Preparing Your Manuscript

The instructions contained here are intended to help authors to prepare whole typescripts for RSC Texts and Professional Reference publications in a form and style that will facilitate the production process. A sample submission chapter is available below. Before submission, please also see the Manuscript Submission Checklist.     
Separate guidelines are available for: 

• Authors of Chapters in Edited Books 
• Editors of Edited Books           

Layout of the Typescript
The typescript should be prepared in Microsoft Word and be double-spaced.  The layout should comply with the following list:

• Title Page (including author contact details)
• Preface 
• Table of Contents (including all sub-headings)
• Texts arranged by chapter (see below) 
• Copyright permissions
• Abstracts for each chapter          

Each chapter should include:

• Chapter Title 
• Text  
• References/Bibliography 
• Display material as separate files including:  
  • Tables 
  • Structural Formulae 
  • Reaction Schemes 
  • Figures 
  • List of Captions to Figures (including any permission text)          

Every chapter must be accompanied by an Abstract (50-250 words) setting out briefly and clearly the main objects and results of the work; it should give the reader a clear idea of what has been achieved. The summary should be essentially independent of the main text; however, names, partial names or linear formulae of compounds may be accompanied by the numbers referring to the corresponding displayed formulae in the body of the text.  The abstracts should be provided in a separate file and not part of the body of the chapter.  We will be using the abstracts in our eBook collection to promote the content.

The use of standard IUPAC nomenclature is encouraged, and authors should refer to the list of IUPAC Publications on Nomenclature and Symbolism for details.

As far as possible authors should use SI units and symbols, as set out in the booklet entitled "Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry", published in 2007 by the RSC (ISBN 978-0-85404-433-7).

Abbreviations should be defined at first mention unless very well known.

Equations should be displayed on a separate line in the main text and be numbered consecutively throughout each chapter with Arabic numerals (X.1, X.2 etc where X is the chapter number) in parentheses at the right-hand side of the page. In mathematical expressions the symbols for variables should be italicised as should physical constants, while matrices and vectors should appear in bold face type. 

Punctuation and spelling should follow standard English practice.

The style of headings are as follows:

X.1 First-level Heading 
The first-level should be on a separate line in bold, with main words capitalised, ranged left and numbered (where X is the chapter number). 
X.1.1 Second-level Heading 
The second-level should be on a separate line in bold, with main words capitalised, ranged left and numbered.
X.1.1.1 Third-level Heading 
The third-level should be on a separate line in italic, with main words capitalised, ranged left and numbered. 
All numbers should be in Arabic numerals. 

References should be numbered sequentially as superscripts in the text and positioned after any punctuation. The full reference should then be listed at the end of each chapter. The reference list should be double-spaced and the abbreviations to be used for journal titles should follow the Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index (CASSI) . All authors names must be listed and paper titles must not be included. The actual format employed for listing references should be in accordance with the style indicated by the following examples. Pay particular attention to the use of punctuation and bold/italic fonts. An Endnote style file is available to download below.
1. D. O. Bassett, Am. Lab., 1987, 19, 28. 
2. E. Yourdon, Modern Structured Analysis, Yourdon Press, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1989. 
3. A. W. Oxford in Progress in Medicinal Chemistry, ed. G. P. Ellis and D. K. Luscombe, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1992, p 239. 

Each Table should be presented on a separate page at the end of the chapter and provided with a brief heading. Tables should be single-line spaced. Tables should be numbered, Table X.1, X.2, etc.,  (where X is the chapter number) using Arabic numerals, consecutively throughout each chapter and should be referred to as such, rather than by such words as "above" or "below". Footnotes in Tables should be self-contained, labelled with superior lower-case letters, and listed as a block of text beneath the Table. The recommended location of a Table in the text should be indicated thus:

[Table 2.5 near here]        

Structural Formulae and Reaction Schemes should be numbered with Arabic numerals (X.1), (X.2), etc., (where X is the chapter number) Scheme X.1, Scheme X.2, etc. in independent sequences self- contained to each chapter. They should be mentioned in the text by key number and not by such words as "above" or "below". They should be submitted in separate files, but their preferred positions in the text should be clearly indicated thus: 

[Structural Formula (2.11) near here]   

Figures e.g. Diagrams, Graphs and Photographs should all be submitted in separate files as Figures, which are numbered consecutively, Figure X.1, X.2, etc., (where X is the chapter number) throughout each chapter using Arabic numerals. They should be mentioned in the text by these numbers, rather than by "above", "below" etc. 

Our preferred file formats for illustrations are TIFF/PDF/EPS/DOC/XLS/PPT/JPEG/CDX. Electronic files should be at least 300dpi for adequate resolution. Figures taken from internet sites are not usually of good enough quality to reproduce and either the original authors should be contacted for a better file, or a hard-copy original can be supplied for scanning. Please see the Graphics Requirements document below for more information.

The use of colour in illustrations must be agreed in advance with the RSC and will only be considered where scientifically necessary. If the use of colour has been agreed, colour printouts must be supplied with the typescript.

All illustrations should be supplied suitable for direct reproduction without further retouching or redrawing. Keep in mind that the maximum area available in the printed book will be approximately 20 x 12 cm and that no figure can exceed these final dimensions. Figures should be adequately lettered. The lettering must be large enough to remain legible after reduction. The recommended location of a Figure in the text should be indicated thus: 

[Figure 2.7 near here]        

Captions to Figures should comprise a separate list in a separate file. Captions should also contain the permission text where necessary.

Permissions - If any of the material to be included (illustrations, tables, quotations of more than a few words) is taken from another publication, you must obtain permission both from the original authors of the work and from the publisher of the journal or book in which it appeared. An acknowledgement should be included in the typescript (usually in the caption) in the form prescribed by the copyright owner. The Permission Request Form can be completed and then sent to the copyright owner to request permission.

When submitting your typescript you should enclose a completed Permissions Confirmation Form to confirm that all permissions have been received.

For instructions on how to estimate the length of your typescript please refer to the document below.

Cover Image -   A suggestion for a cover illustration should also be supplied a full 9 months before the typescript is due.  This should be full colour, min 300dpi, and to fill a square of 136x136mm and free of any copyright restrictions. If you do not have an image in mind these are the image libraries we recommend searching on the following (links provided below):

• Shutterstock
• Science Photo Library
• iStock

You can use these image libraries without setting up an account. Once you have found an image you like, please provide us with the image ID number(s) and ideally a low res image too (for visual purposes), which can be downloaded from the sites by 'right clicking' over the image and selecting 'save as'.  If permissions are necessary please ensure you have sent these to us along with the image.

The use of any suggestions is at the discretion of the RSC.  If an image is not supplied at this time the Royal Society of Chemistry reserve the right to source an image for the book.

A list of chapter numbers and email addresses for their corresponding authors should be supplied to facilitate the sending out of proofs.

Submission
Please complete the Manuscript Submission Checklist, available below. Please return it with your typescript. A copy of the typescript with disk(s), should then be securely packaged and sent to:
Books Editorial, Royal Society of Chemistry, Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0WF, UK

Proofs 
You will receive a set of proofs typically within 3-4 months of submission. All the copy-editor's queries should be answered on the set of proofs on which you make your corrections. The corrected proofs should be returned within 7 days, to the address given above. Please note that the proofing stage is to correct typographical errors. Simple errors in the original typescript can of course be corrected, but it is not possible at this stage to accommodate large insertions or other major revision of the text, because the RSC will be producing the Index.