Editorial: Thoughts about Submitting to JRMEAuthor(s): M. Kathleen HeidReviewed work(s):Source: Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Vol. 40, No. 2 (Mar., 2009), pp. 78-79Published by: National Council of Teachers of MathematicsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40539324 .Accessed: 28/05/2012 03:08

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Editorial

Thoughts About Submitting to JRME

M. Kathleen Heid

As editor, I occasionally receive a note from a potential author asking whether a study that he or she has conducted is appropriate for the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (JRME). My response is generally to encourage the author to submit the manuscript so that its viability can receive a fair assessment. Our review process has two avenues for determining the viability of a manuscript before it is sent for full review.

The first step in our review process is to determine whether a submitted manu- script is appropriate for the journal. In so doing, we can redirect an author who sends us a proof of a mathematical theorem or an idea for classroom teaching that has not been examined systematically or situated theoretically. The second step in our process is to identify a manuscript that for some clearly identifiable reason would not review well, although it fits the purpose of the journal. The editorial team and a member of the Editorial Panel conduct a short review of the manu- script, and we offer the author the option of not having the article sent out for full review by four or five external reviewers. An author who exercises this option has the benefit of receiving some feedback on the manuscript in a shortened period of time. Even so, if an author so chooses, we will send the manuscript out for full review.

In determining whether a manuscript is a reasonable candidate for publication in JRME, an author might start by reflecting on his or her responses to a few funda- mental questions. A first question might be whether the manuscript has a message that informs the field's understanding of the teaching and/or learning of mathe- matics. A successful manuscript is one that has clear potential to advance the field. Second, an author should consider how clearly the organization and content of the manuscript conveys the intended message. Each section of the manuscript needs to take part in leading to the intended message. An author is often tempted to include in the manuscript everything related to the study, perhaps because all the information seems interesting to the author or perhaps for the sake of complete- ness. The danger is that the reader can become lost in the forest and never see the trees. Third, the manuscript needs to provide enough detail to allow the reader to think along with the author. These questions apply broadly to the range of manu- scripts that are appropriate for JRME.

In the notes I receive, a potential author sometimes shares a perception that JRME does not publish (a) articles at certain levels of mathematics education, (b) technology-related articles, (c) articles with particular research designs, or (d) theoretical pieces. None of these assumptions is true. For each manuscript that

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goes out for review, the editorial team searches the database and other resources for reviewers whose expertise matches the content of the manuscript.

The JRME editorial team encourages the submission of a variety of manuscripts. Research designs for empirical studies appropriate for the journal span the range of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods designs. Theoretical pieces are encouraged, especially those that explicate new constructs with the potential for informing work in the field. As reported on the JRME Web site, manuscripts appropriate for JRME include "reports of experimental studies, case studies, reports of research, including experiments, case studies, surveys, philosophical studies, and historical studies; articles about research, including literature reviews and theoretical analyses; brief reports of research; critiques of articles and books; and brief commentaries on issues pertaining to research." We look forward to the submission of the range of manuscripts that represent high-quality research in the field.

Finally, I wanted to remind those who have not yet done so to log in to the data- base at https://www.NCTM.org/JRMEsubmit and update your contact informa- tion and the description of your interests and areas of expertise. Doing so will help us locate the most appropriate available reviewers for each manuscript. We look forward to hearing from you.