Artwork Guidelines/Figures/Tables

On this page: Artwork Guidelines | Figures | Tables 

ARTWORK GUIDELINES

Detailed guidelines for submitting artwork can be found by downloading the artwork guidelines PDF. Using the guidelines, please submit production quality artwork with your initial online submission. If you have followed the guidelines, we will not require the artwork to be resubmitted following the peer-review process, if your paper is accepted for publication.

FIGURES

Figures and images should be labeled sequentially, numbered, and cited in the text. Figure legends should be brief, specific and appear on a separate manuscript page after the References section. Refer to (and cite) figures specifically in the text of the paper. Figures can be embedded within the text. If a table or figure has been published before, the authors must obtain written permission to reproduce the material in both print and electronic formats from the copyright owner and submit it with the manuscript. This follows for quotes, illustrations and other materials taken from previously published works not in the public domain. The original source should be cited in the figure caption or table footnote. The use of three-dimensional histograms is strongly discouraged when the addition of the third dimension gives no extra information. Scale markers should be used in the image for electron micrographs, and indicate the type of stain used. Detailed guidelines for submitting artwork can be found by downloading the artwork guidelines PDF.

Color figures

Authors are invoiced for color figures in print and PDF files (PDF being the format sent to the printer) at the following rates. If provided in color, figures will appear in color for free in the HTML version. Please note: If authors do not choose color for their figures, it is important they ensure the readability and meaning of the images are easily discernible in black and white.

NPP will waive all color charges for Circumspective articles (by invitation only).

Color charges will not apply to authors who choose to pay an article processing charge to make their paper open access. Color figures must be supplied in the following format.

Minimum Resolutions:

Sizes:

Note: Authors will be required to pay the cost of color illustrations published in print. 

Color on the web

Authors who wish their articles to have FREE color figures on the web (only available in HTML, full text version of manuscripts) must supply separate files in the following format.

These files should be submitted as supplementary information and authors are asked to mention that they would like color figures on the web in their submission letter.

For single images:

For multi-part images:

Black and white images:

• Image resolution of at least 300 dpi at publication size
• Images should be scanned at a minimum of 300 dpi
• During software manipulation of images, care should be taken that resolution is maintained
• Images may be rotated or scaled, but this must be the same in the x and y dimensions
• Contrast and brightness can be adjusted, but this must be uniform across the entire image, and must not result in the loss of any feature, band or spot. The background should still be visible
• If lanes are removed, and once separate parts of an image are joined together, a black, white or grey line should indicate clearly where the image was cut
• If black borders are drawn around the image, the lines should correspond to all edges where the image was cut
• Protein molecular weights or DNA fragment sizes should be indicated for all figure panels showing gel electrophoresis

Graphs, histograms and statistics

• Error bars must be described in the figure legend
• Axes on graphs should extend to zero, except for log axes
• Statistical analyses (including error bars and p values) should only be shown for independently repeated experiments, and must not be shown for replicates of a single experiment
• The number of times an experiment was repeated (N) must be stated in the legend

Back to top of page

TABLES

These should be labeled sequentially as Table 1, Table 2, etc. Each table should be typed on a separate page, numbered and titled, and cited in the text. Reference to table footnotes should be made by means of Arabic numerals. Tables should not duplicate the content of the text. They should consist of at least two columns; columns should always have headings. Authors should ensure that the data in the tables are consistent with those cited in the relevant places in the text, totals add up correctly, and percentages have been calculated correctly. Tables may be either included in the article file itself, but at the end of the manuscript, or supplied as separate files.

House style

As the electronic submission will provide the basic material for typesetting, it is important that papers are prepared in the general editorial style of the journal.

• See the artwork guidelines for information on labeling of figures
• Do not make rules thinner than 1pt (0.36mm)
• Use a coarse hatching pattern rather than shading for tints in graphs
• Color should be distinct when being used as an identifying tool
• Use SI units throughout
• Spaces, not commas, should be used to separate thousands
• Abbreviations should be preceded by the words for which they stand in the first instance of use
• Text should be double spacing with a wide margin
• Use a common word-processing package (such as Microsoft Word) for the text. Embed tables converted into images at the end of the Word document, or as a separate file in whichever program you used to generate them
• If you submit raw data, this can be done in Excel, or tab/comma delimited format
• At first mention of a manufacturer the town, (state if USA) and country should be provided.

Back to top of page

Last Updated: July 2022