Preparing your Documents

Guidelines for sending work to us

Because we are a ready to print service, good quality originals give the best quality reproduction. The following points will help you prepare a better original.

When material is forwarded to Murdoch Print for printing it is necessary for it to comply with the following requirements.

Murdoch University has a corporate style that needs to be followed. Information can be found at http://about.murdoch.edu.au/style or for further information contact Murdoch Design on 9360 6345/2353.

1. Original Material

All work should be in a "ready-to-print" format. Please do not supply copy in A5 size if this material is to be reproduced as A4 size. It should be copied to A4 size before being sent for printing.

2. Margins

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

Original material must allow for margins of a specific minimum size. These margins are needed to allow for machine operation and binding and trimming once the material has been printed.

This includes pasting work onto A4 paper: please do not position to the left or right, centre the work only.

The minimum size which must be allowed for all margins - Top, Bottom, Left and Right is 20mm.

3. Page Numbers

It is important to number all the pages of any material sent to Murdoch Print. If for some reason you do not wish to have page numbers on the finished product would you please hand write numbers on the back of the pages in pencil. This helps Murdoch Print in a number of ways, the main ones being:

1. Easier to check that all pages are there and none are missing;
2. Murdoch Print staff have to number all material received without page numbers to ensure the work is compiled and printed out in the correct order. This takes up additional time.

Where page numbers are included these should be placed in the centre of the top or bottom of the page, not at the corners.

4. Photocopied Material

When supplying photocopies of material for printing please ensure that it is free of any black shadowing, also pasted up material should be done securely, especially around the edges to avoid printing/photocopying jamming. Use only invisible tape. Any material received with this problem may be returned for correction. This not only causes you a delay with your job and holds up the Murdoch Print work schedule, but also could increase your costs.

5. Borders on Printing

Please avoid the use of heavy black borders on any original material. When these are included the ink cannot dry fast enough and this causes problems. The copies stick to the machine rollers. as well as one another, and create hold-ups which result in delays and reduce the printing time available to Murdoch Print.

6. Unit Material - Unit Numbers

Murdoch Print receive some unit materials for printing which either have no reference to a unit number or it is inside the book on the opening page(s). This unit number is a valuable reference for the Library, Murdoch Print, Mailroom, and also Bookshop staff and we ask all unit co-ordinators to ensure that this number is quoted and is clearly shown on the OUTSIDE COVER of any material.

7. Bibliography

Where applicable a bibliography page must be included with unit material master copies and quote the followinf details:

1. ISBN or ISSN number of the publication, if applicable.
2. Author's Name.
3. Title of the publication from which material is obtained and page number(s).
4. Page number(s) in the material being printed on which the material at (iii) appears.

8. Signatures

Whan material to be printed contains a signature, eg. memos, circulars etc. would you please sign the original copy using a BLACK PEN. any other colours, particularly blue, do not reproduce with the correct density.

9. Graphics

Forms, drawings and graph underlines should all be done in BLACK PEN; please do not use colours or pencil.

10. Previously Printed Work

Previously printed forms, letterheads, books (if printed in black) are ideal for reprinting and can save a re-setting cost. Colours such as light blue, green, and yellow may not reproduce well and may need additional preparation.

11. Pictures and Photographs

Note that pictures from books and magazines are copyright and written approval is needed for them to be copied and used.