Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies

Submission of Papers

Instruction to Authors

This journal has been established to provide a resource for the Australasian region ( New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific), and as such we prioritise and seek contributions from Australasia. We will occasionally consider contributions from other parts of the globe but only if the articles cover issues directly relevant to an Australasian readership.

Standard Manuscript Format

• Well written English language manuscripts of BETWEEN 5000 AND 10,000 words will be considered for research and theoretical papers.
• Papers should be novel and/or make a notable contribution to existing knowledge.
• The format and style of the paper, including referencing, must follow 7th Edition American Psychological Association (APA style) conventions, outlined here.
• Authors are asked to supply an abstract of no more than 300 words when submitting a paper. The abstract should be a condensed, accurate representation of the rationale, methodology, key results, conclusions and recommendations outlined within the paper.
• Authors should also provide 4 - 5 keywords that clearly describe the subject matter of the paper.

Manuscript Format for Research and Practice Updates

• Well written English language manuscripts of NOT MORE THAN 3000 words will be considered for updates on research and related practice in progress.
• The title of the update needs to include the words ‘research update’ or ‘practice update’. Note that combinations of research and practice should meet the standards for a research update (i.e. discuss the systematic generation of knowledge).
• The format and style of the update, including referencing, must follow current American Psychological Association (APA style) conventions, outlined here.
• Section headings should ideally include: Introduction; Procedures; Early Observations; Conclusion and Recommendations.
• Authors are also asked to supply an abstract of no more than 200 words when submitting an update. The abstract should be a summary of all sections outlined above.
• Authors should also provide 3 - 4 keywords and a descriptive sentence that clearly describe the subject matter of the update.

Other Formats

• The Editors will consider other manuscripts on a case by case basis.
• These manuscripts may include commentaries, responses, or other approaches to research and practice updates.
• They should be NO MORE THAN 3000 words in length, be formatted in APA style (outlined here), and include an abstract of no more than 200 words.
  

Tables, Figures and Graphics:

• Each table and figure should possess a brief title and a concise description of its content and should be included in full at the end of a manuscript.
• Care should be taken to ensure that tables and figures will be viewable within the limitations of web browsers. Tables and figure numbers and titles should also be inserted into the manuscript text at an appropriate position.
• Other pictures or other graphics required for the article should be attached as separate files.
• Web compatible GIF, PNG or JPG image formats are preferred.

Other Details:

• Contributions should be original and not published or submitted for publication in any other journal, electronic or otherwise.
• One author should be designated to receive communication. Their email address should appear on the manuscript cover page.
• As an electronic journal, article reprints will not be provided in the traditional sense. Authors wishing to distribute published copies of their article may do so with the proviso that they clearly acknowledge the source of the publication in any copy distributed.
• There is currently no cost to authors to publish in AJDTS with publication costs funded by the Massey University School of Psychology, and special issues co-funded by collaboration partners.

Papers can be submitted any time, in Microsoft Word or RTF format, to the editor via email: ajdts@massey.ac.nz.

The world wide web site for The Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies is: http://trauma.massey.ac.nz/

Peer Review Process

On receipt of an article, the editor will assess its appropriateness for inclusion in the Journal. If the content of the article as appropriate and in an acceptable format, the editor will send the article out, via the Internet, for review. A final decision on acceptance will be made after the submission has been reviewed.

Acceptance or rejection of a contribution will be based on the "blind" peer review of a submission by at least two members of either the Editorial Board or by others invited to review the article on the grounds of their particular expertise. The editor will make a decision to accept, seek revision, or reject a contribution based on the reviewers’ comments and recommendations. Contributors will receive a copy of the reviewers’ comments at the same time as they receive a response from the editor. Copies of reviews and the editors’ decision will also be sent to each reviewer. It is anticipated that the review process should take from 4 to 6 weeks. If the content or format is inappropriate, the article will be returned to author for revision or advised of its unsuitability for publication.

The Editor will assume that the paper is an original contribution. Papers appearing in the journal should not be published elsewhere without the written consent of the Publisher of the journal.