Publication Planning and Printing

Here are some guidelines to consider when planning and printing publications with help from the Office of University Communications.

• Allow six weeks between the time you submit all copy for design and layout and your requested date of completion. Large jobs may require more than six weeks notice.
• Complete a publications request form to aid as a checklist for all the necessary information required to begin your project.
• Consult with the University Communications staff for editorial and production advice early in your project if you are unsure about any of the University's publication policies
• It is best for each department to write the material for each publication, when possible, to better expedite the planning and printing process.
• Jobs will not be sent to printer/vendor prior to obtaining a purchase order number.

Working with a Graphic Designer

This is a collaborative process. Respect the designer's expertise and understand that this is a team effort. To minimize errors, give the graphic designer the copy saved on a disk (include a paper copy) as a Word document. Copy is reviewed by our editors. Be aware that editing and text changes are part of the process.

Format

After consulting with the Office of University Communications about your publication, the graphic designer will fit your text and photos into a format. Changes at this point can add hours of work for the graphic designer. Copy-fitting is a precise, exacting job, adding or deleting copy can ripple through the document and cause changes on each page.

Proofreading

Proof the job carefully before it goes to the printer. If possible, ask someone unfamiliar with the copy to help you. In particular, look at dates, phone numbers, anything which would be disastrous if wrong. It is much cheaper to make changes now than to reprint later.

Printing Policy

Publications vary widely in cost, depending on format, design, amount of text, number of copies needed, photos, type and weight of paper, type of binding and number of ink colors. Costs may be lowered dramatically by designing your piece to fit a standard printing press size; however, we prefer that printing jobs required by any of the University's offices, schools, departments or programs be submitted to the Publications staff in the Office of University Communications. Our staff prepares job specifications, submits them for bidding and coordinates work with the vendor. This policy excludes printing done in the University Duplicating Office.

Printing Proof

Printers will show you a photographic proof of your high resolution output. If your department works closely with a printer for any project there are some things to keep in mind when proofing. Sometimes when the job is output from the disk, the type can get shifted or certain elements may not appear (borders, pieces of type, screens). Check to make sure the piece folds correctly and the image is facing the right direction when it folds. The printer will charge extra for any changes needed at this point in the process.

Questions to Ask When Planning a Publication

Whether the job is a simple invitation or a multi-page booklet, production can be more complicated than you might think. The world of printing is constantly changing, and new technologies are developing every year. Your publication may lend itself to being produced on a desktop publishing program and printed by a quick print shop. Or it may require the services of a graphic designer, photo imaging editor and a high quality multicolor printer.

The following questions are to ensure that all University publications are of the highest quality possible and conform to the standards set forth in this guide.

• What is the purpose of the publication? Is it a promotional piece, or an informational piece?
• What is the message to be communicated?
• Who is the audience? What is the audience's age, education, background, experience and reading level?
• What do you want the audience to do after reading your publication?
• What does the audience know about your institution? What should it know?
• What type of publication will be most effective? Announcement/flyer, invitation, brochure, magazine, newsletter, poster, postcard, other?
• How is the publication to be used? Will the publication work alone or is it part of a series?
• How will the publication be distributed? Will it be distributed by hand or will it be mailed? Will it be a self-mailer? Will it be mailed first class or bulk rate?
• How many copies are needed?
• When are they needed?
• What is the budget for this publication?
• Who will be paying for the publication?
• Who will write the copy?
• Are there photos or other artwork available? Is there enough time to take new photos or to prepare illustrations or other artwork? Is there a budget for photography?
• What are the expectations on this job? Inexpensive or more costly paper? One color of ink? Two colors? Four colors?
• How can you cut costs without losing effectiveness?
• What approvals are required before the publication can be printed? Content? Editorial? Design? Budget? U.S. Postal Service?