Author Guidelines

Authors’ Guidelines for PICMET Papers

 Dundar F. Kocaoglu¹, Ann White¹, Ann Burgmeyer^2
1Portland State University, Engineering and Technology Management Dept., Portland, OR  97207 USA
²IEEE, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ  08854  USA

Title Block and Authors (See the example above)

• Title block should be centered.  

• For one author, the name should be on one line and address should be on the next line, all centered under the title block.

• For multiple authors with the same address, all names should be listed on one line, then the common address should be given on the next line, all centered under the title block.

• For multiple authors with different addresses, all names should be given on one line with a superscript. The addresses should be given on one line each, with corresponding superscripts. All should be centered under the title block.

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 Abstract

• The abstract should be a brief synopsis of the paper, no longer than 200 words

• References should not be cited in the abstract.

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 Tables and Figures

• Figure captions should be below the figures.

• Table captions should be above the tables.

• Placing figures and tables before their first mention in the text should be avoided.

• The abbreviation “Fig. 1” should be used even at the beginning of a sentence.

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 Equations

• Equations should be numbered consecutively with equation numbers in parentheses.

• Roman symbols for quantities and variables should be italicized, but not the Greek symbols.

• Parentheses and brackets should be used, as appropriate, to avoid ambiguities

• The symbols used in an equation should be defined either before the equation appears or immediately after.

• Reference to an equation should be made by using  “(1),” not “Eq. (1)” or “equation (1),” except at the beginning of a sentence: “Equation (1) is…”

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 Abbreviations and Acronyms

• Abbreviations and acronyms should be defined the first time they are used in the text, even after they have been defined in the abstract.

• Only a few unambiguous abbreviations such as PICMET, IEEE, USA and MOT do not have to be defined.

• Abbreviations should not be used in the title unless it is unavoidable.

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 Section Headings

• Use of Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, etc.) to number the section headings is optional.  If you do use them, number all sections except “Abstract”, “Acknowledgment” and “References”, and begin subheadings with letters.

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 Length  of the paper

• The length of the paper should be limited to 15 single-spaced (or 30 double spaced) pages including tables, figures, references and appendices. .

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Useful Hints

• Try to avoid the stilted expression, “One of us (R.B.G.) thanks...” should be avoided.  Instead, try “R.B.G. thanks...” 

• The preferred spelling of the word “acknowledgment” is without an “e” after the “g.” 

• The word “data” is plural, not singular. 

• The subscript for the Null Hypothesis is zero, not a lowercase letter “o.”

• There is no period after the “et” in the Latin abbreviation “et al.” 

• The abbreviation “i.e.” means “that is,” and the abbreviation “e.g.” means “for example.” 

• Periods and commas are used within quotation marks, like “this period.” 

• A parenthetical statement at the end of a sentence is punctuated outside of the closing parenthesis (like this). 

• (A parenthetical sentence is punctuated within the parentheses.) 

• A graph within a graph is an “inset,” not an “insert.” 

• The word “alternatively” is preferred to the word “alternately” (unless you really mean something that alternates). 

• Do not use the word “essentially” to mean “approximately” or “effectively.” 

• Avoid dangling participles, such as, “Using (1), the potential was calculated.”  Write instead, “The potential was calculated using (1),” or “Using (1), we calculated the potential.”

• Use a zero before decimal points:  “0.25,” not “.25.” 

• Do not confuse “imply” and “infer.” 

• Be aware of the different meanings of the homophones “affect” and “effect,” “complement” and “compliment,” “discreet” and “discrete,” “principal” and “principle.” 

• An excellent style manual and source of information for science writers is “M. Young, The Technical Writer’s Handbook. Mill Valley, CA:  University Science, 1989.”

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 Footnotes

• Footnotes should be numbered separately in superscripts.

• The actual footnote should be placed at the bottom of the page in which it is cited. (Do not put footnotes in the reference list).

•  It is better to avoid footnotes as much as possible. Instead, try integrating the footnote information into the text

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 References

• Each reference should be cited with a numerical reference in square brackets, such as [23], when it appears in the text.

• The numerical sequence should be the alphabetical order of the last name of the first author.

• The sentence punctuation should follow the brackets as shown here: “[18].”

• Citations should simply refer to the reference number, as in [15].  (Do not use “Ref. [15]” or “reference [15]” except at the beginning of a sentence:  “Reference [13] was the first...”)

• All of the sources cited in the paper should be included in the list of references.

• The non-cited sources should not be listed except when they are included in a separate list titled “References not cited”. 

• All authors’ names should be given in the references (do not use “et al.” unless there are six or more authors).

• Only the first word in a paper title and subtitle, except for proper nouns, should be capitalized.

• Papers that have not been published, even if they have been submitted for publication, should be cited as “unpublished.”

• Papers that have been accepted for publication should be cited as “in press.”

• Working papers should be cited as “working papers.”

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Sample List of References

[1]   P. S. Adler, “Managing DFM:  Learning to coordinate product and process design,” in Integrating Design and Manufacturing for Competitive Advantage, G. I. Susman, Ed.  New York: Oxford, 1992.

[2]   T. J. Allen, “Studies of problem-solving process in engineering design,” IEEE Trans. Eng. Management, vol. 13, pp. 72-83, 1966.

[3]   S.Ewton, “E-Business Strategies,” unpublished.

[4]   F. A. Ghisi, A. B. Noronha and T. Pimenta, Jr. , “The information technology and the critical  success factors”, Retrieved 2/15/03 World Wide Web,  http://www.picmet.org/bulletin.pdf

[5]   B.C. Iyengar  and  A.D. Harris, "Innovative approaches to the management  of software development projects," in  Papers presented at PICMET'99 [CD-ROM], eds.: D.F. Kocaoglu, T.R. Anderson, D.Z. Milosevic, K. Niwa and H. Tschirky, Portland, OR: PICMET,  July 1999.

[6]   R. Nicole, “European and Asian approaches to technology management: A comparative analysis ,” Intl. J. of Technol. Mgmt., in press.

[7]   J. K. Pinto and D. P. Slevin, “Critical success factors in R&D projects,” Res. Technol. Management, pp. 30-35, Jan./Feb. 1989.

[8]   S. Sanderson and V. Uzumeri, “Strategies for new product development and renewal:  design-based incrementalism,” Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Center for Sci. and Technol. Policy,  working paper, May 1990.

[9]   M. Young, The Technical Writer’s Handbook. Mill Valley, CA:  University Science, 1989.

(Note that [1] is a chapter in a book, [2] is a paper in a journal with full information about the volume, pages and year, [3] is an unpublished paper, [4] is retrieved from World Wide Web on 2/15/02, [5] is from a CD, [6] is a paper that will appear in a journal, [7] is a paper in a journal which does not have a Volume number, [8] is a working paper, and [9] is a book.)