Brief Overview of Title
Patterned after the well-received American Decades and American
Eras series. World Eras is a cross-disciplinary overview
of world history from a global perspective and with a strong emphasis on
daily life and social history. Each volume provides in-depth coverage of
one era, focusing on a specific cultural group and its interaction with other
peoples of the world. Each volume includes ten chapters focusing on aspects
of social history, and each chapter includes predictable information arranged
to facilitate comparative study. WE will also feature at least
150 photographs, line drawings, diagrams, and illustrations per volume.
Editorial Rationale
World Eras is a reference work, not a series of textbooks. As curriculum
needs change to emphasize global perspectives on world history and
cross-disciplinary study, it is necessary to provide a reference tool to
help teachers using this new approach to the study of history. It is equally
important to furnish students with the broad context they need to formulate
a worldview based on analytical consideration of cultural interaction.
The purpose of World Eras is to provide students with the factual information they require for comparative study of cultures and for the study of cultural interaction among peoples of the world. Volumes are organized with a geographical and chronological focus; but the editorial rationale requires a global perspective whenever possible. How did the people of a place and time live? How were their lives affected by interaction with other peoples? How were their lives similar to those of other peoples of the world? How does one account for the similarity? This series provides information students and teachers can use to answer these questions.
Schedule and Development
1. Release Dates
Gale plans the release of the first four volumes by March 2001:
NOTE: These volume topics represent a focus in time and place for a volume that will provide a social history written from a global perspective—describing life in the place and time of the volume and indicating how the people of the time were affected by other peoples and how they affected other peoples.
Vol. 1 The European Renaissance and Reformation (1350-1600) Norman
Wilson
Vol. 2 Roman Republic and Empire (264BC-AD476) John Kirby
Vol. 3 Classical Greek Civilization (800-323 BC) John Kirby
Vol. 4 The Rise and Spread of Islam (622-1500) Susan Douglass
Vol. 5 Medieval Europe (814-1350) Jeremiah Hackett
Vol. 6 Ancient Egypt (2615-332 BC; Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms) Edward
Bleiberg
Vol. 7 Imperial China (617-1644) Guangqiu Xu
Vol. 8 Ancient Civilizations of Central and South America (900-1590) (To
be published)
Vol. 9 Industrial Revolution in Europe (1750-1914) James Farr (To be
published)
Vol. 10 West African Kingdoms (500-1590) Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure (To be
published)
Volume Size
World Eras volumes are 400 pages in an 8.5 x 11, double-column format.
Average word count per volume is 250,000.
Scope/Content
The series is geared toward the needs of high-school students. Editors and
authors should not emphasize their personal scholarly ideas, continue scholarly
debate, or cover only the most recent research. The purpose of this series
is to provide an engaging reference resource for students in classes shaped
by the emerging world-history curriculum guidelines. It is particularly important
to indicate the lasting impact of world events and to provide the information
for study of the development of world cultures.
Continuity Across Volumes
The series goal is to facilitate comparative and inter-relational study.
Thus World Eras volumes employ a consistent ten-chapter structure
so that teachers and students can readily access standard topics in various
volumes. Chapters may be weighted differently in some volumes depending on
the demands of the material, but it the material will be predictably placed.
Table of Contents & Chapter Descriptions
The following table of contents is a model for the entire series. Although
approximate chapter lengths are identified below (assuming 40 pages for front
and back matter), chapter lengths will vary as the subject matter dictates
CHAPTER 1. WORLD EVENTS [approximately 15 pages]
Chapter Description: A chronology of world events during the period.
CHAPTER 2. GEOGRAPHY [approximately 10 pages]
Chapter Description: A concise, area-by-area description of national
and political groupings, indicating how they changed during the period. The
chapter also discusses ethnography, points of contact, climate, topography,
and, if possible, the effects of geography on history and culture.
CHAPTER 3. ARTS [approximately 40 pages]
Chapter Description: This chapter covers the arts, architecture,
literature, theater, music, and folklore of the era/region, describes their
influence on both the area of focus and other lands, and describes how creative
works were disseminated both within the focus area and throughout the world.
It covers art popular among the common persons as well as enduring works.
CHAPTER 4. COMMUNICATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND EXPLORATION [approximately
40 pages]
Chapter Description: This chapter covers the ways people interracted
with one another, both within their own land and with others: how they
communicated; how they traveled within their own lands; their explorations;
and the impact of explorers from other lands. Language, both as a means of
and a barrier to communication is an important element of this chapter.
CHAPTER 5. SOCIAL CLASS SYSTEM AND THE ECONOMY [approximately 40
pages]
Chapter Description: This chapter covers trade, commerce, the economy,
and social organization of the topic region. It includes information about
typical occupations and work habits. It explains social stratification and
the methods of economic exchange. The interaction among peoples from different
lands should be emphasized.
CHAPTER 6. POLITICS, LAW, AND THE MILITARY [approximately 50
pages]
Chapter Description: This chapter covers politics, government, law,
justice, and the military of the era/region. This chapter includes information
on different forms of punishment and torture, major criminals, and types
of crime. The chapter will cover both the law of the land and the relationship
among the focus region and other states. Attention will be given to the influence
of foreign systems of law upon the focus region and the influence exercised
by the focus region.
CHAPTER 7. DAILY LIFE [approximately 50 pages]
Chapter Description: This chapter covers the housing, clothing, food,
etc. of the era/region. It provides information on day-to-day living and
working. This chapter meets the needs of lower-level students researching
slice-of-life assignments. This chapter also includes coverage of games,
sports, recreation and other leisure activities of the era/region.
CHAPTER 8. THE FAMILY AND SOCIAL TRENDS [approximately 50
pages]
Chapter Description: This chapter covers marriage, sexual customs,
methods of child rearing, education, social roles and responsibilities:
information related to the daily life chapter but addressing higher-level
assignments about the values and beliefs prevalent during the era/region
CHAPTER 9. RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY [approximately 30 pages]
Chapter Description: This chapter covers the religion and/or philosophy
of the era/region with a world-wide reference, placing the religious beliefs
and practices of the focus region in a broad context
CHAPTER 10. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND HEALTH [approximately 40
pages]
Chapter Description: This chapter covers science, technology, inventions,
medicine, diseases, and health practices of the era/region and the impact
of foreign contact on scientific development and spread of disease. Per readers'
suggestions, this chapter will also include a math component covering major
developments and mathematicians.
Chapter Contents
Primary Text Sidebars
- Primary Text Sidebars include interesting short documentary excerpts or
anecdotes that illuminate the subject of the chapter: recipes, letters,
daily-life accounts, excerpts from important documents.
Illustrations/Permissions
-Each World Eras volume includes about 150 illustrations, maps, diagrams,
and line drawings be linked directly to material discussed in the text.
Illustrations will be gathered by the editors at Manly in consultation with
the volume editor. Manly will clear permissions and pay permissions fees.
Illustrations are keyed to the text and will be chosen with particular emphasis
on daily life.
Indexing
A general subject index for each volume will include significant terms, subjects,
theories, practices, people, organizations, publications, etc., mentioned
in the text. Index citations with more than five page references will be
broken down by subtopic. Indexes will be prepared by Manly for review by
the volume editor.
Frontmatter/Backmatter
22 August 2002 (Revised)
CHAPTER STRUCTURE
Each chapter of World Eras (WE) is intended to provide an overview
to a particular field of social endeavor. Each chapter consists of a chronology
of significant events of the period; an introductory overview; topical entries;
biographical entries; documentary sources; sidebar material; and glossary
terms.
1.) Chronology
The Chronology provides a year-by-year list of significant events of the
period under consideration. Events should be described as concisely as possible.
Complete sentences are not necessary. If possible, provide exact dates for
events. If an exact date cannot be determined, or if the event (such as a
trial, strike, or medical experiment) was of an extensive duration, it should
be listed before the dated material in each section.
The Chronology should list important technological innovations; the publication of significant writings in the field; new laws or court rulings; scandals; and any other event in the field that would have been considered important at the time. Many of the events listed will be discussed in greater detail in the text of the chapter, so in most cases it should not be necessary to define terms in the Chronology. Chronology listings should be discrete events that can normally be described in most cases in less than 20 words.
2.) Overview
The Overview (10-12 paragraphs in length) should summarize the chapter's
contents as well as provide an appropriate context for the topics and biographies
that follow. Discussion should be limited to the underlying assumptions
that inform the more specific events of the period. The Overview should serve
as an introduction to the issues that would be most familiar to most people
of the time. It is a narrative account of events relative to the chapter
subject.
The style of writing for the Overview, and the rest of the chapter, should take into consideration the taste of a college undergraduate. The writing should be informal and interesting, but not slangy or imprecise. Avoid overly long sentences and circumlocution; instead, use a direct, reportorial style. Whenever possible, discussions should be illustrated with anecdotes or quotations from contemporary sources. Concepts should if possible be discussed in the context of their originations or the events that inspired them. Each paragraph should have a brief, explanatory title.
3.) Topical and Biographical Entries
Following the Overview are two sections of alphabetically arranged
articles, Topics and Biographies. The Topics section should include
approximately 20 entries; the Biographies section should consist of 5-7 entries.
The length of each entry varies depending on the significance of the particular
topic; an entry significant enough to include should warrant at least 3 or
4 full paragraphs of discussion. Like the Overview, these entries should
be written in a concise, straightforward, and informative style. As in the
Overview, each paragraph should be titled.
The Topics section of each chapter should comprise narrowly focused short entries. Do not repeat the narrative recounted in the Overview. Be selective! For example, a Politics, Law, and Military chapter should have entries on such areas as "Political Assemblies," "Crime and Punishment," "Weaponry," etc.
Taken together the Topics and Biographies should discuss the most important events, personalities, concepts, and movements in a given field. Again, most attention should be paid to people and happenings: debates can often be most interestingly described, for example, in light of the conflicting personalities involved. Extended abstract discussions should definitely be avoided. If possible, use quotations from contemporary commentators. Bear in mind that some biographies may be told in the Topics section and some important stories of the period can be told in the Biographies. The contents of these two sections should be carefully considered to include as many personalities and events as possible.
To tell a story coherently it may be necessary to discuss events that occurred outside the chronological boundaries of the volume. In such cases discussion should be limited to only what is necessary to establish the proper context or bring the story to its logical conclusion. In the Biographies section, the first paragraph should provide basic information about the early years and education of the subject. The rest of the entry should be devoted to the events that made the subject a significant figure of the decade. In all entries remember to explain the significance for people of the time and for the country or region now. Do not assume, for example, that the book's readers will understand the seriousness of polio prior to the Salk vaccine.
Sources used in each entry should be listed at the end of that entry. Do not list general reference works or contemporary histories of the period; use modern works, preferably first editions.
4.) Documentary Sources
The Documentary Sources section should provide the reader with a useful checklist
of significant works published in the field during the period
covered. A brief descriptive annotation noting the subject and the
importance of the contemporary work should be provided for each entry.
5.) Sidebars
Each chapter includes material featured in 10 or so boxed sidebars inserted
throughout the Topics section. Suitable material for sidebars includes: anecdotal
stories that help inform or humanize topics; statistics that can be better
understood in table form than in text; profiles of eccentric or minor figures.
Sidebars should rarely become than 200 words in length.
6.) Glossary Terms
Contributors should provide a list of 10-20 glossary terms (with brief
definitions) relative to their specific chapters.
CONTRIBUTORS
1.) Assignment of Chapters to Contributors
The editor will be provided with contributors' style sheets, sample entries,
and letter-agreement forms for contributors. The editor should instruct
contributors to read the style sheet and sample entries. The contributor
should be familiar with published volumes in the series.
When all chapters in a volume have been assigned, the editor should send the list of contributors to BCL/Manly.
It is the editor's responsibility to prepare a budget for contributors in accordance with financial guidelines for the series. Payment to contributors for WE entries will normally be made by BCL/Manly when the volume goes to the printer.
Careful consideration must be given to setting the deadline for assigned chapters, allowing adequate time for vetting by the outside editor and revision by the contributor—if required—before the due date for delivery of setting copy. (See timetable below.)
Contributors should be qualified historians who have published on the topic.
Contributors who agree to write WE entries must sign letter-agreement forms provided by BCL/Manly and distributed by the editor. These completed letter-agreements must be sent to BCL/Manly. Payment to contributors will be made as stipulated on these forms.
The editor should inform contributors of the production schedule for the volume.
The editor should monitor contributor delivery schedules and reassign entries when circumstances warrant—early enough so that volumes are not delayed by unreliable contributors.
Kill fees will be paid for rejected entries, except in cases of plagiarism or worthless material.
2.) Vetting the Entries
When chapters are submitted to the volume editor, it is the editor's
responsibility to read them and verify that they are suitable for publication
in WE. If there are problems, the editor should request revision,
or, if necessary, reassign the entry.
It is obligatory that volume editors vet all entries as soon as they are received from contributors, so that unpublishable or unsalvageable entries can be promptly reassigned. The editor should send to BCL/Manly the first two chapters he or she has vetted and approved for publication. In-house editors will evaluate these entries and advise the volume editor. Although the in-house editor will check facts, the volume editor should look for major factual errors, illogical arguments, statements that stray from the assigned topic, and inappropriately eccentric arguments.
The editor should be alert for signs of plagiarism—including self-plagiarism. Contributors must understand that they are not to submit material they have already published.
All entries must be submitted on disk and in double-spaced hard-copy (paper). Preferred formats are the latest versions of Microsoft Word and Word Perfect, but most common formats can be converted by BCL/Manly.
3.) Delivery of Setting Copy to BCL/Manly
In-house editing and production of a WE volume will not be scheduled
until every vetted entry is in publishable form and received by
BCL/Manly.
4.) Preparation of Introduction
A volume editor is expected to submit the Introduction within 90 days of
signing the WE contract. Editing and production of the volume will
not commence until the editor's introduction is in hand at BCL/Manly.
PRODUCTION
1.) Procedures
The production process at BCL/Manly involves the following procedures.
A.) Editing and checking by the in-house editorial staff: Editorial queries are to be expected at this stage. Edited proofs will be sent to the outside volume editor and contributor for correction or resolution of queries.
B.) Formatting of entries: Contributors will receive first-pagination page proofs. These proofs should be checked carefully before they are returned to BCL/Manly.
C.) Illustration selection and caption writing: Illustrations are chosen and captions are written by the BCL/Manly editorial staff. The outside editor and contributors are urged to make recommendations for illustrations and provide sources.
2.) General Instructions
Payment will be made to the editor on delivery of the finished volume to
the printer.
The editor will pay himself or herself the normal fee from the contributors' budget for entries he or she chooses to write.
Communication between the editor and BCL/Manly is vital. General questions about editorial policy and procedure should be directed to the WE editor at BCL/Manly. The volume editor should make brief quarterly progress reports, in writing, to the editorial directors.
3.) Volume Editor Delivery Schedule
Month 1: Assign all entries, with two to three-month deadlines.
Month 2: Submit assignments list and contributors' budget to BCL/Manly.
Month 3: Deliver Introduction and General References section to BCL/Manly.
Month 4: Send letters to tardy contributors and reassign entries if necessary.
Month 5: Vet all entries and send them to BCL/Manly as they are completed.
4.) Production Stages
Months 1-2: Contributors work with BCL/Manly editors on revisions;
typesetting and proofing will commence. In-house editors will pick photos
and write captions.
Month 3: Final page proofs will be produced.
Month 4: Delivery to the printer.
Month 6: Publication.