SP Development

Develop a Paper for Publication in an SP

Papers accepted for publication in an ACI SP (Special Publication) should not exceed 20 single-spaced pages and must include the following:

Title of paper: The title should not exceed 70 characters.

Brief abstract or synopsis: The abstract/synopsis should not exceed 200 words and should contain the essential results and conclusions.

Keywords: A maximum of nine (9) keywords is suggested. Print the word “Keywords” followed by a colon at the left margin at the bottom of the first page and insert keywords in alphabetical order.

Brief author biography: The author biography should not exceed 75 words.

Dual units: SI (metric) or inch-pound units of measurement can be used as primary units. The secondary units must be provided in parentheses. Papers are not published without dual units. A metrication conversion guide is available.

The first page of the manuscript is reserved for the title, author name(s), synopsis, and keywords. Please center the paper title and authors’ names at the top of the page. Leave three lines blank, print the word “Synopsis” followed by a colon at the left margin, and then key in the synopsis. Keywords should follow at the bottom of the page.

The second page should begin with a brief biographical sketch of each author. Please limit each biography to five lines and include one blank line between each listing. Single space all text with a double space between paragraphs.

Style Guidelines

Basic format: All margins must be one inch (1”) on each side. Text must be single spaced, 10-point, Times New Roman font.

Headings: Major headings, e.g., INTRODUCTION, METHODS, RESULTS, etc. should be printed in all capital letters and centered on the page. Subheads should be underlined, flush with the left margin, and with only the first letter capitalized. Third level headings should be underlined, indented, the first letter capitalized, and run into the text using an em-dash (—) to separate it from the text.

Brand names: Brand names, product names, and/or company names should not be in SP papers.

References: References must be indicated in the text by consecutive superscript numbers or must be in author/date format. Each full reference must be listed in a reference section at the end of the paper.

Tables: Tables should be developed using Microsoft Word® and placed within the text of the SP or grouped together in sequential order, following the references. Do not develop tables in Microsoft EXCEL®. All tables should be numbered and have headings.

Figures: Figures should be placed within the text of the SP or grouped together in sequential order, following the tables. All figures should be numbered, with captions printed directly below the appropriate figures. The photo resolution should be 300 dpi or higher for optimum print quality.

Captions: Captions for tables and figures should be consistent. ACI recommends that authors include the table or figure number followed by an em-dash (—) and the caption information. For example: Figure 1—Crack patterns for S1 and S2.

Additional Style Guidelines:

Consistently use automatic word wrap (soft returns) for sentences within a paragraph, and the Enter or Return key (hard return) at the end of a paragraph.
Except for paragraphs, do not use tabs in the text (i.e., do not indent blocks of text).
Refrain from using text boxes. No figures, tables, captions, or text should be put in text boxes.
Refrain from using hairlines in graphs (lines below 0.5).
Use the numeral 1, not the lower case "ell" for the number one.
Use the numeral 0, not the capital "oh" for zero.
Use consistent spacing throughout the document.
Use the word processor's automatic footnote capability.

Obtain Preliminary TAC Approval to Develop an SP

ACI encourages SP Editors to prepare SPs in advance of the session and have them available at the convention where the papers are presented. Please click here to review the deadlines. A minimum of 10 papers is recommended for an SP.

To obtain preliminary TAC Approval, the sponsors of the proposed SP should submit a Preliminary Request Form. Initial approval is necessary for publication. The request should be made by one of the sponsoring committees’ chairs or their designated SP Editor(s). If two or more committees or organizations sponsor an SP, each sponsoring committee or organization should designate an SP Editor.

Upon notification from ACI Headquarters of TAC preliminary approval, work can begin on assembling the SP.

The SP Editor must select at least two reviewers for each paper submitted who are experts in the subject matter. Except in special cases approved by TAC, a reviewer must not review more than two of the special publication papers. Send the reviewers the SP Paper Peer Review Form, the SP Awards Criteria, and a copy of the paper.

Click here for more information on the peer review process.

Obtain Final TAC Approval to Publish an SP

Before publication of an SP, final approval must be obtained by the ACI Technical Activities Committee. Please submit the following for final approval:

List of manuscript titles and authors given in the order of appearance in the SP;
A list of all reviewers. Indicate which papers they reviewed. Include papers reviewed but not included in the SP. This should be combined with Item 1 in the SP Paper Information Form;
Complete review forms for all papers (accepted or not). The reviewers’ names must be legible;
Statement signed by the editor that reviews were conducted in accordance with ACI procedures and that comments were adequately considered by the authors in the final version of all accepted manuscripts; and
A preface to the SP. Please include specific information, such as when and where the papers were presented. Any acknowledgements or dedications should appear in the preface.

For each accepted paper, submit:

An electronic file in MS Word;
An electronic PDF file;
An author biography for each author (usually in the text of the manuscript);
The address and contact number of the lead author, who will receive a complimentary copy of the finished SP; and
Copyright Transfer Form signed by all authors of each manuscript.

Note: if authors would like to submit the copyright agreement form electronically, they must complete each field and type their name in the signature line. They must do a “save as,” renaming the pdf. Simply doing a “save” will create a blank form. Once they have typed their name in the signature line, they must state in the e-mail to the editor that they typed their name in the agreement, and are thereby accepting the terms of the agreement. Otherwise, a hand-signed Copyright Transfer Form must be submitted.

Final submission material and questions regarding your SP should be directed to Barbara Coleman, SP and Session Coordinator, American Concrete Institute, 3800 Country Club Dr, Farmington Hills, MI 48331

Shannon Banchero, Manager, Technical Documents, American Concrete Institute, 3800 Country Club Dr, Farmington Hills, MI 48331.

When submitting the draft document, please complete and include the SP Final Submission Checklist.

If all of the above items are not received in the final submission, you will be notified. The submission is not considered complete and production will not begin until all necessary materials are received.

SP Publication

SPs are published in electronic form on CD-ROM only. All pages are used for the CD-ROM exactly as received from the author. ACI staff does not edit, proofread, or correct SP papers. Carefully proofread your manuscripts to avoid errors in grammar and spelling, and to avoid issuing technical errata. Authors and editors will not receive proofs to review before publication.

Click here to search for and view abstracts of published SP publications.