AAAI Press Paper Submission Instructions
(For Authors with ACCEPTED Papers Only)
Once you have reviewed these instructions, please go to the e-mail you received from AAAI for the proper submission links.
Once you have prepared your paper for publication, and created an account on our open conferences systems page you will need to begin the submission process. Begin by selecting the Call for Papers link (figure 4). This will take you to the submissions page. Note that this link also displays the inclusive dates that submissions will be accepted.
Important: Only one author per paper should register and submit. Multiple submissions of the same paper by different authors will incur significant special handling fees and may result in the exclusion of your paper altogether.
There are five steps in the submission process:
Each step will be explained fully on this web page. You can skip to the instructions for any step by selecting the link below.
| STEP ONE | STEP TWO | STEP THREE | STEP FOUR | STEP FIVE |
STEP ONE — Starting the Submission
Figure 4: Each Step Is Listed on Every Page.
You can go back to a previous step at any time. Just click the step name. In this illustration, "1. Start" has been selected, bringing us to Step 1.
Conference Track
After clicking the Call for Papers Link or Start a New Submission Link, you'll be at Starting the Submission screen. At the top of this page, you may see a pull-down list for your conference track (not all conferences will have this list). Select the most appropriate track for your paper (figure 5). Please do this carefully, because selecting the wrong track may make it difficult for us to find your paper. (As long as you don't click the "Finish Submission"
Figure 5: Select Your Track.
The Submission Checklist
Next, you must review and agree to the submission checklist (figure 6). If you do not agree to any of the items, you will be unable to submit your paper. Please read the formatting instructions to authors in the AuthorKit before agreeing to these terms. If you didn't prepare your paper properly, you run the risk of having it excluded from the proceedings, or having to pay paper reformatting fees. This checklist gives you a chance to attend to something that you might have overlooked, and to remind you that AAAI Press takes plagiarism very seriously. You can stop the process at this point and come back late if need be.
Figure 6: The Submissions Checklist.
The Copyright Notice
After the submission checklist, you'll see the copyright notice (figure 7). This notice is identical to the copyright form that you must sign and return to AAAI. (The copyright form is included in the AAAI author kit.)
Figure 7: The Copyright Notice.
The Comments Box
Following the copyright notice, you'll find a comments box. If you changed your paper title from the original paper given to reviewers, give the old title here. Otherwise, leave this box blank.
At the bottom of the page, click the Save the Continue box if you want to continue the submission process. If you need to fix something with your paper, click Cancel, and start the submission process later on.
Figure 8: If You Changed Your Paper Title, Provide the Old Title Here.
You are now at the end of step 1. You can stop the process now and come back at any time until you click the "finish submission" button at the end of step 5.
STEP TWO — Uploading Your PDF
Figure 9: Each Step Is Listed on Every Page.
You can go back to a previous step at any time. Just click the step name. In this illustration, "2. Upload Submission" has been selected, bringing us to Step 2.
Uploading Your Submission
In this screen, you will be uploading a PDF of your paper (called the Submission File). This is a multistep process. The first screen is illustrated in figure 10.
Figure 10: Find Your PDF.
First, using the "Choose File" button, locate your PDF on your hard drive. Once you have done this, the screen will refresh to reflect your selection (figure 11). If you have chosen the wrong file, simply do it again until you've found the proper file.
Figure 11: PDF Submission.
Now click the upload button. Once the file has uploaded, the screen will refresh once again to indicate that the file has been uploaded. You must wait for the upload process to finish. After a successful upload you should see a refreshed screen similar to the one in figure 12. If you see this screen, you can safely click the Save and continue button to move onto the next step.
Figure 12: Successful File Upload.
If you click the Save and continue button without waiting for your file to upload and the screen to refresh, you will see the error message in figure 13 (if this message doesn't appear, your browser is partially disabling javascript — you will need to fix your security settings):
Figure 13: Error Message.
If you are satisfied that the correct PDF has been uploaded, you may click the save and continue button. Otherwise, click the choose file button (note that it now says "Replace submission file") and try again. You can also quit the process and start later by clicking the cancel button.
You are now at the end of step 2. You can stop the process now and come back at any time until you click the "finish submission" button at the end of step 5.
STEP THREE — Entering Your Metadata
Figure 14: Entering Your Metadata
You can go back to a previous step at any time. Just click the step name. In this illustration, "3. Enter Metadata" has been selected, bringing us to Step 3.
Once you click the Save and Continue box, you'll be taken to the Entering Your Metadata screen.
In this screen, information about you is automatically pulled from your user account. Assuming you entered this information properly, all these fields will already be populated in mixed case. If that's not the case, we'll explain each field again.
The first three fields in the Authors section are for your name. It is extremely important that you provide this information accurately, and appropriately. First, we use Western order. That means that your first name is your given name, not your family name. Second, when you enter your name, (don't use "ALL CAPS" for any part — use Initial Capitals. For example, Sarah Smith, NOT Sara SMITH, NOT sara smith, and not Smith Sara.
Your First Name is a required field. This is your given name not your family name. Just put one name here, unless it is hyphenated. Put any second name in the Middle Name field.
Your Middle Name can be left blank if you don't have one, but if you do, please include it. If you prefer, you may include an initial only, but put a period after your initial!
Your Last Name is your family name. This is a required field. If you have a last name with multiple words, whether hyphenated or not, include all the words here. We will alphabetize your name by the first word in this field. Don't type this in all caps. Use initial caps.
The Affiliation Field is important, so we strongly encourage you to include it. This field should include only your university or company name, not your department. That comes later.
Your Country is a required field. You can speed up the scroll by typing the first few letters of your country, and then navigating to the appropriate selection.
The Email field is required. If you use a throw-away e-mail or an address that is not monitored, you will probably miss seeing an important communication from us (for example, if your paper has problems that require immediate action). That means that your paper won't get published if you don't answer. We don't send you endless junk messages, so please include an e-mail that you monitor daily.
The URL field is a nice place to put your home page link. It will be displayed to colleagues who use the reading tools when the site displays your final paper.
The Bio Statement is where you should put your department (university or company) and your exact job title (for example, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science). Don't repeat your university or company name (we have that already from the affiliation field!), and don't give us the story of your life! A simple job title and department will suffice.
Using the Add author button, you may add authors to your paper.
Figure 15: The Authors Fields.
In figure 16, we've clicked this button once to illustrate a paper with multiple authors. Please complete their data as completely as your own. If you don't add all your authors, they won't appear in the publication's contents page or index, and they won't get publication credit. If we catch this error, your paper will not be published. If we don't, this error cannot be corrected. You must know the e-mail address of the additional authors.
Please note that, while all authors should be listed, you will be the only author with access to the paper.
Finished with the author section? Please ensure that the author order is correct. If you want to change the order of the listed authors, use the up and down arrows next to the words "Reorder authors to appear in the order they will be listed in publication."
Figure 16: Include All the Authors.
The Title and Abstract Box
Now you should specify the title and abstract (figure 17). The title must be typed in mixed case — not all lower case. See the letters below the abstract box? If you used Word, click the Word icon. This will bring up a new window. Paste your Word abstract in the new Window instead of the original abstract box. By doing this, the system will automatically strip out all the extraneous information that Word includes in the clipboard. (If you don't do this, your abstract may contain hidden control characters that will cancel your submission later on.) Once it has been inserted, you may edit your abstract using the B (bold), I (italic) U (underline) and list buttons underneath the abstract box. If you are comfortable using raw html, you may use the HTML window instead. (If you use raw html, do not include links in your abstract, as this will void your submission.) Do not include LaTeX codes in the abstract box.
Figure 17: The Title and Abstract Box.
The Indexing Box
Next, if the box appears, add any preferred indexing terms (not applicable to all conferences) (figure 18). This will embed metadata in your web page that can be used by the system.
Figure 18: Input Indexing Terms.
The Supporting Agencies Box
The last section on this page allows you (optionally) to enter any supporting agencies that provided funding for your research (figure 19).
Figure 19: Supporting Agencies.
When you have completed this stage, select Save and Continue to move on to the Uploading Your Supplementary Files screen.
You are now at the end of step 3. You can stop the process now and come back at any time until you click the "finish submission" button at the end of step 5.
STEP FOUR — Upload Supplementary Files
Figure 20: Each Step Is Listed on Every Page.
You can go back to a previous step at any time. Just click the step name. In this illustration, "Upload Supplementary Files" has been selected, bringing us to Step 4.
Uploading Your Source Files
AAAI Press requires that you upload a compressed archive containing all your source files (LaTeX or Word). (If you're using Unix, the Author Kit contains a shell script that may help you produce a latex source package.) Once you've gathered together all your LaTeX source files (not including the bibliography files or forgetting to include figures located in a different directory is the most common error), or located your Word "doc" file (and compressed or zipped it), you're ready to begin to upload what the system calls "Supplementary Files." The process begins in a fashion similar to that for your PDF.
First, using the "Choose File" button, locate your source archive on your hard drive or network (figure 21).
Figure 21: Locate Your Source Archive.
Once you have done this, the screen will refresh to reflect your selection (figure 18). If you have chosen the wrong file, simply do it again until you've found the proper file.
Figure 22: Compressed Source Submission Selected.
Now click the upload button. You must wait for the upload process to finish. Once the file has uploaded, the screen will change to that in figure 19. There are only two boxes that need to be completed. Call your file "Compressed LaTeX Source" or "Compressed Word Source" (depending on which kind you've uploaded. Change the Type in the pull-down box to "Source Text." At the bottom of this window, you'll see your new uploaded file name. You'll also have the option of reuploading the file.
Figure 23: Supplementary File Metadata.
If you are satisfied that the correct Source archive has been uploaded, you may click the save and continue button. Otherwise, click the choose file button (note that it now says "Replace submission file") and try again. You can also quit the process and start later by clicking the cancel button.
When you have completed this stage, select Save and Continue to move on to the Confirmation screen.
You are now at the end of step 4. You can stop the process now and come back at any time until you click the "finish submission" button at the end of step 5.
STEP FIVE — Confirmation
Figure 24: Each Step Is Listed on Every Page.
You can go back to a previous step at any time. Just click the step name. In this illustration, "Confirmation" has been selected, bringing us to Step 5.
You are now at the end of the submission process. Once you click the "Finish Submission" process, you will not be able to change your track, or upload a new PDF.
Your File Summary window must have two files in it, as shown in figure 25.
Figure 25: Your File Summary Should Have both PDF and a compressed archive listed.
Your Final Chance to Review
Because this is the final step, we recommend, if time allows, that you go back and review everything you've done so far:
- Is there a PDF listed as the Submission File?
- Is there a compressed archive listed as your supplementary file?
- Did you include all the authors in your metadata?
- Are the authors listed in the correct order, exactly as they appear on your PDF?
Go back to your original PDF.
- Is the PDF US Letter Size (8.5 x 11 inches)?
- Did you check to ensure that all fonts have been embedded?
- Did you embed the metadata in your PDF?
These errors will prevent your paper from being published, and will lead to late fees if you don't correct them before the paper deadline.
You can check your file size by going to File properties in Acrobat or Acrobat Reader and opening the Description tab. The Page Size should be 8.5 x 11 in. If it says something else, you've made a critical error that will prevent publication of your paper. Fix it and then go back to the Upload Submission step and upload a new PDF, then (if the error affects your LaTeX Source or Word document) go to the Upload Supplementary Files step and upload the corrected supplementary archive.
You can check font embedding by going to File properties in Acrobat or Acrobat Reader and opening the Font tab. Make sure that (Embedded) or (Embedded Subset) appears by every font in the list. If it says "Actual Font," you haven't embedded all your fonts. That's a critical error that will keep your paper from being published. Fix it by embedding all the fonts (in LaTeX, the problem is with one or more figures) and then go back to the Upload Submission step and upload a new PDF, then go to the Upload Supplementary Files step and upload the corrected supplementary archive)
If you didn't embed all the metadata in your PDF, you can fix that by going to File properties in Acrobat or Acrobat Reader and opening the Document Properties tab. Add your full paper title in the Title field. Add the full names of all your authors appear in the Author field. Make sure that the authors are separated by commas (not "and"). Then, if you used LaTeX, correct your \pdfinfo{. Now upload a new PDF in 2. Upload Submission and upload the new source in 4. Upload Supplementary Files.
Once you are satisfied that everything is correct, only then should you click the Finish Submission button. You will receive an e-mail message from ocs@aaai.org. Please add this email to your address book so that it doesn't go in your junk mail. It will be used for important communications regarding the status of your paper.