We seek manuscripts on any aspect of English language arts teaching in secondary schools. Writers may describe new ideas or innovative practices, discuss an issue, or argue for a particular point of view about the teaching of English language arts. We prefer manuscripts with a conversational tone that place classrooms and classroom practices in the foreground while acknowledging the relationship of relevant theory and research in providing context for action and reflection. We also seek manuscripts that discuss single works of literature or films that may be taught in a middle school, junior high school, or senior high school class. Such manuscripts should address ways that the particular work could be relevant to the students and English language arts instruction.

We accept manuscripts of general interest to English language arts teachers, although most of our issues are organized around themes. See our Themed Issues page for current calls. Typically, articles that fit one of the themes have a greater chance of being published.

In general, manuscripts for articles should be no more than ten to fifteen double-spaced, typed pages in length (approximately 2,500 to 3,750 words). Longer manuscripts are discouraged; shorter ones may be acceptable.

Cautions: We do not publish conventional reports of research, term papers, or other lengthy manuscripts filled with references. We cannot read drafts, and we find query letters unhelpful. We prefer to read a finished manuscript. We cannot publish any material that has been previously published in print or electronic form, even on your own Web site. Please do not submit material to other publishers while your manuscript is under consideration for English Journal.

Features and Columns

Manuscripts of 1,000 to 1,500 words are also accepted for ongoing features such as “Speaking My Mind,” which invites readers to speak out about controversial issues relevant to the teaching of English language arts. Topics and deadlines for 300-word items for "Teacher to Teacher" and "Student Voices" are announced in the front section of each issue or visit our Ongoing Features page. Editors of some columns accept manuscripts, also. See the column descriptions in the current issue of English Journal for the editors’ names and addresses or link to Columns.

Style

Titles of articles should be limited to no more than twelve words and should clearly indicate the manuscript's content. Clever titles that are obscure or even misleading are not helpful to readers; however, using an inventive title, a colon, and a more descriptive subtitle is acceptable.

The introductory paragraph of the article should clearly indicate the direction of the manuscript. Overly discursive or vague openings are not appropriate for the readership of English Journal. Beginning paragraphs should clearly indicate what the manuscript addresses, why anyone should care to read it, and why the writer is qualified to speak on the subject.

The use of "I" is appropriate when a manuscript calls for personal observation. Avoid educational jargon and highly specialized language, clichés and catch-phrases, overuse of adjectives, and vague generalities. Writers are expected to follow the conventions of standard edited American English. Care regarding references is extremely important. Double and triple check page numbers, dates, and other citation elements, keeping in mind that any undetected errors could be carried to 25,000 EJ readers.

Ensure that your manuscript adheres to the National Council of Teachers of English Guidelines for Gender-Fair Use of Language. Deviation from these guidelines should be requested with explanation in the cover letter accompanying the manuscript; otherwise, the editor will revise to assure conformity to the guidelines. We encourage writers to use plural nouns and pronouns ("teachers help their students"), thus avoiding the awkward his/her construction ("the teacher helps his or her students"). Inclusive language that reflects sensitivity to difference is expected. Prospective contributors should obtain a copy of the Guidelines for Gender-Fair Use of Language from the NCTE Web site http://www.ncte.org/pubs/publish/journals/107647.htm.

Submission Procedure

Your manuscript should be typed and double-spaced throughout (including quotations, endnotes, and works cited), with margins wide enough to accommodate editor’s marks. Number all pages. Use in-text documentation, following the current edition of the MLA Handbook. Where applicable, a list of works cited and any other bibliographic information should also follow MLA style. Include a title page with your name, address, school affiliation, telephone number, and email address. No identifying information should appear in the manuscript or the works cited.

Send to the editor at the above address one clear copy of the manuscript and one electronic copy on a CD or on a 3.5” disk formatted for PCs. Word 97 or later is preferred. Authors using Macintosh software should save their work as Word for Windows. Manuscripts and disks cannot be returned. Include a cover letter with a statement guaranteeing that the manuscript has not been published or submitted elsewhere. If the article is intended for a themed issue, please indicate which theme.

We will acknowledge receipt of all manuscripts by email. English Journal is refereed, and virtually all manuscripts are read by two or more outside reviewers. We will attempt to reach a decision on each article within three months. Pieces written in response to a specific call for manuscripts will be decided on after the deadline.

Generally, letters accompanying rejected manuscripts do not provide extensive reaction or suggestions for revision. Because of the large number of manuscripts received in the English Journal office, staff and time limitations make such detailed responses impractical. Writers may be comforted by the fact that EJ receives many more excellent manuscripts than it can publish; an acceptance rate of 11-20 percent is the norm.

If your article is accepted, we will notify you and ask you to complete a consent-to-publish form and provide a brief biographical statement. The editor may suggest or make major revisions in consultation with the author; however, because of the press of deadlines, the editor maintains the right to make what she perceives to be minor revisions without seeking the writer's approval. English Journal does not pay its contributors an honorarium; however, writers receive complimentary copies of the issue in which their article appears.

Permission Policy

It is your responsibility to secure permissions for copyrighted work that appears in your article. While short excerpts from copyrighted material may usually be quoted without permission, excerpts from poetry and song lyrics almost always require written permission. Likewise, any student work, text or graphic, requires a signed release from the student and, if the student is under eighteen, the signature of a parent or legal guardian. To protect the student’s identity, you must use a pseudonym unless you have written permission from the student and a parent or legal guardian to use the real name. The English Journal office will provide forms for permissions and releases to you when necessary or you may download them from this site. If you are using student work, please use the student consent-to-publish form.

Permissions related to illustrative material are covered in the next section.

Tables, graphics, charts, and other figures can enhance the meaning of the text. If you wish to include illustrative material, please read the following information carefully.

The table, figure, or other graphic should be sent either as a separate file or as a separate page at the end of the article file. Do not embed it in the article at the place it is to appear. Insert a note in the text indicating placement (e.g., TABLE 1 GOES HERE).

Tables and other all-text illustrative material should be sent in Word 97 or later. Make sure that you include a clear printout with the article so that we can double-check the material on disk against the printout.

If you are sending in a diagram, graph, bar chart, or anything else that needs to be duplicated exactly, send it as a separate file in a standard image format such as .tif, .jpg, or .eps. It must be a high-resolution file (300 dpi) to reproduce well.

For photographs, send an electronic file in a standard image format at 300 dpi. The image should be at least as large as it will appear in the journal. To keep the file size small, the image can be in grayscale, rather than color. If you cannot furnish a high-resolution electronic file, please send the original photograph and we will scan it.

Photographs and artwork may be accepted with manuscripts; the same strictures mentioned above with regard to permissions apply. Authors must obtain written permission from the photographer and the subjects in the photograph. If the subjects are students under eighteen, you must also obtain signed permission from a parent or legal guardian. Permission forms are available from the EJ office or you may download them from this site. Please note that acceptance of a manuscript does not automatically imply acceptance of accompanying visuals.