Our scholarly publishing program focuses on material for scholars, citizens, students, and policy makers. Please visit our list of subject areas and consider our recent publications to identify how your project fits with our publishing program.
We welcome proposals for both projects in development and completed manuscripts. Please follow these guidelines when drafting a book proposal for the Press:
The proposal should be 10-12 pages long, and should include the following (with the understanding that each project may require additional or different information):
- The working title and a brief description of the work.
- A more detailed overview of the manuscript that describes:
- The central argument;
- The rationale for writing this manuscript;
- If the manuscript is an edited collection or a multi-authored work, please describe the thematic, theoretical, or other structures that will help create consistency across chapters.
- If the manuscript is based on a dissertation, please tell us when and at what institution it was defended. Also describe the revisions you have made or propose to make; our Recommended Reading list (below) includes resources about this revision process.
- A table of contents with a brief synopsis of each chapter.
- If the manuscript is an edited collection, please also include information about the institutional affiliation (if applicable) and citizenship of each chapter’s contributing author(s).
- Information about the intended audience. What disciplinary background(s) do your readers share? Is your manuscript intended for scholars, practitioners, or policymakers? Is your manuscript intended for course adoption (if so please list relevant course titles and departments/institutions)? Will your manuscript appeal to a general audience (if so, how have you made the writing, concepts, and argument accessible to non-experts)? Please be as specific as possible.
- A list of closely related and competing books. Please describe how each book is similar to or different from the book you are proposing.
- The proposed date of completion.
- The approximate length of the manuscript (in words, including notes and references).
- A description of any illustrations (number of images, figures, maps, etc.) and how they are used in the work.
- A description of any part of the proposed manuscript that has been previously published, along with any other permissions issues or special considerations that might need to be addressed before publication.
- Have you proposed this project to any other publishers?
In addition to the proposal, please include each author’s / editor’s curriculum vitae, and a sample chapter or two (if available).
University of Alberta Press welcomes submissions for Open Access (OA) projects. The Press invites authors to discuss funding options to support making their work OA.
To submit a proposal for a scholarly manuscript, please email:
Michelle Lobkowicz
Acquisitions Editor
mlobkowi@ualberta.ca
Due to the volume of submissions we receive it can take some time for us to respond to each submission. If you have not heard back from us within four weeks, please contact us again to make sure we have received your submission.
University of Alberta Press does not accept submissions in hard copy. Please follow the submission guidelines above to have your work considered.
Unsolicited submissions will not be returned. In all cases, keep a backup for your records; the Press cannot be responsible for any losses.
Review Process for Scholarly Work
If the editorial team determines that your manuscript might be a good fit for our publishing program, you will be invited to submit your manuscript for a single-anonymous peer review. All University of Alberta Press manuscripts are reviewed by at least two experts in the field. Depending on the genre of your work and your intended audience, the reviewers may consist of some combination of university- or college-affiliated faculty, expert practitioners, Indigenous Elders or community members, or published authors of creative work. We ask reviewers to evaluate the quality of the scholarship as well as the writing and structure of the manuscript. Your editor will discuss the details of the review process and reviewer selection with you. We follow the Association of University Presses Best Practices for Peer Review. Our peer review processes are carefully designed to support the author/editor in developing their manuscript’s potential, and aim to centre collegial, equitable practices throughout. If the reports are positive, the manuscript will be brought to the Press’s management team for consideration. Manuscripts that are approved by this team are then submitted for further approval by our Press Committee, a diverse group of faculty members from the University of Alberta.
Funding Considerations for Scholarly Books
Most scholarly books in Canada require financial assistance. University of Alberta Press books are regularly supported by a number of established granting agencies, and we encourage authors to identify additional sources, such as specialized foundations, programs within their home institutions, and government departments with a special interest in the area of their research. Open Access projects require additional financial support.
We have strong relationships with a number of granting agencies and a positive record of securing funding to support our books. Depending on the source of funding we may apply on behalf of the author/editor, and in other cases the author/editor may be required to seek funding themselves. Please discuss funding with your editor.
Recommended Reading
Ask UP: Authors Seeking Knowledge from University Presses. https://ask.up.hcommons.org/
Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing By and About Indigenous Peoples by Gregory Younging (Brush Education, 2018)
From Dissertation to Book, Second Edition by William Germano (University of Chicago Press, 2013)
Revising Your Dissertation: Advice from Leading Editors, Updated Edition edited by Beth Luey (University of California Press, 2007)
The Thesis and the Book: A Guide for First-Time Academic Authors, Second Edition by Eleanor Harman, Ian Montagnes, Siobhan McMenemy, and Chris Bucci (University of Toronto Press, 2003)
Getting It Published: A Guide for Scholars and Anyone Else Serious about Serious Books, Third Edition by William Germano (University of Chicago Press, 2016)
