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Figures

Figures should be submitted for review as high-resolution (600 dpi) JPEG or TIFF files. Be prepared to submit final figures in the native, editable format (e.g., Excel files for figures created in Microsoft Excel) during production editing (after the article has been accepted for publication). Figure revisions may be required during review or production editing. Number figures consecutively in the text; if an article has only 1 figure, do not number it. References in figures are ordered according to the first citation of the figure in text.

Figure Formatting

Figures are usually printed at 1 column width, or 3.3" (8.4 cm); text should be set in Arial at a size that will be legible at that width (do not use boldface). Rarely, if a figure is wide and short, it may be presented at the width of 2 columns (6.7").

Omit unnecessary boxes and borders in graphs. Capitalize only the first letter of the first word of an axis title, label, or key entry, and omit unnecessary words (%, not "Percent of total"). Align all text horizontally except labels on vertical axes.

Use of Color in Figures

Graphs and line art should be set in black and white (or grayscale). If color is essential to the meaning of the figure, additional colors may be used in the following order: red, blue, green, gold, purple, orange, brown, dark pink. Avoid light or pastel colors. Color can never be used in letters; however, a color version of a black-and-white print figure may be provided online.

Legends

Figure legends should be self-explanatory and should stand alone. Capitalize the first letter of the legend and include a period at the end. Place a minimum of text in the figure and use the legend for lengthier explanations. Place the legend in the article's text file, after references and tables. Spell out terms even if they have been introduced in the text. Terms may be abbreviated in the figure if they are defined in the legend.

Additional Information:

Manuscript preparation: Figures
Formatting Tables

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Comments to the EID Editors

Please contact the EID Editors at eideditor@cdc.gov

The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.

This page posted January 29, 2009
This page last reviewed August 12, 2009

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