Developmental Editors provide feedback that shapes textbook planning and development for the Open Curriculum Development Project. Please read Unit 0 for an introduction to the entire project.

The Developmental Editor will follow the project timeline to provide actionable feedback on drafts of a planning document, chapters, and full manuscripts of a textbook. The evaluation will follow the provided templates to identify priorities to bring textbooks into alignment with the four areas of the Open Curriculum Development Project’s Textbook Criteria for Success: learner focus, representation of diverse voices, accessibility, and Oregon context. The project’s Equity Consultant is available to collaborate on specific questions that arise during review.

The Developmental Editor will work with the Project Manager to help author teams feel supported, prepared, and enthusiastic about each stage of the project. The Developmental Editor does not prepare checklists or point out what steps remain to complete the project because this is covered in our author training. Rather, you will use the provided rubrics to offer specific recommendations that engage with the authors’ ideas and focus on the project’s criteria for success. Use positive examples to show authors how they can more fully develop their work for a student audience.

Developmental Editors also review and synthesize external reviewer feedback on behalf of authors.

Developmental Editors receive a two-year stipend of $20,000 for completing the project assignments listed below.

This role was originated by Stephanie Lenox, Instructional Editor, Chemeketa Press. The templates you’ll use are adapted from work she developed, and much of the advice for authors in our training is based on materials that she created for this project. You can learn more at Stephanie Lenox [Website], where we hope that her book on inclusive writing will be featured very soon!

Where Author Training Occurs

Developmental Editors can review the units below to better understand the guidance provided to authors in this project.

• Year 1, Units 1-5: how to prepare {Course #} About This Book.
• Year 1, Units 6-8: how to write first chapter drafts.
• Year 1, Units 9-10: how to complete a manuscript draft.
• Revising Author: how to prepare a launch manuscript.

Additional author training takes place during project-level meetings of all author teams. Developmental Editors are invited to project-level meetings with authors to facilitate discussions and learning on effective writing and revision strategies.

Licenses and Attributions for Developmental Editor Role and Responsibilities

“Developmental Editor Role and Responsibilities” by Open Oregon Educational Resources is licensed under CC BY 4.0.