File Management
Feature Articles and Departments
Issue folder system
OPN issues are stored on the “P:” (Publications) drive, in the “Fulfillment & Books” directory, under the naming convention “OPN YYYY” (where “YYYY” is the year). These contain a folder for each issue, with subfolders for sections and sub-sub-folders for articles in the issue.
Within each article folder, there will be one or more subfolders:
- old holds the raw version from the author, previous edited versions, and author correction versions if appropriate, as well as other supporting files.
- review holds the review copy and other communications from the manuscript reviewer, if applicable.
Microsoft Word files
- Raw version: The version from the author should be saved in the article folder, using the filename as submitted by the author.
- Draft version: For the initial edit, the version from the author should be saved with the author's name, the subject, and the word DRAFT, for example: daukantas_lifi_DRAFT.docx .
- Revised version: The staff-revised version, for transmission to the author for changes, should be saved with the word REVISED, e.g.: daukantas_lifi_REVISED.docx .
- Final version: The final version for layout should be saved with the extension FINAL, e.g.: daukantas_lifi_FINAL.docx . This should be placed, along with a separate file holding the figures and captions, and the individual image files for layout and any other files required for layout, in the main folder for the article. At this stage, only the files needed for layout should be in the main article folder; all other files (previous revised versions, author communications, etc.) should be placed in the “old” folder.
Graphics files
Figures are normally submitted by authors using a Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, naming convention. For the image files, use the same stem as for the articles, with the figure number added--for example: daukantas_lifi_fig01.jpg .
In the revised version(s) of the article, the editor should place copies of the images in at the end of the Word file, with the entry including the TITLE to the image that will appear in the magazine; the CAPTION that will appear in the magazine; and the CREDIT that will appear in the magazine. Photos generally do not need a title, so they need only be labeled to include CAPTION and CREDIT information. Here is an example of how the entry would look in the figure file.:
Daukantas Figure 1: [TITLE] Creating and detecting single phonons in diamond by Raman scattering. [CAPTION] A laser pulse is sent into a diamond crystal (upper left), and a Stokes photon, red-shifted in frequency, is detected, signalling the creation of a phonon (lower left). To verify the presence of the phonon, a second laser pulse is sent in (upper right), which converts the phonon into a blue-shifted anti- Stokes photon (lower right). [CREDIT] Y.Y. Ma et al. Opt. Photon. News, 20, 15.
When the article is ready for layout, the figures and accompanying information should be taken out before the article is styled, and placed in a separate Word file with the word “figures” appended—for example: daukantas_lifi_FINAL_figures.docx.
Image files should be high-resolution (300 dpi or higher for print). PowerPoint embedded images should be avoided; we should request an image in a standard format (TIFF, JPEG, EPS, PDF) if at all possible. Alessia can provide details.
Calling out image locations within article Word files
The editors must ensure that the text indicates where each figure, image or sidebar should appear within each article. To do so, use brackets and boldface to do that, and make sure that the figure name appears outside of the sentence structure.
EXAMPLE: To verify the entanglement, we made a test in which we hit the diamonds with another pair of laser pulses, which through Raman scattering can convert the phonon in the diamonds into a blue-shifted anti-Stokes photon. [Fig. 3] If the diamonds are entangled, then after the laser pulses, we will have an entangled anti-Stokes photon that always emerges from the same side of the beam splitter.
When at all possible, avoid mentioning figures and sidebars within the text and edit the text and figure captions so that they stand along as separate information sources. The layout placement should be sufficient to call readers' attention to the figure. When it is absolutely necessary to refer to a figure or sidebar for clarity, add short, direct language referring to the figure and indicating where it appears. Since the editors will not know the layout of the figure elements in advance, add a generic “catch-all” instruction such as “See the figure above/below/to the right/to the left.”
EXAMPLE: As the figure above/below/to the right/to the left shows, in a type II SPDC, the signal and idler photons are cross-polarized, causing the emitted light to form two distinct cones. [Fig. 2] SPDC was first demonstrated more than 40 years ago, and it has led to a multitude of studies that have sharpened our understanding of the behavior of quantum systems.
In many cases, columns will be short enough where explicitly noting where the image should appear is unnecessary. However, it usually doesn't hurt ...
Article Formatting Checklist
Here are some things to check before submitting feature articles or columns for final review and layout.
- Is the file saved with the appropriate filename?
- Are all graphics and images named appropriately?
- Does all graphic information appear at the end of the file (for interim revisions) or in a separate Word file (for final layout)?
- Is each figure properly labeled in accordance with OPN style?
- Have I indicated which image should be used for opening?
- Is the preferred placement of all images and figures indicated within the text of the article?
- Have 5-6 pullquote candidates been highlighted in yellow the final file?
- Has all author information been formatted in OPN style and included in final file?
- Is there an online component to article and if so has it been noted in final file?
- Does article fall within word count requirements?
- Have all author queries been stripped out, and have all outstanding questions been answered?
- Is folder cleaned up to include only essential graphic and text files?
- Has the manuscript been properly styled using the template styles for various page elements and character styles?
- Have I done a quick search-and-replace to eliminate multiple spacebar spaces after the end of sentences? (Sentences should be separated by only a single space.)
- Have I made a last careful check of the article text?
Other Sections and Elements
Table of Contents
- 2-page spread that is generated close to the in-house final proof date.
- Newsroom stories listed in the TOC should be separated by a semicolon (";"), and should be grouped under similar headings.
President’s Message
- 1-page letter written by the OSA President and edited by the OPN Editor and Content Director.
Contributors
- A page that includes head shots of feature authors and brief descriptions/bios.
- Other page elements (timeline, promos, brief mentions of events/obituaries) may also be included on this page.
Optical Feedback
This section includes letters to the editor, letters to the author, errata/corrections and messages/announcements from the OPN editorial director. Here are the style rules for this department:
- No reference list for this section. Any references must be incorporated into the text. For example, (Appl. Opt. 47, 3795 [2008]).
- When referencing previous OPN articles, use (OPN, December 2011)
- For headers, use the title of the article being commented on when appropriate.
- Edit letters so that they appear to be written to the magazine and not an individual.
- Remove “Sincerely,” “Kind regards,” etc., from the letters. It should look like the writer is addressing the magazine, not the individual author.
- Remove overly personal comments from letters.
- Limit errata/corrections to two or three sentences.
Newsroom
The Newsroom department includes short, research and industry news items, drawn from OPN's regular online news postings. The first two stories include a one-sentence dek and a high-impact image. Stories are grouped by topic/theme (e.g., lasers, metamaterials, etc.). Editors should work with Alessia to develop appropriate length and visual treatments.
In addition to research news articles, there are several additional other elements in Newsroom:
- Industry News: One page will include two brief industry stories taken from online industry news postings.
- Book Reviews: Shortened versions of previously posted online book reviews. We publish four reviews in all print issues except January and July/August, when eight reviews are published.
- [Tweets] Two to five of popular tweets or retweets from our followers or people we follow—first check the Hootsuite stream for “creative-tweets.” Include the tweeter’s name. If the real name differs from the Twitter account name, ask the person if it’s OK to use their real name in OPN.
- Timelines, infographics and pictographs: Commonly, the Newsroom section devotes an entire page to an infographic or visually arresting story, with minimal text, and driven by visuals/data. These should be worked out in detail with Alessia.
OSA Update
This section contains happenings within OSA and with our members. OSA Update has the tone of a company newsletter—gossipy, fun, congratulatory.
General formatting:
- Bold all names and check titles (Honorary Member, Fellow, Past President) in netFORUM
- If we aren’t able to ID the photographer, it is OK to put “Courtesy of OSA” if it’s an image of an OSA event.
- Presentation names should be in quotes, not italics, and should use the same style as for papers in references (Initial letter upper-case; remaining letters lower-case except for proper names, abbreviations, etc.)
The OSA Update section includes an event calendar that provides information on upcoming meetings.
Year in Optics (December issue)
- Author bios: Follow general OPN style, with only corresponding author’s email address included; can cut first and middle names down to initials, if needed.
- Author names: Go with what authors provided in bylines and bios, unless there is a space issue—in which case you can go with initials for the first name or first and middle name.
- Caption length: Forty words is an ideal length, but the format can accommodate up to 150. Look at previous year’s issue as a guide. Figures should be able to stand on their own (i.e., no call-outs in text).
- Footnotes: Use superscript numbers, place them after punctuation marks. Try to place them at the end of a sentence whenever possible. Include no more than five references per summary.
- Overall length: 500 words is the ideal length, on average we publish abstracts that contain 522 words.
- References to figures in text: Try to avoid long explanations of figures and their subcomponents in text if possible. This text should be in the caption. When it’s unavoidable, refer to subcomponents of figures in parentheses—e.g., (a), (b). When a description of a subcomponent is at the start of a sentence, use “Part (a).”
- Reference style: Follow OPN style except for using numbers that correspond to footnotes. Cut article titles as needed to conserve space and use journal abbreviations. Label references as “References” instead of “To learn more ….” OK if academic departments or institutions are in author’s native language.
- Titles: Should only contain five to seven words.
- General guidelines on editing content:
- Strip out any mention of research described as the “first” “best” or “only.” Use less definitive terms like “noteworthy” or “important.”
- Try to get the main message/findings within the first three paragraphs. Limit long explanations of background work.
- Remove wording in the body that also appears in the figure caption.
- Introduce active voice whenever possible.