Instructions for Contributors: Requirements for Final Acceptance
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Electronic Art Submission: Instructions
Detailed Digital Art Guidelines
Art Submissions, Labeling
Supplemental Material
Online Digital Art Assistance
Proofs
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Upon final acceptance, authors must submit the final version of text, including tables, in Microsoft Word. In addition, Greek symbols should be inserted directly from Word's "symbol insert" pull-down menu. Math equations should be inserted using Word's Equation Editor.
ELECTRONIC ART SUBMISSION: INSTRUCTIONS
In order to meet RNA's quality standards for publication, it is important that authors submit digital art that conforms to the appropriate resolution, color mode, and file format. Art files are processed as they are received.
Please observe the following new guidelines.
Color mode: RGB
All color image files are requested to be submitted in their original RGB color. We will accept CMYK color files if RGB cannot be provided.
Acceptable digital art file formats: TIFF, EPS, PDF, JPEG, AI
TIFF: Tagged image file format--raster image file format
- Raster image resolution requirements provided below.
EPS: Encapsulated PostScript--Can contain either vector or raster information
- Vector image generation explained below.
PDF: Portable document file--Can contain either vector or raster information
NOTE: When creating digital art PDFs, please be sure that any source files used that contain raster elements (e.g., when using Photoshop) meet the raster images resolution dpi settings noted below in "Detailed Digital Art Guidelines".
- Embedded raster images from all source files must use the highest possible resolution setting for the PDF to be usable.
- PDF art files that contain raster elements must meet the "Raster Images (resolution requirements)" as noted below in these author instructions.
- PDF quality settings must always be set to "Press Quality".
- Disable any image compression or down-sampling.
- All fonts MUST be embedded.
[Click here for detailed PDF creation.]
JPEG: Joint Photographic Expert Group--raster file format (uses a compression technique that removes portions of data as file size is reduced)
- Compression MUST be set to maximum quality to be usable.
[Click here for detailed JPEG compression information.]
AI: Adobe Illustrator--can contain either vector or raster information
- Must use Adobe preinstalled Base 14 fonts; fonts must be embedded in .ai file.
- Embed ALL figure elements in all art files, especially Adobe Illustrator files, to ensure that linked elements will not be lost.
DETAILED DIGITAL ART GUIDELINES
Color Mode: All color images should be submitted in RGB. (For the print journal, all usable digital art files will be converted back to CMYK.)
Fonts and Point Sizes: The point size for text used in any given piece of artwork must not vary greatly--please try to use only Helvetica or Arial fonts in artwork and in point sizes no smaller than 8 pt. and no larger than 10 pt. All panel tags (A, B, C) should be presented as capital letters in 10- or 12-pt. bold (Helvetica or Arial).
Lines/Rules: The weight of all rules used in artwork must be 0.4 point or heavier. Lighter weight lines will not be picked up and will drop out of the art.
Raster Images (resolution requirements)
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Line art (monochrome): Resolution must be 1000–1200 dpi at publication size. Common examples are graphs and charts made of solid black and white, with no gray values. Preferred file formats are TIFF, PDF, and EPS.
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Halftones (color or grayscale): Resolution must be 300 dpi at publication size. Common examples are color or grayscale figures containing pictures only, with NO lines/rules, text, or panel designations. Preferred file formats are TIFF, PDF, EPS, and JPEG (saved only as MAX quality).
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Combination halftones (color or grayscale): Resolution must be 600–900 dpi. Common examples are color grayscale figures containing a mixture of halftone AND line art elements (rules, text, panel designations, etc.). Preferred file formats are TIFF, PDF, EPS, and JPEG (saved only as MAX quality).
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Click here for a visual presentation of raster image resolutions.
Vector Images (resolution requirements DO NOT apply)
NOTE: Vector graphics are typically generated using drawing or illustration programs, such as Adobe Illustrator, and are comprised of mathematically defined geometric shapes (lines, objects, and frills). These images are resolution-independent and can be sized up or down without quality loss.
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Vector line art (monochrome): Must be saved as an EPS file with graph lines at least 0.4-point wide and all fonts either converted to outlines or embedded in the file. (Guidelines for converting fonts to outlines in Adobe Illustrator can be found here.)
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Vector combination line/halftone (color or grayscale): The halftone elements must be processed in Photoshop and the line elements in Illustrator; the two elements from both applications must be combined in Illustrator. Must be saved as an EPS file with graph lines at least 0.4-point wide and all fonts either converted to outlines or embedded in the file. (Guidelines for converting fonts to outlines in Adobe Illustrator can be found here.)
Additional Art Guidelines
- Do not allow font sizes to vary more than 2 points within any figure or across numerous panels within a given figure.
- Avoid including panel headings or titles directly in artwork; rather, headings should be included in figure legends at the start of each panel description.
- Avoid the use of light colors, such as pale yellow, which will reproduce poorly and will fade out on the print journal page.
- If using more than one color, choose colors that are far enough apart on the color spectrum in order to preserve maximum color distinction (e.g., black and some blues, as well as red and some oranges, can be difficult to distinguish when artwork is scaled for the journal page).
- All panels (A, B, C) must be identified in the figure legend.
- Color keys should be included in the body of the figure rather than in the figure legend.
- Authors are encouraged to include all parts/panels of an individual figure in one figure file. (Example: All parts of a figure, such as panels A through G, should be included in the same, single file for Figure X.) Do not include more than one figure in any file, however; Figure 1 should not also include Figure 2 in the same file.
ART SUBMISSIONS, LABELING
Please make sure that your files (in Bench>Press Electronic Manuscript Submission System) are properly labeled by first author's name/article number/figure number (e.g., Smith123456_Fig1, Smith123456_Fig2, etc.).
Send only FINAL electronic art files. DO NOT EMBED FIGURES WITHIN THE MANUSCRIPT TEXT FILES or embed legends with the figures. If there are color keys to the figures, these should be included in the body of the figure rather than in the legend, as it can be difficult to match legend and figure colors.
All figures should be checked carefully before they are submitted to avoid author charges for replacement color artwork at the page proof stage.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
Supplemental files should be uploaded separately and named as follows, with underscores connecting all segments in each filename and with the file-type extension in view: Supplemental_Fig_S1.pdf, Supplemental_Fig_S2.eps, Supplemental_Table_S1.pdf, Supplemental_Table_S2.xls, Supplemental_Movie_S1.mov, Supplemental_Methods.pdf, etc. Supplemental figures should have the legend underneath the figure. Please cite supplemental files in main text accordingly as Fig. S1, Fig. S2, Table S1, etc.
ONLINE DIGITAL ART ASSISTANCE (IN BENCH>PRESS)
To aid you in submitting your digital files in the correct format, we have a digital art analysis program associated with our online submission system called Image Analysis. Your digital files will be analyzed by the Image Analysis software (which checks that your figure files meet the journal’s specifications) upon submission of a revised manuscript.
PROOFS
Proofs are considered the final form of the paper and correction can be made only in the case of factual errors. If additional information must be added at this stage, it should be in the form of a "Note added in proof", subject to the approval of the editors.
