Author Guide

CONTENT GUIDE

Authors can find a PDF of the Author Guide at this link if desired.

              Manuscripts for KUJIS will be research articles that start from a researchable question connected to relevant literature and answered with qualitative and/or quantitative data. Therefore, every manuscript will consist of the following sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Research Design, Analysis, Discussion, and Conclusion. Please see below for the content appropriate for each section.

Introduction

The Introduction should do three things: provide some background context so the reader gets grounded in the situation under study, state and explain the original research question, and end by stating and explaining the thesis of the article (answer to the question). This section is often around five paragraphs.

Literature Review

The Literature Review should argue the author’s work is a necessary addition to the research community through two functions: dissecting similar research patterns that have been already completed on the topic and explaining how this project will add to that overall project. This section is often around 6 paragraphs—and can use two subheadings to break ideas if necessary.

Research Design

The Research Design must describe, in a very, very detailed manner, what data the researcher used, how exactly they got the data (collection), and what the researcher did with the data to answer the question (analysis). This section is very often three or four paragraphs.

Analysis

In this section, the author presents the data that answers the research question. Keep in mind, it presents all the relevant data, not just the material cherry-picked to support the thesis. Therefore, authors may have to present and explain some data that could complicate their thesis. The world is a complicated place, so analyses that seem too-perfect-to-be-accurate usually are. This section is normally around thirteen to fifteen paragraphs—a few strategic subheadings can be very helpful signposts for the reader in this section.

Discussion

The Discussion section describes the implications of the Analysis section, and three strategies can be utilized by authors: connect the analysis findings back to the previous literature of the Literature Review, apply a social theory to help frame the data, or present some evidence-based and plausible policy recommendations implied by the data. Authors most often do the first option and then either the second or third option—it is not common to try and tackle all three options. This section is usually about five paragraphs with possibly two subheadings.

Conclusion

The final section is normally only a paragraph or two to reiterate to the reader the one or two absolutely most important take-aways from the project.

Each section should have an all caps centered heading—no bold nor italics included.

Subheadings are simply two to four word phrases bolded and justified to the left.

 

REVIEW RUBRIC

Each of the following items will be scored on a scale of 1 to 10, then the manuscript will receive a total score. The highest scoring manuscripts will be considered for publication.

  1. The Introduction sets the scene with clear and relevant background context.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. The Introduction ends by stating and explaining the original research question and then the thesis.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. The Literature Review synthesizes patterns of previous relevant research.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. The Literature Review explains how the author’s project contributes to the research community.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. The Research Design explains the data, collection, and analysis with extreme detail.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. The Analysis is an organized presentation of how the data answers the research question.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. Each Analysis paragraph connects directly to the thesis, and they are arranged in a clear order.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. The Discussion section places the project in the current research literature.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. The Discussion section clearly connects this project to wider implications.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

  1. The main point(s) the author wants the reader to remember are clear in the Conclusion.

              1            2            3            4            5            6            7              8            9            10

Total Manuscript Score: ______________

 

STYLE NOTES

The formatting requirements for the manuscripts are listed on the submission section of the website portal. These style notes are more for the structure and mechanics of the document. Editors may require revisions focused on these tips before publication or further review, so it is best to try to conform to as many of these as possible before your initial submission.

Structure

Each paragraph of the  manuscript should have one very clear point or purpose, which should always be most clearly stated in the first sentence of the paragraph. After explaining the point, the middle of the paragraph should be supporting data or illustrations to legitimize the point. The ending of the paragraph should explain why this point is so important for the paper—avoid repetitive and redundant summarizing at the end.

Authors should try to use somewhere between six to nine sentences for each paragraph to do the three tasks listed above. Less than six sentences usually does not develop the point enough. However, ten or more sentences usually indicates a paragraph trying to do more than one purpose and should be broken apart.

Mechanics

Authors should write in the active voice as often as absolutely possible and avoid passive constructs. If authors are unaware of what the passive voice is, they are strongly encouraged to investigate and practice before submission.

Authors should also use pronouns only when absolutely necessary and privilege clear and concrete nouns in the prose. There are no restrictions on the type of pronouns in the document, simply only use them when no other option exists. Concrete terms increase readability a substantial amount and greatly streamline clutter.

Commas are also only used in specific cases and are not as common as writers may think. Try to analyze each time a comma appears to make sure it is absolutely necessary.

Finally, the manuscript should be devoid of basic typos and grammatical errors. The most effective way to find these is to read the manuscript in a loud strong voice. The author’s eye will often miss micro-level errors after many reads, so hearing the text is often more effective.