Academic publications

Due to our academic background, we are familiar with the conventions and methods of academic publications and their complex typographical demands. This knowledge enhances our understanding of the process and our ability to deal with the demands made by these publications.

Conference proceedings

Contributions to conference proceedings are usually submitted by multiple authors. This causes several problems. First of all, few authors follow the submission guidelines, resulting in a variety of styles, for example in the way references are made, the use of quotes and parentheses, the abbreviation of years and page numbers. Furthermore, the articles submitted often differ in technical aspects. For example, when different file formats or different Greek fonts are used.

In order to uniformize files we follow two steps. During the conversion phase we remove any irrelevant layout information and convert the different non-Latin alphabets to the standardized encoding. Subsequently, we remove inconsistencies in punctuation by means of our ACE-system. Both steps can be executed at any time; as a general rule these are included in the typesetting process, but it is also possible (and much more fruitful) to make a text uniform before the editor starts editing the text. If you want us to create a uniform text before the editing process, we can send you a Word file with standardized punctuation and the requested fonts. After the text has been automatically edited, the editor can concentrate on the content of the text.

Critical editions

Editions of manuscripts or old prints are complex publications because they usually contain multiple footnote apparatuses, some of which are connected to the main text with line numbers. Typesetting critical text editions makes heavy demands on the typesetting system used. Processing critical text editions becomes even more complex if a translation is provided next to the source text.

In most typesetting systems, line numbers have to be applied manually to the critical footnotes concerned. An editor’s worst nightmare is a shift in pagination caused by corrections, since every line number has to be checked and adjusted manually. By using TeX, shifting is no longer a nuisance, because our system ensures that critical notes are connected to the main text by codes. TeX automatically calculates the corresponding line numbers.

The disadvantage of this method is the encoding required. Fortunately, we don’t have to do this manually: if you follow our guidelines for submission, we can automatically apply the codes during the conversion phase. Even if an edition is nearly finished (without the use of our guidelines), it is usually easy to adhere to our guidelines by making some small adjustments.

Apart from lineation, we have also developed tools to mirror sources and translations efficiently. We are familiar with the hyphenation of both Greek and Latin.

Dissertations

Most Ph.D. dissertations are published without a publisher, which means that the Ph.D. student is responsible for overseeing the process from manuscript to book. This is a time-consuming and complex task to fulfill yourself, especially if you have no previous experience in typesetting. Firstly, creating a good layout in Word is virtually impossible because of the typographical limitations of the program. Furthermore, adjusting the punctuation, bibliographical references etc. is time-consuming, as is the generation of an index. Finding a good and affordable printer can be difficult if you are not familiar with the different options and possibilities. When the deadline is tight, professional guidance can facilitate the process significantly.

We can offer you guidance, whether it be for the process as a whole or only partially. In addition to academic typography and automatic editing of documents, we also have extensive experience with selecting and communicating with printers. This enables us to guarantee a rapid and accurate processing of your dissertation.