Book Editor Guidelines

These guidelines are for editors of edited volumes — collections of chapters by different contributors. They sit alongside our Author Guidelines, which cover manuscript preparation, referencing, permissions, and ethics in detail. Please read both, and share the Author Guidelines with every contributor at the outset. As volume editor you are our principal partner in delivering a coherent, high-quality book.

1. Your role as volume editor

As volume editor you define the volume’s theme and scope; recruit and select contributors; ensure the chapters cohere and follow a consistent structure and style; keep the project to its agreed schedule; act as the main point of contact between your contributors and the editorial office; and uphold the publication-ethics standards below. For a co-edited volume, please nominate one editor as the corresponding editor for day-to-day correspondence.

2. Building the volume

Most volumes begin with a call for chapters (see our Call for Chapters page) or with a curated list of invited contributors. When commissioning, give each contributor a clear brief: the chapter’s scope and how it fits the whole; a target length (usually 6,000–10,000 words including references); the required structure, citation style, and formatting; and firm deadlines for the proposal, first draft, and revised chapter. Aim for breadth and complementarity, and avoid substantial overlap between chapters.

3. What we need from each contributor

  • The chapter as an editable Word (.docx) file, with an abstract and 4–8 keywords.
  • A consistent citation style across the whole volume (APA 7th, Chicago 17th, or Vancouver), with references at the end of each chapter.
  • Figures and tables prepared to the standards in the Author Guidelines (numbered, cited, supplied as separate high-resolution files, with captions and alt text).
  • Cleared permissions and the supporting documentation for any third-party material in the chapter.
  • A signed agreement consenting to publication under the volume’s licence, and confirmation that all chapter authors consent to being named.
  • A short biography and the institutional affiliation held when the chapter was written.
  • Funding, competing-interests, and ethics statements where relevant.

4. Coordinating editorial assessment and review

Every chapter undergoes editorial assessment. The assigned editor may request independent peer review or record an editorial approval where appropriate; the decision basis is recorded in the workflow. When independent review is requested, help identify suitable reviewers and coordinate review and revision with the editorial office. Ask contributors to respond to reviewers’ comments with a point-by-point reply, and keep reviewer identities and reports confidential. Follow the review model confirmed for the project; for double-anonymized review, remove identifying details from the text and file properties.

5. Permissions, ethics, and integrity

Collect and submit the permissions documentation for every chapter before the volume is delivered; production cannot begin while any permission is outstanding. Flag any Creative Commons or third-party content and make sure it is labelled. For an open-access volume under CC BY 4.0, third-party material must either be re-licensable under CC BY or be included on a non-exclusive basis with a clear note that it is not covered by the volume’s licence (see the Author Guidelines for detail). All chapters are screened for similarity; plagiarism, fabrication, redundant publication, and undisclosed conflicts of interest are unacceptable. We follow the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and you are our first line in upholding them across the volume.

6. Preparing the final volume

Assemble the volume with consistent front matter: a title page; an optional preface or foreword; a full list of contributors with affiliations and biographies; and a table of contents. Keep heading hierarchy, terminology, and reference style consistent across chapters, and place each chapter’s references at its end (edited volumes do not use a single consolidated reference list). Provide 50–100 suggested index terms for the whole volume, and make sure every chapter carries its abstract and keywords.

7. Editor’s submission checklist

Before submitting the complete volume, confirm that you have:

  • all chapters as editable .docx files, each with an abstract and keywords;
  • a list of contributors with affiliations and short biographies;
  • a signed publication/consent agreement from every contributor;
  • cleared permissions and documentation for all third-party material, by chapter;
  • funding, competing-interests, and ethics statements where relevant;
  • figures and tables supplied as separate high-resolution files;
  • 50–100 suggested index terms and complete front matter (title page, contributor list, table of contents);
  • a record of the editorial assessment, decision basis and any independent peer review carried out for each chapter.

8. Licensing, copyright, and charges

Books and chapters may use open or restricted access as agreed with the press. The applicable licence is shown on each publication. Open-access volumes may use a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence; copyright and licensing arrangements are confirmed in the publication agreement. A Book Processing Charge may apply to an open-access volume (covered by the editor, contributors, an institution, or a funder); open access may be sponsored at no cost to authors; or the volume may be published conventionally for sale with no BPC. See the Publishing Options page for the BPC tier table; waivers and discounts are available.

9. Production and your role at proofs

During production you coordinate proof-checking across your contributors: distributing proofs, consolidating corrections into a single set, and keeping everyone to the proof turnaround in the Author Guidelines. You also approve the front matter, the index compiled from your suggested terms, and the cover. Corrections at proof stage are limited to errors, not rewriting.

10. Contact

For anything about editing a volume — commissioning, scheduling, permissions, peer review, or production — contact the editorial office at [email protected].