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Policies

Contents

Philosophy of Journal of Contemporary Anthropology

For more information, please see Journal of Contemporary Anthropology Aims and Scope page.

Who Can Submit?

Any student currently enrolled in an accredited master's or doctoral program may submit an original article to be considered for publication in Journal of Contemporary Anthropology. While the subject matter of the article must address anthropological questions and data, the student submitting it may be enrolled in any scholarly discipline. The student must either hold copyright to the work of be authorized by the copyright holder to submit it.

Note: Authors are ordinarily the initial owners of copyright to their works. Exceptions to this rule may occur in cases where authors have agreed to transfer copyright to a company as a condition of employment. If you are unsure of the copyright status of your article, please consult with the journal editor prior to submission.

Manuscripts are accepted on a rolling basis but must be received by April 15th to be considered for publication in the same year. PLEASE NOTE THE JCA IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS.

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Research Article Submission Guidelines

Submitted articles cannot have been previously published, nor be forthcoming in an archival journal or book (print or electronic). Please note: "publication" in a working-paper series does not constitute prior publication. In addition, by submitting material to Journal of Contemporary Anthropology, the author is stipulating that the material is not currently under review at another journal (electronic or print) and that he or she will not submit the material to another journal (electronic or print) until the completion of the editorial decision process at Journal of Contemporary Anthropology. Prepare your manuscript using the following order and format then click on the submit article link to create an account and upload your manuscript for review.

Abstract

Please include a one paragraph informative abstract of 200 words or less that clearly states your objectives, observations and conclusion.

Body

General guidelines include one-inch margins, double spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font ,and no more than 25 pages of text. Where possible subdivide text with titled headings and subheadings. Complex, or ambiguous terms should be fully explained and defined when first used. Remove information from the article that might identify the author and save the manuscript in Word doc. format.

References

For detailed reference formatting requirements follow the AAA style guide, which uses The Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition, 2003) and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th edition, 2006). Where no rule is present on this list, follow Chicago. American Anthropological Association guidelines can be found here. When citing in text include parentheses using author-date style. Do not use footnotes. If a reference has three or more authors "et al." is acceptable.

Figures, Tables, Illustrations, and Charts

The JCA encourages authors to include visual materials to illustrate their articles, if these materials are appropriate to improving understanding of the content or argument of the piece. Each figure, table, or chart should be included on separate pages at the end of the manuscript, not in-text. Each should be accompanied by a number (i.e. Tables 1-4), title, and brief caption. Within the text place a callout for each table, figure, and chart (i.e. [insert figure 1 here]). Color images should be formatted as .JPG internet ready format. Charts should include easy to read font such as Times New Roman. If you have questions regarding format please refer to previously-published articles.

If you have concerns about the submission terms for Journal of Contemporary Anthropology, please contact the editors.

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Field Notes Submission Guidelines

Journal of Contemporary Anthropology also invites narrative and reflective essays based on graduate student experiences in the field for a section of the journal entitled "Field Notes." Field Notes should be based on the author's own field research, describing specific significant experiences and reflecting on their impact on the author's research, teaching, or engagement with the larger world. Subjects may include transformative moments, ethical quandaries, unexpected encounters, and other experiences that illuminate the complex realities of anthropological fieldwork. Field Note submissions should follow the same guidelines as research articles, but not exceed 12 pages double spaced or 3,000 words. Click on the Submit Article link at left to create an account and upload your manuscript for review.

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Book Reviews

In addition to research articles we welcome book reviews from graduate students in their respective areas of expertise. We expect the book chosen for review to be published within the last five years. Each review submission should include a CV within the uploaded document, which outlines your experience in relation to topics explored in the book. Review submissions should follow the same guidelines as research articles but not exceed six pages double spaced or 1,500 words. Click on the Submit Article link at left to create an account and upload your manuscript for review.

Peer Review

Articles submitted to the Journal of Contemporary Anthropology will be anonymously reviewed by Ph.D. students with expertise in the corresponding subfield. Our review process is double-blind. Appropriate steps will be taken to identify reviewers from outside the authors academic circle in order to avoid conflicts of interest. Submissions will be evaluated based upon the following criteria: (1) innovation, (2) clarity, (3) style and (4) organization. This peer-review system will offer insightful commentary and maintain the goal of creating professional opportunities for graduate students.

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Attribution and Usage Policies

Reproduction, posting, transmission or other distribution or use of the article or any material therein, in any medium as permitted by a personal-use exemption or by written agreement, requires credit to the Journal of Contemporary Anthropology as copyright holder.

The following uses are always permitted to the author(s) and do not require further permission provided the author does not alter the format or content of the articles, including the copyright notification:

  • Storage and back-up of the article on the author's computer(s) and digital media (e.g., diskettes, back-up servers, Zip disks, etc.), provided that the article stored on these computers and media is not readily accessible by persons other than the author(s);
  • Posting of the article on the author(s) personal website, provided that the website is non-commercial;
  • Posting of the article on the internet as part of a non-commercial open access institutional repository or other non-commercial open access publication site affiliated with the author(s)'s place of employment (e.g., a Phrenology professor at the University of Southern North Dakota can have her article appear in the University of Southern North Dakota's Department of Phrenology online publication series); and
  • Posting of the article on a non-commercial course website for a course being taught by the author at the university or college employing the author.

People seeking an exception, or who have questions about use, should contact the editors.

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General Terms and Conditions of Use

The failure of the Journal of Contemporary Anthropology to exercise or enforce any right or provision in the policies or the Submission Agreement does not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any term of the Submission Agreement or these policies is found to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties' intentions as reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of the Submission Agreement and these policies remain in full force and effect. These policies and the Submission Agreement constitute the entire agreement between Journal of Contemporary Anthropology and the Author(s) regarding submission of the Article.

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Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Authors must guarantee that submitted manuscripts have not been published elsewhere, are not currently under review elsewhere, and have been submitted with the full knowledge of their institutional home.

Any manuscripts that do not meet originality requirements will be rejected without peer-review.

All manuscripts will be reviewed based on intellectual content without regard for age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, country of origin, or political philosophy of the authors.

All manuscripts submitted for peer-review are kept strictly confidential by editors and reviewers. At no time will editors or reviewers utilize submitted materials without the consent of the authors.

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