THE SURVEYS PUBLlCATlON PROCESS SUMMARIZED 

REVIEW AND APPROVAL 

All reports written by Survey scientists in connection with their official duties must be approved by the 

originating Division and the Director. 

All reports require at least one technical review, 

and most have two or more; Water Resources 

Division requires at least two. 

Reports that contain geologic names or ages require review by the Survey Geologic Names Unit. 

Book reports and maps published by the Survey 

require editing within their originating Division. 

Abstracts of papers to be presented at scientific 

meetings require editing and approval according 

to individual Division policy. 

Reports for publication outside the Survey are 

edited according to individual Division policy. 

Open-File reports are not edited but are reviewed 

for policy and reproducibility. 

You have some latitude as to whether or not your 

paper for outside publication has a Survey edit. 

Given a choice, however, consider the advantages 

of such an edit, because a well-edited report 

generally is more acceptable to a publisher and 

reader than one that is not. 

Here is a sequence typical of a Survey manuscript 

through the Geologic Division from inception to 

publication, complete with hints and admonitions. The 

left column shows who does what; the right column 

details the action. Because procedures vary among 

1. Author assesses Begin by determi* whut resources for regou~ces (sub 2s typim 

PrePanng and &es are admanuscnpts. able in your d ran& or 

Omce pre aring manu. 

srript. mi what med~raa are fo11cwe8 here. 

2. Author options for You presently have several 

producing draft. opbons for preparing a draft of your report, depending upon your resources and inclination. 

You can keyboard the 

report yourself on a word 

processor or computer; or p can write the report in 

onghand or dictate lt or it for later 

ge%ng on a word 

processor or computer by a manuscript typist. 

The Survey's publication process summarized 
after technical 

revlew. 

approval. 

A signature on the routing sheet indicates that the 

signer is finished, initials 

indicate that the person 

wants to see the report again. Hence the derivation of the phrase "sign off on the report." 

Revise 9ccording to tomers' comments, and add 

!i ubliaher's format, if not one already. See that cw- rections are made in the 

machine-readabIe media by a skilled typist. Have a fresh copy printed out. 

Pmf thls copy carefully. 

8. Author aeniia 

revised copies and techmcal 

dew copies to 

Branch or OBce 

chief. 

Send report and technical 

review copies to your Bmch or Office chief for a proval. Use the lists at 

tfe end of this section to 

check that the manuscript 

and its parts are oompllete hfore you send it to our Bmch or Mice chi2 

You will want to keep a copy should questions anse. Gather and label the or= 'nals of all illustrations 

anffile them Mther. 

9. Branch ap roves and sen& report 

to Division for 

edit. 

When our Branch or Office 

chielhas ap roved the 

report, the Eranch will 

transmit it and the technical review copies to the 

next place accordin to 

Divimon procedure.gTh_ls 

copy,xxomes the ''mill 

the primary copy ZXeGeport ped by editors, graphcs special- ists, cartographic technicians. and drafters. 

10. Division edits; If your manuscri t is to be 

author responds. 1 6 ublished as a Formal 

SGS series book re rt or map, a Division e&r 

will review the mill copy for expression, clarity, mechanical condition and 

conformity with US& and 

GPO style, usage, and format. You are responsible for havin corrections 

made anffor providing fresh printouts. ab*-l 

disk, or whenever your 

the presentation of your scientific information. 

Typical manuscript sequence 
m 9-1325 

~h I~C. IN MANUSCRIPT REVIEW AND APPROVAL SHEET BRANCH PROJECT NO FOR BTR USE ONLY 

,USCS--MLOWC OMSW -------------- AUTHOR(S) (Last name f~nt show first name and/or tnltaals as shown ~n manuscnpt~' 

,a" a-. 

TITLE I 

TOTAL PAGES (Include t~tle page 

and all page-sole flgures and tables) 

TABLES COVERING PAGES~ 

NUMBER OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

Front 

- Photographs 

If p.n of multichapter USGS book: c:$~rsm $,zed Together Separately DEADLINE:' 

REMARKS 

NAME Printed 

I 

I 

I 

Figure 5. Manuscript review and approval sheet (routing sheet), front and back, used in the Geologi 

Division. 

, , I-- 

- ~ ..- 

,- 

-- 

L- I 

38 Manuscript review and approval sheet 

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- 

I 

-, 1. 

I 

8 I 

. 

- -. - .... 

: 

- 

.- ! 

I 

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I 

I.. +: 

SEE NUMBERED FOOTNOTES ON BACK OF THIS SHEET 

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1-.- 

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- 

, - 

- - 

.- 

. 

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~uthors-H ELP! Just before sending your report to Branch of Technical Reports, please check the following items: 

Fa ALL Reports: Fa All USGS Boob + Maps: 

- "Mill" copies of text, tables, and all illustrations are up to - "Author's Check List for Plates, 

date and plainly identified. Figures, and Photographs" (form 9- 

All type is double spaced (Open-File Reports excepted). 151 7) has been filled out and 

attached to each illustration. 

Authors' complete mailing addresses are shown (except for For USGS Boob ad Maps Wia Ted: 

USGS authors in USGS reports). 

Cooperative note and acknowledgments are included if Report is described succinctly in 

appropriate. A 50- to 75-word note for "New 

Publications of the Geological 

All references cited in text are shown in the reference Survey" AND 

A 15- to 25-word note for 

All parts of the report are attached, including any Superintendent of Documents. 

oversize plates and tables. For All USGS Book 

Highly complex maps and cross sections include one up-todate black-and-white "miUn copy and one colored copy. - Title page includes a 5- to 25-word 

Technical reviewers' copies are included. descriptive note (Circulars 

excepted), which is not just a 

restatement of the title. 

Title and authorship on front of this form are correct and 

current. All section headings, illustrations, and 

tables are listed in the Contents 

Complete project number (all nine digits) is shown. section. 

Abstract is included. 

Geographic area of study, if any, is named in title. (If 

report concerns an area that is not named in title, 

please attach explanatory n0te.r Complete caption for each illustration 

is on a separate page attached to 

Branch chief and all technical reviewers have signed and the illustration. 

dated this form. 

EXPLANATORY FOOTNOTES FOR MANUSCRIPT REVIEW AND APPROVAL SHEET 

Reports listing more than four authors should be accompanied by (I The BTR's give priority treatment to reports 

an explanatory note. (See "Authorship" section in Suggestions with reasonable, legitimate deadlines. 

to Authors.) Except for abstracts and "no edit" outside 

Use abbreviations shown in USGS telephone directories. reports, manuscripts that have deadlines 

should be accompanied by a memo from 

A mail stop and extension number will suffice for authors at the the author's branch chief requesting 

same center with the servicing BTR. Out-of-town authors priority. "Deadlinen shown here should be 

please note whether phone number is FTS or commercial date by which author must have report 

Branch chief must initial. NOTE: Abstracts are not included back to meet publisher's deadline. 

under "Outside reports"; all abstracts will be edited. 'I If report was unnumbered, show year of 

For USGS publications, show SERIES (Professional Paper, release in parentheses. 

Geologic Quadrangle Map, etc.) and, if applicable, show Information required only for in-house USGS 

SUBSERIES (Studies Related to Wilderness, Contributions to publications. May include computers not 

Geochemistry, etc.). Show SCALE for maps specifically designated as "word 

For journal reports, show name of journaL processors"; please show both the type of 

For chapters in books not published by USGS, show book title, computer and the wp program used in such 

publisher, and volume editor. cases. If no word processor was used, 

For abstracts and other reports prepared for meetings, show enter "None." 

sponsoring organization and name, date, and place of meeting. 

For other types of reports, explain the form of publication as Generally, a full signature denotes approval. 

well as possible. Initials mean only that the report has bee 

seen. 

GPO 802 -478 

Reverse 

Divisions, Offices, and Branches, the sequence is a for example, comes after Director's approval. ( 

general one. Water Resources Division reports travel figs. 3 and 4 in section on "Planning and 

a similar path, although the timing differs. Editing, ment for Water Resources Reports" for 

Manuscript review and approval sheet 39 
Front 

CllWlWUEONADOm(mAL FORMS, IF hlECESJIIRY. 

' See innmbbm for ttchrdd m*rrcn on bwL orFigure 6. Manuscript review and approval sheet (routing sheet), front and back, used in the Water 

Resources Division. 

I : 

, ,. 

40 Manuscript review and approval sheet 
all mpuutiol 

dr - Wert appl 

ilia1 lo rminta 

1 that will Imp 

can two tech# 

arir 01 spccaal 

:t or Rmcerch ' 

c of tht rcchnl 

ly in oqn~zpli 

: - Is tbe rep 

nsmrract? Ars 

rirrm lor I~K : I ..,.I__ ._.LLI_ 

and docs it re 

I %iw the projo 

on. should be i 

tkt the objac 

cl location and 

ions? ~cc pab 

it clearly dwl 

rsckgrmnd in6 

a-beallno 

e interprctd a 

:d and pre#ns ... , .2--. 

and pmperi! 

1-272, WRD P 

ed in tul inc 

LNSiRUCnDNS FOR TECHNICAL REVEWERS 

A thorw a ......... - +-. 11 &Ity OF Water Keoourcn Ihmn reports. the purmol 

the reew n ?id enluat~ov t and tlim~~le errors that may lead lo the tmhmaancnl ol 

the aulhorm, .... ,.,-.. The Follow~nb ,., ......,........... ....,. I pollf~cr and proctdum in the repsrlsmw procers. 

Narmbmof rev- - A1 1 lw dl hlctprrtivt repma Whenever pxdbk, 1he revimra 

should k szlcc~td on ilu b ~bject mared or the rqml At least om idm~ul revkwer 

should bc wrr~de the D~srrx 

Rok ofwin rofhnlul adeqlncy of the report. Hm, rlgnlhnr dim 

rrpl discrLpan 

sprifm item! 

Tcdrrr, mfl rcchnbfly nlH? ATc OMICIudons pmp~rly suppetted by mnectly intqxewd data? 

Are e assumplions~mnabk and ctearly slated7 

R-, intended audimcc, and vilh corm! gmmmr, synlax. and a minimum 01 &nrikjnp? 

Are Ilrunrnnms arru reuw qluls md rtadlly undentandablcP 

Title - prI' Cmmlly the tillt should not exceed 12 words md. II 

'PP' 

Rbmr - - IC slpre tnt put- UI I~C -I. II LL ~~~vnnlliw? h?s 11 d~6frib the study and summarize pmhacnt 

s Guidt (?982)+ Volume 1. 

d by tho report, statare Ihc Wtives ad mpe of the rqml. 

~aifwnt help' See pages 265-266, WRD Publiitions Guide 

(LYOLJ, YoIumc I. 

Yeiho mphte ttchnl mclhods rhoukl be described. 

- Is ~t organ& wq- that eonulns thc hllc ~nformntlon, interprehlbn of 

that tnrwrnauon,and the results ur cu~~c~um~~zu~ nllc ott.tyl=datrons? 

116rsm it baic inrnnatbn and cmphrzite relrlionships" lllustmtirms; 

and I should bc undemn&ble rvlthoul 1ht lcxr. 

Com+mor-n~ - w tney mmmanze rnt vnnclpal Imalw ool thc Uudy and answer each of the objtcrivcs dmibcd in 

the mtroducrmn? Arc they swm I No ~nlormnrmn should be pvcn that was not diiud in he 

body of the report, Ssc paw 27 idc (1982). Volume I. 

~ef- - ~rr all mfmm cii mh? Are tb clled concclly? Wert pntintnl refuornitred in pqrlng the rcporl'J 

ow r-Saw2 da (19821, Volume 1. 

GWPOCLW 

i 

re mndatory 

intcml in lhc 

M cnrurc the 

dtnrificd. 

tire. ot tht re1 

sruUy period. 

y clarly plcs?l 

in the lexl, bul 

Reverse 

surprisingly, your responsibilities as author entail The exact form and wording of these sheets ha e 

more than just writing the report. Manuscript review changed slightly through the years, but the con ents 

and approval sheets are shown by figures 5 and 6. have remained basically the same. 1 

Manuscript review and approval sheet 41