BYU Religious Studies Center (Book Manuscripts & Religious Educator - Perspectives on the Restored Gospel)

For Authors

Submit Manuscript

Note: Submit proposals (book manuscript or journal article) and general inquiries to rsc@byu.edu. Please do not upload them here.

Article Types

Book Manuscripts
The RSC welcomes book manuscripts on projects that fit our mission. We are committed to publishing well-researched, well-written books aimed at informed Latter-day Saint readers as well as a more academic audience.

Journal Articles
The Religious Educator serves the needs and interests of those who study and teach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on a regular basis. The distinct focuses are on teaching the gospel; we welcome well-researched, well-written articles on the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, publishing studies on scripture, doctrine, and Church history, and sharing outstanding devotional essays.

Before submitting your materials to us, we encourage you to seek feedback from colleagues with expertise on your topic.

Submission Requirements

Manuscript Format
Manuscripts should be double-spaced, including quotations, and in a serif font such as Times New Roman. Authors should follow style conventions of The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, and the Church Style Guide for Editors and Writers, 5th edition (linked below).

Accessibility. Write direct, clear English in a style that is accessible to the broadest possible audience for your work.

Thesis statement. Include a thesis statement that clearly identifies the purpose and scope of your manuscript.

Quotations. Integrate quotations into your narrative as logical, grammatical parts of the text. Usually quotations require further explanation to function productively within your text. We caution against excessive use of block quotations.

Style. We generally follow The Chicago Manual of Style for journal articles and book manuscripts. If another citation and formatting style (i.e., MLA, APA, etc.) is more appropriate for your disciple, please check with us about using it.

Note Placement. You may use footnotes or endnotes. Link notes (attached to the text to which they refer).

Sensitivity. Use language that is free of bias (gender, race, religion, and so forth.) Consult Guidelines for Bias-Free Writing, by Marilyn Schwartz (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1995) or “5.251 Maintaining credibility” (https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/book/ed17/part2/ch05/psec251.html) in The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, for more details.

Illustrations. Begin thinking now about possible illustrations, where you can find high-quality versions, and who holds the reproduction rights. Once your manuscript is accepted, we will as that you provide copies of illustrations you would like to include, keeping track of the sources. The number and type of illustrations to be reproduced are subject to approval by the press. We caution you from paying for illustrations or their permissions until the publications director or editor in chief have confirmed that the illustrations will be used and that the rights granted in the permission are adequate for our needs.

Graphs and Charts. Long graphs and charts may need to be split across multiple pages or reduced to fit the publication. We recommend using graphs no larger than 4"x7".

Anonymity
At the time of submission, our system will record the author’s name and associate it with the submission. Please do not include the author’s name or personal information in the submission. The RSC reserves the right to adjust, retract, or delete any information within the submission that may compromise the integrity of the double-blind review process.

Style Guides
The following RSC Style Guide summarizes the main principles in the other style guides and lists a few exceptions to their guidelines.

Religious Studies Center Style Guide: https://rsc.byu.edu/sites/default/files/web_content/guidelines/pdf/RSC_Style_Guide.pdf

The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2017): https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html

Style Guide for Editors and Writers, 6th ed. (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2020): https://rsc.byu.edu/sites/default/files/web_content/guidelines/pdf/Church_Style_Guide_for_Editors_and_Writers.pdf

Editorial and Peer Review Process

All submissions go through a preliminary internal evaluation that may take up to three months to complete. If we decide to pursue the submission further, it may go through a double-blind peer review process, being read by two well-informed, responsive scholars. This process may take another three months. Decisions are based on internal and external review feedback, publication need, and overall fit with the journal.

Manuscripts will be evaluated by the following questions:

  1. Does the manuscript address a clear thesis? Does the argument proceed cautiously and logically? Is the writing clear? Is it engaging and interesting? If not, why?

  2. To what degree is the author knowledgeable on the topic as a whole, as show, for example, by the context, phrasing, contextualization, thorough use of the best sources, and bibliography? Does the author adequately acknowledge and deal with opposing views? If not, why?

  3. Does the manuscript present significant new data or new perspectives? What is the main contribution? Will people want to read this ten years from now? Does it make a solid contribution without resorting to sensationalism or controversy?

  4. Does the author follow the canons of responsible scholarship (use sound and fair methodology, document arguable facts, etc.)? If not, why?

  5. Is the manuscript faith-promoting? Is the piece in harmony with the established doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

All rights reserved by the Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University.