Publication is a key element of science and engineering, as it not only spreads new ideas and practices but also sustains technical communities. This ReadyNote is intended to help new authors–engineers and scientists who are just beginning to write and publish–prepare technical ideas for publication and protect the publications that contain those ideas. It will also be useful in guiding more experienced authors through commonly misunderstood copyright issues as well as procedures specific to the Computer Society and its parent organization, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

There are many ways of approaching the problem of writing technical articles, publishing information, and protecting ideas. This concise guide presents a few strategies that are simple to use and have been successful in the past.