Author Guidelines

1.   Introduction

1.1.        Archaeology Press 2.0

SFU Archaeology Press has been a prominent aspect of SFU Archaeology and Northwest literature for 45 years. Since the 1972 release of Salvage ’71, Professor Roy Carlson and the Department’s Publications Committee (now “Communications Committee”) have produced 21 monographs and 15 edited volumes (all now freely available online thanks to a digital publishing grant from the SFU Library).

1.2.        Statement on Community and Sustainability

Inlet maintains good relationships with all persons and groups by

• Fostering inter-disciplinary, inter-cultural, inter-national, and inter-generational learning and understanding;
• Embracing and encouraging others to embrace the spirit and words of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, especially in the negotiation of full, prior, informed consent (FPIC) with communities or families of origin for the investigation and presentation of their heritage;
• Refraining from the presentation of human remains in the absence of FPIC. It is the responsibility of authors to identify and comply with codes, laws, or ethical obligations that may affect their work. Authors who wish to include images of human remains are encouraged to contact editors before submission. Out of respect for diverse cultural traditions, authors might be asked to present such images as online supplemental figures;
• Employing and encouraging others to employ plain language communications, free from needless jargon, academic aggrandizement, and similar obfuscation;
• Encouraging open and candid dialogues on the values, practices, ethics, and consequences of archaeology and bioanthropology;
• Opening and optimizing access to information and perspective on archaeology and bioanthropology through the promotion and use of non-commercial, open-source digital platforms and applications;
• Minimizing material waste, carbon emissions, and other adverse effects of publishing; and
• Revising this statement and editorial policies and procedures in response to constructive and informed feedback.

1.3.        Inlet: Journal Scope and Format

Inlet: Contributions to Archaeology is a new open access publication under the Archaeology Press banner. Inlet publishes articles from the fields of archaeology, bioanthropology, and heritage. Inlet welcomes short contributions that communicate findings, reflect on new directions in the field, and disseminate information that may not fit under the purview of traditional publication venues. Its online publication format supports large amounts of multimedia supplementary information (images, data tables, video, large maps, etc.).

Inlet emphasizes short and accessible articles of roughly 1,500–3,000 words, including thoughtful and concise discussions of archaeological sites, features, or case studies/technical memos, preliminary reviews, data pulled from grey literature, and research on legacy collections. We expressly invite submissions from members of the archaeological and heritage consulting community who wish to present the results of their projects in a concise, accessible format.

All articles are peer-reviewed and become freely available online as they are ready.

The following types of articles are welcome for submission to Inlet:

• Concise description and thoughtful discussion of sites, features, artifacts and other archaeological discoveries (e.g., rare finds, overlooked site types, reevaluation of previous discoveries)
• Presentation of case studies
• Summaries of projects or site reports
• Analyses of legacy collections
• Expositions of new methodologies and technologies
• Syntheses of recent developments and theoretical perspectives

1.4.        Purpose of this Guide

This guide provides authors with information related to the submission and review process, with specific focus on manuscript preparation. In the absence of a formal in-house copy editing system (and in order to keep article processing charges as low as possible), Inlet requires authors to ensure their submissions are at least 99% error free with regard to language and typographical consistency.

Authors should make continual reference to this guide as they prepare their manuscripts for submission. The guide contains instructions on manuscript elements/structure, formatting and typefaces, language, style mechanics, and referencing style.

1.5.        Style Guide Hierarchy

This guide defers to the stylistic conventions of established style guides in most instances. As the most widely used style guide for social sciences and humanities, The Chicago Manual of Style forms the basis of Inlet style with regard to spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Inlet follows the American Anthropological Association in this regard. One critical point of departure from Chicago is the use of Canadian English, which is non-negotiable for Inlet submissions.

Students and faculty at most universities have full online access to The Chicago Manual of Style 17^th ed. through their university library.

For style matters specific to archaeology and related disciplines (e.g., radiocarbon dates), Inlet relies on the style guide of the Society for American Archaeology (SAA).

The contents of this guide largely summarize material from these two established guides. Specific variations are noted. Authors should consult Chicago for style matters not addressed or summarized in this guide, and SAA for discipline-specific matters not covered by Chicago.

1.6.        Plain Language and Inclusivity

Plain language writing favours clarity and comprehensibility in written communication. Writers employing plain language principles use vocabulary and grammatical constructions that meet the specific needs of their intended audience or audiences. In other words, plain language prioritizes readers by revising over-inflated prose and rejecting fashionable buzzwords. Among the central principles of plain language writing are logical organization, the use of active voice, and the avoidance of jargon.

Plain language writing is not oversimplified or inelegant. Rather, it is thoughtful, concise, and effective. Inlet considers accessibility of information to be of paramount importance. Inlet encourage authors to view their submissions from the perspective of readers with varying levels of academic achievement and literacy, as well as those coming from different disciplinary or cultural backgrounds.

More information on plain language writing can be found at the Plain Language Action and Information Network and the Center for Plain Language.

Inlet encourages authors to use inclusive language in their submissions. Inclusiveness, in this context, simply means avoiding stereotypes and overgeneralizations about groups of people, whether based on age, gender, sexuality, or racial/ethnic/national identity. Neutral, inclusive language is often more accurate and effective. Precision in lieu of generalization addresses most problems with inclusiveness.

2.   Submission and Review Process

2.1.        Order of events

• Inlet has a permanent open call for submission.
• Authors submit their manuscripts through the Open Journal System (OJS). Authors complete a checklist prior to submission. All file transfers and correspondence are conducted through the OJS. All peer reviews proceed through the OJS.
• The Editors review manuscripts to determine if they are acceptable for peer review. Authors are notified if their manuscripts are proceeding to peer review. The Editors may require authors to resubmit revised manuscripts or may reject manuscripts altogether.
• The Editorial Board (EB) selects at least two peer reviewers. Peer reviewers must be able to complete the review within 30 days and must use the peer review rubric.
• The EB makes recommendations based on peer review results. Manuscripts may be accepted, accepted contingent on revisions, or rejected. 
• The Editors notify authors of peer review results and editorial recommendations. If a manuscript requires revisions, the associate editor provides the author with a deadline for revisions and determines if the revisions were adequate.
• If a manuscript is accepted, the author will pay the $200 article processing charge before the finished article is published. 
• Articles are published as they are ready and have digital object identifiers (DOI) but no page numbers. 
• At the end of the annual publication cycle, articles are collected into a volume and republished with final page numbers.

2.2.        Article Processing Charge

The article processing charge (APC) is a one-time publishing fee that helps to cover the costs of open-access publication, replacing the revenue from a subscriptions-based journal model. The $200 charged for finished articles in Inlet covers the costs of journal development, article production, commissioned graphics and artwork, and occasional copy editing and proofreading.

The SFU Central Open Access Fund reimburses open-access APCs for SFU staff, faculty, and students for up to two publications per year. Eligible authors publishing in Inlet will have the APC covered up front—no application for reimbursement required.

Most major universities offer similar forms of open-access publication financial support.

3.   Manuscript Elements

3.1.        Title Page

The title page should contain the following elements:

• A concise and descriptive manuscript title (bold, title case, centred)
• Author information (left aligned below title; include institutional/company affiliation and mailing/e-mail address; indicate a corresponding author)
• Abstract (see description below)
• Keywords (between 4 and 8 keywords or phrases that effectively categorize the paper for the purpose of searching/indexing. No acronyms/initialisms or newly coined terminology)

3.2.        Abstract

The abstract should not exceed 200 words. It should be a concise, but complete, summary of the paper’s context, methods, and findings. The abstract should not be an outline of the paper’s structure, and should not act as an introduction to the paper itself. Avoid abbreviations/acronyms (e.g., GIS, NATO, XRF) in the abstract. If abbreviations/acronyms are unavoidable, spell terms out fully in the first instance and include the abbreviated forms in parentheses.

Inlet welcomes visual/graphical abstracts, provided that they complement or enhance the written abstract. Please contact the Inlet Editorial Board prior to submitting your manuscript and provide details of the proposed graphical abstract.

3.3.        Headings

Headings should be numbered (1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.2.1).

First-order headings are left aligned, bold, title case:

1. Introduction to the Study Area

Second-order headings are left aligned, bold, italicized, sentence case:

1.1 The geology of the Fraser Valley

Third-order headings should be used sparingly. They are left aligned, italicized, sentence case:

1.2.1 Description of the site environs

3.4.        Typeface

Choose a popular serif typeface for the main body text (e.g., Times New Roman, Cambria, Garamond).

Text should be left aligned (not justified).

Include line numbers in your manuscript submission (in Microsoft, line numbers are found in the Layout tab under Text Layout).

Each new paragraph should have a first-line indent of 0.5”.

4.   Citations and References

4.1.        General

Inlet employs SAA style for in-text citations and reference lists. Consult the SAA style guide (sections 3.4, 3.5, and 3.11) for general principles and specific examples. The SAA citation and reference style is summarized in this section for quick reference.

4.2.        Author-year

The SAA style uses the author-year format for in-text citations in regular articles. The examples given in the SAA guide are as follows:

4.2.1.                Simple citation

(Wylie 1991) or Wylie (1991)

4.2.2.                Two authors

(Lipe and Varien 1999) or Lipe and Varien (1999)

4.2.3.                Three or more authors

(Cobean et al. 1991) or Cobean and others (1991)

Include page numbers when referencing specific information or attributing a direct quotation.

As Kirch (2010:142) suggests, “In many ways, the Pacific serves as a model region for historical anthropology.”

or

“In many ways, the Pacific serves as a model region for historical anthropology” (Kirch 2010:142).

4.3.        References cited

The references cited list appears at the end of the manuscript. References should be in alphabetic and then chronological order (multiple publications by one author appear from earliest to most recent).

To simplify the process of typesetting, Inlet uses a simplified form of the SAA reference list style without hanging indents for manuscripts. The year is left aligned with one standard tab stop before the title. Subsequent lines are not indented. References are single spaced.

4.3.1.                Book

Deetz, James

2010    In Small Things Forgotten: An Archaeology of Early American Life. Exp. and rev. ed. Anchor Books, New York.

4.3.2.                Journal article

Kirch, Patrick V.

2010    Peopling of the Pacific: A holistic anthropological perspective. Annual Review of Anthropology 39:131–148.

Note the use of an en dash to indicate the page range in the example above.

4.3.3.                Volume/monograph in a series

Inglis, Richard, and George F. MacDonald (eds.)

1979    Skeena River Prehistory. Mercury Series, Archaeological Survey of Canada Paper No. 87, National Museum of Man, Ottawa.

4.3.4.                Chapter in an edited volume

Basso, Keith H.

1996    Wisdom Sits in Places: Notes on a Western Apache Landscape. In Senses of Place, edited by Steven Feld and Keith H. Basso, pp. 53–90. School of American Research Press, Santa Fe.

4.3.5.                Thesis or dissertation

Connaughton, Sean P.

2014    Emergence and Development of Ancestral Polynesian Society in Tonga. PhD dissertation, Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby.

4.3.6.                Report

Hobler, Philip M., and Brian Seymour

1975    Archaeological Site Inventory, Southern Queen Charlotte Islands, 1974 Field Work. Heritage inspection permit 1974-014. Report on file with BC Archaeology Branch, Victoria.

5.   Language

5.1.        Spelling

Inlet publishes exclusively in Canadian English. Canadian English shares some spellings in common with British English and some with American English. Some common variations are summarized in the table below. There are many exceptions to these general rules; in all cases, follow the preferences given in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary.

Quoted material in other regional forms of English is acceptable.

 See the SAA style guide (section 3.3.12 Accents) for guidance on accents and diacritics in languages other than English. Strive for consistency in the use of glyphs/characters such as glottal stops (ʔ) or the Polynesian ʻokina (ʻ).

5.2.        Contractions

Contractions should be avoided when possible.

Don’t  –> Do not

Shouldn’t –> Should not

They’d –> They would

5.3.        Capitalization

Please follow the guidelines for capitalization in the SAA style guide, Section 3.3.9.

In line with guides such as Canadian Press, Inlet capitalizes Indigenous, Aboriginal, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

5.4.        Italics

Italicize the following:

• Words in languages other than English (except those in common use; e.g., pro bono, faux pas)
• Genus and species names (e.g., Cupressaceae Thuja plicata; taxonomic levels higher than genus are not italicized)
• Titles of works (e.g., books, periodicals, films, television and radio programs) other than well-known religious texts (e.g., the Bible)
• Vehicles (e.g., Titanic, Space Shuttle Endeavour).
• Words for emphasis

5.5.        Abbreviations

Acronyms (made-up words spelled with the initial letters of other words, like NASA or NAFTA) and initialisms (acronyms read letter by letter, like BC or SAA) should be spelled out in the first instance.

A culturally modified tree (CMT) was found nearby.

The abbreviation “etc.” should be avoided.

Abbreviations like “e.g.” and “i.e.” occur only in parentheses, are not italicized, and are followed by a comma.

Sites tend to be located close to waterbodies (i.e., lakes, wetlands, or streams).

6.   Punctuation

6.1.        Colons

Generally speaking, a colon should be preceded by an independent clause (i.e., a full sentence capable of standing alone grammatically). A colon should not separate a verb from its object.

Incorrect

The material culture categories are: lithics, ceramics, and faunal remains.

Correct

There are three categories of material culture: lithics, ceramics, and faunal remains.

Colons can be used to introduce a bullet list, but should still be preceded by an independent clause.

The three categories of material culture include the following:

• Lithics
• Ceramics
• Faunal remains

6.2.        Commas

The serial (“Oxford”) comma should be used in lists of three or more.

We saw examples of Preclassic, Classic, and Postclassic architecture.

6.3.        Hyphens and Dashes

Inlet makes full distinction between the hyphen (-), the en dash (–), and the em dash (—).

Hyphenated compounds make use of a regular hyphen, typed with a single keystroke of the hyphen key on a PC or Mac keyboard.

En dashes performs a variety of functions, but are most commonly used in the indication of number or date ranges (e.g., “See pages 20–27”).

An en dash is typed on a PC keyboard (with full numeric keypad) by holding the ALT key and typing 0150. The en dash can also be found in the Microsoft Word symbol browser, and Word users can also make use of the AutoCorrect tool (e.g., automatically replace “endash” with “–”). On a Mac keyboard, an en dash is created by holding option and typing the hyphen key.

Em dashes are also used in a variety of ways, but they are most commonly used to set off parenthetical information, or non-restrictive appositives (e.g., “The site—a mere two-hour drive from Vancouver—is located on a rolling plain”). Em dashes should be used sparingly; writers can also choose to use parentheses or commas to set off information that is in addition (non-restrictive) to the sentence content.

An en dash is typed on a PC keyboard (with full numeric keypad) by holding the ALT key and typing 0151. The em dash can also be found in the Microsoft Word symbol browser, and Word users can also make use of the AutoCorrect tool (e.g., automatically replace “emdash” with “—”). On a Mac keyboard, an em dash is created by holding shift+option and typing the hyphen key.

Consult the SAA style guide (section 3.3.10 Hyphenation) for guidance on hyphenating archaeological terms.

6.4.        Quotations

Quoted material appears in double quotation marks:

As Jones has stated, “The site is under threat of destruction.”

Quotes within quoted material appear in single quotation marks:

“As Jones has stated, ‘The site is under threat of destruction.’”

Terminal punctuation appears outside of quotation marks unless part of the quoted material:

Jones believes the site is “under threat”.

7.   Numbers, Units, and Dates

7.1.        Numbers

Spell out numbers one to nine; use numerals for numbers 10 and higher.

Use commas for 4+-digit numbers (e.g., 2,594).

Consult the SAA style guide (section 3.3.2 Numbers and dates) for specific examples.

7.2.        Units of Measurement

Use metric units of measurement whenever possible. When non-metric units are used (e.g., in quoted material), provide the metric equivalent in square brackets:

The site is 100 ft [30.48 m] wide.

Units should be abbreviated (mm, cm, m, km) and do not get periods. Leave a space between the number and the unit.

Use ml and l but capitalize L when there is the possibility of misunderstanding.

Hyphenate units when used as compound modifiers.

The trail is 12 km long –> The 12-km-long trail

7.3.        Radiometric Dates

Consult the SAA style guide (section 3.3.5 Radiometric ages and dates) for guidance on reporting radiometric dates.

7.4.        Years

When expressing dates that are not specific radiometric ages, use AD/BC.

Express calendar dates as June 1, 1984.

8.   Figures and Tables

Figures and tables should be clear and effective in complementing the text. They should be specifically referenced in the text and should illustrate something in greater detail than the text allows.

Figures and tables should be numbered in consecutive order using Arabic numerals (e.g., Figure 1; Table 2).

Figure and table captions should concisely summarize the purpose or content of the figure/table.

8.1.        Table format

Tables should be prepared using the Insert Table tool in Microsoft Word or equivalent.

Choose a legible sans serif typeface in 10–12-pt font. Large tables may be positioned on their own landscape-oriented page.

Make use of table borders and cell shading to organize or highlight the data presented.

Table captions appear above tables.

8.2.        Figure format

Figures include any charts, maps, photo plates, or artwork. Figures should be of professional quality and should clearly illustrate what is stated in the text and in the caption. Colour or black-and-white images are acceptable.

Text in figures, such as labels on maps, should have an equivalent character height of at least 10–12-pt Times New Roman when properly sized on an 8.5" x 11" page.

Figures should have a minimum 1500–2000 pixel width and a minimum 300 dpi resolution.

Figure captions appear below figures.

Figures may be included in the text of the manuscript or attached as separate files with captions as placeholders in the text.