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Ask an Editor

ASQ editors are available to answer your questions about publishing with ASQ. Review the frequently asked questions below, or send us your question now. You’ll receive a response within 48 business hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

More questions?

Contact us, or call us at 1-800-248-1946. We look forward to hearing from you!

Getting Published

Do I have to be an ASQ member to get published by ASQ?

Anyone can publish with ASQ, including members, non-members, individual authors, and teams working collaboratively. ASQ welcomes submissions from anyone with an interest and expertise in quality methodologies, concepts, and tools.

Membership status does not directly affect your chances of publication. Members, however, tend to be a little more familiar with ASQ publications and sometimes have a better understanding of the audiences they need to reach. Non-members are advised to familiarize themselves with ASQ content before submitting a manuscript. Visit Quality Resources to review sample content.

What are your criteria for publication?

Each ASQ publication has its own criteria. Please review the author guidelines for your publication of choice. In general, however, the chief criteria that all opportunities have in common are originality, contribution to the body of knowledge on quality, and contribution to the professional development of the reader.

In order to be published by ASQ, your manuscript must be accepted by a peer-review panel of quality professionals who have expertise in your topic area. When making a decision, ASQ editorial staff also will verify that your manuscript has not been published elsewhere and will consider how it aligns with other upcoming publications.

I’ve never published anything before. Where should I start?

Shorter articles in newsletters and for the ASQ website are good starting points for new writers.

What should I write about?

"Write what you know" may be a cliché, but you are more likely to meet with success when you feel strongly about your topic. To encourage creativity and ensure that the body of knowledge on quality continues to evolve, many ASQ publications keep an open submissions policy, accepting manuscripts year-round on all topics related to quality.

Some opportunities are time-sensitive. See ASQ’s current calls for content and list of most wanted topics if you’re looking for ideas to explore.

Can I talk to an editor before I submit my manuscript?

If you would like to discuss your manuscript with an ASQ editor before you begin writing or before you have decided on a publication venue, call 1-800-248-1946.

If you have a publication venue in mind, ask to speak to the following editors:

For a book, ask for the Quality Press team.
For Quality Progress magazine, ask for the manuscript coordinator or associate editor.
For other journals or magazines, ask for the manuscript coordinator.

I have a story to share, but I don’t want to write it myself. Will ASQ provide a writer?

ASQ seeks to publish a wide variety of voices in the quality profession. Therefore, you are encouraged to write your own manuscript. Editorial assistance is available, and it may even be possible for an ASQ staff writer to work with materials you provide—such as presentation slides, project notes, and data—to shape the information into a publishable article.

Submitting a Manuscript

What formats should I use to send my manuscript?

ASQ prefers to receive submissions as electronic attachments using a word-processing program such Microsoft Word. Please review the author guidelines for your publication of choice to review any additional specific instructions.

Some authors take the precaution of sending manuscripts as PDF documents. In some cases, ASQ may be able to conduct an initial review using a PDF file. However, you may be asked to supply an editable version, particularly if we will need to remove any indicators of your identify for the purposes of conducting peer review.

How should I send figures and graphics?

Inserting figures in the text of your Word file can disrupt the readability of your manuscript for reviewers. We recommend placing all figures, photographs, and other graphics at the end of your manuscript. Please number all figures, and indicate where they should be positioned within your manuscript.

Does ASQ have a template or form I should use?

Please use ASQ's online submission form to send your manuscript. Filling in this short form will help ensure that we capture all of the information we need in order to begin a review.

Can I specify my own keywords for my paper?

We welcome you to provide keywords that you think will best describe the content of your manuscript for your colleagues. ASQ also performs professional indexing after publication and applies keywords for better searchability in our online publications search page and bookstore. Your recommendations will be considered.

You can also help readers find your content in a general Internet search by thinking about how you use keywords. External search mechanisms are beginning to give less attention to keywords applied as tags with the intent of making content more searchable. Instead, the presence of keywords in context is becoming more influential. If you believe a particular keyword is important to your manuscript, make an effort to use that keyword, and variants of it, in your title, section headings, and throughout your text. Overloading the manuscript with the same keyword is not advisable, but a conscious effort to use keywords precisely and judiciously will be worthwhile.

What happens to my manuscript after I submit it?

Each ASQ publication has its own specific processes, but the basic steps you can count on include:

Editorial staff review
Peer review
Publication decision
Editing
Production (layout, copyediting, design)
Publication

Timelines vary according to the size of the project and the frequency of the publication venue.

Throughout the process, ASQ regards each manuscript as a privileged document. We will not release your manuscript in any form to the public or press before reaching a publication agreement with you.

How do I get updates on the publication status of my manuscript?

You will receive e-mail notifications as your manuscript advances to each stage in the review process. If you are concerned about the status of your manuscript, please contact the editorial staff member who last spoke with you about your manuscript, or call us at 1-800-248-1946.

Can I make changes to my manuscript after I’ve already submitted it?

If you decide that you would like to make significant changes to your manuscript, we advise that you withdraw it from consideration and then submit a new version when it’s ready. Contact the editorial staff member who is handling your submission to withdraw your manuscript.

If you would like to make a few minor changes, you will have the chance once a publication decision has been made. If ASQ accepts your manuscript, you will be able to send your updates during the editorial process.

If my manuscript is rejected, can I try again?

Yes! Manuscripts can be rejected for a number of reasons. In some cases, the content may be solid, but the publication venue may not have the space to accommodate your contribution in the foreseeable future. A rejection at one time for one publication does not necessarily mean that your manuscript will never suit an ASQ publication.

When you are notified of rejection, you will be given a reason, and you may find some suggestions for re-submitting the manuscript for the same publication or a different venue. Your rejection notice may also include useful comments for revision from peer reviewers.

The Business Side of Publishing

How are my copyrights protected when I submit a manuscript?

You own all copyrights to any work you produce until you formally transfer those rights to someone else. ASQ regards each manuscript as a privileged document and will not release it in any form to the public or press before reaching a publication and copyright agreement with you.

Visit the United States Copyright Office website for more information on copyright basics.

What are ASQ’s copyright policies?

ASQ’s copyright and permissions policies are available in full at asq.org/copyright.

Copyright law requires that publishers obtain written transfer of copyright from the author(s) prior to publication. After accepting your manuscript, we will ask you to sign and return a copyright transfer form before we proceed with publishing. United States Government employees must sign the section stating exemption from the copyright laws.

Submitted manuscripts must be your original, previously unpublished work. If you use substance from other works in your article, you must obtain written permission to reprint the borrowed material. This includes any illustrations, tables, or substantive extracts (direct quotations) that are outside the realm of fair use. Written permission must include a complete citation from the copyright owner (usually the publisher) to reprint each item of borrowed material. Publication cannot proceed until copies of all permission letters are received.

What rights do I retain when I publish with ASQ?

ASQ prefers to own the copyrights to the materials it publishes. This also allows ASQ staff to handle permission and distribution inquiries without having to contact the original author. Authors do retain the right to post copies of their articles and other shorter works on their own websites and to use their content for noncommercial purposes. Widespread distribution of your own content for commercial purposes may require that you obtain ASQ’s permission.

Are there any publication charges ASQ authors have to pay?

No. ASQ absorbs all publication costs for authors.

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Ask an Editor

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Published

Submitting a Manuscript

The Business Side of Publishing

Getting Published

Submitting a Manuscript

The Business Side of Publishing

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