Submissions

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Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, RTF, or WordPerfect document file format using the template provided.
  • The text has been spell checked and grammar checked.
  • The text is single-spaced; uses a 10-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
  • The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines, which is found in About the Journal.
  • If submitting to a peer-reviewed section of the journal, the instructions in Ensuring a Blind Review have been followed.

Author Guidelines

Manuscript Submission Guidelines

 

Scope of Journal

 

The Journal of Forensic Science Education (JFSE) is an open access journal that publishes peer-reviewed articles geared mainly to forensic science educators and educational programs from the high school through graduate school level.  JFSE publishes original manuscript contributions focused on course content, laboratory experiments, modes of content delivery, pedagogies, assessment, and programmatic accreditation. Submitted manuscripts will be peer-reviewed and evaluated on the basis of scholarship, novelty, pedagogy, helpfulness, and presentation. JFSE does not publish science research papers unless they have a direct link to the teaching and learning of some aspect of forensic science.

 

Manuscript categories include:

 

1. Articles – Description of a novel educational idea or approach (including modes of delivery), content for the classroom or laboratory, pedagogy, educational research, assessment, and programmatic accreditation.

 

2. Activity or Laboratory Experiment – Description of hands-on activities that can be done in the classroom, laboratory, or other informal setting.

 

3. Commentary - Scholarly discussion of a topic of interest to the forensic science education community that includes the opinions of the authors. For a Word template for the commentary, click here

 

4. Communication – Updates or extensions of previously published topics or short article. May also scholarly describe a website, software application, media item, or other use of technology that enhances teaching and learning.

 

5. Book Reviews – Reviews of educational text of concern to the forensic science educator.

 

6. Demonstrations - Description and procedure for an actual or virtual demonstration for teaching scientific concepts.

 

7. Letters - Responses to previously published manuscripts in the JFSE which contribute to or elicit discussion on a subject without overstepping the bounds of professional courtesy.

 

Appropriate article size should be 5000 words for an Article, 3000 words for an Activity or Laboratory Experiment, 2000 words for a Commentary or Communication, and 1000 words for a Book Review, Demonstration, or Letter.

 

Manuscript Preparation

 

A two-column manuscript template is available and must be used for all submissions to JFSE: Click here to download the template.  Text must be in Microsoft® Word and in Times New Roman 10 point font. Figures, charts, tables, equations, and photographs should be embedded in the text at the point of relevance.  Submissions must have clearly identified standard sections as follows:

 

Title

 

The title should clearly and concisely reflect the emphasis and content of the manuscript and be meaningful to a broad audience.

 

Author List and Affiliation

 

Each author should be identified using first name, middle initial (if applicable), and surname. Initials of each authors’ highest degree should be listed after the surname.  For each author, an institutional affiliation (include department and address) should be provided in the appropriate section of the template.  Each author can be identified to their affiliation by the use of a special character (for instance an asterisk) placed after the degree.

 

One author must be designated as the corresponding author with email provided.  The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all authors have approved the manuscript before submission and for all subsequent revisions.

 

Abstract and Key Words

 

The abstract should be between 200 and 250 words.  The abstract should briefly state the purpose of the manuscript and concisely summarize the content including methods, observations, statistical analyses, and conclusions.  Emphasis should be placed on novel and important aspects of the manuscript. 

 

Below the abstract, and identified as such, 3 to 5 key words or short phrases must be placed in bold for purposes of indexing. 

 

The term “Abstract” should be left justified.

 

Introduction

 

Clearly state the purpose, rationale, and the objectives of the manuscript.  A brief literature search of all previous work relevant to the topic is appropriate. 

 

Methodology

 

Methods used to collect and interpret data and observations such be described.  For laboratory experiments, apparatus (manufacturer's name and address in parentheses), and procedures used must be in sufficient detail to allow others to easily perform the experiment.  Give references to established methods, and provide any modifications made.  Describe the methods and materials in narrative style, not in the style of a laboratory procedure handout.  Whenever possible, use systematic nomenclature as recommended by IUPAC for chemical compounds and SI units, including in table column headings (this is required of the Results section as well).  Institutional Review Board approval must be cited if human subjects were used in a study.

 

Hazards and Safety Precautions

 

Any manuscript category should contain a Hazards and Safety Precautions section if it describes the use of or exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals or the use of equipment or procedures that present health or safety risks. Hazards and safety precautions relating to the handling or use of chemicals or the manipulation of materials or equipment must be completely and clearly described in this section.  This section is required in Demonstration and Laboratory Experiment manuscript types and in Communication manuscripts if they pertain to these manuscript types.

 

Results

 

Present analyzed data in an accurate, complete, yet concise manner. Data should be presented in logical sequence in the text, tables, and figures.  Quantitative data should be expressed with appropriate statistical parameter(s) to indicate reliability (e.g. standard deviation, confidence intervals).

Tables

Number tables with Arabic numerals consecutively in the order of their first citation in the text.  Tables should be placed in the document contiguous to their mention in the text.  When mention in the test, Table # should be bolded.  The term “TABLE” in the title must be capitalized followed by the table number.  No hyphen should precede the title which must be in italics.  Only the first word should be capitalized unless capitalization of a word is appropriate (such as a name).  The table number title is centered with no period at the end.  Only the top line (titles for each column) should be given a vertical line.  Minimal use of other vertical or horizontal lines should be considered.  Place explanatory matter in footnotes, not in the heading. Explain in footnotes all nonstandard abbreviations that are used in each table. For footnotes use the following symbols, in this sequence: *,†,‡,§,((,¶,**,††,‡‡.  Footnotes are centered.

 

Identify statistical measures of variations such as standard deviation and standard error of the mean. Be sure each table is cited in the text.

 

An example of a proper table is provided:

 

TABLE 55 Particle size distribution data for soil sample

Fraction

Weight (g)

Weight %

Cumulative Weight %

#10*

0.0483

4.4972

4.4972

#35*

0.1687

15.7076

20.2048

#60*

0.0787

7.3277

27.5325

#120*

0.0806

7.5046

35.0372

#230*

0.0549

5.1117

40.1489

Silt

0.6428

59.8510

100.0000

Sum

1.0740

 

 

*represents mesh size of sieve

Figures

 

Figures (including graphs and photographs) should be computer generated.  Photographs and scanned figures should be at 300 dpi and saved as JPEGs or TIFFs.  Figures must be numbered consecutively (in Arabic numerals) according to the order in which they have been first cited in the text.  Figures should be placed in the document contiguous to their mention in the text. In the test, each figure should be referred by the term Figure# in bold.  Each figure must be titled at the bottom of the figure.    No hyphen should precede the title which must be in italics.  Only the first word should be capitalized unless capitalization of a word is appropriate (such as a name).  The figure itle is centered with no period at the end.   Letters, numbers, and symbols should be clear and even throughout.  Axes on graphs must be clearly labeled with proper units of measurement. All detailed explanations including the title are placed below the base of the figure.  Legends can be incorporated below the figure if appropriate.  

 

When symbols, arrows, numbers, or letters are used to identify parts of the illustrations, identify and explain each one clearly in the legend. Explain the internal scale and identify the method of staining in photomicrographs.  Chemical structures utilized in figures must be generated with chemical drawing software.  Reproductions from other published works are prohibited.

 

Measurements of length, height, weight, and volume should be reported in metric units (meter, kilogram, or liter) or their decimal multiples. Temperatures should be given in degrees Celsius. 

   

Discussion and Conclusion

 

The writing of the Discussion is consistent with guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

 

The Discussion should emphasize the new and important aspects of the manuscript and the conclusions that follow from them in the context of the totality of the best available evidence.   Do not repeat in detail data or other information given in other parts of the manuscript, such as in the Introduction or the Results section.  The Discussion should contain four parts:

 

I. Begin the discussion by briefly summarizing the main findings, then explore possible mechanisms or explanations for these findings;

 

II. Compare and contrast the results with other relevant work;

 

III. State the limitations of the manuscript;

 

IV. Explore the implications of the findings for future work, research, and for professional practice.

 

Acknowledgments

 

Authors may acknowledge contributions that do not rise to the level of authorship, such as general support by a department chair, technical help, or review of manuscript in this section.  Any financial support received for the work conducted must be disclosed in this section. Similarly, any financial interest that the author(s) may have due to the publication of the manuscript must also be disclosed. 

 

References

 

Published or in-press sources including peer-review and editorially reviewed sources,  abstracts (duly noted as being abstracts), printed manufacturers' protocols or instructions, and internet URLs may be validly cited as references. Personal communications and submitted manuscripts may be cited only if it is essential and a published or in-press reference is not available.

 

Number references consecutively using Arabic numerals in the order in which they are first mentioned in the text and formatted in the manuscript by enclosing with parentheses.  Identify references in tables and figures also with Arabic numerals in parentheses.  References cited only in tables or legends should be numbered in accordance with a sequence established by the first identification in the text of the particular table or figure.  Within the reference list, number the references 1., 2., 3., etc.

 

References in the reference list should be in accord with Uniform Requirements for Biomedical Journals style.  This style is based with slight modifications on the formats used by the U.S. National Library of Medicine in Index Medicus. The titles of journals should be abbreviated according to the style used in Index Medicus. If a source is not listed in Index Medicus, the full name of the source should be cited in the reference.

 

Examples of correct forms of references are given below.

 

1. Standard journal article (List all authors, but if the number exceeds six, give six followed by et al.)

 

Quarino, L, Brettell, TS. Current issues in forensic science education. Anal Bioanal Chem 2009; 394:1987-93.

 

2. Books

 

a. Personal author(s)

 

Gilbert, JK, Justi, R. Modelling-based teaching in science education. 2nd ed. Urdorf, Switzerland: Springer Nature, 2016.

 

 

 

 

b. Chapters in a book

 

Cobern, WW, Aikenhead, GS, Cultural aspects of learning science. In: Fraser, BJ, Tobin, KG, editors. International handbook of science education. New York: Springer 1998; 67-80.

 

3. Conference Paper

 

Ferrara LN. Creating an ethical reasoning curriculum for forensic science majors. Proceedings of the Sixty-Ninth Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences; 2017 Feb 13-18; New Orleans (LA), 774.

 

4. Newspaper Article

 

Franzi D., PSU geology programs certified for licensing. Press-Republican 2018 Dec 30.

 

5. Internet Article

 

American Academy of Forensic Sciences. How do I become a forensic scientists? https://www.aafs.org/home-page/students/choosing-a-career/how-do-i-become-a-forensic-scientist/ (Dec 29 2018).

 

If an author is designated, the author’s name should precede the name of the organization.

 

Authors can consult the author guidelines from the Journal of Forensic Sciences for additional examples.

 

After Acceptance

 

The corresponding author must obtain prior permission from individuals listed as authors or mentioned in the Acknowledgements that they agree to be listed.

 

Commentary

Scholarly discussion of a topic of interest to the forensic science education community that includes the opinions of the author

Letters

Responses to previously published manuscripts in the JFSE which contribute to or elicit discussion on a subject without overstepping the bounds of professional courtesy.

Communication

Updates or extensions of previously published topics or short article. May also scholarly describe a website, software application, media item, or other use of technology that enhances teaching and learning.

Activity or Laboratory Experiment: College Educators

Description of hands-on activities that can be done in the classroom, laboratory, or other informal setting.

Book Review

Reviews of educational text of concern to the forensic science educator

Demonstrations

Description and procedure for an actual or virtual demonstration for teaching scientific concepts.

Errata

This section is for correcting mistakes in previously published papers. 

Scholarship in Times of Crisis

We are living through unprecedented challenges to tradditional teaching, and in all likelyhood will see fundemental changes in how we teach from here on out. This section is to highlight teaching plans, methods, and techniques that have been updated in times of crisis, as well as novel methodologies and lesson plans designed specifically to address teaching challenges.

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