The Preparation of Illustrations for Reports of the United States Geological Survey / With Brief Descriptions of Processes of Reproduction

by John L. Ridgway

[1] From Survey Order 63, Oct. 20, 1915.

The primary responsibility for the selection of illustrative material shall rest upon the author and the chief of the branch transmitting the report: No one knows the subject matter of the report better than its author, though a sympathetic critic is usually needed to correct the personal equation that may express itself In an excessive number of illustrations or the use of photographs into which no one but the field man himself can read what he wishes to illustrate. The approval by the chief of branch of the illustrations selected by the author will be taken as vouching for those illustrations as essential and adequate, and the scientific value of the illustrations will not be subject to review in the section of illustrations.

The chief of the section of illustrations shall decide the technical questions relating to the preparation of these illustrations for reproduction and may recommend the rejection of any that do not promise effective or economical reproduction. In the consideration of such questions, especially any relating to maps, the cooperation of the editor of geologic maps and chief engraver will be expected.

The judgment of an author as to the illustrative value of a photograph is likely to be biased by his knowledge of the features that are actually included in the view represented, not all of which may be shown clearly in the photograph; his knowledge of all the features enables him to see more in his picture than his readers will be able to recognize without detailed description. Photographs in which special or significant features are obscured by foliage or lost in hazy distance do not make acceptable illustrations, and the use of a picture that requires much description to make it illustrate reverses, in a measure, the relations of text and illustrations.

A photograph is not necessarily good for reproduction simply because it shows some particular feature to be illustrated; the quality of the print it will afford when reproduced from an engraved plate should also be considered. Some loss of detail by reproduction must be expected, and therefore only the clearest and most effective prints obtainable should be submitted.

If an author has difficulty in making his preliminary or "original" drawings he may request that a draftsman be detailed to aid him. The request should be made to the Director through the chief of branch and properly approved. The work will then be done in the section of illustrations as advance preparation, but finished drawings should not be thus prepared unless the conditions are unusual. The administrative geologist reviews all illustrations submitted and represents the Director in matters relating to illustrations.

SUBMITTAL OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

All material intended for illustrations, except paleontologic specimens, should be submitted with the manuscript of the paper to be illustrated but in a separate package marked "Illustrations to accompany a paper on —— by ——." The package should contain a carbon copy of the list of illustrations that accompanies the manuscript or, if the titles to be printed on or with the illustrations include fuller descriptions than are given in that list, a carbon copy of the list giving complete titles and descriptions, the original of which should also accompany the manuscript. In the list each plate and figure should be separately numbered consecutively in the order in which it should appear in the report, and a figure opposite each title should show the number of the manuscript page on which the illustration is first mentioned or most fully discussed. Roman numerals should be used for the plates and arabic numerals for the figures. Each drawing or photograph should bear, in addition to the number and title, any suggestions concerning preparation, reduction, and method of reproduction which the author may consider especially desirable. The list should be headed "Illustrations."

Specimens other than fossils that are to be illustrated must be submitted directly to the section of illustrations, but the author may first obtain photographic prints of them in order to make up his plates. The specimens should be carefully packed and any that are fragile should be so marked.