1. Technical Guidelines

- Figure file formats and sizes (recommended since 1st submission, and required for the final submission, i.e. once the manuscript is accepted for publication): Maximum figure sizes are 85 x 200 mm for single-column figures or 175 x 200 mm for two-column figures. All standard file formats are accepted, but we recommend preparing vector files (e.g., svg, eps, ai). When necessary, raster files are also accepted, but these need to have a minimum resolution of 600 dpi, and we recommend preparing figures in non-compressed PNG or TIFF format, instead of JPEG.

- Including large figures: To include figures larger than the maximum size stated above (e.g., seismic lines), we provide the possibility to include a simplified figure in the main text with a link to the original large image. 

- Annotation and labelling: A single font should be used in all figures. At the final figure dimension, no text should be smaller than 6 pt. Recommended font: Open Sans (Tektonika body text font). Otherwise use another non-serif font (e.g., Helvetica or Arial). 

- Captions: Every figure needs to be accompanied by a caption that explains the contents of the figure in a concise and clear manner. Ensure sufficient detail to understand all aspects of the figure (i.e., that there is keyboard accessible text to supplement non-text content). Include a “take-away” caption title, i.e., a short summary sentence of the figure, before detailed panel information.

- Reuse of figures: Authors must secure the right to reproduce or reuse materials published or copyrighted elsewhere. The original source of these figures should be clearly indicated in the caption.

- Quality check: If a manuscript is accepted for publication, Tektonika reserves the right to request necessary modifications to the figures in order to ensure that the final publication is up to the above-defined standards. 

2. Accessibility and inclusivity guidelines

Tektonika strives to provide fully accurate and fully accessible colour figures for all our readers. Accuracy and accessibility considerations for figures and tables should include:

- Scientific colour maps. Figures should represent data accurately and be readable to those with colour vision deficiencies (CVD; this affects ~5% of the global population). To achieve these basic standards of science figures, we strongly suggest only using perceptually uniform colour gradients and avoiding CVD-unfit colour combinations like red and green, “jet” and other rainbow-like colour palettes. Instead, please use scientifically-derived colour palettes only.

- Amongst others, the Scientific colour maps are a freely available, citable, and validated resource of various colour palettes of all different types ensuring accurate and accessible data representation. They include swatches for discrete and categorical colour maps (see e.g., here) that are provided in GIMP/Inkscape and some Adobe formats. Because the Scientific colour maps address known issues, they have been made compatible with most software frequently used to create graphics. Details and step-by-step instructions for authors are given in the included user guide. The background of this tool and others, as well as the importance of addressing the broader issue, are described in Crameri et al. (2020). Please cite this source when using the package.

- Conversion test to grayscale. To help authors ensure CVD-friendly figures, simply check readability when converted to greyscale. To specifically simulate individual CVDs, various tools like Coblis, Color oracle, or software functions like Adobe Photoshop Accessibility help to colour-proof your figures. This will also ensure that your figures are readable when printed in black and white.

- Legible markings and labels. Make sure that all labels and marks are clear and legible at standard screen resolution (i.e., of sufficient size, clear typeface/font, and contrast from background content). Consider using an appropriate amount of white space to help demarcate and distinguish sections. 

- Alt-text. Where relevant (e.g., for the potential cover image, graphical abstract, or related social media post related to your manuscript) include alternative-text, “alt-text”, descriptor. Alt-text is a short description of an image for blind or low-visibility readers and is often accompanied in website design or social media uploads.

- Data availability. Data presented as graphs and plots should be made available in tabulated form as well, either within the main manuscript, as supplementary material, or linked through a data repository.

- README: For supplementary figures and data uploads (e.g., codes or data related to the study), make sure to include a README file with suitable descriptors and user information.

More information: For broader web content and accessibility please check guides such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).