A. General Information
This style guide supersedes earlier editions of this guide. SHA strongly recommends that new and experienced authors read this guide from beginning to end. Make a copy for easy reference.
In general, the journal requires a formal, professional style of writing without contractions and the use of gender-neutral words when possible. See section IV for specific manuscript requirements.
The style for Society for Historical Archaeology publications differs significantly from that of other professional archaeological journals due to the heavier historical focus of this journal. For example, the Chicago Manual of Style, chapters 16 and 17, and other published sources pertaining to references are significantly different from those used by anthropologists and archaeologists. In the event of conflicts between this style guide and other journals or style guides, please follow the directions provided here. Questions or comments pertaining to the “The Society for Historical Archaeology Publications Style Guide” should be referred to the journal editor at the e-mail address found on the inside front cover of the latest issue of Historical Archaeology.
B. Recommended Writing Handbooks and Dictionaries
For matters of spelling, grammar, and writing style not included here, authors should consult the following sources:
Brusaw, Charles T., Gerald J. Alred, and Walter E. Oliu
2003 Handbook of Technical Writing, 7th edition. St. Martin’s Press, Boston, MA.
Merriam-Webster
1986 Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged: The Great Library of the English Language. Merriam-Webster, Springfield, MA. Also available at <http://www.m-w.com/home.htm>.
2020 Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition. Merriam-Webster, Springfield, MA. Merriam-Webster <https://www.merriam-webster.com/>. Accessed 9 January 2024.
Strunk, William, Jr., E. B. White, and Roger Angell
2000 Elements of Style: With Index, 4th edition. Longman, New York, NY.
Turabian, Kate L.
2018 A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 9th edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.
University of Chicago Press
2017 Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. The Chicago Manual of Style Online <https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html>. Accessed 9 January 2024.
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