Proposal Guidelines for Social Science Authors

Covering the subjects: Aviation; Human Factors; Human Geography; Law and Legal Studies; Information and Cultural Management; Politics and International Relations; Social Work; Sociology.

 

Working with Ashgate

Thinking of becoming an Ashgate author? Here are some reasons why you should contact us to discuss your ideas:-

  • All our books are peer-reviewed, and we make a conscious effort to arrive at decisions about new proposals quickly.
  • We publish much more quickly than other academic presses (typically 4 to 9 months from receipt of your approved text).
  • We have an international reputation for our commitment to producing attractive books that effectively promote the advancement of scholarly research.
  • The majority of our books are published simultaneously in both print and digital (e-book) editions.
  • Whilst other publishers may outsource large areas of the editorial process, at Ashgate we demonstrate our commitment to quality and author care by maintaining an in-house team of dedicated and experienced editors who provide an accessible, friendly and supportive environment.
  • We have worldwide marketing and distribution. For more information about how we market and sell our books please see Guide to Marketing and Sales.

Don’t take our word for it, read what others have said about us in 'What our authors say about Ashgate'.

 

Submitting a Book Proposal

We are actively seeking new book proposals. The following guide lists the information we need to make an initial assessment of the proposed book. A list of our commissioning editors by subject area is available in the Contact Us area of our website.

 

Book Proposal Guidelines

Your initial proposal should include the following:

 

The Book

  • A statement of the aims and rationale for the book: how does it further research in the field?
  • The draft contents list along with a synopsis of each chapter.
  • One or two sample chapters or related material which best represents your work (if available).
  • Details of the number and type of illustrations you would like to feature, e.g. photographs, line-drawings, maps. For further details regarding illustrations please see our Guide to Including Illustrations in Your Book.
  • The estimated word extent
  • The estimated delivery date

 

The Author/Editor

  • A short biographical paragraph for all authors, editors and contributors involved with the book, and a short CV for the principal author(s) or editor(s).

 

The Market

  • Details of competing books, either published or in preparation, and how your book distinguishes itself from these.
  • The readership level at which your book is aimed, e.g. third-year undergraduate, post-graduate researcher, university lecturer etc.
  • If your book is a revised version of your PhD thesis, has the thesis been posted on to any institutional repository? If yes, is the institutional repository publicly accessible or accessible only to members of the institution? Please give details.

Please feel free to contact us at any time to discuss your book proposal ideas.

 

Author Guidelines

For information on how to prepare your typescript for publication, please see our Author Guidelines.