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Contributors

  Mary Cassatt  Albert Einstein  Cyrus Hall McCormick   Benjamin Elijah Mays  Karen Theodora Clementina Danielsen Horney  Stanley Kubrick

Why Contribute to ANB?

As an author of an entry in American National Biography Online, you are contributing to the premier reference database for American history, told through the lives of influential figures. This is an opportunity to participate in a scholarly project that has received acclaim from the media, librarians, and faculty across the globe since it appeared in print over 15 years ago. Whether you are a first time contributor or an experienced one, this page will help answer any queries you may have and offer more information on what it means to be an ANB author.

Contributors to ANB receive 6 months free access to the ANB from the time your entry is published. In addition, the ANB team is open to offering limited free access to you or your colleague for classroom use or demonstration. 

If you have questions about the eligibility requirements for writing an entry, please don’t hesitate to contact us. 

If you provide us with your areas of interest and expertise, we can offer a few choices from our list of entries ready to be assigned. We also welcome new article suggestions (please note that all of our subjects must be dead) as well as revisions or corrections to existing articles.

Author Guidelines

Click to view the complete ANB Contributor's Manual. All files are in Adobe PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF documents.

It may also be helpful to view a sample article for a quick example on form and style. Each essay should present the subject's life generally in chronological order, focusing on the primary events that made the subject a notable person; significant events in private life should be woven into the chronology. In addition, the entry should place the subject’s life and career into the broader context of history, with reference to relevant people, events, movements, and organizations. Please note these important components of the essay:


1. The headword and first paragraph (sections 3.1 and 3.2 of Contributor's Manual)

Headword Example
 

2. The summary paragraph (3.7 of Contributor's Manual)

summary example
3. The bibliography (section 5 of the Contributor's Manual)

 bibliography example

Our team at Oxford University Press works to raise awareness on a global scale about the ANB’s achievements, updates, and notable articles. But current authors can also lend a hand in spreading the word.

  • Feature in the classroom: Link to your article on syllabi and recommended reading lists.
  • Tweet, Post, Share, Engage: Share new articles (freely available for 6 months after each update) on your social media network
  • Recommend to your librarian: Submit a library referral form or speak to your librarian if your institution does not yet subscribe to ANB
  • Cite in your CV: Share your publication by adding your article to your CV


If you are interested in participating in communications surrounding the ANB, from podcasts to posts on the OUPBlog, please contact our social media team. Additionally, our editorial team is always available if you have any questions or concerns regarding your published article(s).

Image credits:

Mary Cassatt: Oil on canvas, c. 1880-1884, by Edgar Degas. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and the Regents' Major Acquisitions Fund, Smithsonian Institution.

Albert Einstein: Courtesy of the Library of Congress (LC-USZ62-99506).

Cyrus Hall McCormick: Oil on canvas, mid-19th cent., by Charles Loring Elliott. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Mary Buchanan Redwood.

Benjamin Elijah Mays: Gelatin silver print, 1949, by Griffith J. Davis. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Chauncey and Marion Deering McCormick Foundation and Mrs. Gilbert Harrison.

Karen Theodora Clementina Danielsen Horney: Oil on canvas, c. 1940-1950, by Suzanne Carvallo Schulein. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

Stanley Kubrick: Digital inkjet print, 1969 (printed 2009), by Dmitri Kasterine. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.