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Home > Journals & Proceedings > The Coastal Review

 

Final Manuscript Formatting & Preparation Guidelines

The following outlines the complete typesetting, layout, and accessibility requirements for submitting the final manuscript to The Coastal Review.

File Format & Submission

  • Prepare manuscripts in Microsoft Word and save as .docx.
  • Your Word document will be converted into a tagged PDF upon publication.

Document Organization

  • Order: Body Text → Bibliography → Endnotes (if used).
  • Do not include: title page, page numbers, or footers.
  • Do not include the abstract in the manuscript file. The abstract (80–100 words) must be submitted in English.

Page Layout

  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
  • Paragraphs: single‑spaced, indented; no extra space between paragraphs.
  • Indent all paragraphs except those immediately following a section heading; indent at least 2 em spaces.
  • Use fully-justified text throughout the document.
  • Enable widow/orphan control to avoid single lines at the top or bottom of pages.
  • Avoid pages with more than 25% empty space when possible.

Fonts & Headings

  • Body text & bibliography: Times New Roman, 12‑point.
  • Notes (endnotes): Times New Roman, 10‑point.
  • Headings: Arial, 12‑point, bold, using built‑in Heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.).
  • Do not introduce additional fonts beyond those specified.

Language & Grammar

  • Submissions may be written in English, French, Spanish, or German.
  • Use standard grammar appropriate to the manuscript language.
  • Follow the MLA Handbook (9th ed.) for citations and formatting. For a concise reference, consult the Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide.

Article Length

  • As an online journal, page limits are flexible. As guidance, aim for approximately 4,000–7,000 words (about 9–15.5 pages in Times New Roman 12, single‑spaced, fully justified).

Emphasis, Titles, and Foreign Terms

  • Use italics—not underlining—for emphasis.
  • Avoid using color to emphasize text.
  • Set titles of books, films, and similar works in italics.
  • Set foreign terms in italics when appropriate.

Endnotes

  • Endnotes should be in Times New Roman, 10‑point.
  • Single‑space individual notes with one blank line between notes.
  • Follow MLA (9th ed.) for note style; keep notes concise—long material may be better placed in an appendix.
  • Endnotes should be fully justified.

References (Bibliography)

  • Begin references after the final sentence by inserting a line break (not a page break); keep on the same page if possible.
  • Format according to MLA (9th ed.). For guidance, see the Purdue OWL MLA resources.
  • References should be fully justified.

Tables and Figures

  • Place tables/figures near their first mention; very large items may be placed on their own pages.
  • All tables and figures must fit within 1‑inch margins (top, bottom, left, right) in both portrait and landscape orientation.
  • Avoid overly small type in tables.
  • Insert tables using Insert → Table; avoid merged cells where possible; designate header rows and enable “Repeat as header row.”

Figures and Images

  • Use high‑resolution images; EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) preferred for line art when possible.
  • Provide meaningful alternative text (alt text) for every informative image, or mark decorative images as decorative.

Mathematics

  • Italicize Roman letters used as variables.
  • Do not italicize multi‑letter function names.
  • Use smaller font size for subscripts and superscripts when possible.

Color and Contrast

  • Set the main text color to black.
  • Use color in figures or maps judiciously; ensure content remains legible when printed in black and white.
  • Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning; pair color with patterns, labels, or shapes as needed.
  • Ensure sufficient color contrast (at least 4.5:1 for normal text).

Hyperlinks

  • Use descriptive link text (e.g., “See the survey results”); avoid “click here” or bare URLs.

Accessibility Requirements (WCAG 2.1 Level AA)

  • Use built‑in Heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) to define document structure.
  • Provide alt text for all informative images and figures; mark decorative images as decorative.
  • Insert tables with header rows; avoid merged cells; ensure tables can be understood without color alone.
  • Verify adequate color contrast (minimum 4.5:1 for text) and that content is understandable in grayscale.
  • Set the document language in Word (File → Options → Language).
  • Run the Microsoft Accessibility Checker (Review → Check Accessibility) and resolve all issues.
  • Ensure exported PDFs are tagged and preserve a logical reading order and heading structure.

Supplementary and Digital Formats

Microsoft Word Documents (.docx)

  • Use built‑in Heading styles for structure.
  • Add alt text to images and figures (Right‑click → Edit Alt Text).
  • Create tables with Insert → Table and specify header rows.
  • Ensure color contrast meets WCAG standards.
  • Run Review → Check Accessibility and resolve issues.
  • Set the document language (File → Options → Language).

PDF Documents (.pdf)

  • Export tagged PDFs from Word (Save As → PDF → enable “Document structure tags for accessibility”).
  • Check reading order using Adobe Acrobat Accessibility tools or PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker).
  • Set the document title and language in PDF properties.
  • Run Acrobat’s Accessibility Check and fix issues.
  • Avoid image‑only (scanned) PDFs; if scanning is necessary, apply OCR and verify the text.

PowerPoint Presentations (.pptx)

  • Use built‑in slide layouts (avoid manually placed text boxes).
  • Add alt text to images, charts, and SmartArt.
  • Ensure a logical reading order on each slide (Review → Check Accessibility can help).
  • Use adequate color contrast and do not rely on color alone to convey meaning.
  • Add titles to all slides and run the Accessibility Checker.

HTML Content (.html)

  • Use semantic elements: <h1>–<h6> for headings; <table> with <th> for headers; <img> with meaningful alt text; <ul>/<ol> for lists.
  • Ensure all interactive elements are keyboard accessible.
  • Use ARIA attributes only when native semantics are insufficient.
  • Validate against WCAG 2.1 Level AA using tools such as WAVE or axe DevTools.

Images and Figures (All Formats)

  • Provide descriptive alt text for all informative images; include purpose and context.
  • For complex visuals (charts, graphs, diagrams), include extended descriptions in the text when necessary.
  • Mark decorative images appropriately (empty alt in Word; artifact in PDF).
  • Ensure text shown within images is also provided as selectable text.
  • Use patterns or shapes in addition to color to distinguish data series.

Data Files and Spreadsheets

  • Use descriptive sheet names.
  • Designate header rows; avoid blank rows/columns used solely for spacing.
  • Add alt text to charts and graphics within the file.
  • Avoid merged cells.
  • Run Excel’s Accessibility Checker and resolve issues.

Video and Audio Content

  • Provide accurate, synchronized captions for prerecorded video with audio.
  • Provide transcripts for prerecorded audio‑only content.
  • Provide audio descriptions or a full text alternative when essential visual information is not conveyed by audio.
  • Review and correct auto‑generated captions for accuracy before submission.

Final Preparation

  • Use built‑in Heading styles consistently.
  • Accept all tracked changes and remove comments before submission.
  • Copyedit the manuscript for clarity, grammar, and consistency.

Need Help?

Have a question about GS Commons? Need additional description, text alternatives, or captions for GS Commons resources? Contact us or request accessible formats (opens in new tab).