Guidelines for Submitting Book Proposals to the American Public Health Association

Titles proposed for publication and sale by APHA should be submitted to the Publications Board in the form of a "Prospectus," a 750-1000-word description of the project containing the following information:

• A clear and precise statement of the public health topic or issue to be addressed.
• A proposed table of contents or outline of contents, including detail wherever possible.
• An assessment of how the publication would fit into the existing literature on the same or related topics and what it might add to this literature.
• A description of the intended audience or market.
• The names, affiliations, and addresses of the main authors/editors; their Curricula Vitae and a description of their individual backgrounds in the subject area, including titles of relevant publications.
• The names, affiliations, and addresses of the proposed contributors if the book will have multiple authors.
• An estimated timetable for the completion of the work.
• A reasoned argument in favor of the subject of the book--why it is pertinent, timely, and worthy in general.
• A preliminary manuscript development budget.

It should be noted that it is not APHA policy to compensate authors or editors for their time and efforts. However, APHA will reimburse all approved expenses incurred in the preparation of a manuscript, such as costs for photocopying, telephone calls, mail, office supplies, and--possibly--computer time, secretarial support, and travel to meetings. The latter three items should be budgeted in consultation with the APHA Director of Publications.

A Prospectus may be submitted to the Publications Board at any time by mailing it directly to the Director of Publications at the American Public Health Association, 800 I Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001-3710.

A preliminary review of the Prospectus is conducted by the Director of Publications. If all items have been fully addressed, the Prospectus is forwarded to all members of the Publications Board for review. The Prospectus is then discussed and voted on at the next meeting of the Board or, on occasion, via a special conference call between Board members. The Board meets twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. If the response from the Publications Board is positive, the Director of Publications will notify the lead author/editor of the decision either to request further information and materials or to go forward with the project.

If the decision is to go forward, a Publisher's Agreement and Copyright Transfer agreement will be signed and the procedures governing the responsibilities of authors and editors will go into effect (see next paragraph).

The authors/editors are responsible for the final development of the manuscript, but will receive assistance from a Board-appointed liaison. The liaison may recommend consultation with an advisory committee to the Board if it seems that the Board lacks the specific expertise needed for assistance.

It is important to note that the reference style used in APHA books is based on the 1997 version of the "Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals." The use of the American Medical Association Manual of Style (8th ed., Baltimore, Md, Williams, Wilkins, 1989) is recommended. The AMA Manual can be bought at university or specialty bookstores and is found in medical libraries.

Another essential document to consult in the writing of the work are the "Guidelines for Authors and Editors of APHA Book Projects." Both the Uniform Requirements and the Guidelines for Authors and Editors will be sent to authors/editors once the project is approved. Editors should share the appropriate guidelines promptly with the contributors.

When the authors/editors judge their work to be complete, they present the fully developed manuscript to the liaison who conducts a final review and, if appropriate, recommends publication of the manuscript to the Chair of the Publications Board and the Director of Publications.

The Chair of the Publications Board accepts or rejects the recommendation. The Director of Publications conducts a final publisher's review and reserves the right to initiate revisions with the authors/editors before confirming that the manuscript is ready to be published. If for any reason the Publications Board finds it is unable to approval final publication, the material will be returned to the author.

During the production process the authors/editors will work closely with the APHA Director of Publications and the Production Manager. All manuscripts are copyedited for grammatical correctness, clarity, consistency, and adherence to AMA style. Authors/editors will be asked to answer outstanding queries before the manuscript is set in type. They will also be asked to proofread galleys and check pages.

APHA holds the copyright on its books. Authors/editors are responsible for obtaining permission for their use of material copyrighted elsewhere, such as previously published tables and figures.

If you have questions, please feel free to call Ellen Meyer, Director of Publications, at 202/777-2742 or email: ellen.meyer@apha.org. If you would like to obtain a copy of the Uniform Requirements or of the APHA Guidelines for Authors and Editors, please call Terrence Mulligan (202) 777-2471 , Production Manager, at 202-777-2471, or email: terrence.mulligan@apha.org. To fax a request, use 202-777-2532. We value and appreciate your interest in publishing with APHA!