Formatting APS Journal Articles :: Glossaries and Appendixes
Many authors provide a list of the basic abbreviations used in their text. However, most of the time, this is just for our personal use or for the reviewers. However, for extremely complex papers with large numbers of difficult or repetitive abbreviations, Glossaries can provide valuable benefits for the reader and peace of mind for us! This is particularly true for mathematical papers with many equations using different variables. Sometimes these authors will have provided a Glossary with their paper; other times, you may decide that the paper should have one and consult the author for their approval.
Always e-mail a copy of the file to the author to get their approval for the entire Glossary before you even send the copy-edited manuscript to Cadmus. Because Glossaries are for complex papers, it is better for the author to know what the variables, style, and definitions within it are going to be sooner than for them to find out when they receive their proofs. It is also far less expensive for us to make changes during manuscript stage than during proof/revision stages.
Glossaries should be placed in the Introduction before the Methods section.
Title the Glossary itself with the word "Glossary" as a level 2 header. Subheadings within the Glossary should also be level 2 headers.
APS defines all variables and abbreviations at their first occurrence. Having a Glossary "counts" in this regard, and you do not have to define terms in the Glossary in subsequent usage in the text, figures, or tables. For terms used in figures and tables, refer the reader to the Glossary.
Terms in the Glossary are listed in alphabetical order (but don't change this at proof stage). For terms that begin with numbers or Greek letters, place them first or last in the Glossary, but make sure that they are in numerical or Greek alphabetical order.
Definitions are initial capped.
If units for specific variables are included, they follow the definition in parentheses or after a comma.
Pay special attention to the consistent use of symbols in equations and in the Glossary and make sure that all the symbols are defined. Sometimes, the author may use an identical symbol to describe two different concepts; in this case, make sure to query them and clarify all such cases before sending the manuscript for composition.
Use the «gloss» code to denote the beginning of a glossary.
After the beginning «gloss» code, provide the title "Glossary" as a level 2 header.
The «p» code is used before all variables and definitions.
End the glossary with the «/gloss» code.
«gloss»
«h2»Glossary«/h2»
«p»Aav
«p»Aortic valve area (cm2)
«p»Amv
«p»Mitral valve area (cm2)
«h2»Subheading Within the Glossary«/h2»
«p»Ωra
«p»Right arterial viscoelastance (mmHg•s•ml«minus»1)
«/gloss»
This is my preferred method. First, I write out, on the yellow style sheet, all of the variables that I encounter and their definitions (hopefully; sometimes, they aren't all defined). Then, I open up a new document in Word. I type out the variables, followed by a hard return, and then put them in alphabetical order. Definitions are written on their own line after the variable; if there is no definition, I put in "Please supply." Definitions are initial capped. The document is then saved on my computer, and I e-mail a copy to the author for their approval. After the author's input has been incorporated, I add «p» codes to the Glossary, select and copy the entire document, open up the manuscript file, and paste in the Glossary. Quick, easy, and relatively painless.