HomeSchool Library Media Research About SLMR Manuscript Policy

Manuscript Policy

Purpose | Manuscript Submission | Style | Acceptable Manuscript Content 

Purpose

The purpose of School Library Media Research (SLMR) is to promote and publish high quality original research concerning the management, implementation, and evaluation of school library media programs. The journal will also emphasize research on instructional theory, teaching methods, and critical issues relevant to school library media.

As the scholarly refereed journal of the American Association of School Librarians, SLMR seeks to distribute major research findings worldwide through both electronic publication and linkages to substantive documents on the Internet. The primary audience for SLMR includes academic scholars, school library media and instructional specialists, and other educators who strive to provide a constructive learning environment for all students and teachers.

SLMR seeks manuscripts that will meet the review criteria provided in the manuscript policy. Manuscripts may be based on original research, an innovative conceptual framework, or a substantial literature review that opens new areas of inquiry and investigation.

A manuscript is published after it meets the extensive review criteria. All published manuscripts are open to continued review from readers of the scholarly community and practicing educators.

Compiled on an annual basis, SLMR strives to provide researchers with contacts to concepts and ideas that will enhance school library media program.    

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Manuscript Submission

Author Responsibility

• Original, research-based manuscripts are invited.
  Submit only manuscripts that have not been submitted or accepted elsewhere.
• Also considered for publication:
  • Innovative, conceptual essays, and
  • Extensive research literature reviews.
• Check all statements, names, and references for accuracy.

Submission Process

Please send submissions as e-mail attachments or on disk (Microsoft Office files preferred) to:

Carol L. Tilley
SLMR Coeditor
The Graduate School of Library and Information Science
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
501 E. Daniel Street, MC-493
Room 220
Champaign, IL 61820-6211
ctilley@uiuc.edu
Phone: (217) 265-8105
Fax: (217) 244-3302

All manuscripts will be acknowledged by the editor. Manuscripts are reviewed through a blind referee process, which involves reviewers from the academic ranks of library education and established professionals in building-level, district, or state-level library media services. The review will involve three to five referees. The editor, in consultation with the current editorial board [founding editorial board], will have final responsibility for action taken on manuscripts. The review process normally takes eight to twelve weeks. Referees are requested to consider a manuscript on the following questions:

1. Does the study address a significant problem, topic, or issue?
2. Does the study offer fresh insights or original treatment of the problem?
3. Does the author demonstrate knowledge and wise use of relevant literature?
4. Are the research methods appropriate to the problem?
5. Are there flaws in the methods, arguments, and/or data analysis?
6. Do the findings confirm, expand, revise, or challenge conventional knowledge or professional consensus?
7. Are the conclusions justified by the results of the analyzes?
8. Is the paper well organized and clearly written?
9. Is the paper interesting?
10. Are there appropriate graphs, charts, or other graphics that contribute to the understanding of the narrative?

When the manuscript is added to the electronic journal, it is dated as to submission, review, revision, and acceptance. The manuscript continues to be subject to review and comment from readers and such comments may be compiled by the Editor and posted with the manuscript over time. The electronic journal will be indexed by major indexing services and will eventually be compiled in the AASL Electronic Library.

Submission Format

• Double space the entire manuscript including references.
• Manuscripts average 25–30, double-spaced pages in twelve-point type with one-inch margins.
• Number each page.
• Write a 100–200-word abstract for the manuscript.
• The printed form of the manuscript should be as follows:
  1. Front page with title, author, and author's address; the front page is detached for the review process.
  2. Second page should contain the title and the beginning of the abstract.
  3. The manuscript should follow with "works cited" and tables given at the end.
• One disk copy should be submitted as well. WordPerfect or Microsoft Word are preferred, although manuscripts prepared using other wordprocessing software are acceptable.     

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Style

Resources to Consult

• Choose terms that reflect the philosophy in Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs (Chicago: ALA, 1988). The terms library media specialist, library media program, and library media center should be used. Avoid sexist language.
• Consult the Random House Webster's College Dictionary for spelling and usage.
• Consult the Chicago Manual of Style, 14th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Pr., 1993) for capitalization, abbreviations, bibliographic style, and design of tables. Take special note of citation style described in Chapters 15 and 16.

Citations

• In this system, author's names and dates of publication are given in the text, usually in parentheses, and keyed to a list of works cited, which is placed at the end of the article. The basic reference in the author-date system consists of the last name of an author and year of publication of the work, with no punctuation between them: (Smith 1989).
• The term author refers to the name under which the work is alphabetized in the list of works cited; thus it may refer to an editor, compiler, or organization as well as an individual author or group of authors. Note, however, that ed. or comp. are not given in the text reference.
• The citation may be incorporated in text: Smith (1989)observed that this process was irrefutable.
• When a specific page number is cited, page numbers follow the date, preceded by a comma:
  (O'Toole 1980, 27)
  (Mathews 1987, 131-33)
• For more than three authors, use the name of the first followed by "and others".
• Separate multiple references with semicolons: (Howard 1987; Howard and Fine 1984; DaRita 1972)
• A list of references should follow the style of "Literature Cited," Chicago Manual of Style, fig. 16.1. Examples are given below:
  • Alexander, R. D. 1974. "The evolution of social behavior." Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 5:324-83.
  • Allen, G. M. 1939. Bats. Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Pr.
  • Altmann, J. 1974. "Observational study of behavior: Sampling methods." Behavior 49:227-65.
  • Anthony, E. L. P., and T. H. Kunz. 1977. "Feeding strategies of the little brown bat." Ecology 58:775-86.
  • Baker, H. G. and I. Baker. 1981. "Floral nectar constituents in relation to pollinator type." In Handbook of experimental pollination biology, ed. C. E. Jones and R. J. Little, 243-64. New York: Van Nostrand-Reinhold.

• Electronic documents cited should also be referenced. Examples for documentation of materials obtained from computer information services and standards for citing electronic documents are provided in the Chicago Manual of Style, pages 632–34. The general format for Web addresses is as follows:
  • Author/editor. (Year). Title (edition) and publication information. Available: http:// or gopher:// or telnet:// [Access date].
  • A specific example: Li, X., & Crane, N. (1996). Bibliographic formats for citing electronic information. Available: http://www.uvm.edu/~xli/reference/estyles.html [1996, April 29].

• Footnotes or Endnotes are not used in this system.    

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Definitions of Acceptable Manuscript Content

Research

The report is original and adds significant information to the field.

Data are reported in clear tables, graphs, and/or charts when necessary.

These manuscripts are reviewed through a normal "double blind" referee process. Neither the author nor the referee is aware of the other's identity or professional standing. Referee comments and recommendations are gathered in writing by the editor. Usually, up to five referees will judge the quality of a manuscript for the initial review.

Rejection by three or more of the referees normally results in rejection of the manuscript for further consideration. The editor may, however, inform the author of referee recommendations for further revision. Manuscripts may be revised and reviewed until a majority of the referees involved and the editor approve the manuscript.

Manuscripts are posted for full board review and majority approval before they are placed online for general public access. Manuscripts are subject to further critical review by any reader of the electronic journal. Constructive comments submitted to the editor may be shared with the author and may be posted as part of the article.

Concept

A substantial, informed statement concerning issues which are of great importance to the field. Such statements will include extensive reference to the research literature where appropriate. A conceptual framework defining emerging theory and/or application of established theory should be evident.

Literature Review and Proposal

A substantial, organized, logical and critical review of the key literature supporting a research proposal or summarizing key issues from the research may be acceptable for publication.

Such manuscripts should include implications for further research and clearly establish implications for practice.

Manuscripts are subject to the same rigorous referee process as those submitted as research, with the understanding that judgment, while as critical and as extensive, will be adjusted to fit the purpose of the review and proposal.

This manuscript format will be published on a very select basis with manuscripts in research and concept being sought for publication more frequently.

Rights of Publication

Each author, in granting of publication to SLMR, guarantees that the manuscript has not been published/accepted for publication elsewhere. Upon acceptance of an article, each author is required to submit a signed ALA Author Copyright Agreement. Signed copyright agreements for articles accepted for publication in SLMR should be faxed or mailed to:

Karen Sheets
ALA Production Services
50 E. Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611-2795
Fax: 312-280-5280

Copyright

A manuscript published in the electronic journal is subject to copyright by the American Library Association for the American Association of School Librarians. Information about copyright policies is available from the ALA Office of Rights and Permission.     

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