TUDOR AND STUART TEXTS

This page presents the style guide for one of our publication series, Tudor and Stuart Texts.

All CRRS Publications follow a uniform house style based on the 14th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, with documentation style following that outlined in chapter 15 of this manual, entitled "Documentation 1: Notes and Bibliographies."

For more information, contact the series editor: Ted McGee

1. The Purpose of the Series

The purpose of the series is to offer modernized scholarly editions of important English Renaissance and Reformation texts in a modestly priced, paperback format, about 60-140 pp. in length, for the use of senior undergraduate and graduate students and their instructors. We are particularly interested in texts which have not been produced in modern editions and whose availability might contribute to ongoing attempts to interpret and to teach the English Renaissance. Although the purpose and the format of the series preclude the inclusion of any elaborate scholarly apparatus, the editions in the series are expected to conform to high scholarly standards.

2. Proposal of Texts for the Series

Anyone wishing to propose a text for adoption into the series should submit a proposal describing (1) the work and its significance; (2) the text used as the basis for the edition, giving a justification of the choice of that particular text over the others available (for the guidance of the General Editor(s) and the Publications Committee, this may have to be longer than the Editorial Note that would accompany the published text); and (3) the potential value of the edition in relation both to contemporary scholarship and critical debate and to the needs of teachers and students of the English Renaissance.

If the text in question is rather long (see 3A below), the prospective editor should suggest ways in which it might appropriately be abridged. We favour unabridged editions of entire works (or of independent sections of larger works). If works are to be abridged, the rationale and the method must be carefully discussed in advance with the General Editor(s). If a modern edition of the work already exists and is readily available, the case for a new text must be made.

Proposals will normally be addressed to the General Editor(s) of the series, who will give an initial response, and may request additional information or clarification. If the General Editor(s) feel that the proposal is appropriate, it will be submitted to the CRRS Publications Committee, recommending that it be adopted. Only the Publications Committee has the authority to accept proposals.

3. Format and Content of the Volumes in the Series.

A. The style guide is the current edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, and specifically “Documentation 1" (Chapter 15). Spelling should follow the Concise Oxford Dictionary, 9th edition.

B. The various sections and their suggested length:

i. Title page and verso; 2 pp.
ii. Introduction: 15-30 pp.
iii. Editorial Note on the Text: 1-3 pp.
iv. Text: ca. 40-100 pp.
v. Notes: 10-20 pp.
vi. Bibliography: 2-5 pp.

C. The Introduction:

The introduction must be concise and must be accessible to advanced undergraduates and to researchers who are not specialists in the field. Besides providing a brief life of the author, the Introduction should, without going into minutiae, discuss the particular work in the context of (1) the author's general output, (2) similar works by other authors, and (3) the literary and intellectual contexts of the period. To avoid unnecessary notes, references to the text should be in parentheses. References to other sources should be kept to a minimum. As far as is possible, references to other works should be confined to those in the Bibliography.

D. The Editorial Note:

The Editorial Note must identify the text used as the basis for the edition. The choice of text must be explained briefly. We recognize that the criteria for selection of the base text can be variable; we insist, however, that such decisions be justified explicitly. In general, we favour a decision to edit a single source, and are therefore opposed to conflated texts. Although the series does not aim to produce full critical editions (we do not, for example, require collations), we do expect major textual decisions to reflect contemporary bibliographical and editorial procedures. In the case of textual problems too complex to be discussed briefly, a solution will have to be worked out in consultation with the General Editor(s). Major variants with significant consequences for the text should be illustrated with two or three examples.

E. The Text:

The series aims to produce modernized texts of high scholarly standards. The Publications Committee recognizes that some flexibility will be required. In light of the chronological scope of the series, the very different genres which it will include, and the range of base texts from which its editions will be derived, we cannot prescribe rigid procedures. In general, we favour modernization of orthography and punctuation according to Canadian conventions. Modern conventions for italics, quotations, etc. should also be adopted. Procedures for modernization should be discussed by the editor with the General Editor(s) of the series.

F. Notes on the Text

Notes should appear as footnotes on the same page as the passage they refer to, and should be numbered consecutively throughout, with raised numerals in the text. They should be confined to essential matters: major textual variants; elucidation of obscure passages; explanation of puns, innuendoes, or proverbs; identification of persons or things referred to; etc. Editors should bear in mind the needs of an intelligent but non-specialist student audience. Notes should be concise, and include nothing that can safely be left out. If in doubt, the editor should include the note; it is easier to eliminate a note than to add it once the manuscript has been submitted.

G. The Bibliography and Guide to Further Reading:

The bibliography must be highly selective. The editor should include all primary and secondary texts referred to in the Introduction and Editorial Note: standard editions of the author's works and of the particular work in question; important contemporary works on the same subject; and the most important secondary literature. Wherever appropriate, and especially in the last two categories, brief comments as a guide to students or instructors who wish to pursue the topic further should be included. References to minor or highly specialized literature will usually not be appropriate.

4. Timetable for Preparation of the Manuscript

Once a text has been adopted into the series by the Publications Committee, the editor and General Editor(s) will consult on a timetable for the completion of the manuscript. Thereafter the Committee will expect a brief progress report every six months. If unable to keep to the schedule originally agreed upon, the editor should explain the reasons to the General Editor(s) and request the establishment of a new time-table. In cases where no satisfactory progress can be shown in the first year, the Publications Committee reserves the right to cancel the project.

5. Submissions and Processing of the Manuscript

Editors should submit (1) two clean and clear copies of the manuscript; (2) a disk containing the manuscript in a WordPerfect file; and (3) a clear photocopy of the base text. Once received, the manuscript will be reviewed by the General Editor(s), and will be submitted to at least one outside reader. The General Editor(s) will report to the Publications Committee. This process will normally take several months. When it has been completed, a copy of the manuscript will be returned to the editor with suggested changes and/or corrections. The revised and resubmitted manuscript will, after any last minute queries have been answered, be prepared for printing by the General Editor(s).