Manuscript Assessment Procedures

Receipt of manuscripts

Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP) will acknowledge receipt of unsolicited manuscripts quickly. Authors will be advised when their manuscripts are sent to peer assessors and, if they’re submitted to the Publishing Advisory Committee (PAC), when the next meeting is scheduled. There are up to four PAC meetings a year.

Authors will be advised if their manuscripts don’t fit the current AIATSIS guidelines, and their manuscripts will be returned, if requested.

Assessment

Manuscripts are assessed by ASP™ staff initially. If appropriate, they are then sent to peer assessors. These are subject or discipline specialists and/or writing specialists. The assessors’ reports are provided to the PAC for their consideration.

Publication decisions are made by the Principal, advised by the PAC and ASP™ staff. ASP may, but is not obliged to, offer development advice or suggest alternative avenues for possible publication.

Timeline

Authors are advised of the Principal’s publishing decision after each PAC meeting. The manuscripts of authors who have been unsuccessful are returned.

ASP™ staff then liaise with the authors whose manuscripts are accepted for publication. They issue publishing contracts, subject to discussion and joint agreement. ASP keep contracted authors informed of their book’s likely publication date. Currently ASP has books scheduled to end of 2010.