Introduction

Thank you for considering the Rural Studies Series and Penn State University Press as a possible outlet for your manuscript. We look forward to working with you to publish an interesting, informative, and scholarly book.

The first step in publishing your book is to prepare a prospectus that briefly describes the book's content and major themes. The RSS Editorial Board will review the prospectus and in collaboration with the Penn State Press decide whether to invite you to submit a full manuscript for review.

The full manuscript will be reviewed by the Editor, one member of the Editorial Board, an external reviewer, and a representative of Penn State Press. The Board and Penn State Press then will decide whether to publish your book. Once the book has been approved for publication, you will work with Penn State Press to complete a contract and bring the book to publication. Typically, the Editor of the Series and one member of the Editorial Board will assist you in completing the manuscript by reviewing the revised version.

Guidelines for the Prospectus [Print (.pdf)]

The prospectus is a summary of the key features of your manuscript and its contribution to the literature. The Editorial Board of the Rural Studies Series will review your prospectus for possible publication by Penn State University Press.

Your prospectus should include this information:

1. A tentative title for the book.
2. Some consideration of the potential market for the book.
   • Why this book is needed?
   • Why is it needed now?
   • For what audience is the book intended?
   • What benefits they will this audience derive from reading this book?
3. A detailed outline that provides an indication of the sections and chapters of the book.
   • If possible, submitting a sample chapter in a reasonably complete form helps the Editorial Board understand your proposed manuscript and evaluate its potential contributions to the Rural Studies Series.
4. A description of competing books.
   • How is this project different from and better than related books currently available?
   • Even if there is nothing exactly like your project, you should situate it within the literature to show us why this fills an important niche.
5. A description of how the book will contribute to public sociology.
   • In what ways will the book critique current policies or suggest new ones to improve the lives of people living in rural areas?
   • In what ways will the book suggest new programs or changes to existing ones to improve the lives of people living in rural areas?
   • What is the motivation for writing this book as a means for improving the lives of people living in rural areas?
6. An expected length of the work in words.
7. The current status of the manuscript, or some sense of when a completed manuscript could be delivered.
8. A brief autobiographical sketches of the authors/editors.
9. A brief description of illustrations and graphic needs of the manuscript.
10. Contact information for the corresponding author, including an email address and telephone number.

Guidelines for Manuscripts

Penn State Press provides detailed information for authors, including submission guidelines.

Penn State Press Submission Guidelines.