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Publication-Ready Author Instructions

Once you have received your conditional acceptance notification, there are necessary steps you have to complete to prepare your final submission for publication. All conference venues that publish papers and extended abstracts in the ACM Digital Library will follow this process. Please contact the publications chairs ([email protected]) if you have any questions.

The following chart (click for a larger version) depicts the publication process, beginning with the conditional acceptance notification until the authors receive the final acceptance notification. All steps have to be completed by the corresponding authors (the author who created the submission in PCS). All emails mentioned below will only go to the corresponding authors.

A flow diagram detailing the different steps (explained in the next paragraph) in the publication process from conditional acceptance to final acceptance.

After authors get a conditional acceptance notification, they will receive an email with information about the ACM e-Rights process. After authors complete the ACM e-Rights form (to be completed before the “e-rights completion deadline”), they get an automated email with a link to the TAPS upload form. In parallel to completing e-rights, authors have to apply the changes requested by reviewers and format it according to the instructions in this document.

After the ACM e-Rights form is completed, the authors upload the source files to TAPS (the first version must be uploaded before the “Initial TAPS Upload Milestone”). This milestone will help authors to understand how the process works and also uncover potential issues with the source files. TAPS will then generate PDF and HTML5 outputs from the source files and notify the authors of problems via email. The authors then need to check whether both versions have been rendered correctly. If not, the authors need to fix errors and re-upload the sources to TAPS. They may request help from the TAPS support and Publication Chairs. Authors can iteratively upload revised source files to TAPS and work on the outputs until the publication-ready deadline. If you want to revise your final outputs, click “reject” and then resubmit your source files.

After successfully validating the outputs from TAPS, the authors add tags for accessibility to the PDF file from TAPS. The accessible PDF, source files, and all supplemental material (e.g., videos) have to be uploaded to PCS only. This step needs to be completed in PCS before the “Publication-ready Deadline.” The Associated Chairs (ACs) or venue chairs will decide the final acceptance of the submission. Finally, the authors will receive the final acceptance notification of their submission. After this time, no changes will be required or accepted.

Note that, this year, once authors have completed the initial submission in PCS and the submission deadline has passed, changes to the meta-data, including paper title and authors, can no longer be made, so make sure the information is correct and complete at submission time.

ACM e-Rights

After conditional acceptance notification, you will receive an email from the ACM e-Rights system to begin the publication process for your paper. You must complete the e-Rights form to progress to upload the source files to TAPS.

  • The e-Rights form will only be sent to the corresponding author, so it is important that this person is able to respond to emails and complete the form.
  • This email will come from [email protected]. Please remain alert for this email after your acceptance notification, as it may be sent to spam.
  • The data shown in the ACM e-Rights form will be the same as you entered during submission time in PCS. Making manual changes is not allowed. Any mismatches will delay the publication of your paper. Note that changing the author list after the notification deadline will not be possible as conflicts during the reviewing process are handled based on the author list provided at submission time. If you need to amend the author list due to the R&R process, please contact the paper co-chairs ([email protected]) to get approval prior to applying the change, this must be done prior to the notification.

Final Materials for Publication

Document Source for Publication (required)
The source file(s) for your submission (.docx file or .zip archive of LaTeX source). The source file is visible to the (subcommittees) chairs only, there is no need to clean or anonymize it.

Final PDF (required)
The final camera-ready and accessible PDF that was generated from the source file(s) by TAPS.

Video Preview (optional but highly recommended)
Video Previews are 30-second videos that give a quick glimpse of your work and help promote your publication within the CHI community and beyond. Video Previews are a great opportunity to make your work stand out and reach conference attendees, researchers and practitioners within and outside the community, journalists, and the general public. The video duration must be 30 seconds or less. The video must include an opening title and all spoken dialog must be closed captioned (i.e., subtitled) to improve accessibility. Please find all technical information under Technical Requirements and Guidelines for Videos at CHI.

Video Figure (optional)
You may include a 5-min video figure that accompanies your paper. The video must include an opening title and all spoken dialog should be closed captioned (subtitled) to improve accessibility. See Technical Requirements and Guidelines for Videos at CHI for details.

Supplemental Materials (optional)
Supplemental Materials are optional but must be uploaded as a single ZIP file. This material will only appear in the ACM DL. The ZIP file can contain survey material, source code, data, images, additional videos, slides, etc. Sharing research material to facilitate replicability is optional but recommended (see transparency section in CHI’s guide to a successful submission). If you submit supplemental materials, a readme file called README.md must be provided describing the files included in the ZIP file. This description should include, for example, the file types contained in the ZIP file, the software needed (if any) to view or execute the files, and any other relevant information explaining how the supplemental material relates and supports the ACM submission. If you uploaded supplemental materials, but you did not provide a README.md file, your supplemental material will not appear in the ACM DL.

Preparing Your Final Source

All authors should ensure they are using the latest version of the template available on the ACM Templates page. Authors using Microsoft Word must complete additional validation steps and should factor in extra time to complete this work.

LaTeX Authors

LaTeX source requires some preparation for final submission, please go through the ACM’s LaTeX best practices guidelines. Please ensure your source follows these requirements:

  • SIGCHI publications use the “sigconf” visual style. This is specified in the document class command. You should use \documentclass[sigconf]{acmart} (removing other tags such as “manuscript,” “authordraft,” “anonymous,” and “review”). Please also make sure to use the coding of basic elements as per the sigconf sample tex file available with the acmart LaTeX package.
  • All images are of appropriate quality (to be able to be converted into the required formats for HTML5 version).
  • SIGCHI publications use the “ACM-Reference-Format” numbered bibliography style.
  • Your LaTeX source must have a single “main” .tex file, although you can organize your project with a main .tex file that includes input from multiple .tex files. Please remove all samples and old tex files that include a document class.
  • Ensure that your source compiles without errors. Some editors, such as Overleaf, will tolerate errors and generate a PDF, but this is not permissible for the final publication. Please check the error log and correct all compilation errors before submitting your final source.
  • Ensure that your bibliography compiles. Accurate bibliographies are required for publication. If your bibliography has missing entries or other errors, your source will not be accepted for publication. Please check the warning log and correct all warnings and errors related to your bibliography before submitting your final source.
  • Ensure you check the list of approved packages for LaTeX documents. If you use a package not listed, please remove it early on as otherwise, it will not be possible to process your source files in TAPS. You can request to add packages to the approved list. You can contact [email protected] if you have questions.
  • Provide descriptions (instructions available in the template) for all figures.
  • Authors are expected to select one or more descriptors (or “concepts”) from the ACM’s Computing Classification System and add them to their document. CCS is a taxonomy for the computing field. A list of CCS descriptors can be built for your article from https://dl.acm.org/ccs/ccs.cfm. Authors can select one or more descriptors and assign a priority to them. When a list of CCS descriptors has been built, that information must be added to your document. Select “view CCS TeX Code” and check the “Show the XML only” box, copy the XML and paste the code below the abstract.

Overleaf users can download LaTeX source files in a ZIP format by clicking the “Menu” button on the top-left corner and then clicking the “Source” icon in the “Download” section. Note that all samples and old tex files need to be deleted (see the above requirements) on Overleaf before downloading the ZIP file. This can be done by right-clicking each unnecessary file and then selecting the “Delete” option. Authors who need technical support about Overleaf should contact [email protected].

Word Authors

After downloading the correct ACM Master Article Template for Microsoft Word, you need to follow the instructions to attach the ACM Template to your submission file.

  • Attach the template from the downloaded location to your submission file.
  • Apply appropriate style to each element of Head, Body, and Reference. For this, please check Table 1 in the original Submission Template file, which contains a list of the styles you should apply (see screenshot below)
  • Run Crosslinking to auto hyperlink all citations from the Template ribbon.
  • Press the ‘ACM Template’ button and run ‘Manuscript Validation’.
  • If the validation process was successful, then ZIP your submission, following the established format, and upload to TAPS.
  • If validation does not work after following the steps above, please contact [email protected] and [email protected].

Please note that you must run the “Manuscript Validation” macro on your Word document, and have it successfully completed before uploading the Word document to TAPS. You can see the full validation process in our video walkthrough.

Table 1: Styles available in the Word template, taken from the ACM Word Submission template on 16 July 2021.

Style Tag Definition Style Tag Definition
Title_document main title of article ListParagraph list items
Subtitle subtitle of article Statements math statements
Authors author name Extract block quotations
Affiliation author affiliation information Algorithm Caption caption for algorithm
AuthNotes footnote to author(s) AckHead heading for acknowledgements
Abstract abstract text AckPara acknowledgements text
CCSHead heading for CCS Concepts GrantSponsor sponsor of grant
CCSDescription CCS terms GrantNumber number for the grant
KeyWordHead heading for keywords ReferenceHead heading for references
Keywords keywords text Bib_entry references
ORCID authors ORCID # AppendixH1 appendix heading level 1
Head1 heading level 1 AppendixH2 appendix heading level 2
Head2 heading level 2 Appendixh2 appendix heading level 3
Head3 heading level 3 TableCaption title of table
PostHeadPara first paragraph after a heading TableHead column head of table
Para subsequent paragraphs of general text TableFootnote footnote to table
ParaContinue flush left text after display items like math equations, lists, etc. Image figures
DisplayFormula numbered math equation DOI digital object identifier
DisplayFormulaUnnum unnumbered equations Label label
ComputerCode display computer codes In-text code intext computer code
Short Title short title of article    

You can see some best practices for using Word to prepare your document in our video walkthrough. Word authors should follow these instructions.

  • Use a filename that does not contain spaces and special characters.
  • Please ensure that ALL content in your Word document is styled with the correct styles as listed in the table provided in the template.
  • Use numbered style for the bibliography.
  • There are some common issues that can delay the processing of your publication. Please check for the following in your final version:
    • Ensure elements such as the title, headings, authors, acknowledgements, reference heading, and individual references are styled as described in the template.
    • If a single figure contains multiple images, these must be inserted as a single image.
    • All images/figures are of appropriate quality (to be able to be converted in required formats for HTML version) and must be followed by a caption.
    • Provide alt text (instructions available in the template) for all figures.
    • Remove all blank lines.

ACM’s Computing Classification System (CCS) is a taxonomy for the computing field. Authors are expected to select one or more descriptors (or “concepts”) from the CCS and add them to your document.

A list of CCS descriptors can be built for your article from https://dl.acm.org/ccs/ccs.cfm. Authors can select one or more descriptors and assign a priority to them. When a list of CCS descriptors has been built, that information must be added to your document. In Microsoft Word, adding CCS concepts to your document is a two-step process:

  • Select the formatted list of concept(s) from the Web interface – here’s an example:
    • Computer systems organization~Real-time operating systems
    • Paste it into your document, and style with the “CCSDescription” tag.
  • Select “view CCS TeX Code” and check the “Show the XML only” box, copy the XML and paste into your Word document in the following location (Mac):
    • Select “Properties” from the “File” menu
    • Select the “Summary” tab
    • Paste the XML into the “Comments” area
  • Select “view CCS TeX Code” and check the “Show the XML only” box, copy the XML and paste into your Word document in the following location (Windows):
    • Select “Properties” from the “File” menu
    • Select “Advanced Properties”
    • Select the “Summary” tab
    • Paste the XML into the “Comments” area

It is important to perform both parts of this task – inserting the formatted list into the body of your Word document and applying the appropriate style, AND inserting the XML representation of your selected CCS concepts into the metadata of your Word document.

Accessibility

SIGCHI publications must follow accessibility guidelines. Detailed instructions are available in the Guide to an Accessible Submission. Please be aware that adding accessibility features to your PDF requires access to Acrobat Pro DC. If you do not have access to this software, you may not be able to add the accessibility features to your final PDF by yourself. You can reach out to the accessibility chairs ([email protected]) if you do not have access to Acrobat Pro DC.

Using the ACM Publication System (TAPS)

Follow the ACM Instructions for Submitting the Author’s Paper/Article to TAPS. Please note that this will be an iterative process. The following is a summary of the steps to follow. For more details, refer to the ACM Instructions.

  1. Prepare your materials: create a ZIP file following the specifications. Please check that you are using the correct names for folders and files.
    1. More information on using Microsoft Word to prepare your article can be found in this document: https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~spencer/taps/article-word.html
    2. More information on using LaTeX to prepare your article can be found in this document: https://homes.cs.washington.edu/~spencer/taps/article-latex.html
  2. Delivering your material: submit your ZIP file to TAPS using the link sent to you by TAPS.
    1. If the ZIP file is less than 10MB in size, use the file uploader on that page.
    2. If the ZIP file is 10MB or greater in size, use the FTP link on that page.
  3. Processing your material: TAPS will attempt to build the PDF and HTML5 versions of your article.
    1. If TAPS is successful, you will receive an email with the PDF as an attachment, and a link to the HTML5 version. If you need to correct something, you have the option to reject the outcomes and resubmit your revised ZIP file.
    2. If not successful, you need to read the error messages, fix your files, and resubmit. If you are not able to fix the errors you can contact the publications team ([email protected]) or APTARA support via the contact form or [email protected].

Important notes:

  • You must keep your ZIP file under 10MB for fast processing.
  • Filenames should ONLY include upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, the dash “-” and underbar “_” characters. File names that contain a space “ “ will result in an error during processing. (The period between the filename and the file extension – “figure7.png” is fine.)
  • Only upload supplementary materials to PCS, and not to TAPS. You must add an empty folder to your ZIP file for supplementary materials.

Approving Your Final Submissions in ACM TAPS

After the final submissions are processed by TAPS, you will receive an email asking you to approve your final version for publication. The link provided will take you to the TAPS Author Dashboard for your paper.

  • The TAPS Author Dashboard email will only be sent to the corresponding author, so it is important that this person is able to respond to emails and complete the form.
  • This email will come from [email protected]. Please remain alert for this email after you have uploaded your source, as it may be sent to spam. This may take up to two weeks to arrive depending on the size of the conference and the processing required.
  • When you receive an email titled “PDF and HTML Proofs: available for review” please follow the links provided to access the TAPS generated PDF and HTML files.
    • Carefully review the generated files and check for rendering problems or missing content.
    • If you approve the proofs, make your PDF accessible by following the instructions provided in the email or using the following link https://sigchi.org/conferences/author-resources/accessibility-guide/. Your submission is complete and ready for publication in the Digital Library.
    • If you do not approve the proofs, you can revise your source files, create the ZIP file again and submit to TAPS. Submit your final accessible PDF and the corresponding source file (Word or LaTeX source) to PCS.

Uploading Your Final and Approved Documents to PCS

In the final step, the accessible proofs now need to be uploaded to PCS for the associated chair (AC) or venue chair to review. Additionally, it is required to submit a summary of changes for some venues like papers. Based on this the AC or venue chair will make the final decision on the acceptance of the paper, thus triggering the final acceptance email.

Green Open Access

All SIGCHI authors are encouraged to archive their work in a “green open access” repository in line with ACM’s Green Open Access Policy. Authors can host their final versions on their own homepage, an institutional repository, a repository mandated by your funder, or a non-commercial repository such as arXiv.

  • You must archive a version (PDF) created by yourself. You are not allowed to archive the final version (PDF) created by the ACM.
  • Include the DOI assigned once you complete the e-rights form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I want to change the metadata of my paper (e.g., author list, author order, author name, email), what can I do?
A: We do not allow for such changes after the notifications have been sent. In the case of R&R, such requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis but also only before the notifications have been sent.

Q: What do I do if I do not get a response email from TAPS after submitting?
A: If you have not received a notification email after 24 hours, contact [email protected] and [email protected]

Q: My final PDF or HTML is showing metadata (e.g. author name, email, title) that I was not expecting, what can I do?
A: This requires the proceedings chairs to help you out, please reach out to [email protected].

Q: What if I do not have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC for adding the accessibility tags to the PDF?
A: Reach out to the accessibility chairs ([email protected])

Q: TAPS did not provide me with my final PDF in time. What should I do?
A: Reach out to [email protected] before the deadline — we will make sure that you have the time needed to review your final version.

Q: Does my final PDF have to contain author names and affiliations?
A: Yes, they have to be identical to the information you provided during submission time in PCS.

Q: Should the version in TAPS be the redline version of my paper?
A: No, this should be the final version you want to see in the ACM DL.

Q: Does TAPS generate a PDF with changes highlighted?
A: No, if you want a PDF with changes highlighted you need to generate this yourself.

Q: Can I upload a different PDF file to PCS?
A: No, the PDF file in PCS must be the TAPS generated PDF with accessibility added. Non-matching PDFs will be automatically rejected and overwritten with the TAPS generated PDF.

Q: What do I do if I want to reupload my paper to TAPS after I have approved it?
A: Reach out to [email protected]

Q: What do I do if my paper title has changed?
A: Reach out to [email protected]

Q: What do I do if any information of the displayed authors is wrong (PDF or HTML)?
A: Reach out to [email protected]

Q: TAPS does not allow me to upload a new version. What can I do?
A: Reach out to [email protected]

Q: TAPS support is not responding. What can I do?
A: Reach out to [email protected] so we can follow up on your problem and also know about your situation. However, the TAPS support team is slow during CHI due to the high load of requests.

Q: Do I need to upload my supplemental material to TAPS?
A: No, only to PCS. Only the materials in PCS will go into the ACM DL.

Q: Do I need to upload my companion videos to TAPS?
A: No, only to PCS. Only the videos in PCS will go into the ACM DL and YouTube.

Q: Can I upload more than 10MB per ZIP?
A: Yes, but this massively delays your processing; thus, we ask you to keep your ZIP files under 10MB.

Q: Am I required to manually add accessibility to my PDF?
A: Yes.

Q: How do I add accessibility to my PDF?
A: Please see https://sigchi.org/conferences/author-resources/accessibility-guide/ if you still have issues reach out to [email protected]

Q: Which LaTeX packages are accepted to be used?
A: Please see https://www.acm.org/publications/taps/accepted-latex-packages

Q: Do I need to clear and anonymize my document source files (Word or LaTeX) when doing the final upload to PCS?
A: No, your source files are likely to never be looked at. It provides us (Chairs only) with the ability to recompile your PDF in case we can not reach you.

Q: Do I need to include my final PDF and/or supplementary materials in the ZIP I need to upload to TAPS?
A: No, CHI’23 ignores all additional files uploaded to TAPS, please only upload your extra files to PCS.

Q: Does CHI have an embargo on the publications?
A: No, there is no embargo, you are allowed to publish the paper within your selected copyright limitations.