Guide for Authors

Proposal Process and Guidelines

Before being invited to submit a manuscript, you will first need to submit a proposal to the MJCSL editors for approval. Proposals should include:

  • Up to a 150-word summary of the main argument. Be sure to highlight how your work intervenes in an ongoing conversation.
  • The first few paragraphs and, if appropriate, section headings (make sure you tell us your big picture story here).
  • Five recommended resources that are less of a bibliography than giving readers context to your field and your vantage point.
  • Title, author name(s), institution(s).

Proposals should be sent via the Submittable button above. Select the form titled “Feature Article Proposals” and follow the instructions. We accept proposals on a rolling basis. To be considered for Winter Issues, proposals must be received by April 1st, and to be considered for Summer Issues, proposals must be received by October 1st.

Please note that MJCSL does not read unsolicited manuscripts. The editorial team will review your proposal to determine interest in pursuing it. If so, you will be invited to submit a full manuscript according to the guidelines below.

Manuscript Process and Guidelines

Feature Article Manuscripts should conform to the following author guidelines:

  • Manuscripts should be 5,000-7,500 words, excluding tables, references, and appendices. While we encourage authors to be as concise as possible, we acknowledge longer manuscripts may be more applicable for certain projects.
  • References should conform to the American Psychological Association (6th edition).
  • Please render all spellings in American English. To change British or Commonwealth spellings to their American equivalents, please see the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
  • If audiovisual materials, tables, or charts are included, please attach individual files AND place the material within the text at the appropriate point with labels (e.g., Table 1, Fig. 2, etc.).
  • Authors must acquire authorization for any media materials used and/or ensure they fall under the definition of fair use.
  • Authors must carefully proofread their work before submission.

If you are asked to submit a manuscript, the deadlines are:

  • For Winter Issues: June 1st
  • For Summer Issues: December 1st

Our aim is to complete the external review process and issue a decision within three months of the original date of full manuscript submission. Accepted manuscripts will be edited and published within one year, depending on the number and type of manuscripts in progress.

Plagiarism Statement

To be published in the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, authors must agree that this is their original work and does not infringe the copyright or other intellectual property rights of another. Authors must obtain permission, where necessary, to use all material within the work in which they do not hold the copyright and will share that permission with the Publisher upon request.

Copyright Agreement

Authors retain copyright in the work they publish in MJCSL. They maintain the right to use their work in any way that they lawfully wish. In the case of multiple authors, copyright remains with the authors as a group. Only one author needs to give permission for subsequent use.