1.1.1  Preparing to Be An Editor

1.1.2  Things to Decide Right Away

1.1.2.1  Allocate specific tasks to each editor
 
1.1.2.2  Decide which editor the authors should contact with questions
 
1.1.2.3  Determine page limitations for the volume and authors' papers
 
1.1.2.4  Determine deadlines for paper submissions
 
1.1.2.5  Determine reference style to be used for the entire volume
 
1.1.2.6  Decide whether to include and how to record discussions, summaries, and highlights
 
1.1.2.7  Rules and guidelines for the authors regarding file naming, deadlines, images, figures and tables, references, etc.
 
1.1.2.8  Decide how to set up the book
 
1.1.2.9  Decide how to cover publishing costs
 
1.1.2.10  Make arrangements for referees, if desired

1.1.3  Interaction with Authors

1.1.3.1  Enter the meeting information and invite co-editors.
 
1.1.3.2  Issue invitations to authors to upload their papers..
 
1.1.3.3  Notify authors of rules or guidelines
 
1.1.3.4  Provide copyright information and copyright form to authors
 
1.1.3.5  Provide "permission to use" information to authors

1.1.4  Instructions, Templates, Macros and Forms

1.2  At the Conference

1.3  After the Conference

1.3.1  Prepare Mailing List to sent to ASP

1.3.2  Advanced Invoicing

1.3.3  Solicit Submissions from Authors as Needed

1.3.4  Edit Papers

 

 

1.1  Before the Conference–Getting Organized

1.1.1  Preparing to Be an Editor

By now you should have read the introductory materials on the Publishing with the ASP and Editors' Information pages. The primary source of information and instructions for editors and authors is the 2010 version of the Instructions for Authors and Editors manual. Please read it and refer to it frequently. For additional guidance and excellent advice on editing a volume and writing papers of your own, please read this paper, published in ASPCS Vol. 349, p. 445: "Advice on Writing a Scientific Paper" by C. Sterken.

1.1.2  Things to Decide Right Away

1.1.2.1  Allocate specific tasks to each editor. Select the editors well in advance of the conference. The conference proceedings will be published much more quickly if responsibilities are shared between the co-editors. For example, you may wish to give the responsibility for copy-editing to one editor and scientific refereeing to another. Although refereeing can be done by more than one person, it is wise to have only one copy-editor to ensure uniformity of style and format.

1.1.2.2  Decide which editor the authors should contact with questions. This is necessary for conformity throughout the volume and will make it easier for your authors to have one contact person. Note that ASPCS staff will only communicate with the single editor identified in the publication agreement (contract).

1.1.2.3  Determine page limitations for the volume and authors' papers. The maximum length of your volume depends on the number of volumes that will be ordered (450 pages for less than 100 copies, 600 pages for 101 to 150 copies, 750 pages for 151 to 200 copies, and 850 pages for more than 200 copies). You will need to determine page lengths for the authors' papers. These often vary depending on the type of paper or presentation (e.g., regular presenters, an invited or keynote speaker, a panel discussion, a poster paper). Be sure to allocate enough space so figures and illustrations will not be too small. Other items mentioned below may also affect the allocation of pages in the volume.

1.1.2.4  Determine deadlines for paper submissions. Since the manuscript of your entire volume should ideally be submitted within four months of the conclusion of your conference, you'll want to set a deadline for the authors soon after the the conference, or at the conference itself. Most editors say the biggest problem they have is getting the completed papers from the authors. Some editors find it much easier to have authors submit their papers at the conference, including all source files and copyright forms. After the conference, authors may be given one month to make any changes and resubmit the paper, if they desire. If they don't resubmit, then the editor uses the one submitted at the conference. This greatly reduces the time and stress spent on getting authors to submit their papers by the requested deadline and allowed for faster publishing. (See also Section 1.3.3 below.)

1.1.2.5  Determine reference style to be used for the entire volume. We recommend the Astrophysical Journal style (see ApJ author instructions at the IoP web site). We recommend that you use the BibTeX environment for all references, but the LaTeX "thebibliography" environment is also acceptable. For more information please read the Instructions for Authors and Editors. Stressing to authors the importance of completely following the instructions will make your job much easier when you combine all papers together into one manuscript.

1.1.2.6  Decide whether to include and how to record discussions, summaries, and highlights. If you wish to include discussions, summaries or highlights, you may do so as described in the Instructions for Authors and Editors. We recommend that they be inserted as an unnumbered section at the very end of the article after the references if the discussion is part of a paper. If the discussion concludes a session of the conference, the conference format may dictate that they appear at the end of each Part of the volume. If you wish to include discussions in the volume, make arrangements before the conference to record and transcribe the discussions.

1.1.2.7 Rules and guidelines for the authors regarding file naming, deadlines, images, figures and tables, references, etc. One of the most crucial responsibilities of an editor is communicating expectations to the authors. Getting authors to follow the guidelines laid out in the Instructions for Authors and Editors will make your job easier and produce a nicer volume. It is important to communicate set of definite guidelines for them to follow before they start work on their papers. The following items should be included:

• a link to the Authors' Information page of this website (http://www.aspbooks.org/author_information/) for the latest ASPCS information, templates and macros
• conventions for consistent file naming (e.g., firstauthorsurname.tex for the paper's main file and firstauthorsurname_fig1.eps for figures);
• the number of pages allowed for each type of paper;
• the deadlines and how to submit their papers;
• which editor to contact with questions;
• requirements for image quality and format (see Instructions for Authors and Editors.
• layout and margin requirements for text, figures and tables;
• the reference and citation style to be used;
• the fact that author definitions or custom LaTeX packages will not be supported by ASPCS, so don't use them;
• the fact that space management tools such as \vspace commands will be removed, so don't use them;
• the recommendation to use \plotone or \plottwo unless \plotfiddle is absolutely necessary;
• any other important items

Giving clear guidelines up front will make your job as an editor much easier. One experienced editor commented, "Set rules for authors. List do NOTs! I spent over 200 hours just fixing references from authors." (See also Interaction with Authors, Section 1.1.3, below.)

1.1.2.8  Decide how to set up the book. Before beginning to put the manuscript together, determine a few basics about the volume's layout. This will help in determining page lengths for authors' papers. Determine if each paper should begin on the right hand side (an odd-numbered page) or if papers may begin on both left and right pages. Also decide whether to include pages for part headings or section headings and if they will have blank pages before and after them to help them stand out. Finally, choose whether to include photos taken during the conference or other materials in appropriate locations to enhance the volume. Photos are often inserted on pages which would otherwise be blank at the end of a paper or section if each paper in the volume begins on the right-hand (odd) page. We recommend looking at previous volumes of the ASP Conference Series for ideas.

1.1.2.9  Decide how to cover publishing costs. Make final plans now for paying for the proceedings; whether the volume's cost will be included in the conference fee, added on as a separate charge, or funded in some other way. For more information on paying for the volume, see Publishing with the ASP Sections 5.5 and 5.6.

1.1.2.10  Make arrangements for referees, if desired. The ASP Conference Series does not referee conference proceedings. If you desire to have your volume refereed, make those arrangements early.

1.1.3  Interaction with Authors

Effective communication with the authors makes compiling the volume—and therefore, your job—much easier. Please provide authors with a link to the Authors' Information web page. The following things should be done right away:

1.1.3.1 Enter meeting information and invite co-editors.. The Conference Series has an on-line system for you to use to interact with authors. Start by entering the meeting information and inviting other co-editors to login to the system. The software provides a platform for you to send messages to authors, for authors to upload papers and copyright forms, and for you and authors to track important milestones and issue approvals. The system is accessed by going to publication.aspbooks.org. You will get an invitation to login from the Conference Series staff when the contract is signed.

1.1.3.2  Issue invitations to authors.. The Conference Series interface allows editors to enter a paper title and author email address for each paper. The system will automatically invite authors to create an account. You may then prompt them to upload their papers, associated figures, copyright assignment forms, etc. The software also provides a messaging system to communicate with authors and exchange documents. Authors may invite co-authors to login and review papers as well.

The ASP author templates and macros are available on the Authors' Information Page. Editors may post a link to them from the conference web site. Remind the authors to follow the author instructions carefully and to not change the macros or add in special definitions or LaTeX packages; any changes will be ignored or removed.

1.1.3.3  Notify authors of deadlines to submit papers and provide rules or guidelines. The Conference Series website will send invitations to authors and provide submission deadlines. Providing information to authors at the meeting or on the meeting website about how and when this is to happen will help them know what to expect.

1.1.3.4  Provide copyright information and copyright form to authors. Many questions regarding copyrights are answered by The Chicago Manual of Style, paragraph 4.13, provided in Section 2.2 of the Authors' Information page. Copyright assignment forms should be obtained by editors or submitted to the ASP using the on-line system prior to the publication of the manuscript. Scanned copies of the signed documents should be submitted by authors using the Conference Series website.

Copyright forms may be downloaded from the Authors' Information Page of this website, or a link to them may be posted on the conference website for the authors' convenience.

Authors whose work was funded by Governmental Agencies may be instructed to check the box at the bottom of the copyright form if the last paragraph of the copyright form is applicable.

Please make sure authors identify the meeting on the copyright form.

1.1.3.5  Provide "permission to use" information from authors. Authors and editors are responsible for ensuring that a signed "Permission to Use" form has been received to republish any material for which the author does not hold the copyright (including text and figures by the author previously published elseshere). Authors should also make sure all sources are properly cited. The Permission to Use form can be found on the Authors' Information web page.

1.1.4  Instructions, Templates, Macros and Forms

You may download all the necessary instructions, templates, macros and forms from the Authors' Instructions web page or from the Instructions, Templates, and Macros web page.