ATT3_CHECKLIST_Tech_Edit_3-11-14.pdf

Technical Editor’s Checklist

Title, Author Affiliation, Abstract, Other

□ The manuscript’s title is appropriate in length and wording.

□ The manuscript includes job title, affiliation, and duty location (city and State) of all authors.

□ The abstract is concise (about 200 words); it adequately reports results and contains five to seven keywords.

□ Copyright and trademarks are included, where appropriate, and releases obtained.

□ All necessary information is included in the acknowledgments section for grant, cost-share, and cooperative agreements

(samples available on request).

□ If necessary, the need for pesticide and/or product disclaimers is identified.

General

□ Peer, biometrics, and potential-audience reviews are adequate.

□ The suggested publication series (i.e., GTR, RP, RB, RN, SU) is appropriate given the material presented in the manuscript.

□ Text is free of unanswered questions; no unresolved issues. Final edited version is read to ensure correctness.

□ Headings are clearly identified as #1, #2, #3, or #4 headings using the formatting suggested in the Authors Guide.

□ Results and conclusions follow from hypotheses/methods; assertions not supported by data are followed by lit citations.

□ Throughout the manuscript, the level of detail is consistent, length of sections is balanced, and headings and other organizational elements are consistent and marked appropriately to show ascendancy.

□ Superfluous material is eliminated or put into an appendix.

□ Language flows logically and is clear, understandable, and appropriate for the audience.

□ Text is free of sexist language, identifiable spelling errors, and errors in grammar, punctuation, and syntax.

□ Sentence lengths average 30 words or less; when practical, active voice replaces passive.

□ Items in a bulleted or numbered list are parallel and consistent.

□ Scientific names follow common names of species; the use or nonuse of authorities is consistent throughout.

□ Explanations of acronyms/abbreviations appear after first mention, listed in long manuscripts.

□ English and metric units are correct and consistent within the manuscript.

□ Verify that mathematical equations in electronic document appear the same as in original submitted hard copy.

□ All terms in math equations are adequately defined.

Literature Citations and References

□ All citations are complete (i.e., no missing information) as per our Authors Guide.

□ All citations in text are listed in Literature Cited and all citations have text references; when alphas are used to indicate same author(s)/year, the order of citations and text references is correct.

□ Author names and dates in text agree with Literature Cited section.

□ All Web references in text and in citations are verified.

□ All required information is included for personal communications, personal correspondences, and unpublished references

Tables, Figures, and Photos

□ Information in text agrees with tables and figures.

□ Figures and tables are accurate, uncluttered, and clearly needed to support hypotheses and conclusions;

□ Tables and figures are sequentially referenced and independent of text.

□ Table titles and figure captions accurately reflect the content of the tables and figures.

□ Abbreviations in tables and figures are written out in titles or footnotes.

□ Tables have logical row and column orientations and understandable labels; all cells contain information, with N/A and em dash explained in a note below the table; zero never means “no data.”

□ Every photo has a caption and a photo credit. Photos are not figures unless the author has enhanced them with symbols, numbers, or letters.

□ Based on the text, recommendations are made for additional tables, figures, and/or photos to help explain a concept or ease readability. The recommendation needs to complement the text (e.g., “I recommend before and after photos to show the results of the slash-and-burn technique described.”)

TECH EDITOR: I have completed the technical edit and checked the manuscript (and all applicable parts) for the above items.

(signature) (date)

GWI (if editing was done by a contractor): I have reviewed/checked the technical edits and approve the contractor’s work.

(signature) (date)