Author Guidelines
From 2008 the Journal of Family Studies will be published three times a year, this year in May with a double issue in October. Interdisciplinary in nature, JFS presents articles, book reviews, journal abstracts, and reviews of relevant multimedia products. The Journal aims to promote studies of applied and professional interest.
Mission of the Journal
In 2003, JFS changed direction. Under the editorship of A/Professor Lawrie Moloney, JFS publishes articles that focus on families in transition, particularly as this affects the wellbeing of children. Papers that focus on the impact of change and transitional situations on children, either directly or via the impact on parents or close family members, are invited.
Contributors to the Journal
Papers are invited and encouraged from Australian authors as well as from authors throughout the world. There are no page charges or contributor fees. Upon publication, the Publisher provides Author(s) with an electronic copy of the published article in PDF format, and discounts for requested print copies. Instructions for presentation are provided below.
What is published?
Contributions may be in the form of original articles or practice notes reporting the author's research, reviews, as well as case studies or clinical insights. The content of contributions to JFS should have a major focus on families in transition, particularly as this affects the health and wellbing of children. You may contact A/Prof Lawrie Moloney (Editor-in-Chief) or Liz Morrison (Managing Editor) if you wish to discuss your contribution in relation to the mission of the Journal prior to submitting your manuscript.
Research articles should represent a substantial contribution to the literature and should provide full details of methodology. Contributors who have used qualitative methods should note that reviewers are asked to use the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) questionnaire ('10 Questions to help you make sense of qualitative research') as one of the evaluation tools.
Review articles will be considered if they are substantial reviews of the literature and include critical analysis. Contributors should note that reviewers are asked to use the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) ('10 questions to help you make sense of reviews') as one of the evaluation tools.
A word limit of not more than 5,000 words is recommended. However, the editor allows longer contributions when warranted. It is important, for example, that contributions based on qualitative research provide sufficient information with regard to sampling, methodology, and analysis to permit readers to make a judgement about the research and to permit future researchers to pursue further the issues raised.
Material will be considered for publication on the understanding that such material is an original and unpublished work, not currently under review by any other journal or publisher, or already accepted for publication elsewhere. The author warrants that the material submitted does not infringe the copyright of any other work. The author shall be responsible for all statements made in the material submitted.
Correspondence
Unless otherwise stated, all correspondence between contributors and the Journal office is via email, and should be addressed to Liz Morrison, Managing Editor: L.Morrison@latrobe.edu.au. Please include an email contact address for the corresponding author.
Submissions to the Journal
Articles should be sent to the Managing Editor, Liz Morrison, Journal of Family Studies, School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia. Please include three hard copies of your manuscript. Please also forward an electronic copy of your manuscript via email to L.Morrison@latrobe.edu.au).
Books for review should be sent directly to Dr Jo Grimwade, School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Locked Bag 4115, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia
Articles
Authors should forward three hard copies of their manuscript, typewritten in double-line spacing, conforming to the general style described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th edn, 2001), except that spelling should conform to the Macquarie Dictionary (2nd edn, 1991). Manuscripts, not normally to exceed 5,000 words (though see qualifications above), should be on white bond paper A4 size (210 x 297mm), all four margins to be at least 40 mm wide. In addition, authors should email an electronic copy of their manuscript to Liz Morrison (L.Morrison@latrobe.edu.au).
Articles should include the following components, each to begin on a new page, in this sequence: title page; abstract and keywords; text; acknowledgements; references; footnotes; tables, figures, and illustrations (each should be complete with title and notes, on a separate page). Page number and running head should appear in the upper right-hand corner of each page, following the title page. Please include an email contact address for the corresponding author.
Title page should contain the title, which should be brief but informative; name(s) of author(s): first name, middle initial, and last name, with highest academic degree(s) and principal position, title, and/or affiliation; name of department(s) and/or institution(s), if any, to which the work should be attributed; disclaimers, if any; name, address, and telephone number of author responsible for correspondence about the material; name and address of author to whom requests for reprints should be addressed; the source(s) of support in the form of grants, equipment, etc.; if the paper has been presented orally, please give name of meeting, the place, and inclusive dates; a running head; a word count.
Abstract and key words. The second page should carry an abstract of not more than 150 words indicating the purpose of the study or investigation, the basic procedures used, the main findings and the principal conclusions, emphasising new and important aspects. Below the abstract give 3 to 10 key words or short phrases that will assist indexers in cross-indexing the article.
Text should usually be divided into sections with headings (eg, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions).
References should be pertinent to the text and not a complete review of the literature unless such be the purpose of the article. Note especially the proper style (APA) for references, both in text and reference lists. Footnotes may appear as endnotes, at the Editors' discretion.
Tables, figures and appendixes should be supplied at the end of the main text, with their desired locations cross-referenced within the text.
Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively in separate sequences and each given a brief title. Vertical rules should not be used. Each table should be cited in the text in consecutive order. Tables should be used only when necessary to clarify important points but not duplicate information in the text.
Figures and illustrations may be from original artwork, photographs, charts, and books. Indicate approximate location in text. The Journal of Family Studies will be happy to produce figures for authors; please supply data and type of figure required (eg, line graph, bar chart, etc). Illustrations must be accompanied by the original work for the Journal's reproduction process. Electronic TIFF or EPS files are preferred using high resolution (300 dpi and above). GIFF and JPEG files at lower resolution (below 150 dip) are NOT suitable for print publishing. Please do not repeat-save JPEG images as JPEGs are 'lossy' and automatically compress with each save, thereby losing detail each time.
Artwork labels (such as axes labels or legends, etc) are to use minimal capitalisation, and appear only using bold, roman or italic Helvetica, Arial or Times New Roman fonts to minimise distortion.
For additional information please contact the Managing Editor, Liz Morrison (L.Morrison@latrobe.edu.au).
Proofs are sent to authors for correcting of print, but not for introduction of new or different material. They should be returned to the Managing Editor as soon as possible.
Review of manuscripts. All contributions are refereed (peer-reviewed). Authors wishing an anonymous review must submit three copies of their manuscript with all author-identifiable pages removed, but submitted together with a covering letter to that effect.
Upon acceptance of their article for publication, authors should submit an electronic copy of their work (via email to: L.Morrison@latrobe.edu.au) with any required revisions, or if this is not possible then on disk - in addition to two final printed copies by mail.
Key Conference Papers
The Journal's commitment is to publish a mixture of high quality papers on policy and practice as well as on original research. The nature of the mix will vary from issue to issue. When appropriate, fully referenced and refereed versions of recent key conference papers may be included.
Practice Notes
Brief reports (500 to 1,000 words in length) on practice research or practice issues. Less formal than articles, general style, as described under Articles, applies. Longer pieces will be accepted at the editor's discretion.
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