Reproducibility & Formatting

 

  • Reproducible documents are the key to effective dissemination of scientific and technical information. The information is only as good as its delivery medium, therefore reproducibility is a critical aspect of the selection process. Evaluation of reproducibility is tied both to the type of delivery medium and the formatting of the contents. Guidance on formats for technical report submission is provided in Chapter 5 of the DTIC Contributors Handbook.

  • The activity responsible for primary distribution of documents by electronic means must take positive steps to ensure that DTIC is capable of receiving the data by that means and in an intelligible form. Details on electronic document su bmissions are available on the Electronic Submissions page.

  • Clear reproduction of documents is dependent on quality of originals. Each media type accepted may be reproduced in one or more media output types. Media formatting options for both nput and output are described below:

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    Print Media Formats

     

    INPUT

    DTIC accepts print media documents in various formats, including the recommended ANSI/NISO Standard Z39.18, Scientific and Technical Reports - Preparation, Presentation, and Preservation, available to download:

  • Z39.18 provides explicit guidance on the preparation of reports in the traditional print environment. Included are directions on the bibliographic data elements that should appear on the cover and title page of a report, a description of the scope of each section of a report and instruction on the most effective communication of textual and visual information and tabular materials.

  • Recommendations on publication formats, the use of figures and tables, the presentation of numbers and units, formulas and equations, and symbols, abbreviations and acronyms are also given.

  • Z39.18 supersedes MIL-STD-847B and is approved for use by the Department of Defense (DoD). The current revision of Z39.18-1987 includes de facto document type definitions (DTDs) to describe the structure of reports so the document can be electronically processed using document imaging, OCR, compression/decompression, and optical media storage of full text.

    • Important formatting points to remember for DTIC print media submissions:

  • Documents should be of sufficient graphic quality to permit scanning and reproduction of legible copies. Line work, charts, tables and graphs should be sharp and clear and of consistent density. Graphics should be of sufficient size as to be clearly legible when reproduced.

  • Text documents should be in the form of black characters on white paper (pref. 8 1/2 x 11 in.).

  • Print documents should be complete and properly paginated.

  • Avoid dark paper stock and color ink or images if possible.

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    OUTPUT
    Print media documents are reproduced and distributed in paper, on microfiche, and online (PDF file format).

    Electronic Media Formats

     

    INPUT
    Electronic digital files may be submitted online or on removable media, in the following file formats:

    Note: Suggested file size is under 100 Megabytes. If you have larger files to submit, please contact DTIC at tr@dtic.mil for instructions.

     

    OUTPUT
    Electronic media documents are reproduced online (PDF file format), in paper, and in microfiche.

     

    Nonprint Media Formats

     

    INPUT
    DTIC accepts the nonprint media described in the previous section. If selected, virtually all digital file formats on nonprint media can be reproduced. Digital formats listed below are recommended for expeditious processing and customer use. Videotape is only accepted in the formats listed.


    Videotape

  • VHS Format (1/2 inch VHS, 3/4 inch U-matic)

    Diskettes and CD-ROM

  • Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Presentation Files
    Microsoft Products (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint) are the standard for DoD report production. All of these file formats are accepted and reproduced. Other word processing and spreadsheet formats should be converted or readily convertable to MS Office suite formats.

  • ASCII text files.

  • Software/Application Files
    Proprietary Software: Freeware and shareware software formats and source code are accepted and reproduced with appropriate restrictions.

  • Database Files
    dBaseV and MS Access files.

  • Image Files (JPG, GIF, Bitmaps, etc.)

  • Audio Files

  • Video Files (MOV, MPG)

  • Audio-Video Interleave (AVI)

  • Compressed/Zipped Files
    Files zipped with 'WinZip' or 'pkunzip.'

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    OUTPUT
    In general, nonprint media products are reproduced in kind, in the same media and format as received. Those documents that are text-only (black & white, no multimedia elements) received on removable media will be made available electronically as downloadable PDF files, unless the contributor specifically states that they want distribution on removable media.

     

    Multimedia File Formats

    Multimedia items are usually complex and can be a mix of print and/or electronic media, formats, and file types. Usually CD-ROM-based, they may consist of a mix of file formats in combination or text files with embedded color, links, etc. Multimedia products are usually evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and when selected may include:

  • Color Print and Photographic Image Files

  • Sound Recordings and Files

  • Charts, Maps, Graphs, Drawings, Tables

  • Other Graphic Images and Vector Image Files

  • Video Recordings and Files

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    Other Formats

    New file types and formats will be added to these criteria as needed. Contact the Nonprint Program Manager with questions about formatting nonprint products.