11/8/12
Author Instructions
Journals
Where to Submit Your Manuscript for Consideration:
Submit manuscripts via ScholarOne Manuscripts, the online manuscript submission system for all ASTM
International journals. You will be requested to provide the following information and items:
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For each author:
o The list of authors in order of appearance in the manuscript
o First name, middle initial, and last name; also preferred title (e.g., Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr.,
Prof.) (see the section on Authors’ Names in this document for consistency)
o Email address
o Postal address, including department, mail stop and institution
o Preferred telephone number and/or cell number
o Areas of expertise (at least 3 words)
Paper title
Abstract
Subject-matter key words (3 or more required)
Suggested and/or excluded reviewers (include names, e-mail addresses, and institutions of at
least three)-This is optional but very helpful to the Editors in the timely processing of your
manuscripts.
Electronic files (prepared properly):
o Cover letter (will be accessible to Editors and reviewers); describe what makes your paper
unique and worthy of publication in a technical journal and any other information that
will assist our Editors.
o Manuscript (acceptable source files are Microsoft Word or LaTeX/REVTeX; note that PDF
files are not suitable as source files. Uploaded source files are automatically converted by
system software into a PDF file.)
o Acceptable figure formats are Encapsulated PostScript (.eps as vector graphics, using
either Arial or Times Roman fonts) is preferred Tagged Image File Format (.tif, lzw
compressed), Portable Document Format (.pdf), PostScript (.ps).
o Application files: Corel Draw are not acceptable, Microsoft Word and Powerpoint are
acceptable.
o Line shots (black and white figures) can also be submitted in Word (.doc) format.
After registering and submitting information and files, you may use ScholarOne Manuscripts to check on
the status of your manuscript throughout the peer review process.
Copyright Agreement
You will be required to electronically accept ASTM’s Copyright Transfer Agreement prior to submission.
A government employee option is also available as a choice.
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Types of Submissions
These include Technical Manuscripts, Technical Notes, Review Papers, Discussions, Closures, Letters to
the Editor, and Book Reviews. (See Appendix A for details)
How to Prepare Your Manuscript
For general format and style, consult the ASTM Style Manual. Papers will be reviewed in accordance
with ASTM International’s peer review process and authors may wish to review the specific questions
used by reviewers (See Appendix B),
Manuscript. Includes the abstract, references, and captions, and should be neatly typed in English,
double spaced with at least 1" margins. It should be carefully proofread by the author. The manuscript
must be in good scientific American English; this is the author's responsibility. Number all pages in
sequence beginning with the title and abstract page. The PDF creates a title page for the review proof
that includes the keywords and the abstract. Pages of the manuscript should be arranged in the
following order: text without the abstract or keywords, acknowledgments, appendixes, references,
tables with captions, list of figure captions, and figures.
Length Requirements. The suggested number of word-equivalents is 10,000 for Technical Manuscripts,
3,500 for Technical Notes, 10,000 to 20,000 for Review Papers, and 2,000 for Discussions, Closures,
Letters to the Editor, and Book Reviews. Tables and figures of normal size should generally be counted
as 250 word equivalents each.
Commercialism Policy. It is ASTM's policy to avoid commercialism in all publications. Therefore, use
generic terms whenever possible. Capitalize trademarks and trade names when used. Use the symbols ®
and ™ when appropriate. Include the company name, city, and state in a footnote the first time used
and capitalize the trademark name throughout the rest of the paper.
"Previously Published" Policy. In order to maintain the integrity of the publication process, the policy of
ASTM and its Committee on Publications (COP) forbids the publication of previously published material.
For the purpose of this policy, "previously published" means published in a peer-reviewed, archival
document or electronic format such that the material can be easily referenced and obtained. With
limited exceptions, this definition would encompass any work that is currently subject to copyright
protection.
In order to be subject to this policy, the material in question need not be identical to the previous
publication, only substantially the same. The editor of the publication is responsible for determining
whether or not the material is "substantially the same" in each case.
Exceptions to this policy can be granted only with approval of the Editor. Review Papers that contain
some previously published materials require permission from the copyright holders.
When an exception is granted, or for Review Papers, all necessary waivers of copyright permissions must
be obtained by the author, submitted to ASTM in writing, and cited in the publication with the copyright
holder's permission. Multiple publication or publication of work of others without written permission
is never acceptable. All cost for copyright permission is the responsibility of the author.
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Title. Should be as concise as possible but informative enough to facilitate information retrieval. "Part I,"
or simply "I," will not be included as part of the title of an article unless Part II has already been
submitted for publication in the Journal. Parts III, IV, etc., are likewise unacceptable unless the prior
parts have already been accepted or have appeared in this journal and are properly identified in the
references. Using “Parts” is discouraged as each paper must be able to stand on its own merit.
Authors' names. In general, authors should strive for a consistent format of their names in publications.
This practice will facilitate indexing, avoid duplication, and lessen ambiguities when other researchers
are looking for work by a particular author (e.g., Robert Smith, Robert K. Smith, R.K. Smith, Bob Smith). It
would be best to select one format for your name and use it consistently throughout your career.
Abstract. Should be self-contained (no footnotes). It should adequately describe all subjects, major and
minor, about which new information is given, and summarize the conclusions and all results of general
interest in the article. The abstract should be written as one paragraph and should not contain
mathematical equations or tabular material. The abstract will be available in the ASTM’s Standards and
Engineering Digital Library (SEDL) to assist researchers when considering their interest in obtaining your
manuscript.
Conflict of Interest. Authors are responsible for recognizing and disclosing any conflict of interest that
could be perceived to bias their work, acknowledging all financial support and any other personal
connections with any of the journal's editorial board members.
Keywords: Provide at least 3 words that researchers would likely use to locate your paper in ASTM’s
SEDL or any online search. This will also assist the editors in assigning appropriate reviewers in a timely
manner.
Equations. Should be neatly typed, punctuated, and aligned to bring out their structure, and numbered
on the right. Mathematical operation signs (equal to; lesser than; greater than) should be placed at the
left of the second and succeeding lines in multi-line equations. Use a multiplication sign (×) rather than a
centered dot, except for scalar products of vectors. The solidus (/) should be used instead of built-up
fractions in running text, and in display wherever clarity would not be jeopardized. Use "exp" for
complicated exponents.
Notation. Must be legible, clear, compact, and consistent with standard usage. All unusual symbols
whose identity may not be obvious must be identified the first time they appear and at all subsequent
times when confusion might arise. Superscripts are normally set directly over subscripts.
Footnotes. For footnotes that appear in the text of the paper, use superior numbers. The number
scheme should start up from where the author affiliation footnotes left off. For example, if on the first
page there are two author affiliation footnotes (1 and 2), then any footnotes on the following pages
should pick up with number 3. For footnotes in tables, use superior lower case Roman letters, beginning
with the letter "a," for each table. The footnotes should appear below the table.
References. All references must contain complete information to allow a reader to find the cited
materials and indexing services to populate their databases. See the ASTM Style Manual for examples.
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Website references must contain the title of the site, the URL, and the date you viewed the site. If
possible, also include the author, the date the information on the site was written or posted, and any
other pertinent information that will help the reader find the reference. These should be kept to a
minimum as URLs often are removed or replaced.
Citing Standards. A standard from ASTM or other SDO mentioned in the text should have initial caps
and be typed without quotes or italics and include a complete reference to the Standard. Example:
"...this was the case according to ASTM A252-98el." In the manuscript's reference section, the Standard
should be given as follows: ASTM A252-98el: Specification for Welded and Seamless Steel Pipe Piles,
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 1998 (See the ASTM
Style Manual) .
NOTE: In the e-publication, any mention of an ASTM standard in the correct format (ASTM A252-XXXX)
will be linked to the latest version of the standard in the ASTM Standards and Engineering Digital Library
(SEDL) so the reader can view the Significance and Use and Scope sections and purchase the standard if
they wish. Subscribers to the SEDL will be linked to the complete standard.
Tables. Separate tables (numbered with Arabic numerals in the order of their appearance in the text)
should be used for all but the simplest tabular material; they should have captions that make the tables
intelligible without reference to the text. The structure should be clear, with simple column headings
giving all units. Unaltered computer output and notation are generally unacceptable. Authors should
make every effort to prepare tables in Portrait rather than Landscape layout to assist online readers.
How to Prepare Your Figure Files (Acceptable Figure Formats are on page 1 of these instructions)
Please adhere to the following guidelines when preparing your figure files for submission:
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Reviewers and the editor will be asked to recommend improvement or elimination of poor
quality, illegible or irrelevant figures.
Number figures in the order in which they appear in text with corresponding number in the main
text.
Label all figure parts with (a), (b), etc. using the same font.
Each figure should be prepared for 100% reproduction.
Avoid small open symbols that will fill in and avoid small lettering.
Use a minimum of 8-point type size (2.8 mm high; 1/8 in. high) for lettering and 0.5-point width
for lines.
Ensure that lettering and lines are dark enough, and thick enough, to reproduce clearly.
All photographs must have an indication of scale to be acceptable for publication.
Figures should remain embedded in the Word article file. However, they must also be uploaded
separately.
When preparing figures that will appear in color online and in black and white in any printed
format, authors must ensure that (i) the figures will reproduce well when printed in black and
white and (ii) descriptions of figures in text, captions, and legends will be sufficiently clear for
both print (black and white) and online (color) versions. Use shapes or patterns if necessary to
convey the meaning clearly in color and black and white.
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It is best if there is only ONE figure per file but a single file with all figures is acceptable. Each
figure file should contain all parts of the figure. For example, if Figure 1 contains three parts
(a,b,c), then all parts should be combined in a single file for Figure 1.
Set the correct orientation for each graphic file.
Settings: Set the graphic at least 600 dpi resolution for line art, 300 dpi for halftones, and 600 dpi
for combinations (line art + halftone)
Save line art as black/white bitmap, not grayscale.
Save halftones and combinations as grayscale, not black/white bitmap.
If selecting a file mode, use RGB (red, green, blue) for color online or CMYK (cyan, magenta,
yellow, black) for color in print
Excel charts and graphs are considered figures. Upload them as figure. The use of color in graphs
should also be clear to the reader if printed in black and white.
(NOTE: Tables should be incorporated into the article text unless they contain a graphic or Excel
chart or graph.)
Provide written permissions for all figures for which you are not the copyright holder (unless the
material is in the public domain.) A sample letter to copyright holders in available as Appendix C
for your use. Any cost for copyright is the responsibility of the author. The citation of the
copyright holder is required either as a reference to the figure or in the figure caption.
Editorial Process Overview
The manuscript submission and peer review process is broken down into the following 7 basic steps:
The author submits a manuscript for publication in a journal.
The editor assigns reviewers.
The assigned reviewers review the manuscript, and submit their comments to the editor.
If revisions to the manuscript are required, the author is sent the reviewers' comments and may
resubmit a revised manuscript. See details regarding the revision submission process below.
5. The editor may request a second review but makes the final decision regarding publication of the
manuscript.
6. The author is contacted with the decision.
7. After final acceptance, the manuscript will be edited for grammar, style, and format. The
corresponding author will get the edited version and formatted proof to check prior to
publication.
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Revised Manuscript Submission Process
Before submitting a REVISED manuscript package, please gather the following information and items:
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Revised title if changed,
Revised abstract (will be auto-filled from your initial manuscript),
Author response letter file or text box, for your response to the comments from each reviewer,
The most current manuscript or article-text file, if it has revisions compared to the previous
submission.
Only send revised figure files. Figures that have not been revised will automatically move forward
with your revised file.
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The manuscript resubmission process proceeds through the same series of screens as before (see the
sequence of screens described above in the Submission Process). There are some important differences:
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Begin by clicking “click here to submit your revised manuscript”
NOW, the screen is a submission form presenting previously submitted data for author(s), title,
abstract, etc. This data can be edited.
In addition, the file set for the previous version will be "copied forward" for the revised version.
These files will be presented to you for replacement, deletion, or addition of a file on one of the
screens after the submission-form screen. Add the new author response at that time.
At the bottom of the submission form, simply leave the quantity values (# of files) as they are
(unless a figure has been added or deleted) and proceed directly to the "Save and Continue"
button.
Please double check that each file included in the merged PDF represents the current version.
Citing Your Work
When citing your ASTM paper in other works, follow these guidelines:
Authors’ Last Names followed by First Name, “Title of Paper,” Title of Journal, Vol. #, Issue # (if any),
Year, page range.
Checking a Manuscript's Status; Viewing Manuscript Files
After you have approved the file upload and conversion for your manuscript submission, you may obtain
the status of your manuscript files at any time by:
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Logging into the system with your user name and password at
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http://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/astm-gtj – For the Geotechnical Testing Journal
http://me04.manuscriptcentral.com/astm-jte - For the Journal of Testing and Evaluation
http://me04.manuscriptcentral.com/astm-mpc -- For Materials Performance and Characterization, or
http://me04.manuscriptcentral.com/astm-acem – For Advances in Civil Engineering Materials
(If needed, enter your email address into the "Password Help. Box" at the Login screen to receive your
login name and a new temporary password. This email will be sent to the email address that you have
previously provided. If you no longer have access to that email account, please click here.) At the
Welcome screen, click on the Corresponding Author Center
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View your dashboard. Your submitted manuscript will appear in one of the queues under the
header, “My Manuscripts”
1 Unsubmitted Manuscripts
0 Resubmitted Manuscripts in Draft
0 Revised Manuscripts in Draft
1 Submitted Manuscripts
0 Manuscripts with Decisions
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0 Manuscripts I Have Co-Authored
0 Withdrawn Manuscripts
0 Invited Manuscripts
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Clicking on the appropriate queue with a number next to it, if it is “0”, there is nothing in that
queue, if it is “1” or more, clicking on the link trigger a display of the manuscript(s) in that status,
their Manuscript ID, Manuscript Title, Date Created, Date Submitted status, i.e. the action
currently being performed. You also have the ability to View a PDF of the submission by clicking
the “View Submission” link.
Navigation and Getting Help
The upper left corner of every page displays a “bread crumb trail” of your navigation within the system,
please use those links rather than your browsers arrow keys to navigate the system.
The upper right corner of every page has four links to service your account and Get Help:
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Edit Account: allows you to edit your user account
Instructions and Forms: access to Author Instructions, Copyright Agreement, etc.
Log Out: log out of the ScholarOne Manuscripts session
And Get Help Now, access to ScholarOne’s FAQ database, live 24 hour Monday-Friday support
help desk by email and phone, and online training videos.
Contact Editorial Office
Heather Blasco
ASTM Journals
J&J Editorial Services
320 North Salem Street, Suite 205
Apex, NC 27502
USA
919-267-6831
email: heather@jjeditorial.com
Reference must be made to the Manuscript ID #, title, author, and journal in all correspondence.
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Appendix A
Types of Submissions
Technical Manuscripts
Technical manuscripts are full-length papers that significantly contribute to the technical literature and
should be of interest to testing professionals and/or researchers. They must include a review of past
work in the relevant area, and should present information of current interest or probe new fields.
Review papers are also sought that provide historical context and technical development in a field of
interest to ASTM International. The suggested number of word-equivalents is 10,000 for papers.
Review Papers
Review Papers are written by one or more authors to survey the primary sources that contribute to the
current state of research on a particular topic. A review paper typically synthesizes and references key
relevant papers on a selected topic and presents a coherent view of the “state of the art” as it now
stands. The author of a review should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the literature and as a
result formulates a useful analysis of it. While authors of review papers do not present new research,
they are expected to provide a new perspective. Review papers usually incorporate some of the
following elements: recent major research advances and discoveries, significant gaps in the current
research, current debates, and ideas of where research might go next.
Review papers can be submitted for consideration but it is highly recommended that an abstract be
discussed with the journal editor prior to full submission.
Technical Notes
Technical notes are shorter than technical papers, approximately 3,500 words, and must also include a
review of past work in the relevant area. Technical notes may be used to present preliminary or partial
results of research, limited research results, innovative equipment or methods, and/or proposed
modifications of testing standards.
Discussions
Discussions present significant comments or questions about the technical content of a previously
published technical paper or technical note published in a journal. They must be submitted during a 6month period following the date of publication of the paper or note. Discussions should not simply
repeat or emphasize material published elsewhere, advocate special or commercial interests, controvert
established fact, or be purely speculative. Discussions follow the requirements for other manuscripts
except that they do not have abstracts, introductions, or conclusions. The Editor(s) will determine
whether a discussion is appropriate for publication, and if so, will forward the discussion to the author(s)
of the original paper for a Closure to be written. Be sure to include the authors’ names, paper title,
journal, and paper ID number. The suggested number of word-equivalents is 2,000 words.
Closures
Closures are written by the author(s) of an original paper or note in response to a Discussion. The
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author(s) addresses and clarifies issues raised in the Discussion and provides conclusions to the issues.
Closures and discussions are published together and linked to the original paper online. The suggested
number of word-equivalents is 2,000 words.
Book Reviews
Book reviews assess new books whose content is judged important by the journal Editor. They
summarize the work, illuminate its strengths and weaknesses, and place it in context with existing
literature. Reviews are limited to 2,000 words and are usually written upon request by the Journal’s
editor(s).
Errata
Errata are corrections of errors that appear in published manuscripts, notes, discussions, etc. and linked
to the original paper online.
Length Requirements. The suggested number of word-equivalents is 10,000 for Technical Manuscripts,
3,500 for Technical Notes, 10,000 to 20,000 for Review Papers, and 2,000 for Discussions, Closures,
Letters to the Editor, and Book Reviews. Tables and figures of normal size should generally be counted
as 250 word equivalents each.
The editor may waive these restrictions to encourage papers on topics that cannot be treated within
these limitations. Review papers concerned with a large topic area may be longer in order to adequately
cover the topic. Justification for longer manuscripts should be provided and permission received from
the Journal’s Editor.
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Appendix B
Specific Questions for the Peer Reviewers
In accordance with criteria set by the ASTM Committee on Publications, the acceptance
of papers must be determined by the following:
A = Acceptable as is
O = Optional Revision
M = Mandatory Revision
R = Rejection
Specific Questions:
1.) Is the title descriptive and concise?
2.) Does the paper contribute to the permanent literature or to the immediate interests of
the technical community?
3.) Are all descriptions of commercial products, or their use, objective and not presented
in an advertising manner?
4.) Is the paper acceptable in literary form and structure, continuity of thought, and
logical development?
5.) The substance of the paper shall not have been published unless the paper is clearly
defined as a review paper. Does the paper meet this requirement?
6.) Is the paper concise, yet thorough? If condensation is required, please specify exactly
which material is extraneous.
7.) Are the results properly correlated with pertinent work in the field, and has that work
been referenced thoroughly?
8.) Are the figures of legible quality, with clear, crisp labels? Now is the time to suggest
new/better figures based on what you see in the manuscript. Are the illustrations relevant
and adequately explained? (An indication of scale is required in all photographs and all
figures should be legible in color and black and white.)
9.) Are the trend curves properly drawn to conform with the data?
10.) Are the materials tested, the testing conditions, and the test results sufficiently
described to permit other investigators to check the procedures and the conclusions?
11.) Are the conclusions reasonable, succinct, and consistent with the data?
12.) Do all references provide sufficient information to enable the reader to obtain copies?
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Appendix C
REQUEST FOR PERMISSION
Date:
TO: (copyright holder)
FROM: (author)
I am preparing material for a publication titled:___________________to be published by ASTM
International. I hereby request copyright permission for non-exclusive worldwide rights, in all
languages, to include the following material in this publication(s) and all future editions and revisions
thereof, in all formats including CD-ROM, internet, and other electronic media:
(List material to be republished and source of the material. Also include a copy of the material if
possible.) _______________________________________________.
A credit line to acknowledge the use of your material will be noted. If you have a preferred credit line,
please indicate below.
If permission is granted, please complete, sign and return this form to my attention. A copy is enclosed
for your files. By signing this release, you hereby grant ASTM authority and discretion to grant
permission for others to copy or reproduce the figures.
Please return this form to the address below at your earliest convenience.
Author’s name
Address
Email address
I (copyright holder) grant permission for the use requested above.
Authorized Signature: ___________________________
Date: _____________________
Printed Name and Title: _____________________________________________________
Company:
__________________________________
Address:
__________________________________
__________________________________
Preferred Credit Line:____________________________________________________________
N:ASTM Author Instructions/ Author Instructions for Journals 1_6_2012 Corrections Saved
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