The quality and stature of ANR publications, videos, and slide sets is enhanced through Communication Services' technical peer review process. Once peer reviewed and produced, ANR educational materials are assigned reference numbers, included in the print and online versions of Communication Services Catalog of Publications, Videos and Slide Sets, warehoused, and marketed and distributed throughout California and the world. Some ANR pubulications are published electronically to the Worldwide Web and can be downloaded free of charge from anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu.
The Communications Advisory Board has established the following peer-review processes:
If you have an idea for a new publication and you would like it to be a UC ANR publication, there are a few steps that you should follow to make sure your idea becomes a finished publication in a timely and efficient manner. Once you have reached step 5 below, you'll want to refer to the Guidelines for Authors to see how to prepare the materials you'll submit to CS for production.
Step 1. Evaluate the idea. Your first step should be to evaluate your idea with the appropriate workgroup or program-coordinating body and the ANR Associate Editor (AE) responsible for the subject matter category. Discuss with them the specifics of your idea, whether there is a need for it, what form the publication should take, and whether funding is available for production. Your associate editor may suggest that you contact Communication Services (CS) staff for further information.
Step 2. Determine whether the publication requires Communications Advisory Board (CAB) approval. If your publication will run 225 or more double-spaced manuscript pages (75 printed pages) and you want CS funding to produce it, the publication will require CAB approval. Continue to Step 3.
If your publication will be shorter than 225 manuscript pages (75 printed pages) or you have outside funding to produce it, the publication does not require CAB approval (the publication can be approved by the AE). Skip to Step 5.
If your publication will be very close to 225 manuscript pages, assume that it will require CAB approval and continue to Step 3.
Step 3. If CAB approval is needed, write a proposal. Your proposal should contain
- Title and authors' names;
- Brief description of the content, including draft table of contents;
- Description of authors' collaboration or other involvement on this project with program groups or individuals;
- Estimated length;
- Estimated number of photos or other illustrations and whether color will be required; and
- Probable market potential, in terms of who the audience would be and why they might need the publication.
Step 4. If CAB approval is needed, submit the proposal to the AE. Submit the completed proposal to the AE responsible for the subject matter category. Proposals may be submitted to AEs at any time.
The AE will review the proposal and submit it with a recommendation to the CAB at one of the CAB's scheduled quarterly meetings.
The CAB will evaluate the proposal and the AE's recommendation and approve or disapprove funding for the project, contingent upon a successful peer review.
Step 5. Prepare the manuscript. Before preparing the manuscript, get a copy of Guidelines for Authors ( view a copy of the Guidelines for Authors or call the CS Publications Group at [530] 754-3906). These guidelines provide information about how to format your manuscript, how to prepare photographs and tables, and other details that will make the publication process easier and quicker and result in a better finished product.
Step 6. Submit the finished manuscript to the AE for peer review. Complete a submittal form (Form MF-21) and submit the form and the manuscript to your AE. If you have Adobe(R) Acrobat(R), you can Download the MF-21 as a PDF from this web site. You can also request a paper copy from your AE or from Communication Services. To download a free copy of the current Acrobat(R) Reader, contact Adobe Systems Incorporated.
After you submit your manuscript and MF-21, the AE
- reads the manuscript and makes an initial assessment as to whether it is ready to be reviewed, and then recommends or discusses changes;
- selects and enlists reviewers;
- sends the manuscript to the reviewers;
- receives the manuscript from the reviewers;
- forwards reviewers' comments, where appropriate, to you and works with you on revisions;
- decides whether the finished manuscript is acceptable as an ANR publication (you may appeal the AE's decision to the Communications Advisory Board);
- sends the manuscript to the Statewide Pesticide Coordinator for review and approval if pesticides are mentioned in the manuscript; and
- signs the MF-21 form and sends the form, the manuscript, and the reviewers' comments to CS.
Step 7. CS assigns an ANR publication number and produces the publication (or returns it to you for production if you have outside funding). CS will assign your publication to a project editor, who will work with you directly throughout the publication process.
If you are going to produce the publication with outside funding, CS may suggest revisions to the publication, such as incorporating the current copyright and nondiscrimination statements, etc., and may also suggest ways to improve the layout and design of the publication.
Peer Review Process for Materials in Spanish and Other Foreign Languages
The process for translating an ANR publication or other material into Spanish involves two stages of peer review: the translation request and the finished translation.
Step 1. An author sends a completed Translation Request Form (MF-125) and two copies of the publication/material to be translated to Myriam Grajales-Hall, ANR Spanish Language Materials Associate Editor (Sp. AE). (If you cannot download the Adobe Acrobat(R) version of the above Translation Request Form, request it from Communication Services' editorial office, aesenuta@ucdavis.edu or [530] 754-3908.)
Step 2. The Sp. AE assesses the author's translation request to determine if the material should be translated, and if so, if the requested project is in the most appropriate format to reach the target audience. If necessary, she consults with the appropriate subject area ANR Associate Editor or other subject experts.
Step 3. The translation request is returned to the author with a brief evaluation and one of three recommendations: the publication will be translated; it should be revised before translating; or it will not be translated. Only material or publications that have been peer reviewed and received an ANR number will be translated.
Step 4. If it is determined by the Associate Editor(s) that minor revisions or adaptations must be made to the publication before it is translated, the author forwards the MF-125, the original publication, and the AE's assessment to Communication Services. We will work with the author and, if needed, the translator, to adapt the publication. Once the adaptation is complete, it is sent to the Sp. AE for her approval.
Step 4a. If it is determined that major revisions that significantly alter the original publication must be made before it is translated, the revised publication must go to the appropriate subject area associate editor for a new peer review in English. The Sp. AE makes this determination and coordinates the new peer review with the subject matter Associate Editor.
Step 5. When the submission is approved, the Sp. AE sends the material/publication to ANR Communications Services for translation.
Step 6. Communications Services oversees the translation.
Step 7. The completed translation is edited by Communication Services staff, and then sent to the Sp. AE and, if requested, to the author.
Step 8. The Sp. AE reviews the translation for appropriate word choice and language level. If necessary, she has it reviewed by other subject matter experts before returning it, with comments, to Communication Services.
Step 9. If there are changes to be made, the translation is either revised by Communication Services or the translator.
Step 10. The translated publication or slide set is produced by Communication Services.
Translation into Other LanguagesIf an author wishes to have a publication or other material translated into a language other than Spanish, he or she should contact Communication Services' editorial office aesenuta@ucdavis.edu or (530) 754-3908 to request a modified Translation Request form.
The peer review process for translations into other languages will be coordinated in the same way as for translations into Spanish.
The photographic and audio production staff at Communication Services produce professional-quality ANR slide sets and slide-tape sets from scripts or outlines that have passed technical peer review.
Information on script or outline preparation and peer review is available to all interested ANR staff. The basic steps for submittal, peer review, and production of slide sets and slide-tape sets are listed below. (For more detailed information, contact Mike Poe [ mlpoe@ucdavis.edu] at [530] 754-3905.)
Step 1. The client notifies the appropriate ANR Associate Editor (AE) that he or she is planning a slide set. The AE has the option of refocusing the idea. The AE or a Communication Services staff member provides the client with an Publication Development Plan to help the client shape the project.
Step 2. The client sends a completed Instructional Program Development Plan to a Communication Services photographic producer/director in advance of their first meeting.
Step 3. The client works on the slide set's outline or script and its production schedule with a Communication Services photographic producer/director. Early scheduling is especially important for seasonal subjects.
Step 4. The outline or script&emdash;with existing slides or with descriptions of new slides&emdash;goes to the AE, who coordinates anonymous peer review.
Step 5. After the reviewers evaluate the outline or script, they return it to the AE.
Step 6. The AE works with the client to ensure that the reviewers' comments and suggestions are incorporated. The AE decides about programmatic acceptance of the outline or script.
Step 7. If the slide set will recommend pesticide use, the outline or script is sent to the Statewide Pesticide Coordinator for approval.
Step 8. The AE sends the approved outline or script and its MF-21V submittal form to Communication Services so that production can begin. Communication Services assigns an ANR reference number to the slide set.
Step 9. Communication Services provides studio and location photography, design comps, and narrative script editing, with input from the client.
Step 10. A rough version of the slide set in a PowerPoint file and the edited outline or script are sent to the AE for final review and approval.
Step 11. The AE works with the client to ensure that final review comments and suggestions are incorporated into the slide set, and then forwards the agreed-upon changes to Communication Services.
Step 12. Communication Services completes production of the slide set.
The video production staff at Communication Services produce professional-quality ANR videos from scripts that have passed technical peer review.
Information on script preparation and peer review for videos is available to all interested ANR staff. The basic steps for submittal, peer review, and production of slide sets and slide-tape sets are listed below. (For more detailed information on video production and review, contact Mike Poe [ mlpoe@ucdavis.edu] at [530] 754-3905.)
Step 1. The client notifies the appropriate ANR Associate Editor (AE) that he or she is planning a video. The AE has the option of refocusing the idea. The AE or a Communication Services staff member provides the client with an Publication Development Plan to help the client shape the project.
Step 2. The client sends a completed Instructional Program Development Plan to a Communication Services video producer/director in advance of their first meeting.
Step 3. The client works on the video's script and its production schedule with a Communication Services video producer/director. Early scheduling is especially important for seasonal subjects.
Step 4. The script&emdash;with descriptions of images&emdash;goes to the AE, who coordinates anonymous peer review.
Step 5. After the reviewers evaluate the outline or script, they return it to the AE.
Step 6. The AE works with the client to ensure that the reviewers' comments and suggestions are incorporated. The AE decides about programmatic acceptance of the script.
Step 7. If the video will recommend pesticide use, the script is sent to the Statewide Pesticide Coordinator for approval.
Step 8. The AE sends the approved script and its MF-21V submittal form to Communication Services so that production can begin. Communication Services assigns an ANR reference number to the video.
Step 9. Communication Services provides script editing, studio and location videography, narration recording, and audio and video editing, with input from the client, to produce a rough cut of the video.
Step 10. The rough cut is sent to the AE, who will either review it or circulate it to the peer reviewers.
Step 11. The AE works with the client to ensure that final review comments and suggestions are incorporated into the video, and then forwards the agreed-upon changes to Communication Services.
Step 12. The Communication Services producer/director completes production of the video.