by
Peter Robinson, Department of Geology and Geography, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
John Brady, Department of Geology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01060
Chris Hepburn, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
Lindley S. Hanson, Department of Geological Sciences, Salem State College, Salem, MA 01970
Mark Van Baalen, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
revised September, 2008, MVB

INTRODUCTION

       Guidebook authors should prepare an electronic manuscript using word processing software, with illustrations properly positioned in the text.  Many authors are now using MS Word, although other software products are also in use.  If using MS Word, your manuscript should be sent in .doc (alternatively .rtf) format.  Shorter manuscripts may be emailed as attachments.  Longer manuscripts, whose size exceeds the bounds of email, may be burned on a CD-ROM and mailed or Fed Exed.  Another option is to place the large manuscript on an FTP site so that it may be directly downloaded by the Editor.  In all cases, it is extremely helpful to also mail to the Editor a paper copy, properly formatted.  This is because the Editor may need to do minor reformatting, and having a reference copy as created by the author is useful.  Although illustrations and captions should be positioned in the text, a separate file for each illustration, in .jpg (photographs) or .eps (line drawings) format may be required by the Editor.  Note also that in the case of large illustrations, your word processing software may not properly display the page on your screen - check it on your printer.  Text should be prepared in the format given here, which is the Times 10 font (Macintosh) computers (Times New Roman 10 on a PC).  Margins, spacing and other format details are covered in the following paragraphs. It will be noted that this font-format combination is extremely compact yet highly readable, which will cut the weight and expense of the Guidebook.  Finally, at the present time most guidebooks are being printed in black and white, for economic reasons.  In the future, color printing will likely become less expensive, and color figures will become the standard.  But authors should make sure their figures will reproduce well in black and white.
      
OVERALL MARGINS AND SPACING

       Margins must be 1 inch or more on all sides (excluding page numbers, located .75 inches from the top.)  This leaves a working area of no more than 6.5 x 9 inches.  In general figures and their captions should not extend beyond the margin of the text.  In a few special cases maps and diagrams with captions may be permitted up to 7 x 10 inches but this should be done in consultation with the Editor.  Use left-justification for text.

PAGE LAYOUT

       Your  trip title and list of authors should be as in this document: title bold caps.  Shorter titles look better in 12 point, longer titles look better in 10 point.  Arrange the distribution of text and figures on the assumption that your article will begin on an odd-numbered (right hand) page.  Each manuscript should have an even number of pages.  If your manuscript has an odd total, add a blank page at the end.  Fit figures and text on the same pages as much as possible and do not present pages with small figures and large amounts of blank space.  Take special pains to make sure all lettering is fully legible at final size.

FORMATTING HEADERS

       In order to distinguish your part of the book from others, print a page header with authors' names in upper case italics, (not bold) centered at the top of each page except the title page.  You may use Times/Times New Roman 12 point for headers.  When paginating text, alternate the placement of the page number on the upper right (e.g. A1-1) and left (e.g. A1-2) hand corners.  Page numbers are not in italics, but are also 12 point.  Formatting headers with page numbers sometimes causes confusion - here is how to do it in MS-Word:  On a Mac, use the Format/Document menu to select "different first page" and "different even and odd pages".  On a PC, use Insert/Headers and make the same choices.  Then, for your title page, put in your trip number and automatic page number (1), right adjusted.  For subsequent even pages, put in trip number and automatic page number left adjusted, with the authors in italics, centered.  For subsequent odd pages, likewise, except make your page number right adjusted. 
TEXT

       Text should be single-spaced, Times/Times New Roman 10, with an empty line between paragraphs.  The first line of each paragraph should be indented .25 inch.  Section headings should be in bold caps which makes them stand out from the remainder of the text.  Follow the heading, figure caption and road log formats shown in the examples on the following page.

PRINCIPAL HEADING

Principal headings are centered and in caps.  All headings are in bold type.

1st Subheading should be in normal (Roman) font, left adjusted.

       2nd Subheading. should be in normal (Roman) font, indented and followed
                   by a period (.).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

       Acknowledgements should be placed at the end of the text in normal paragraph form.

ROAD LOG

       Make road logs clear and easy to follow.  A reference to a map or atlas (e.g. DeLorme atlas) may be appropriate for areas where roads and markers are difficult to find and/or follow.  Some authors now include GPS positions for key spots - that is author's prerogative.  Note that some field trip stops may be on private land, with owners' permission required.  Often a trip leader will obtain permission specifically for an NEIGC trip on a given date, but this does not constitute blanket permission.  In the case of especially sensitive locations, the author may include a general warning or disclaimer to this effect.  "No-hammer" stops should be so designated in the road log.

Mileage
0.0   Start here.  Clearly describe the location of your starting point.
0.2   Turn right onto yellow brick road.
1.1   Turn left into parking lot of Munchkin Town IGA.  Walk north 100 feet to large vertical ledge.

       STOP 1.    YELLOW BRICK OPHIOLITE.  (40 MINUTES)  Along with the geologic description, include in the stop or mileage description any important information such as "lunch stop" or "be prepared for 2 mile trek through waist-high stream."

CAPTIONS    Figures should be located on the same page or on the page immediately following the text that refers to them.  Any large figure that has to be rotated should have its top on the left-hand side of the page.  If possible, use space efficiently by wrapping the text around the figure.  However, don't over-crowd the page or try to fit text into a narrow columnar space that is less than two inches wide.  Use your judgement.
		Figure 1.  Align the margins of the   caption with the figure or table.   Lower lines are indented.

REFERENCES CITED

References should be placed after the Road Log.  Use standard GSA citation format and indent lower lines:

Stow, D.A.V., and Shanmugan, G., 1980, Sequence of structures in fine-grained turbidites: comparison of recent deep-sea and ancient flysch sediments: Sedimentary Geology, v.25, p. 23-42.

CHECK LIST

While assembling your manuscript, run through the following checklist to ensure that the guidelines have been followed.

I.     TEXT FORMAT, MARGINS AND SPACING

       _____ Point Size: 10 point
       _____ Font: Times (Macintosh) or New Times Roman (PC)
       _____ Margins: 1 inch all around
       _____ Spacing: single

II.    TITLE PAGE

       _____ The title should be in BOLD CAPS and centered
       _____ Author(s) and affiliations are centered beneath title and typed in plain text

III.   CENTERED HEADER: authors typed in ITALIC CAPS
       _____ Italic caps, 12 point.  Roman caps for page numbers
       _____ Author header on all pages except first page

IV.   PAGINATION

       _____ Begin with page 1 in upper right-hand corner and page 2 in upper left-hand corner
       _____ All page number alternate right (odd-number) and left (even number) sides
       _____ Page numbers located 0.75 inches from top of page
       _____ Page number is preceded by field trip code.  Example: C1-1, C1-2, C1-3,
                    etc.

V.    FIGURES AND TABLES

       _____ Small figures are incorporated on pages with text
       _____ Print in figures is legible
       _____ Figures and captions do not extend beyond margins
       _____ Rotated figures are arranged with the tops to the left
       _____ Color figures OK in black and white

VI.   MISCELLANEOUS HEADINGS ETC. IN PROPER FORMATS

       _____ Headings and subheadings
       _____ Road Log
       _____ Figure captions
       _____ References

VII.  ELECTRONIC FILES IN PROPER FORMAT

       _____ Digital manuscript with figures inserted, as email attachment or on
                  CD- ROM.  File in .doc or .rtf   format, figures available in .jpg or .eps  
                   format if Editor requests.
       _____ Along with the digital copy, mail a printed copy to the Editor.
       _____ Note what format the digital file is in, i.e. Mac or PC, and what word
                    processing software, e.g.  MS Word, was used.
       _____ Send all files to Editor by the appropriate deadline!

(RTF version of Instructions to Authors)