Editorial Policy and Style Guide

Kansas History is published quarterly by the Kansas State Historical Society, Inc., and contains scholarly articles, edited documents, and other materials that contribute to an understanding of the history, prehistory, and cultural heritage of Kansas and the Central Plains. Political, social, intellectual, cultural, economic, and institutional histories are welcome, as are biographical and historiographical interpretations and studies of archeology, the built environment, and material culture. Articles emphasizing visual documentation, exceptional reminiscences, and autobiographical writings also are considered for publication. Genealogical studies generally are not accepted.

Manuscripts are evaluated anonymously by appropriate scholars on the KSHS staff, the journal's editorial advisory board, and others in the academic community, who determine the work's suitability for publication based on originality, quality of research, significance, and presentation, among other factors. Previously published articles or manuscripts that are being considered for publication elsewhere will not be considered. Authors should allow six to eight weeks for a decision, which will be communicated through the editor along with appropriate comments and suggested or required revisions when applicable.

Kansas History follows The Chicago Manual of Style, published by the University of Chicago Press (15th ed., 2003). Submitted articles should follow the manual's proscriptions as closely as possible, particularly with regard to the citation of source material. In addition, manuscripts must be submitted in triplicate, on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, double-spaced, and should not exceed 6,500 to 7,000 words excluding endnotes (which also should be double spaced).

If the manuscript is accepted for publication, the author should submit a computer disk copy and a final printout. The disk copy may be submitted on either IBM or Macintosh compatible disks. If this requirement presents a problem, please contact the Society's publications office.

Upon submission of this final draft, the author should understand that he/she will be required to sign a copyright transfer agreement for the article, after reviewing the final edited version of the manuscript. The editors, of course, reserve the right to make changes in the article but will consult with the author regarding such throughout the editing process. The copyright agreement, which allows the Society to copyright each journal issue, will be sent to the author several weeks prior to the scheduled publication date; refusal to sign the release rescinds the Society's acceptance of the manuscript.

The copyright agreement also requires that the author stipulate that he/she will not reuse or reprint the article without first having acquired permission from the Society. In addition, the author must attest to the originality of the work and, wherever applicable, acquire permission to publish or to reproduce for publication all currently copyrighted materials (quotations, photographs, maps, etc.) submitted by the author but not original with or created by the author.

Authors are encouraged to make suggestions for illustrations to accompany the article when published and to provide copies of the same if they are not among the collections of the Kansas Historical Society. The author is responsible for the cost of any such illustration(s) and for obtaining the appropriate permission to publish from the individuals or institutions to whom the illustrations belong; the cost of any illustrations personally commissioned from photographers, graphic designers, etc., is also the responsibility of the author. Although illustrations often enhance an article and are an important part of our publication, a manuscript's acceptance usually has no relationship to their availability.

For its part, the Society agrees to publish the article in a timely manner and to provide the author with six free copies of the journal in which his/her work appears. The author also is given the opportunity to purchase ten additional copies of this particular issue at one-half the regular cost per issue.

Articles appearing in the print version of Kansas History will be posted online sometime after their publication. They are abstracted and/or indexed in Historical Abstracts and America: History and Life. The journal on microfilm is available from University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Edgar Langsdorf Award for Excellence in Writing, which includes a plaque and an honorarium of two hundred dollars, is awarded each year for the best article published by Kansas History.

All editorial queries should be addressed to: Virgil W. Dean, Editor, Kansas History, Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099; 785-272-8681, ext. 274.