Report Guidelines for Authors

Investigators preparing technical completion reports for WRRI projects should follow these guidelines carefully to avoid substantial revisions.

• Requirements
• Review procedures
• Report format (required elements)
• Manuscript specifications
• Tables and Figures
• Documentation
• Presentation of statistical information
• Minor issues of style
• Common problems

• Editorial checklist (This is what the WRRI editor uses to perform editorial review of draft reports. If you care to use this checklist to review your draft before submitting it, you may avoid changes and save yourself some time and irritation.) 

WRRI follows the Chicago Manual of Style(CMS) and Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, 6th edition.

Authors should consult these style guides when they have questions not addressed in the WRRI Guidelines for Authors.

If you have questions, you may email us at water_resources@ncsu.edu.

Requirements

A completion report is required for all projects funded through The University of North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute. Whether report is published as part of the Institute's report series depends upon the recommendations of peer reviewers and the director.

The completion report should contain all useful information, results, and data acquired in the performance of the work done under the project. It should explain the work conducted in such detail as to allow others to reproduce the work, equipment, and processes, and should present all significant results. 

In writing the “Summary and Conclusions” and the “Recommendations” sections, assume readers to be professionals but not necessarily experts in the particular field of inquiry. Some background explanation may be warranted.

Authors need to be aware that the manuscript they produce will be used for photocopying. Therefore, the final manuscript should be considered camera-ready art. Unless specific arrangements are made before the draft manuscript is produced, color figures should not be included, as photcopying will render them in black and white only.

Review procedures

Each complete draft report will undergo review by at least three outside reviewers who are professionals in the area reported upon. These reviewers will be asked to evaluate the originality, soundness, and contributions of the work described as well as the appropriateness of the methodology utilized. 

The draft report will also be reviewed by the WRRI staff for purpose, content, and results and will be edited for grammatical correctness, internal consistency, and adherence to WRRI guidelines.

Peer reviewer and editorial comments will be returned to the investigator(s) with the request that the indicated changes be incorporated into the final report. 

The investigator(s) will return to WRRI a revised final report that is CAMERA-READY, meaning that the report original will serve as a master for photocopying. 

A summary sheet that indicates the corrections made, page number, and any other comments related to the reviewers' specific comments must accompany the final report. 

A copy of the report, including all tables and figures, must be provided on disk (zip disk if the report will not fit onto one floppy disk), preferably in Microsoft Word format. 

When the final report is received by WRRI, it will be reviewed again to determine if any substantive comments by reviewers have been addressed satisfactorily and any style or grammar problems have been corrected. 

The decision whether to ask for a second revision and final decision whether to publish the report as part of the WRRI report series will be made by the Institute Director.

Report Format (required elements)

Reports should contain the following elements in the order given:
 

1. Cover text

(Pre-printed cover stock will be provided by WRRI)

2. Title page
3. Acknowledgments

Name of department, experiment station or center, and school should be included.

4. Abstract

In 150-300 words give purpose, methods or procedures, significant new results, and conclusions. In parentheses after the abstract, list relevant key words. This will aid literature searches.

5. Table of contents

Subsections should be indented.

6. List of figures

Include title with number and page number.

7. List of tables

Include title with number.

8. Summary and conclusions
9. Recommendations

Important Note: All the above is known as "front matter" and each page in this section should be assigned Roman numerals. Each element should begin at the top of an odd numbered (right hand) page. The title page is number i, but the number does not appear on the page. Blank pages are counted, but numbers never appear on blank pages.

10. Body of report

With the Introduction, Arabic numbering begins. The first page of the introduction is number 1, but the number does not appear on the page. Each main section of the body should begin at the top of an odd numbered (right hand) page, even if that means leaving a page blank. Blank pages are included in the numbering scheme but the number does not appear on the page itself.

11. List of References

Refer to section on Documentation.

12. List of patents and publications (If any)

If any publications, patents, or pending publications or patents have been produced as a result of the project, list the titles, authors, dates, journals, and identify numbers which will assist in locating such information.

13. Glossary of terms, abbreviations, and symbols (Optional)
14. Appendices (Optional)

Use appendices for related or additional material too bulky or detailed to include within the discussion portion of the report.

Manuscript specifications

Page size: 8-1/2" X 11"

Margins: right and left: 1" top and bottom: 1" (This must be strictly enforced to allow for binding and trimming.)

Typing: SINGLE SPACE within paragraphs; double space between paragraphs; do not indent paragraphs; do not justify right margin; let type fall "ragged right."

DO NOT DOUBLE SPACE DRAFTS WITH THE INTENTION OF SINGLE-SPACING THE FINAL REPORT.

Page numbering: Small Roman numerals should be used for numbering front matter. (See previous note) Arabic numerals should be used to number all pages of the body of the report consecutively from introduction through the appendices (except that numbers do not appear on page number 1 and blank pages). All numbers should be centered 1/2 inch from the bottom of the page (This must be strictly enforced because bound reports will be trimmed.) and at least 1/2 inch below the last line of text. No punctuation should be used before or after page numbers.

Reports are photocopied; therefore, it is important that the original manuscript be clear and sharp. Do not submit photocopies as camera-ready art.

A standard cover is used on all Institute reports. Overprinting will be done as illustrated. The report number will be assigned by the Institute secretary when the decision is made to publish the report in the Institute's series and will be printed in the upper right comer of the cover.

Tables and Figures

Prepare tables and figures in consistent style throughout the report. 

Figure and table numbers and titles should appear above the figure or table. If fuller description is required, it should be placed beneath the figure or table. Figure and table titles should be aligned flush left with the figure or table, not centered.

Two or more small tables or figures may be grouped together on a single page. If a figure or table does not occupy a full page, text should be used to fill out the page. 

All figures and tables should be mentioned in the text and numbered in order of their appearance. Figures and tables should follow their text citations as closely as possible. Light photocopies and hand-drawn illustrations are not acceptable as original art for figures.

Photographs and color figures: Special arrangements must be made early in the project if photographs or color figures are to be used. Their use must be justified and the additional reproduction cost must be arranged. If authors do not arrange for special treatment before submitting the draft report, photos and color figures will be photocopied in black and white.

Headings and Subheadings

The heading for each major section of the report should be placed 1” from the top of an odd numbered (right hand) page. 

Sections should divided into smaller units and subheadings should be inserted into text as guides to the reader. No more than three levels of subheadings should be used. Subhead treatment should be consistent.
.
Subheads, except the lowest level, are each set on a line separate from the text, with the levels differentiated by type.

The lowest level subheading (run-in side head) is set at the beginning of a paragraph, underlined and followed by a period.

The Institute does not encourage the use of section and subsection numbering, but if numbering is used it will be edited.

Example of preferred typography for heads and subheads.

Documentation

Use the Author-Date System as explained and illustrated in Section 15 of the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS). Do not use footnotes. When it is absolutely necessary to use more documentation than simple source citations, use endnotes as described in CMS.

Author-Date System

Authors' names and dates of publication are given in the text, usually in parentheses, keyed to a list of works cited, which is placed at the end of the book or article. This list is arranged alphabetically and titled 'Reference List," "Works Cited," or a variation of these.

Form for text references: The basic reference in the author-date system consists of the last name of an author and the year of publication of the work, with no punctuation between them:

(Smith 1978)

Personal Communication: References to conversations, in person or by telephone, and letters to the author are best included in the text in the following form:

Dr. D.G. Woodhouse (professor of biology, NCSU, pers. com. 1982) has challenged the validity . . .” 

The person’s name, title, affiliation, and the date of the communication should be given in the text citation. Personal communications should not be included in the List of References.

Laws and/or statutes: In the text, when referring to federal or state laws, use the complete, formal title of the law in the first reference and in parentheses after it indicate that it is a U.S. Public Law or a N.C. General Statute, and give the number and section. 

 
National Sea Grant Improvement Act (U.S. P.L 94-461); Coastal Area Management Act (N.C.G.S. 113a-100).

Laws cited are not listed in the references

Citations of the Federal Register should take the following form:

Vol. F.R. Number (Date) 

e.g.   59 F.R. 12 (Jan 19, 1994)

Citations of the Federal Register are not listed in the references.

Title CFR Part

e.g. 40 CFR 126

Citations of the Code of Federal Regulations are not listed in the references.

References are arranged in one alphabetical list (by authors' last names). Example. Dates of publication should be placed immediately after authors' names. Where many works by the same author(s) are cited, authors’ names may stand alone, their works listed by date below. Entries should be formatted by hanging indent.

Individual entries

• Facts to be included for books are:
• Name of authors, editors, or institution responsible for writing (In cases where there is more than one author, only the name of the first author is reversed. Subsequent names are in normal order.)
• Date of publication
• Full title of book, including subtitle (Book titles should be in italics.)
• Title of series, volume or number in series (if any)
• Volume number or total number of volumes
• Edition, if not original 
• City of publication 
• Publisher's name 

Merrit, R.W. and K.W. Cummins. 1984. An
     Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North
    America. 2d ed. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt. 

• Facts to be included for an article in a journal:
• Name(s) of author (s) (In cases where there is more than one author, only the name of the first author is reversed. Subsequent names are in normal order.)
• Date
• Title of article
• Name of periodical (In italics)
• Volume number or date of issue (issue number if any) 
• Pages occupied by article

Bachmann, R.W. 1980. The role of agricultural sediments
     and chemicals in eutrophication.Journal of the Water 
     Pollution Control Federation. 52:2425-2432.

Articles accepted for publication but not yet published may be cited as In press. "In press" should appear after the author's name (or authors' names).
 

• Paper published in proceedingsof meetings are treated as chapters in a book.

Mantle, G.J. 1982. Biological and chemical changes 
     associated with the discharge of fish-farm effluent. In 
     Report of the EIFAC workshop on fish-farm 
     effluents, edited by  J.S. Alabaster. Rome: Food and 
     Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 
 

• Unpublished material. The title of an unpublished paper (manuscript, machine copy) is treated like the title of a journal article. Location or sponsoring body or both should appear as well, and a date if possible. 

An article submitted to a journal but not yet assured publication is treated as unpublished material. Do not cite an article as "submitted."

• Dissertation or thesis:

Cady, T.A. 1994. Some effects of supplemental feeding of 
     wild trout on four North Carolina mountain streams. 
     Master of Science thesis. Dept. of Zoology, North
     Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

• Paper read at meeting:


Royce, John C. 1988. Finches of Du Page County. Paper 
     read at 22d Annual Conference on Practical Bird 
     Watching, 24-26 May, at Midland University, 
     Flat Prairie, IL.
 

• Unpublished duplicated material:


Downes, W. J. 1974. Systemic grammar and structural 
     sentence relatedness. London School of Economics. 
     Photocopy. (or Mimeo)

Presentation of statistical information

Standard approaches for the presentation of statistical methods in refereed scientific journals will generally be acceptable. However, there are certain items that WRRI requires:
 

• Hypotheses should be explicitly and clearly stated.

• Always state the significance level when identifying a result as “statistically significant.”

• Whenever possible, report standard error and degrees of freedom.

• Outliers and “leverage points” should be given attention. As a rule, outliers should not be dropped unless there is a plausible explanation for their removal. If outliers or leverage points are dropped or downweighted, the analysis should be performed with and without dropping/downweighting. If final conclusions are dependent on the treatment of these datapoints, then substantive explanation justifying that treatment should be provided. 

• When giving predictive models, the predictive notation (hat ^) should be used with all model components. 

Minor issues of style

When there is more than one acceptable way of using punctuation, capitalization, word compounding, and other minor points of style, the Institute will not insist upon one style but will insist upon consistency within a report.

Common problems

Attention to specific areas in which inconsistencies and errors are often committed may help avoid correcting a manuscript. Some frequently encountered problem areas are:

• Mixing numerals and written out numbers: In general text, numbers below 10 are written out; 10 and numbers above 10 are given as numerals. In scientific and technical writing, it is common to use numerals exclusively (except, of course, at the beginning of a sentence). Use whichever system you want, but be consistent.

• Arbitrary use of symbols and written out terms. Percent or % ? Symbols are always used with numerals (6%). However, symbols are never used at the beginning of sentences, should not be used without numerals, and should not be used with written out numbers:

The percent [not%] of people biking to work is uncertain. 

Thirteen percent [not%] of the population was surveyed. 
 

• Mixing units of measurement: ppm or mgl/l? Use whichever system you want, but be consistent.

• Unnecessary spacing between numbers and symbols. 

(For example, there should be no space between numerals, the degree symbol and the symbol for centigrade or Celsius and Fahrenheit.There should be no space between a numeral and %.)

• No spacing between numbers and abbreviations: 

7 hr (not 7hr) 

• Using abbreviations in narrative text without numerals. “We were not able to return to the site for several hr.”

• Using acronyms without introduction: Best Management Practice or BMP? Use acronyms if you want, but introduce the acronym by including it in parentheses after the written out term the first time the term is used.

• Mixing use of apostrophe with no use of apostrophe to form plurals of acronyms: BMPs or BMP's? Use whichever you want, but be consistent.

• Inconsistency in treatment of Latin or other foreign words: According to CMS, it is now permissible to NOT underline (or italicize) familiar Latin terms such as "et al." and "ibid." Whether you choose to underline or not underline, be consistent. (Genus, species, subspecies, however, are still underlined or italicized.)

• Inconsistent or incorrect use of abbreviation or written out form for states of the United States and for United States: 

The two-letter abbreviations for states used by the U.S. Postal Service (NC) should be used only in addresses. The standard abbreviations for states may be (but don't have to be) used (1) after the name of a city or other geographical term (Charlotte, N.C.) or (2) as a modifier (N.C. Department of Commerce). 

When the name of a state stands alone, it should be spelled out (I like calling North Carolina home). 

If the practice is established of using an abbreviation where it is allowed, then it should be continued consistently. 

These comments also apply to use of "U.S." and "United States."

• Special note: The following are acceptable forms for referring to WRRI: (please note that 'The" is capitalized when referring to The University of North Carolina system)