Publishing Guidelines for Faculty
UI Extension and the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station publish educational, research-based information for specialized audiences and the public. We publish digitally and in print, including e-books, videos and multimedia curricula.
All of our products are refereed, through our Manuscript FastTrack peer-review system and listed in our online publications catalog. Below are the steps you need to take for submitting a manuscript or storyboard through FastTrack.
Step 1 — Review product types
Extension Bulletin
Practical and research-based, bulletins enable readers to solve problems and develop skills.
- Bulletins meet the specific needs of one or more clearly defined audiences.
- Content is current, authoritative and generally unavailable from other sources.
- Length, format, writing style and design are functions of the bulletin's audience and purpose.
- Bulletins rarely include text citations or reference lists as appropriate.
- Further-readings sections include only those items that help fulfill the bulletin's purpose.
- Formats include print and online (HTML, PDF, etc.).
Idaho Green Thumb How-to
A subset of Extension bulletins, these brief fact sheets contain standard elements and limited word counts. See Idaho green thumb author guide (pdf).
Pacific Northwest Extension Publication (PNW)
PNWs serve readers in Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Any bulletin manuscript that has been approved for Extension publishing in Idaho can be proposed (via the Idaho PNW editor) for PNW publishing if its content applies regionwide. The content must then be approved by Extension specialists at Oregon State University and Washington State University. Learn more about PNW Extension publishing (pdf).
Idaho Master Gardener Program Handbook Chapter
The content of the handbook, including identification of new chapters and those in need of revision, is the responsibility of the UI Extension horticulture team and the Idaho Master Gardener Program Handbook committee (all potential submissions require prior approval). The handbook is published by UI Extension in print and online. Chapter authors have specific responsibilities as dictated by the handbook committee. See Idaho master gardener author guide (pdf).
Research Bulletin
Typically published by the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station, most research bulletins present the results of plant variety or management trials without accompanying conclusions or recommendations.
- Research can be reported as completely and technically as the authors find necessary.
- Primary audiences are scientific peers of the authors and others with technical knowledge of the subject.
- Layout files are often prepared by the authors, with Extension Publishing providing only the cover. We recommend that authors consult with the Extension Publishing graphic designer on layout before getting started.
- Published online-only as a PDF, although authors frequently make copies to distribute to cooperators and others.
Curriculum
This category includes full curricula (sets of teaching materials) and individual lesson plans or activities on a specified topic. They are intended for use by Extension educators, 4-H leaders and other instructors with specific learner audiences. This category also includes webinars and online learning modules. Before peer review, curricula undergo two rounds of pilot testing, one conducted by the authors and the other by two separate instructors with no prior exposure to the curriculum. See UI Extension curriculum guide (pdf).
Annual Financial Condition Report
Published in print just in time to present to the Idaho Legislature at the start of the calendar year, these snapshots of the financial condition of Idaho agriculture have standardized contents and format for quick turnaround. They are published by UI Extension.
Educational Video
Peer-refereed storyboards are developed into a video by the author or in collaboration with professional videographers. Videos are posted by the CALS Communications marketing and communications manager on YouTube. See Step 2 Instructional Video Author Guide for video specifications.
Step 2 — Review author guides
1. Before you begin
- Human research protections — If your curriculum contains evaluation procedures and instruments that involve human subjects, obtain documentation indicating U of I Institutional Review Board approval (see Human Research Protections website for more information).
- Consider discussing your idea with the appropriate UI Extension topic team to get input on factors such as need, priority and scope.
2. Submit the curriculum proposal form to Manuscript FastTrack
- Fill out the curriculum proposal form (docx)
- Corresponding author uploads the proposal to Manuscript FastTrack. Select “proposal, curriculum” as the document type.
- Download and review the author guide supplement:
- The subeditor covering the topic area evaluates the proposal and advises the corresponding author via FastTrack about whether to proceed with writing the manuscript or to rethink the idea.
- The director of Extension Publishing can help authors clarify format, scope, budget (especially critical for grant-funded projects), timeline and distribution channels.
3. Develop your curriculum
- Submission can be a single lesson plan or an entire curriculum.
- Refer to the UI Extension curriculum guide (pdf) for the required elements.
4. Have the curriculum reviewed by a curriculum development specialist
- Extension Publishing can help authors locate curriculum development specialists to consult.
- Curriculum development specialist reviews the curriculum and completes the curriculum specialist review form (docx).
- Revise curriculum as needed.
5. Conduct pilot testing
- Phase 1. You, the author(s), conduct two, separate trial runs of the entire curriculum, fill out the curriculum pilot testing form for authors and revise your curriculum as needed.
- Phase 2. Ask two educators with no prior exposure to the curriculum to pilot test it, fill out the curriculum pilot testing form for educators afterward and return it to you. Revise your curriculum as needed.
6. Submit your curriculum to Manuscript FastTrack for double-blind peer review
- Follow our manuscript submission guidelines (found in Step 4 below).
- In FastTrack, select "curriculum" as the document type.
- Your submission must include the following:
- Curriculum manuscript
- Curriculum development specialist review form
- Pilot testing forms (authors' and those from at least two educators who are not authors)
- Documentation of U of I Institutional Review Board approval, if necessary, for research involving human subjects
- The subeditor will send your manuscript to reviewers and, based on those reviews, decide whether to accept your manuscript for publication, ask you to revise and resubmit the manuscript, or reject it as unsuitable for publication.
7. Submit your final files to Extension Publishing
- After your curriculum has been accepted for publication, review our guidelines for submitting final text and graphics (found in Step 5 below). Attach your final manuscript, artwork files and permissions to your submission in FastTrack.
8. Production
- Curriculum is edited and designed in Extension Publishing. Author proofreads the final design.
- We publish in print, online and other digital media.
9. Distribution
- Printed publications are sold by Extension Publishing through our online catalog.
- Free digital versions of publications are accessed through our online catalog.
- Digital downloads for sale are sold through UI Extension Publications and Multimedia Marketplace and accessed through our online catalog or directly through U of I Marketplace.
Note: Excluded from this process are promotional or marketing videos or others that do not involve creative intellectual work that requires peer review.
1. Before you begin
- Consider discussing your idea with the appropriate UI Extension topic team to get input on factors such as need, priority and scope.
2. Submit the video proposal form (docx) to Manuscript FastTrack
- Select "proposal, video" as the document "type" in FastTrack.
- The subeditor covering your topic area accepts/declines your proposal and may provide comments to let you know how to proceed.
3. Develop your storyboard
- Your storyboard will consist of a step-by-step written script with precise descriptions of footage and other images to be shot, collected or otherwise generated.
4. Submit your storyboard to Manuscript FastTrack for double-blind peer review
- Select "video" as the document "type" in FastTrack.
- Submit a separate FastTrack entry for each video (one video per submission).
- The subeditor assigned to the topic area of your video will circulate it to reviewers and, based on those reviews, decide whether to accept your project, accept it with modifications or reject it.
5. Discuss your project with the Extension Publishing graphic designer
- The consultation covers design elements, branding, design best practices, etc. The designer’s role is strictly advisory; Extension Publishing does not produce the video.
6. Produce your video
- After you’ve met with the graphic designer, produce your video on your own, or, if you have funding, consider working with Video ServicesU of I's (videoctr@uidaho.edu).
- If any text will be added to the video, this will be done by the Extension Publishing graphic designer in step 7. Please do not add your own text/pop-ups to the video.
7. Secure pre-release review of your video
- Upload your video to Manuscript FastTrack (.mp4 file) under the same submission ID as your storyboard. (Go to "add attachment" in the last line of the "submission summary.")
- The subeditor who coordinated peer review of your storyboard reviews the video for subject-matter content or designate the task to someone else and let you know his or her comments by email, copying the Extension Publishing editor.
- Key members of the target audience review the video (optional).
8. Send your final file to the Extension Publishing graphic designer including the file for captions and video description (e.g., by Dropbox)
- Authors are required to include a file for captions that can be uploaded along with the video (General Counsel has requested that all university videos include captions for accessibility).
- Video Services recommends Rev, an audio/video transcription servicer, to transcribe material if authors cannot or prefer not to do the transcriptions themselves: https://www.rev.com/
- Rev charges $1.25 per minute of video.
- Authors are also required to provide a video description to include with the YouTube video, especially if links and resources are referenced in the video as “being included in the description.”
- Author will include any desired in-video text in a word document including desired text and time stamp of when the text should appear.
- The graphic designer adds the branded intro, title frame and outro to the video.
- When the video is ready to go live, the CALS Communications marketing and communications manager posts it on YouTube.
- The video is included in our online catalog.
1. English and Spanish editions with identical content
Authors may propose via FastTrack a Spanish edition of a previously published peer-reviewed product or propose that one be included simultaneously with an English version they are submitting for publication. The publication or video proposal must justify the need for both editions, explaining why a Spanish translation of the English version will meet the needs of a Spanish-speaking audience
For unpublished English editions:
- Once the proposal is approved by a subeditor, authors submit the text of the English edition for peer review.
- The subeditor oversees the double-blind review process. Once the manuscript has been accepted and copyedited, the text of the English edition can be professionally translated into Spanish.
- Authors are responsible for funding and contracting any translation services.
- Authors submit the Spanish-translation text to the FastTrack account for single-blind review of the translation only. The editor sends any comments, revision requests or edits to the author; once reconciled, the translation is sent on to design.
For previously published English editions:
- Once the proposal has been approved by a subeditor, the text can be professionally translated into Spanish.
- Authors are responsible for funding and contracting any translation services.
- Authors submit the Spanish-translation text to the FastTrack account for single-blind review of the translation only. The editor sends any comments, revision requests or edits to the author; once reconciled, the translation is sent on to design.
2. English and Spanish editions with different, audience-specific content
- Readers of Spanish-language editions may differ from readers of English-language editions in their demographics, culture, literacy level, information-seeking habits and more. In these cases, the English and Spanish editions may differ in format and content. Authors should propose the two editions separately and submit separate manuscripts in English for peer review.
- The manuscript for the Spanish edition will be professionally translated after editing. Authors are responsible for funding and contracting any translation services..
3. Spanish editions only
- Authors submit manuscripts in English for peer review. (Finding reviewers who are both experts in their fields and fluent in Spanish would in many cases be impossible.)
- Manuscripts accepted for publication will be professionally translated after editing. Authors are responsible for funding and contracting any translation services..
Step 3 — Submit your proposal to FastTrack
- FastTrack at http://uidaho.expressacademic.org
- In the "topics of interest" field, select topics that reflect your areas of expertise. You may be asked to review manuscripts that deal with these topics.
Step 4 — Submit your manuscript or storyboard for double-blind peer review
- Submit your manuscript to Manuscript FastTrack as a new submission (not to the ID# associated with your proposal).
- Enter author and title just as they appeared in your proposal submission, if they haven't changed.
- Upload your manuscript as a minimally formatted Word file (double-spaced and undesigned).
- Embed all tables and figures within the file.
- Use no punctuation in filenames.
- Provide a caption for each figure and a title and caption for each table.
- Remove all author names from the document.
Step 5 — Access reviews and revise as needed
- Log in to Manuscript FastTrack and click on “My submissions.”
- Under the “Actions” heading, click “Show review.”
- Consider the feedback and suggested changes from each reviewer. Either incorporate changes (using the Track Changes feature in Word) or respond as to why you feel suggested changes are not appropriate. (Submit a separate Word document containing the unacceptable reviewer suggestions and your reasons as a courtesy to the subeditor and editor.)
- Resubmit the revised manuscript by logging in to FastTrack, clicking on the submission ID number, and, under the Actions column, click “Submit Revised Document.” This will open another window where you can upload the revised manuscript.
- If you wish, you may “Decline to resubmit,” in which case, the project is closed.
- The subeditor reviews the revised document and compares it with the recommendations of the peer reviewers. The subeditor makes the decision to accept or deny the revised manuscript and may ask for further discussion with you or require an additional review. You will be notified by FastTrack email of their decision.
- Once the subeditor accepts the revised manuscript, you may submit the final files.
Step 6 — Submit your final files
Follow these guidelines for submitting final text, graphics and other supporting material.
Collect final files into one folder and compress them into a zip file. Attach the compressed file to your manuscript submission. (Use "add attachment" at the bottom of the "submission summary" box.) See also the author guide for your product type.
Text
- Supply manuscripts as minimally formatted files double-spaced in Microsoft Word. Do not apply color, embed figures or tables, add borders or rules, etc.
- Cite each table and figure in the manuscript. Provide a detailed caption for each figure and a title for each table. Number all figures sequentially and number tables sequentially as well, but separate from the figures.
- Identify all authors by name, descriptive title and affiliation (e.g., Justin Clements, Extension specialist, U of I Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, Moscow).
- If you include a Further Reading section, identify your bibliographic style.
- Supply tables each in a separate Word or Excel file. Keep formatting simple. Except in unusual circumstances, do not include vertical rules, colors or other embellishments.
Artwork
- For each piece of artwork, provide the name of the artist or copyright holder.
- Graphs and charts
- Submit graphs and charts, each in its own file, in Excel if possible, to allow manipulation of the file (for example, to make all the figures in a publication match one another in typography, rule width, etc.).
- Otherwise, provide graphs and charts in PDF or EPS.
- Line art (illustrations)
- Supply the original artwork if created on paper. If the artwork was created digitally, supply the original file type in which the graphic was created.
- If the original application file is unavailable, submit a high-resolution TIFF or vector EPS file.
Digital and print photos
- Supply original print images or high-resolution digital photos in TIFF, JPEG or EPS.
- Supply images as individual files — Not within the Word document.
- Pay attention to image resolution. We require a minimum of 250 dpi at the desired dimensions for use in printed publications (assume 3 by 5 inches unless the art is expected to run larger, as on the cover). (Files bigger than 1 MB are usually OK.)
Permissions
- Supply written permission to use any copyrighted material.
- No permission is required to quote from works produced by the US government, but permission normally is required to quote from works by state agencies, including other land-grant universities.
- Authors can use this template to secure permissions (docx).
- Provide any specific wording required in the credit line.
Final Submission Checklist
- Word document of text file
- Limited formatting and free of graphic design elements
- Double-spaced
- No tables or other illustrations embedded
- Table files
- Excel file preferred (alternative option: PDF/EPS file)
- Labeled “Table 1,” “Table 2,” etc.
- Figure files
- In original application file or as a high-resolution TIFF or EPS file
- Labeled “Figure 1,” “Figure 2,” etc.
- Table and figure captions
- As a Word document file separate from the manuscript Word document
- Label each caption so it’s clear which table or figure it goes to (“Figure 1,” “Table 1”, etc.)
- Permissions paperwork
- Include any copyright permissions (letter, email, etc.)
