Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center R&D Communication Reference Guide PDF Version (6.61 MB) PDF files can be viewed with the Acrobat® Reader®

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

Technical Report Documentation Page

SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION.

CHAPTER 2. HRTM SERVICE AND SUBMISSION PROCESS.

• HRTM SERVICES.
  • Identify Your Audience.
  • Define Your Message.
  • Consider Effective Ways to Reach Your Audience.
    
    
• SNAPSHOT OF PUBLICATION WORK SCHEDULE.
• EDITORIAL REVIEW PROCESS.
  • Responsibility for Corrections.
  • Expediting the Editing Process.
  • Printing the Publication.
  • Errata Process (i.e., Errors in Printing or Online).

CHAPTER 3. POLICIES AFFECTING ALL RD&T PUBLICATIONS.

• DEFINITION OF PUBLISHING.
• ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING OF COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS.
• SECTION 508 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT.
• ENSURING CONTRACTOR PUBLICATION COMPLIANCE.

CHAPTER 4. GUIDELINES AND STYLES FOR ALL PUBLICATIONS.

• TWO-COLOR VERSUS FOUR-COLOR PRINT.
• PHOTOS OF NONPUBLIC FIGURES.
• ELECTRONIC ACCESSIBILITY.
• SECTION 508 AND PUBLICATION CONTENT.
  • Two Roles: Writer/Content Producer and Website Technical Coder/Programmer.
  • HTML Files.
  • How to Write 508 Captions for Nontext Elements.
  • Format for 508 Captions for Nontext Elements.
  • Examples of 508 Captions for Nontext Elements.
    
    
• GRAPHICS.
• COPYRIGHT.
  • Copyright and Works of Federal Employees.
  • Copyright Owned by External Source.
  • Required Copyright Format in Publications.
    
    
• EDITORIAL STYLES FOR ALL PUBLICATIONS.
  • Units of Measurement.
  • Punctuation.
  • Numbers and Measurements.
  • Abbreviations.
  • Percent and Other Symbols.
  • List of Preferred Terminology and Abbreviations.
  • Unique GPO Style Manual Rules.

CHAPTER 5. PREPARING A RESEARCH REPORT.

• PURPOSE.
• AUDIENCE.
• STYLE.
• FORMAT FOR RESEARCH REPORTS.
  • Use of FHWA Logo, Seal, and Symbol by Private Sector Partners, Contractors, Grantees, and Vendors.
  • Use of FHWA/USDOT Logo on Proposals or Consulting Deliverables.
  • Publications Developed by Contractors with FHWA/USDOT Logo.
  • Private Sector or Contractor Logos on Government Publications.
  • Inclusion of Contractors Names or Consultants in FHWA Publications.
  • Microsoft® Word Format.
  • Report Contents.
  • Foreword.
  • Type Arrangement and Typefaces.
  • Volume Format.
  • References and Bibliography.
  • Pagination.
  • Table of Contents.
  • Headings.
  • Figures and Tables.
  • Equations and Formulas.
  • Lists.
  • Footnotes.

CHAPTER 6. OTHER PUBLICATIONS.

• BOOKLETS.
  • Purpose.
  • Target Audience.
  • Style.
    
    
• TECHNICAL FLYERS.
  • Purpose of a TechBrief.
  • Purpose of Application/Technical Notes.
  • Audience.
  • Style.
  • Elements to Include in a TechBrief.
  • TechBrief Layout.
    
    
• MARKETING BROCHURES.
  • Purpose.
  • Audience.
  • Style.
    
    
• FACT SHEETS.
  • Purpose.
  • Audience.
  • Style.
  • Normal Final Deliverables for Publications.
    
    
• TRADE PUBLICATION ARTICLES.
  • Purpose.
  • Audience.
  • Format and Issue.
  • Circulation.
  • Submission Guidelines Process.
    
    
• PERIODICALS.
  • Definition.
    
    
• PUBLIC ROADS.
  • Purpose.
  • Audience.
  • Format and Issue.
  • Circulation.
  • Submission Guidelines.
  • Schedule.

CHAPTER 7. ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING.

• FILE FORMATS.
• PRESENTATIONS AND VIDEOS.
• Policy Implications.
• Schedule.
  
  
• WEBSITE PUBLISHING.
  • Website Requirements.
  • Minimum Requirements for FHWA Web Pages.
  • Technical Review.
  • Surveys.
  • Privacy Act.
  • Freedom of Information Act.
  • Federal Acquisition Regulations.

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

• HPA REVIEWS.
  • HPA Review of External Trade Magazine and Journal Articles.
  • Trade Magazine or Journal Articles: Do Not Sign Any Forms or Agreements.
    
    
• SOCIAL MEDIA.
  • FHWA Social Media Policy.
    
    
• RESPONDING TO THE MEDIA.

CHAPTER 9. DISTRIBUTING YOUR COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS.

• TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE.
• REPORT, TECHBRIEF, and publication MAILING LISTS.
  • FHWA Internal Distribution.
  • FHWA External Mailing Lists.
  • Customized Mailing List.
    
    
• ELECTRONIC DATABASE SUBMISSIONS.
  • Records Archives.
  • Copies of Publications to GPO, Library of Congress, and NARA.
  • Publications to National Technical Information Service (NTIS).

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.

• ITEMS REQUIRING COORDINATION WITH HPA.
• ITEMS NOT REQUIRING COORDINATION WITH HPA.

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