Bridge design & engineering is happy to consider editorial contributions from specialists working in the industry, and welcomes ideas for timely, appropriate and in particular, exclusive articles. We also welcome press releases relevant to the sector.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently-asked questions:

Q What kind of information are you looking for?

A We have two main criteria: firstly that it should be appropriate to the international bridge industry. Secondly, that it should relate to something which is happening now, or which has very recently finished. Projects do not necessarily have to be on a large scale, but they should contain some element that is of interest to the international industry. For example, use of a new technique or a new material; or planning, design, construction or maintenance of a new or existing bridge. Any case studies should be currently under way, or completed within the last three months. We also accept press releases about contract awards, personnel news, project milestones, new products, company acquisitions, financial results, rebranding and so on.

Q What should I do if I have an idea for a feature?

A Email the editor (j.sanchez@hgluk.com) with a synopsis of your proposed article. Please include the start and completion dates (predicted dates if it is still being planned or designed); launch dates of any new products; please also note whether your article has been previously published elsewhere or whether you are sending it to any other magazines. We will assume that press releases are being circulated to all unless you state otherwise.

Q What format do you want the information in?

A We can accept most types of files, but the ideal is Microsoft Word or a similar word processing software. Files should have the minimum of formatting. We can extract copy from PDF files, but it takes a lot more work to bring it into a usable format, so please send as a Word document wherever possible.

Q Do you want images too? If so, in what format?

A Yes, images are welcome. You should send them AS SEPARATE PICTURE FILES. Please do not embed them in the Word or PDF file, they should be sent as JPG, GIF, TIF, etc. We cannot accept specialist formats from CAD programs – you should output images as standard picture formats from any design or analysis software. If they are very large files, or there are a lot of them, please send thumbnails in the first instance, and let the editor request high-resolution versions, or send them via a file-sharing website such as WeTransfer, Dropbox or similar. We can also download images from your FTP site.

Q How big should the images be?

A They should be at least 12cm wide, preferably wider, and should be at least 150dpi resolution at this size, preferably higher. The higher the resolution, the better they will look on the printed page. Don’t forget that even though they may look fine on your computer screen, our print resolution is much higher.

Q How many words and pictures should I send?

A This is decided on a case-by-case basis for longer articles – the editor will issue you with a word-count, deadline and picture request after receiving your synopsis. For press releases and product information, a maximum of 800 words is recommended, with two or three images at most.

Q Do I need to write picture captions?

A You are welcome to write picture captions, they should be kept short and to the point. If you do not send captions, we will write them for you, or will request captions if it is not clear what the picture is.

Q What about copyright of pictures?

A When you are submitting photos or images with an article, you MUST ensure that any copyright issues have been resolved and that they are cleared for publication before sending them. We are happy to print photographer credits or acknowledgements, please submit them with the images.

Q What is your deadline?

A It takes four weeks to lay out the magazine, proof all the pages, prepare it for press and have it printed and delivered, so our deadlines are usually well in advance of publication date. For press releases, it is usually best to ensure we have copy and images at least six weeks before publication date. We can accept them nearer the time, but as a general rule, the earlier they are submitted, the more chance they have of finding a slot in the available space.

Q Do we have to pay for publication of our press release?

A No. Bridge design & engineering has a very strict policy of keeping advertising and editorial separate. This means that you DO NOT have to buy an advertisement in order for your article or press release to be published. However it also means that buying an advertisement DOES NOT automatically entitle you to editorial space. ALL editorial contributions are considered in terms of their relevance, quality, and whether they refer to current or timely projects; if they meet our criteria, and space permits, they will be published.

Q Can I approve the article before publication?

A When articles are attributed to individuals, the author(s) will be sent an edited version of the article before publication, for their comments. This enables them to ensure no factual errors have been introduced during the editing process. When the edited version is returned to you, you will be given a final deadline for comments – if you do not respond by this time, it will be assumed that you have no comments to make.

We do not supply page layouts prior to publication.

Q Can my article have multiple authors?

A Yes, we recognise that articles about projects often involve the cooperation of authors from multiple companies, however we ask that you restrict this to three as a maximum. 

Q My client needs to approve the article before publication. Will you send it to them?

A Any approvals you need to acquire should be arranged BEFORE you submit the article to us. Please remember that the contract is between you and your client, it is not enforceable on Bd&e. You are welcome to submit the edited version to your client, however we cannot allocate any extra time for you to acquire this approval. You will be responsible for collating all comments and submitting a single response to the editor.

You should also remember that changes may subsequently be made to the article to ensure it meets our house-style rules and to enable it to fit the space available. 

Q Are there any style notes I should follow?

A The main thing you should remember is to write in article format, rather than ‘report’ format. There is no need to separate your article into introduction, conclusion etc – you should just write it as if you are telling a story. Authors should also note that all articles have to conform to our ‘house style’ for consistency. For example this means we use English spelling, metric units, US dollars as the main currency, and so on. All copy is edited by us to the same format, so there is no need to worry unduly about style, you just need to understand why certain changes are made.

Q Can I approve the page layout?

A No. Decisions on picture choice and usage, headlines, layout and so on are the responsibility of the editor and designer. If you have an order of preference for images, please include it at the beginning of your article. However we reserve the right to overrule your preference if the quality of images is poor. If time allows, we will advise you if the image quality is poor, and give you as much time as we can to acquire better images but this is not always possible.

Q How do I get additional copies of the magazine?

A All named authors and anyone submitting press information that is used will receive a copy of the magazine containing their article. One or two additional copies may be requested from the editor. For larger quantities, please contact the editor, or our customer services department (customer@hgluk.com) to purchase extra copies. We will happily agree a discount for five additional copies or more, or we may recommend that you take advantage of our reprint service.

Q You haven’t answered my question! Whom should I contact?

A Email the editor j.sanchez@hgluk.com