Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts must conform either to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001) or to the MLA Style Manual 6th Edition (2003). Manuscripts also must conform to the guidelines for avoiding ethnic biases and sexist language.

Research involving the use of human subjects must be approved by an institutional review board to be published in WJC. Manuscripts must not be under consideration by another publication. Along with the manuscript prepare a separate file a as a cover letter. In this file include a history of the manuscript, whether it is derived from an M.A. or Ph.D. thesis with the advisor's name, whether it has been presented at a convention, or other pertinent information about its development. On submission you will also be asked to provide an abstract of 100 words or less with a list of five suggested key words.

WJC follows a policy of blind, peer review; please ensure that the main body of the manuscript contains no identification of authors. All comments by reviewers are confidential and shall not be published. Based on the recommendations of the reviewers, the editor will make the final judgment with regard to publication.

Manuscript Submission

WJC prefers to receive all manuscript submission electronically via Manuscript Central at the following address: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rwjc. Manuscript Central allows for rapid and easy submission of original and revised manuscripts, as well as reviewing and internal communication between authors, editors and reviewers via a web-based platform. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact the Editorial Office at 480-965-5147.

Authors are urged to submit manuscripts as MS Word. Authors are responsible for verifying all files have uploaded correctly. Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted material from other sources and must sign an agreement for transfer of copyright to the publisher upon acceptance. All accepted manuscripts, artwork, and photographs become property of the publisher. Authors may log on or create an account by providing the corresponding author's complete address, telephone number, fax number, and email address.

Creating an Account:
1. Launch your web browser and go to the Manuscript Central homepage (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/nwjc).
2. Log-in or click the “Create Account” option if you are a first-time user of Manuscript Central. If you are creating a new account: After clicking on “Create Account” enter your name and e-mail information and click “Next”. Your e-mail information is very important. Enter your institution and address information as prompted then click “Next.”
Enter a user ID and password of your choice (we recommend using your e-mail address as your user ID) and then select your area of expertise. Click “Finish” when done.

To submit a manuscript, log-in and select “Author Center.” Then follow the online instructions. Direct inquiries to A. Cheree Carlson, Editor, Western Journal of Communication, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University, PO Box 871205, Tempe, AZ 85287-1205 USA. Email: western.journal@asu.edu.

Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should not be embedded in the text, but should be included as separate sheets or files. A short descriptive title should appear above each table with a clear legend and any footnotes suitably identified below. All units must be included. Figures should be completely labeled, taking into account necessary size reduction. Captions should be typed, double-spaced, on a separate sheet. All original figures should be clearly makred in pencil on the reverse side with the number, author's name, and top edge indicated.

Illustrations

Illustrations submitted (line drawings, halftones, photos, photmicrographs, etc.) should be clearn originals or digital files. Digital files are recommended for the highest quality reproduction and should follow these guidelines:

• 300 dpi or higher
• sized to fit on journal page
• EPS, TIFF, or PSD format only
• submitted as separate files, not embedded in text files

Color illustrations will be considered for publication; however the author will be required to bear the full cost involved in printing and publication. The charge for the first page of color art is $900. The next three pages with color are $450 each. A custom quote will be provided for color art totaling more than 4 journal pages. Good-quality color prints or files should be provided in their final size. The publisher has the right to refuse publication of color prints deemed unacceptable.

References

Manuscripts must conform either to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001) or to the MLA Style Manual 6th Edition (2003). References should be indicated in the manuscript by giving the author's name, with the year of publication in parentheses, e. g. Jones (2004) or (Jones, 2004) as appropriate. If several publications are cited by the same author and from the same year, a, b, c, etc. should be put after the year of publication. All references cited in the text should be listed in full at the end of the paper. The use of lengthy explanatory footnotes should be kept to a minimum.

Proofs

Proofs will be sent to authors by e-mail. They should be corrected and returned to the editor within three days. Major alterations to the text cannot be accepted.

Offprints

Each corresponding author will receive 50 reprints of their article upon registration with Rightslink and one complimentary issue , our authorized reprint provider. Authors will need to create a unique account and register with Rightslink for this free service. The link is provided at the time of page proof review. Complimentary reprints are not available post publication.

Copyright

It is a condition of publication that authors vest or license copyright in their articles, including abstracts, in the Western States Communication Association. This enables the publisher to ensure full copyright protection and to disseminate the article and the journal, to the widest possible readership in print and electronic formats as appropriate. Authors may, of course, use the article elsewhere after publication provided that prior permission be obtrained from Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Authors are themselves responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyright material from other sources.

Aims and Scope

The Western Journal of Communication, published quarterly since 1937, is one of two scholarly journals of the Western States Communication Association (WSCA). The journal is dedicated to the publication of original scholarly manuscripts which advance our under-standing of human communication. All theoretical and methodological perspectives are welcome. Western Journal of Communication's longstanding commitment to academic diversity is reflected in a history of publishing research in rhetorical and communication theory, interpersonal and intercultural communication, media studies, cultural and critcal theory, language behavior, performance studies, small group communication, freedom of speech, gender studies, and applied communication in health, family relationships, and organizations among other contexts. Research accessible to both scholarly audiences and the learned public is encouraged.