Journal-Specific Policies

Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research (JSLHR)

Editorial structure

The editorial structure of JSLHR consists of an editor for Speech, an editor for Language, and an editor for Hearing. Each editor has full responsibility for his or her section of the journal, and each maintains a staff of associate editors and a roster of editorial consultants. The editor for Hearing receives manuscripts that pertain to audition, auditory disorders, and speech perception. The editor for Speech receives manuscripts dealing with speech production and development, voice, fluency, and motor-speech disorders. The editor for Language handles manuscripts in the areas of language and language development, child and adult language disorders, and phonology.

The editors serve staggered 3-year terms, and the most senior of the editors serves as a coordinating editor. The coordinating editor maintains the journal's database, receives and assigns manuscripts that do not readily fit into one of the three areas, and monitors balance among the three content areas of the journal. The coordinating editor, in consultation with the other two editors, can adjust JSLHR so as to maintain such balance. The coordinating editor also prepares an annual report on "Summary Statistics" of journal operations.

Each of the three JSLHR editors have the option of including an editor's page in individual issues. The specific policies relating to this option remain to be established.

The order of the three sections of JSLHR are rotated annually, with "Hearing" appearing first in 1996, "Language" first in 1997, and "Speech" first in 1998 and so forth.

Guidelines for "From the Editor" columns

From the Editor columns should represent professional and scholarly writing of the Editor on topics of interest to readers of the journal, that could include: (a) an introduction to the Journal's current or recent contents and/or its overarching themes; (b) information to authors and/or readers concerning publication issues (e.g., APA guideline changes, changes in submission format; research design or measurement issues); and (c) opinion on professional issues that show respect for individuals and/or groups.

Types of manuscripts

JSLHR is the Association's archive for articles that pertain to the processes and disorders of hearing, language, and speech, and to the diagnosis and treatment of such disorders. It is differentiated from LSHSS by the latter journal's focus on services provided to children and adolescents, especially in a school setting; and it differs from the two journals of clinical practice (AJA and AJSLP) in that they emphasize the immediate clinical relevance of all their articles and features.

Four types of manuscripts are considered for publication in JSLHR: articles, research reports, research notes, and letters to the editor. In addition, supplements may be published with the Publications Board's consent. All such manuscripts are subject to editorial review. JSLHR is not a suitable venue for articles relating to professional issues; rather they are to be confined to the other journals.

Articles may be expositions or discussion of theoretical issues in speech, language, or hearing science; they may be scholarly reviews of the literature in a particular substantive area; or they may be tutorial in nature. Research reports, the most common type of manuscript submitted to JSLHR, are reports of original basic and applied research. Research notes, which are more limited in scope and import than research reports, are also published in JSLHR.

Editorial policies governing the submission, revision, editing, and acceptance of manuscripts for JSLHR are printed in the "Information for Authors" section of each issue of the journal. The current policy reads:

The principal criteria for acceptance are significance of the topic or experimental question, conformity to rigorous standards of evidence and scholarship, and clarity of writing. ASHA membership is not a factor in selection. No manuscript that has been published (including in an electronic form) or is under consideration elsewhere may be submitted.

In memoriam policy

JSLHR publication of the In Memoriam tribute is reserved for individuals who have made sustained and outstanding contributions to research in communication sciences and disorders. In the majority of instances, these individuals have held editorships of ASHA journals or have received the Honors of the Association in recognition of their research. The Publications Board considers other individuals who are brought to its attention. Suitable documentation of research contributions must accompany any such nomination.

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American Journal of Audiology: A Journal of Clinical Practice (AJA)

AJA is published twice a year, in June and December.

Editorial structure

AJA has an editor, several associate editors who are responsible for specific substantive areas within audiology, and additional feature editors who are responsible for recurring features (see below).

Guidelines for "From the Editor" columns

Types of manuscripts

Several types of manuscripts are published in AJA. Besides the following, which come under the general heading of Departments, supplements may be published with the consent of the Publications Board.

Letters. Readers are encouraged to write expressing their opinions and views. Letters should be as concise as practical. They may be edited for length and clarity. Any significant changes are made in consultation with the author.
Viewpoint. Regular and guest columnists offer their opinions on issues of professional and clinical relevance.
Perspective. Intended to broaden the professional perspective of readers by providing information on the historical development of audiology, audiology in other countries, and the experiences of other allied health professionals.
Face-to-Face. A forum for two experts to present their views on important and controversial issues of clinical or professional significance.
Edge Reports. Brief summaries of the latest developments in a specific clinical or technical area. Intended to assist the reader in staying knowledgeable about the many different subspecialties of the profession.
Feedback. An easy way for readers to express their opinions on relevant topics.
Clinical Focus: C onsult. Offered as a service to readers who want to have technical questions researched and answered.
Clinical Focus: Site Visit. Presents detailed descriptions of major clinical programs in universities, hospitals, hearing and speech centers, and private practice.
Clinical Focus: Innovation. A forum in which clinicians can describe, in some detail, innovative clinical services, technology, and program management.
Clinical Focus: Grand Rounds. A forum for case studies, clinical notes and observations, and other clinical material that does not have a traditional research format.
Research & Technology: Short Course. Presents overviews and tutorials on important clinical and professional topics.
Research & Technology: Excerpts. Reprints portions of chapters in newly published books or classic, hard-to-find articles.
Research & Technology: Papers. Offers researchers an opportunity to briefly and quickly present an important research result in less detail and in a shorter time than full publication entails. Shorter than a traditional article, the manuscript should include only a limited number of references and figures. There should be a brief abstract, and the style should be narrative (without formal divisions of Introduction, Methods, etc.).
Research & Technology: Articles. Traditional research manuscripts with major clinical significance. Should be written in a style that is interesting and accessible to all of the readership. The objective is to convey important information to as many audiologists as possible. Writing should be clear and understandable, not excessively technical and complex.

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American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology: A Journal of Clinical Practice (AJSLP)

AJSLP is published four times per year, in February, May, August, and November.

Editorial structure

AJSLP has a traditional editorial structure consisting of the editor and several associate editors who are designated for specific content areas. Although AJSLP, like AJA, includes recurrent features, the editor and associate editors assume responsibility for them.

Guidelines for "From the Editor" columns

Types of manuscripts

The following types of manuscripts are published in AJSLP. In addition supplements may be published with the consent of the Publications Board.

Clinical Consult. Clinical scholars respond to questions that come to the journal from the readership.
Clinical Focus. Articles that may be of primary clinical interest but may not have a traditional research format. Case studies, descriptions of clinical programs, and innovative clinical services and activities are among the possibilities.
Research. Although very much in the style of traditional research articles, submissions should make judicious use of references, be written in a "clinical voice" (that is, highly communicative, palatable, and in first person), and have statistical results presented in a clearly comprehensible manner. Although the reviewers are instructed to attend to the importance of the topic, the adequacy of the research design and data analysis, the organization of the manuscript, and the clarity of the writing, particular attention should be paid to its clinical relevance.
Second Opinion. Two authors from within the field, or from related disciplines, discuss the pros and cons of important issues in a point-counterpoint format.
Clinical Forum. Related articles on a given topic.
Tutorial. Educational expositions on topics of interest to clinicians. Scholarly reviews on important topics covering recent literature, clinical implications, and need for further research.
Viewpoint. Scholarly based opinion(s) on an issue of clinical relevance that currently may be neglected, controversial, related to future legislation, or could serve to update the readership on current thinking in an area.
World View. Authors from different countries write about pertinent aspects of the profession of speech-language pathology in their country. This format can also include writings on issues of clinical interaction with our field by authors from related disciplines.

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Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (LSHSS)

Editorial structure

The editorial structure of LSHSS consists of an editor and a board of associate editors whose expertise spans the topic areas represented in the journal.

Guidelines for "From the Editor" columns

Types of manuscripts

The following types of manuscripts are published in LSHSS. In addition, supplements may be published with the consent of the Publications Board.

Articles. May be philosophical, conceptual, or synthesizing papers on topics of importance in a school setting. Contributed manuscripts may deal with all aspects of clinical services to children, including descriptions of assessment and treatment procedures, counseling techniques, prevention programs, professional issues, and criteria for serving multicultural populations.
Reports. Data-based descriptive or experimental studies that pertain to all aspects of service to children in schools. They are judged in terms of scientific merit and clinical relevance to clinicians based in the schools. Typically, reports reflect within- or between-subject experimental designs that evaluate the appropriateness or effectiveness of a particular assessment or treatment procedure. The demonstration of internal and external validity is mandatory in such reports. Reports may be case study presentations that describe new clinical approaches, new or unusual findings, or new insights. These reports also require demonstration of the reliability of the data being reported.

Manuscripts about tests or other instruments for clinical classification or decision making are evaluated relative to criteria presented in Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC, 20002). The journal does not publish test manuscripts that do not report validity information. Even with such information, new tests reporting standardization data may not be published if they are about to be, or have been, released for commercial distribution, as such information should be included in the test manual. Manuscripts reporting research on published tests in current clinical use are considered, even though the tests may not have been validated.
Clinical Exchange. Short descriptive papers that share clinical insights and expertise. Possible topics include (a) unique or innovative therapy ideas, techniques, or programs; (b) counseling techniques; (c) supervision models; (d) new materials and technology; (e) caseload management; (f) criteria for serving multicultural populations; and (g) quality assurance/accountability. Brief case study reports that illustrate the effectiveness of a particular intervention technique or set of materials are encouraged. Submissions should not be longer than 10 manuscript pages. Longer manuscripts should be submitted as articles or reports.
Clinical Forum. A series of articles on a particular topic. Previous clinical forums have focused on generalization, alternative service delivery models, and supervision. Contributors interested in organizing a clinical forum should contact the editor. Suggestions for future clinical forums are welcomed.
Software Perspectives. Short, descriptive papers limited to 10 manuscript pages that present clinical and research perspectives on particular computer software. The conceptual framework for the development of the software and the intended purposes and uses as reported by the author or publisher should be described. Any empirical evidence of effectiveness and an evaluation of the software's strengths, limitations, and other possible uses should be given.
Letters to the Editor. Offers readers the opportunity to respond to recently published papers. Letters should contribute to knowledge and be concisely written.

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