Information for Authors

As you write your article, we recommend that you

(1) identify 1–2 articles in the journal that present research similar to yours and—if appropriate—use those works as models for your own, 

(2) consult the "Review Guidelines"  that we ask our manuscript reviewers to follow when evaluating submissions and ensure that your manuscript aligns with the priorities identified in these guidelines,

(3) consider if your manuscript might fit best within our new submission category, "Everything is Praxis."  Situated in current conversations in the field, contributions will include 3,000-5,000 word case studies or specific instances of writing program development, evaluation, revision, and re-envisioning. Check out the "Everything is Praxis" submission guidelines,

(4) review our advice for authors handout

The length of submissions should be a maximum 7,500 words (including abstract, notes, bibliography, and appendices). Longer manuscripts will be returned with a request to reduce the word count. Please prepare all manuscripts consistent with the following guidelines, and include the Cover Sheet . Doing so will facilitate anonymous, fair review and efficient handling of your work.

• Based on the nature of your research, style your article according to either the MLA Handbook (9th edition) or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) as appropriate.
• Include an abstract (maximum 200 words) within the manuscript, following the title and preceding the body of your text.
• Save your manuscript as a .doc or .docx format.
• Use double-spacing for text.
• Add a running head (shortened title) with page numbers at the upper right corner.
• With the exception of headings, do not use boldface or other special typefaces anywhere in the manuscript.
• Follow guidelines in MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing for use of notes. Numbered notes should be placed as endnotes, not footnotes.
• Use clear and distinct styles for main and secondary headings. 
• Double-check and cross-check all citations that appear in text and in the bibliography to ensure accuracy and correctly formatted citations.
• Tables should be used sparingly. Include them in the body of your manuscript as they are cited. Table files should be also saved in the program in which they were produced and retained if needed for production.
• Images should be used sparingly. Include them in the body of your manuscript as they are cited. Submit images and line art as image files in uncompressed TIFF or JPEG format and as separate files that are 1,350 or more pixels wide. Seek and secure permissions for use of images that you did not create.
• If your research involves human subjects (interviews, focus groups, observations, student papers, etc), please include your IRB protocol number as an endnote.
• Remove all identifying information. Check your manuscript carefully prior to submission to insure that all comments and track changes have been deleted. Clear the “properties” (metadata) in your file so that your article is completely anonymous for the purpose of review.
• Include the Submission Cover Sheet.

Submissions that do not follow these guidelines or that are missing the cover sheet will be returned to authors prior to review.

The editorial team will acknowledge articles as they are submitted, and they will usually provide authors with a progress report within six weeks of submission. Our goal is to respond to authors with reviewers’ comments within three months.

Updated Manuscript Submission Period

The journal will accept submissions throughout the year; however, please be aware that review times may be extended during the summer months.

Reviews

WPA publishes both review essays of multiple books and reviews of individual books related to writing programs and their administration. If you are interested in reviewing texts or recommending books for possible review, please contact the book review editor at wpabookreviews@gmail.com. 

Announcements and Calls

Relevant announcements and calls for papers may be published as space permits. Announcements should not exceed 500 words, and calls for proposals or participation should not exceed 1,000 words. Please include contact information for further information. Submission deadlines in calls should be no sooner than January 1 for the spring issue and June 1 for the fall issue. Please send your calls and announcements to wpaeditors@gmail.com and include the text in both the body of the message and as an .doc or .docx attachment.

Author Rights

While CWPA journal authors must grant rights to CWPA necessary for the publication of their journal articles, individual authors retain full copyright to their published works. Works published are embargoed for 1 year, after which authors may submit them for inclusion in institutional repositories and/or other open-access databases. We ask that authors refrain from uploading their published work to for-profit enterprises, such as ResearchGate or Academia.edu.

Contacts

Send submissions and queries to Tracy Ann Morse, Patti Poblete, and Wendy Sharer at wpaeditors@gmail.com.

Send book review queries to Kelly Moreland at wpabookreviews@gmail.com.