Manuscript Exchange Common Approach (MECA)

The MECA Recommended Practice is Now Published!

The MECA Recommended Practice, NISO RP-30-2020, Manuscript Exchange Common Approach (MECA) was approved on June 26 and published July 6, 2020.

The draft for comment version is still available together with comments and responses.

Overview

MECA is a NISO project which has developed a common means to easily transfer manuscripts between and among manuscript systems, such as those in use at publishers and preprint servers. Those who work in manuscript-processing areas such as production systems, preprint servers, and authoring services support the community development of a NISO Recommended Practice intended to alleviate pain points encountered by researchers as well as service providers operating in the scholarly ecosystem.

In workflow processes such as manuscript rejection or alternate recommendations for article submission, there was no easy way for a manuscript to move programmatically from one publisher system to another’s, resulting in frustration for authors and reviewers who complained of wasted time, duplicative efforts, and delays in enabling access to novel research.  An open protocol available for adoption across the industry eases this process substantially and better supports publishing operations and communication among all stakeholders.

There is also more information about MECA available at https://www.manuscriptexchange.org/

Recent Project Updates

JATS-Con 2022

Documents

Related Publications

Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.102-2017, STS: Standards Tag Suite

ISBN: 978-1-937522-78-0 (PDF)
Document Details
Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.96-2019, JATS: Journal Article Tag Suite, version 1.2

JATS: Journal Article Tag Suite, version 1.2

Abstract: The Journal Article Tag Suite provides a common XML format in which publishers and archives can exchange journal content. The JATS provides a set of XML elements and attributes for describing the textual and graphical content of journal articles as well as some non-article material such as letters, editorials, and book and product reviews.

An American National Standard
Developed by the
National Information Standards Organization
Approved February 8, 2019 by the American National Standards Institute

Published by the National Information Standards Organization
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A

ISBN: 978-1-937522-89-6 (PDF version)

This standard is managed under continuous maintenance. The document is open for public comments for ongoing consideration by the JATS Standing Committee. Accepted changes will be included in a future revision of the standard.

ISBN: 978-1-937522-89-6 (PDF version)
Document Details
Recommended Practice

NISO RP-24-2015 Transfer Code of Practice Version 3.0

The Transfer project was initiated by UKSG in 2006 in response to issues identified by the scholarly communications community when journal titles change platform providers or owners. In the first ten months of 2006, EBSCO logged over 5,000 titles that changed publishers. Such transfers can negatively impact libraries, intermediaries (such as serials subscription agents, link resolver administrators, and vendors of large-scale discovery systems), and readers. Often the journal would seem to disappear and links from existing information systems to the content would break, even though the title was still being published.

A Working Group was formed with representatives from libraries, publishers, intermediaries such as periodicals subscription agents and other parties relevant to the scholarly journal supply chain. The Transfer Working Group’s objective was to develop procedures and policies surrounding the transfer of journals between publishers so that the movement of journals causes the minimum disruption to stakeholders and adheres to an agreed-upon Code of Practice.

ISBN: 978-1-937522-40-7
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ANSI/NISO Z39.18-2005 (R2010) Scientific and Technical Reports - Preparation, Presentation, and Preservation

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ISBN: 978-1-937522-75-9
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ANSI/NISO Z39.14-1997 (R2015) Guidelines for Abstracts

Guidance is presented for authors and editors preparing abstracts that represent the content of texts reporting on the results of experimental work or descriptive or discursive studies. Suggestions for the placement of abstracts within publications or other media are given, along with recommendations for abstracting specific documents. Types of abstracts and their content are described. Also included are suggestions on the style of abstracts and a list of selected readings on the subject of abstracting. Examples of abstracts are appended.

ISBN: 978-1-937522-44-5
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Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.96-2021, JATS: Journal Article Tag Suite, version 1.3

JATS: Journal Article Tag Suite, version 1.3

Abstract: The Journal Article Tag Suite provides a common XML format in which publishers and archives can exchange journal content. The JATS provides a set of XML elements and attributes for describing the textual and graphical content of journal articles as well as some non-article material such as letters, editorials, and book and product reviews.

An American National Standard
Developed by the
National Information Standards Organization
Approved June 10, 2021 by the American National Standards Institute

Published by the National Information Standards Organization
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A

ISBN: 978-1-950980-13-0 (PDF version)

This standard is managed under continuous maintenance. The document is open for public comments for ongoing consideration by the JATS Standing Committee. Accepted changes will be included in a future revision of the standard.

Tag sets are available at https://jats.nlm.nih.gov/index.html

ISBN: 978-1-950980-13-0 (PDF version)
Document Details
Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.96-2015 JATS: Journal Article Tag Suite

The Journal Article Tag Suite provides a common XML format in which publishers and archives can exchange journal content. The JATS provides a set of XML elements and attributes for describing the textual and graphical content of journal articles as well as some non-article material such as letters, editorials, and book and product reviews. 

 

NOTE: THIS IS A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE JATS STANDARD.  THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE STANDARD IS AVAILABLE. 

ISBN: 978-1-937522-69-8
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Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.74-1996 (R2012) Guides to Accompany Microform Sets

Describes the basic requirements for user guides that accompany microform sets so microform publishers can provide the most useful and comprehensive guides to their publications. The standard gives practical information on all of the details that should be covered, so your guides will be both complete and efficiently arranged. Special instructions are given for archival and manuscript collections and for government documents and newspapers.

ISBN: 978-1-880124-26-0
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Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R2009) Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives

ISBN: 978-1-937522-30-8
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Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.29-2005 (R2010) Bibliographic References

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ISBN: 978-1-937522-26-1
Document Details

Committee Roster

Co-chairs, Standing Committee

Members, Standing Committee

Sven Molter

Senior Product Manager
Public Library of Science (PLOS)

Working Group (active 2018-2020)