JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHING
Guidelines for Writers
The Constructivist, the journal of the Association for Constructivist Teaching (ACT), is a fully-refereed, national journal focused on research and practice. It is an online journal published annually.
The journal provides a forum for researchers and practitioners who are exploring new perspectives in constructivist theories, research and practice. The audience is educators who are interested in children, classroom practice, research, policy, reform or systematic change, and leadership/administration.
All manuscripts are peer reviewed, and decisions regarding publication are made by the ACT editorial board. The editorial board encourages submission of a variety of high quality manuscripts in the following categories:
- On Becoming Professional: Preservice and In-Service for Teachers
- Applications: Practitioners Use of Constructivist Principles
- Alignment: Learn About Programs that Have Constructivist Underpinnings
- Theoretical Constructions: Analyzing Core Beliefs
- Research: Rigorous Studies that Support What We Do
- Leading the Way: How Administrators Can Help Teachers Construct Knowledge
Please submit manuscripts electronically to: Kelly Russell, krussell@bsc.edu
What makes an article acceptable for the journal? Editors look primarily for two qualities: educational significance and readability. There are many kinds of significance and many different styles that are readable. However, we believe that to be significant an article must in some way be usable by our readers -- to enlarge their knowledge, to improve their practice, to influence their decisions. We want it to deal with real problems. We want it to be factual, logical, and well focused. To be readable, it should avoid the use of jargon and it should include concrete examples.
What are the procedures for submission of manuscripts? Very simple: type your manuscript, double-spaced, and send it as an attachment to the editor. In a cover page, give us contact information and sufficient information about the author(s) for a standard author-identification paragraph.
If you wish, send an e-mail of inquiry first, describing the article and perhaps including an outline. We want to balance our coverage and we will let you know whether an article will fit in with our editorial plans.
Who makes the decision to publish? The editorial board of the Association for Constructivist Teaching. After a blind-review by two reviewers, the editorial board will make the final decision.
How long does it take for the editors to make a decision? We acknowledge all manuscripts immediately upon receipt. We try not to hold a manuscript longer than three months without returning it, accepting it, or in some way communicating with the author. If three months pass and you have not heard from us, please feel free to e-mail us.
What is the ideal length? We like a variety of pieces of varying length, and of course the inclusion of graphic material (e.g., photos, graphs, etc.) can increase the length of the piece. In general, most articles range from 5,000-10,000 words in length, however articles of lesser and greater length will also be considered.
What editorial style is used? The style of The Constructivist is based largely on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition.
What about diagrams, tables, graphs, photographs and videos? Given the online nature of the journal, ACT welcomes and in fact encourages graphic material that can be linked to text.
Who holds copyright on ACT articles? ACT generally does. Each issue is fully copyrighted.