Is the File Saved to MS Word Format (MS Word 2013 Or Later Preferred)?
Updated November 28, 2017
Final Layout Checklist for
NRR and NRDS Reports Generated Using MS Word
Use this checklist to make sure that your document meets NRR and NRDS layout standards prior to submitting it for publication. See the current MS Word NRR or NRDS template for examples and more detailed format and layout instructions.
☐Is the file saved to MS Word .docx format (MS Word 2013 or later preferred)?
Is the written content of the entire report characterized by the following?
☐Correct and consistent grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling are used.
☐Acronyms and abbreviations are defined on the first page that they are used, or at the beginning of the document before the introduction.
Does the beginning of your report have the following characteristics (see template examples and guidance)?
☐The front cover page follows template layout guidelines (¾-inch page margins, correct page-top banner, text elements use template styles, and has a cover image).
☐All authors are listed in the order of importance on the title page.
☐A peer review statement that was approved by the peer review manager for that report is added to the publication policy page (page ii).
☐The title and authors exactly match on the front cover, title page, and official citation shown on page ii.
Does the body of your report have the following characteristics(see template examples and guidance)?
☐Template stylesare used for all text in the document. Template styles begin with“nrps.”
☐All text that perform as first order through sixthorder headings use template heading styles (e.g., nrps Heading 1, nrps Heading 2, etc.), even in appendices (Section 508).
☐First through sixth order headings should always occur in logical numeric order (first order headings always first, second order headings always second, etc.) (Section 508).
☐All figures and table captions use template caption styles (e.g., nrps Figure caption, nrps Table caption, etc.)(Section 508).
☐All pages located between the outside cover pages have one-inch page margins on all sides.
☐An abstract or executive summary is included.
☐A brief introduction or similar section is included.
☐Functioning and dynamic lists of contents, figures, etc.are used as appropriate (Section 508).
☐Pages are correctly numbered using Word’s built-in page numbering tool (not text boxes).
Are the graphics (photos, charts, etc.) used in your report characterized by the following (see template examples and guidance)?
All graphics that show data results, analysis, facts, or contextual information (maps, charts, etc.)
☐Are added to the report as numbered figures.
☐Are referenced for the first time in the text section immediately before the figure.
☐All graphics that are purely decorative (do not show data results or analysis, facts, or contextual information) are not treated as numbered figures or referenced in the text.
☐All graphics are added directly to the page (not still housed in an external file).
☐ All graphics stay within the page margins(Section 508).
☐ All graphics are in-line with text (no text wrapping around the graphic or the caption).
☐ All graphics should share consistent border and white-space treatments.
☐All graphics are easy for the reader to discern and all major text attributes (legends, major feature labels, etc.) are legible.
☐All graphics have alternate text (see template for instructions) (Section 508).
☐ All graphics are saved as separate graphics files whenever possible and made available upon request by the NRPM support staff.
a)Photos and like images (.jpg, .png, etc.) should also be saved as separate files that are close to the same dimensions displayed on the MS Word page (inches wide and tall) at 300-600 ppi/dpi (pixels per inch / dots per inch).
b)MS Office charts or Draw elements should also be saved in stand-alone MS Word or Excel files (charts should be the same size as will be used on the actual page).
c)Vector-based graphics produced outside of MS Word should also be savedasseparate files in Adobe Illustrator (.ai) or Scalable Vector Graphics formats (.svg – supported by most GIS, statistics, and graph plotting software).
Are the Tables used in your report characterized by the following (see template examples and guidance)?
☐All tables are added directly to the page as MS Word tables (not pictures of tables, or tables still housed in external files, or other treatments that only “look like” tables) (Section 508).
☐All tables are in-line with text (no text wrapping around the table).
☐All tables are referencedfor the first time in the text section immediately before the table.
☐All tables stay within the page margins.
☐ All tables have multiple columns and rows. Single-column content should be added as lists.
☐Table layout schemes(borders, backgrounds, table notes, etc.) are consistent throughout all chapters.
☐Tables are not nested inside of other tables or text boxes.
☐All columns and rows should line-up exactly (Section 508).
☐There are no blank columns or rows added for visual and cosmetic purposes (Section 508).
☐There are no blank or null table cells (add something like an en-dash, n/a, etc.) (Section 508).
☐Merged cells should only occur in the left-most column, top-most row, and bottom-most row(s) used for totals and column aggregates (Mean, Standard Deviation, etc.) (Section 508).
☐Tables are not split into multiple tables when they span multiple pages (this will now be done for you by the NRPM support staff at the very end of the publication process).
Are the data in your entire report generally characterized by the following?
☐Common and consistent measurements (miles, feet, kilograms) and their appropriate abbreviations (mi, ft, kg) are used.
☐The number of decimal places reported is appropriate for the parameter, sample size, and statistical test and consistent within similar parameters.
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