Editorial Contributions

PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY welcomes outside contributions. Those interested in writing a technical article or contributing product announcements or other news items of note should contact the PCEA Editorial Staff. There are specific guidelines for submitting articles to PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY. These guidelines are based on achieving simplicity both in communicating to our audience and in working with the editors.

Submission Requirements

Most of the editorial content in PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY is in the form of technical articles. Every article must address or conform to the following items:

• Explain how the new technology helps an assembler do their job better.
• Explain – specifically – how it works, and the impacts (again, specifically) on the assembly process.
• Contain hard data. (This is not to be confused with generalities and potentials and possibilities). Further, any data should be current, not rehashed statistics. Data should be presented in a visually stimulating form (graphs and models, not just tables and formulas). Data should be comparative to a current process or a competitive method.
• Draw conclusions and state them prominently; don't just let the reader draw their own conclusions.

  Articles should be submitted electronically via email.

  Articles must contain complete contact and author information, author biographies, and reference information, and should adhere to the general format requirements. Reference materials should be noted in a separate section and provide the following:

• Source.
• Author.
• Page numbers.
• Date.
• Place (if presented at a conference).

Complete artwork information including captions and figure references must also be provided.

Finally, authors must document any relationship they or their employers have to equipment, materials or patented processes named in the article.

Electronic Transfer

Electronic transfer is mandatory. Articles transferred by email should be sent to PCEA at pcea@pcea.net. Text files should be in Microsoft Word format.

Copyrights

PCEA retains the copyright for all published material unless otherwise agreed upon by the author and a designated representative of PCEA. If your article is originally published in PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, reprinting it elsewhere is permissible. However, the following credit line must be published with the article:

"This article was originally published in the (month/year) issue of PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY and is reprinted with permission."

See the Author’s Agreement for more information. Contact PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY for a copy.

Deadlines

The deadline for editorial falls approximately six week prior to the printing of the issue. For example, the deadline for the July issue is May 15.

Competition for publication is fierce. While CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY generally follows a first-in, first out publication process, we do on occasion assign deadlines. If you cannot meet the deadline for your article or any of the accompanying artwork, contact the editors promptly. Failure to notify the editors may result in your article getting rescheduled.

Editorial Calendar

Detailed information for each month's editorial emphasis is included in the Editorial Calendar. 

Article Length

In general, articles should be as long as necessary to fully explain the author’s thesis, study or commentary. That said, the length of the article should depend on the breadth and depth of the topic. Every technical article should detail the methodology and results, including specific equipment, materials and software used.

Articles should be between 1800 and 3500 words. Articles that are extremely long – more than 5000 words – may be serialized in successive issues.

Graphic Requirements

Digital illustrations and photographs are preferred. They must be originals, high resolution (300 dpi or higher) and in Photoshop EPS, TIF, or JPEG format. Email these as individual files with the article submission. Preprinted material is not acceptable.

All figures referenced in the article should be clearly marked on the artwork (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.)

PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY does not generally return photo prints or other hard copy artwork, unless prearranged with the editor.

Suggestions

Outline:

Composing a brief outline before writing the article will help to organize your thoughts. It will also help keep the flow of information smooth and organized.

Use Short Sentences: Cramming too much information into one sentence is a common mistake. Use two or more sentences, if needed, for clarity.

Sidebar: Background information needed to fully explain your article may take the form of a "sidebar." This is a supplement to your article and might contain definitions, addresses, or a lengthy explanation.

Introduction: An abstract of the article is not required.

Avoid Cliches: Nothing can sap reader interest faster than these exhausted, overworked phrases. (You know what they are – you’ve heard them before!)

Skip the Commercial: Readers and editors will see through veiled product pitches. Save time; omit the endorsement.

Keep It Simple: A technical article should not be used as a showcase for an extensive vocabulary. Don't use four or five words when you can use one. Don't use large words when simple ones will do the job.

There are many other suggestions concerning grammar, spelling, structure, and so on that could be offered here, but then what are editors for? Your local library or bookstore offers many reference sources. One of our favorites is The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White. It is informative, funny, inexpensive and it will help you compose a better article.

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