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Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations

 
REPORT
This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information
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Publication Number:  FHWA-HRT-15-058    Date:  February 2017
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-15-058
Date: February 2017

 

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center R&D Communication Reference Guide

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FHWA-HRT-15-058 PDF Cover Image

 

FOREWORD

The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center R&D Communication Reference Guide (CRG) provides you with tools, techniques, and timelines for effectively planning, scheduling, and producing your communication products, which include print materials, electronic information, and technology. The CRG will be posted on the Internet at the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) research website: www.fhwa.dot.gov/research. This document replaces previous versions of the Quick Reference Guide.

This guide will be useful to FHWA researchers, contract office representatives, contractors, and support staff who develop research and technology communication products to the standards and regulations referenced in this publication. The CRG is available on the research website (www.fhwa.dot.gov/research). Although this guide is available as a printed version upon request, the most recent and up-to-date version is posted on the research website.

Debra S. Elston, Director,
Corporate Research,
Technology and Innovation
Management

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.

 

Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

FHWA-HRT-15-058

2. Government Accession No. 3 Recipient's Catalog No.
4. Title and Subtitle

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center R&D Communication Reference Guide

5. Report Date

February 2017

6. Performing Organization Code
7. Author(s)

Lisa Shuler, Team Director, Innovation Management and Communications
Dawn Vanlandingham, Transportation Information Specialist

8. Performing Organization Report No.

 

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Office of Research, Development, and Technology
Federal Highway Administration
6300 Georgetown Pike
McLean, VA 22101-2296

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Office of Research, Development, and Technology
Federal Highway Administration
6300 Georgetown Pike
McLean, VA 22101-2296

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

Covered Guidelines

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

Code HRTM-01

15. Supplementary Notes

Reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration Office of Public Affairs

16. Abstract

This document presents guidelines for developing, writing, and constructing research and development publications. Federal Highway Administration Office of Research, Development, and Technology employees, researchers, contract office representatives, contractors, and support staff are the main audiences.

17. Key Words

Publication, guidelines, HRTM, report, brochure, communication, marketing

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.
http://www.ntis.gov

19. Security Classification
(of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classification
(of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

157

22. Price
Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized

SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION.

CHAPTER 2. HRTM SERVICE AND SUBMISSION PROCESS.

CHAPTER 3. POLICIES AFFECTING ALL RD&T PUBLICATIONS.

CHAPTER 4. GUIDELINES AND STYLES FOR ALL PUBLICATIONS.

CHAPTER 5. PREPARING A RESEARCH REPORT.

CHAPTER 6. OTHER PUBLICATIONS.

CHAPTER 7. ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING.

CHAPTER 8. GUIDELINES FOR HPA REVIEW, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND MEDIA RELATIONS.

CHAPTER 9. DISTRIBUTING YOUR COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS.

APPENDIX A. SAMPLE OF REPORT FRONT COVER.

APPENDIX B. SAMPLE INSIDE FRONT COVER.

APPENDIX C. TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE.

APPENDIX D. SAMPLE METRIC CONVERSION FACTORS PAGES.

APPENDIX E. SAMPLE TABLE OF CONTENTS.

APPENDIX F. SAMPLE LIST OF FIGURES.

APPENDIX G. SAMPLE LIST OF TABLES.

APPENDIX H. SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PAGE.

APPENDIX I. LIST OF PREFERRED TERMINOLOGY.

APPENDIX J. LIST OF PREFERRED ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS.

APPENDIX K. SAMPLE PAGE OF A RESEARCH WEB REPORT.

APPENDIX L. FHWA LOGO.

APPENDIX M. FHWA MULTIMEDIA MODEL RELEASE FORM.

APPENDIX N. FHWA MULTIMEDIA CHILD MODEL RELEASE FORM.

APPENDIX O. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS) ABOUT GENERAL COPYRIGHTS AND COPYRIGHT AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE UNDER FEDERAL CONTRACTS.

APPENDIX P. REFERENCE INFORMATION AND EXAMPLES.

APPENDIX Q. ERRATA FORM TEMPLATE.

APPENDIX R. HPA PROGRAM LIAISONS COORDINATION PROTOCOLS.

APPENDIX S. CLEARANCE FORM 1113.

APPENDIX T. CLEARANCE FORM 1528.

APPENDIX U. JOURNAL SUBMISSION LETTER TEMPLATE.

REFERENCES.

 

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Photo. Example of copyright treatment for copyright owned by FHWA (public domain).

Figure 2. Photo. Example of copyright treatment of a photo with copyright owned by an outside organization but never published.

Figure 3. Photo. Example of copyright treatment of a photo with copyright owned by an outside organization and was published.

Figure 4. Photo. Example of a photo with the copyright owned by an outside source, published in a document, and modified by the authors.

Figure 5. Photo. Cascade of research report covers.

Figure 6. Unacceptable graphic. Sample of table depicted as part of the figure graphic.

Figure 7. Photo. Sample of separate figure.

Figure 8. Multiple elements. Incorrect depiction of one table and three figures under one figure number and caption.

Figure 9. Photo. Correct format 1.

Figure 10. Photo. Correct format 2.

Figure 11. Graph. Sample of correct graph.

Figure 12. Illustrations. Compound figure showing one-way potential frontage road and cross-connectivity configuration options for intersection safety and access.

Figure 13. Graphs. Compound figure example showing subfigures comparing mode tests resulting in about the same number of cycles to failure.

Figure 14. Equation. Sample equation pasted as graphic in document.

Figure 15. Photo. Cascade of booklet cover examples.

Figure 16. Photo. Cascade of technical flyers.

Figure 17. Photo. Cascade of marketing brochures.

Figure 18. Photo. Cascade of fact sheets.

Figure 19. Photo. Report cover.

Figure 20. Photo. Sample metric conversion factors page.

Figure 21. Screen shot. Research report Web page.

Figure 22. Illustration. This is the correct two-line version of the FHWA logo.

Figure 23. Illustration. This is the correct four-line version of the FHWA logo.

Figure 24. Photo. Clearance Form 1113.

Figure 25. Photo. Clearance Form 1528.

Figure 26. Template. Journal submission letter template.

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Contents of a research report.

Table 2. Sample of separate table.

Table 3. Correct way to depict table from figure 8.

Table 4. Research report—what to submit.

Table 5. Booklets, flyers, brochures, and fact sheets—what to submit.

Table 6. Microsoft® PowerPoint presentations, movies, videos—what to submit.

Table 7. Web-only communication products—what to submit.

Table 8. Format for customized mailing list.

Table 9. Reference information and examples.

List of Abbreviations

CADcomputer-aided design  
CDcompact disc  
CD-ROMcompact disc read-only memory  
CENDICommerce, Energy, NASA, Defense Information Managers Group  
CIOChief Information Officer  
CORContracting Officer’s Representative  
CRGCommunication Reference Guide  
DVDdigital versatile disk  
FAQfrequently asked question  
FHWAFederal Highway Administration  
GPOGovernment Printing Office  
HAISOffice of Information Technology Services  
HPAOffice of Public Affairs  
HRTMOffice of Corporate Research, Technology, and Innovation Management  
HTMLHyperText Markup Language  
NARANational Archives and Records Administration  
NTISNational Technical Information Service  
OCIOOffice of the Chief Information Officer  
OMBOffice of Management and Budget  
PDFportable document format  
PIIpersonally identifiable information  
R&Dresearch and development  
R&Tresearch and technology  
RD&Tresearch, development, and technology  
SPIIsensitive personally identifiable information  
SSISensitive Security Information  
SSNSocial Security number  
TFHRCTurner-Fairbank Highway Research Center  
USBUniversal Serial Bus  
USDOTU.S. Department of Transportation  
ZIPZone Improvement Plan

 

 

Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center | 6300 Georgetown Pike | McLean, VA | 22101