ACPA Publications

ACPA Books

Since the early 1960s, the Books and Media Board has nurtured the development and publication of original content by authors with broad appeal to an interdisciplinary audience of researchers, scholars, and practitioners in the field of student affairs as well as the broader context of higher education. Publication themes ranged from history and systems, to theory, to practice applications.

Today, we continue to support authors who wish to publish books in collaboration with ACPA. New authors/editors working with ACPA Books receive significant guidance and assistance in the publishing process that is not available when working directly with a publisher. For more experienced authors/editors, publishing with ACPA Books is a great way to “give back” to the organization. As such, royalties from all books published through ACPA Books are returned to the association. Authors benefit by having their works published, which may enhance their professional reputations and lead to greater professional opportunities for such activities as consulting, keynote speaking, and invited presentations.

We welcome submissions of book proposals on topics related to, but not limited to the following: student growth and development; diversity and equity in higher education; student access, success, and retention; mental health among college students; and campus safety. 

The criteria used to evaluate your proposal will include:

• The topic’s contribution to the field
• The author’s/authors’ ability to present new and significant information and observations about the topic

Please prepare a prospectus that addresses the following points:

Overview:

• What is the proposed title and subtitle of your book? (Please keep in mind clear and searchable keywords rather than catchphrases.)
• Include a brief description of the book in which you explain the main purpose, thesis, and general plan of the book.
• Please also explain the rationale; why do you think there is a need for this book?
• Please specify the details of your finished book, including the expected number of words, the number and type of figures/tables, and your planned completion date. (It is not necessary to have completed your book before you contact us. If you have, please do not send the entire manuscript. Instead, please draft a proposal using these guidelines).
• Include a sample chapter and/or a representative writing sample.

Contents:

• Include a proposed table of contents with a thorough paragraph describing each chapter. Be sure to include reference to any literature, research, or theory you plan to cover in each chapter. [Note that an ideal length for a Higher Education professional book (a book that identifies and solves a problem, is accessible, written for busy practitioners in mind) would be 60k – 90k words.]
• Are you including any special features or pedagogical tools in the book? (These can include chapter objectives, end of chapter questions, call-out boxes, etc.)

Market:

• Please discuss the intended audience for your book. Is it written primarily for scholars (if so, what disciplines), professionals (if so, which fields), or students (if so, what level)? Please be as specific and realistic as possible and remember few, if any, books appeal to all of the above simultaneously.
• List any courses (including the level) for which this book would be relevant.
• List three key selling points for your book.
• List a few specific journals, publications, and/or scholarly groups or divisions, you think this book would most appeal to.

Competition:

• List three or four similar titles (include author, title, publication date).
• Please explain how your book is like, or unlike, each of these books.

Other Relevant Information:

• Please provide a brief blurb (200 words max) about your book that would draw a reader in. Focus on telling the reader what the book will do, how it does this and why this is important, rather than foregrounding the research or field. Think of this as an ‘elevator pitch’ for the book.
• Please provide us with a brief biography of yourself (and any co-authors).
• If this book will be an edited collection, please include a short biography (including current institution and title) for each of these contributors.
• List three to five people who would make qualified reviewers for the proposal (preferably individuals whom you do not know personally). Though we do not always use these suggestions, they help give us an idea of where you think your ideas fit into current debates.
• Finally, please tell us whether or not your proposal has been submitted to other publishers and, if so, to whom.

For more information or to submit proposals, please download our Publishing with ACPA Books document.

Please contact the ACPA Books Editors, Kari Taylor and Jenny Small, with questions.

Ways to Order ACPA Books

Routledge Publishing

Stylus Publishing

Rowman & Littlefield

Purchase directly through ACPA

*ACPA Members* Some of the publications below are available for FREE on the Member Portal. Simply log in, click the Files tab, and review the downloadable PDFs available.

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