Frequently Asked Questions

Author FAQs

How do I publish with the West Point Press?

Print: Authors interested in publishing a monograph should start by submitting a proposal; additional information can be found on the Prospective Authors page. Those interested in publishing with one of the Press’s journals should refer to the guidelines for the respective journal.

Digital: The process for creating and distributing digital texts is more flexible, so interested parties should Contact Us with details about their project. The digital team can create new digital texts for courses, digitize print publications, and/or tailor one of our existing digital texts for your specific course – all depending on pedagogical needs.
What subjects does the West Point Press publish?
Why should I publish with the West Point Press?

The West Point Press aims to be a best-in-class publisher for print and digital publications, and the unique position of the Press enables us to do that.

Advantages of Publishing with the West Point Press

Authors pay no fees to publish their work, and print publications are distributed at no cost to readers. This Platinum Open Access model means greater exposure, citations, and engagement with open-access material, as well as greater collaboration and a faster impact.

Digital publications can be distributed any number of ways – including user purchases/rentals, or at no cost. Of course, digital publications have a number advantages, including: instantaneous updates, reader analytics for iterative authoring, infinite portability, and direct access to sources and cited content. We also have a team of specialists who design and build sophisticated interactive content for our books, dramatically increasing student engagement, comprehension, and performance.
What is your copyright and licensing policy?

Print: Authors who publish with the West Point Press retain their copyright. The Press publishes under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. This license allows readers to share (copy and distribute) the content in any medium or format as long as they: (1) give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made; (2) do not use for commercial purposes; and (3) do not distribute derivatives.

Digital: authors or the Press can retain the copyright, depending on how the project is structured.
What are the costs associated with publishing with the West Point Press?

Print: Authors incur no costs when publishing with the West Point Press. The press assumes all financial responsibility for editing, design, indexing, production, and distribution of the works it publishes.

Digital: Production costs can (1) be amortized in the cost of the book, (2) paid for by the author/institution, (3) covered by the West Point Press, or (4) some combination of the former.
Can authors build their own digital textbook?

Yes. The West Point Press has a sophisticated, user-friendly, drag-and-drop Builder that allows authors to build their own texts. Or, for more complex projects, the Press’s digital team can build the text and any bespoke interactives alongside author guidance.
How do authors publish changes/updates to a digital book?
How is the publishing process different for digital textbooks?

New print monographs undergo a formal submission and review process, and are printed/distributed at no cost to the author. The publication process for journals is specific to each; please refer to individual journals for criteria.

Digital publications do not have a formal submission and review process. They can be used for a wide variety of projects, from signature course texts to digital supplements and one-off projects. Distribution flexibility means costs can be incurred by purchasing users, the author, a sponsoring institution, the Press, or any combination thereof.

Student FAQs

How do I purchase and access my course text?
What devices/browsers are supported for digital textbooks?
Can I change my login information?
What if I forgot my password?
How do I use an access code purchased through my bookstore?
Can I access my digital textbooks offline?
How does rental access work?

Instructor FAQs

What are the advantages of digital texts?

For a more expansive understanding of what the Press’s digital texts can do, refer to the Advantages of Our Digital Texts. There are many, including:

Time-Space Comprehension: precise and sophisticated interactives allow students to visualize across space and time.

Instantaneous updates: Books are continuously updated, so students always have access to the most current version.

Easy distribution: without publishing companies, printers, or other gatekeepers, books can reach a worldwide audience instantaneously.

Efficiency Gains: a variety of interactive features allow students to more efficiently understand key information, with impressive learning outcomes.

Rigorous Scholarship: content can be layered that allows students to expand on precise topics and link directly to primary sources.

Dynamic Feedback: aggregate analytics provide instructors with real-time data that helps them improve content.

Full-Spectrum Learning: by regularly alternating between sensory requirements, the digital books keep students engaged, reduce fatigue, improve retention, and accommodate a wide variety of learning styles.

Infinite Portability: no books needed; students can access their content anywhere with their device(s).
How do I use one of your books in my class?

If you would like to use one of our existing digital texts, or a portion thereof, in your class, please contact us and we can easily set up a custom volume for you. This is often done with our comprehensive surveys of military history, leadership development, military science, counterterrorism, and other titles.
How do I develop a new text for my class?
How do I update or make changes to a book?

If you have access to our Builder portal, you can make changes to the book and request them to be deployed (published) for students. Or you can request that our team make the changes if you don’t have Builder access, or if the changes are more complex. We always review texts before deploying for quality control.
How do students purchase/use digital texts?
Can I see analytics on how the eBook is being used?

Yes. Our books include author tools that allow instructors to see aggregate analytics on how students use the book, how long they spend on a page, when they exit chapters, and other key metrics. This feedback allows authors to revise content in real time and dramatically improve content.
Should students buy or rent a digital text?

That is up to instructors/course directors. If there would be a tangible benefit for students having lifetime access, purchase is recommended so that students can always see the most up-to-date content. Otherwise, rentals provide access to students only for the term of the course.
My university bookstore requires course books be purchased through them. What do I do?
What do I do if my student is having trouble accessing a digital textbook?

Miscellaneous FAQs

Is the West Point Press accredited?

Yes. The West Point Press is a proud member of the Association of University Presses. As a member, the West Point Press joins a group of over 150 nonprofit scholarly publishers with high editorial and professional standards who stand with a common mission to ensure academic excellence and cultivate knowledge.
How did the Press develop its policies and procedures?

The West Point Press developed its policies and procedures using guidance from (1) Best Practices for Peer Review from the Association of University Presses and (2) Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Does the Press have a code of conduct?

The Press’s policies and practices are designed to ensure the rigor of the scholarly publication process and to protect the interests of the author, the Press, and the US Military Academy. The Press takes allegations of personal or professional misconduct, plagiarism, conflicts of interest, validity and reproducibility of data, ethical misconduct, and misappropriation of intellectual property seriously and strives to maintain the highest ethical standards.
What is "Platinum Open Access"?

Platinum Open Access is the publishing model the West Point Press uses for print monographs. This means readers have unencumbered access to the content published by the Press without payment of any fees. Further, authors pay no publication fee and all the costs of publishing are covered by the Press. The Press’s open access model ensures publishing decisions are based on the quality of the work and the overall contribution to the existing literature—not on generating revenue.
What is the Press's advertising policy?

Frequently Asked Questions

For Authors

For Students

For Instructors

Miscellaneous

Author FAQs

Student FAQs

Instructor FAQs

Miscellaneous FAQs