Duke University Press

The review process occurs after an acquisitions editor solicits the author’s materials and determines that the author’s project has potential to be a good fit with the Duke University Press list. The author’s editor will then arrange for two readers to evaluate the author’s manuscript or proposal and offer suggestions for revision as needed. Duke University Press uses a single-blind review system, meaning that the readers will know the author’s identity, but Duke University Press will not disclose their identities to the author

If both of the readers endorse publication, the author’s editor may decide to take the next step of requesting a contract for the author’s project. For this, they will need you to write a response to the readers’ reports outlining the author’s plans for revision and estimating a final word count for the author’s project and a date of completion. Duke University Press publishing contracts are final, though publication is generally contingent on the successful completion of the revisions requested by the reviewers and on approval by our Editorial Advisory Board composed of Duke University faculty members.

After the author’s contract is finalized, some time will likely be spent revising the manuscript, after which the author’s editor will typically send it back to one or two readers for a second round of review. Once the readers have signed off on the author’s manuscript, the author’s editor will present the author’s book to the Press’s Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) for final approval. The EAB members may also provide feedback that the author’s editor can pass along to incorporate into the author’s manuscript. Once the author’s book has been approved by the Board, it has passed the final stage of review required before it can move into production.