**Preparing a Survey for English Edit**

*This is not a substitute for the guidance given in the National Soil
Survey Handbook or in the Prewritten Material you all have. Some of it,
however, is a repetition of same.*

*General Principle: DO NOT assume the editor knows anything about soil
science. What may be obvious to you is not necessarily clear to the
editor.*

**Background**

The NRCS publishes soil surveys for the National Cooperative Soil Survey
(NCSS). Part 644, of the National Soil Survey Handbook (NSSH) , Chapter
7 in the *Soil Survey Manual*, and the "Guide to Authors of Soil Survey
Manuscripts" provide information on the planning, development,
organization, and content of soil survey manuscripts. NSSH, exhibit
644-6 "Guide to Authors of Soil Survey Manuscripts" has helpful
information, practical examples, and guidelines for the organization,
format, and content of a soil survey manuscript. The MLRA office is
responsible for editing, formatting, proofreading, and preparing text
and tables for soil survey reports; and ensuring conformity to the
Government Printing Office (GPO) Style Manual. The MLRA office editor
edits the manuscript for publication standards, grammar, punctuation,
and spelling. The editor also checks the coherence, consistency, syntax,
and logic of the text, and prepares the appropriate copy (camera-ready
or electronic file) for publication.

It should be noted that soil survey publications are government
documents and thus are governed by the Government Printing Office Style
Manual. The GPO Style Manual, in general, establishes the rules for
public printing. GPO rules have precedence over author preference even
if there is a published precedent.

**Manuscript Packaging**

• Send in one hardcopy and one electronic copy in a DOS or Windows
format, preferably MS Word. Make sure your office has duplicates in your
office.

• Ensure that hardcopy and electronic copy are identical.

**Cover**

Ensure that the names of cooperating agencies and the name of the survey
area appear as listed in the "Classification and Correlation Document."

**General Soil Map (GSM)**

The general soil maps are optional in published soil surveys, but index
maps and location maps are required. The draft GSM and its legend are
completed to the extent possible at the final field review. The draft
GSM (including legend) is [approved]{.underline} during the final
correlation. The color check print of the general soil map, the index to
map sheets, the conventional and special symbols legend, and the
detailed soil legend are ordered from the National Cartography and
Geospatial Center (NCGC) are ordered at this time by the MLRA office
SDQS.

**Locator Map**

The MLRA office SDQS orders the locator map at the time the soil survey
manuscript is received for technical review. Current NCGC location map
convention displays only the state outline, county boundaries, state
capital location and soil survey boundary. Special request, such as
showing cities other than the state capital, should be included in the
cover letter transmitting the manuscript to the MLRA office.

**Illustrations**

• Ensure that final line drawings are accurate and are included with
illustrations.

• Only the cover and soil profiles will be in color. All other
illustrations will be black and white.

***Color slides:*** Have three color prints made for each slide that is
sent to the editor. The color in these prints should be ACCURATE because
one of the prints will be used by the National Production Services Staff
to match colors when the slide is scanned. The prints should be
technically approved by a soil scientist for accuracy in color. [Keep
one set of the prints.]{.underline}

Have one inexpensive 8-1/2 x 11 print made on a laser printer. Make sure
a white border is around the four sides of the paper so editor can crop
the print.

***Black & white prints***: for each illustration, make three 8-1/2 x 11
prints with a white border. Keep one set of the prints and send in the
other two.

• For guidance on taking high-quality photographs, see MO-15's home
page, "Tips for Better Photographs."

**General Manuscript Preparation**

1\. Merge general soil map units into one file.

Merge detailed soil map units into one file.

Merge series descriptions into one file.

Manuscript will not be English-edited unless this is done.

2\. Coding

• \$ codes have been replaced by @ codes. If manuscript already contains
\$ codes, and they are correct, the editor can easily do an Search and
Replace.

• If there are no codes, leave them out‑‑editor will insert them.

3\. All Sections

• Electronically insert pre-written material (PWM) where needed and
cross out portions that do not apply. In hardcopy, use colored paper for
PWM and indicate where author's material goes.

• Insert fig. 1, fig. 2, etc. exactly where you want them to go.

• In text: List author and date in parentheses after the referenced item
(Burns, 1946).

4\. Contents

• Use PWM. Delete headings not in your survey. Add headings unique to
your survey. If your survey does not follow the standard format, make
this clear in the hardcopy Contents.

5\. Introduction

• If this survey supersedes another survey, cite that survey in the text
and references.

6\. GSMs, DSMs, and Series

• Use commas in any series of 4 or more numbers; 3,456 rather than 3456.

• List plant names as you want them to appear: "black grama, hairy
grama, sideoats grama, etc." not "black, sideoats, hairy grama.\"

• If you have a strong preference for a particular semi-tabular format,
say so in a cover letter or note on the hard copy and send a sample of
that format. Otherwise, your manuscript will be typeset in the standard
format shown in the NSSH, part 644.

7\. Series

• In paragraph describing where typical pedon came from, use the
following abbreviations: N., S., E., W., NW, NE, SW, SE, sec., T., R.
For example:

lot 6, NE^1^/~4~ sec. 4, T. 6 N., R. 1 W.

T. 2 S., Rs. 8, 9, and 10 E., sec. 26

T. 3 S., R. 1 E., sec. 34, W^1^/~2~E^1^/~2~, W^1^/~2~ and
W^1^/~2~SE^1^/~4~SE^1^/~4~

• If fractions are spelled out, use *half* and *quarter*, not *one-half*
and *one-quarter*.

8\. References

• For journal articles and conference proceedings, give page numbers of
the articles referenced.

• Be sure that each reference listed in Reference Section can be found
in the text.

9\. Glossary

• If you make changes to pre-written definitions, have them reviewed by
a technical reviewer before submitting manuscript for English edit.

• If you add definitions, combine them all into one file and state
clearly that these are to be added. Ensure that those terms are used in
text.

10\. Tables

• Be sure that information in tables is correct and that revisions have
been made.

• Remove inappropriate entries (such as Rock outcrop, when there are no
ratings throughout the table).

• Be sure that electronic and hardcopy versions match.