Book Review Submission Guidelines

Submission Procedure

Reviews should be sent to the book review editor in an attached Microsoft Word file via the submission link at the top of this page.

Review Process Timeline

The initial review process can take between one to three months from the time of submission. If a submission requires revisions, the review process may take an additional one to two months from the time of resubmission.

Reviews should be of materials that have been published within the last three years.

Reviews should be of materials reviewers would like to suggest to colleagues in the field (e.g., materials reviewers feel have more positive features than negative ones).

Originality

We cannot accept reviews previously published elsewhere.

Length and Format

Reviews should conform to the following length and format guidelines:

  • Reviews should be between 600-900 words in length.
  • Reviews should be prepared using Microsoft Word. The text should be left justified and use 12 pica New Times Roman font, 1.5 spacing between lines, and 1 inch margins.
  • The complete title of the text, name(s) of author(s), publisher, publisher’s address (city & state), date of publication, and page numbers should be included at the top of the first page. Please follow this example:

                 Practice in a Second Language: Perspectives from Applied Linguistics and Cognitive Psychology
                 Robert DeKeyser. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Pp. ix + 321.

  • The reviewer(s)’ full name(s), school affiliation, and school location should be included at the top of the first page immediately below the title of the text. Please follow this example:      

                 Reviewed by Jim Bame
                 Utah State University
                 Utah, USA

Organization:

While creativity and a variety of writing styles are encouraged, reviews, like other types of articles, should be concisely written and contain certain information that follows a predictable order:

  • A statement about the material’s intended audience
  • A nonevaluative description of the material’s contents
  • An academically worded evaluative summary which includes a discussion of its positive features
  • One or two shortcomings if applicable (no materials are perfect) and a comment about the material’s significance to the field

Reviewers are encouraged to peruse reviews recently published in the quarterly PDF version of the Journal for content, organization, and style before writing their own.

Style

Reviews should follow three style guidelines:

  1. Reviews should conform to current APA 6th edition guidelines.
    http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
  2. Reviews should use plural nouns rather than gendered pronouns such as he/she, his/her him/her and adhere to the APA’s Guidelines for Non-Sexist Use of Language. A helpful guide can be found at http://www.apa.udel.edu/apa/publications/texts/nonsexist.html.
  3. References should be used sparingly.

Important Statements to Include

Reviewers should attach two items to the end of their reviews:

  1. A statement that the review has not been previously published or is not being considered for publication elsewhere.
  2. A brief biography of the author(s).

Things to Do Before Submitting the Review

Reviewers should compare their reviews against the submission guidelines and proofread their submissions.  Having a colleague do the same is also a good idea as reviews that meet the submission guidelines and are well proofed help speed the publication process.

Consideration Guidelines

Reviews will be considered on the basis of the submissions guidelines described above.  Reviews which are accepted may be revised by the editing staff for length, clarity, and style.

Resubmissions and Future Submissions

The Journal is always pleased to accept reviews from our colleagues in the field. Unfortunately, however, we cannot accept all submissions. Please do not be discouraged if your review is rejected. Some well-written reviews are rejected because they do not meet the submission guidelines. Others may need revision before they can be published, and resubmissions are encouraged. If, however, a review cannot be accepted, authors are always strongly encouraged to make future submissions.

 

Submit Book Review Here