Supporting Information

The York Doctoral Publishing Prize celebrates the excellent doctoral research which is carried out at York and supports graduates from York Doctoral programmes to move to the next stage in their career. The Prize supports graduates in sharing their doctoral research as an open access monograph with White Rose University Press (WRUP). Open access brings research to the widest possible audience, offering immediate access to digital formats without financial barrier, while still providing high quality physical copies to those who choose to buy them.

There are two elements to the prize: The first part sees the selection of the final list of prize winning proposals; the second sees these proposals taken through the WRUP peer review and commissioning process, with the hope that this will result in publication of the monographs proposed. If commissioned, prize winners have open access publication costs covered as part of the prize.

The two parts of the prize are linked and the submission of a proposal is a commitment to follow the process through to publication, if you are selected as a prize winner and your work commissioned. This means that you need to be able to commit to doing the work required to write a monograph based on your doctoral research. This will be a very different type of output than your thesis as the purpose and audience are distinct.

Applicants are committing to work with WRUP as a publisher. While the University of York completely understands an academic’s right to publish where they choose, WRUP’s relationship with York means they are confident in the quality of both the publication process and output, and in the cost effective model used. This maximises the number of prize winners we can support through to publication. WRUP’s open access model also connects with the institution's commitment to supporting the wider open research agenda (see Open research statement). 

Authors will need to engage with the WRUP peer review and editorial process, as this feedback will ensure the manuscript can deliver its maximum potential. They will also not submit a book proposal based on the same doctoral research to, or discuss potential publication of the research with, other publishers until the shortlist of prize winners is finalised. The prize winners will be committed to publishing their proposal with WRUP if commissioned.

Entering the prize commits you to engage with all these elements. If you are not comfortable with any of the elements of the prize, please discuss your concerns or ask any questions before submitting by contacting york-doctoral-publishing-prize@york.ac.uk.

Applicants need to be aware that they will be writing a monograph based on their doctoral research and not submitting their thesis for publication. While some elements of the thesis may be suitable to be worked into sections of the monograph, it should be expected that a significant amount of work will be needed to present the research as a book that will engage a wider audience. This will usually need a different tone, structure, and focus than a thesis, which is written for the specific purpose of academic assessment, and for a very narrow and defined audience.

There is a good deal of information available on what is required to write a monograph based on doctoral research, and we recommend that you explore this information to make sure you understand what is involved. Thinking about this and capturing it in your proposal is a key element of the submission. It is important you feel able to undertake the work needed and that you will not place undue pressure on yourself given your other workload or commitments.

Incorporating relevant feedback from peer reviewers and the WRUP Editorial Board will also be important to the success of the project, and you will probably want to discuss this with your Academic Mentor. This will also take time, which will differ depending on the scope of the feedback.

You will need to be involved in the stages of the production process; signing off the work of the copyeditor, indexer and typesetters. WRUP will be able to work with you to create a schedule that works around your other commitments.

There will be practical considerations too. If you intend to include third party-owned content in your book, WRUP can help you make sure you have the right permissions to use this content, This will differ from those you needed to use third party-owned content in your thesis.

This will be a significant amount of work, but it will be spread over different phases of the publication process, and WRUP will work with you to ensure the timescales are realistic and schedules are built around your commitments.

If your proposal is selected as a shortlisted winner, you will be awarded a cash prize of £250, with the award promoted by the University. Your proposed monograph will also enter the White Rose University Press peer review and commissioning process, with the hope that it will result in publication of the monograph. We cannot guarantee that prize winners’ proposals will go on to be commissioned but, for those that are, open access publication fees will be paid by the University of York Library.

The prize is open to submissions from anybody who has been awarded a doctoral degree by the University of York between 1st Jan 2024 and 7th May 2027. You must have confirmation of successful completion of your degree before the submission deadline.

Applicants must submit a proposal for a monograph based on their doctoral research.

Your proposed monograph must be based on the doctoral research that you completed at York, but will be different to your examined submission. A book is different to a thesis, and the two fulfil very different purposes. In developing your proposal you will have to think about how your doctoral research could be developed into a book. You can also propose a book based on your research even though assessment may have been by practice or publication.
You may want to talk to your supervisor, your proposed mentor, or other academic colleagues about their experience of developing research into a published monograph. There is also a wealth of guidance available online which can give you advice on how to develop doctoral research into a book.

Applicants should read all the terms and conditions given on this page before submitting to the prize. Submissions that do not meet the criteria will not be considered.

Download submission form (docx)

Applications to the prize will consist of the completed submission form and a sample chapter of the proposed monograph. If selected as a prize winner, the proposal element of the submission for and the sample chapter are what WRUP will take out for peer review, and so are both important elements of the submission.

Final submissions must be emailed to york-doctoral-publishing-prize@york.ac.uk by midnight (UK time) on 7th May 2027.

The applicant may get in touch to ask your opinion on whether this prize would be a good option for them. If you have any questions about the prize, the process or about White Rose University Press as a potential publisher, please email these to york-doctoral-publishing-prize@york.ac.uk

The applicant may also ask you to complete the section of the application form that needs academic support for their submission, as this is a requirement.

This prize is for graduates from York Doctoral programmes looking to move to the next stage in their career, supporting them in sharing their doctoral research as an open access monograph with WRUP. 

Open access brings research to the widest possible audience, offering immediate access to digital formats without financial barriers, while still providing high quality physical copies to those who choose to buy them.

There are two elements to the prize. The first part sees the selection of the final list of prize winning proposals. The second sees these proposals taken through the WRUP peer review and commissioning process, with the hope that this will result in publication of the monographs proposed. If commissioned, prize winners have all open access publication costs covered as part of the prize.

The two parts of the prize are linked and the submission of a proposal is a commitment to follow the process through publication, if selected as a prize winner. This means that authors need to be able to commit to doing the work required to write a monograph based on their doctoral research. This will be a very different type of output than their thesis as the purpose and audience are very different.

Authors who submit are committing to work with WRUP as a publisher. While the University of York completely understands an academic’s right to publish where they choose, WRUP’s relationship with York means they are confident in the quality of both the publication process and output, and in the cost effective model used. This maximises the number of prize winners we can support through to publication. WRUP’s open access model also connects with the institution's commitment to supporting the wider open research agenda. 

Authors will need to engage with the WRUP peer review and editorial process, as this feedback will ensure the manuscript can deliver its maximum potential. They will also not submit a book proposal based on the same doctoral research to, or discuss potential publication of the research with, other publishers until the shortlist of prize winners is finalised. The prize winners will be committed to publishing their proposal with WRUP if commissioned.

Entering the prize commits the author to engage with all these elements. If they are not comfortable with any of the elements of the prize, they should discuss their concerns or ask any questions before submitting by contacting york-doctoral-publishing-prize@york.ac.uk.

We understand that early career researchers have a range of publishing experience. Some may not have extensive experience of the publishing process or of peer review. Successful applicants to the prize may benefit from working with someone who has this experience. The academic mentor will advise on the proposal and, if it is successful, at key stages in the development of the book - for example, how to define the audience effectively, and how to assess and respond to peer review comments. Mentors will be invited to join the author in meetings with WRUP, and will help the author in understanding how to act on feedback, e.g. from peer reviewers or the WRUP Editorial Board.

The academic mentor cannot be the doctoral supervisor, as a fresh perspective is important. It should be someone from the same field of study who has agreed to support the applicant through the drafting, peer review and manuscript preparation stages of the publishing process, if successful. It is not necessary for the academic mentor to be familiar with the applicant’s doctoral research although an appropriate option for an academic mentor could be one of the thesis’ examiners. 

As an academic mentor, you would need to commit to helping the author through certain aspects of the publication process. There are key points when they are likely to need input:

• You would be expected to read the sample chapter of the proposed book, and the draft book proposal before the author submits them to the prize. The applicant may also ask you to provide the academic recommendation for publication, as this is a requirement of the submission;
• If applicant is successful, you would offer support to them through the proposal peer review and commissioning process, which may involve attending a meeting with WRUP (probably virtual);
• If their work is commissioned, you would offer support to the author when the manuscript is sent for peer review.

The applicant may need help processing and responding to peer review feedback if this is not something that they have had experience of. They will need to select which elements of the feedback they need to take on board and which they should decline to incorporate. They may also need advice in judging how best to evolve the manuscript based on the feedback they want to use. 

You should have a discussion with the applicant to gauge whether they feel they would benefit from or require support at other stages, for example, the initial planning and work to develop the doctoral research into a book. You need to be open with the applicant about how much support you can offer. For example, you could agree to have three meetings with them over the course of the peer review, commissioning and publication process.

1. Submissions must be based on doctoral research for Doctoral degrees awarded since 1 January 2024 and before the submission deadline of 7 May 2027.
2. A sample chapter of the proposed monograph must be included.
3. The proposal must be for a stand-alone text-based volume.
4. The proposal must be for an English language monograph.
5. The application form must include a recommendation for publication from a relevant academic sponsor (usually expected to be the supervisor but could also be e.g. external examiner), with appropriate evidence.
6. Authors must also confirm an academic mentor (not their Doctoral supervisor) to support them through the process.
7. This should be the first long format publication based on the author’s doctoral research. We cannot accept submissions from those who have already published, have secured agreement to publish, or who are in discussions to publish a book based on their research elsewhere.
8. The publishing element of the prize has no financial equivalent, and no profit will be made from the sale or distribution of the monograph for WRUP or the author.
9. Decisions of the Panel are final. It will not be possible to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

1. The successful monograph proposals will undergo the standard peer review and commissioning process. The University of York will cover open access publication costs if commissioned.
2. Commissioned monographs should be submitted as a final manuscript no later than 12 months from commissioning.
3. Draft manuscripts will undergo a final round of peer review to inform the Editorial Board’s decision to send the manuscript into production.
4. The WRUP Editorial Board will decide to commission and take to production, based on the quality of the monograph proposal/manuscript and not the quality of the doctoral research on which the monograph is based, or the thesis submitted for assessment.
5. The WRUP Editorial Board may require revisions as suggested by the peer review process or their own discussions. If an author does not engage with the editorial process, the Editorial Board may choose not to commission the volume or to send to production.
6. The decisions of the WRUP Editorial Board are final.
7. WRUP will publish the open access monograph under a Creative Commons licence. The ownership of the content will remain with the author.
8. The author will secure all relevant permissions to use 3rd party content in the final published volume (images, text from other sources etc). These permissions will differ from those needed for use in the doctoral thesis.