Author Information

Andrews University Press publishes books that make a scholarly and/or professional contribution to their respective fields and are in harmony with the mission of Andrews University. Publication emphases include such areas as biblical and theological studies as well as selected areas of science, business, educational philosophy, humanities, religion, history, and biblical archaeology. Both prospective and current authors will want to note below the stages of consideration and preparation for a forthcoming publication.

Submission Guidelines

Authors may contact Andrews University Press to present concepts for potential publications, though no project is accepted for publication until a complete manuscript has been submitted and undergone consideration. Complete manuscripts may be submitted as desired, though Andrews University Press is not responsible for unsolicited material. Advance communication with the managing editor is recommended. Send an email message to aupress@andrews.edu for more information or to arrange for submission of a manuscript.

Potential authors should submit a curriculum vitae or an equivalent personal description as well as the following information:

Please write a brief yet comprehensive description of your book, including a statement of its purpose (i.e., why it was undertaken, its intended use and audience, the contribution it makes to its field, and what it attempts to accomplish within that discipline).
Have you considered asking a few scholars and thought leaders to review your work? Can you submit written recommendations from them to aid in our consideration process?
Why might your targeted readers be willing to invest time and money in this book? What uniqueness and strengths set your book apart from competing volumes? If no such competition exists, what does this say about the market for your book?
Is your manuscript currently under consideration by any other publisher, or has the material already been presented in any other media or form?
Do you wish to include in your book any material other than text (e.g., artwork, charts, graphs, maps, photographs)? In the case that such materials were not originated by you, have you secured official permission to use them?

Review Process

Informal Review
Upon receipt of a project, the manuscript is reviewed by Press staff and/or at least one informal reviewer with expertise in the field. If it is deemed ready for more formal consideration, official reviewers will be sought to read and evaluate the work thoroughly.

Formal Review
Typically at least three referees are asked to review a manuscript completely. The following questions regarding a manuscript are posed to these reviewers:

Value: How important is the subject? Does the manuscript as it stands make a significant original contribution to its field and to the advancement of knowledge? If so, what contribution does it make?
Market: Is there a market for this manuscript? What do you see as possible markets? Does it have potential for course adoption? If published, will this manuscript duplicate or substantially recapitulate any books already in print?
Audience: What is the primary audience for the work? To what extent is it likely to appeal to readers outside its main area of scholarship and to general readers?
Scholarship: Given the purpose of the book, is the documentation adequate and appropriate? Is the scholarship sound and up to date? Discuss any weaknesses.
Style/Organization: Is the presentation effective in terms of style and organization?
Editing: Does the manuscript need content editing? Is that editing minor or extensive? Will the copy editing for grammar, spelling, documentation, etc., be minor or extensive?
Special features: Please note any suggestions regarding illustrations, appendices, and other supporting features that would make the work more accessible to readers.
Revisions: If applicable, please provide suggestions for major revisions. Minor revisions may be noted on the manuscript.
Summary: Briefly describe both the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses.
Recommendation: How important is it that this manuscript be published? Do you recommend that it be published by Andrews University Press? Why or why not?

Depending on the topic of the project, the size of the manuscript, and the time of year, referees are typically allowed one to two months to complete their evaluations. The review process may take longer depending on, among other things, the nature of the project, the availability of referees, and the publishing schedule of the Press.

Acceptance of the Manuscript
When the review process is complete, evaluations are taken to the Scholarly Publications and Andrews University Press Board to be considered alongside other issues such as potential market and publishing costs. After a publishing decision has been made, the author is notified of the acceptance or rejection of the manuscript. In some cases, manuscripts are returned for additional research, revision, or reorganization. If some instructions from the Press staff or comments from the peer review evaluations are not addressed by the author, an explanation as to why must accompany the resubmitted manuscript. Occasionally manuscripts are reviewed a second time if major revisions have been requested of the author or if it is felt that more evaluations are needed in order to make a publishing decision. Manuscripts are rejected if the Press finds them either unsuitable to its purposes or financially unfeasible for the Press to publish.

Upon final acceptance of a manuscript, the author must make an official agreement with the Press. The contract, officially titled the “Agreement for Publication,” includes statements such as these:

Author guarantees and represents that he is the sole author and proprietor of the Work, except where differently stated and indicated by proper credit in the Work itself.
Author guarantees that the Work contains no matter that is libelous or otherwise unlawful, and promises to hold harmless and to indemnify the Press against any costs or damages sustained by the Press because of any libelous or unlawful matter in the Work or because it infringes any copyright.
Author grants the Press the right to make authorial changes and adjustments necessary to improve the Work, with the understanding that any major changes will be made in consultation with Author.
The Press agrees to bear all the expense of editing, copyediting, typesetting, printing, binding, and other items incident to the manufacture of the Work and to assume all responsibility for its publication.
The Press agrees to imprint a proper United States copyright notice in each copy of the published Work and shall register said copyright in the United States. The copyright will be owned and registered in the name of the Press.
The Press has the final right, after consultation with Author, to determine the title of the Work. The Press also has the right to determine the cover and inner book design, illustrations, style of binding or other bindings, and selling price. The Press may, at its discretion, change the title, cover and inner book design, illustrations, binding, and price.