Journal Article Submission

What are journals for? To create a peer-review process to evaluate new research before publication. To create a peer-review process to evaluate new research before publication. To increase the prestige of the authors, and disseminate their ideas. To increase the prestige of the authors, and disseminate their ideas. An important step in academic careers. An important step in academic careers. “Publish or perish” “Publish or perish”

Peer Review Process Step 1: An article is submitted Step 1: An article is submitted In the US, submissions are usually unsolicited. In the US, submissions are usually unsolicited. Journal policy dictates the criteria for consideration. Journal policy dictates the criteria for consideration. Ph.D.s? Ph.D.s? Graduate students? Graduate students? Members of a particular organization? Members of a particular organization? Open to anyone? Open to anyone?

Step 2: The article is considered by an editor. Step 2: The article is considered by an editor. The editor can reject the article outright for: The editor can reject the article outright for: Failure to adhere to the journal requirements. Failure to adhere to the journal requirements. Inappropriate subject matter. Inappropriate subject matter. Any reason the editor chooses. Any reason the editor chooses. The editor can reject the article but suggest changes and resubmission. The editor can reject the article but suggest changes and resubmission. The editor can pass the article to the referees. The editor can pass the article to the referees.

Step 3: Referees evaluate the article. Step 3: Referees evaluate the article. Referees are typically anonymous. Referees are typically anonymous. Sometimes authors are anonymous to the referees as well. Sometimes authors are anonymous to the referees as well. Referees should have credentials in the field. Referees should have credentials in the field. Referees may : Referees may : Accept the article as-is Accept the article as-is Accept the article pending recommended changes Accept the article pending recommended changes Reject the article but invite changes and resubmission Reject the article but invite changes and resubmission Reject the article outright Reject the article outright When multiple referees disagree, either journal policy or editorial decision determines whether to publish. When multiple referees disagree, either journal policy or editorial decision determines whether to publish.

Step 4: Final editing process. Step 4: Final editing process. Depending on Journal Policy, any changes made to the article after the peer review may require resubmission to the referees. Depending on Journal Policy, any changes made to the article after the peer review may require resubmission to the referees.

Referees Referees are not paid. Referees are not paid. Referees are typically authors themselves. Referees are typically authors themselves. Particularly, they’re often authors who have been published by the journal in question. Particularly, they’re often authors who have been published by the journal in question. Note to writers: read the journal in question, especially articles related to your field. Note to writers: read the journal in question, especially articles related to your field. These articles may well be written by your referees. These articles may well be written by your referees.

Criticisms of peer review process Process can be slow Process can be slow Can take months to years for a paper to finally be deemed worthy of publication Can take months to years for a paper to finally be deemed worthy of publication Unpopular ideas can be suppressed Unpopular ideas can be suppressed Journals can have a natural bias against ideas that contradict their previously published articles Journals can have a natural bias against ideas that contradict their previously published articles Subject to control by elitism in a field Subject to control by elitism in a field Subject to personal and professional jealousy Subject to personal and professional jealousy

Sokal Affair “Transgressing the Boundaries: Toward a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity.” “Transgressing the Boundaries: Toward a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity.” This article claims: This article claims: Quantum theory has progressive political implications Quantum theory has progressive political implications The New Age theory of the morphogenetic field could advance the theory of quantum gravity The New Age theory of the morphogenetic field could advance the theory of quantum gravity “physical ‘reality’ … is at bottom a social and linguistic construct.” “physical ‘reality’ … is at bottom a social and linguistic construct.” Authored by NYU physicist Alan Sokal, published by humanities journal Social Text in Authored by NYU physicist Alan Sokal, published by humanities journal Social Text in 1996.

On the day of publication, Sokal announced the article was a hoax. On the day of publication, Sokal announced the article was a hoax. “A pastiche of left wing cant, fawning references, grandiose quotations, and outright nonsense… structured around the silliest quotations I could find about mathematics and physics.” – Alan Sokal “A pastiche of left wing cant, fawning references, grandiose quotations, and outright nonsense… structured around the silliest quotations I could find about mathematics and physics.” – Alan Sokal

Sokal claimed the journal “felt comfortable publishing an article on quantum physics without bothering to consult anyone knowledgeable in the subject.” Sokal claimed the journal “felt comfortable publishing an article on quantum physics without bothering to consult anyone knowledgeable in the subject.” Social Text accused Sokal of unethical behavior. Social Text accused Sokal of unethical behavior. Said they only published the article as submitted because Said they only published the article as submitted because 1) Sokal refused to make suggested changes. 1) Sokal refused to make suggested changes. 2) It was directly relevant to their issue, which was dedicated to the social implications of quantum physics. 2) It was directly relevant to their issue, which was dedicated to the social implications of quantum physics.

Sokal’s response: Sokal’s response: Social Text didn’t publish on the basis of an article’s correctness or coherence, but because of who wrote them and how they sounded. Social Text didn’t publish on the basis of an article’s correctness or coherence, but because of who wrote them and how they sounded. "My goal isn't to defend science from the barbarian hordes of lit crit (we'll survive just fine, thank you), but to defend the Left from a trendy segment of itself.... There are hundreds of important political and economic issues surrounding science and technology. Sociology of science, at its best, has done much to clarify these issues. But sloppy sociology, like sloppy science, is useless or even counterproductive." "My goal isn't to defend science from the barbarian hordes of lit crit (we'll survive just fine, thank you), but to defend the Left from a trendy segment of itself.... There are hundreds of important political and economic issues surrounding science and technology. Sociology of science, at its best, has done much to clarify these issues. But sloppy sociology, like sloppy science, is useless or even counterproductive."

Types of Articles Articles – Cover original, current research. Typically 5-20 pages, but are frequently much longer. Articles – Cover original, current research. Typically 5-20 pages, but are frequently much longer. Supplemental Articles – Large amounts of raw research data, typically without much direct discussion. Supplemental Articles – Large amounts of raw research data, typically without much direct discussion. Can be much longer than the articles themselves Can be much longer than the articles themselves Many journals now prefer to put this data online rather than in print. Many journals now prefer to put this data online rather than in print.

Types of Articles Review Articles Review Articles Discuss findings of multiple articles on a single subject. Discuss findings of multiple articles on a single subject. Can synthesize multiple views on the same subject Can synthesize multiple views on the same subject Can support or critique other authors’ work Can support or critique other authors’ work Can discuss the state of the art in a given field Can discuss the state of the art in a given field

Letters Letters Not letters to the editor. (Those are for magazines.) Not letters to the editor. (Those are for magazines.) Short descriptions of current research. Short descriptions of current research. Published without in-depth review. Published without in-depth review. Usually reserved for urgent or timely discoveries. Usually reserved for urgent or timely discoveries. Research notes Research notes Also short descriptions of current research. Also short descriptions of current research. Not quite as urgent as Letters. Not quite as urgent as Letters.

Typical journal requirements (Taken from ASEE Journal of Engineering Education) Articles are expected to report a significant body of research Articles are expected to report a significant body of research Unusually significant commentaries or focused research with important results may be published as Research Briefs. Unusually significant commentaries or focused research with important results may be published as Research Briefs. Both quantitative and qualitative research is encouraged. Both quantitative and qualitative research is encouraged.

Submitted manuscripts must include the following elements: Submitted manuscripts must include the following elements: The manuscript title, authors and their affiliations, and a word abstract The manuscript title, authors and their affiliations, and a word abstract An introduction section following the abstract and preceding the main body of the manuscript; An introduction section following the abstract and preceding the main body of the manuscript; The main body of the manuscript, appropriately divided into sections The main body of the manuscript, appropriately divided into sections

Brief biographical sketches for each author. Brief biographical sketches for each author. Black and white figures and tables, if any, either embedded at appropriate locations within the manuscript or collected together and appended at the end of the manuscript. Black and white figures and tables, if any, either embedded at appropriate locations within the manuscript or collected together and appended at the end of the manuscript.

Manuscripts may also include appendices, a glossary of symbols, and acknowledgments, as deemed appropriate by the authors. Manuscripts may also include appendices, a glossary of symbols, and acknowledgments, as deemed appropriate by the authors.

A comprehensive reference for considerations of composition and presentation may be found in the Chicago Manual of Style, 14th edition; A comprehensive reference for considerations of composition and presentation may be found in the Chicago Manual of Style, 14th edition; A more concise source is The Elements of Style, 4th edition, by Strunk and White. A more concise source is The Elements of Style, 4th edition, by Strunk and White. Authors are strongly encouraged to carefully proofread their manuscripts before submission. Authors are strongly encouraged to carefully proofread their manuscripts before submission.

The journal does not use endnotes, and footnotes are discouraged. The journal does not use endnotes, and footnotes are discouraged. If the material is important enough for a reader to seek it out, then it is important enough to be included in the body of the text. If the material is important enough for a reader to seek it out, then it is important enough to be included in the body of the text. Footnotes are to be used only if they are deemed essential. Footnotes are to be used only if they are deemed essential.

The journal generally discourages the publication of a body of research in a series of dependent parts. The journal generally discourages the publication of a body of research in a series of dependent parts. Authors should either identify components of the research suitable for publication as independent articles or prepare a condensed manuscript and encourage interested readers to contact the authors for additional information supporting the research reported. Authors should either identify components of the research suitable for publication as independent articles or prepare a condensed manuscript and encourage interested readers to contact the authors for additional information supporting the research reported. If the presentation of the research in a series of dependent parts is deemed essential, authors should first contact the Editor to discuss their approach before submitting their manuscripts If the presentation of the research in a series of dependent parts is deemed essential, authors should first contact the Editor to discuss their approach before submitting their manuscripts

Manuscripts submitted must not have been published as copyrighted material nor be submitted for consideration for publication as copyrighted material while in review by the journal, whether in print or electronic form. Manuscripts submitted must not have been published as copyrighted material nor be submitted for consideration for publication as copyrighted material while in review by the journal, whether in print or electronic form.

Review Criteria 1) appeal to a broad readership interested in engineering education 1) appeal to a broad readership interested in engineering education 2) address important questions or propositions of lasting value. 2) address important questions or propositions of lasting value. 3) build upon relevant references and bodies of knowledge. 3) build upon relevant references and bodies of knowledge.

4) employ appropriate educational or scientific principles and methodologies. 4) employ appropriate educational or scientific principles and methodologies. 5) present original ideas or results supported by compelling evidence. 5) present original ideas or results supported by compelling evidence. 6) exhibit clear, concise, and accurate exposition. 6) exhibit clear, concise, and accurate exposition. 7) demonstrate thoughtful layout and presentation. 7) demonstrate thoughtful layout and presentation.

8) show careful attention to details. 8) show careful attention to details. 9) present meaningful illustrations, as needed. 9) present meaningful illustrations, as needed. 10) adhere to accepted standards of style, usage, and composition. 10) adhere to accepted standards of style, usage, and composition.

Any questions? Any questions?