•  
  •  
 

Notes for Contributors

In addition to our previously published research papers and practitioner-based case studies, we also now invite submissions on these forms of writing:

  • Opinion Pieces - short and thought provoking, stating a position and drawing on facts and evidence to support it (a maximum of 750 words).
  • Conference Reflection Pieces – a short and thought provoking piece responding to issues raised at a conference at keynotes or individual presentations (a maximum of 1500 words). Conference reflection piece is not a conference report.
  • Case Studies - based on learning or teaching in practice, typically describing: the organisational and historical context, technical specifications of the project, discussion of pedagogy, implementation, evaluation and limitations (a maximum of 3000 words).
  • Research Articles - longer papers, providing a clear rationale for the study within the body of published research, an overview of the research methodology adopted, a presentation of findings, and a discussion of those findings in relation to existing knowledge (a maximum of 6000 words).
  • Book Reviews – a critical overview of a book related to learning and teaching (a maximum of 750 words).
  • Technology Reviews – a critique or review of a technology application, outlining its application for learning and teaching and its strengths and weaknesses (a maximum of 1500 words).

Submission

Your submission should not have been published or be under review with another journal. Submissions are subject to peer review at the discretion of the editors. Submissions will be peer reviewed by two referees. Authors will receive feedback and comments following this process and may be asked to amend their work accordingly. The editors reserve the right to make further minor editorial changes. Final proofs will be sent to authors for approval prior to publication, if there is sufficient time to do so, and must be returned by the stipulated deadline. Major alterations to the text cannot be accepted at that stage.

Notes

  1. The Editorial Team invites submissions from across learning, teaching, technology and professional development. Proposals for special theme issues are also welcome. While the primary area of focus is learning, teaching and technology in Ireland, submissions from other regions are also welcome, particularly those that provide a comparative perspective. Specific topics can include curriculum development, language and education, teacher education, the education of special groups, education and learning technologies/media, educational leadership, theories of education, literacy, educational research and policy. Special emphasis is on innovative practices in teaching and learning. Articles on other related topics may be accepted if they have a clear relationship to research or practice in this field.
  2. Manuscripts may be pre-screened to ensure they fit the aims and scope of the Journal. It is editorial policy that manuscripts are sent to two anonymous peer reviewers.
  3. All published content must be approved through the normal IJAP refereeing and editorial process, and final editorial control remains with the IJAP Editors.
  4. Manuscripts shall be based on primary research, or exceptional critical literature reviews, or practice-based innovations.
  5. Manuscripts should be between 4000 - 6,000 words in length, excluding references.
  6. All submissions should be in MS Word.
  7. The manuscript should be preceded by an abstract, on a separate page. The abstract should consist of title, and summary of the paper, between 300 and 500 words in length. The abstract should end with four-six key words relating to the content.
  8. Manuscripts should be typed on one side of the page, in Times New Roman, 12, double-spaced with wide margins. Manuscripts should be submitted online via Arrow.
  9. All text should be unjustified. Do not insert page breaks or bold the text.
  10. Authors are expected to correct proofs. The typescript finally accepted for publication must be regarded as definitive and subsequent corrections should be restricted to printer’s errors. Any alterations at this stage may be made only with the agreement of the editorial team. Changes in the text will not be considered at proof stage.
  11. Authors may already have begun a process of consultation with other journals for your paper submission. However it is still possible to publish a version of your work in this new journal without impacting on the status of other publications.
  12. Submissions must conform to the IJAP Style Guide. The American Psychological Association referencing style must be used (as per 6th edition of the APA Publication Manual, 2010). See examples overleaf. References should be placed in alphabetical order at the end of the text. The second line of each entry to the References should be indented by one tab.
  13. Examples

    Book
    Moore, S., Walsh, G., & Rísquez, A. (2007). Teaching at College and University. Maidenhead: Open University Press

    Book chapter
    Noddings, N. (2004). Is Teaching a practice? In J. Dunne & P. Hogan (Eds.), Education and Practice: Upholding the Integrity of Teaching and Learning (pp. 159-169). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

    Journal article
    Barnett, R. (2000). Supercomplexity and the curriculum. Studies in Higher Education, 25(3), 255-265.

    Online citation
    Higher Education Authority (2011). National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2008-2013 Mid-Term Review 2009. Dublin: National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education, Higher Education Authority (http://www.hea.ie/en/Publications#2011)

    Copy editing and general editing
    Authors are likely to receive communications from copy-editors and/or the general editors.

    Peer Review
    IJAP offers a double-blind peer review process. Authors are advised to follow the recommendations of peer review reports. The main editors will liaise with authors in this regard.

    Peer Review Procedures

    • All contributions to IJAP are peer reviewed by The Editorial Advisory Panel and/or copy-edited.
    • Additional editorial/review expertise may be sought by the Editorial Team as appropriate.
    • Authors may be contacted directly by copy editors for clarifications.
    • Authors will receive edited/peer reviewed copy for final approval before publication.

    How to Submit

    Currently one issue is published a year (May/June). The deadline for submission is advised on the journal's homepage.

    Submissions are welcome from higher education lecturers and researchers within and beyond TU Dublin. The Editorial and reviewing teams aim to give supportive and constructive feedback and welcome submissions from those beginning to research and write about higher education. You may submit an abstract only to the Editors for feedback on its suitability for IJAP.

    If you would like to contribute an item for IJAP please make initial contact with one of the editors:

    Articles for consideration should be submitted via Arrow.

    Structure of submissions

    The first page of the paper should include the title together with the author’s name, affiliation, address, and email address.

    The second page of the paper must contain the title and up to six keywords. In the interests of blind peer reviewing, do not add the author'(s) name to this page. For the same reason, do not use headers and footers anywhere throughout the paper.

    This second page should also include an abstract of not more than 200 words. A good abstract (Brown, 1998) should contain:

    • What was done (methods)
    • What was the main result (results)
    • Why the work was done
    • What the work adds to theory
    • What the work adds to practice

    The text of the paper itself should begin on the third page and should not subsequently reveal the title or authors. All correspondence will be sent to the first named author, unless otherwise indicated.

    Types of Contributions:

    Research papers (4000-6000 words) are welcomed from all disciplines and subject areas. These papers will be subject to peer review. Subjects covered include the broad areas of policy, strategy, curriculum, learning and teaching, assessment, resources, and quality enhancement. Both conceptual and empirical approaches are welcome and, in particular, articles reflecting on, and critically reviewing current practice with a view to sharing experiences, enhancing quality and promoting professional standards, are encouraged. Manuscripts may take the form of research papers, case studies, literature reviews, critical evaluations, new methodologies and action research.

    Book reviews, Reflections and Opinion Pieces are also welcomed.

    Terms and Conditions

    It is the author’s responsibility to obtain written permission to quote or reproduce material that has appeared in another publication, including the author’s own work published elsewhere. This includes both copyright and ownership rights, e.g. of photographs, illustrations, trade literature and data.

    Authors must also ensure that, where appropriate, ethical clearance is obtained, and that identifiable subjects of interviews, photographs etc. have given permission in writing.

    Contributions are accepted on the strict understanding that the author is responsible for the accuracy of all the contents of the published material. The Editorial Board does not accept any liability for the accuracy of articles. IJAP does not accept responsibility for mistakes, whether editorial, typographical or of any other kind, nor for any consequences resulting from them.

    Work published by IJAP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License and your submission should be able to comply with that.