Paper submittance (Instructions for Authors)

Copyright

Before COST publishes any materials, the copyright ownership must be clear, and except in a few special cases, transferred to COST. The transfer is done through a Copyright Transfer Agreement, which is part of the on-line submission process and authors must agree to before submitting a paper. A document to be signed by the authors will be distributed in due time.  

Permissions

Authors are responsible for (1) identifying materials in their work that require permission, (2) obtaining permission from the copyright owner, and (3) verifying that the owner is properly credited for granting permission. This verification is done through a Permission Verification Form, which is part of the on-line submission process and which authors must fill out before submitting a paper. 

Approvals

Before submitting a paper, authors must obtain approvals from such interested parties as the authors' employers, clients, project owners, and government agencies. Once a paper has been uploaded, reviewed by the author, and officially submitted, it is not possible to edit the document.

Preparing for a Successful Submission

Be prepared to provide the following information to successfully submit your paper:

File extension

Submit the paper in Microsoft Word with all fonts embedded.  Do not submit your paper as a PDF document.

File preparation

All elements —e.g., text, graphics, fonts, photos— must be embedded in one file. Proofread your document for spelling, grammar, completeness, etc., before uploading. Your paper will not be edited or rewritten after submission.

File location

Know the location (pathname) of your paper (file) on your computer.

Uploading of the paper

Enter the 'Upload page' and select the corresponding topic. Then browse the file and hit the 'Upload a new file' button. When succesfully uploaded, your paper must appear on the list. 

Formatting Your Paper

A proceedings paper consists of a title; an author byline and affiliation; an abstract; the text with optional tables, figures, and mathematics; a conclusion; and references. Acknowledgments, appendixes, and notations are optional.

Length

Length is determined by your editor. Total paper length includes all text, graphics, and appendices. 

Point size and font

Use 12 point type for text, captions, and author contact information. For type within figures or tables, the 12 point size is preferred. We recommend selecting a serif text font such as Times Roman. Italics, bold, and bold italics may be used; we recommend sticking to one “family” of typefaces.

All headings and captions should be 12 point type. They can be emphasized by writing them in bold.

Abstract

Your abstract should be about 150 words long; it must never exceed one page or contain artwork. The abstract should present a concise statement of the scope, principal findings, and conclusions of the paper.

Headers and footers

Do not put any information in the header. The only acceptable content in the footer is a single page number.

Layout

• All text must be single-spaced.
• Page design should be consistent throughout the paper.
• Margin settings (see table) must contain all elements of the paper that will be reproduced (text, figures, tables, captions). Imagine a “box” whose width does not exceed 14.5 cm and depth does not exceed 22.5 cm.
• Short pages are unsightly and waste space; try to “fill” the imaginary box on each page.
• Leave at least 1 in. (3 cm) top and bottom margins.
• The title of your paper should fall approximately 1.5 in. (3.8 cm) below the standard margin.

Margin Settings

Figures and tables

All graphics (photos, line art, and tables) must be included electronically (embedded) within the document and fit within the margin settings. If some graphics require scanning, you should have them scanned yourself and embed them in the document. Please note: for book (printed) proceedings all material must be in black and white.

• Numbering. Illustrations should be numbered consecutively as they are presented (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc., and Table 1, Table 2, etc.). Each figure should be mentioned or “called out” before it appears. More than one figure may appear on a page.
• Captions and legends. A descriptive caption, including figure number, should be placed directly below the illustration (see Figure 1). A descriptive legend, including table number, should be placed immediately above the table.
• Placement. Figures may be placed in the text or in a “gallery” at the end of the paper. More than one figure may appear on a page. If figures are placed in the text, we recommend placement at the top or bottom of a page. Do not wrap text around the figure, even to save space. Landscape orientation is acceptable.
• Shading.  Do not use shading, grayscale, or screens in your illustrations, especially as a background to type.

References

The Harvard system of referencing (http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm) should be considered.