Journal of College Reading and Learning  

The Journal of College Reading and Learning (JCRL), published in fall and spring, is a national, peer reviewed forum for the theory, research, and policy related to reading improvement and learning assistance at the two-and four-year college level. It publishes reports of original research and articles linking theory, research, or policy to practice.

Sample JCRL Table of Contents

Invitation to Authors

In addition to publishing investigations of the reading, writing, thinking, and studying of college learners, JCRL seeks manuscripts with a college focus on the following topics: effective teaching for struggling learners, learning through new technologies and texts, learning support for culturally and linguistically diverse student populations, and program evaluations of developmental and learning assistance instructional models.

Manuscript Preparation: Feature Articles

Feature articles include theoretical analyses and reports of original research. All articles should connect theory, research, and practice.

Submissions are evaluated along the following criteria:

• Relevance and importance to JCRL readers

• Adequacy of conceptual framework

• Appropriateness and competence of method

• Reasonableness of interpretations and conclusions

• Links between theory, research, or policy and practice

• Clarity of organization and vigor of style

• Originality of contribution

A manuscript must follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, (APA), 5th edition. It should be about 2,500 to 6,000 words in length, including references and an abstract of 100 to 125 words. Authors should check all references for accuracy and obtain written permission to use copyrighted material or to quote over 100 words.

Manuscript Preparation: Theory to Practice Section

This new section features shorter articles less than 2,500 words in length. Appropriate topics are specific examples of theoretically based, research-supported practice, action research, critical reviews of recent scholarly publications in the field, and policy analyses. The manuscript submitted for this section must follow APA style as well, but need not include an abstract.

Writing Style

JCRL follows the writing style recommendations of Chapters 2 and 3 in the APA 5^th edition. Manuscripts should be written for clarity, so that implications are comprehensible to practitioners as well as to researchers.

Manuscript Submission

Two copies of the manuscript should be submitted as file attachments to an email message. One copy should include the cover page and author information and one copy (for review) should have no cover page or author information. If the reviewer functions have been used in manuscript preparation, all tracked changes should be accepted before the file is submitted electronically.

The email message serves the function of a cover letter. It should include all author names and positions, as well as contact information for the first author. Acceptable text file formats are Rich Text Format (.rtf) or Microsoft Word (.doc), with all figures, tables, and graphs incorporated into the document as text. Images or graphics should be sent as separate files in either .tif or .eps format.

Inquiries and submissions should be directed to:  Emily Miller Payne, Editor emily.miller.payne@txstate.edu 

If email submission is not possible, the files may be saved to a labeled disk or CDRom and mailed with a cover letter to:

Emily Miller Payne

Texas State University                                (512) 245-2303 (w)

601 University Ave                                      (512) 245-8151 (fax)

San Marcos, TX  78666                             

Review Process

An email message or letter will acknowledge manuscript receipt. If accepted for blind review, the manuscript will be sent to least two readers; typically, one has broad general knowledge of the field and one has expertise in the particular topic or methodology. Within three months, authors can expect to receive one of four decisions: (a) manuscript acceptance, (b) acceptance with revision, (c) non-acceptance with an invitation for revision and resubmission for another round of review, or (d) non-acceptance and recommendation for submission to a different publication. Reviewers aim to provide authors with helpful feedback for manuscript revision and future manuscript preparation. Manuscripts that fail to follow submission guidelines will not be reviewed. Manuscripts should not have been submitted to another journal or published.

Subscriptions

Individuals receive JCRL as part of CRLA membership ($50 US). Institutions may obtain the journal by joining CRLA ($50 US) or by purchasing a subscription ($30 US). Checks should be payable to College Reading and Learning Association. If you are interested in being a member, click on this link  to download the membership application.

Advertising

JCRL welcomes advertising from professional organizations and conferences. The Editorial Advisory Board is also interested in promoting the journal through those organizations. Please contact:

Ed Fernandez

JCRL Managing Editor

The University of Texas at Austin

Learning Center

201 E. 21^st St.

Austin, Texas 78705

Phone: 512.475.8717

malc@mail.utexas.edu

Back Issues

Back issues of JCRL (1985 to present) are available for US $15.00 each. To order, please use the order form .

JCRL Editors

Emily Miller Payne

Texas State University                               

601 University Ave                                     

San Marcos, TX  78666 
     

(512) 245-2303 (w)

(512) 245-8151 (fax)
emily.miller.payne@txstate.edu

Dr. Elisabeth Moreno
University of Texas at Austin Learning Center
201 E. 21st St.
Austin, TX 78705

(512) 475-8717
ebmoreno@mail.utexas.edu

Mr. Ed Fernandez
University of Texas at Austin Learning Center
201 E. 21st St.
Austin, TX 78705

(512) 475-8717
malc@mail.utexas.edu

We encourage your comments, email the webmaster, Corrine Johnson.
Last updated February 10, 2007.