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Please follow these instructions to prepare your manuscript for submission.

House Style

Use OUP house style for elements such as spelling, punctuation, abbreviations, numbers, dates and units of measure.

Manuscript

  • Submit your manuscript as one Microsoft Word document using section breaks between chapters to keep endnotes within the relevant chapter. If you are not confident using section breaks, submit each chapter as a separate Word document.
  • Include a Contents page (without page numbers).
  • Keep formatting as simple as possible. The whole manuscript, including headings, should be in 12pt Times New Roman, with 1.5 line spacing. DO NOT attempt to design your manuscript.
  • All headings and first lines flush left; first lines of the following paragraphs indented (using paragraph styles, NOT tabs).
  • Differentiate subhead levels visually (e.g. by using bold, then bold italic for the next level, then simple italic).
  • Use sentence case for headings: capitalise the first letter and any words that would use capitals in a sentence.
  • Use single quotes: double quotes are only for quotes within quotes.
  • Do not embed photos or illustrations within the text; these are to be supplied separately.
  • Use macrons for Māori words where applicable (see style sheet).
  • For extracts, change the width of the left margin – do not use tabs.

Referencing

  • See the house style sheet for OUP's preferred referencing style. Care and consistency in citation style are essential.
  • Format your notes, bibliography/reference list with hanging indents (using the 'hanging indent' feature of your software, not your tab key).
  • Use endnotes (notes at the end of each chapter) rather than footnotes.
  • Notes for each chapter must begin with note 1. Number notes consecutively using Arabic numbers; do not use roman numerals or symbols.

Permissions

As the author (or editor of a multi-author book) you are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce material that is under copyright – this includes extracts from copyrighted works, complete poems (original or in translation) and song lyrics. Gaining permission can be a lengthy and costly process so you will need to allow time to do this. In New Zealand, the term of copyright in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works is the life of the creator plus 50 years from the end of the year of their death. In the UK and US it is 70 years. When seeking permission for the use of work under copyright, make every effort to secure the broadest rights possible, i.e. 'rights for all editions (print and digital) worldwide'.

Copyright rules for graphic and artistic works (including photographs) are different. Permission is almost always required from the artist and/or the institution that owns the image.

Photos, artworks, graphics

  • Please do NOT embed your illustrations in the manuscript.
  • Submit all illustrations as high-resolution (at least 300 dpi) jpgs or tiffs. Digital photos or other images downloaded from the internet are usually only 72 dpi, making the resolution too low for print publication.
  • Line art should be 600 dpi.
  • If digital images are not available, we accept photographic prints (positives), slides, and transparencies. Photocopies or pictures from a book or magazine are generally not recommended (please consult us if this is your plan).
  • Clearly label and number all illustrations.
  • Provide a captions list with corresponding numbering, and including accurate credit information as provided by the copyright holder.
  • Provide placement guidance within the text: <Insert pic 5 about here>
  • Number any tables in a separate sequence
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