LaTeX and TeX Guidelines

For Authors Preparing Manuscript Files

The following guidelines are intended for authors creating manuscripts and page proofs in LaTeX. (Some LaTeX books are typeset by the MIT Press; these instructions are for authors who are responsible for composing final typeset pages. Check with your acquisitions editor if you have any questions about your responsibilities for composing your book.)

To achieve the schedule, quality, and price that are optimal for your project, please follow these instructions carefully. Once your book has been accepted for publication, your manuscript editor will be your main contact for the remainder of the publishing process and will provide you with a schedule so you will know when you will need to be available for reviewing the editing, reading proof, and creating your index. It is essential that you meet deadlines. If you will not be available at the scheduled times, please notify your manuscript editor as soon as you receive the schedule. If you have questions about any of these instructions, do not hesitate to contact your acquisitions editor or acquisitions assistant for help.

Formatting Your LaTeX Manuscript and Book Files

The MIT Press provides four LaTeX macros for author use. We do not require their use, but they are strongly recommended. Please select the appropriate macro from the four choices at right under Quicklinks: Linguistics, New Math, Times A Priori, and Avenir.

Our macros and accompanying guidelines are designed to help you create pages that meet the required specifications for print and electronic publication.

It is your responsibility to prepare the manuscript and page proofs according to the guidelines within the macros. We reserve the right to return materials to the author if they are not prepared correctly. Do not continue to edit your files after the manuscript has been submitted!

Art Guidelines

It is essential that your figures adhere to these specifications to ensure accurate print and electronic representation:

  • All figures must be CMYK or grayscale (no RGB).
  • Any type in the figure should be in a point size of 7 or 8 pt.
  • All line weights in images must be a minimum of 0.5 pt.
  • Figures should be sized to fit the width of the text box; if they are smaller than the text box width, they should be flush left.
  • If a figure must be wider than text box width, it must be centered on the page with a minimum of 3.5 picas whitespace between the edge of the figure and the edge of the trim.

Editing

When your manuscript has been turned over to the editorial department, it is assigned to a manuscript editor. This is the person to whom you should address all questions pertaining to the content of the manuscript. You are also responsible for reviewing the edited manuscript, answering all queries, and ensuring that the text is accurate and ready for the typesetter. We strongly encourage our authors and contributors to make changes during copyedit review only; once the text is typeset, we must limit corrections to typos and other egregious errors. Refer to the schedule provided by your manuscript editor for the deadline for returning the manuscript, first pages, revised pages, or final pages to the Press. The bound book date for your book is dependent on this and all other deadlines being met.

Proofreading

You should check with your manuscript editor whether you will be responsible for proofreading your page proofs. You should review your proofs carefully, even if a proofreader is provided for you. If you have any questions that are not directly addressed here, consult the most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.

Indexing

Unless other arrangements have been made and stated explicitly in your contract, you will be responsible for creating an index for your book. Indexing instructions are available here. The index manuscript due date is specified in the schedule provided by your manuscript editor. If the Press hires a freelance indexer to create your index, you will be permitted to correct any typographical errors or delete any unnecessary entries; you will not be able to make or request any other changes.

Permissions

It is also your responsibility to obtain permissions and to submit these with the final manuscript. You must obtain permission for all material owned by others; this includes illustrations, tables, prose passages exceeding 300 words, and any poems or song lyrics, regardless of length.

Questions

For all questions pertaining to the content of the manuscript, contact your manuscript editor.

All questions regarding your contract, permissions, publication date, or marketing should be addressed to your acquisitions editor.

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