Whether you are preparing visual material yourself or supplying it to a designer, ensure that graphs are of high resolution and are in an editable format.
File formats
File formats such as scalable vector graphics (SVG), encapsulated postscript (EPS) or Adobe Illustrator (AI) allow graphs to be copyedited and styled to match the rest of the publication. These vector file formats can also be scaled without loss of quality, and will print crisply and clearly.
If these formats are not available, editable PDF, high-quality JPG, TIF or other picture formats may suffice (but are not recommended); otherwise, the graphs may need to be redrawn to be suitable for publication.
Copyediting
Remember that graphs need to be copyedited in the production process before design. Any editorial changes to a graph should be made before design layout or, alternatively, marked very clearly, with as much explanation as necessary to ensure that the designer understands what changes are required. It is also useful to provide original data with graphs as a separate file, often accompanied by metadata or a spreadsheet to track figure names, location in the content, file names and alternative text for accessibility.
Supplying the data
If the data for the graph are available, supply them to the designer as well as the graph, so that the designer has the option to re-create the graph, if necessary. Ensure that the specific data used are clearly identified. Data should be provided in an editable and ‘open’ format, such as comma separated value (CSV) or Excel (XLS) spreadsheet.