Cover of Semiotics

Semiotics

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The Semiotics yearbook provides an overview of current developments in semiotic research and a regular outlet for SSA members to publish aspects of their current work. Although priority in consideration for publication is given to revised papers originally presented by SSA members at the annual conference, any member may submit a paper for peer-review prior to the annual November 30 deadline. Submissions and related inquiries should be sent to Geoffrey R. Owens via email.

The Semiotic Society of America has its own style sheet for its publications. Authors should refer to this style sheet when preparing manuscripts for submission.

Please pay close attention to the unique principle of the historical layering of sources, explained further below and in the SSA style sheet.

Format Requirements

Manuscripts are to be submitted electronically in standard word processing format (.rtf, .doc, .docx and .odt formats are acceptable) with an accompanying pdf file for verification of formatting. The Documents should be double-spaced throughout, with at least 1 inch margins, using 11 point type size for text, 10 point for extracts (block quotes) and References, and 9 point for footnotes.

Manuscripts may be divided as appropriate into sections with descriptive headings—but not numbers alone. Single quote marks are to be used for quoted material within double quotes; brackets are to be used within parentheses; and italics are to be used (sparingly) for emphasized expressions and terminology from other languages.

Line drawings (labelled as “Figures” in the text) and other images (also labelled as “Figures” in the text) are to be inserted directly into the text with careful in-text introductions, consecutively numbered titles (e.g., “Figure 1”) and adequately descriptive captions. Tables should be numbered consecutively and labelled with adequately descriptive captions.

Tables and Figures must be discussed in-text via direct reference to the Table or Figure title in question (e.g., “as illustrated in Table 2…”). Avoid referring to the “preceding” or “following” Table or Figure, since the original position may be shifted in the final typesetting process.

Footnotes should be used instead of endnotes and should be kept to an absolute minimum.

Only verbatim materials should be placed in quotes. If punctuation is not part of the original material, it should be placed outside of the quotation.

References, Citations and the Principle of Historical Layering

References must add the refinement of historical layering to the current scientific practice. That is to say, references should be cited in the text by giving, all within parentheses: the name of the author(s) and the year according to which the work cited from called the source work is properly located within the lifetime of the author who produced it, followed by a colon, a space, and the specific page number(s) of the actual volume according to which the citation is made the access volume when these are called for.

Accordingly, in those cases where source work and access volume differ, the relation of the two including any discrepancy of dates and publishers, and mediator between source and access where there is the added discrepancy of language (i.e., the special case of translations), and whatever additional information or glosses seem useful is given in the list of references at the end of the manuscript. This list is to be arranged alphabetically by last name of authors, all in capital letters.

Once again, authors are expected to pay explicit and systematic attention to the distinction between source works and access works in their manuscripts. This is what is primarily meant by the "principle of historical layering”, and it is the essence of the SSA Style Sheet.

Please refer to the SSA Style Sheet (above) for further information and clarification regarding formatting requirements.