The Peer Review Process
The first formal stage of manuscript appraisal is peer review. In a single-blind process, your work will be assessed by a minimum of two experts in the field. Although peer review may appear challenging, authors almost always find that the combination of working closely with a good editor and carefully incorporating readers’ suggestions can be one of the most positive aspects of creating a scholarly book.Preparing Your Manuscript for Peer Review
In most cases, the acquisitions editor will request digital files for the manuscript, although you may also be asked to supply one or more printouts. Double-space all copy and number pages consecutively. Illustrations can usually be embedded in the manuscript. If there are numerous illustrations or the image files produce a large digital file, please consult your editor. Please also refer to our Manuscript Preparation Guide for more information on preparing your manuscript.
A complete manuscript includes a table of contents, an introduction or preface, the main text, notes, bibliography or references, and any other text that will appear in the final book. Drafts of tables, graphs, maps, and figures should also be included, with short captions. All chapters should be numbered. Photographs and other artwork can be supplied as low-resolution scans or photocopies, giving your editor and the peer readers some indication of what the finished book may contain.
Questions Peer Reviewers Will Consider When Reviewing Your Work
The following are the most common outcomes of peer review:
Questions Peer Reviewers Will Consider When Reviewing Your Work
- Does the manuscript make a significant contribution to its field?
- How important is the subject?
- Is the scholarship sound and up to date?
- Is the author conversant with the literature on the subject?
- Is the organization of the work sound?
- Is the style readable?
- Is the use of apparatus and illustrations effective?
- Would the work benefit by being shortened or lengthened?
- Does it have inaccuracies or omissions?
- Does it duplicate or substantially recapitulate other works?
- What are the competing books in the field?
- To what audience is the manuscript directed?
- Do you recommend publication? With or without revisions?
The following are the most common outcomes of peer review:
- The two readers think that the manuscript, once revised, will make a worthy contribution to the literature but suggest changes – either minor or substantive – first. If this is the case, your acquisitions editor will ask for your general reaction to the reports and then get you to revise your manuscript. The revised manuscript along with a statement of revisions prepared by you will be sent back to both readers, if available.
- The two readers think your manuscript is a very strong contribution and urge publication (in most cases, with a number of minor comments for the author to take under consideration). In this scenario, your editor will ask for a formal response to readers’ reports.
- The readers’ evaluations do not agree. In this case, your editor may seek a third reader or may suggest revisions followed by another round of review.
It is not uncommon for a manuscript to require more than one round of review before the readers rank it a strong and important contribution to scholarship, ready for publication. This is especially so for edited volumes.
Approval to Publish
Only after we have at least two reports unequivocally recommending publication do we bring the dossier forward to the two committees involved: the UBC Press Publications Board and the Awards to Scholarly Publications Program (ASPP). The decisions of the Board and of the ASPP are completely independent.
Approval to Publish
Only after we have at least two reports unequivocally recommending publication do we bring the dossier forward to the two committees involved: the UBC Press Publications Board and the Awards to Scholarly Publications Program (ASPP). The decisions of the Board and of the ASPP are completely independent.
The UBC Press Publications Board is a group made up of distinguished scholars selected by the President of the University of British Columbia from its faculty. They are well acquainted with the demands of both scholarship and publishing. Members examine the dossier, the sample chapters, the peer reviews, and your response, to confirm whether the manuscript meets the standards for publication by the Press. The final decision to publish depends on both favourable reviews and an engaged and thoughtful response from the author to the peer reviews.
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