Editorial Policies...
The Community College Review meets the requirements for classification as a refereed academic journal. Its nine-member editorial board consists of community college educators and university faculty. Each board member serves a three-year term. Terms are staggered so that three new members join the board each year to replace those who complete their service.
When a manuscript arrives in the Review's editorial office, the editorial staff reads it to determine if its content and style meet guidelines. If the manuscript merits further consideration, it is sent to at least two board members for their recommendations. Board members evaluate each manuscript's significance, quality, relevance to community college education, and presentation. (Note: authors' names are removed from manuscripts before evaluation to ensure an unbiased review.) Decisions to publish normally rest upon board members' recommendations.
Exceptions to this policy occasionally occur when the editors decide to publish a manuscript because of its topic or presentation. Such manuscripts are designated as editors' choices when they are published.
Board members are asked to evaluate manuscripts within six weeks, which means that a decision ordinarily is sent to the author about ten weeks after the manuscript arrives in the editorial office. Publication usually occurs within six to nine months after acceptance, depending upon the number and length of manuscripts scheduled for upcoming issues.
Letters notifying contributors of acceptance include the approximate date of publication and a request for a word processing file on diskette or an email attachment. After the staff prepares galley proofs of the work (about six weeks before publication), the lead author receives a copy of the proofs to review for final corrections or changes. Each author receives three complimentary copies of the issue containing his or her work as soon as it is published.
Approximately one half of the manuscripts submitted to the Review for consideration are published. For instance, 55% of the manuscripts submitted during 1999 were accepted for publication. In 2000 the acceptance rate was higher (57%), whereas in 2001 it was lower (43%).
- Most manuscripts accepted for publication require a rewrite to address comments made by reviewers. You may wish to ask colleagues to read your manuscript and to suggest changes before you submit in order to improve the likelihood of acceptance.
- You can read other sections of the guidelines by clicking on one of the following topics:
Department of Adult & Higher Education College of Education - NC State University Box 7801, Raleigh, NC 27695