ERIC Number: ED298489
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1988-Jul
Pages: 36
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
University Presses As "Gatekeepers of Ideas" within Society.
Parsons, Paul
University presses serve a prominent gatekeeping role in scholarly publishing because they, unlike commercial presses, can select books which transmit knowledge without being wholly captive to the marketplace. To analyze the cyclical flow that continually advances intellectual life, this selection procedure was examined with a study of the acquisition processes at university presses. The study consisted of three components: a year-long, on-site observation of a mid-sized university press; personal interviews with directors and editors representing 30 university presses; and a survey of 52 United States-based members and affiliates of the Association of American University Presses. Findings showed that (1) 9 out of 10 unsolicited manuscripts were returned to the authors without ever entering the publishing stream; (2) only about 2% of author-initiated queries eventually resulted in a published book; (3) authors whose manuscripts were actively solicited had a 22% chance of the manuscript being published; (4) if a manuscript makes it to the editorial committee stage, its chances for publication are exceptionally good; and (5) responding university presses placed some importance on the promise of financial gain in the decision to publish, but other factors--such as list building and the author's background--play larger roles. The conclusion is that as a leading vehicle for intellectual intercourse, university presses actively shape the cultural agenda through list-building and aggressive acquisition methods. (Eight tables of data are included, and 20 references are appended.) (MS)
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A