Information for Online Contributors:

• Contributors should create an account at http://mypage.iammodern.com to which they should link all articles that they contribute.
  • This will bolster participation in the I Am Modern MyPage community as well as facilitate interaction between contributors and interested readers.
• Contributors should include the date and year of publication of all articles that are published to the I Am Modern website.
  • Date and year should be included as “Month, Year” following the author’s name in the “Author Alias” entry field in the Article Parameters section.
  • For example: Contri Butor, June, 2010
• Contributors should tag all articles with appropriate and relevant Metadata Information including a brief description of the article and content based keywords.
  • In addition to several content based keywords, contributors should include the following keywords in all tags: I Am Modern Magazine, Lifestyle Magazine, Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Women’s Interests
  • Tagging articles with meaningful Metadata provides online search engines with more information about your article. This increases the likelihood that interested readers will find your article through a broader variety of sources.
• Contributors should create accounts at the following social bookmarking websites and bookmark all contributions:
  • digg.com
  • stumbleupon.com
  • diigo.com
  • delicious.com
  • These services increase the likelihood that interested internet users will find your contributions.

IAM MODERN Style Notes: FOR AUTHORS
The correct formatting of your document is encouraged. We will edit to ensure consistency of style, ease of reading and adherence to word counts. Once accepted for publication (in either the magazine or online), your article will not be returned to you for final approval, so please make sure it says what you want it to say and that all facts are checked before submission.

Include at top of page: Full name of author, word count, suggestion for a headline and sub headline (or the subject matter of the article), author’s contact info (email/phone), and contact number of sources cited in text.

Visual Elements
• Feel free to submit all visual elements you feel will help with your story and make sure all credit is correctly given (or needed).
• If photo is used indicate: PHOTO COURTESY OF and whether permission is given (or needed)
• Submitted images should be 300dpi (hi res) at 100% print size (preferably full page size), but
at least 5x7.

Author’s Info
• All bios of writers appear at end of article and should be no longer than 30-40 words, including contact info.
• Bios should be in third person
• Include a headshot and since it will be small in size, do not use pictures taken

Article Length ( for Magazine )
( If assigned, please discuss length with editorial staff )
• Full page with photo=approximately 450 words (see attached)
• Please do not exceed the maximum word count. The article will DEFINITELY be revised and
our revisions to reduce the piece may cut out something important
• Word count does not include personal information, headline or subheading
• REMEMBER: article will not be returned for final approval

Copy Format
• Single-spaced
• MS Word preferred
• 1 space after all punctuations. Including periods.
• Remove all hyperlinks from text before submitting
• Submit all copy as attachments (not email body)

General Style Points
• Periods instead of dashes for phone numbers, including after area code 703.555.1212
• Web addresses: Leave off http and www.
• Italicize Book Titles
• Use commas sparingly. Do not use a commas before 'and' or ‘or’. i.e.: Children, teachers and parents will benefit. (Note that there are exceptions for reasons of sense. There were lots of pies including beef, apple and plum, and pork.)
• When using a quote, punctuations belong within the quote: i.e. “I didn’t know what to do,” she said.
• Do not put commas after question marks, even when they would be separated by quotation marks: "What do you think, Professor?" he asked.
• Lists of Places (restaurants, shopping, etc.), should appear as follows:

Name of Place
Address
City, State
Phone number
Website

• An apostrophe is used to indicate a contraction or possession. Do not use an apostrophe to indicate multiple numbers (i.e. She lived in the 1960s)
• Use an apostrophe with plural single letters (dot your i’s and cross your t’s)
• Limit use of bulleted or numbered lists

Saving Your File
• Save your file as follows: YOUR LAST NAME (dash) Identifying Name of Article

• RHODES-Measuring School Readiness in Young Children
• Make sure you sign and return the attached "Submission Release Form"


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