Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is the word processing program most commonly used by authors submitting work to the RSC.

1 - General guidelines

When creating your original document, following these guidelines will make it easier to produce useable Word files:

• Avoid using unusual fonts; try and use only the following:
  
  
  • Times New Roman
  • Arial
  • Helvetica
  • Symbol        
  
  
• When inserting graphics into Word, save the image as a separate file (e.g. TIF, EPS) and then import that file into Word; do not cut and paste from one program to another, as this can cause problems later on.
• Use of the Word auto-referencing function is not recommended.
• When using reference management software (e.g. Endnote), please render as plain text before saving (i.e. remove all active fields).        

2 - Software settings (non-template documents)

These settings should be applied when creating your Word file if you are not using one of the RSC Word templates. From the "Tools" menu click on "Options...", select the "Save" tab and set the highlighted options as shown.    

3 - Resources available 

Microsoft Word Author Template files, which contain settings designed to mimic the look of RSC journals pages, are available for download from the Templates section of this site. Click on the link below to go to the download page.

Links:

4 - Word 2007 

Does RSC Journals accept submissions in Word 2007 format?

There has been recent publicity about other journals' problems accepting submissions in Microsoft Office 2007's new .docx XML format into their publishing workflows, mainly because the new Equation Tools introduced in Word 2007 are incompatible with certain editing and pagination systems.

The RSC will accept docx files for publication. If possible, authors should use Equation Editor (the main maths editor in pre-2007 Word, which is still available) to create their maths equations. We can receive files using the new Equation Tools, but our production staff will need to re-key equations in order the process your paper.

Along with other publishers, we are discussing with Microsoft how best to adopt the new Office 2007 formats.