“(New) Author Submission Guidelines(1)” in “Instructions for Authors”
Instructions for Authors
The GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing
Table of Contents
Scholarly Research Articles and Case Studies
GW Ethics in Publishing Conference Presentations
Invited Editorials and Commentaries
The Basics
The GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing is an open-access, online journal managed by students in the George Washington University’s Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Publishing program.
We welcome scholarly research articles, case studies, book reviews, and conference presentations from scholars, students, and publishing professionals on topics including but not limited to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), accessibility, sustainability, open access, peer review, publishing metrics, and other aspects and issues of ethics in publishing. Innovative forms of scholarship, such as audiovisual media, are also encouraged.
The journal invites submissions from publishing professionals in all areas of the publishing industry, including academics, librarians, authors, illustrators, editors, agents, rights managers, production managers, paper producers, ink suppliers, and more. Articles relating to any publishing sector are welcome, including academic and trade publishing. Student submissions are also highly encouraged.
Each submission should include the following items:
- The email address of the primary author
- The names and email addresses of all contributing authors
- A short biography of each author (100 words maximum)
- URL links to the author’s (or authors’) personal, project, or university/company websites
- An article abstract (300 words maximum)
- The article or presentation (as a Word.doc attachment)
We generally accept 6,000- to 7,000-word articles but will consider shorter articles. All articles must have a title, an abstract, an introduction, a body, a conclusion, and a reference list; scholarly research articles and case studies have additional requirements (see below). Chicago Author-Date style is required for all in-text citations and reference entries. Chicago Notes-Bibliography Style will not be accepted.
We know tone and voice differ based on the subject and style of submission, so our only requirement is that tone and voice are internally consistent within an article. The author is free to use the tone and voice they find most appropriate. Authors are encouraged to use the Inclusive Language Guide from the APA and the Conscious Style Guide founded by Karen Yin.
Article Types
The GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing accepts five main article types:
- Scholarly research articles and case studies that explore ethical issues in publishing
- Articles about real-world, applied ethics projects in the publishing ecosystem
- Reviews of books and other media with a focus on publishing ethics
- Presentation write-ups from the GW Ethics in Publishing Conference
- Editorials and commentaries on ethical issues in publishing (invitation only)
Scholarly Research Articles and Case Studies
Scholarly research articles and case studies present original findings resulting from qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research. They should generally be between 3,000 and 6,000 words long, but we will consider exceptions. Articles should include the following sections (may vary per article):
- Title Page
- Abstract (300 words maximum)
- Introduction
- Literature Review (when applicable)
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Recommendations
- Conclusion
- References
- Author Bio(s)
The introduction must include a clear thesis statement. The recommendations section should include three to five items (arranged in a bulleted list) describing how publishing professionals can apply the article’s findings to real-life publishing practice. The conclusion must summarize the article and emphasize why readers should be concerned or interested in the article’s topic. The references section must be in Chicago Author-Date Style format. The author bio(s) should include the name of the author(s), their institutional/professional affiliation(s), and a brief description of their expertise in the relevant field.
All scholarly research articles and case studies undergo double-anonymous peer review.
Applied Ethics Projects
Applied ethics projects explore ways that publishing and publishing professionals (students included) positively contribute to their local, regional, or global communities. In other words, applied ethics projects strive to “make the world better.” Applied ethics projects may vary considerably in form and scope, and they mainly involve one or more of the following elements:
- Advocacy: Contributing to causes that promote knowledge and understanding (such as DEI awareness and education, accessibility implementation, censorship resistance, literacy promotion, etc.).
- Engagement: Enhancing public awareness of and participation in issues concerning the public good (such as online piracy, AI usage, Open Access scholarship, etc.).
- Volunteerism: Volunteering at an individual or organizational level to make the publishing ecosystem a better, more ethical space.
- Organization: Organizing and engaging communities using publishing to develop community goals, values, and relationships (for example, developing a community newsletter).
Articles reviewing applied ethics projects should generally be between 3,000 and 6,000 words long, but exceptions will be considered. They should generally include the following sections (although some sections may vary per article):
- Title Page
- Abstract (300 words maximum)
- Introduction
- Project Scope and Goals
- Actions and Methods
- Discussion and Implications
- Results and Impact
- Recommendations
- Conclusion
- Author Bio(s)
The introduction must include a clear thesis statement. The project’s scope and goals must be clearly defined and measurable. The recommendations section should include three to five items (arranged in a bulleted list) describing how publishing professionals can apply the article’s findings to real-life publishing practice. The conclusion must summarize the article and emphasize why readers should be concerned or interested in the article’s topic. The references section must be in Chicago Author-Date Style format. The author bio(s) should include the name of the author(s), their institutional/professional affiliation(s), and a brief description of their expertise in the relevant field.
Applied ethics projects may be improved through active peer review; however, due to their variable nature, some projects may not warrant peer review. The editorial board will make a case-by-case determination of what is needed.
Reviews
The GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing welcomes book and media (such as websites, digital projects, digital resources, and so on) reviews focusing on publishing ethics or involving a considerable element of publishing ethics.
Reviews should generally be between 500 and 1,500 words, although exceptions will be considered, especially for reviews of multiple titles or resources. They should include the following sections:
- Citation: Include a full reference entry for the reviewed item in Chicago Author-Date Style. When reviewing an online resource, include an access date in addition to the date of publication.
- Authority: Briefly summarize the relevant background or expertise of the author(s), creator(s), or editor(s) of the reviewed item.
- Audience: Specify the target audience of the reviewed item. In other words, specify the people or groups who would make use of the reviewed item.
- Content: Detail the content and goals of the reviewed item, including whether the creator(s) effectively communicated the content and accomplished their goals.
- Quality: Assess the quality of the content, including whether the content is grounded in facts and logic and is backed by science and current research.
- Usefulness: Comment on whether the reviewed item advances the field to which it belongs, publishing ethics, or publishing in general.
- Impact: Assess the importance of the reviewed item for its intended audience and the publishing industry in general.
- Your Bio: Include a brief biography at the end of the review, including your name, your institutional/professional affiliation, and a brief description of your expertise in the field.
The Editorial Board may solicit authors and items for review, but we welcome review proposals. Please let us know if you have a book, article, or website that you would like to review. You must let us know if you have any conflicts of interest or connection to the work's authors, editors, or publishers that you intend to review.
GW Ethics in Publishing Conference Presentations
The annual GW Ethics in Publishing Conference complements the GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing. Presenters are invited to submit articles based on their conference presentations (following the above guidelines for scholarly research articles, case studies, or applied ethics projects–whichever is more applicable). Conference videos are available for the 2020 and 2021 conferences.
Invited Editorials and Commentaries
The Editorial Board will invite editorials and commentaries from publishing, library, and scholarly communication professionals, researchers, scholars, and others to comment on their work in publishing, their efforts to make publishing more ethical, and their efforts in advancing the field.
If you have an idea or suggestion or would like to be considered for an editorial or commentary, please contact Editor-in-Chief Lois Jones at lijones@email.gwu.edu.
Style Requirements
Title Page
- Title
- Centered
- Bolded
- Located ⅓ down the page
- Subtitle
- Centered
- Bolded
- Located on the line after the title
- Author(s) name(s) and affiliation(s)
- Centered
- Plain Text
- Located ⅔ down the page
- Conflict(s) of interest disclosure
- Left-aligned
- Plain text
- Located at the bottom of the page
The title page is double spaced.
Abstract
- Heading (the word “Abstract”)
- Centered
- Bolded
- Located at the top of the page
- Content (a one-paragraph summary of the article)
- Left-aligned
- No indent
- Located on the line after the heading
The abstract is double-spaced and should be no more than a paragraph long.
Section Headers
Use up to three heading levels (as formatted above) to divide the article into sections.
Body
- Double-spaced (except for block quotes)
- Left-aligned
- First line of each paragraph indented
- In-text citations formatted in Chicago Author-Date Style
- Pages numbered
- Masked
Because the article will undergo double-anonymous peer review, the article must be masked, meaning that no information could identify the author(s) or their affiliation(s) may be included. Identifying information should only be included on the title page. Any identifying information crucial to the article’s narrative can be restored to the article after it passes peer review and before publication.
References
- Heading (the word “References”)
- Centered
- Bolded
- Located at the top of the page
- Reference entries
- Left-aligned
- Hanging indent
- Single-spaced with an extra line of space between reference entries
The GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing uses The Chicago Manual of Style for its citations and references: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org. The journal uses Chicago Author-Date Style, not Chicago Notes-Bibliography Style. Please ensure your citations and reference entries are accurate and that all hyperlinks are functional.
Figures
The GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing requires that all published articles meet basic digital accessibility standards for visual resources. Papers accepted for publication that include images, charts, videos, or other visual assets must include alt-text (or long descriptions) for each visual asset, as well as appropriate captions.
For information on the basic principles of describing visual resources for accessibility in arts and humanities publications, please consult Stephanie Rosen’s Describing Visual Resources Toolkit: https://describingvisualresources.org/guidelines/basic-principles/.
AI Policies
The GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing follows GWU’s guidelines on the use of generative AI for its submissions as a baseline, with more stringent guidelines on generative AI. While generative AI may be used to help an author find a starting point for their research, brainstorm, or create accurate citations and bibliographic entries, it may not be used, in whole or part, to write the submission. Nothing created with or by AI may be submitted for consideration for publishing.
In accordance with GWU’s AI policies, work submitted for evaluation is represented as the author’s own intellectual product. Authors may not submit content (e.g., ideas, text, code, images) for evaluation or publication that was generated, in whole or in part, by Generative Artificial Intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT and other large language models).
The use of tools such as spell and grammar check are permitted. A short list of approved AI to aid in spell and grammar check are Microsoft Word’s Spell and Grammar Check, Grammarly, QuillBot, GrammarCheck, and Scribbr. Many of these sites have additional features, like a paraphrasing tool. Paraphrasing tools count as generative AI and may not be used.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing or the GW Ethics in Publishing Conference, please contact John W. Warren, Director and Associate Professor of the Master of Professional Studies program, at jww@gwu.edu.
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