Writer’s Guidelines
Contributed Manuscripts
M&E Tech accepts contributed manuscripts for tutorials, user case histories, and technology articles, as well as survey articles. A description of the various article types follows. In particular, we invite design engineers and engineering managers to contribute manuscripts.
Manuscript Submission
If you would like to write an article for M&E Tech, first submit an abstract and outline. (If you have already written it, send the entire manuscript.) Email submission is acceptable. State the topic of the article and the importance and appropriateness of the information. The second step, if the abstract and outline are approved, is to write the article to our specifications. An alternative is to collect the figures you plan to use and describe how they fit into the article.
Send submissions to: Pallab Chatterjee, Editor in Chief, M&E Tech – Info@MandETech.com
M&E Tech Specifications
Submit articles in MS Word via email (alternatives are plain text (ASCII) or HTML files). All graphics should be separate files, sent as separate attachments in the email.
- Articles are normally between 1,000 and 2,500 words in length.
- Articles should include two to four illustrations, figures, or tables.
- Graphics should be submitted in TIFF, BMP, PICT, GIF, or EPS format. Photographs should be in JPEG or PDF format. Minimum resolution is 300 dpi (2400 for bitmaps).
- Include a title and caption with each graphic. Captions must be complete sentences.
- Include a brief biography, 15 to 25 words in length.
Editorial Sections
On M&E Tech, published editorial is divided into the following categories:
Case studies: a description of a solution to a problem facing the hardware or software used in creating the media.
Technology in focus: descriptions of a technology or an industry standard.
The categories are intentionally broad and meant to encompass various types of submissions. Please refer to the types of articles below.
Types of Articles
Although contributed articles are typically very technical in nature, some may deal with other issues such as standards and regulations, the implementation of particular design methodologies, or changes in content creation techniques to address changes in technologies.
Tutorials
Tutorials take a how-to approach, providing specific information to help people develop and complete their designs. They may describe the fundamentals of a particular technology or the structure of an underlying protocol and how it applies to a particular implementation.
User Case Histories
User case histories relate the actual experiences of designers in a system development project. They include the decision-making phases, the vendor selection process, the design process, the solution, and hints on how to do it better next time.
Technology Articles
Technology articles offer in-depth analysis of specific technologies or technical issues. Their purpose is to inform readers about current technical developments related to semiconductors, network technologies, or design tools. Examples may include design of experiments, new architectures for network equipment, and new ways to process packets.
Writing Tips
Articles should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Develop a strong lead to catch the reader’s attention; you may begin with an anecdote. Give the reader a clear idea of the subject and direction within the first few paragraphs, and tell them why the topic is important. If a conclusion is not possible, provide a summary.
- Use the United States standard for punctuation: place commas and periods before end quotes.
- Keep your style friendly and informal. It is fine to use “I” or “you” when appropriate.
- Use the active rather than the passive voice.
- When using “this” to refer to something from a preceding sentence, follow it with a noun.
- On first reference to a company, spell out the complete name and include the city and state; later references need only the company name.
- Spell out acronyms, abbreviations, and names the first time you use them.
- Err on the side of being too explanatory.
- Use short words instead of long ones (use “use,” not “utilize”) and short phrases (use “to,” not “in order to”).
From Manuscript to Publication
We are looking for your technical expertise, but we do not expect your manuscript to be letter-perfect. Our editorial staff will edit your manuscript for length and grammatical correctness. Then, before publication, we will send you the edited version of your story and figures for final approval.
