LAI 638

Fundamentals of Academic Publishing

   

Instructor:    James L. Hoot, Ph.D.

Learning and Instruction

525 Baldy Hall

Buffalo, NY 14260              

Phone: 716‑645‑2453               

E-mail: jhoot@acsu.buffalo.edu

 

Note:    If you have a disability (physical, learning or psychological) which may make it difficult for you to carry out the course work as outlined, and/or, requires accommodations such as recruiting note takers, readers, or extended time on exams and assignments, please contact the Office of Disability Services, 25 Capen Hall, 645-2608.  ODS will provide you with information and review appropriate arrangements for reasonable accommodations.

 

OVERVIEW:

A major responsibility of professors at most academic institutions involves expanding the knowledge base in the field through research and publication of such research. Further, getting a job at a college or universities  and keeping it are becoming more and more dependant upon a publication record. Yet, most graduates have little knowledge about the mechanics of academic publishing.  Thus, the purpose of this advanced graduate level course is to provide potential UB graduates with skills for increasing their chances for a more productive career through professional publication.   More specifically, this course will  take beginners through the Anuts & bolts@of publishing through exploration of topics such as the following:

 

Tentative Topics:

 

The Writing Process

•         Mechanics of getting started

•         Problems

•         Improving your writing

 

Breaking Into Print

•        Book Reviews/ Newsletters/ERIC

 

Journal Publishing:

•           Where do publication ideas come from?

•            Preparing scholarly articles for submission.

•            The publication process - from idea to manuscript acceptance.

•            Characteristics of quality writing.

•            Where to find suitable outlets for publishing?

•            What do editors look for?  How to communicate with them..

•            Why manuscripts are rejected.

 

Book Publishing:

•             Selecting a publisher

•             The prospectus

•             Negotiating a contract

•             After contract and before publishing

 

Other Publishing Issues

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1.              Satisfactory completion of all assignments

2.              Exam(s)

3.              Extensive reading in the literature

4.              Publishable manuscript/book prospectus (include line numbers for  submitted manuscripts and word count).

 

 

GRADES:

In addition to satisfactory completion of requirements noted above, a major portion of your evaluation for this seminar will be the degree to which you contribute to the intellectual life of this class.

 

TEXTS:

 

Henson, K. The Art of Writing for Publication. Allyn and Bacon, 1995.

 

Strunk, W., Jr. and White, E.B. The Elements of Style. New York: Macmillan, 1979.