"

Information for Authors

Welcome! This page contains information for James Cook University (JCU) staff who may be interested in publishing with us.

About JCU Open eBooks

JCU Open eBooks supports the creation of high-quality open educational resources (OERs) that align with JCU’s strategic priorities in learning and teaching (primary focus), research, and engagement with place and community.  

JCU Library’s long-standing commitment to open education, combined with the expertise and professionalism of Library staff, has positioned JCU Open eBooks as one of the leading OER publishers in the Australasian higher education sector. 

Potential benefits of becoming a JCU Open eBook author

Professional

  • Support career goals with a learning and teaching narrative 
  • Start a scholarship of learning and teaching project 
  • Gain a citation advantage as readers explore other authors’ outputs 
  • Align with your values, e.g., sustainability, innovation, social justice, DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) 
  • Build community capacity and/or foster linkages.

Pedagogical

  • Address subject issues, e.g. accessibility, threshold concepts 
  • Development of adaptable/reusable content 
  • Embrace OERs as a high-impact learning and teaching practice 
  • Demonstrate student learning through online renewable assessment artefacts. 

Students

  • Boost student engagement, outcomes and retention 
  • Reduce stress about money and study prep 
  • Demonstrate student learning through online renewable assessment artefacts. 

James Cook University

  • Connect with policy: 
  • Help JCU meet digital-first, place-based based and connected teaching goals 
  • Boost student engagement, outcomes and retention 
  • Support sustainability with the development of adaptable/reusable content 
  • Retain competitive advantage in the higher education marketplace. 

What support does JCU Open eBooks offer to authors? 

  • Pressbooks ebook shells   
  • Training (e.g., Pressbooks, copyright, finding OERs, H5Ps)  
  • Formatting and design   
  • Application of inclusivity, diversity and equity principles, including universal design for learning (UDL) and web accessibility   
  • Copyright and Creative Commons   
  • Coordination of peer review  
  • Metadata (e.g., cataloguing, ISBNs and DOIs) 
  • Promotion. 

Become an author

Consider JCU Open eBook project acceptance criteria:  

  • The lead author must be a JCU staff member with an ongoing contract for the duration of the ebook project. Adjunct staff are eligible. 
  • The proposed project will contribute to JCU’s strategic priorities for learning and teaching (primary focus for JCU Open eBooks), research or place and community  
  • Developed learning and teaching resources will be used in specified JCU subjects or courses 
  • Review the expression of interest (EOI) rubric for proposed JCU Open eBook submissions.  

Submit an EOI form 

What to expect 

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will be reviewed by JCU Library through a process that considers alignment with the JCU objectives and the availability of Library staff resources. Applicants whose proposals are accepted will be invited to sign a memorandum of understanding before the project begins. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their submission. 

Each OER project is unique and will follow its own publishing journey and pedagogical design process. However, projects are guided by a five-step publishing workflow: 

Figure 1:  Steps in the open text publishing workflow

Real-world outcomes and testimonials from JCU academic authors

Award-winning 

Confident Supervisors: Creating Independent Researchers authors won an international Significant Impact OER Award that has been leveraged to deliver ongoing advancement opportunities for the authors. 

 

Professional gains 

Publication of An Introduction to Research Methods for Undergraduate Health Profession Students “elevated my profile as a leader in research education, led to new collaborations, and contributed to capacity-building among colleagues”. 

 

Standardised and reusable 

This has made the delivery of the course material more standardised and has created reusable digital artifacts that are deployable across a range of subjects and courses. 

 

Engaging and accessible

The work has directly enhanced student learning experiences and engagement. The most rewarding aspect has been receiving verbal thanks from several students at JCU Brisbane who have found the resource invaluable for their studies. Students have specifically mentioned how the accessible format and comprehensive content have supported their learning journey, with many expressing appreciation for having a resource that is both freely available and directly aligned with their course requirements.

 

Interactive scaffolding

The effort invested in developing this open access eBook on research has paid off in multiple ways. For students, it has demystified the research process, providing a clear, accessible guide that supports them through every stage of their research journey. The interactive content has fostered active learning and built confidence among students previously daunted by research.  

Choose a published OER – it’s fast and free! 

Replacing a student-paid prescribed textbook with an OER/s is the quickest way to make your subject zero-textbook-cost (ZTC) for students. The process is just like choosing a traditional textbook – you identify a resource and evaluate it to ensure it meets your learning and teaching needs. If you’re concerned about quality, keep in mind that OERs are written by academic experts  – just like they do for commercial publishers. In fact, a growing number of OERs undergo peer review, providing verification that the resource meets high academic standards. 

  • Talk to your Liaison Librarian about choosing an already published OER to replace a prescribed textbook in your subject. 

Useful resources