Policies

INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS

The International Journal of School Social Work (IJSSW) has no article processing or submission charges.

Formatting Requirements

Manuscripts Need to Include the Following:

Format: All manuscripts are to be submitted with one inch margins, 12 point font, double spaced with all references cited and included in a reference listing at the end of the manuscript. All tables, figures, and pictures need to be included in the appendices section in consecutive order. American Psychological Association (APA) 7th Edition is required.

  1. Cover Letter: (required). As part of the submission process, include a cover letter that provides the following information: title, author(s), complete mailing address, telephone number, WhatsApp (if applicable), e-mail address, a short biography including credentials (60 words or less). Do not include any identifying information on the article.
  2. Abstract Page: A short abstract of 250 words or less. Include 5-8 keywords.
  3. Length: Suggested manuscript length of 7,000-12,500 words (approximately 20-25 pages) inclusive of references and all appendices, though longer manuscripts will be considered. The manuscript MUST be de-identified. Manuscripts that contain author names will not be sent out for review and the submission will be rejected.
  4. Deidentification: The manuscript MUST be de-identified. Manuscripts that contain author names will not be sent out for review, and the submission will be rejected.
  5. References: Where available, DOIs (digital object identifiers) for the references have been provided and are hyperlinked in the Word document. As a member of CrossRef, our publisher, New Prairie Press, is required to include DOIs. Use the free DOI lookup on CrossRef's website to check your citations.
  6. Research: In the event human subjects were used in original research, a copy of the approval statement of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or other governing ethics/human rights review body must accompany the manuscript to be considered for review and/or publication.

 

INFORMATION ABOUT AND FOR REVIEWERS

Review Policy of International Journal of School Social Work

Manuscripts will be reviewed by up to 2 peer reviewers. Manuscripts that are submitted and accepted for review may take up to 90 days to be returned to the author with peer review comments. Returned manuscripts will fall under one of four categories which includes:

  • Accept submission
  • Accept submission, with minor revisions
  • Major revisions required for acceptance
  • Reject submission

 

The International Journal of School Social Work editorial staff reserves the right to reject any manuscript submission. This includes manuscripts with text, tables, figures or art copied from other sources in whole or part without written permission from the original author. It is the responsibility of the author to obtain all written permissions for materials used in the manuscript. Manuscripts that have been previously published may not be submitted.

Originality and Misconduct

IJSSW does not accept manuscripts that:

  • Have been previously published
  • Are under review elsewhere
  • Contain plagiarized material
  • Include text, tables, figures, or images reproduced 

All submissions may be subject to plagiarism detection.

Review Guidelines

IJSSW accepts and reviews electronic manuscript submissions in English for ongoing publication. Manuscripts submitted could include original research (qualitative and quantitative), systematic literature reviews, and analyses of country specific descriptions of school social work practices. The IJSSW will have an international focus in six feature sections as a part of each issue:

  1. International Social Work Practice (these pieces would highlight the development of school social work, or studies that highlight either local, indigenous practices, or conversely, universal aspects of school social work that the author believes can apply across cultural contexts).
  2. Empirical articles of school-based research or research relevant to education and social work (original research-case studies, secondary data analysis, qualitative studies, and quantitative work),
  3. Evidence or Research Informed Practices (critical reviews of established interventions in schools e.g. systematic reviews of researched practices, intervention research that provides results of implementing either an already established evidence-based practice, or one that does not yet have an evidence base, but does have a research-base. In other words, a research-based intervention is based on existing theoretical approaches and knowledge, but has not yet been tested to the degree that it can be considered “evidence-based”),
  4. Practice Wisdom (narrative articles written by school social workers about what they are doing that works in their setting)
  5. Student Perspectives (articles submitted by social work students describing their experiences as school social workers in both international and U.S. school contexts or students in the K-12 system conducting their own action research or providing narratives of their own lived experience).
  6. Book Review (review of new books related to school social work practice or global social work practice).

The review process is estimated to take three months but may occasionally take longer.

Once accepted, articles will be published in English. For authors whose first language is not English, we do have English speaking researchers and professors who are willing to partner as co-authors to support making sure the work is of publishable quality and that the important global work is disseminated. Please reach out to the Editor in Chief for more information. The Journal structure includes advisory board members and peer reviewed editors that are international peers in academics and school social work that will review all submissions, and approve, recommend revisions or reject manuscripts for publication. The goal is to achieve published papers that:

  • relate to the field of School Social Work,
  • represent a variety of work in international contexts,
  • represent previously unpublished work,
  • add to the knowledge base of the School Social Work profession,
  • comply to a high standard of international academic scholarship,
  • contain appropriate supporting documentation,
  • include logical formatting and organization,
  • and, follow American Psychological Association (APA) format.

Research Submission: In the event human subjects were used in original research, a copy of the approval statement from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or another governing ethics/human rights review body must accompany the manuscript to be considered for review and or publication.

 

Copyright Policy

The International Journal of School Social Work (IJSSW) requires authors to agree to a Creative Commons license as part of publishing with the journal. Authors who publish with (IJSSW) agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the privilege of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons license that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Authors have a variety of Creative Commons licenses from which to choose.

Authors can enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Because authors retain copyright of their work, all manuscript versions (submitted, accepted, and published) may be added to an institutional repository.

Open Access Policy

This is an open access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her/their institution. Users, while abiding by the terms of the content’s license, are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access.

Archival Policy

Contents of the Journal are archived for perpetual access through New Prairie Press' participation in CLOCKSS (Controlled Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) and Portico and managed through the Digital Commons Publishing platform. New Prairie Press also participates in LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe). Once published, the contents are never changed.

Statement on Mindful and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence

The International Journal of School Social Work (IJSSW) encourages authors to engage thoughtfully and critically with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in scholarly work. As a globally focused journal grounded in social justice, equity, and ethical responsibility, IJSSW asks authors to consider not only how AI tools are used, but whether and to what extent their use aligns with the profession’s core values.

Environmental Impact

The development and use of AI technologies—particularly large language models—require substantial computational power and energy consumption. These systems contribute to increased carbon emissions, water usage, and ecological strain, often concentrated in regions already facing environmental vulnerability. Authors are encouraged to reflect on how frequent or unnecessary use of AI tools may indirectly contribute to global environmental harm.

Equity and Global Inequities

AI systems are not neutral. They are developed, trained, and maintained within economic and political structures that often reproduce and intensify global inequities. Many AI tools are disproportionately accessible to scholars in wealthier nations and institutions, while their environmental, labor, and resource costs are borne largely by communities in the Global South. Additionally, AI systems frequently reflect linguistic, cultural, and epistemological biases that marginalize non‑dominant voices and knowledge systems.

As a journal committed to international and cross‑cultural scholarship, IJSSW urges authors to be mindful that uncritical reliance on AI tools may:

  • Reinforce colonial or Western‑centric ways of knowing
  • Diminish the visibility and value of locally grounded, community‑based, or Indigenous knowledge
  • Exacerbate disparities in academic participation and authorship across global contexts

A Call for Reflexive Scholarship

IJSSW invites authors to view decisions about AI use as part of broader scholarly responsibility. We encourage reflexive engagement with questions such as:

  • Is the use of AI necessary for this task?
  • Whose labor, resources, or environments are impacted by this technology?
  • How might AI use shape whose knowledge is amplified—or silenced—within global scholarship?By being intentional and critical in their use of AI, authors contribute not only to the integrity of their manuscripts, but also to a more just, sustainable, and inclusive global academic community.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy

We align our AI policy with American Psychological Association Guidance

The International Journal of School Social Work (IJSSW) recognizes the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic writing and research. IJSSW follows guidance from the American Psychological Association (APA) to ensure transparency, accountability, and scholarly integrity in the responsible use of AI technologies.

AI Use Guiding Principles

In accordance with APA standards:

  • Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscripts, including any material generated or assisted by AI tools.
  • AI tools cannot be listed as authors, as they do not meet APA authorship criteria related to responsibility, accountability, and intellectual contribution.
  • AI use must not compromise research integrity, ethical standards, or the originality of scholarly work.

Acceptable Uses of AI

Authors may use AI tools in limited and supportive ways, such as:

  • Improving grammar, spelling, clarity, and readability of text
  • Assisting with organization or flow of writing under human direction
  • Supporting background literature discovery (with independent verification)
  • Assisting with coding, categorization, or data organization when overseen and interpreted by the researcher


AI use must remain supplementary and cannot replace the author’s original scholarly thinking, analysis, or interpretation.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Consistent with APA guidance, AI tools may not be used to:

  • Generate original theoretical frameworks, interpretations, or conclusions presented as the author’s intellectual work
  • Fabricate, falsify, or manipulate data, results, references, or citations
  • Produce analyses of human subjects data without direct researcher oversight
  • Replace human judgment in research design, data interpretation, or ethical decision-making

Any use of AI that undermines the authenticity or credibility of the scholarship is grounds for rejection.

Disclosure Requirements

Authors must disclose all uses of AI tools that meaningfully contributed to manuscript preparation. Disclosure must include:

  • The name(s) of the AI tool(s) used
  • A brief description of how the tool was used

Disclosure statements should be included in the Acknowledgments, Methods, or a designated AI Use Statement, as appropriate.

Failure to disclose AI use constitutes a violation of publication ethics.

Editorial Oversight

The IJSSW editorial team reserves the right to:

  • Request clarification regarding AI use
  • Reject manuscripts that violate this policy
  • Retract published articles if undisclosed or unethical AI use is discovered post-publication