Submissions

Author Guidelines

SUBMISSIONS

Languages of Publication: English and French

All submissions are made through the TESL Canada Journal's online portal. Authors may go to https://teslcanadajournal.ca/index.php/tesl/login to create a new account if they do not have one or to log into an existing account. All requested information and documents will be uploaded through the author's account. Manuscripts should be uploaded as Word documents (.doc or .docx); please do not upload PDFs.

Please ensure that all manuscripts are anonymized. Remove or pseudonymize author name(s), email(s), affiliation(s), funding sources, institutional information - in short, any information that could be used to search for and identify authors and/or participants. Remove author name(s) from word processor files. Self-citations should be included as regular in-text and Reference list citations (e.g. Smith & Jones, 2014, not Author & Jones, 2014). 

The TESL Canada Journal accepts manuscripts in the following four categories:

Full-Length Research Articles: Manuscripts in this category advance conceptual, research-based, or theoretical arguments, fully grounded in current literature. Manuscripts should normally not exceed 8,000 words, excluding references. Any manuscripts exceeding 8,000 words should be accompanied by a brief justification for the exceptional length. A maximum 200-word abstract must be included, and 3-5 keywords should be provided. Although not required for acceptance/publication, in some cases authors of manuscripts reporting research with human participants may find it appropriate to include a brief appendix on Research Ethics Considerations (or comparable section title), which could contribute to the scholarly and professional reflection on effective measures to ensure protections for research participants. Submissions will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Contribution to the advancement of TESL in Canada
• Originality
• Method (central question, theoretical framework, data analysis, appropriateness of statistical procedures, interpretation, substantiation)
• Structure of the argument

Perspectives: Manuscripts in this category typically fall under one of the following headings: (a) viewpoints and opinions expressed in the form of a commentary or interview on issues or topics of current interest; (b) reactions by readers to articles and reviews published in the Journal and rejoinders; (c) the texts of plenary keynote addresses; (d) reviews of one or more influential books or articles in the field of TESL in the light of current theory and pedagogy, or state of the art articles. Submissions should not exceed 3,500 words, excluding references. A maximum 200-word abstract must be included, and 3-5 keywords should be provided. Submissions will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Contribution to the advancement of TESL in Canada
• Structure of the argument
• Support, substantiation
• Originality

In the Classroom: Manuscripts in this category feature explanatory/analytical descriptions of teaching techniques or activities within a theoretical framework that is used to provide an explicit rationale and/or critique. These manuscripts should not take the form of a general review of the literature on a technique or activity (if so, they might instead be reworked for potential submission under division [d] of the Perspectives category). They must include identification of the particular audience, materials, and procedures under discussion so as to ensure integrated reflection on the specific classroom circumstances as well as the more general theoretical background. Manuscripts should not exceed 3,500 words, excluding references. A maximum 200 word abstract must be included, and 3-5 keywords should be provided. Submissions will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Contribution to the advancement of TESL in Canada
• Structure of the argument
• Detailed description of technique/material
• Detailed description of learners, context
• Support, substantiation regarding scholarly literature
• Originality

Reviews: The TESL Canada Journal publishes short evaluative reviews of print and nonprint materials relevant to TESL professionals. If you are interested in publishing a review, please contact the TESL Canada Journal at teslcanadajournal@tesl.ca to discuss the suitability of your review. Please do not submit your review until you have spoken with the Journal's Editors. Reviews are 1000 words or less (excluding references).

Required Style: Manuscripts should be formatted according to current APA guidelines. Authors who are unfamiliar with APA style are encouraged to consult resources such as the APA Style Blog or the Purdue OWL for guidelines and examples of appropriate formatting. Authors are also advised to consult a recent issue of the Journal for examples of the typical flow of subtitled sections that characterize the various categories of submissions. Careful attention to such formatting issues will not only help ensure that the necessary elements are present, but also make the manuscript more readable.

Tables and Images: Manuscripts should include all images, tables, etc. in the proper location within the manuscript; these should be in a publication-ready format (300-dpi minimum).

Class Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Authors who submit class papers, theses or dissertations for consideration should ensure that the manuscript conforms to the specifications of one of the TESL Canada Journal’s four article categories. Authors must include a clear written acknowledgment of the manuscript’s origin, including an explicit statement regarding inclusion in institutional depositories. If a thesis or dissertation is used as the foundation of multiple papers, the literature review should reflect the unique focus of each paper. For advice on creating a journal manuscript from a class paper, thesis, or dissertation, you can refer to resources such as this.

Submission Correspondence: For queries regarding manuscripts and submission information, please contact the editors at teslcanadajournal@tesl.ca

Submission and Publication Fees: The TESL Canada Journal does not charge submission, processing, or publication fees. 

REVIEW PROCESS

The TESL Canada Journal uses a double-blind peer-review process.

In the Comments for the Editor text box upon submission, please provide names and contact information for three potential reviewers. Potential reviewers should have expertise in your manuscript's topic area, should be arm’s length, should not have worked or published with you in the past 5 years, and should not be from your home institution.

Review outcomes include the following:

• acceptance as is or with minor corrections (in the latter case, comments will be provided);
• invitation to resubmit the manuscript with revisions (comments will be provided) for a new round of reviews;
• rejection of the manuscript.

Authors should be aware that an invitation to resubmit their manuscript with revisions is an indication that - with the adjustments advised - the work has the potential ultimately to be approved. Although not all resubmitted manuscripts are subsequently published, many are. In addition, it is important to realize that articles not accepted by the TESL Canada Journal may sometimes gain approval from other journals with different audiences and therefore different criteria for publication.

Editing of Manuscripts: The Editor reserves the right to make editing changes of a local or stylistic nature that do not affect the content of the manuscript. Authors will be contacted about any major editing or revisions. The TESL Canada Journal welcomes manuscripts in English or French from speakers of other languages but would ask that ideas be clearly expressed.

As part of the editorial process, authors of accepted manuscripts are asked to submit a biography of no more than 50 words. Information such as ORCID iD or author correspondence details can be included in this section if desired.