Types of Articles Published in the Journal

The Journal solicits submissions for publication as articles in the following categories:

REVIEWS (5,000 – 6,000 words)
Review articles will address a complex issue that has both scientific and civic dimensions, written at a level that is accessible to an interested but non-expert reader.

RESEARCH ARTICLES (3,000 – 4,000 words)
Research articles will be substantive works of educational research and assessment in science and civic engagement. Various research methods, including qualitative studies, are acceptable for consideration by the Journal as long as the work is rigorous and contributes something of value to the field of science education and civic engagement.

SCIENCE EDUCATION AND PUBLIC POLICY (3,000 – 4,000 words)
These articles will provide case studies where science education directly affects public policy (or vice-versa) at a global, national, state, or local level. Potential topics include the role of science education in developing democracies; teaching evolution in U.S. public schools; or AIDS education and national policy in African nations.

PROJECT REPORTS (1,500 words)
These articles will be shorter and more preliminary reports about interesting science education and civic engagement projects (innovative courses, learning communities, etc.). Several of these reports could be published in each issue. The focus of a project report is on the progress or outcomes of an academic innovation that addresses science and civic engagement.

POINTS OF VIEW (1,500 words)
This type of article will provide a forum for thought-provoking ideas, experiences, and perspectives.

TEACHING AND LEARNING (1,500 words)
These articles will consist of practical strategies for effective science teaching, learning, and assessment in the context of civic engagement – e.g., case studies, service-learning, active learning techniques for large classes, etc.). The focus of a teaching and learning report is on a specific strategy as opposed to an entire project.

BOOKS AND MEDIA (1,000 words)
This section of the journal will include reviews of books, media, exhibits, and special programs. Wherever possible, reviewers will be encouraged to situate the work in a broader context. For example, a review of the PBS video series on Evolution could be combined with a discussion of how to teach this topic effectively in the undergraduate classroom.

Guidelines for the Preparation and Submission of Manuscripts

The Editorial Board of the Journal has established the following guidelines for authors to use in preparing manuscripts for submission:

1. Electronic submission: Submit your manuscript as an electronic document using Microsoft Word or another word processing software that is compatible with Word. Attach the document to an email message sent to journal@seceij.net.

2. Letter: Along with the manuscript, attach to your email message a separate cover letter. In the letter, describe in detail any submissions or previous reports that might be regarded as redundant or duplicative publication and include copies of such work. Note any financial or other relationships that might lead to a conflict of interest (for example: reporting the results of research on a proprietary product, such as a textbook or other teaching media, that the author or a colleague contributed to). Include a statement of any financial, technical, or other support you received in doing the research or other work reported in this manuscript. Include a statement that the manuscript has been read and approved by all authors.

3. Language: Prepare your submission using standard U.S. English.

4. Format for Research Articles: Use the standard “IMRAD” structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) for manuscripts reporting experimental or observational studies.

5. Format for Other Articles: While the editors extend greater flexibility in the case of articles that do not report research, it is still important that authors prepare their manuscripts in a careful way, so that the sections proceed in an orderly and logical sequence, given the purpose of the article.

6. Text: Double-space all portions of the manuscript, including the title page, abstract, text, acknowledgments, references, tables, and legends. Use 12-point font and one inch (1”) margins on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. Number pages consecutively, beginning with the title page.

7. Title page: Include enough information about the article in the title to make it possible for the article to be easily and accurately located through electronic or Web-based searches. Include on the title page the names, highest academic degrees, and affiliations of each author. Indicate the name of the department(s) and institution(s) to which the work should be attributed. Specify the name, mailing address, email address, telephone, and FAX numbers of the corresponding author. Indicate any external support provided for the work (grants, equipment, etc.). List word counts for the abstract and text (not including abstract, acknowledgments, figure legends, and references).

8. Abstract: Include an abstract with every research article. Place the abstract on a separate page after the title page. Make sure the abstract accurately summarizes the content of the manuscript. Do not exceed 150 words.

9. Introduction: Provide sufficient context and background for the study that readers can understand its relationship to previously published work. Clearly identify primary and secondary objectives.

10. Research Methods: Include descriptions of Human Subjects or Institutional Review Board approval, if applicable. Identify the methods in sufficient detail to allow readers to understand and, if desired, reproduce the results. When statistical analyses are used, specify the methods applied.

11. Results: Present results in a logical sequence, giving the most important findings first. Restrict tables and figures to those that are absolutely necessary to explain the argument of the manuscript and assess its validity.

12. Discussion: Describe the innovative aspects of the work and the conclusions that follow. Start by summarizing the main findings. Include a careful discussion of study limitations. Make sure the conclusions are supported by the results.

13. References: Especially for research articles use original sources rather than review articles. Be economical in citations – use only references that strongly and directly support the point you are making. Do not cite unpublished observations and avoid personal communications unless the information conveyed is not available in any public source. Carefully verify all references against the original documents.

14. Reference style: Number references consecutively in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text. Identify references in text, tables, and legends by Arabic numerals in superscript. References cited only in tables or figure legends should be numbered in accordance with the sequence established by the first identification in the text of the particular table or figure. Cite electronic references using the same numbered references following the text. When there are more than three authors for a given article, include only the first three, followed by “et al.”

15. Electronic references: when citing material or resources retrieved electronically, include the entire Web address (URL, or universal record locator) and the date the material was accessed. Example: www.abc.gov/defg/hij.html; accessed November 30, 2005.

16. Tables: Prepare tables carefully using word processing or spreadsheet software programs. Number tables consecutively in the order of their first citation in the text and supply a brief title for each. Insert tables directly into the body of the report in the proper location.

17. Illustrations and figures: Submit illustrations and figures as high resolution JPEG or GIF images. Number figures consecutively according to the order in which they have been first cited in the text.

18. Abbreviations: Remembering the international readership of the Journal, please use abbreviations cautiously. Avoid abbreviations in the title. The full term for which an abbreviation stands should precede its first use in the text unless it is a standard unit of measurement.

19. Glossary: Reviewers and/or the editors may ask that authors include a glossary of technical terms used in the manuscript that may not be familiar to all readers (remember, again, the diverse international readership of the Journal). If so, place the glossary at the end of the text before the list of references.

Procedures for Review and Publication

The Journal uses the following procedures for review of manuscripts:

• All manuscripts are read and reviewed at least one member of the Editorial Board, as assigned by one of the co-editors. If the manuscript is appropriate to the Journal’s mission, two people formally review it. These reviewers may be members of the Journal’s editorial board or be chosen among other qualified scholars selected by the editors.

• The review process is “single blind” – that is, reviewers may know the identity of the author(s), but author(s) are not told the identity of the reviewers. At the end of each year, the Journal will publish a list of the scholars who have served as reviewers for the past year.

• Ordinarily the Journal completes the review of a manuscript and provides comments to the authors within 60 days of receipt.

• The Journal does not require authors to transfer all intellectual property and copy rights to the work to the Journal; we do, however, require that authors share those rights equally with the Journal.