Guidelines for Publishing Educational Documents
Policy on Educational Manuscripts and Editing
Documents intended to be part of the K-State Research and Extension Bookstore must be routed through the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education. Inventory items include printed and electronic documents, as well as other educational and promotional materials. Internal authors include faculty, specialists, and others with research or extension tenths time whose work is intended for statewide use and distribution.
Formal peer review and administrative approval are required before submitting the manuscript to the publishing unit.
If the information primarily involves research results, and the author or project is funded through the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, also see Guidelines for Publishing Research Results.
Types of Publications
K-State Research and Extension inventory numbers are assigned to research-based educational materials such as:
• fact sheets
• teaching guides
• booklets
• posters
• brochures
• notebooks and training manuals
• books
• CDs, DVDs or other media
Meeting Client Needs
Editors are experienced communicators in their subject-matter areas and can help tailor the material to meet client needs. Discuss with the editor:
• goal for the document
• target audience
• appropriate medium
• how the item will be used
• seasonal relevance
• audience awareness of the topic (Does the title include key words a target reader might use in an online search?)
Prepare for Publication
These steps will speed the process:
• Finalize content with co-authors, or other collaborators.
• Complete peer review process.
• Contact the editor and submit the final manuscript as a text file.
• Send any images as separate files
(copies of original jpg files at least 300 ppi at 100%).
• Attach an electronic or printed copy of a publishing request with tentative title. Include names of reviewers and the administrator who approved publication.
• Any art, photography, table, graphic, or text originally published elsewhere must be accompanied by a “permission to reprint” release.
• If references are used, maintain a simple, consistent style.
Scheduling
Depending on document size and production requirements, allow 10 to 12 weeks for editing, design, proofreading, revisions, prepress work, printing, and distribution. Your editor will outline the process, set up a production schedule, and provide deadlines for each step.
Missed deadlines will result in delayed production or assessment of a rush charge. The rush charge is invoiced to the client’s unit when the client is responsible for a delay, and a deadline must be met.
Publication Funding
• Numbered Publications
The Department of Communications and Agricultural Education provides editing, design, and printing services for numbered publications at no cost to the author’s unit. Authors receive two copies of the published document free and may order additional copies at the internal client rate.
• Grant Publications
If publishing work is to be included in a grant proposal, contact the publishing unit for cost estimates and scheduling information. If funding is approved, the grant account may be invoiced to cover production costs or to purchase and distribute copies according to the grant agreement.
Emergency Publications
Documents that address health, safety, weather, or other emergencies are prioritized. Contact the publishing coordinator, news coordinator, or departmental business office for help disseminating emergency information.
Annual Review
Authors (or peers) review numbered fact sheets and educational publications regularly for accuracy and current practice. The publishing unit assists with revisions and reprints. Outdated publications are removed from inventory.
Editing and Design Services
Editing, design, and production of unnumbered items for limited distribution is available on a fee basis for internal and external clients.
Internal clients include faculty and staff projects in departments, counties, districts, centers, or others units within K-State Research and Extension, the College of Agriculture, and associated colleges. Internal clients’ units are invoiced for professional services and production.
External clients include foundations, professional organizations, nongovernmental grant projects, commercial entities, and individuals. External clients are invoiced an additional 36.5 percent for professional fees and production, as required by the university and to avoid unfair competition with local vendors. For more information, contact the publishing unit coordinator or your editor. Estimates are available on request.
Online Bookstore
The K-State Research and Extension Bookstore inventory is available online at: www.bookstore.ksre.k-state.edu/
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station
and Cooperative Extension Service
November 2012
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.