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Definitions
of Characteristics to be Evaluated
Originality is a measure of the creativity
or inventiveness of the author. That which has never before been
accomplished is obviously original. In the review process, however,
originality must be interpreted not only in the sense of a new
physical creation, but must include such items as new concepts,
techniques, methods, or applications. It describes the work of
one whose creativity has given rise to a new concept; it is applicable
to the analyst who, through the generation of new analytical techniques
or through an unusual application of classical techniques, obtain
solutions to engineering problems; it describes the inventiveness
of an experimentalist in the design, construction, and use of
novel and unique equipment to obtain data not previously available.
Originality then is an attribute of the author's work that is
earned by specific contributions to the field. Originality is
a standard by which the author's work will be known. The measure
of originality of the reported work will be determined by the
reviewers and will be based upon what is known of past and current
developments in this specific field.
The significance of the reported work may be difficult
to appraise. What is considered to be of little significance
today may be very significant in future years. As we read a
manuscript, however, either consciously or unconsciously we
do measure the significance of the material. This evaluation,
either subtle or planned, is made in the light of what we know
about the subject matter. It is normal to ask the questions,
"Why was this work done?" and "What is the significance of the
work as it relates to a particular technical field?" The reviewer
is held to be an expert in this field and it is his/her responsibility
to make a subjective evaluation of the importance or worth of
the reported work. You must judge, to the best of your ability,
the merit or value of another's contribution.
The completeness of the reported work refers to the
oneness or wholeness of the work. In this usage, the reported
work should be marked by a unity and continuity of parts and
should show an interdependence between these parts. As an example,
an experimental program would be marked by a concept or phenomenon
that was to be investigated, the formulation of an experiment,
the design, build-up and check-out of experimental equipment,
the running the test, the gathering and interpretation of data,
and the establishment of conclusions. Each of these parts has
a completeness of its own and yet there is an interdependence
between them and no part can be missing without destroying to
a certain extent the integrity of the entire work. The reported
work should exhibit a level of accomplishment that comes from
thoughtful and scholarly ability to formulate and pursue a technical
program at a professional level.
Acknowledgment of the work of others by references
is to be expected in a well prepared technical paper. Such a
recognition is not merely a courtesy, it is a valued content
showing how the current work is related to work already accomplished.
The references should be both adequate in number and accurate
in content. Such a documentation shows the author's familiarity
with the work of others and also serves as an aid to the reader
who may desire to learn more of the subject the author is discussing.
It is obviously not necessary or appropriate to reference all
known work, but a judicious choice of pertinent papers should
be given.
The organization of the manuscript is extremely important
if the reader is to understand the work of the author. Ideas
are most effectively communicated when there is a carefully
planned and logical structure in the manuscript. Some of the
specific criteria on the organization of a paper are outlined
briefly below:
- Title Brief, descriptive.
- Abstract Clear indication of object, scope and results.
- Index Terms A short set of keywords that can be
used to access the information.
- Body of Paper Logical organization; purpose, description
of problem, means of solution, results, and conclusions.
- Symbols Use of recommended symbols; unusual symbols
adequately defined.
- Bibliography Listed at end of paper, in IEEE format;
sufficiently complete.
- Illustrations Clear black and white glossy prints
of all line drawings, graphs and photographs. Graphs should
be free of all lines and lettering that are not essential
and coordinate rulings should be limited in number for the
sake of clarity.
- Length Should not exceed about 6000 words (20 pages
of double-spaced typing); conciseness is a goal.
- Style The paper should be well written, conform
to recognized standards of literary style, and be readily
understandable to engineers in the field of interest of the
paper. Nationalisms should be avoided.
Clarity in writing, tables, graphs and illustrations cannot
be overemphasized. A technical article is written to convery
ideas to the reader and this end will only be achieved when
the author uses the right choice of words, effective sentence
structure, correct spelling and punctuation, and paragraphing.
The author must also show accuracy and skill in the use of formulae,
graphs, and diagrams since these exist to complement the written
text. Since English is the publication language of this Transactions,
you may wish to assist the author for whom English is a second
language by suggesting rewording and alternate sentence structure.
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