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These notes provide advice and guidance on planning your manuscript and presenting it for publication. Please get in touch with us if you have any queries which are not answered here. The Production Process – An Overview Planning Your Book Preparing Your Manuscript Submitting The Final Manuscript Presenting The Text Legal Issues Checklist and Summary The Production Process – An Overview Once your manuscript has been approved the production process starts. Usually the book is placed with a freelance project manager who works on our behalf. Time is of the essence in production so please let us know in advance if there will be times when you will not be available to answer queries or read proofs. These are crucial stages in the process so we will need to make sure that the schedule takes account of your availability. Copyediting All manuscripts are copy-edited for style and consistency and to ensure that no material is missing. When copy editing is finished, you will receive a copy of the edited manuscript so that you can see what changes have been made. This will be your last opportunity to check the detail and content so that any last minute changes can be made, to avoid incurring expensive corrections at page proof stage. You will also be asked to sort out any queries arising from the copyediting. Design While the copyediting is being done, we will be working with a text designer to finalise the layout for the book. The cover design will also be started now, if it is not already under way. Although design is the publisher’s responsibility, if you have particular suggestions or preferences, for example for the cover design, please let us know. Typesetting and proofreading When we receive your answers to the queries, we will send the book to the typesetter, who will produce page proofs using the agreed page design. A set of proofs will be sent to you for checking and a date set for their return. You should let us and the project manager know immediately if you cannot meet the dates which you have been given. If you are compiling the index, you will receive a second set of proofs. Page corrections are expensive and unless there are very pressing reasons, or they have been previously agreed with us, please do not alter the content of the text at this time. You should compile the index to fit the number of pages specified and return it with your corrected page proofs to your Project Manager. The proofs will also be read by a proofreader. The Project Manager will collate the proofreader’s corrections with yours and return the proofs to the typesetter for final corrections. Unless there have been extensive corrections you would not normally see revised page proofs unless you specifically request them. Depending on the schedule requirements we normally allow about two to three weeks for checking and proofreading. Illustrations If you have supplied rough diagrams, these will be redrawn and included in the page proofs so that they can be checked for accuracy and positioning at the same time. Cover While the text is being prepared, the design and printing of the book’s cover is being arranged. If you have particular ideas for the cover we would be pleased to receive them and take account of them where appropriate. Bound copies When all corrections have been made and the index typeset, the book is printed and bound. When the books are finished they are delivered into our main warehouse ready for dispatch. You will receive any free copies due to you at this time, and of course you may purchase extra copies at author's discount. Planning Your Book Structure The structure of your book will have been discussed and agreed with your editor at ICSA Publishing before you start work on your manuscript. Throughout the writing, give careful thought to the structure and organisation of the chapters, bearing in mind the potential market and any competing books. It is much easier to write according to the known plan than to add extra features once the manuscript is complete. Similarly, please write to your contracted number of words; we will always check the word count, and it is much more difficult to cut text out at a later stage. Special features Early in your writing you need to incorporate any features that are to be included in each chapter. Again, these will have been discussed and agreed with ICSA Publishing at contract stage. These might be introductions, summaries and definitions to aid understanding, or special illustrative features to introduce additional material and to provide a break from the main narrative. When used effectively these features can become key selling points for the book. They might include:
Do use features consistently, make sure that they are relevant for all the chapters and that you have appropriate material for them. Headings and subheadings A logical hierarchy of headings is essential. These guidelines may be helpful:
If numbered subheadings are essential, number them by chapter and avoid numbering below the second level of subheading. Preparing Your Manuscript Software We prefer to use common word-processing packages such as MS Word. If you have any doubt that your software will be suitable, please supply some sample material to test. The sample need not be very long, but must include all the features that will require distinctive design treatment, such as:
Files
Keying
The printout
Security
Submitting The Final Manuscript Please supply the following material with the disks and matching hard copy printout:
When mailing your disks:
Presenting The Text References and bibliographies A bibliography or further reading list need not be restricted to items cited in the text, but all items cited must be included in the bibliography. A list of references should be confined to publications cited in the text. If you are providing full bibliographical details (for example at the end of the book) the list of references at the end of each chapter need contain only minimum bibliographical detail. For example Minimum detail: 1. Davies, G. et al. (1964). 2. Carter, P. (1990a) pp12-32. 3. Apter, M (1996). 4. Carter, P. (1990b) pp 41-9. Full detail: Apter, M. (1996) Software Engineering, Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall Carter, P. (1990a) ‘Data Preparation’ in Information Systems, Smith, P. (Ed.), Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall. Carter, P (1990b) ‘Business Information Systems’ Office Automation 16 (4) pp 41-9. Davies, G., Francis, L. and Jones, M. (1964) Politics in the 1970s, Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall. Always list bibliographies alphabetically by authors’ surnames. We prefer the Harvard system (Smith, 1992) of referencing. Harvard system These are the basic rules:
Always include the name of the publisher and place and date of publication, together with the edition number if not the first. For journals, give the date of publication, including month or quarter, the volume and/or series number and page numbers. Style bibliographical references as follows:
Lists Lists should be itemised by using arabic numerals followed by full points. Use lower-case roman letters in parentheses for example (a) (b), and use lower case roman numerals for further subdivisions for example, (i) (ii). Listed items which do not need numbering should be itemised using bullets for example l or * but never dashes. Leave one line space above and below the list. Punctuating lists Use the following rules:
Begin items in a subdivision with a lower-case letter and end with a semi-colon, except if there are further subdivisions, when you should end with a colon. For example: Statutory rules may be summarised as follows: 1. A company must be registered. 2. A company may not lend to another company if: (a) the company itself is an exempt private company;(b) the company is making a loan to its related corporation unless:(i) its related corporation is registered as a private company;(ii) its related corporation has previously received a loan from the company.If the item listed completes a sentence when combined with the lead in phrase, use a lower case letter for the first word and end each item with a semi-colon, except for the last, which should have full stop. Any subdivisions should also begin with a lower-case letter and end with semi-colon. For example Statutory rules state that a company must: 1. be registered; 2. not lend to another company if: (a) the company itself is an exempt private company; (b) the company is making a loan to its related corporation unless: (i) its related corporation is registered as a private company;(ii) its related corporation has previously received a loan from the company.Notes Notes should always be numbered by chapter, not by page or throughout the book. The note indicators in the text should be clearly indicated by superscript numerals without parentheses. Endmatter Endmatter is all material, which appears after the last page of the final chapter and includes:
If they are to be included in your book, please supply all except the index when you deliver your manuscript. Remember to present them double line spaced. If you are compiling the index, please make sure you have a copy of our guidance notes. Prelim pages The prelim pages consist of all material that appears before the first page of the first chapter. They will consist of some or all of the following, each starting a fresh page.
Items 2, 3 and 4 will be compiled by the publisher. Items 1, 6 and 10 are your responsibility. The remainder are optional. Contents Include part titles (if used), chapter titles and main subheadings. In some textbooks, second level subheadings may also be appropriate. Use indents to indicate the level or importance of headings, for example Part 1 Concepts and Definitions Chapter 1 The Etymology: what is software engineering? One step backwards: what is software? Coming to terms with the problem gradually. Foreword Written by someone other than the author, the foreword provides an outline of the book’s position within its field. It should have its author's name at the bottom. Preface Include information on the market for the book, its coverage, how to use it, any advantages it has over other books in the same market plus any personal acknowledgements to friends or colleagues who have helped in the writing. Do not date the preface as it can artificially date the book. Acknowledgements Include any acknowledgements of sources of copyright material on this page. In some cases the copyright holder may provide wording, which must be used. Legal Issues Copyright and permissions It is illegal to reproduce material which is in copyright, unless prior written permission has been given by the copyright owner or the copyright owner’s agents. It is usually the author’s responsibility to obtain written permission to use copyright material, including tables, figures and illustrations, to pay any copyright fees, for compiling the appropriate copyright acknowledgment copy for inclusion in the book and for supplying us with original copies of any letters granting permission when you submit the completed manuscript. Pay particular attention to the requested placement and wording of an acknowledgment. UK copyright covers authors who are living or who have died within the last 50 years; US copyright is for 25 years. UK copyright law allows for ‘fair dealing’: the use of brief quotations for the purposes of criticism or review without the copyright holder’s permission. However, acknowledgment of source, author and publisher must be made. The Society of Authors and The Publishers' Association recommend that permission is not required for the purposes of criticism or review for the following:
Limits can vary from publisher to publisher, so if the quotations approach the above lengths it is advisable to check with the publisher concerned in case you require permission. US publishers have a similar ‘fair use’ agreement which covers extracts of up to 500 words. Material published by the US government is ‘public domain’ and can be used freely. If the extracts quoted exceed these limits, and the source is still in copyright, written permission to reproduce must be obtained. When requesting permission you should prepare an application letter which we can supply. You may adapt it for your own use, but be sure to obtain permission for world rights and electronic rights. The simplest way is to send two copies of the letter (with copies of the material to be reproduced from the original source) – the copyright holder simply signs and returns one and retains the other. If you are in any doubt about the copyright position of any material, please get in touch with us. You do not need to secure copyright in your own work; it is automatically conferred. Trademarks There may be occasions when you need to refer to a product by its trade name, for example Microsoft®. Instead of repeating the trademark symbol at each occurrence, provide a list of all trademarks mentioned in the text with their trademark holders for inclusion in the prelims. For example: Microsoft® Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. Libel Please ensure that your book contains no libelous, defamatory or injurious statements about living persons, institutions or other organisations. Please consult us if you are in any doubt about this. Sexism Avoid using language that reinforces sexism and make sure that your writing is free of any bias towards one gender or the other, for example depicting women only as secretaries, wives or mothers. In some cases it is quite simple to avoid sexist usage, for example by:
Please do not use ‘he or she’ or he/she, or alternate these two pronouns or use ‘their’ when referring to one person. Instead consistently use ‘he’ or ‘she’ and include a note in your preface explaining usage. Racism Avoid offensive designations and bigoted or biased statements towards groups of people due to the colour of their skin, their country of origin or their religious beliefs. Checklist and Summary Preparing and presenting the manuscript
Submitting the manuscript
Review of Edited Manuscript
Page proofs
Prelim page proofs
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