A Few Suggestions to McGraw-Hill Authors. / Details of manuscript preparation, typograpy, proof-reading and other matters in the production of manuscripts and books.

by McGraw-Hill Publishing Company

All of these technical societies have not only worked out their style sheets with care, but they have, in general, accustomed their numerous members to the details of these style sheets.

Copyright Infringements.—All publishers have noted in recent years a great increase in the number of copyright infringement cases. Many of these appear to spring from the habit of first preparing lecture notes, which are compiled or dictated from various sources without thought of publication. By the time the plan to produce a book matures, the source of the original material is often entirely forgotten.

No question is more common in the technical publishing field than "How far can I make excerpts, with credit but without permission, from the writings of other authors?"

To this question no definite and entirely satisfactory answer can be given. Certainly, where illustrations, tables, or important abstracts are to be made, the author should ask permission of the publisher or author from whose work he wishes to quote. In addition he should take special pains to see that full credit is given in the form required by the author or publisher from whom he has secured permission.

The copyright law and the penalties for infringement of copyright are drastic, but the decisions which have been rendered in cases that have gone to trial do not furnish any particularly safe guide.

In our experience the safest guide is a simple rule of courtesy. Neither the author nor the publisher of a work will refuse any reasonable request, though he may greatly resent borrowing without the courtesy of a request. It is safer, therefore, to obtain permission from author or publisher before borrowing from another work.

Shipping the Manuscript.—Manuscript should invariably be shipped flat, not folded or rolled.

Manuscript and drawings should be sent together and not in instalments. Except in rare instances, we do not undertake piecemeal manufacture of a book. In our experience such publication methods save little or no time and more often result in confusion and expense.

Manuscript, before it has been set up in type, should be shipped by express with a suitable valuation placed thereon. After the manuscript has been set up in type, the manuscript and proof may best be sent by parcel post, special delivery.