Improving Learning, Persistence, and Transparency by Writing for the NASPA Journal

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Improving Learning, Persistence, and Transparency
by Writing for the NASPA Journal

• Dr. Cary Anderson, Editor, NASPA Journal
• Kiersten Feeney, Editorial Assistant, NASPA
  Journal

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NASPA Journal

• Macro Level
• Sharing information regarding assessment and
  retention can improve campus-based learning,
  persistence, and transparency.
• Self-Serving Level
• Participants at this conference are a great
  resource

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Program Overview

• Review and publishing process
• Tips from a reviewers perspective
• Discussion of ideas for manuscripts

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Journal Purpose

• Publication outlet for contemporary scholarship
  in student affairs administration, research, and
  practice.
• For generalist with broad responsibility for
  educational leadership, policy, staff
  development, and management.
• Specialized topics provide the generalist with an
  understanding of the importance of the program to
  student affairs areas.
• Research articles should stress the underlying
  issues or problems that stimulated the research
  treat the methodology concisely and offer a full
  discussion of results, implications, and
  conclusions.

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Writing Guidelines

• Manuscripts should be 6,000 - 7,000 words
• 25-30 pages double-spaced, including references,
  tables and figures.
• Use Publication Manual of the (APA), 5th Edition.
  
• Submit manuscripts not under consideration by
  other journals.
• Submissions use online submission process.

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NASPA members should select Membership,
Members Only on the NASPA website
(www.naspa.org)
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Log-in with NASPA user name and password
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Once logged in, click on NASPA Journal
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Finally, click Submit an Article
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Non-members access submission process by clicking
Publications on NASPA home page Then select
Submit NASPA Journal Article
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Review Publication Process

• Editorial Assistant ensures manuscript meets
  minimum requirements.
• Blind copy to 3 reviewers (blind peer-review
  process)
• Reviewers carefully consider topic, level,
  implications, title, flow, grammar,
  abbreviations, methodology, references, tables,
  etc.
• Each reviewer recommends Reject, Major Revisions
  Recommended, Accept Pending Minor Revisions, or
  Accept.
• Revised drafts are sent to the same three
  reviewers.

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Review Publication Process

• Editor makes decision regarding the status of
  manuscript upon receipt of all reviewer comments.
  
• Accepted manuscripts are forwarded to the
  Technical Editor.
• Editor, Editorial Assistant, and Technical Editor
  work with the Publisher to produce the issue.

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Reviewers Expectations Evaluations

• Topic
• Level
• Title
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Qualitative and Quantitative Research

• Implications for Practice
• Assertion Support
• Concept Definition
• Flow / Writing
• Grammar
• APA Style
• Abbreviations
• References
• Tables

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Reviewer Questions

• Topic Is the topic appropriate for the NASPA
  Journal? Is it timely?
• Level Do authors address concerns, interests,
  needs of the student affairs generalist? Does
  article contribute something new or unique to the
  current body of knowledge and the profession?
• Implications Do authors demonstrate how their
  research might be relevant for student affairs
  faculty and/or practitioners? Do they succeed in
  connecting findings to larger areas of concern
  for the student affairs generalist, such as
  potential impact on policy decisions or practice?
  
• (some questions adapted from Pyrczak, F
  (2005). Evaluating research in academic journals
  A practical guide to realistic evaluation.
  Glendale, CA Pyrczak Publishing.

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Reviewer Questions

• Title Is the title sufficiently specific
  concise? Are primary variables referred to in the
  title?
• Abstract Is the purpose clear? Research
  methodology and results highlighted? Is the
  theory mentioned?
• Introduction Literature Review Does
  researcher establish the importance of the
  problem area? Are underlying theories adequately
  described? Has researcher provided conceptual
  definitions of key terms? Is the literature
  review critical? Is current research cited?
• Evaluating Samples Is the sample appropriate for
  generalizing? Has the researcher described the
  sample/population in sufficient detail?

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Reviewer Questions

• Instrumentation Are the actual items and
  questions (or at least a sample of them)
  provided? Overall, is instrumentation adequate?
• Analysis Results Quantitative Research If
  any differences are statistically significant
  small, have researchers noted?
• Analysis Results Qualitative Research Does
  the researcher state specifically how the method
  was applied? Are Results adequately supported
  with examples? Was sufficient rigor employed?
• Discussion Section Do researchers acknowledge
  specific methodological limitations? Have
  researchers avoided citing new references in the
  Discussion? Specific implications discussed?
  Suggestions for future research specified? Have
  researchers avoided speculation?

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Reviewer Questions

• Flow Are there transitions between sections?
• Grammar Are the voice and tense consistent
  throughout? Overuse of key words? Excessive use
  of jargon, pronouns, abbreviations or acronyms?
  Language that could be construed as prejudiced,
  biased or disrespectful?
• References Do references follow the APA
  Publication Manual (5th ed.)? Are references
  listed within the text of the manuscript? Are all
  references cited? Are references complete and
  accurate?
• Would I be proud to have my name on the research
  article as co-author?

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NASPA Journal

• The NASPA Journal published online quarterly.
• All correspondence sent through Bepress and
  email.
• Accepted manuscripts are typically published
  within one year of final submission.
• 2007 acceptance rate is 28
• The NASPA Journal can be accessed through the
  NASPA website at http//www.naspa.org.

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Ideas for Manuscripts

• Where are the gaps in the assessment and
  retention literature?
• Feedback on individual manuscript ideas.

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NASPA Journal Changes

• Possible Changes
• Online Print
• Title Change
• Editorial Change
• Behind the Scenes