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:

1. If possible, early in the process, the editor should make available to the potential author the Guidelines for Book Proposals. The Proposal Review Guidelines will aid the editor in evaluating such book proposals.

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