Characteristics of Monographs
A monograph is a "treatise on a small or circumscribed area of knowledge." The publication of monographs is directed by the Books Board, appointed by the AGU President. AGU welcomes proposals for monographs that meet the following requirements: the book will be of high scientific merit; the book will sustain focus and consistency throughout; the chapters will be peer-reviewed as rigorously as articles submitted to AGU journals; the book will have a wide enough audience to make its publication financially attractive; the book can be published at a price likely to appeal to individual purchasers.
Monographs are published by AGU as part of its service to geophysics and geophysicists. Such proposals usually fall into one of the five categories listed below with examples:
AGU also publishes reference and other books. For information regarding these volumes, contact the AGU Books Department at cmatan@agu.org.
Assessment of Scientific Merit
The proposer should complete and return a proposal form to AGU along with sufficient information to permit an evaluation of the scientific merit of the proposal. Such information should include a draft table of contents, the proposer's CV (shortened form), and a description of the scope and nature of the volume. Additional information such as sample chapters, lists of participants, and technical conference justifications are helpful. Volumes based on conferences must be developed to cover their subjects appropriately within the context of a focused monograph. Proposals for these volumes, therefore, must clarify the difference(s) between the conference agenda and the table of contents of the proposed book.
Upon receipt of the proposal form and supporting documentation, the proposal will undergo a scientific review and a market analysis. This evaluation is usually accomplished in six weeks after receiving all necessary information.
The final decision on the proposal is based on scientific merit, marketability, and financial risk. The Books Acquisitions Editor will notify the proposer of the final decision and, if the proposal is accepted, will negotiate terms for publication. An oversight editor from the Books Board will work with the volume editor and approve the final manuscript.
Review Procedures
AGU monographs must be rigorously peer-reviewed to AGU standards. For single or co-authored manuscripts, AGU satisfies peer review by sending them to appropriate reviewers. For volumes organized and edited by the proposer or associates, the proposer or associates satisfy peer review by recruiting appropriate peers. The proposal must describe the intended review process, which must be acceptable to AGU.
Market Assessments
Since AGU does not subsidize the books program, an adequate audience must be identified for each accepted proposal. AGU marketing staff uses the information provided by proposers in their marketing analysis, and we urge proposers to complete this section of the form carefully.
The four major markets for most AGU books are the following:
The proposal form lists the AGU sections and asks the proposer to select the top three divisions which are most relevant to the volume. If there is an opportunity for additional special sales, please be sure to include that in the proposal together with a contact name if available.
Monetary Compensation, Article Reprints, and Complimentary Volumes
Edited Collections of Articles by Different Authors. Authors and editors receive no monetary compensation. AGU will pay editorial expenses, if necessary, subject to a budget established when the work is commissioned. Normally ten free copies of the finished volume are provided to the editors, to be shared among them as they see fit, while first authors (but not if they are editors) of the individual papers each receive one free copy. A 50 percent discount off list price is offered to all contributors for the purchase of unlimited numbers of personal copies of the volume during the first twelve months after publication. Reprints are available at customary AGU prices.
Monograph by One Author or a Few Co-authors. AGU will pay royalties equal to 10 percent of actual cash receipts. This sum will be divided among authors in accordance with a contract drawn up and signed when AGU undertakes to publish the work. Ten free copies of the work will be provided, and authors may purchase additional personal copies at a 50 percent discount off list price. Expenses will be met by the authors out of royalties.
Volumes of selected reprints. The compiler receives no monetary compensation, but does receive ten free copies of the volume. AGU pays expenses, particularly those associated with permissions and indexing, subject to a budget established when the work is commissioned. A portion of these expenses may be paid in advance if such an arrangement is needed to facilitate the production of the volume.
Responsibilities of Editors
The editor of a monograph is responsible to AGU for quality, speed of handling, and overall final product. (Guidelines for the publication of multi-paper monographs supervised by an editor follow.) A member of the Books Board will be assigned as oversight editor to review the final manuscript, and if needed, to serve as a liaison in the interests of the editor, the authors, and AGU. For edited monographs based on conferences, at least one of the editors must not have been a convener or organizer of the conference. In the rare case of a seriously delayed volume, AGU may be forced to invoke the cancellation clause in the letter of agreement.
The volume editor is responsible for forwarding to AGU approved camera copy (or electronic files) of the chapters. The volume editor compiles the table of contents and preface, which AGU will edit. The preface should place the contents of the book in technical perspective. If the book arises from a conference, the date, place, and subject of the conference are mentioned at the conclusion to the preface, along with other acknowledgments. The preface shows how the contents of the monograph fill a need and describes the state of the research area with sufficient detail and clarity that the need is evident.
Publisher's Responsibilities
AGU approves proposals, budgets and schedules, sets the title and price, and handles printing, distribution and marketing of the volume.
Timeliness. AGU makes every effort to publish monographs based on a conference within 12 months of the date of the meeting. Bound books are usually available six months from AGU's receipt of all final camera ready copy. Meeting this objective requires strict adherence by the editor to a schedule established in advance in consultation with the AGU Books Department. It also requires compliance by the authors to a schedule announced by the editor at the time papers are solicited. AGU encourages conference conveners to submit a proposal well in advance of the conference so that the potential contributors of papers can be notified of the publishing decision before the conference takes place.
Price. To ensure a price affordable to individual scientists, who are the primary audience for AGU books, requires strict adherence by the editor to a page budget established in advance in consultation with the AGU Publications staff. Unlike journal publishing, almost all expenses in book publishing are incurred before any revenue is realized. Therefore AGU prices its books conservatively.
Peer Review. Papers destined for an AGU monograph are usually refereed in the customary manner, but the editor retains responsibility for the scientific quality of papers accepted. The editor should explain to authors at the time papers are solicited that papers may be rejected for failure to meet the schedule, the page allocation, or scientific standards. Introductory material, commentary, and discussion, if any, may be included at the discretion of the editor but will be subject to approval by the Books Board.
Referees who did not participate in the conference may be preferred in the peer-review process. This selection procedure can be used by the editor, but should not be followed if it might unduly restrict the pool of referees.
Prior Publication. AGU does not knowingly publish reports, letters, or articles that have been previously published, except translations from a foreign language in which few members are fluent. AGU defines prior publication as issuance in: a scientific journal, a book offered for sale, a serial published by a commercial publishing company, or a governmental document offered for sale. Reports of the federal or state governments and reports of scientific work done under contract that are distributed to a limited and defined distribution list do not constitute publication. Preprints of papers, such as those prepared for symposia and distributed to members of the symposium, are not regarded as published, though proceedings and other papers that have either been printed and broadly distributed or offered for sale to the public clearly have been published.
AGU expects authors to state the previous public exposure of the work described in their report when they submit it for publication. If a related problem occurs, the editor should discuss it with the AGU Books Department. Occasionally it is appropriate to publish an abstract only, with a reference directing the reader to the original publication.
Copyright. All publications of AGU are protected by copyright. Authors are asked to transfer their copyright to AGU. Or, if all authors are U. S. Government employees and have completed the work as part of their official duties, authors are asked to sign a "Certification of U. S. Government Work," which signifies that the work is not eligible for U.S. copyright. However, authors who are publishing works supported by a U. S. Government grant or contract are requested to transfer copyright to AGU. This kind of transfer recognizes the U. S. Government's prior license to use the work for noncommercial purposes.
The copyright transfer agreement does not affect any other proprietary rights, such as patent rights, nor does it preclude the author from using the work in the future for any oral presentation, from reproducing figures, tables, or extracts if properly cited, or from denying subsequent commercial use of the paper. AGU grants permission to anyone to reproduce figures, tables, or short extracts in scientific works. AGU's copyright policy is designed to provide for broad dissemination of science while still protecting author's rights and AGU's financial investment in the book.
Checklist for Editors