one contributing author, only the lead author must sign the form.
ASCE Press: Submission Checklist
▪ Complete text, including figures, tables, and references
▪ Complete front matter, including working title, table of contents, preface, and acknowledgments
▪ Abstract describing the book contents
▪ Permissions Inventory form
▪ Permissions documents
▪ Possible cover images or suggestions
More information on ASCE policies regarding copyright is available in Copyright Basics.
Permissions
Any materials that are not the original work of the author of an ASCE Press title must have the source identified in a credit line immediately below the figure or table (or at the end of a text extract). The author is responsible for securing permissions for any non-original materials, including fees for those permissions, and for submitting the permissions documents along with the final manuscript.
Information on what needs permission and how to obtain it can be found in Permission Basics. Manuscripts should be accompanied by a Permissions Inventory Form that lists all figures and tables by chapter and identifies which figures and tables are original, which need permission, and whether permission has been obtained. All correspondence granting permission must be submitted along with the draft manuscript.
Manuscript Formatting
The final manuscript should be prepared with a minimal amount of formatting. It is not necessary—in fact, it is counterproductive—to make the manuscript look like a finished book.
Front Matter
Front matter consists of materials that appear before the text of a book. For ASCE Press titles, the front matter always includes the title page, copyright and notices page, a list of related titles, table of contents, and a preface. Front matter may also include a dedication, foreword, acknowledgements, and list of contributors.
Abstract
A brief abstract (about 150 words) should describe what is covered (or not) in the book, how the book should be used, and who should use it and/or benefit from it. If the manuscript is a new edition of an existing book, the abstract should describe changes or differences between two editions. The acquisitions editor will use the abstract to develop appropriate marketing copy for the back cover, catalogs, Web pages, and so on.
Cover
The production manager will arrange for a graphic designer to design a full-color cover. Authors and editors are welcome to submit suggestions, including photographs, to be used on the cover. Photographs submitted must be available in a high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) TIFF or JPEG format. They must also be accompanied by permission from the photographer or photo owner.
Please note that photographs with company names or logos are inappropriate for book covers. Photos that include recognizable people must be accompanied by a Photography Consent Form for each recognizable person.
A cover proof will be sent to the lead author for review. Comments from the author are important, but all final decisions about the cover belong to ASCE Publications.
Marketing Questionnaire
When the acquisitions editor turns over a manuscript for production, the lead author will be asked to complete an ASCE Author Marketing Questionnaire. The marketing manager uses information from the questionnaire to develop a marketing plan and promote the new book.
After Publication
Complimentary Copies
The number and distribution of author copies is spelled out in the publishing agreement. ASCE Press authors may purchase additional copies of their books at a discounted rate; the marketing manager should be contacted to place an order.
Royalties
ASCE Press authors will be paid royalties on an annual basis, with payments made on or before March 31 for royalties due for the preceding year ending December 31. Authors should promptly notify their acquisitions editor regarding change of address. Royalties can be paid using direct deposit (in the United States) or wire transfer (internationally). All payments will be accompanied by a Statement of Account.
Copyright Basics
Copyright and permissions are important legal issues in the publishing world, but they are also a source of confusion for authors, editors, and committees. This section of the guide presents an explanation of ASCE’s requirements regarding copyright and permissions and offers guidance in meeting those requirements.
Copyright versus Permissions: What’s the Difference?
In a nutshell, copyright establishes the ownership of intellectual property. To publish, ASCE must own the copyright for a book, paper, or journal article (except for instances of Open Access).
Permissions come into play when the ownership of a piece of intellectual property (such as a drawing or photograph) does not transfer to ASCE. For these items, the owner must give ASCE written permission to use the intellectual property.
Copyright is an aspect of intellectual property law. It protects original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression—including print media, the Internet, CDs, DVDs, video, and so on. Copyright law covers published and unpublished works, regardless of the presence of a claim to copyright.
Copyright ownership begins with the creation of new work such as the text of a book, journal article, proceedings paper, newspaper article, Web page, slide presentation, or Ph.D. dissertation. It applies to the expression of ideas but not to the ideas themselves. It also applies to the creation of figures or tables that present data but not to the data itself. In the United States, authors own the copyright to materials they create (unless they created the material as a work-for-hire or while employed by the US Government or the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, or Australia).
Copyright gives the owner a collection of rights that include reproducing and distributing copies of the work and licensing others to translate or reuse the work in a variety of formats. Publishers require authors to transfer copyright ownership so that the publisher’s right to reproduce, distribute, and license the work is clear and unquestionable. Publishers can then distribute a work as widely as possible while protecting the author’s work against infringement.
ASCE Requirements
Before ASCE publishes any materials—journal articles, technical notes, proceedings papers, books, and CDs, to name a few possibilities—the copyright ownership of the materials must be clear and, except in a few special cases, transferred to ASCE. (See the section on Open Access and Sponsored Access.)
Who is an Author?
When a person is listed as an author of a chapter or proceedings paper, that individual must have contributed in a significant way to the research or manuscript preparation. Every listed author must consent to having his or her name associated with the publication. All listed authors bear responsibility for the content. The corresponding or lead author is responsible for getting the approval of all co-authors on any changes required during review.
Who Signs the Copyright Transfer Form?
• Manuals of Practice: committee chair or corresponding editor
• Technical Reports: committee chair or corresponding editor
• Proceedings papers: corresponding author of each paper
• Book chapters with identified authors: lead author of each chapter
The form has space to note several exceptions to ASCE’s copyright policy. Here’s how to handle them:
• If all the authors are employed by the US Government, then any one of the authors should sign the form in the special section for US Government employees.
• If some of the authors are employed by the US Government and some are not, then any one of the authors who does not work for the US Government should sign the form.
• If all the authors are officers of the Crown Government, then any one of the authors should sign the form in the special section for Crown Government copyright.
• If some of the authors are officers of the Crown Government and some are not, then any one of the authors who does not work in an official capacity for the Crown Government should sign the form.
• If the work was done as a work-for-hire, then a representative of the company or organization that contracted for the work should sign the form.
• If the authors were working under a US Government contract, they should consult their contractor agreement to determine if one of the exceptions above applies. This exception does not apply to works created with US Government grants.
Open Access and Sponsored Access
At this time, ASCE does not offer any Open Access options for complete books.
Permission Basics
As a reputable publisher of scientific and technical material, ASCE respects the copyright ownership of others—whether they be individuals, publishers, or engineering firms. Authors, editors, and technical committees working on book manuscripts are required to obtain permission for ASCE to republish any material that they, as individuals or as a committee, did not create.
This section helps authors manage the sources of figures and tables by determining what needs permission and what doesn’t. It explains how to obtain permission from another publisher, from an engineering firm, and from an individual, such as a photographer. Additional requirements for photographs that include recognizable people are also explained.
Don’t Wait to Manage Your Sources!
A common cause of delay in publishing is that the permissions documents are incomplete.
▪ Keep track of where figures, tables, and text extracts come from as they are added to the manuscript.
▪ It can take two to three months to request and obtain all the permissions for a book manuscript, so send requests early.
▪ Collect the permissions documents (forms, emails, etc.) in a folder that can be submitted along with the final manuscript.
Managing Sources of Figures and Tables
Final book manuscripts submitted to ASCE for publication must be accompanied by a
Permission Inventory Form (or an equivalent spreadsheet) listing every figure, table, and extended text extract that appears in the manuscript. “Figure” includes drawings, illustrations, photographs, diagrams, maps, charts, and graphs. “Extended text extract,” also known as “block quotes,” covers direct quotations of text amounting to 100 words from a journal article or book. In addition, quotations of two paragraphs or more are also set off as an extended text extract.
Table 6 lists the common sources of figures, tables, and text extracts that may need written permission and source lines.
Table 6. Common Sources of Figures, Tables, and Text Extracts Requiring Written Permission
What Does Not Need Permission
• Material created by the authors or members of the technical committee preparing the manuscript, and not owned by any other person or entity, is considered to be original. Copyright for all original material will rest with ASCE.
• Material published by the US Government is considered in the public domain. However, materials published by state or local governments or under a US Government contract may need permission (see the following).
• Materials may be considered in the public domain because the copyright has expired, but the law on duration of copyright is very complex. Consult with an acquisitions editor regarding specific instances.
• Images from Google Maps and Google Earth may be used in ASCE Publications, as long as proper credit is given to Google and also to any identified Google partners. Information about Google partners can be found at the bottom of the Google Maps/Earth screen, accompanied by a copyright symbol (©). Images from other mapping services (such as Bing) and from Google Street View may not be reproduced in ASCE Publications without permission.
What Needs Permission
• Materials published in print, on the Internet, or on recorded media (such as CDs or flash drives) are nearly always under copyright and need permission for reuse.
• Reports produced under a contract to the US Government may not be copyrighted; however, obtaining permission may still be necessary to verify that the reports are not proprietary to the contractor.
• Materials published by state and local governments are not in the public domain unless the material (or website) explicitly states this.
Obtaining Permission from a Publisher
Permission requests to commercial and nonprofit publishers usually can be handled online. Start by locating the book title or journal article on the publisher’s website. Then, look for a link that is something like “Permissions” or “Permission to Reproduce” or “Rights and Permissions.” Generally, the link will connect to Rightslink, the publisher’s own permission request system, or the publisher’s instructions on obtaining permission.
Permissions Essentials
A permission document must include:
▪ Original source of the item being requested
▪ Working title of the book where the reproduced item will appear
▪ Mention that ASCE is the publisher
▪ format is both print and electronic
▪ distribution rights are worldwide
▪ the name, job title, and affiliation of the person granting permission.
Using Rightslink
Most commercial technical publishers and many nonprofit publishers use
Rightslink to handle permission requests. Rightslink is an online service managed by the Copyright Clearance Center and it simplifies the process of obtaining permissions. When a publisher uses Rightslink, the permissions link goes directly from the publisher’s website to the book or article record in Rightslink. Authors can complete the online form and find out immediately what permission is available and how much it will cost.
Rightslink request forms vary somewhat from publisher to publisher (and from whether a record is accessed from the publisher’s website or directly from Rightslink). Table 9 lists common questions and the recommended answers. When the form is completed and “get price” clicked, Rightslink will show what price, if any, the publisher will charge for permission to reproduce its content. Decide whether to accept the price (often it will be $0.00) and complete all the screens until Rightslink serves up a license. Be sure to save or print the license so it can be included as part of a final manuscript’s permission documents.
Table 9. Common Rightslink Questions and the Appropriate Answers for Materials to be Published by ASCE
For standards, Manuals of Practice, and technical reports, permission fees must be approved in advance by the ASCE sponsor. Do not pay for a permission without prior approval from the staff contact of the ASCE sponsor. For ASCE Press books, proceedings papers, and journal articles, permissions fees are the responsibility of the author.
ASCE is a member of a consortium of scientific, technical, and medical publishers known as STM Signatories. STM Signatories agree to allow each other use of a limited number of figures, tables, and text extracts with no fees (the limit is usually 3 tables/figures from a single publication). STM Signatory privileges are not always an option when the permission request originates in Rightslink, so it is better to begin a permission request on the publisher’s website and then be directed to Rightslink.
Obtaining Permission from a Business Entity
When the source of a figure or table is an engineering firm or other business entity, permission must be obtained from the firm.
Because most businesses don’t have online permission request services, permission is most easily obtained by e-mail. For large companies, permission requests may be handled by the marketing department. For other companies, permission requests may be addressed by a principal or senior manager. A permissions request e-mail should be written along these lines:
• I am part of a committee preparing a book manuscript tentatively titled, “<working title>“, which will be published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. We would like to include <number and type of items, i.e., two drawings, three photographs> owned by <name of the business> and shown in the attached <PDF/Word file displaying the items>.
• I am writing to request permission to include these items in both print and electronic editions of the book, with worldwide distribution. The source will be listed as “Courtesy of <name of business>; reproduced with permission.”
E-mail permission from the business entity is acceptable as long as the full name and title of the grantor is included, along with the grantor’s e-mail address. Be sure to save or print the e-mail, so it can be included as part of a final manuscript’s permission documents.
Obtaining Permission from a Photographer
For some photographs, permission must be requested from the photographer. The photographer could be an individual who wishes to retain copyright to the photograph. In other cases, if the photograph appeared in a newspaper or magazine article, the photographer rather than the publisher owns copyright to the photo.
Permission from a photographer can be handled similarly to the e-mail request to business entities. Alternatively, the photographer could sign an
Image Release Form. Either way, include it in the permission documents as part of the final manuscript.
Model Releases from People in Photographs
When a photograph contains a recognizable living person—that is, a clear view of a person’s face—that person must give permission to reproduce his or her likeness. This can be managed in several ways.
•
Stock photo companies, such as Shutterstock or
iStockphoto.com, collect the necessary model release forms for their photos.
• Permission to use photos of employees at work can often be provided by the employer (a business entity).
• Attendees of some events, such as ASCE conferences, sign a photo waiver as part of their registration.
• Professional photographers can often provide model release forms for people in their photos.
The model release should be included in the permission documents for the final manuscript.
Permissions Troubleshooting
The above instructions are intended to cover a majority of permissions requests. Authors should consult with their acquisitions editor over specific permission problems.
If written permission is difficult (or impossible) to obtain, several options are available:
• Revise the manuscript text in such a way as to refer to the item without copying it directly.
• Consider whether the item is essential. It may be possible to revise the manuscript to eliminate the item without detriment.
• Consider taking just the data from a figure and presenting it as a table (or vice versa). In this case, the source will be cited, but permission is not necessary.
• Determine whether alternative material that is more readily available would work as well, and revise the manuscript to substitute the alternative. (But check that the alternative isn’t reproduced from the original source.)
Source Lines
Source lines (also called credit lines) appear at the end of figures, tables, and text extracts to indicate the original source of the material and that permission was obtained. When the source includes an author-date citation, the complete reference should be included in the references section at the end of the chapter (or book). (See the Author-Date References.) Table 8 shows examples of common source lines.
Table 8. Sample Source Lines
Writing Style
The primary mission of ASCE book authors is to clearly communicate technical information in their areas of expertise. This section is intended to assist authors in preparing the manuscript for a book that will meet with readers’ expectations for organization and presentation. After a brief discussion on high-quality writing style, the parts of a book are explained, so that authors can put information where readers expect it. Then, guidance is provided on preparing text, tables, figures, mathematics, and reference lists.
Style Guides
ASCE strives to publish books that demonstrate excellence in the quality of technical information and the clarity of expression. Authors are expected to present ideas in a manner that is logical, accurate, and as concise as possible. It is also important that technical terms, notations, and symbols are defined and used with reasonable consistency.
The material presented here is by no means comprehensive; rather, it attempts to describe ASCE style on points that often cause confusion or that may be handled differently by other publishers. Questions about style points not discussed here should be addressed to the acquisitions editor.
The following publications can provide useful guidance in preparing a manuscript.
• For guidance on the mechanics of written communication, consult the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (University of Chicago Press).
• For rules of grammar and usage, refer to Words into Type (Prentice-Hall) or New York Public Library Writer’s Guide to Style and Usage (HarperCollins).
• For guidance on engineering terms, refer to McGraw-Hill’s Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, Wiley’s Dictionary of Civil Engineering and Construction, or Means’ Illustrated Construction Dictionary.
• For assistance in the presentation of mathematics, refer to Mathematics into Type (American Mathematical Society).
• For assistance with the use of SI (metric) units, refer to IEEE/ASTM SI-10, Standard for Use of the International System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System (this standard replaces the former ASTM E-380 and ANSI/IEEE Std 268-1992) or Metric Units in Engineering: Going SI (ASCE Press).
Recommendations for High-Quality Technical Writing
Active versus Passive Voice
Wherever possible, use active verbs that demonstrate what is being done and who is doing it.
Instead of: The bridge was built by James Eads.
Use: James Eads built the bridge.
Instead of: Six possible causes of failure were identified in the forensic investigation.
Use: The forensic investigation identified six possible causes of failure.
Direct versus Indirect Statements
Direct statements are clear, concise, and do not wear on the reader. Indirect statements are those that begin with phrases such as “it should be noted that…” or “it is common that…” Other types of indirect statements may begin with “to be” statements such as “there are” or “it was.”
Instead of: It should be noted that the flow was interrupted by a surge…
Use: A surge interrupted the flow…
Instead of: It is common that the steel rebars are weakened by oxidation…
Use: Oxidation commonly weakens steel rebars…
Instead of: There are many reasons that concrete may fail…
Use: Concrete may fail for many reasons…
Instead of: There are three kinds of bolt that can be used in these circumstances…
Use: Three kinds of bolt can be used in these circumstances…
Use of “I” and “We”
While first-person pronouns (I, we, my, our) should be used sparingly in technical material, in books the use of “I” and “we” is preferable to awkward constructions such as “the authors” or “this researcher.”
• If you are the sole author, use “I” to indicate your actions or opinions.
• If you are working with coauthors, use “we” to refer to your collective actions or opinions. Use last names to refer to the actions or opinions of individual coauthors.
• If you use “we” to refer to yourself and your coauthors, avoid the use of “we” in other contexts, such as referring to other people or humankind in general.
Inclusive Language
Writing without bias may feel stiff or unnatural at first, but usually results in greater precision and consideration for readers. Therefore, avoid language that arbitrarily assigns roles or characteristics or excludes people on the basis of gender; racial, ethnic, or religious background; physical or mental capabilities; sexual orientation; or other sorts of stereotypes.
• Avoid using “man” or “men” to refer to groups containing both sexes. Substitute words and phrases such as: humankind, humanmade, artificially created, artificially manufactured, humanity, people, employees, workers, workforce, staff, and staff hours.
• Avoid using masculine pronouns to refer to both sexes. Use plural pronouns, a locution that carries no bias, imperative verb forms, and second-person pronouns.
Instead of: When an engineer begins to design an overpass, he should consider…
Try: When engineers begin to design overpasses, they should consider…
Or: When beginning to design an overpass, an engineer should consider…
Instead of: A manager should not assume that his staff will alert him to potential problems.
Try: As a manager, do not assume that staff will alert you to potential problems.
Or: As a manager, you should not assume that your staff will alert you to potential problems.
Acronyms and Abbreviations
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, such as “Jan.” for “January”, “US” for “United States,” and “FEMA” for “Federal Emergency Management Agency.” An acronym is formed when the abbreviation forms a pronounceable word such as “NATO” for “North Atlantic Treaty Organization” or “AASHTO” for “American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.”
• Abbreviations and acronyms in text must be spelled out the first time that they appear in each chapter or paper, with the shortened form appearing immediately in parentheses. Thereafter, the shortened form should be used throughout the chapter or paper. One exception is ASCE, which is always used as its acronym.
• Several very common abbreviations (US and UK as adjectives; DNA and PVC as nouns) do not need to be spelled out on first usage.
• Basic units of measure do not need to be spelled out on first usage. These include ft, in., lb (customary), and m, mm, kg (SI).
SI versus Customary Units
Système Internationale (SI) units are the most widely and officially recognized system of metric units for weights, dimensions, and other physical measures. Standards published by ASCE require use of SI units in text, illustrations, figures, tables, and equations subject to the following conditions.
• ASCE standards are required by ANSI to use SI units as the primary system of measure following customary units or providing a conversion table. Equations should be provided in both customary and SI units.
• Books other than standards may use customary units but must provide either SI units in parentheses or conversion tables, with few exceptions. Equations should be provided in both customary and SI units.
• Occasionally, case studies, examples, and problem sets are difficult to use when both systems of units are presented. Therefore, it is acceptable to alternate customary and SI units in cases, examples, or problems.
Figures, Illustrations, Tables, Equations, and Other Supporting Materials
Elements such as figures, tables, equations, and boxes containing lists or case studies are included to support or augment what appears in the text.
• For books, number each element consecutively in text with the chapter number and an Arabic numeral: Figure 9-1, Figure 9-2, …; Table 7-1, Table 7-2 …; Equation (4-1), Equation (4-2), …; Box 10-1, Box 10-2, … (Note that equation numbers always appear in parentheses.)
• For conference proceedings that do not have chapter numbers, the chapter number is left out: Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3…
• If a figure or table has parts, a capital or lowercase letter is used to identify the parts: Figure 9-1a, Figure 9-1b…; Figure 1(a), Figure 1(b)…
• In books, ASCE does not use subheading numbers for figures and tables. This practice is awkward and confuses readers. Number first to last from the beginning of the chapter on through to the end.
• Every element must be discussed in the text, with a reference to the element and its number. The first reference to a figure, table, or box is the callout. The callouts must be worded consistently throughout the manuscript. Spell out “Table,” “Figure,” and “Equation.” For example: “The results of the stress tests (Figure 1) clearly demonstrate…” and “Table 6-2 presents a range of planning options along with…” and “Equation (4-1) calculates the flow rate…”
• When the manuscript is typeset, the element will be placed on the page or in the space of two pages from where it is called out in text.
• Figures, tables, and equations must be numbered in the order in which they are discussed in text so that callouts also appear in numerical order. In other words, Table 3-1 must be called out before Table 3-2.
Language Cleanup Services
For a list of companies offering language editing, translation, and cleanup services for manuscripts, please visit
English Language Editing Services. Note that these services are not offered or endorsed by ASCE and that this information is provided only as a courtesy to our authors.
Parts of a Book
Readers—but also librarians and book sellers—depend on certain conventions in publishing to help them obtain the information they want from a book. Whether the book is printed or electronic, these conventions provide information in an efficient and recognizable way. This section describes the various parts of a book and explains their functions.
Books generally have three parts: front matter, chapters, and back matter. Supplemental or editorially related material may also be available in electronic form.
Front Matter
Front matter includes everything at the beginning of a book before chapters begin. Front matter is often prepared last and the pages are numbered with Roman numerals. Page numbering is done by Composition for page proofs. Do not add page numbers to the manuscript that is submitted.
The following are the most common components of ASCE books. Front matter in standards varies from other ASCE books.
Required Front Matter
▪ Title page
▪ Copyright and notices page
▪ Contents
▪ Preface
Optional Front Matter
▪ Series page
▪ Dedication
▪ Committee roster
▪ Foreword
▪ Acknowledgments
▪ List of contributors
Title Page (All Books)
The title page provides the official bibliographic information for a particular title. The title page of the final manuscript should include
• Working title and subtitle (all titles and subtitles are subject to final approval by ASCE Publications)
• Name of book series, if applicable (series numbers will be assigned by ASCE Publications)
• Attribution of authors and editors, with any of the following:
○ Complete name of the technical committee preparing the book, including any oversight committees and the ASCE sponsor,
○ Complete name(s) of the editor(s), and
○ Complete name(s) of the individual authors (of the entire book; not chapter authors).
The names of individuals, whether authors or editors, should be complete (including preferences for middle names or initials), followed by academic degrees and professional credentials. In addition, the acquisitions editor may request job titles and affiliations, mailing addresses, and email addresses for authors, editors, and contributors.
The ASCE logo and, if applicable, the logo of the sponsoring Institute appears on the cover and title page. Some standards may also have the ANSI logo on the cover and title page.
Copyright and Notices Page (Provided by ASCE)
The copyright and notices page contains information such as the year of publication, the copyright owner, the publisher’s address, and International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) associated with the title. For ASCE books, this page also contains a disclaimer, information about photocopies and permissions, and information about errata. Cataloging-in-Publication data from the Library of Congress is included. Credits for illustrations or photographs used on the cover also appear on this page.
Series Page (Provided by ASCE)
Standards, Manuals of Practice, and Technical Reports that are part of a named series include a page that describes the series. This is provided by ASCE Publications.
Dedication (Optional)
A brief dedication may be included with or without a photo.
Contents (All Books)
The table of contents is a vital reference for readers and is a selling feature of the book. It must contain a complete listing of part titles (if any), chapter numbering and titles, and chapter authors (if they are different from chapter to chapter). Standards may include up to four levels of subheads in the table of contents, but other books include only the first two levels of subheads within each chapter. The table of contents should also include Appendixes or other materials included at the end of the book. The index is listed as well on the table of contents.
A draft of the table of contents must be submitted with the final manuscript so that the acquisitions editor can verify that all material expected to be in the book has been turned over. A final version of the table of contents will be created once composition and pagination have been completed.
Committee Roster (Manuals of Practice and Technical Reports)
When a book is written by a committee, it may be appropriate to include a list of individuals who served on the committee. This list should be provided by the editor or the staff contact for the ASCE sponsor. Care should be taken that any names are listed as the individuals would wish them to appear.
For Manuals of Practice, this page must also contain a list of names and affiliations for the Blue Ribbon Panel reviewers.
Foreword (ASCE Press)
The foreword (not “Forward”) is not written by the author of a book but rather by an expert in the field who is able to commend the work to its readers. Forewords are appropriate only for ASCE Press books, with few exceptions.
Preface (All Books)
The preface presents the purpose and scope of the book. In it, the author or editor explains why the book was written, for whom it is intended, and what makes it different or beneficial. The book’s organization may be reviewed or distinguishing features highlighted.
Acknowledgments (Standards)
Acknowledgments are required for standards. For other books, they can be included as a subsection of the preface or as a separate section. In the acknowledgments, it is appropriate to recognize the contributions and support of committee members, colleagues, institutions, grants, and so on.
List of Contributors (Optional)
Edited books with individual chapter authors may include a list of contributors at the front of the book. The list could be as simple as names and academic and professional designations, but it could be expanded to consist of a short paragraph describing the professional training and achievements of each contributor.
Chapters
The bulk of each book is the text, which is organized into chapters and includes the accompanying elements such as tables and figures. The most common text elements are listed following.
Part Titles
Chapters may be grouped into sections or parts. Parts are numbered with Arabic numerals (not letters or Roman numerals). Part titles should be short, no more than six words long. Part titles should be included in the table of contents to guide placement when the book is typeset.
Chapters
Chapters are numbered with Arabic numerals. Chapter titles should be short, certainly no more than 10 words long. Chapters should be between 30 and 50 double-spaced pages. If a chapter runs more than 50 pages, consider breaking it into two or three separate chapters. See Preparing Text.
Tables
Tables are intended to present precise data and are described in Preparing Tables.
Figures
Figures are intended to present data visually and are described in Preparing Illustrations.
Footnotes/Endnotes
The use of footnotes in ASCE books is discouraged; the occasional footnote is better incorporated into the text or eliminated. However, if there is a compelling reason for including notes, they should be given superscript Arabic numbers and gathered at the end of each chapter as endnotes. The acquisitions editor should be notified by the editor/author regarding the reasoning for including footnotes.
Citations/References
ASCE books use the author-date system of citing source material in text, for example, (Compton 2018) without a comma in between. Reference lists should be gathered at the ends of chapters. ASCE Books discourages end-of-book references except for standards. More information on citing references in lists and in text is available in Author-Date References.
Back Matter
Back matter includes all materials at the end of a book after the chapters and possibly appendixes. Back matter continues the page numbering from the last chapter/appendix of text but is considered separate from the main text. The following appear most commonly in ASCE books. All these elements are optional.
Appendixes
Appendixes should be limited to material designed to supplement the text; they should be prepared like the rest of the manuscript. If there is more than one appendix, each should be assigned a letter and a title. Permission should be secured for any material that is from other sources.
Glossary
A glossary is a list of technical terms and their definitions. For standards, glossaries are included in Chapter 1 instead of the back matter.
Notation, Symbols, Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Other Lists
Lists of notation, symbols, abbreviations and acronyms, and so on may be included for the convenience of the reader. However, these items must be defined the first time they are used in each chapter for compilation books. For books with a single author, the term is defined on first use only. For standards, these lists are included in Chapter 1 instead of the back matter.
References List
For ASCE books, except standards, a References list will appear at the end of every chapter. ASCE generally follows the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style for formatting the references.
Index (Provided by ASCE)
The production manager arranges for the book to be professionally indexed. Authors and editors are welcome to submit lists of keywords or terms that they consider important.
About the Author (ASCE Press)
All ASCE Press books include a biography of the author; a brief version is used for the back cover of the book and other marketing purposes. Each entry should include a description of the author’s current professional engagement; significant degrees and licenses; significant jobs, projects, or work experiences; and perhaps a sentence of personal information. Photographs may also be included.
Supplemental and Editorially Related Material
Occasionally, supplemental or editorially related material is available for a book that cannot be included with the print edition. For ASCE books, this material can be posted in a repository and a link published in the printed book and PDF online. Examples include
• Spreadsheets or datasets that do not fit within printed book pages,
• Oversized maps,
• Videos, and
• Software.
Solutions manuals for problem sets can be made available for use by instructors.
There are numerous general repositories that can be used to post this additional material, such as the following:
Some of these services require a subscription or author usage fees. Others are free for basic services. All of these services provide a DOI that is then included in the published book and PDF online.
Preparing Text
These guidelines are for preparing final manuscripts for all book types except proceedings.
Word Processing
ASCE uses Microsoft Word word-processing software for preparing and copyediting manuscripts. Therefore, the electronic files for all text (including front and back matter and figure captions) should be submitted as Word files. If it is not possible to supply Word files, please discuss alternatives with the acquisitions editor prior to submission of the final manuscript. PDF is not an acceptable file format for the final manuscript of text, tables, and figure captions, because they are not editable.
Remember! Keep the Formatting Simple
The final manuscript for a book should be a simple document and not look like a published book. Creating this can mislead readers (especially those who come across the file on the Internet) into thinking they are looking at the definitive text of a book instead of a draft that is not final and may contain errors. Also, elaborate formatting can introduce errors during automated conversion processes.
Formatting
The ASCE Books staff strongly recommends that authors keep formatting as simple as possible. Limit the formatting to what will distinguish the different elements for the copyeditor and production manager. An inconsistently formatted or unclear presentation can result in errors or production delays. A few guidelines can make copyediting and typesetting of a manuscript trouble-free.
• Double-space all text, including references, figure captions, notes, and front and back matter. Use a serif typeface (preferably Times New Roman) in 12-point size.
• Set up the pages to be letter-size (or A4) with 1-inch margins all around.
• Number the pages consecutively in either the header or footer and include some identification for the book and chapter. For example:
Potable Water MOP / Chapter 12 page 1
• Use Microsoft Word’s spell-checker to locate and correct errors. A spell-check alone, however, is no substitute for careful proofing of the entire text and accompanying illustrations, figures, and tables.
• Do not insert any field codes or internal links into the Microsoft Word document.
• Submit each chapter as a separate file. Although authors may prefer to work on manuscripts with all the chapters gathered into a single file, the submitted manuscript must be split into separate chapter and appendix files for copyediting and typesetting. If a manuscript is submitted as a single file, it will still be broken up before being passed to production.
Headings
Headings (and subheadings) function the same way as an outline to show organization, connections, and the relative importance of parts.
• The wording of heads and subheads should be short, clear, and of parallel structure. Abbreviations or acronyms in headings is not permitted.
• A chapter should never contain only one heading of a given level. Under a first-level head, include at least two second-level heads, or none at all, and so on. (Standards are an exception to this rule.) For example,
○ o Head (title of section)
▪ Second head (subtitle of section)
▪ Second head (second subtitle of section)
• Do not type headings in all capital letters. Instead, capitalize the significant words only.
• Format each heading level as simply as possible. There is no need to bold or italicize section heads or subheads. Be consistent so that the copyeditor and production manager will be able to follow the organization.
• Limit headings to three or four levels. Additional levels clutter a book’s appearance and ultimately confuse the reader. (Standards are an exception to this rule.)
• Subheadings (except for ASCE Standards) do not need to be numbered. Subhead numbering is appropriate if the text will contain cross-references to different numbered sections; however, limit numbering to the first or second level. More than three numbers are hard for readers to retain and use.
Footnotes and Endnotes
The use of footnotes and endnotes should be avoided in ASCE books (notes to tables and figures are the exception). In nearly all cases, footnotes will be moved as endnotes for a chapter.
Boxes
Occasionally, some material in a manuscript—for example, lists or checklists, brief case studies, or historical background—should be separated from the main text of a chapter and presented in boxes (or sidebars). Boxes should be double numbered like figures and tables (Box 1-1). The boxes can then be called out in text, and the callout will guide the placement of the box when the book is paginated.
Material in boxes must have a title and may need a source or credit line. Boxed materials may be put at the end of the chapter text or in a separate file. However, do not use Word’s Text Boxes, because they cause formatting problems during copyediting and typesetting.
Submitting Text
Book text must be submitted in electronic form. ASCE does not require that paper printouts accompany electronic files for most manuscripts.
However, for books that are heavily illustrated or highly technical with many mathematical variables and equations, ASCE strongly recommends that a paper printout or PDF be submitted along with the electronic Word files in case of symbol default to an empty box or other lack of readability. Authors should be prepared to submit a paper printout or PDF if requested by the ASCE acquisitions editor.
Preparing Tables
Tables can be the best way to present data or other essential information. The tables submitted with a manuscript should be prepared with the same skill, thought, and care as the text. All tables submitted with the final manuscript must be complete and accompanied by permissions documentation.
Table Style
• Tables should not be formatted by, for instance, a table editor in Word.
•
Tables must be double-numbered by chapter (tables in Chapter 4, for example, would be numbered as Table 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, etc.). A complete list of tables must be included on the
Permissions Inventory Form submitted with the final manuscript.
• Tables should have a brief title describing what is being presented in the table; the table number and title appear above the table text (e.g., Table 2-2. Title of the Table Contents.).
• Table text should be arranged so that the rows outnumber the columns and the entries in each column contain similar material.
• Table text may be followed by source information, notes, and footnotes (in that order).
o The table source is introduced by the word “Source:” in italics and a colon, followed by source information, for example, “Connelly et al. (2017)”.
o A table note is introduced by the word “Note:” in italics and a colon and contains information applicable to the entire table such as a key to abbreviations or symbols.
o Table footnotes use superscript and italic lowercase letters to identify the footnote in the table and in the footnote.
Submitting Tables
• Tables must be submitted as editable Word or Excel files.
• Tables created in drawing or graphics programs and submitted as image files are not acceptable.
• For tables created in Word, authors should not use the Table feature that sets up tables using cells for rows and columns. Do not put multiple rows of data in a single row, and align them with spaces, tabs, or return key.
• For tables created in Excel, authors must ensure that the actual data are embedded in the final version. Data cross-referenced to other Excel files may not be available to the copyeditor and typesetter.
• Insert tables at the end of the text for each chapter or provide in separate files that contain all the tables for a particular chapter.
Preparing Illustrations
Graphs, flow charts, diagrams, drawings, maps, and photographs are some of the different types of illustrations that authors submit as part of their final manuscripts. Illustrations—more commonly called figures—must be submitted with the final manuscript. Authors are responsible for providing high-resolution (300 dpi), reproducible versions of figures, along with captions and source lines. Permissions documentation must also accompany the illustrations submitted with the final manuscript.
Publishing technologies are changing rapidly, so it is impossible to provide definitive instructions in a few pages. The following guidelines, however, should help authors prepare illustrations to avoid problems and delays in the production of their books.
Figure Style
• All illustrations are identified using the word “Figure.” Do not mix in alternatives such as “Photo” or “Chart.”
•
Figures must be double numbered by chapter (figures in Chapter 4, for example, would be numbered as Figure 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, etc.). A complete list of all figures should be itemized in the
Permission Inventory Form and included with the final manuscript submission.
• Figures should have a brief caption describing what is being presented. In ASCE books, the figure number and caption appear below the figure.
• Figure captions may be followed by legends, source information, and notes (in that order).
○ Legends should be included below the caption only if every character has a typeset equivalent; otherwise, incorporate the legend into the figure.
○ The figure source is introduced by the word “Source:” and a colon followed by source information.
○ A figure note is introduced by the word “Note:” and a colon and contains information applicable to the entire figure such as abbreviations or data parameters.
Tips for Preparing Figures
Figures will be published as they are submitted by the author. These tips will help ensure that the figures appear well in print and electronic formats.
Line Drawings
• Lines should be at least 0.5 pt. (0.175 mm) to reproduce well in a book or electronically. In general, lines in graphs should not be heavier than 1.5 pt (0.53 mm).
• Words should be set in a clear, readable typeface, such as Arial, Helvetica, or Times New Roman. The type size should be no smaller than 8 pt and no larger than 11 pt.
• Symbols in the figure should be about the size of a lowercase “oh” (o) in the accompanying text.
• Lines in graphs can be differentiated by using solid, dashed, or dotted lines or by varying the line weight. When using color in line graphs, make sure they are distinguishable from each other and that they are not too light (e.g., lime green or yellow).
• Do not draw boxes around the figures.
• Crop the images to eliminate unnecessary white space around them. Eliminate stray elements (such as lines or type) that should not be printed as part of the figure. Legends can be left in the figure. Figure titles should be cropped out.
Photographs
• Crop photographs to eliminate blank areas, clutter, and unrelated objects.
• Never use Microsoft Word or PowerPoint to overlay circles, arrows, labels, or other elements onto photographs. These items will be lost or corrupted during production. If these elements are important, use a photo-editing program, such as Adobe Photoshop, to embed the graphics in the photo JPEG or TIFF file.
• Original photographs should be taken with cameras set to at least 2 megapixels.
• Select photographs in sharp focus and with good contrast; photos tend to lose some detail during reproduction.
• For photos of objects, use plain backgrounds and consider adding an element to indicate scale.
• Avoid including company logos, unless the point of the photograph is to show a specific piece of equipment.
•
Avoid including recognizable people. If a face can be clearly seen, obtain a
Photography Consent Form from that person.
Figures from Online Sources
Graphic files saved from Web pages and screen snaps are generally not of acceptable quality for print publication. Photographs from websites such as Wikimedia Commons and the US Government often come in a variety of resolutions; download the highest-resolution version available.
Figures from online sources must be accompanied by permissions documentation.
Submitting Figures
For the best-quality print and electronic reproduction, figures should be submitted as individual JPEG (.jpg), TIFF (.tif), or EPS (.eps) files. Each file should have a name that is descriptive, and the file type should be identified in the file name extension. Original artwork will be accepted, but authors are strongly encouraged to prepare high-resolution scans of original art and submit the scans instead.
To ensure that the figures are paired with the correct captions, authors should submit a Word file that shows each figure with its accompanying caption and credit line.
Preparing Math in Text and Equations
Mathematics in text and display equations must be carefully prepared, because incorrect math or incomplete equations impair a book’s usability and call into question the work itself. Authors/editors are responsible for ensuring that the mathematical notation and equations are accurate, contain the correct symbols, and are properly arranged. ASCE copyeditors and proofreaders are charged with making sure that equations are numbered properly [i.e., (5-6) for Chapter 5, Equation 6] and that no variables have dropped out of the math and show as empty boxes. Copyeditors often correct Greek letters, where capitals are in roman type and lower-case letters are in italic. However, author/editors are expected to check each change and verify all mathematics.
Equation Style
• ASCE Books recommends that authors use MathType to prepare equations. Alternative programs, such as LaTeX, are not supported by ASCE production workflows and should not be used.
• Use slash equations, not built-up equations, in text and tables, for example, (a + b)/(c – d).
• Equations that are built-up or that the reader will refer to later should be set on a separate line from the main text and numbered.
• Equations must be double-numbered by chapter, so that equations in Chapter 4, for example, would be numbered as (4-1), (4-2), and so on. In text these would be referred to as Equation (4-1) and Equation (4-2).
Tips for Notation and Equations
• Wherever possible, prepare mathematical characters and equations using basic word-processing features, such as bold, italics, superscript, and subscript characters.
• Select Greek and other mathematical characters from the Symbol font. Do not use Wingdings, Webdings, or any of the various WordPerfect math and symbol fonts, because it is unlikely the symbols will appear correctly in the manuscript files to the copyeditor and typesetter.
• If a basic equation or formula is accompanied by variations, the math should be presented consistently throughout the book (or chapter). For example, do not use 0.75 pg sometimes and ¾ pg others, even though both forms may be correct.
• Type all variables in italics.
• Type capital Greek characters in roman and lower-case letters in italics.
• Type matrices, vectors, and tensors in bold type or put in brackets: M or M].
• Type dimensionless variables in roman type and define them on first use. For example: Froude (F), Reynolds (R), Mach (M), Weber (W), Strouhal (S), Peclet (P), Richardson (Ri), Prandl (Pr), and Schmidt (Sc).
• Change hyphens (-) to minus signs (–) and exes (×) to multiplication signs (×) when applicable.
• Check for consistency in commonly confused pairs of letters or symbols: Greek nu versus Greek upsilon; numeral one (1) versus lowercase letter “el” (l); and numeral zero (0) versus uppercase letter “oh” (O), especially in superscripts and subscripts.
• Insert a zero before decimals: 0.25 (not. 25) and –0.5 (not –.5).
Author-Date References
All factual material that did not originate with the authors should be accompanied by a citation to its reference. ASCE Books prefer the author-date system of referencing. This system has two parts, the text citation and the References list.
Text Citations
The text citation appears where the material to be cited is presented. The citation refers readers to a reference listed by the author’s surname and the year of publication. Often, the author and date appear in parentheses; a comma is not placed between them.
For example: One recent report (Carson 2012) finds evidence that…
Or: …yielded varying results (Jones 2010; Marks and Smith 2004a, b)
Or: Some researchers (Jules et al. 2017, Oneida 2014, MacIntire 2018) have found…
For publications with three or more authors, use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.” in the text citation.
For example: …by limit equilibrium analysis (Merriweather et al. 2014).
Or: [for two authors only] …using the mobility study (Metcalfe and Froustet 2018).
When the author of the referenced publication is part of the sentence, the last name does not need to be repeated.
For example: Carson (2006) finds evidence that…
References Lists
The list of references cited should appear at the end of a book chapter or proceedings paper and as the last chapter in standards. (Because book chapters can be accessed or downloaded electronically, it is important for readers that the references are included in each chapter.
References begin with the last name of the first author, then all the authors with initials appearing first, then the year of publication not in parentheses. References lists are alphabetized by the last name of the first author. For abbreviations of journal names, go to the Woodward Library: https://woodward.library.ubc.ca/research-help/journal-abbreviations/
For example: Li, S., H. Tang, X. Zhang, W. Sun, and R. Bold. 2014. “Fatigue behavior of precorrosion deformed bars.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 26 (9), 06014020.
When the author is an organization, firm, or government agency, the entity’s abbreviated name is listed first, followed by the spelled-out version, and then the year of publication. The exception is ASCE, which is left as the acronym and not spelled out afterward.
For example: AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials). 2014. AASHTO LRFD bridge design specifications, customary U.S. units, 7th Ed. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
References by the same author(s) published in the same year are designated with lowercase letters: 2004a, 2004b. In text, these are presented as, for example, 2004a, b.
Every reference must have a text citation and every text citation must have a corresponding reference. Unmatched references or citations are queried by the copyeditor.
Sample References
Journal References
Use the official abbreviation for the journal. Include year, volume, issue, and page numbers. Some journals do not have issue numbers but include for the rest. Use the Woodward Library of the University of British Columbia (https://woodward.library.ubc.ca/research-help/journal-abbreviations/) as a primary resource for journal title abbreviations.
• Stahl, D. C., R. W. Wolfe, and M. Begel. 2004. “Improved analysis of timber rivet connections.” J. Struct. Eng. 130 (8), 1272–1279.
• Note: After the first author, the initials of subsequent authors come before surnames. The date is not in parentheses. The name of the article is initial capital only. There is no comma after the abbreviated name of the journal. A space is present between the volume number and the issue number, which is in parentheses. There is an en dash (not a hyphen) for the page range; the en dash can be found in the Symbol font set.
When the journal has content identifiers, these can be used instead of page numbers:
• Zhou, H., and T. Attard. 2014. “Simplified anisotropic plasticity model for analyzing the postyield behavior of cold-formed sheet-metal shear panel structures.” J. Struct. Eng. 10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001152, 04014185.
Conference Proceedings and Symposia
Include the publisher of the proceedings and that entity’s location—city and state or city and country. Only include the conference sponsor if it is part of the title of the proceedings. If there is no “publisher,” then the name and location of the conference sponsor are required. URLs pointing to the proceedings are optional.
Garrett, D. L. 2003. “Coupled analysis of floating production systems.” In Proc., Int. Symp. on Deep Mooring Systems, Reston, VA: ASCE, 152–167, https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784407011.
Books
Include author, book title, publisher’s location, publisher, and chapter title and inclusive page numbers (if a whole book is used, or pages here and there throughout, page numbers need not be given). If no author is listed, alphabetize the entry by book title.
For example:
• ASCE. 2016. Minimum design loads and associated criteria for buildings and other structures, Standard ASCE/SEI 7-16. Reston, VA: ASCE.
• Committee on Curtain Wall Systems. 2014. Curtain wall systems: A primer, ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 126. Memari, Ali M., ed. Reston, VA: ASCE.
• Singh, V. P. 2014. Entropy theory in hydraulic engineering: An introduction. Reston, VA: ASCE Press.
Book Chapters
Dhillon, G. S., S. Kaur, C. M. Ajila, and R. Y. Surampalli. 2013. “Greenhouse gas contribution on climate change.” In Climate change modeling, mitigation, and adaptation, R. Y. Surampalli, T. C. Zhang, C. S. P. Ojha, B. Gurjar, R. D. Tyagi, and S. M. Kao, eds. Reston, VA: ASCE, 26–61.
Unpublished Material
Unpublished material is not included in the references but may be cited in the text as follows:
• (John Smith, personal communication, May 16, 1983).
• (J. Smith, unpublished internal report, February 2003).
In Press Articles
Articles that are in press (i.e., those that have been accepted but have not yet been published) may be included in the references as follows:
• Dasgupta, G. (in press). “Stiffness matrix from isoparametric closed form shape functions using exact integration.” J. Aerosp. Eng.
In press articles should be updated to include the actual publication information whenever possible.
Web Pages
Include author, year of publication or last revision, title of “page,” title of the complete work, date material was accessed, and Web address, and.
• Burka, L. P. 1993. “A hypertext history of multi-user dimensions.” MUD history. Accessed December 5, 2013.http://www.ccs.neu.edu.
CD-ROM
Include authors, copyright date, title, medium, section, chapter, page numbers if available, and producer/publisher and its location.
• Liggett, J. A., and D. A. Caughey. 1998. “Fluid statics.” Fluid mechanics (CD-ROM). Section 3.1, Chapter 2, 167–177, Reston, VA: ASCE.
Theses and Dissertations
Include author, copyright date, title, and the name and location of the institution where the research was conducted. Note that some institutions use specific terminology; for example, “doctoral dissertation” rather than, for example, “Ph.D. thesis” or “Ph.D. dissertation”. Use the abbreviated terminology.
• Sotiropoulos, S. N. 1991. “Statis response of bridge superstructures made of fiber reinforced plastic.” M.S. thesis, Morgantown, WV: West Virginia Univ.
Antipiracy and E-books
ASCE retains an antipiracy service to identify, reduce, and remove pirated or bootlegged versions of ASCE-copyrighted works posted on open websites throughout the world. Authors, editors, and committees should ensure that their working drafts are shared through a secure web service such as Higher Logic, DropBox, Google Drive, or a password-protected website.
Authors and editors who discover pirated versions of their books on the Internet should notify ASCE by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Include the name of the publication being pirated and the URL of the pirate site.
Errata
Despite everyone’s best efforts, errors occasionally slip past authors, editors, production managers, proofreaders, and everyone else involved in publishing a book. The lead author or corresponding editor is responsible for investigating possible errors and submitting them to ASCE Publications.
• Errors that are typographical—that is, typos or misprints that readers could be expected to interpret and that do not materially change the meaning of technical information—should be compiled by the lead author or corresponding editor and submitted to the production manager. The production manager will keep them on file for future editions of the book.
• Errors about engineering—that is, incorrect information or typos and misprints that materially change the meaning of technical information—should be compiled by the lead author or corresponding editor. The errors and their corrections should be submitted to the acquisitions editor, who will arrange to have the errata posted with the book record in the ASCE Library. In the ASCE Library, errata are posted as a final “chapter” and available for download with no charge or restrictions.
• Errata for standards should be submitted to the Institute’s staff contacts. Errata for ASCE standards must be reviewed and approved according to guidelines established by the Codes and Standards Committee before they are sent to the acquisitions editor for posting with the book record in the ASCE Library.
Publishing Ethics
Occasionally, questions of publishing ethics arise. These include, but are not limited to
• Plagiarism: Including all or part of someone else’s work without attribution and/or permission,
• Copyright violation: Submitting work owned by someone else without securing permission to use it, and
• Duplicate publication: Publishing the same material with more than one publisher or publishing the same material in more than one ASCE publication (books, journals, and proceedings).
Anyone may bring a publishing ethics issue to the attention of a member of the ASCE Books staff or staff from ASCE’s Institutes and Technical Groups. For proceedings, the lead editor will be responsible for addressing the ethics issue, with assistance from ASCE staff.
If an ethical issue is identified, several courses of action are possible. A book could be taken out of print. A published proceedings paper could be retracted; however, retraction does not mean that the paper “disappears” from view, only that it is marked with a retraction notice and explanation for the retraction. If the violator is associated with a university, the university may be notified. A complaint may be filed with the ASCE Committee on Professional Conduct.
ASCE Policies on Artificial Intelligence and Automated Tools
Artificial Intelligence and Authorship
ASCE is a member of COPE, the Committee on Publication Ethics. As such, ASCE follows COPE Guidelines on artificial intelligence and authorship. Our policy is that AI software cannot be listed as an author on a paper.
ChatGPT and similar software is not human, and for this reason cannot independently design studies, create and critique methodologies, interpret data, or be held responsible for the outcomes and implications of the study in question. For this reason, ChatGPT and similar software should be treated as a tool, not an author. For more information on COPE’s guidance on AI and authorship, please visit the COPE website.
Artificial Intelligence and Automated Tools
ASCE policies on the use of AI and automated tools are the following:
- ASCE will not review or accept manuscripts written by nonhuman authors. Large Language Models (LLMs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools should not be listed in a byline for any reason.
- Authors are required to disclose whether artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used in the creation and preparation of their manuscripts. ASCE reserves the right to ask for and receive detailed information on how LLMs and AI were used in the creation of a manuscript.
- Reviewers shall not use LLMs or AI tools when reviewing manuscripts or preparing comments to authors.
- Future developments: ASCE will continue to monitor the ethical implications of using AI tools and automation as they evolve and change.
More information about COPE’s guidelines and recommendations regarding AI tools and automation can be found here.
ASCE Author Marketing Questionnaire
Thank you for taking the time to complete this marketing questionnaire. Your answers to the questions that follow provide us with valuable information about your book and its intended audience. This information is essential as we devise an effective marketing and promotion plan that connects your book with the readers who want and need it.
This questionnaire can be filled out by more than one person for each book. Please forward this questionnaire to colleagues on your committee who have information they’d like to share.
You may complete this questionnaire on paper or on your computer. Feel free to attach samples, lists, or other documents that will help us promote your book.
Please email this completed questionnaire to Leslie Connelly, Marketing Director, ASCE Publications
