6666 West Quincy Avenue
Denver, CO 80235-3098 T 303.794.7711
F 303.795.7603
www.awwa.org
AWWA Tool Kit
for Standards Manuals (Revisions & New Topics)
Table of Contents
1. Standards Manual Development Timeline
2. 12 Steps towards a Successful Manual Revision
3. Product Analysis for a New AWWA Manual
4. 12 Steps towards a Successful New Manual
5. Top 6 Pitfalls in AWWA Manual of Practice Development
6. The Art of Writing by Committee
7. AWWA Style Guide for Manuals of Practice
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 1
Standards Manual Development Timeline
Standards manuals of practice are now on a 6-7 year revision cycle.
START: New edition of
Standards manual is published
or new topic idea is proposed
Receive
complimentary copy
of new edition
Periodic Event
Duration
~1 month
Meet to decide when
next edition should
Periodic Event
Duration
~1 week
Inform ETS staff
Periodic Event
Duration
3 years
Volunteers or
Propose new
topic idea
be published and
when to start OR if
manual should be
sunset or reaffirmed
Default is 7 years*
when next
manuscript will be
delivered
Assume 7 years*
New manual Work on manual
Send to AWWA
staff for balloting
Next edition of manual
Periodic Event
Duration
Periodic Event
Duration
ETS Staff
3 yrs after last edition was published
Prompt
subcommittee to
start revision
Follow-up
on regular
basis to
check
progress
~4 months
Ballot
Committee &
Standards Council
Hand off manual to
technical editor
Publications
Staff
Periodic Event
Duration
Staff informs
subcommittee that
AWWA is placing
final order of current
edition, based on
subcommittee’s
work status
Production of
manual
Periodic Event
Duration
~9 months
~6 years after last edition was published
Total Time Frame: 6-7 years
*If gap is shorter, timeline
will be adjusted.
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 2
AWWA Manuals of Practice under the Standards Council 12 Steps
towards a Successful Manual Revision
Revisions:
1. One month after the manual is printed, the committee decides when to begin the next revision1,
understanding the next edition must be published in 6-7 years.
2. When appropriate, staff prompts committee chair to assign someone to be chair of a sub- committee
whose responsibility is the manual of practice. The committee and sub- committee chair assembles
workgroup
3. Staff sends electronic files of manual chapters in MS Word to sub-committee.
4. Sub-committee meets to assign chapters. Creating an outline is useful at this step.
5. Sub-committee revises/updates content of manual.
6. To ensure the manual is coherent as a whole, it is suggested that a small editorial board (~3 people) be
assigned that will read the updated manual in its entirety. When manual is finalized, editorial board of 3
people reads manual in its entirety.
7. Sub-committee reaches consensus on the draft.
8. Sub-committee submits manuscript to AWWA.
9. Technical staff person (engineer) reviews manual. Sub-committee chair addresses comments
that arise.
10. Committee ballot – Allow 4 weeks for ballot
Unanimous vote by 2/3 membership of committee is needed
Any negative votes are resolved between the sub-committee chair and the ―no‖ responders,
Change text? Reballot? Withdraw negative?
Obtain proof of change to ―yes‖ vote
11. Standards Council ballot – Allow 4 weeks for ballot
Unanimous vote by 2/3 membership of council is needed
Any negative votes are resolved between the sub-committee chair and the ―no‖ responders,
Change text? Reballot? Withdraw negative?
Obtain proof of change to ―yes‖ vote
12. Staff hands off manual to AWWA publishing group, allow 9 months for publishing.
1 Committee can decide to reaffirm or sunset the manual
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 3
6666 West Quincy Avenue
Denver, CO 80235-3098 T 303.794.7711
F 303.795.7603
www.awwa.org
Product Analysis for a new AWWA Manual of Practice
If your AWWA committee would like to develop a brand new manual,
please answer the following questions and return to Molly Beach, AWWA
Manuals Specialist ([email protected]):
1. Why do water professionals need this manual?
2. Is the process/topic ―tried and true‖ enough to be developed as a manual?
3. Who is the market? Is the market narrow or broad?
4. How many pages do you anticipate for this manual? (an alternative
response can be: size will be approximately the same as an existing
manual – Mxx)
5. What other opportunities exist for sharing the content of this product?
(e.g., webcasts, eLearning, conference workshop)
6. What other internal or external publications cover this same content?
7. Who are the lead authors and what is their expertise? (Are they the people
who should be writing this manual?)
8. Is there any event or issue that could affect the delivery and marketing of
this manual? (e.g., a new edition of M19, Emergency Planning, would be
appropriate to release during hurricane season or near 9/11)
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 4
AWWA Manuals of Practice under the Standards Council
12 Steps towards a Successful New Manual
New Topics:
1. Committee decides to develop a new manual of practice. Chair assigns someone to lead a sub-committee
whose responsibility is the manual of practice. Committee & sub-committee chair recruit workgroup from
committee.
2. Sub-committee chair completes New Product Analysis form (enclosed in Toolkit) and returns to AWWA
staff.
3. Sub-committee develops outline and timetable.
4. Committee approves outline and timetable (by ballot).
5. Standards Council reviews request for new manual (including outline and timetable) and authorizes
development of new manual (by ballot or at SC meeting by vote).
6. Sub-committee develops content for draft manuscript.
7. Sub-committee reaches consensus on the draft.
8. To ensure the manual is coherent as a whole, it is suggested that a small editorial board (~3 volunteers) be
assigned that will read the draft manual in its entirety.
9. AWWA technical staff person (engineer) reviews manual. Sub-committee chair addresses comments that
arise.
10. Committee ballot – Allow 4 weeks for ballot
Unanimous vote by 2/3 membership of committee is needed
Any negative votes are resolved between the sub-committee chair and the ―no‖ responders, Change
text? Reballot? Withdraw negative?
Obtain proof of change to ―yes‖ vote
11. Standards Council ballot – Allow 4 weeks for ballot
Unanimous vote by 2/3 membership of council is needed
Any negative votes are resolved between the sub-committee chair and the ―no‖ responders, Change
text? Reballot? Withdraw negative?
Obtain proof of change to ―yes‖ vote
12. Staff hands off manual to AWWA publishing group, allow 9 months for publishing
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 5
6666 West Quincy Avenue
Denver, CO 80235-3098 T 303.794.7711
F 303.795.7603
www.awwa.org
Top 6 Pitfalls in AWWA Manual of Practice Development
1. Does the manual focus only on the United States? AWWA is a North American association, and our international membership is growing.
Please avoid writing a chapter from solely an American point of view. Use generic language
whenever possible and consider adding Canadian and international references when
discussing standards/regulations/policies. Avoid the use of ―national‖ and ―state‖ unless it is
intentional.
2. Have the authors obtained copyright releases for all artwork from
outside sources (photos, figures, tables, charts)? If artwork in the manual is from an outside source, AWWA must have permission to use the art in the manual. This means that the outside source must sign an AWWA
copyright release form. If artwork in the manual is author-generated, the author must also
sign an AWWA copyright release form.
3. Have the authors submitted the source files of all artwork? A source file is typically a jpeg, bitmap, tiff, Photoshop, or Excel spreadsheet. Our graphic
artists cannot use an image that was downloaded from the web, nor can they use an image
that is embedded in a Word document. Best practice is to send the source file to AWWA
staff AND embed the image in the Word document so the editor knows exactly where you
want the art to be placed.
4. Does each instance of cited material have a corresponding reference,
and does each reference have a corresponding in- text citation?
5. Have the references been updated? Make sure your references reflect the most recent date of that publication. For example, if
you are using Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, then make
sure to list the most current date of that reference (2005) instead of listing an old version
(1975).
6. Has a small group read the manual in its entirety? Designate a group of 3 to serve as an editorial board. The role of this group is to read the
manual in its entirety and ensure there is no repetition amongst chapters and that the book
flows as a whole.
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 6
6666 West Quincy Avenue
Denver, CO 80235-3098 T 303.794.7711
F 303.795.7603
www.awwa.org
AWWA Manual Writing Tips An AWWA manual is a consensus document containing principles, standard practices, and detailed
information on a technical or operational topic. A manual provides general guidance regarding
procedures to be followed in the implementation of drinking water processes, design and construction, or
the development of specific programs.
This is TECHNICAL WRITING.
#1 Challenge of Writing by Committee – there are often different authors for each chapter. Each
author has a different writing style. The role of the 3-person editorial committee is to review the
draft ―cover to cover‖ and help in these areas:
(1) making sure terms are used consistently throughout the manual;
(2) reducing redundancy across multiple chapters; and
(3) clarifying technical issues to make sure they are consistent across chapters and consistent with
the operations discussed
This review is important because the manual cannot be a series of standalone chapters but rather a
series of chapters that have consistency and ―flow.‖
Writing
1) Develop an annotated outline.
2) Start by writing what you know the most about in your chapter, and then build the other
sections around that area.
3) Set deadlines for interim progress milestones (outline, 1st
draft, 2nd
draft, etc)
Ideas for Headings within a Chapter
Introduction
Historical Perspectives
Overview of
Defining
Advantages and Disadvantages
Implementation & Administration
General Considerations
Summary
Multiple Authors
Divide chapter up by sections. Each author takes an equal number of sections. One author should
be elected as the primary author – that person’s name will appear first in authorship. Meet as a
group by phone periodically to compare notes and encourage progress.
Terminology
Agree on terminology to be used through the entire manual – reference AWWA Water
Dictionary.
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 7
6666 West Quincy Avenue
Denver, CO 80235-3098 T 303.794.7711
F 303.795.7603
www.awwa.org
AWWA Style Guide for Manuals of Practice
A manuscript must be submitted with the following sections:
1. Table of Contents
2. Foreword
3. Acknowledgments
4. List of Figures 5. List of Tables
6. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,… with references at the end of each chapter 7. Appendices (optional)
TEXT
1. Prepare and submit each chapter of the manual as its own Microsoft (MS) Word file,
version 2003 or higher, handwritten or hard-copy submissions will not be accepted.
2. Number all pages by chapter. For example, the pages in Chapter 3 would be numbered 3-1,
3-2, etc. The pages in Appendix A would be numbered A-1, A-2, etc.
3. The levels of headings within the text can follow the format below:
H1 (Heading 1) – ALL CAPS ON LINE BY ITSELF (Ex. THE WATER AUDIT)
H2– Initial Caps on Line by Itself (Ex. Unauthorized Consumption)
H3– Bold face, first word initial cap, run in with text (Ex. System equity.) H4– Italic, first word initial cap, run in with text (Ex. System assets.)
It is acceptable for authors to label each heading in their draft manuscript using the above
key (H1, H2, H3, H4).
4. The entire manual must be metricized, with the inch-pound unit of measure followed by the
metric unit (SI) in parentheses, UNLESS a metrication guide or table is supplied in an
appendix. SI stands for Systeme Internationale.
5. An index will be created by staff.
ARTWORK
1. Prepare and submit all art (photos, drawings, tables, charts, graphs, etc.) at the highest
resolution possible – at least 300 dpi (See Appendix A for acceptable graphics criteria).
2. The source file of the art (jpeg, bmp, tif, etc) must be submitted via e-mail or by uploading
the art to an AWWA ftp site if the file is too big. Contact AWWA staff for directions about
the ftp site (303.347.6208).
3. The only reason to embed your art in the chapter document is to show exactly where you want the
art to be situated. We must have the source file because the quality of the art degrades
substantially when it is embedded (it becomes unusable).
4. Photographs downloaded directly from websites are not graphically acceptable, even if you have
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 8
received permission to use the photograph.
5. Photocopies of art are not acceptable.
6. Authors may submit film slides. An AWWA graphic artist will scan the slides and then return
them to the author.
7. Authors may submit original illustrations. An AWWA graphic artist will scan the illustrations or
redraw them.
8. In preparing the manual, be cognizant of the amount of art in each chapter. Try to avoid having
numerous figures in one chapter and none in other chapters. Because a manual is typically
authored by several people, this will require coordination amongst the authors, typically
facilitated by the chair of the manual workgroup. TABLES
1. Number the tables by chapter. For example, the second table to appear in Chapter 3 would be
numbered Table 3-2. This number designation should be included with the table title.
2. All tables must have a title. A source must be listed if the table is not author-generated.
3. The source of each table should be fully referenced in the reference section, unless it is author-
generated.
4. Tables must be completely legible. Authors may need to provide source files for tables (MS Excel).
5. If tables are created in MS Word, they CAN BE embedded in the text – MS Word tables are
preferred. Otherwise, save your tables as individual files, like MS Excel, and send the file
electronically.
6. Please highlight the call-outs in the text to indicate where the tables should be included. An example
of a call-out is ―See Table 5.2.‖ The production editor will place a table as close as possible to the
call-out. FIGURES/GRAPHS
1. Number the figures by chapter. For example, the fourth figure to appear in Chapter 4 would be
numbered Figure 4-4. This number designation should be included with the figure caption.
2. All figures must include a caption. A source must be listed if the figure is not author-
generated. The source of each figure should appear after the caption.
3. The source of each figure must be fully referenced in the reference section, unless it is author-
generated.
4. Any notes or definitions pertaining to a figure should appear after the figure caption and source.
Figures must be completely legible.
5. Please highlight call-outs in the text to indicate where the figures should be included.
EQUATIONS
1. All equations should be centered on a separate line, apart from the main body of the text.
2. Number all equations by chapter, e.g., Eq. 6-1, Eq. 6-2, etc.
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 9
3. Use a ―where list‖ to define variables in equations; for example,
a + b = c where:
a = apples
b = bananas c = carrots
4. Greek letters and other symbols are easily confused with Roman letters; if these symbols must be
handwritten in the manuscript, be sure to create a key defining these symbols. BIBLIOGRAPHIES AND REFERENCES
1. A bibliography includes the titles used by the author to prepare the manuscript. The bibliography
should be arranged alphabetically, not numerically. Bibliographies are used more frequently in the
humanities vs. the scientific field.
2. References are specific titles used by the author and cited in the text (a reference-citation- style
project). Refer to the Chicago Manual of Style for correct formats. Some common examples are
below:
Book Smith, J.A and B.C. Jones. 2009. AWWA book. Denver, Colo.: AWWA.
(Author. Year. Book title. City and state of publisher: publisher.)
Journal/Periodical Smith, J.A. 2009. Nanotechnology. Journal AWWA. 51:23-30. (Author. Year. Article title. Name of periodical. Volume #: page numbers.)
Web AWWA. Title of paper, article, etc. http://www.awwa.org (accessed October 8, 2010). Note:
access date should be included because URLs do become obsolete. (Organization. Title of
paper, article. Full URL. Date accessed.)
3. Make sure each instance of cited material has a corresponding reference, and each reference has a
corresponding in-text citation.
4. Make sure your references reflect the most recent date of that publication. For example, if you are
using Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, then make sure to list the
most current date of that reference (2005) instead of listing an old version (1975).
COPYRIGHT RELEASES
1. The author is responsible for obtaining copyright releases of ALL materials. If you own the
artwork that you submit, you must still complete a copyright release form (See Appendix B).
2. The original signed release form must be submitted to AWWA, along with any credit line
requested by the copyright owner. EDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Mechanics of the text, i.e. grammar, hyphenation, use of abbreviations, table format.
2. Style – AWWA style guide plus Chicago Manual of Style.
3. Comparison of callouts and text discussion of tables and figures.
4. Editor will read every word, sentence, and paragraph for clarity and readability.
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 10
5. Editor will query where appropriate.
6. Compositor will format page layout, tables, and figures.
7. Editor will file with Library of Congress.
COMMITTEE’S RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Make sure the information is correct and consistent.
2. Make sure tables and figures are labeled correctly.
3. Use correct head levels for headers.
4. Review Glossary – editor will be using as a reference.
5. Don’t worry about formatting tables – production has templates. Just make sure
information is correct.
6. Please be sure to cite any sources for tables and figures. We must get copyright permission to use.
OTHER
1. Footnotes should be symbols (*, +) in order of appearance. They should be listed at the bottom
of the page on which they are referenced, not at the end of the chapter.
2. Numbered footnotes should not be used as text citations. Use reference citations, e.g.
(AWWA 2011).
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 11
Appendix A
Acceptable and Unacceptable Graphic Files for Print
Rule of Thumb: Please submit graphic files that are of the highest resolution possible.
It is easier for a graphic artist to start with a high resolution graphic than to start with a
low-resolution graphic.
Acceptable Graphic Files for Print
Bitmap—300 dpi or higher (.bmp)
Vector Graphics—typically Illustrator (.eps, .ai) files
JPEG —300 dpi or higher (.jpg)
TIFF—300 dpi or higher (.tif)
PostScript®—300 dpi or higher (.ps, .prn)
Adobe PDF —(.pdf) as PDF/X1a:2001
Photoshop —300 dpi (.psd)
Illustrator —(.ai)
CAD—(.dwg)
Native Excel files—(.xls)
Original photos for scanning
Original slides for scanning
Original illustrations for scanning
Unacceptable Graphic Files for Print
Artwork embedded in MS Word—(.doc)
Artwork embedded in an e-mail
MS PowerPoint—(.ppt)
GIF—(.gif)
Any artwork downloaded from a Web site
PDF files made from copiers or MS Word.
Photocopies
Scans or copies of printed pieces
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 12
Appendix B
RELEASE OF MATERIAL FOR PUBLICATION
The American Water Works Association (―AWWA‖) is developing a publication titled (insert title) (the
―Publication‖) and asks your assistance in providing the material described below (the ―Material‖) for use in
the Publication. In order to use the Material, we need to be assured that we are fully authorized to do so. We
therefore request that you, the below-named supplier of the Material (the ―Supplier‖) complete and sign the
following form authorizing AWWA to use, copy, modify, disseminate, and publish the Material.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The undersigned Supplier hereby grants to AWWA a royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual,
irrevocable, world-wide right and license to use, reproduce, modify, disseminate, combine with other
materials, prepare derivative works based on, and publish the Material identified below, in whole or
in part, in the Publication and in any other publication of AWWA, in any medium, and in any
language. In consideration of the grant of these rights to AWWA, AWWA will credit Supplier with
having provided the Material in each instance where AWWA publishes the Material.
The undersigned Supplier represents and warrants that the grant of these rights to AWWA, as well as
the content of the Material, will not violate the rights of any third party, and that Supplier has the
requisite authority to grant these rights to AWWA. The Supplier agrees to indemnify, defend, and
hold AWWA, its directors, officers, employees, and agents harmless against any claims that allege
breach of any of the foregoing representations and warranties. Supplier understands that the grant of
rights to AWWA does not obligate AWWA to use or publish the Material.
Specific identification of the Material (brief description; title; when and where previously published, if
applicable; copy of Material attached):
Credit line to be published by AWWA (please note any desired changes):
Name, address, e-mail address, and phone number of Supplier (please print or type):
Signature of Supplier or authorized representative:
Signature:
Title: Date:
AWWA Tool Kit for Standards Manuals 13