| This
handbook is designed to assist authors of books published by the American Schools
of Oriental Research. It states the policies of ASOR and describes the procedures
for the preparation of books for publication, and gives the guidelines for submission.
Editors and authors are encouraged to consult with ASOR’s Editors
and its Publications Manager concerning questions
of policy or procedure that may arise in the preparation and handling of works
for publication. [updated 3/8/06] Table
of Contents MISSION
As
directed by its mission and guided by its policy on the preservation and protection of archaeological resources, the American Schools of Oriental Research supports a
deliberately focused publication program of journals, including the Bulletin
of the American Schools of Oriental Research (BASOR), the Journal of Cuneiform
Studies (JCS), an Annual, and several monograph series. It also produces
a magazine designed to appeal at a popular level, Near Eastern Archaeology
(formerly Biblical Archaeologist), and provides a quarterly Newsletter
for its members. These publications are world-renowned for their excellent scholarship
and for providing basic and responsible documentation for scholarly research.
1.
EXCELLENCE.
Through
these publications, ASOR invites scholarly and intellectually responsible manuscripts
on the history, art, archaeology, religions, and cultures of the peoples of the
ancient Near East and Mediterranean worlds in general, and of the biblical world
in particular. ASOR sets and maintains high standards for publication of excavations,
field projects and related investigations into these subjects through the peer
review of manuscripts. 2.
DISSEMINATION AND OUTREACH. ASOR
is dedicated to promoting and fostering the scientific study of Near Eastern cultures
and the biblical era and to enhancing the understanding of the art, history and
the archeology of the Near Eastern region among the lay public. ASOR's outreach
and publication programs seek to engage the wider public, consisting of general
readers, scholars, students, and serving schools, museums, and libraries, as well
as various religious constituencies, with an ecumenical approach to the study
of the subject. 3.
PUBLICATION SUPPORT. ASOR's
publication program is committed to providing an outlet for important scholarly
research into the archaeology and history of the Near East and surrounding regions,
which might not otherwise be made available, by providing funds and support. WHAT
WE PUBLISH With
this mission in mind, ASOR currently supports two active book series. 1.
The ASOR Annual. The first volume of the ASOR Annual
appeared in 1920, making it ASOR’s signature publication. The Annual is a
medium for the publication of lengthy preliminary or interim archaeological reports,
or monograph-length studies relating to archaeology in the Near East. 2.
ASOR Archaeological Reports. The Archaeological reports
series is devoted to the publication of final excavation reports, surveys and
ethnoarchaeological fieldwork. Excavation projects need not be ASOR-affiliated
to be considered. The CAARI Monographs are a subset of the Archaeological Reports
series and may also include conference proceedings. Because the market for excavation
reports is small, reports require project subvention. We anticipate that excavation
projects plan for publication in their budgeting process. Subventions are determined
based on projected costs and anticipated market.
ASOR'S
COMMITTMENT TO QUALITY Any
volume published by ASOR is peer reviewed by no fewer than two outside readers.
This step adds time to the publishing process, but in the end is well worth it.
Not only do readers know that ASOR's publications contain the highest quality
research, but authors who publish with ASOR achieve a higher academic staneding. We
believe in copyediting. No book however carefully prepared cannot benefit from
having someone work carefully through the manuscript prior to publication. ASOR
reserves the right to edit for quality volumes under its imprint in consultation
with the author and only so long as so doing does not substantively alter the
author's intent. In
addition, ASOR uses only the highest quality materials and techniques in the publication
process. Our paper, bindings, and inks are designed to hold up over decades of
use. Images are an essential part of archaeological publications and we at ASOR
do not cut corners to ensure the highest quality photos and line-art. For our
Guidelines for Illustrations, click here. POLICIES In
general, the American Schools of Oriental Research, through its Publications office
and its editors, makes all editorial decisions and performs all editorial work
on ASOR books and journals. The Publications Committee establishes series and
elects editors and editorial board members. Series editors, employing appropriate
peer review procedures, determine what is to be published. The Publications Manager,
working with a budget approved by ASOR, approves and oversees the publication
of books accepted by the editors. This approval includes the determination of
the number of copies to print and their prices. Procedures
and Responsibilities of the ASOR Publications Office ASOR
Publications is responsible for the composition and manufacture of titles under
its imprint. ASOR currently distributes and markets titles under its imprint through
the David Brown Book Company (Oxbow Books). Twice yearly, David Brown all of its
new and backlisted titles in catalogues that are distributed to approximately
15,000 individuals and institutions. ASOR, through Oxbow Books, also routinely
advertises ASOR titles in major academic journals, at regional, national and international
professional meetings. ASOR maintains lists of journals to which books are routinely
sent for review; authors may suggest reviewers and journals to which their book
should be sent by completing the appropriate section of the Author's Questionnaire.
ASOR participates in the Cataloging in Production (CIP) program of the Library
of Congress. Upon receipt of the original manuscript and completion of the Author's
Questionnaire, ASOR will assign an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) to
the volume and apply for the CIP data. To ensure the most complete cataloging,
the Library of Congress requires electronic submission of the manuscript. It is
therefore imperative we receive a copy of the manuscript early in the process
in order to prevent undue production delays. Once a volume is published, ASOR
files for the copyright, including the payment of a small fee. A
volume's print-run is determined by ASOR and varies according to the particular
series within which the title is published. The time required to complete the
production process varies according to a number of factors. Materials that must
be typeset by hand may take as long as a year. Nonproduction factors may affect
the production schedule, such as the availability of funds and the number of works
previously accepted for publication within a series. The amount of time it takes
for a book to appear greatly depends on the care that authors/editors take in
bringing their manuscript into conformity with the ASOR Guidelines
for Manuscript Preparation at the outset of the job. Note
that ASOR as a general rule retains the copyright on the books it publishes. This
means that ASOR controls the manner in which the book is produced and marketed.
Marketing of books under ASOR's imprint may include distribution by electronic
means. Upon publication of a title, the author or editor will receive ten (10)
gratis copies of the book. If there are multiple authors/editors, ten copies will
be provided to the first author only. For multi-authored volumes, a single gratis
copy of the volume will be provided to each contributor. In cases of articles
with multiple authors, only the first author will receive a gratis copy. Additional
copies of the volume may be obtained by contributors and authors at an author
discount of 40%. Note that ASOR does not provide gratis offprints for contributions
in books, however, offprints may be purchased at cost if requested in advance.
Responsibilities
of the Series Editor The
main responsibility of series editors is to determine what is to be published
in the series. While the procedures will vary from series to series, they should
entail peer review, including consultation with other scholars qualified in the
particular subject matter. Editors should make every effort to respond to authors
as soon as possible, generally within two months of the receipt of the manuscript.
Editors are encouraged actively to seek submission of any appropriate works they
should become aware of and to commission the writing of volumes for their series.
Additional responsibilities include the following: 2.
Editors should assist the author in choosing the title for a volume. 3.
It is essential that the editor complete the "New Title Accepted for Publication"
form, including the brief description of the volume. The information on this form
is used in the promotion of the book. 4.
Editors will make corrections and revisions to the manuscript as necessary and
confirm that it is ready for publication. Editors are responsible for ensuring
that required corrections have been made to the manuscript prior to final submissions
and that the reference and citation style are in a consistent and acceptable format. 5.
All materials will be transmitted to the Publications Manager by editors. That
is, editors will send in the edited and approved manuscripts of books, and they
will receive and return the master copies of proofs. The Publications Manager
will send duplicate copies of the proofs to authors, who will correct them and
send them to the editor, who will approve and return them to the Publications
Manager. Responsibilities
of the Author Responsibilities
between the author and ASOR will be delineated in the author's contract. In general,
an author's responsibilities to ASOR include: 1.
Completion of the contract, Author's Questionnaire, and any additional forms that
may be necessary. 2.
Securing all necessary permissions to reprint materials that may be contained
in the manuscript (guidelines as to when permissions are required are contained
in the Chicago Manual of Style). 3.
Forwarding a complete manuscript to the series editor. 4.
Careful copyediting of their own manuscripts, including consistency of style and
the verification of citations. Generally, ASOR recommends that authors follow
the BASOR style sheet, however other styles are acceptable
so long as they are employed consistently. For more on manuscript preparation
see the Guidelines for Manuscript Preparation. 5.
Proofreading of galley proofs and page proofs in a timely manner. The author is
also responsible for producing an index once the page proofs are available. If
the author is unable to provide an index, ASOR will do so and charge the author
for this expense. Authors are expected to return proofs within 21 days of receipt. 6.
Since it is very expensive to revise at the stage of proofs, authors will be charged
for the cost of any changes that are not actual corrections of composition errors.
Authors and editors may purchase additional copies of their work for 40% off the
list price. Orders should be placed directly with The David Brown Book Co., PO
Box 511, Oakville, CT 06779. Tel. 800-791-9354; Fax. 860-945-9468. E-mail: david.brown.bk.co@snet.net. MANUSCRIPT
SUBMISSION AND ACCEPTANCE PROCESS The
First Steps The
best place to start is to send a written proposal to the
Editor of the ASOR series you would like your manuscript to appear in. The contact
information for all the current editors is available by clicking here.
If you do not know which series your manuscript would be most appropriate for,
you may contact ASOR’s Publications Manager in the Publications Office (asorpubs@asor.org),
who will help direct you to the right editor, or you may contact
the Chair of the ASOR Committee on Publications.
Pre-Production
Process Based
on the proposal, the Editor will make a preliminary decision regarding ASOR's
interest in the project. The proposal will also be used to do a cost analysis
to determine subvention amounts. If it is determined that the project is appropriate
for ASOR, the Editor will send the Author a letter of interest fixing a deadline
for final submission and notifying the author regarding subventions requirements,
etc. At this time the author will also be asked to complete a questionnaire. Authors
should submit completed manuscripts to the series editor in triplicate.
Electronic submissions are fine, but must be accompanied by hardcopy as well.
The editor will send the manuscript out for peer review. The Editor is responsible
for responding to the author in a timely manner, usually not more than 6-8 weeks
after submission. Once
all suggestions for changes and improvements have been made and the editor has
verfied that they have been made, the Editor will send to the author a final letter
of acceptance of the manuscript for publication. For instructions on how to prepare
the final manuscript for submission, see the Guidelines
for Manuscript Preparation. The Editor will forward the manuscript in final
form to the Publications Manager for production. At
that time, a final letter of acceptance will be sent to the author. Production
Process Upon
final acceptance of the manuscript the Publications Manager sends to the author
an author packet, which includes a contract and marketing questionnaire, and puts
the manuscript into the production schedule. Manuscripts are scheduled for production
in the order in which they are received in final form. The
Publications Manager will apply for copyright, apply an ISBN number, register
the book with Bowkers Books-in-Print, and list the volume with our Distributor
for inclusion in marketing catalogues and mailings. The
length and nature of the production process will vary depending on how much typesetting
is required by ASOR. Additional
time may be added to the production schedule depending on the amount of copyediting
required. The copyeditor
corrects substandard grammar and formats the document to conform to the ASOR guidelines.
Missing or incorrect bibliographical information is sometimes researched and completed
or corrected. Clarity of expression, style and quality of written English are
also checked. Proofs
are sent to the author and the series editor for proofreading and correction.
Authors are asked to make corrections and changes to the proofs taking into consideration
that any changes that may have been made were done so to improve quality and clarity.
The author is responsible for producing an index once the page proofs are available.
If the author is unable to provide an index, ASOR will do so and charge the author
for the expense. Authors are asked to return proofs within 21 days of receipt. After
the manuscript is returned to us, we enter the author's changes and proofread
again before preparing electronic files to send to the printer and binder. A second
set of proofs will be sent ONLY on special request and only when substantial changes
are still required. Once
the electronic files are uploaded to our printer, typically it will be another
6-8 weeks before the book appears in print. Now
you are ready to follow these links!:
Guidelines for Book Proposals
(for use of prospective authors)
Proposal
Review Guidelines (for use of ASOR series editors)
Guidelines
for Manuscript Preparation
Illustration
Guidelines
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