In our continued effort to advance the mission of School Psychology Quarterly (to serve students across the life span by addressing a broad spectrum of topics that affect students, schools, and the environments that surround them), I would like to call your attention to new article types. These types (with corresponding headings) are designed to increase the scope of the journal and to continue to improve the quality and impact of papers on school psychology research and practice. Please consider submitting papers specific to one or more of these article types, specified below.
Advances in Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Designs
Statistical and methodological designs have advanced and flourished over the past decade. SPQ is interested in publishing papers on promising approaches, step-by-step illustrations on the applications of new statistical software packages, and/or innovative ways to transform traditional methods to examine complex issues facing today’s children, families, and schools.
Advances in Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Designs
Statistical and methodological designs have advanced and flourished over the past decade. SPQ is interested in publishing papers on promising approaches, step-by-step illustrations on the applications of new statistical software packages, and/or innovative ways to transform traditional methods to examine complex issues facing today’s children, families, and schools.
Brief Reports
A special section is now devoted to publishing papers that may be based on a small sample (e.g., single-case designs), a limited number of variables, or based on case studies (see below). The text is limited to 2500 words (from the Introduction through the Discussion), a maximum of 3 tables and figures (total), and up to 25 references. Brief reports begin with a brief summary of no more than 100 words.
Please note that SPQ particularly welcomes case studies. These papers consider the step-by-step process of school-psychology decision making. Whether specific to an assessment, consultation, or treatment technique, information about the case is presented in stages (indicated by boldface type in the manuscript) to simulate the way such information emerges in school psychology practice. The author discusses each problem-solving stage, sharing his or her reasoning with the reader. Authors should contact the editor before writing a case study, so that they may be guided through the process.
Empirical articles
Empirical (i.e., original) articles remain the bulk of papers published in SPQ. These are empirical investigations that convey the discovery of new knowledge and whose main emphasis is advancing the mission of the journal. The recommended length for these papers is approximately 6,000 words (from the Introduction through the Discussion).
International perspectives
SPQ continues to welcome manuscripts from scholars throughout the world, including research from multi-site international projects and work that has the potential to be adapted to and implemented around the globe to address the needs of diverse populations, cultures, and communities.
Reviews/Meta-Analyses
SPQ welcomes submission of review articles, particularly those that represent a new synthesis of information. All review articles undergo the same peer-review and editorial process as other submissions. They should be written for the general readership. Consequently, they may include material that might be considered too basic for those well-versed in the field being covered. Those interested in submitting a review or meta-analyses should first contact the editor to discuss the idea and format.
Letters to the Editor/Perspectives: This section is devoted to readers’ letters and correspondence. Letters to the Editor are specific to articles or editorial comments published in SPQ, or concern important issues of general interest to school psychology. Authors will be given the opportunity to reply to accepted letters critical of their work. Perspective articles are not specific to articles published in SPQ. Rather, these are brief pieces covering a wide variety of timely topics of relevance to school psychology. Both types of submissions are limited to 1200 words and may contain one figure or table. There is a maximum of 5 references.
Special Sections
Special section aims to bring awareness and education on the nature and correlates associated with a variety of topics of interest to researchers and practitioners. Ideas for special sections are both solicited by the Editor, who also welcomes unsolicited ideas. Special sections are under the guidance of 1-2 appointed Special Editors (under the guidance of the Editor), who then issue a general call for papers. All papers undergo the same peer-review and editorial process as other submissions.
As an important reminder, the quality of any journal rests with the papers selected for publication. Please consider SPQ as the primary outlet for your submissions, to ensure the continued high quality and reputation of this important journal.
A special section is now devoted to publishing papers that may be based on a small sample (e.g., single-case designs), a limited number of variables, or based on case studies (see below). The text is limited to 2500 words (from the Introduction through the Discussion), a maximum of 3 tables and figures (total), and up to 25 references. Brief reports begin with a brief summary of no more than 100 words.
Please note that SPQ particularly welcomes case studies. These papers consider the step-by-step process of school-psychology decision making. Whether specific to an assessment, consultation, or treatment technique, information about the case is presented in stages (indicated by boldface type in the manuscript) to simulate the way such information emerges in school psychology practice. The author discusses each problem-solving stage, sharing his or her reasoning with the reader. Authors should contact the editor before writing a case study, so that they may be guided through the process.
Empirical articles
Empirical (i.e., original) articles remain the bulk of papers published in SPQ. These are empirical investigations that convey the discovery of new knowledge and whose main emphasis is advancing the mission of the journal. The recommended length for these papers is approximately 6,000 words (from the Introduction through the Discussion).
International perspectives
SPQ continues to welcome manuscripts from scholars throughout the world, including research from multi-site international projects and work that has the potential to be adapted to and implemented around the globe to address the needs of diverse populations, cultures, and communities.
Reviews/Meta-Analyses
SPQ welcomes submission of review articles, particularly those that represent a new synthesis of information. All review articles undergo the same peer-review and editorial process as other submissions. They should be written for the general readership. Consequently, they may include material that might be considered too basic for those well-versed in the field being covered. Those interested in submitting a review or meta-analyses should first contact the editor to discuss the idea and format.
Letters to the Editor/Perspectives: This section is devoted to readers’ letters and correspondence. Letters to the Editor are specific to articles or editorial comments published in SPQ, or concern important issues of general interest to school psychology. Authors will be given the opportunity to reply to accepted letters critical of their work. Perspective articles are not specific to articles published in SPQ. Rather, these are brief pieces covering a wide variety of timely topics of relevance to school psychology. Both types of submissions are limited to 1200 words and may contain one figure or table. There is a maximum of 5 references.
Special Sections
Special section aims to bring awareness and education on the nature and correlates associated with a variety of topics of interest to researchers and practitioners. Ideas for special sections are both solicited by the Editor, who also welcomes unsolicited ideas. Special sections are under the guidance of 1-2 appointed Special Editors (under the guidance of the Editor), who then issue a general call for papers. All papers undergo the same peer-review and editorial process as other submissions.
As an important reminder, the quality of any journal rests with the papers selected for publication. Please consider SPQ as the primary outlet for your submissions, to ensure the continued high quality and reputation of this important journal.
Sincerely,
Rich Gilman
Incoming Editor,
School Psychology Quarterly