Author Guidelines
Manuscript Submissions
The aim of The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (IRRODL) is to disseminate scholarly information to scholars and practitioners of open and distance learning and teaching worldwide. Authors submit their manuscripts online by registering with this journal, logging in, clicking the New Submission link, and following the screen instructions through a five-step submission process.
NOTE: An authentication email is sent automatically, which requires the registrant to validate his or her email address. Users cannot log in to IRRODL’s Web site until they validate their email addresses. Validation emails may be diverted to users' junk or trash folders. If you have trouble logging in to IRRODL’s site, please contact us at irrodl at athabascau.ca.
Submission topics must relate to open or distance learning and may be placed in the Research Articles section or a Notes section. Research articles, including all references, tables, and figures, should be 3,500-5,000 words and should not exceed 7,000 words. Submissions that significantly exceed this limit will not be accepted for review. Tables and figures are encouraged, and they should be placed within the text, not at the end.
IRRODL Research Article Guidelines
IRRODL Sections
Research Articles
Blind, peer-reviewed scholarly articles that feature theory, research, and/or best practice in open and distance learning (3,500-5,000 words).
Notes
Shorter articles or abstracts, which are reviewed by the editors, associate editors, or other scholars; they may be featured as one of the following:
Research Notes - reports of proposed and ongoing research projects or completed projects that are missing critical components (e.g., theoretical basis);
Field Notes - shorter pieces describing innovative projects, applications, or interventions in distance education programs;
Book Notes - opinion pieces and reviews of recently published scholarly books on topics relevant to open and distance learning (approx. 1,000 words);
Conference Notes - reviews of recent open and distance learning conferences.
Originality
Manuscripts submitted for review and possible publication in IRRODL must be original material that has not been published nor submitted for review/publication elsewhere.
Publishing Previously Distributed Content
1. Every article must maintain a high quality of scholarship, not plagiarize the work of others, and make a contribution to the field of open and distance education scholarship.
2. Articles published or under review by other peer review commercial or scholarly publishers are not eligible for publication in IRRODL.
3. Articles distributed as conference proceedings or self-published in blogs or institutional repositories should normally be revised substantially before review and possible publication by IRRODL. (The editor may ask to review in detail the publication/distribution history of any work to make this determination.)
4. Articles that appeared in conference proceedings or were self-published shall acknowledge this distribution history in a footnote.
5. Authors submitting articles that were previously distributed should detail the rationale for review and publication by IRRODL in a note to the editor.
ESL/New Authors If you are uncertain about whether your paper meets the standards required by a peer-reviewed journal, please consider seeking advice and assistance from AuthorAid at http://www.authoraid.info/ (mentoring service free-of-charge) or American Journal Experts at http://www.journalexperts.com/ (fee-based editing, review, and translation service).
Full Paper
A publishable paper should contain the following:
1. abstract (150-250 words, describing the research problem, the method, the basic findings, the conclusions, and the recommendations);
2. keywords;
3. introduction (what is the problem?);
4. research method and/or theory used;
5. if an application or experiment, a description of pool of subjects and how they were chosen;
6. analysis of research and how results impact theory and practice;
7. conclusion;
8. references.
Preparing Manuscripts
Documentation
Manuscripts must conform to APA standard. Consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed., 2010).
Follow the author-date method of citation in text. Ensure you provide page numbers for all direct quotes. Prepare an unnumbered reference list in alphabetical order by author. When there is more than one article by the same author(s), list the most recent paper first. References should include the names of all contributing authors. Ensure that all references are accurate and that any references cited in the text also appear in the reference section.
Below are some examples of the basic reference list format.
Citing an article in a paper periodical
Surname, A. A. (year). Article title. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), inclusive page numbers.
Example Grow, G. O. (1994). In defense of the staged self-directed learning model. Adult Education Quarterly, 44(2), 109-115.
Citing a book Surname, A. A. (year). Title of book. Publisher location: Publisher Name.
Example Rogers, E. (1962). Diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press.
Citing online sources
Surname, A. A., Surname, B. B., & Surname, C. C. (2000). Title of article. Title of periodical, volume number(issue number). Retrieved from URL/web address.
Example Anderson, T. (2003). Getting the mix right again: An updated and theoretical rationale for interaction. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 4(2). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/149/230
For more information on citing sources, visit APA Style Help. Notes, if necessary, must appear at the end of the article (before reference list) as end notes. Use the end note feature provided by your word processor.
Style
Refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed., 2010) for guidance on expression (including grammar and ways to reduce bias in language) and style (including punctuation, capitalization, headings, etc.).
Submissions must be in English. British or American English spelling is acceptable, but usage must be consistent throughout. Please spell-check all submissions.
To abbreviate the name of an organization or agency, use capitals and no periods (e.g., YWCA). For first occurrence, provide the full name with the abbreviation in parentheses, and use the abbreviation as required after that, for example, Athabasca University (AU).
Use italics sparingly to identify special terms or to indicate special emphasis.
GUIDELINES FOR BOOK REVIEWERS
One of the important features of International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (IRRODL) is the review of current books that contribute to the literature of distance education. The aim of our Book Notes is to engage distance educators worldwide in sharing their perceptions about new publications that contribute to the advancement of distance education theory, research and or practice. While we normally invite specific reviews, we will consider unsolicited reviews. (Please feel free to send unsolicited reviews to the Book Notes Editor.) While we do not have a universal template for a book review, we offer the following possible outline for you to consider as you prepare your review:
1. Heading and Signature
Title in full, author, place, publisher, date of publication, edition, number of pages, and ISBN. Followed by name of reviewer and institutional affiliation.
2. Introduction
The review should begin with an introduction to the topic and an overview of the content of the book. What is your main point in presenting this review? Describe the background and qualifications of the author. Who is the author’s intended audience? What is the author’s purpose? What is the author’s main thesis?
3. Organization/Structure
What is the organization/structure of the book? How accurate and current is the information presented? How well does the development of the author’s thesis book draw on supporting ideas, arguments, documentation and/or evidence? Does the evidence support the conclusions?
4. Assessment of significance to the field of distance education theory, research and/or practice
How current is the information presented? How effective is the author’s method of developing the information? What is your assessment of the book’s major strengths and weaknesses? How does it compare with other works on the same subject? Does the book make a meaningful contribution to the literature of distance education theory, research and/or best practice?
5. Overall impression
What are your overall comments and conclusions about the book? Why or why not would you recommend the book to others? What is your overall assessment of the book.
6. Additional points re: mechanics
Provide support for your statements about the book in the form of examples. Are there any noteworthy statements or wording quotations you could cite to illustrate various points in your review? When quoting from the book, add the page number in parentheses immediately following the quote. Do not exceed 1,000-1,500 words.
