Information for Authors

ITE invites you to submit for publication in ITE Journal or ITE Journal on the Web a manuscript on your work or research in transportation planning, geometric design, traffic operations, goods movement, signs and markings, parking, safety, ridesharing, tort liability, traffic studies, transit, intelligent transportation systems, or other area of interest to transportation professionals.

When preparing your manuscript for submission, please follow the guidelines presented here. By meeting submission requirements, you will help to ensure your manuscript moves quickly through the review process.

ITE Journal on the Web is located on ITE’s Web site at www.ite.org. This electronic version of ITE Journal includes all articles published in the print version since 1970, plus additional articles that have appeared exclusively on the Web since 1998. Access to full text articles, published since 1970, is provided only to ITE members. 

ITE Journal on the Web includes manuscripts of interest to the industry that ITE cannot include in the print version due to space constraints, as well as manuscripts that may be of interest to a smaller group of readers or a smaller industry subset. By being published in ITE Journal on the Web, manuscripts become part of ITE’s professional transportation literature that will be fully indexed (using the new transportation research thesaurus), searchable and included in the ITE Digital Library on CD-ROM. Manuscripts appear in their entirety with all figures, tables and references. This parallel publication allows readers access to a body of knowledge that otherwise would not be available through ITE. ITE publishes the abstracts for articles in ITE Journal on the Web in ITE Journal’s table of contents. Please note that whenever ITE Journal is mentioned in these guidelines, this reference includes ITE Journal and ITE Journal on the Web.

PEER REVIEW OF MANUSCRIPTS

All manuscripts submitted to ITE Journal undergo a peer review. After acknowledgment and in-house review by ITE staff, each manuscript selected for peer review is sent to five transportation professionals considered experts in the manuscript’s topic area. The purpose of this careful review is twofold: 1) to identify manuscripts that address topics of current interest and relevance to readers of ITE Journal and 2) to assist the author by pointing out any needed clarification, revision, or amplification in the manuscript.

The review process takes approximately 3 months, at which time you will be notified of the decision regarding your manuscript.

Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, it is scheduled in the next available issue of ITE Journal (in general, an issue dated three to six months from the date of acceptance). All manuscripts are then edited by ITE Journal staff for clarity, sense, grammar and style. If your manuscript is accepted, you will be asked to submit additional items needed for publication (see “If Your Manuscript Is Accepted”).

PREPARING YOUR MANUSCRIPT FOR PEER REVIEW

Manuscripts should be typed single-sided and double-spaced on 8.5-x-11-inch paper. Text should be no longer than 3,000 words, including references, tables and figure text/captions. Each page should be numbered. On the first page, list the manuscript’s title and the name(s) of the author(s). The title should be succinct, informative and no longer than 10 words. Authors’ names should be listed as you wish them to be published.

When keying your manuscript, use as little word-processing formatting as possible—no more than is needed for clarity. Excessive formatting such as tab indents and all capitals increases your workload unnecessarily because it must be removed by ITE Journal staff.

Copies of all tables, figures and photos must be included, each on a separate page. Your manuscript can include a maximum of six tables, figures and photos combined. Do not submit original illustrations and photos now. If your manuscript is accepted for publication, ITE Journal will request these and other items later.

ABSTRACT

Each manuscript must be accompanied by an abstract—a self-contained (not requiring reference to the manuscript to be understood) statement of the primary objectives and scope of the study or the reasons the manuscript was written. The findings and conclusions should be presented concisely and informatively. The abstract should not contain unfamiliar terms that are not defined, reference citations, or displayed equations, lists, figures, or tables. Maximum length is 100 words.

KEYWORDS

Each manuscript must be accompanied by five keywords. A keyword is a word used as a reference point for further information or as an indication of the contents of a document. The keyword can be a verb or noun. It should be specific so as not to get lost in a thousand papers with the keyword “traffic.” It can be more than one word but no more than three (e.g., “traffic demand management”). It can be hyphenated (e.g., “red-light running”). The search engine will search the abstract as well, so the keywords can be different. Use plurals when applicable (the keyword “lights” will be found if someone searches for “light” or “lights”). The keywords will be used for the online ITE Journal, ITE Journal on the Web and the ITE Digital Library.

REFERENCES

Your reference list, which should be submitted on a separate page, should include complete citations for only those references cited in the text. Number your references sequentially in text (either in superscript or in parentheses). Do not label references as footnotes or endnotes. Simply list them at the end of your manuscript in a reference list.

Remember: Readers of your manuscript depend on the accuracy of your reference list. Incomplete or inaccurate citations can make it difficult for readers to locate referenced publications. Please use the following guidelines when compiling your reference list.

Books

Book references should include:

• name of the author(s), the editor(s), or the institution responsible for writing the book;
• full title of the book, including any subtitle;
• volume number or total number of volumes of a multi-volume work;
• edition number (if not the original);
• city, state/province and country of publication;
• publisher’s name; and
• date of publication.

Example

1. Stover, V.G. and F.J. Koepke. Transportation and Land Development. Washington, DC, USA: Institute of Transportation Engineers, 1987.

Authors’ names should be spelled and listed as they appear on the title pages of their books; degrees or affiliations should be omitted. In the case of multiple authors, all authors should be listed; the first author’s name is listed last name first (Stover, V.G.), and the other authors are listed normally (F.J. Koepke). If a publication issued by an organization lists no author’s name on the title page, then the organization should be listed as the author.

Journal/Magazine References

References for items published in a journal or magazine should include:

• authors name(s);
• article title in quotes;
• title of journal/magazine;
• volume, number and issue date; and
• inclusive page numbers.

Example

2. Jain, R. “Traffic Management During Reconstruction of I-91 in Connecticut.” ITE Journal, Vol. 57, No. 10 (October 1987): 29–32.

FIGURES: DRAWINGS, CHARTS, GRAPHS, ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

Figures can take the form of drawings, charts, graphs and other illustrations or photographs. Do not submit original figures now. If your manuscript is accepted for publication, ITE Journal will request these and other items later. For now, photocopies are sufficient.

Remember: Your manuscript can include a maximum of six tables, figures and photos combined.

Illustrations should be professionally drawn (no hand-lettering, please). Lettering within illustrations should be large enough that the smallest elements will still be legible when the illustration is reduced for publication. Whenever possible, all lettering, including the key to symbols or indexes, should be within the framework of the illustrations. Graphs should not be submitted with gray backgrounds. Each figure should be submitted on a separate sheet.

Either black and white (preferred) or color photographs may be submitted, but all photographs in ITE Journal will print in black and white.

If a figure is extrapolated from another source, the source should be indicated at the foot of the figure (e.g., “Source: cited reference 1”) and included in the reference list. If a figure is reprinted in its entirety from another publication, you must secure the publisher’s permission and include a copy of the permission when you submit your manuscript. The figure should include in its source note “Reprinted with permission.”

All figures (illustrations and photographs) must be numbered and cited in the text. Captions should be typed on a separate sheet.

TABLES

Tables must be typed on separate sheets. Each must have a title that briefly describes the table; the title should not furnish background information or describe the results illustrated by the table. All tables must be numbered (separately from figures) and cited in the text.

Remember: Your manuscript can include a maximum of six tables, figures and photos combined.

If a table is extrapolated from another source, the source should be indicated at the foot of the table (e.g., “Source: cited reference 1”) and included in the reference list. If a table is reprinted in its entirety from another publication, you must secure the publisher’s permission and include a copy of the permission when you submit your manuscript. The table should include in its source note “Reprinted with permission.”

BRAND NAMES

Unless they are essential to proper understanding of your manuscript, please do not include brand names in text. If they must be included, include the manufacturer’s name and location in parentheses immediately following the first mention of the product.

ABBREVIATIONS

Please define all abbreviations at their first mention in the text. ITE Journal has a diverse, international audience, and abbreviations that are familiar to you may not be understood by readers outside your country or area of expertise.

UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

Throughout your manuscript, please use metric units of measurement. However, if the research discussed in your manuscript is presented in English units, then you can use English units in your manuscript, but you must provide the metric equivalent.

PERMISSIONS

The manuscript must be your original work. If it has been previously published or is under consideration for publication elsewhere, please inform the managing editor when you submit your manuscript for review.

When you include an extended quotation, figure, or table from another publication, you must secure permission to do so from the publisher. ITE Journal will not publish your manuscript without this written permission. Please send copies of such permission with your manuscript, and be sure to provide proper credit in your manuscript.

IF YOUR MANUSCRIPT IS ACCEPTED

If your manuscript is accepted for publication in ITE Journal, you will be required to submit several items prior to publication:

• Hard copy of current manuscript (typed double-spaced).
• Your manuscript on a 3.5-inch disk, including an abstract of no more than 100 words. ITE Journal prefers files in Microsoft Word or Word Perfect.
• Original hard copies of illustrations, photographs and tables as well as electronic versions. When submitting figures and photographs in electronic format, please note that only EPS and TIFF formats are acceptable. The resolution for these formats must be 300 dots per inch (dpi). Each figure should be submitted in a separate electronic file. Tables can be submitted in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect files. Please do not embed figures, photographs, or tables in any Microsoft Word or WordPerfect file.
• Head-and-shoulders photograph (a black and white photograph is preferred) of each author. When submitting author photographs in electronic format, please note that only EPS and TIFF formats are acceptable. The resolution for these formats must be 300 dots per inch (dpi). Each photograph should be submitted in a separate electronic file.
• Biographical sketch (two or three sentences) of each author.
• A completed and signed Transfer of Copyright form, which transfers copyright of the manuscript to ITE. You do, however, retain 1) all proprietary rights other than copyright, such as patent rights and 2) the right to use all or part of the manuscript in future works of your own, such as lectures, press releases, reviews, textbooks, or reprint books.

SUBMITTING THE MANUSCRIPT

Send six clean copies of your manuscript, figures and tables to:

Clare L. James
Managing Editor, ITE Journal
Institute of Transportation Engineers
1099 14th St., NW, Suite 300 West
Washington, DC 20005-3438 USA

Please make sure that all materials (copies of manuscripts, figures, tables, etc.) you send are dispensable. ITE Journal will not return materials unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the managing editor. In your cover letter, include the address you prefer for correspondence and your daytime telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. All manuscripts are acknowledged after the in-house review occurs; if you do not receive an acknowledgment letter within four weeks of submittal, please contact the managing editor. Please do not submit manuscripts through e-mail.

If you have any questions about the manuscript review process or how to prepare or submit your manuscript, please contact the managing editor at +1 202-289-0222, or email us at info@ite.org.

Revised 7/03