Advice to Authors

If you are an author submitting a paper for publication in EJOLTs, then you are a professional practitioner who has engaged in Living Educational Theory Research. 

Developing a scholarly account of your enquiry for public scrutiny is a crucial component of Living Educational Theory Research. By creating a journal paper that is published you fulfill one of your responsibilities as a professional practitioner, which is to contribute to the growth of global knowledge. You are making a contribution to a worldwide community of values-driven practitioners, as you disseminate the findings and insights developed through your enquiry. 

As you do so, you also enhance your educational influence in: 

• your own learning to improve your values-laden praxis 
• the learning of those who are members of the communities of practice to which you belong 
• the learning of those who act as your reviewers and critical friends.

While you are writing your paper, you will find it helpful to consult the glossary of terms commonly used within Living Educational Theory Research.

To be accepted for publication in EJOLTs your paper must meet the standards expected of a paper published by any academic journal, as follows.

1. The paper is written in English of a standard appropriate for an international academic journal. It uses accurate English spelling, grammar and syntax.

2. Word count limits: abstract – maximum 230 words; paper – minimum 6,000 words to a  maximum of 12,000 words (including footnotes, references and appendices).

3. All references are correct in both the text and in the references / bibliography sections.

4. The paper is of a high academic and scholarly quality i.e. the author:

a.    Provides a well-reasoned argument within a clear context

b.    Makes claims to have created new knowledge

c.    Provides evidence to support all knowledge claims

d.    Critically engages their research with insights from the literature

e.    Makes clear the significance of the paper.

To be accepted for publication in EJOLTs your paper must also clearly exhibit the distinguishing qualities of a Living Educational Theory methodology i.e. the author:

1. Presents their clearly defined living-educational-theory as the developmental heart of the paper
2. Has ensured that the paper can be understood by practitioners living/working in diverse fields of practice, research and cultural contexts. 
3. Positions the research within the learning of their social formation, the learning of those who comprise it, and their own learning – as contributing to their own personal flourishing and to the wider flourishing of Humanity 
4. Identifies and clarifies their embodied values, which have emerged in the course of the research
5. Uses the values that emerge as the explanatory principles for the account
6. Uses these values as practical standards of judgement to support claims to have improved educational practice and educational influences
7. Uses these values as epistemological standards of judgement to support claims to have improved knowledge
8. Communicates clearly how practical and epistemological knowledge claims are validated
9. Presents an account that is relatable to its readers, that is, it allows the reader to envisage how the research might usefully be applied within their own professional context.

The most difficult parts of writing a paper can be writing the title, abstract and introduction – which includes a structure (framing) for the contents – and the conclusion.  You should constantly bear in mind that writing a Living Educational Theory Research paper is an iterative process, so you need to be alert to the evolution of the research question the paper offers an answer to. That can be emotionally as well as intellectually challenging.

You should also keep your readers in mind the following when writing your paper. People look at the title of a paper and its abstract to decide whether to read through the whole paper. There is much advice on the internet about how to write a 'good' title and abstract. You should research these resources to learn how to write a title and abstract  that attracts the attention of a reader, makes them want to read your paper and makes your paper easily found through web-searches.

• to understand the gist/essence of your paper  quickly so that they can decide whether to download and read the full paper
• to be prepared for the specific types of information, analyses, arguments and key points that are contained in the main body of the paper.

• your professional practice and background
• the local, national and international social, historical and political context within which you practice, 
• your purpose of engaging in Living Educational Theory Research and making this account public, and
• the structure of the paper. 

It is helpful for the end of the introduction to give a summary of the structure of the paper in the form of a list of section headings.

It should paraphrase and not to just 'copy and paste' the preceding main text. The conclusion should include:

• A reminder of what areas are addressed in the paper – (related to the title, abstract and introduction)
• A summary of overall arguments and findings – (related to abstract and introduction)
• The significance and implications of the knowledge created for improving learning (with values of human flourishing) for: 
  • the social formation/s which forms the context of practice and research,
  • those who comprise that social formation
  • your learning to realise your responsibilities as a professional practitioner and member of the social formation within which you practice, and as a global citizen.
• A final paragraph summarising: 
  • what has been learned by whom (including – but not exclusively – you) in the course of the research; 
  • how you might develop your research in the future and 
  • suggestions for readers about how they might incorporate your research and findings into their own living-educational-theory. 

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You should also keep your readers in mind the following when writing your paper. People look at the title of a paper and its abstract to decide whether to read through the whole paper. There is much advice on the internet about how to write a 'good' title and abstract. You should research these resources to learn how to write a title and abstract  that attracts the attention of a reader, makes them want to read your paper and makes your paper easily found through web-searches.

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To be accepted for publication, the scope of your paper must include sections based on the elements outlined below.