Guidelines

Manuscripts that are relevant to the goals of the journal should be submitted to the editor. The purpose of the Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal is to provide a forum for women-centered issues and approaches to sports and physical activity. The journal consists of original data-based research, review articles, book reviews, commentaries, responses, and other scholarly writing relative to sport and physical activity. Contributions across all disciplines are welcomed. Emphases of the journal are application of feminist perspectives in sport and physical activity, theory development, application of theory to settings specific to girls and women, gender issues, feminist reconceptualizations of existing knowledge, and action-oriented research.

Submitted material should be of interest to teachers, coaches, researchers, and scholars, particularly in the following fields: physical education, athletics, intramurals, kinesiology, sport science, fitness, exercise and health, and women's studies.

Submitted manuscripts must NOT have been submitted to other publications or previously published. Guidelines for type of manuscripts, preparations, review process, copyright, and submission process are as follows:

Type of Manuscripts

Original research, whether experimental, descriptive, historical, philosophical, or other will be accepted. Manuscripts are normally 12-15 double-spaced pages, but there is no limit in length. Emphasis will be on articles for which women's issues are the focus. Submissions must contribute to knowledge about and for women in sport and physical activity. (Use of women as subjects does not automatically meet these criteria.)

Two types of review articles will be published: review of literature and interactive reviews. An interactive review will feature a review by an author, critiques from others in the field (2-4), and a counter critique by the author. As with the research articles, reviews must focus on women's issues, concerns and knowledge, and will normally be 12-15 double-spaced pages, but there is no limit in length.

This category includes critiques and analysis of visual and printed materials (e.g., videotapes, books, specialized materials). Emphasis is on critical analyses of significance of these materials, including discussion of controversial issues. These reviews will be relatively short, usually no more than a page or two.

Communiques: The types of manuscripts within this category are: Commentary on issues, opinions, philosophical treatise, critiques of articles; and notes, such as work-in-progress, preliminary reports, new testing instruments or tools, and new approaches

Another Perspective: This category consists of non-traditional material which furthers the purpose of the journal but cannot be subsumed under identified categories. Such items may take non-traditional forms (such as photo essays, poems, and creative writing). Each must, however, consist of a theme relative to the issues of women in sport and physical activity.

Manuscript Preparation

American Psychological Association, 6th edition, (APA) style should be used for citations, table and figure legends and layout, and references.

References are placed in alphabetical order with citations appearing in the text according to author and year of publication. Non-sexist language should be used throughout. Manuscripts must be typed on computer disks using Microsoft Word.

Manuscripts should be typed, double spaced, on 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper. Title, author(s) names, addresses, e-mail addresses, FAX numbers and telephone numbers should be listed on a cover sheet. This cover sheet should be contained in a separate file on the disk. A brief informational note of activities and prior accomplishments of author is also requested, and that should also contained in a separate file on the disk. Pages should be numbered consecutively, and the lines of each page must also be numbered. Please submit two hard copies and one virus-free disk. Submissions that fail to conform to the required guidelines will be returned.

Tables, graphs, or drawings should be submitted on separate pages, in accord with APA style, and in the file with the main article on the disk. They must be rendered in black ink on white paper. Charts, graphs, or other illustrations reprinted from other sources must be accompanied by permission to reprint obtained by the authors. Tables which are printed using computer software should be set-up using tabs, not the space bar, for the columns. If tabs are not used, transfer of the files often requires time and patience. You can help reduce our frustration by using tabs and by sending camera ready printed copies of the tables. Figures must be camera ready since the software usually is not available for direct transfer of figures from your computer software. Research writing is unique and stylized. A set vocabulary exists with respect to research reporting, especially reports based upon experimental designs in which conditions and treatments are manipulated. Often the terminology is repetitive, quite limiting in scope and monotonous. Authors should attempt to expand their manuscript vocabulary. Research writing also has been characterized by the Third Person. Such practice results in grammatically incorrect English. Furthermore, this practice serves to impersonalize the information, thus, absolving the writer from responsibility for statements of interpretation. For example, authors frequently state that "the data show," "results indicate," and "research has proven." These comments are characteristic of a technician who reports, not a researcher who interprets.

In addition, a serious grammatical error has been made. Inanimate objects or things cannot perform, act or do anything. They can only be acted upon, possess characteristics and exist. Human beings, and other living entities behave and act. It is the author, or previous researchers, who interpret data and state conclusions.

Therefore, a basic principle in writing for WSPAJ is to eliminate the use of action verbs with inanimate objects. Examples of how writers may express themselves are as follows: "Researchers state, show, conclude, etc. These data are depicted in Figure 5. Based upon the data, women are more adept than men."

A second principle is that the First and Second Persons may be used, and, in certain instances, should be used. It is impossible to eliminate bias from research, especially from interpretations, conclusions and general discussion. Therefore, the research must indicate the basis of interpretations, conclusions and general discussion. The First Person/Second Person is sometimes effective and is a means of placing the responsibility for the research with the author.

Manuscript Review Process

All manuscripts will be initially screened by the Editor and sent to 2-3 reviewers. The Editor will review the initial reviews and will notify the corresponding author of the editorial decision and the reviewers' comments. All reviews will be conducted electronically and should be completed within 8-12 weeks. The Journal's philosophy is to provide the most comprehensive and constructive feedback possible.

Copyright

The Journal holds the copyright for all articles, which are published in it. Authors may copy for their own use and other persons may do a one time use, but persons are not to copy for the purpose of avoiding subscribing to the Journal. Professional ethics makes such a practice contrary to the existence of the Journal.

Manuscript Submission

Submitted articles must not be under review with another journal or previously published. Manuscripts for publication in the Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal should adhere to the guidelines in the Publication Manual of the APA 6th edition. Articles must be preceded by an abstract of no more than 150 words. Meticulous attention should be paid to the accuracy of reference citations in the text and in the reference list. To assist in the review process, line numbers should be visible on each manuscript page. Additionally, authors should ensure that any tracked changes or comments are no longer visible on submitted manuscripts. If such formatting remains the confidentiality of a blind review cannot be guaranteed.

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically to: wspaj@aahperd.org. Submissions are to include two attachments. The first attachment should include the original manuscript and all tables and figures. On the title page, include the authors' names and institutional affiliations, a running head, the date of submission, and complete contact information for the corresponding author (address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail). The second attachment should include a blind copy of the manuscript and all tables and figures. The title page should not include the authors' names, affiliations, and contact information. Additionally, remove from the manuscript any author notes or acknowledgements. It is the responsibility of the author to ensure that this version of the manuscript is completely blind.

© 2005 National Association for Girls & Women in Sport