Guidelines for EURODL contributors
- Two versions
- Structure of your contribution
- Size of your contribution
- Non-textual data types in your contribution
- Issues of language
- Submission of contributions
- Review procedure
- Copyright policy and responsibilities of authors
- Non-English version of your article
- Guidelines for EURODL publication review contributions
Please also check the focal themes of EURODL identified by the Editorial Board.
EURODL is an electronic, multi-media journal distributed on the Internet. This implies a very specific set of guidelines. Complying with these guidelines is the first criterion in the review procedure of your article, which should come in two basic versions:
-
An abstract that meets very specific EURODL-requirements to be distributed on the Internet; this short version will be available in as many languages other than English as you wish. When uploading this short document, you are recommended to indicate on the upload form that it is intended to be submitted as a "Brief item".
-
A full-paper English version that meets basic requirements that are comparable to publishing in printed journals. The following paragraphs are to indicate how to elaborate on the non-English abstract version of your article. The English version of your contribution is discussed in the last paragraph of this page.
Structure of your contribution
Consider the following structure when presenting your contribution:
- title
- author(s) and e-mail address of each author
- author's affiliation, address and URL
- abstract
- up to six keywords
- topics of the paper
- elaboration of the topics
- references
- acknowledgments
Title
Give us a single line title not longer than 15 words.
Author(s)
Give us the author name(s) as follows: first name, extra initials and family name. Add after each name of an author the e-mail address if available. Put the e-mail address [between brackets].
Example: John Smith [john.smith@email.edu]
Author's affiliation
Give us one address for correspondence purposes and add [between brackets] the URL of the homepage of your organisation/institution. Example: Open Universiteit, Valkenbugerweg 167, 6401 DL Heerlen, The Netherlands [http://www.ouh.nl]
Abstract
Contributions should be preceded by an abstract of 50-200 words in a language of your choice. This part of the document will also be uploaded to the "Brief items" section of the journal with a link to the refereed paper.
Keywords
List up to six keywords to position your paper.
List of topics
This list of topics helps to build hyperlinks to the specific subsections of your contribution. Each topic is in fact a subheading for your article. Please use styles when writing your documents to enable easy conversion of your contribution to the journal's uniform html format. We recommend only one level of headings to make the hyperlinks transparent for the readers. The list of topics is not to be numbered.
Elaboration of topics
For each topic, you elaborate on the content (text) and add other types of information (eg pictures, audio-files, etc.). Whenever you refer to other types of information that you provide as an additional file, please put this information between brackets.
Example:
When the students did use the computer application, they could control the
specific selection of the learning materials to be extracted from the large
repository. [repos.gif]
References
References should be elaborated according to the APA (American Psychological Association) specifications. References to journals should include the authors' names and initials, title of publication, full name of the journal, publication year, volume, number and starting and ending page.
Consider the following examples:
- Valcke, Martin M. (1995). A generic model to describe drop-out in open learning contexts. Distance Education, 7, 345-345.
- Phyols, E.J. (1995). Distance and open learning in context. Hamburg: Neuberg Verlag.
- Pastor, Jim H. (1978). College transition the information age. In P.J. Klonedike (Ed.), A review of distance education in Luxemburg (pp. 789-890). Luxemburg: European Commission.
Acknowledgements
List acknowledgements at the end of your contribution. You can enrich the acknowledgements [between brackets] with an e-mail address and/or an URL address referring to the organisation/institute to which you wish to thank.
Size of your contribution
We recommend a paper size of 3000-7000 words. This includes tables, illustrations, references, acknowledgement, etc. Read the next paragraph on how to cope with non-textual elements. We ask you to respect these limitations. Moreover, consider that besides this short version, you can present your extended version, in which you can elaborate on specific issues in more detail in a language of your choice.
Non-textual data types in your contribution
We invite you to enrich your contributions with information other than textual: pictures, audio files, video files, presentations, etc. However, in case you have references to files not integrated in your document (audio, video, etc.), we kindly ask you to compress them (your paper + referenced files) into one zip file before uploading.
Bear in mind that the 'reader' of your contribution possesses the drivers necessary to listen, look or run uncommon data-types. When the driver is uncommon, give indications as to where 'readers' can download drivers or viewers. Put this information [between brackets]; eg FTP-sites, an URL, e-mail addresses to contact suppliers, etc.
Issues of language
The authors are responsible for presenting the paper in good English. Ask native speakers or colleagues to check your article from this perspective. Consider the - international - audience when choosing your terminology. Specialised topics and terms should be considered carefully to prevent making your audience lose their attention. Authors are responsible for proof-reading the original long and short version of their article.
Submission of contributions
Contributions should be uploaded electronically directly on page"Submit your contribution".
We require the papers to be submitted in MS WORD or HTML file format. If the submission consists of more than one file (paper + references) or the document's size exceeds 1 Mb, we request you to send the file(s) in compressed (ZIP) format.
Review procedure
All submitted proposals are reviewed by at least two referees who do not know the name of the author(s). The first review level controls whether the basic requirements as expressed in these guidelines are respected. Predictably, the complete review procedure from acceptance to publication will last approximately 8-10 weeks. You will receive a reply message confirming receipt of your contribution and indicating that all files are legible and can enter the review process. Authors can be asked to revise their contribution. Important revisions will result in a re-run of the referee-cycle. If minor changes are asked, we ask for a speedy return.
Copyright policy and responsibilities of authors
Submission of a contribution implies that — unless clearly indicated and all conflicting copyright issues resolved —, the content has not been published elsewhere.
Authors are responsible for getting written permission to publish long quotations, copyrighted artwork or anything whose copyright they do not own. Authors remain responsible for the content of what they submit to be published. They will be asked to confirm in a statement that their contribution is in line with the journals' policy. The editors reserve the right to refuse contributions if the content includes sexist content, offensive language or any type of discrimination.
Non-English version of your article
As stated earlier, besides the English version you can present to the journal a non-English version in your first language. This latter version will not be listed in the refereed section of contributions; instead, it can be uploaded to the non-refereed "Brief items" page with links to the English version and vice versa. Nevertheless, we insist on considering the basic guidelines that normally play a role in publishing in printed journals: sound theoretical/empirical base, terminology, citations and references, reporting statistics, acknowledgements, etc.
If you need more information about these guidelines, please contact Alan Tait
Guidelines for EURODL publication review contributions
This new area of the EURODL site has recently been opened for book reviews. It allows colleagues to contribute a review on a book that they have recently read and are relevant to the open, distance and e-learning practice, research and study. Reviews are accepted from anywhere in the world, and not just Europe.
Reviews of relevant books can be submitted via the online submission form in the following format:
- Book title
- Author name(s)
- Year of publication
- Publisher
- Place of publication
- Price
- Number of pages
- ISBN number
Reviews should be in English of native or near native standard, and may be submitted also in another language of the reviewer’s choice. The review may be up to 1000 words long and should have three principle elements, of approximately equal length:
- A summary for the reader of the main content and themes of the book;
- The reviewer's commentary on how effectively the author(s) has engaged with the task, including an assessment of the importance of the work;
- The reviewer’s own ideas on what might be said or done in the field of the publication.
Acceptance of the review for publication will be on decision by the Editor.
If you need more information about these guidelines, please contact Alan Tait.