Advice for Successful Acceptance

Characteristics of a High-Quality Article

While each manuscript is unique, quality articles that are published in the Journal of Leadership Education possess several characteristics that are shared among them.  As an author potentially interested in submitting to the Journal, we suggest you attend to these characteristics prior to finalizing your submission in advance of its blind review.

A Significant Contribution to the Field

JOLE is interested in manuscripts that are informed by and founded upon the larger field of leadership education.  We suggest you explain early in your manuscript how your research, theory, application, or idea is connected to previous scholarship, both seminal and emerging. Simply stating something like, “No one has ever studied what I am focusing on” is not a strong argument for making a significant contribution to the field.

Analysis

Your collection of data and/or literature should then lead to a rigorous analysis from which conclusions are drawn.  If your submission is based on contributing a theory, application, or idea, we suggest you describe how your included literature informs your analysis.  If you plan a research-based manuscript, we suggest you comprehensively describe how the data you have collected were analyzed to provide a foundation for rigorous conclusions. 

Logical and Substantive Conclusions

Once you have appropriately included relevant analysis (and if you are contributing a research-focused manuscript, any data-driven findings that stem from them), conclusions and applications should follow logically and explicitly from your analysis. These should substantively and explicitly inform future research and/or practice.

Clarity, Parsimony, and Grammar

Successful manuscripts are clear, easy to read, and only as long as is absolutely necessary. They are free of grammatical errors and comply with the latest edition of the style guidance from the American Psychological Association (APA style).

Strategies to Help you Navigate the Publishing Landscape

Publishing is one of the cornerstones of an academic career, and for early career researchers (as well as seasoned scholars and writers!), it can seem like a daunting task. Below find actionable strategies to help you navigate the publishing landscape––with JOLE as well other scholarly outlets–– and increase your chances of publication success.

Start Small, Think Big: Writing is a process that starts with deep thinking about your topic of interest and how your article may benefit leadership educators and practitioners. Consider not only your research and interest, but also (and very importantly) how that research fits into the larger body of leadership education work. You can hone this type of thinking and contextualizing with conference papers, posters, or review articles as a way to build confidence/get feedback before tackling journal submissions.

Read, Read, Read: Immerse yourself in the literature. Understand the current state of research, identify gaps, and learn from successful publications in the leadership education space and beyond. Consider carefully how and if JOLE (or any journal) is the appropriate home for your work. Be able to answer the following question: “Why is your work important enough for a critical mass of other scholars to take the time to read it?"

Understand JOLE's Aims & Scope: Don't just skim. Read JOLE’s Aims & Scope section thoroughly to ensure your work aligns with the JOLE mission.

Understand JOLE Author Responsibilities & Ethical Guidelines: Reading and digest the expectations JOLE has for its authors. Be aware of plagiarism, authorship, and data integrity guidelines.

Understand JOLE's Article Classifications: JOLE considers three different categories of papers. Take time to read the descriptions for each article type and be sure to craft your submission in alignment with the proper type.

Consider Co-Authorship Wisely: If co-authoring, choose collaborators who bring complementary expertise and contribute significantly to the work. Have conversations about authorship order and levels of contribution up front in order to manage possible conflicts. You can consider drafting an author agreement. 

Craft a Compelling Title & Abstract: These are the first things editors and reviewers see. Make them clear, concise, and indicative of your research's significance.

Master the Art of Storytelling: Present your article as a clear narrative. For example, if creating a research piece, guide readers through your introduction, research questions, theoretical framework, methods, findings, implications, limitations, and conclusions.

Seek Feedback Early and Often: Share article drafts with mentors, colleagues, and peers. Constructive criticism is invaluable for improvement and will make your eventual submission stronger!

Remember to Include All Submission Materials: JOLE requires a cover letter with your article submission that communicates the highlights of your work to the editor; it should be clear, compelling, and concise.

Submit and Add to your CV as "Under Review": Congratulations! Now that you have submitted your article to JOLE for consideration, be sure to include the submission on your CV as “under review.” Be sure to take a look at existing resources that offer guidance for how to make this CV update.

Prepare for Rejection: Rejection is a common part of the publishing process. Don't take it personally. Learn from reviewer comments and use these comments to improve your work. Talk with colleagues and mentors about other journals that may be a fit.

Address Reviewer Comments Systematically If your paper is invited for revision, respond to every single reviewer comment, even if you disagree. Provide clear justifications for any points you don't incorporate. Be sure to follow JOLE guidelines for submitting a revision. Now that your paper has been invited for revision, be sure to include the submission on your CV as “invited to revise and resubmit.”

Be Patient and Persistent: The publishing process can be lengthy, but the overwhelming majority of manuscripts submitted to JOLE have a dispensation decision returned to authors within two months. Submission portals––like JOLE’s ScholarOne––are helpful for understanding where an article is in the review process. If you do not receive a decision on your JOLE submission after two months, reach out to the editor for status. The key, however, is to communicate with respect, kindness, and clarity.

Network with Senior Researchers: At any time during your writing career, attend conferences, workshops, and seminars. Building relationships can lead to mentorship and collaboration opportunities with respect to your writing.

Celebrate Your Successes: Publishing a paper is a significant achievement. Acknowledge your hard work and use it as motivation for future endeavors! Remember, if a paper is accepted for publication by JOLE, you may be able to cite the work as “in press” or “forthcoming” on your CV under the Peer-Reviewed Publications section. Be sure to take a look at existing resources that offer guidance on how to make this CV update. Always check with mentors and senior colleagues to clarify the conventions in your field.