Educating Children for Democracy

Guidelines for Authors

The International Step by Step Association publishes the journal, Educating Children for Democracy, on a semi-annual basis, in English, both in print and online, and in Russian online.

Educating Children for Democracy seeks:

1. Practical articles with ideas for teaching children and administering
   education programs that are child-centered in philosophy and implementation.
2. Scholarly articles that link current research and theory to practice,
   where at least one-third of the article describes practical applications
   of the research. (Note: research studies should be written as articles
   rather than research reports.)
3. Articles about how an individual or group of people changed a program
   or policy to become more child-centered.
4. Essays related to the experience of educational transformation,
   including such topics as cultural diversity, inclusion of minority
   children and children with disabilities, and family involvement in
   schools, etc.
5. Reprinted articles from national journals with limited circulation,
   with proper attribution and permission.

Article Format and Style

Interested authors are invited to submit articles of 1,000 to 3,000
words in length that meet the following criteria:

1. Ideas must be consistent with child-centered theory and research.
2. Articles should be written in a readable style that generates
   interest and enthusiasm. (Articles in languages other than English
   should be professionally translated to ensure accuracy of interpretation.)
3. Complete references must be provided for all citations in the text.
   [The concept of “fair use” of copyrighted material includes the right to
   quote briefly for scholarly purposes (up to 100 words) from most
   published materials, if the source of the quote is cited. More extensive
   quotations require written permission from the original source. This
   permission must be included with the article submission.]
4. Authors are responsible for ensuring that all persons photographed
   have given their permission for the photograph to be published.

Preparing the Manuscript

Articles should be typed (12­14 point font), double-spaced, with a one inch margin on all sides. All pages should be numbered. Include author(s) name and contact information (name, degree, title, institutional affiliation, address, telephone, fax, and email, if available) on the first page. Submit manuscripts on computer disk (format Microsoft Word) or by email. Please indicate the computer operating system (Windows or Macintosh) and the name of the word processing program used.

Submitting Artwork

Photographs or drawings related to the article are encouraged and should be included with the submission, along with descriptive information in a caption. When submitting children's artwork, please include the name and age of the child. Submit photographs as color prints or digital files. Save the files in tif, eps, or jpg format with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi at 100%. PC or Macintosh format is acceptable. When submitting photographs, please include information for a photo credit.

Review Procedure

During 2003 ISSA recruited and trained a cadre of Editorial Associates from Step by Step countries in order to create an international editorial infrastructure for the journal. These Editorial Associates will review articles submitted for publication and will cultivate original articles from teachers, parents, administrators, and faculty involved in early childhood programs and reforms in Central and Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Baltic States, Mongolia, and Haiti. Authors are encouraged to contact an Editorial Associate in their region to receive guidance in the preparation of articles. Click here for a list of Editorial Associates.

Articles that are deemed appropriate by both the Editorial Associate and the Country Director are forwarded to the Editor. The Editor will review all articles received and determine if the article merits publication in Educating Children for Democracy. Authors will be notified when their article is accepted and will be sent a brief agreement outlining terms of publication. All accepted articles are edited for style and content. Authors may be asked for assistance in the editing process. Educating Children for Democracy offers no payment for articles submitted. Articles and illustrations are considered a contribution to the early childhood education profession.

Where to Send Prepared Manuscripts

Authors located in Step by Step countries should submit articles in English or the national language to an Editorial Associate or the Country Director (Click here for a list of Editorial Associates). Authors from all other countries may submit articles for consideration to:

Rochelle Mayer, EdD
ECD Editor
Georgetown University Center for Child
and Human Development.
Email: mayerr@georgetown.edu

Previous Page