British Journal of Special Education

Published on behalf of nasen

Edited by:
Richard Byers

Print ISSN: 0952-3383
Online ISSN: 1467-8578
Frequency: Quarterly
Current Volume: 37 / 2010

TopAuthor Guidelines

The Journal and submission of articles for publication:
The British Journal of Special Education is the quarterly journal of nasen. nasen draws its membership from the entire range of professionals who are responsible for educating and supporting children and adults with special educational needs. BJSE's Editor therefore welcomes contributions focusing on any aspect of policy, provision or practice that relates to the pre-school, school or post-school experiences of those with special educational needs, whatever the degree of learning difficulty or disability.

An article can only be considered for publication in BJSE on the understanding that it has not yet been published and that it is not being considered for publication elsewhere. Authors are expected to confirm the originality of their work when submitting articles for consideration and to ensure that all necessary permissions to publish have been obtained. Successful authors will be expected to sign a copyright assignment agreement and to provide brief biographical notes. All articles considered for publication in BJSE are subjected to peer review.

The Research Section in BJSE provides opportunities to publish examples of practitioner or partnership research. Successful articles will reveal the influence that systematic, practice-founded enquiry can have on the evaluation, review and development of practice and the formulation of improved policy. Papers for the Research Section should contain a clear indication of the rationale for the research; the methods used; the findings; and the implications of the findings for future practice. Authors must ensure that their work has been carried out within an ethical framework such as that provided by the British Educational Research Association.

Presentation
Manuscripts should be word processed or typewritten on one side of A4 paper using double spacing throughout and generous margins. Three copies of the article should be submitted together with a copy of the file on disk or as an email attachment. Authors should provide a cover sheet giving the title of the article, the name(s) of the authors(s) and a contact address with the manuscript. Authors should ensure that contact details do not appear elsewhere in the manuscript and that all pages are numbered. Each submission should also include a brief (100-150 words) abstract or summary of the main ideas in the article on a separate sheet of paper.

The preferred length of the articles in BJSE is 3,500 to 4,000 words or 4,000 to 6,000 words in the Research Section. BJSE does not use footnotes or appendices. Materials such as tables, graphs, diagrams, flow charts and examples of proformas, schedules or recording formats can be included in articles as Figures or Tables. Illustrative materials should be selected carefully to support points made in the text of an article.

Articles should be lively and engaging; clearly argued; related to actual situations in school or other settings; and concisely written in plain English in order to be accessible to a diverse readership. When technical terms prove essential, the writer should provide brief explanations supported by contextual descriptions or examples. Prospective authors should avoid language that can be seen as discriminating against people on account of disability, race or gender.

References
References should be selective and easily accessible. Sources should be indicated in the manuscript by giving the author's surname with the year of publication in brackets - BJSE does not use footnotes. Page numbers should be given for direct quotations. Full details for all references should be listed in alphabetical order of authors' names in a section at the end of the article. The following examples cover the kinds of references most frequently used in BJSE and can be used as a style guide:

DfES (Departmant for Education and Skills) (2001) Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. London: DfES.

Dyson, A (2001) 'Special needs in the twenty-first century: where we've been and where we're going', British Journal of Special Education, 28 (1), 24-29.

Goldbart, J. & Rigby, J. (1989) 'Establishing relationships with people with PMLDs.' Paper presented to the University of Manchester Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Regional Study Day, 10 April 1989.

Lewis, A. & Norwich, B. (2001) 'A criticle review of systamatic evidence concerning distinctive pedagogies for pupils with difficulties in learning', Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 1 (1) [online at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/].

Mittler, P. (2001) 'Preparing for self-adcocacy', in B. Carpenter, R. Ashdown & K. Bovair (eds) Enabling Access - effective teaching and learning for pupils with learning difficulties (second addition). London: David Fulton Publishers.

Tilstone, C., Florian, L. & Rose, R. (eds) (1998) Promoting Inclusive Practice. London: Routledge

Exclusive Licence Form
Authors will be required to sign an Exclusive Licence Form (ELF) for all papers accepted for publication. Signature of the ELF is a condition of publication and papers will not be passed to the publisher for production unless a signed form has been received. Please note that signature of the Exclusive Licence Form does not affect ownership of copyright in the material. (Government employees need to complete the Author Warranty sections, although copyright in such cases does not need to be assigned). After submission authors will retain the right to publish their paper in various medium/circumstances (please see the form for further details). To assist authors an appropriate form will be supplied by the editorial office. Alternatively, authors may like to download a copy of the standard form here.

NEW: Online production tracking is now available for your article through Wiley-Blackwell's Author Services.

Author Services enables authors to track their article - once it has been accepted - through the production process to publication online and in print. Authors can check the status of their articles online and choose to receive automated e-mails at key stages of production. The author will receive an e-mail with a unique link that enables them to register and have their article automatically added to the system. Please ensure that a complete e-mail address is provided when submitting the manuscript. Visit http://authorservices.wiley.com for more details on online production tracking and for a wealth of resources including FAQs and tips on article preparation, submission and more.

Making Contact
Further guidance for authors can be provided on request. It is often an advantage for prospective contributers to discuss the length, content and emphasis of a proposed article with the Editor or the Research Section Editor prior to submission. Queries should be addressed to:

Richard Byers
Editor
Tel: 01223 767627
Email: rb218@cam.ac.uk

Hazel Lawson
Research Section Editor
Tel: (0)1392 262874
Email: H.A.Lawson@exeter.ac.uk

All submissions should be made to:
Richard Byers, Editor, British Journal of Special Education, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education, 184 Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2PQ

Articles included for the Research Section should be clearly marked as such.