Questions tagged [formatting]
Concerning how to format content in academic writing.
0
votes
1answer
73 views
More or less sections/subsections in a journal article?
When writing an academic paper, sections help organize the paper and make it more navigable for the reader. I can imagine a number of pros/cons of having more or less sections in a paper, but I'm not ...
4
votes
1answer
81 views
Italicization of mathematical symbols: quantity symbols vs units symbols
The SI conventions state that variables and quantity symbols should be italicized, while unit symbols should be roman (see, e.g., this useful reference/cheat sheet). For example,
Here the proton ...
2
votes
2answers
178 views
Print Phd thesis in A4 or A5? [closed]
I would like to ask those in Academia who supervise PhD students and get to read their Phd theses. When checking on previous theses submitted to the library, I found some printed not in the more ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
How to cite when I want to use a direct quote in the same sentence as an in-text citation with no parenthesis in APA?
For example, I want to describe a paper with a direct quote from it. Would this be OK:
Pieters and Wedel (2007) “revealed goal control of attention even during a few seconds of self-paced ad ...
5
votes
1answer
80 views
Can I refer readers to link to a large figure?
I am preparing a journal paper and I have a very large figure in the SVG format that I would like to include in the paper. However, the figure is very hard to fit it inside the paper without affecting ...
33
votes
3answers
4k views
Central dot as decimal point in top journal
The Lancet, one of the top medical journals in the world, requires 'Type decimal points midline (ie, 23·4, not 23.4)'. Does anyone know why this is? As a mathematician, I'll always read 23·4 as 92. ...
2
votes
2answers
119 views
What is a concise citation format for grant proposals given constraints on page counts?
Many grant applications have page limits. They also often allow the writer to chose their preferred format for references.
Thus, I was wondering:
What is a good concise referencing system that ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the advantage of the two-column journal format?
I am a mathematician whose work often connects with physics, so I often have to read papers in physics journals. I find that the two-column format popular with physics journals annoying, and based on ...
1
vote
2answers
64 views
Should article submissions be formatted in draft format, or in the format of a particular journal? [duplicate]
Some journals do not require article submissions to be in any particular format. Would it still be better to try and copy that journals usual format, or use a generic draft format? Would you as an ...
28
votes
5answers
3k views
Is there a convention on how to write pseudocode in scientific papers?
I've found questions answering where or when to write pseudocode in scientific papers, but I haven't found any addressing any sort of convention for pseudocode, such as syntax, what type of symbols or ...
1
vote
0answers
40 views
How do I change automatic title-case capitalisation for German titles in a Mendeley bibliography? [closed]
I'm trying to correct a Mendeley-created thesis bibliography, in a Word document, that contains English and German titles. The English titles format in title case (capitalising everything except ...
1
vote
1answer
133 views
Is it considered okay to mention all the correction in an accepted article which is typeset by the press
Let's say that I got a paper accepted to a nice journal (feels so good!), in fact of a very reputed publisher. Then, the press / editorial office asks me to submit all the source files for preparing ...
-3
votes
8answers
932 views
Unconventional fonts [duplicate]
Most articles and books are written in the conventional fonts like Computer Modern Roman, Times New Roman, etc. which are similar to each others. Why aren't more fonts used?
I wrote my course this ...
0
votes
1answer
116 views
Scientific paper format / layout
If you were to write a scientific paper which must include a section on 'Basic definitions', would you put this section after the Abstract and the Introduction, or before the Introduction?
What do ...
1
vote
1answer
164 views
“Computers & Security” journal latex template? [closed]
The following links explains the "Guide for Authors" for the "Computers & Security" journal:
https://www.elsevier.com/journals/computers-and-security/0167-4048/guide-for-authors
However, I ...
21
votes
6answers
3k views
Difficulty reading scientific papers in two columns
It sounds stupid, but I came to realize that it's significantly more difficult for me to read scientific papers when they are typeset in two columns than papers in which the text appears in one column....
7
votes
1answer
123 views
How to refer to a source with “minor” typos in the title?
This questions supplements the existing: how to refer to a source with typos in the title, where OP spotted grammar mistakes in the title of papers mentioned in the reference list and wondered whether ...
0
votes
1answer
72 views
Master thesis - rules for italicizing
I am writing my master thesis in English and I understand that usually italics are used to put emphasis on a word, because it is an important or a newly introduced technical term. But I still ask ...
2
votes
3answers
76 views
Should I follow-up with the editor about formatting issues on a published article?
I just received an email from the editor of a monograph series letting me know the issue where my article is included is now live. I went through normal things recently to get it published, like a ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views
Does every single table in a thesis need to be numbered?
In my thesis I'm analyzing the results of a linguistic survey in which a large number of words are discussed. I provide a small table with details of the statistical analysis for each word. All the ...
1
vote
0answers
281 views
Where'd this layout come from?
In the past, I experimented a lot with the layout of my thesis. Until I managed to find a PDF of a standard book layout of some publisher, which attracted me so much that I copied it for my thesis.
...
7
votes
2answers
195 views
How often do publishers change/tweak articles to achieve visually appealing results?
When reading this question it seems the theoretical answer is that LaTeX is not perfect and manual/human intervention is required. In the TeX Book Knuth says:
But the problem of page make-up is ...
21
votes
5answers
3k views
Why do journals reformat your submissions?
When submitting to (computer science) conferences, you usually have full control over the layout and are able to submit a camera-ready version that will be published as submitted.
For journals, ...
1
vote
0answers
58 views
Citations in a Postdoc Research Statement (Humanities)
In a research statement for a postdoc application, is it common or expected to provide formal citations (footnotes) for claims, especially in regards to existing scholarship?
12
votes
6answers
2k views
Academic publishing: why placing figures on top/bottom of pages in single-column layout?
When you turn in a manuscript to an academic publisher, they may insist (referring to their style guide and publication process) that all figures are placed on top/bottom of the manuscript's pages ...
5
votes
1answer
153 views
Is it allowed to re-format a post-print version of a published paper?
I am finishing up my thesis which will include, among other things, a published paper. I am allowed by the journal to use a post-print version, which (if I understand correctly) is the accepted ...
2
votes
1answer
138 views
How to format a teaching statement?
I have already written a teaching statement for a faculty position as assistant professor.
I have three questions:
What is the right tense of teaching statement? (present tense or future)
Must I ...
0
votes
1answer
73 views
Correct latex format for standard IEEE Computer Society Press proceedings style guide [closed]
I'm planning to submit a paper to an IEEE conference. On their website they mention that the paper should be "formatted according to the standard IEEE Computer Society Press proceedings style guide". ...
-3
votes
1answer
89 views
Mdash in transcript of records permitted [closed]
When a degree is accomplished my University gives you a final official transcript of records and a final certificate for the degree, both containing the title of your thesis. For some reason the ...
41
votes
8answers
11k views
Is it okay to typeset someone’s to-be-graded assignment for them?
I have a friend who’s an undergraduate at university. I believe myself to be fairly proficient in TeX/LaTeX; I’ve seen some of the assignments that he’s received back, and we both agree they could ...
6
votes
1answer
124 views
What are the conventions for indicating programming variables within text?
From my thesis:
In this method, the get_config_value function is used that is defined within the PyWPS API.
How should I format the "get_config_value" variable?
It should be formatted differently ...
1
vote
1answer
421 views
How to format the name of an R package in thesis?
In a thesis, when referring to an R package (a statistical software), how should I write it?
Should it be italicized/treated like a title?
Or just like any other word. The package name is not a "...
1
vote
1answer
546 views
Should I use bold fonts to highlight particular words in SOP?
Is it odd to use bold fonts to highlight particular important words in your SOP, such as the name of Professors I am interested to work with, or the name of a Lab? I have seen someone do this to ...
1
vote
3answers
149 views
How to the enlarge the font size of a journal paper [closed]
I’m a low-vision person. I want to print research papers to read. But the font size is very small for me. Is there any way to make it bigger and print it?
0
votes
2answers
116 views
Standard Word templates, fonts, etcetera. for non/semi-technical Springer journals?
Is there a standard typeface and/or word template that people use when submitting to non/semi-technical Springer journals? Previously I have always used Latex, which typically meant a conference or ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Do two-column format journals publish one column for special cases?
Sometimes a paper consists of lots of math equations which are too long so that they will look terrible in a two-column format. I was wondering:
Is is possible or even reasonable to ask the editor ...
3
votes
1answer
289 views
When is it expected to write someone's name correctly?
It is generally expected that European names be spelled correctly in academic correspondence and citations. This is expected, even when they use symbols not in the English language, when publishing in ...
0
votes
1answer
106 views
Should I optimize the content of a first page of a research statement (risking typography)?
The usual entirely-true cliche is that most people on the
postdoc-hiring committee will not themselves read beyond the first
page or so of the whole thing, so you should be sure to make your big
...
0
votes
1answer
168 views
What should be the right format for dates in CV?
I saw that most of the formats for month & year is like "September 2017"; however it is kind of cluttered. I'm wondering if the following formats are OK:
Sept. 2017
09/2017
9/2017
1
vote
3answers
73 views
Orientation of Table Headers in Science Report
Below are two examples of a table, with different orientations of the trial header.
The number of the trial represents the chronological order, but there is no relationship between all the Trial 1's, ...
2
votes
2answers
319 views
Do we have to make any changes to a Springer LaTeX template before submission?
The Springer template is by far the most bizarre out of all of the LaTeX templates I've seen so far. There is no problem as long as you stick to the two-column option, but the appearance of the single ...
43
votes
6answers
10k views
Why are there no computer-friendly versions of papers?
I believe that many people read articles from their computers. So, tiny fonts and many columns have no advantage.
Why don’t journals make alternative computer-friendly versions of the articles? For ...
25
votes
6answers
5k views
Why do strict designs of theses exist?
Why do many universities require strict format on theses, when the most important thing in them is the content? A beautiful design will make a good thesis better, and a bad one worse. The work can be ...
2
votes
1answer
307 views
Best workflow for publication-quality figures with multiple subplots? [closed]
What’s the best way to create full publication-quality (i.e. vector) figures from multiple subplots, from various sources? For example, I want to include a TIFF microscopy image and an EPS plot ...
-2
votes
2answers
59 views
Journals having format standards described in a commercial document
I am writing a paper that I want to submit to a journal in Education. By looking at the formatting requirements I discovered that most of the journals in this area set require to format submissions by ...
6
votes
1answer
310 views
What does the typesetting process for a math/science journal using LaTeX look like?
Hopefully this question isn't too broad. Following up on https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/99123/what-software-do-publishers-use and Elsevier production team messed up my paper. What should I do?...
1
vote
2answers
4k views
Where to place tables/figures in APA style dissertation
In following APA style, I put my tables and figures at the end of the paper, after the references. For example, here they explicitly say to put them at the end.
One of my committee members told me ...
3
votes
1answer
201 views
Placing large figures at end of paper
I have some elaborate drawings that need some space. I think putting them "inline" would break the flow of the (mathematics) paper.
Questions:
Where exactly should they go? Just before the ...
0
votes
0answers
62 views
Should I take short-cuts in formatting my manuscripts? [duplicate]
After I've written a manuscript and decided on a journal to submit it to, I'll then spend several hours, if not more, on making sure that it conforms to every last detail of the "instructions for ...
11
votes
3answers
446 views
Choosing between MS Word, PDF, and latex formats when submitting a manuscript for publication when all are allowed?
I've been working on an article, and for ease of collaboration among co-authors and advisers I have used Google Docs thus far, so I'll likely need to do at least a little post-formatting once in .doc ...
