**************************************************************************** CCF Executive Editor's Practical Guide (Drafted/updated on December 13, 1993; modified on Jan 19,1994; updated on April 5, 1994; by Ding Yungui) **************************************************************************** Table of Content I. Timing Soliciting Materials Working on Materials II. Editing Externally Speaking Internally Speaking Technically Speaking III. Format IV. Posting App. Sample format ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Timing --------- ===Soliciting materials=== 1) try to post your planned theme topics for the coming weeks; one-week advance in informing ccf-editor about the plan is the minimum. 2) try to solicit articles for your theme topic as early as possible; allow at least 2 WEEKS for articles to come in. 3) ask CCF columnists for reserve of articles, or recommendation of whom to solicit contributions, or write commentaries on previously discussed issues. ===Working on Materials=== 4) by Sunday evening the latest: send to ccf-editor a list of articles you have had, and indicate those you intend to use. 5) by Monday evening the latest: try to send the first draft for comment (on content, and theme choice) 6) by Tuesday evening: try to have the final draft for comment(on formating, adding urgent stuff) 7) post after midnight Tuesday, or in the daytime of Wed. (Posting in the evening is always recommended, to reduce net traffic.) II. Editing ---------- ===Externally Speaking=== 1) We should pay special attentions to observe the copyrights. The excerpts from copyrighted sources should be within the boundary allowed by law and serving only the purpose of demonstration. It is more encouraged to digest the original source(s) and to write reviews, commentaries and analyses. Try your best, or ask fellow editors (esp the columnists), to "digest" journal articles into our own. 2) Try to have as many articles written by our readers as possible. 3) Keep smooth management of the flow of incoming contributions, comments, responses, letters, etc.: Send acknowledgement to each author promptly (within 3 days is preferred); if decision has been made to return for revision or reject a message, it should be done in a timely manner. 4) Advanced notification to ccf-editor and readers about coming theme topics is a key to solicit and prepare the materials for editing. 5) When receiving comment on previous CCF articles, ask the original author whether he/she wants to defend his point, whenever possible, especially when it touches controversies. 6) If a contribution touches a good topic, but it itself may be biased, try to solicit another article from the opposite viewpoint and publish a balanced package. 7) In "From the Editor", summarizes the highlights of the issue, and forecasts the theme of the next issue (if it is decided by then). Make it concise (within 20 lines - one full screen). ===Internally Speaking=== 8) Stimulate discussions on ccf-editor about the editing of coming issues. Pay close attention to ideas, remarks and comments from other editors on board about the selections of theme topics, source materials and presentations. A conservative line should be followed, namely, if there are strong reservations among editors, EE should postpone the publication of involved theme topics or entry items. 9) For matters in material selection and editorial writing (including "From The Editor", "Editorial" and other writings which represent EBCCF) which prompt controversies within EBCCF, the EE should exert cautions. A general guideline is: a package containing controversial material should not be posted out untill a decision is made by following the procedure described as follows. The Board should try every effort to arrive at a consensus about the particular item in dispute. 10) In case a consensus cannot be reached within three days of the posting the draft containing the item to ccf-editor, the EE should either decide to hold the item for further consideration of the Board for the next CCF issue, or request the CE to call a vote to make a final decision. (The former should be preferred; the latter should be reserved as the last resort.) In the latter case, a decision is made by simple majority rule, i.e., the majority of those who cast their votes . Those who do not vote, either because of temporary absence or deliberate abstention, should be regarded as neutral, neither support nor object. The Chief Editor may vote as others, and be counted as one vote in normal cases. If there is a tie, the Chief Editor's side wins. If there is a tie and the Chief Editor abstains, the Executive Editor's side wins. ===Technically speaking=== 11) do spelling check before sending each draft to ccf-editor. 12) wait for at least one response from ccf-editor for the final draft, before finally posting to china-nt, to make sure the final draft has been broadcast on ccf-editor and checked by other EE's. 13) off-duty EE's are urged to pay attention to proofreading. 14) The EE for next term should start to think and work early, to communicate with the on-duty EE and EM about left-over materials and on-going discussions, and to make sure the transition is smooth. 15) The outgoing EE is encoraged to write a summary to the Board about his experience within a few days while it is still fresh. That will benefit the following EE and CCF overall. III. Format ----------- 1) Just follow the last package's format, or use the sample attached. 2) use the standard header and tailer shown in the sample format. 3) Max number of characters in a line: 76 4) suggested number of lines in an issue: 300-400 5) a blank line in between each two paragraphs 6) a dividing line between two items (---), between two topics (===***==) 7) indentation: (optional, but be consistent to your own style in a package). avoid TAB key since it may not work properly on some computers. 8) email address format: 9) to acknowledge source and/or contributor at the end of the item (From: Yungui Ding ; Source: CCNL) or (Forwarded by: ...) 10) always put the receipt date at the end (From: Yungui Ding ; Received: Aug 23, 1993) IV. Posting ---------- 1) Always try to make a "perfect" package before posting :-) It is not a bad idea to check one more time after you decide to post it: Is the date/day right? Is the serial number right? Is the EE/EM name right? Is the format right? ... 2) Subject line w/ a theme: CCF #9304, 9/22/93: "IFCSS: Today and Tomorrow" 3) Subject line w/o a theme: Chinese Community Forum (CCF) #9304, September 22, 1993 4) post To: Note: NEVER use alias for this address, or you may send other materials to it. Alway make sure you are sending the perfect final version. Remember: one stroke of the return key, you are sending thousands of readers whatever in it. No way to stop it! 5) After posting the package to China-Net, remove the texts and leave the header, table of contents, From-the-Editor, and tailer, send it to the public nets: ccnl@utarlvm1.bitnet soc.culture.china@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu talk.politics.china@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu china-news-post@mentor.cc.purdue.edu soc.culture.hongkong@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu soc.culture.taiwan@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu (Any other public nets to add on here?) This is to inform unsubscribed readers of our service. However, it is NOT recommended that explicit promoting words be put in this cut-out package. It is better to let our genuine work say for to our readers. -------Sample of CCF format: ==+==+==+== C h i n e s e C o m m u n i t y F o r u m ==+==+==+=== Wednesday, October 6, 1993 (Issue No. 9307) +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Chinese Community Forum (CCF) is a journal published on China-Net. CCF is dedicated to the discussion and debate on the issues related to our community. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the Editorial Board of CCF. Contributions to the discussions and suggestions of new topics are very much appreciated. +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= Table of Contents Author | # of Lines ============================================================================ 1. Theme of the Issue: Olympic Bidding a. Olympic Bidding: A Game of International Politics .......... Bai Yan 108 b. Beijing Defeated: CNN Headline News Under Scrutiny .......... Y.Y. Xu 92 2. Olympic: After Thoughts a. What Have I Learned From the CSPA? ....................... Lai Anzhi 104 b. Where you're from -- Does it really matter? ................ Luo Ning 67 3. Reader's Comment on Column Topics (3 items) .......................... 34 ============================================================================ ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== From The Editor ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The foregone Beijing bidding of the 2000 Olympic Games could be viewed as a ... ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== 1a. Olympic Bidding: A Game of International Politics .......... Bai Yan 108 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The safe and sure way to make people listen is to wait till their emotions ... ...impressed, and personalized, but not convinced. (From: 1-OCT-1993) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1b. Beijing Defeated: CNN Headline News Under Scrutiny .......... Y.Y. Xu 92 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ... (received: Oct 2, 1993) ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== 2a. What Have I Learned From the CSPA? ....................... Lai Anzhi 104 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2b. Where you're from -- Does it really matter? ................ Luo Ning 67 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ===========***==========***==========**==========***==========***=========== 3. Reader's Comment on Column Topics (3 items) .......................... 34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ty Hu 22-SEP-1993 In recent months, many CSS have decided to develop their professional career in the US. The implimentation of the CSPA will provide permanent residency for a large number of CSS who have been here for more than three years. One thing every CSS has to face is the professional life in the US. So, I'd suggest CCF to put up a topic for CCF discussion, say "CSS Professional career after postdoctoral training." Thank you. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=++ + Executive Editor: Zhendong Liu Executive Moderator: Shusheng Luan + +--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + For subscription: mail "SUB CHINA-NT Your-First-Name Your-Last-Name" + + to LISTSERV@UGA (bitnet) or listserv@uga.cc.uga.edu (internet) + + For back issues of CCF: + + anonymous ftp to cnd.org[132.249.229.100]:pub/community/CCF + + For contribution and inquiry: mail to ccf-editor@ifcss.org + +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=++