TAA DEI Committee to moderate April 26 Conversation Circle discussion

TAA’s Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be moderating the April 26 TAA Conversation Circle discussion on DEI from 1-2 p.m. ET.

Committee members Steven Barkan, Laura Frost, Nicole Dillard, Shawn Nordell, Brian Shmaefsky, and Pilar Wyman will talk about resources the committee has curated over the past two years and invite your comments and questions about incorporating DEI into your authoring.

Don’t gloss over the glossary

Do you feel like you have fallen into the abyss when dealing with your glossary? Don’t let this problematic element overwhelm you. In his 2023 Conference session, Paul Krieger will describe the standardized process he created to improve his glossary. After doing some research and creating a clear set of guidelines for his editors to develop a master glossary for three related books, the end result was a much more consistent, complete, and user-friendly glossary.

Krieger is an award-winning teacher and the creator, author, and illustrator of Morton Publishing’s Visual Analogy Guide series. Due to the success of his first book on human anatomy in 2004, this unique book concept quickly evolved into a four-book series. He is Professor Emeritus of Anatomy & Physiology at Grand Rapids Community College and also works as a scientific illustrator.

Understanding the decision from your journal publisher

The big day has arrived. You look in your In Box and there is an email from a journal editor. You submitted your manuscript over 60 days ago and have been patiently waiting for their decision. The big day is here. You click on it. There is likely one of four decisions.

  • Reject/return without review.
  • Reject.
  • Revise, and (of course).
  • Accept.

Good news no matter what the decision is! You are moving forward. Here is some advice for understanding their decision and what it means to you:

Busy TAA People: TAA member recognized at SLU Black History Month Gala

TAA Sisters of the Academy Chapter Member Dr. Dannielle Joy Davis, received the Dr. Jonathan C. Smith Faculty/Staff Appreciation Award from Saint Louis University on February 24, 2023.

The Award, named after SLU’s late inaugural vice president for diversity and community engagement, was given to members of the SLU community who were judged to have shown “tremendous dedication and commitment to supporting the Black community at Saint Louis University while facilitating major social change on campus and within the St. Louis community.”

Is custom textbook publishing right for you?

Creating a custom textbook is nothing new; major textbook publishers have offered concierge services for decades, allowing professors to handpick and remix content into a more tailored text for their students. For some, however, this option still fails to meet their course’s needs. What if you could create a single resource that was consistent with your course’s structure, level, tone, and organization? And what if you could do this while controlling textbook costs for students and creating a source of revenue for you or your institution?

Today, there are myriad options, including OER and various tools and services for digital publishing, self-publishing, and print-on-demand. It is easier than ever for professors to author their own content, but no less overwhelming!

In her 2023 TAA Conference session, Rebecca Paynter, Associate Director of Editorial for The University of Arizona Global Campus, will discuss the evolving landscape of custom textbook publishing and most importantly, the questions you should ask yourselves before and during the creation of a custom textbook.

Collaborating across differences: Cover letters to facilitate writing feedback

The first three articles in this series, “Building relationships with co-author agreements,” “Reflect on writing habits in co-author processes,” and “Keep writing communication simple with the 5 Ps,” covered strategies for building trust and shared understanding among co-authors. In this final installment on collaborating across differences, we explore feedback techniques for co-authors that reinforce trust and understanding among writers to support positive writing productivity.

Of the techniques we cover in our collaborative writing workshops for faculty and graduate student co-authors, the feedback cover letter is one of the most valued by participants.Its popularity is due to its simplicity as well as the letter’s facilitation of clear communication across a feedback exchange that can often feel awkward, befuddling, or even risky for submitting and reviewing authors alike.