The Publishing Process
At Marketing, News, and Educational Communications, we are here to help you, the author, get your research-based materials published. Below is a brief overview of the publishing process.
Note - before writing the manuscript, all authors and reviewers should review the copyright information below and their roles within the FastTrack System (online peer-review system).
- Authors request permission from their Program Director to write a publication by submitting a Manuscript Proposal Form in the FastTrack System.
- Please review the Publication Categories (and associated criteria) to help decide which type of publication will be written. If in doubt, contact MNEC to discuss the project.
- Once permission is received from the Program Director, via the FastTrack System, the author writes the manuscript, following the Style and Form Guidelines.
- When the manuscript is completed, the author submits it into the FastTrack System for peer-review.
- The manuscript will be processed through specific steps in the FastTrack System, and different individuals will perform specific roles to ensure a quality peer review is completed. Note – The Fast Track System (peer-review) does not replace the publications process. Fast Track is for online peer-review only. You will still need to complete all of the proper forms for publishing through Extension (and go through editing and design).
- The author submits the required forms into the FastTrack System (under the assigned Submission ID# for the manuscript) while the peer review is being completed. The sooner you submit all of the required documentation, the sooner we can move your publication through the entire process, after peer-review is completed. The manuscript cannot proceed to editing & design until all of the completed forms are submitted.
- The publications coordinator will assign an editor and designer to work with the author on editing and designing the publication.
- If the publication makes any mention of pesticides, the final text must be reviewed and approved by the Washington State Pesticide Coordinator. MNEC editors will initiate and facilitate the pesticide review.
- The publication is approved by the author and published.
Writing and Formatting
WSU Extension has established criteria for writing a publication. The correct style and form of the publication is crucial to getting published in a timely manner. By following the Style and Form Guidelines we have established, your manuscript will move through the process more easily.
Another aspect of writing a manuscript concerns the type of publication you are developing. WSU Extension has created some standard Publication Categories for the types of publications we publish.
Editorial Pre-acceptance Review
Before being accepted for peer review, manuscripts must be complete and free of basic defects in spelling, grammar, organization, and formatting. Extension editors will conduct pre-acceptance reviews of incoming manuscripts. This review takes place before the peer review and does not take the place of post-peer-review/pre-publication editing. For a list of pre-acceptance criteria, see Editorial Pre-review.
Peer Review
The WSU Extension FastTrack Peer Review System is required for all numbered publications, videos, and online materials published through Extension.
As a first time user, you will need to get a login ID and password to access the system. Please contact Lagene Taylor at 509-335-2823 or email her at lagene@wsu.edu to establish a login ID and password if you have not received one via email. Once you have a login ID and password, you may access the system and complete your profile. In this section, the “Reviewer’s Topics” are subject areas where you have knowledge and expertise and in which you are willing and qualified to serve as a reviewer. In this section, you may also change your password. DO NOT use your WSU login ID and password for the Fast Track system.
Copyright
Copyright protects intellectual property, within the limits prescribed by a particular nation or international law. Copyrights apply to art (including photos, illustrations, charts, and graphs), music, plays, movies, literature, and scholarly works. A work is copyrighted automatically when it is created and requires no registration or other formality. Copyright protection is intended to prevent others from copying the work without the copyright owner’s permission.
Copyright infringement is illegal and can put you and WSU at risk. Extension Marketing, News, and Educational Communications strictly adheres to copyright rules and regulations and will not publish any material that does not meet these requirements.
Please review the WSU copyright information page at http://publishing.wsu.edu/copyright/.