Submissions

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 Word (.doc/.docx) or the RTF (.rtf) document file format.
For peer-reviewed submissions, all identifying author information has been removed from the submission file as according to the provided instructions. Please note that this is not required for reviews.
The text is double-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and locations for all illustrations, figures, and tables are indicated within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end. Images are uploaded separately.
The text meets this journal's formatting requirements as outlined in the Author Guidelines.
Where available, URLs for the references have been provided. All URL addresses in the text are activated and ready to click.
An abstract of 125-150 words in English is included after the title. Not all types of submissions require an abstract.
The author has submitted or will submit the artificial intelligence (AI) tool identification and use statement to the editors.
The author(s) acknowledge that they are responsible for obtaining permissions for the inclusion of any third-party material, including images, in the text. Submission of separate Creative Works require a Consent Form (please request the form from the journal editor).
The name, title, affiliation and a short (25-word) biography for each author will be submitted on a separate page.
We encourage the inclusion of Data Availability Statements, as well as the sharing of underlying data and code.
All audio and/or video files have been saved as separate files using file formats outlined in the Author Guidelines and will be submitted in Step 4 of the online submission as supplementary files.

Author Guidelines

The International Journal for Creativity Inside (IJCI) welcomes a wide range of original submissions in English that focus on creativity in carceral facilities.

Solicited and contributed manuscripts for peer-reviewed articles must be double-spaced, a maximum of 6,000 words, including references. Essays, 2,000 words, Resources are not to exceed 6,000 words and Reviews (books, films, plays, exhibits, events, etc.), 2,000 words. Further guidelines can be found below.

Tips for determining contribution credit can be found here: https://credit.niso.org/

Submission of an original manuscript to the Journal will be taken to mean that it represents original work not previously published, and that it is not being considered elsewhere for publication. Authors must take full responsibility for all figures, etc., and present them as camera-ready copy. The author(s) are responsible for obtaining permissions for the inclusion of any third-party material, including images, in the text.

There are no author processing charges to authors for submission or publishing.

Submissions Categories and Word Limits

Articles: 6,000 words

Essays 2,000 words

Resources: 6,000 words

Creative Works: no current limit (1,000 word accompanying explanation)

Reviews: 2,000 words

Submissions

Go to the registration page to register as a user of the online system if you do not yet have a username and password. Ensure that you register as an “Author” when creating your account. Once you have an online account, login and click on the “Author” link. The “Author” page will include a link to begin the online submission process. When submitting online, please note that you need to click on “Save/Continue” at the bottom of each page in order to proceed to the next step in the submission process.

There are 5 steps to an online submission:

In Step 1, please ensure that:
- You select a section from the “Journal Section” menu.
- You review, complete, and check off each item in the “Submission Checklist.”
In Step 2, please ensure that:
- You provide your personal information (name, email, etc.).
- You provide the title of your article or reviewed book.
In Step 3, please ensure that:
- You upload a copy of your manuscript in Word (.doc/.docx) or RTF (.rtf) format
- You upload a copy of your bio statement in Word (.doc/.docx) or RTF (.rtf) format
- For peer-reviewed submissions, you remove all personal, identifying information from the submission file as per the provided instructions. Please note that this is only required for articles, not for perspectives, research notes, creative works, or book reviews.
- Upload figures, tables, and images separately in Step 4.
In Step 4, upload all tables, figures, images, and supplementary files:
- Tables should be saved and uploaded as separate Word (.doc/.docx) or RTF (.rtf) files
- For articles, ensure all personal, identifying information is removed from the supplementary files according to the provided instructions. Please note that this is not required for essays , resources, creative works, or reviews.
- Figures and images should be saved and uploaded using high quality image formats: JPEG (.jpg) or, preferably, PNG (.png). Please provide images in at least 300 dpi and upload all images in a zip file to prevent degradation.
- Audio and video files should be saved and uploaded using the MPEG format (MP3 for audio and MPEG for video).
In Step 5, finish your submission by reviewing your submission details and confirming that your submission is complete.

The editors have no objection to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools or services for the research, preparation, and review of papers submitted to the journal. However, we require disclosure of such use and completion of the following paragraph for each paper submitted and reviewed to the journal:

"During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication, including citations and references, if any."

Paper Abstracts

For each article the author must provide a 125-150 word abstract in English. These summaries should be placed immediately below the paper title, author and institutional affiliation. Each summary should be indented 2.5 cm (1/2") and single spaced.

Author Bio

The author(s) must supply a brief (25 word) bio giving name, title, institution, institutional address including country, and email address. Author information and bio should be entered in Step 2 of the online submission process, and not as part of the submission file itself. For example: John R. Whitman is Executive Director of the Museum for Black Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 195 North Harbor Drive, Unit 2405, Chicago, IL 60601, U.S.A., johnrwhitman@mac.com.

General Formatting

Typical sections for an article may include: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology [if research focused], Results, [if research focused] Discussion, Conclusion, References, Appendices.

Authors are advised to follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA Manual, latest edition, currently APA7). A sample of the accepted format is provided as an outline.

Citation software such as EndNote can greatly facilitate management of citations and preparation of references.

Layout

The text should be double-spaced.
Start each paragraph at the margin (no tabs to indent first line). Place an extra blank line between paragraphs to separate.
Single space between sentences.
Dashes should be keyed in as double-hyphens with no space at either end. For example: word--word

Heading Styles

First level headings: (Boldface, first word capitalized, justified at left margin, on a separate line)
Second level headings: (Plain type, first word capitalized, justified at left margin, on a separate line)
Third level headings: (Italic type, first word capitalized, justified at left margin, on a separate line)

Citations in the Text

If the work has more than one author, give all the names the first time the work is referred to, then et al. thereafter.
When titles of journals or books are mentioned, they should be italicized, not underlined.
If the citation follows a quotation, place the parentheses after the quotation marks but before the end punctuation. For example: ''for the future of telecommunications'' (Smith, 1987, p. 42).

References

List only those works actually cited in the text.
The heading for the references should be bold and left-justified, as References.
Single-space all entries.
Begin each entry at the margin and indent the subsequent lines by 1/2 inch; i.e., hanging indent.
Separate the main items in each entry by periods (i.e., name of author, title of book, etc.) Leave one space between a period and next part of the entry.
Publication date should be in parentheses following author name. Title of book should be in italics and only the first word and first word after a colon should be capitalized (see examples above).
For articles, the title should be in plain text, with only the first word capitalized; the title of the periodical or edited book should be in italics.
For journals the volume number of the periodical volume is in italics, with the issue number in plain text and parentheses. Page numbers are given at the end of the reference but without the requirement for “page” or “p.” See examples below.
The formats must be strictly adhered to in terms of punctuation and order of the items within each entry:
- Book: Klein, Naomi. (2000). No logo: Taking aim at the brand bullies. Picador.
- Article in a book: Garnham, Nicholas. (2004). The information society theory as ideology. In F. Webster (Ed.), The Information Society Reader (pp. 165-183). Routledge.
- Article in a journal: Aronczyk, Melissa. (2009). How to do things with brands: Uses of national identity. Canadian Journal of Communication, 34(2), 291-296.
- Government document: Royal Commission on newspapers. (1981). Report. Minister of Supply and Services Canada.
- Website: Gurstein, Michael. (2000). Effective use: A community informatics strategy beyond the digital divide. First Monday, 8(12). URL: http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue8_12/ gurstein/index.html [March 4, 2005].

Keyword index

Authors should confine their selection to five keywords or less.

Use of Notes

Footnotes or endnotes are acceptable.
Do not use automatically formatted footnotes or endnotes (automatically generated notes must be replaced manually prior to submission). Endnotes should appear at the end of the text and before the references (typed in a regular text). Endnote numbers in the text should be regular text formatted as eight-point superscript.
Use of notes should be very sparing. They should be used only where additional explanations are absolutely necessary and cannot be incorporated in the text. Maximum: 10.
Notes should be listed after the text and before the list of biographical references.
The heading for the notes should be bold and left-justified, as Notes.

Essays Guidelines

This section provides a forum for issues and viewpoints to be shared by a greater diversity of voices from the field, including academics and practitioners. The length of Essay pieces should be around 2,000 words.

Resources Guidelines

Resources serve as incubators for new thinking or provide resources for researchers. They introduce sources of research, new research ideas, theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, or preliminary results. These contributions can be conceptual in nature or based on the results of empirical studies.

Limited to 6,000 words, research notes may be shorter than research articles but still make a valuable contribution to the study of creativity in carceral facilities. These notes are editor-reviewed and subject to the same high standards as applied to research articles.

Review Guidelines

Items suitable for reviews in English span books, including true stories, fiction, and poetry, films, art exhibitions, performances, music, Substack and other blog sources in venues around the world. We prioritize recent material.

Books: Provide publication and distribution information. The book’s contents should be concisely stated. Most of the review should be dedicated to the assessment of the book’s strengths and weaknesses. Rather than listing in detail what is found in each of the chapters, the reviewer should emphasize what is most significant in the volume as it pertains to the mission of IJCI, the adequacy of the methods deployed, and the overall worth of the text. The issues addressed in the review could include some of the following:

- What are the origins of the text? How did it come to be produced?
- What is the book generally about? What is the intent of the author in writing the book (e.g., scholarship, policy making, evaluation, etc.)?
- What standpoint is taken (e.g., detached scholar, autobiographical, advocacy, etc.)?
- What is the line of argument, if any?
- What sort of evidence is used?
- How is the material organized and structured?
- To what extent does the author achieve his/her goals?
- Is the standpoint appropriate to the intentions and the subject matter?
- Do the steps in the argument follow logically?
- Are there hidden assumptions?
- Are the claims following from the argument well supported by evidence?
- Is the work generally persuasive? Why or why not?
- Is the work generally consistent (i.e., are there contradictions)?
- Is the work generally coherent (i.e., do the various parts complement one another and go together well)?
- Is the book well written?
- To what extent does the book make a contribution to our understanding of the particular area of communication in question?
- To whom (the readership) is the book addressed?

Follow similar guidelines for reviews of other subjects, including films, exhibits, performances, and music. The length of the review, typically 300 to 1,000 words, should not exceed 2,000 words.

Interested in having your book reviewed? Interested in doing a book review? Contact our Editor to send copies or to obtain a list of currently available titles. IJCI is interested in soliciting reviews from a wide variety of scholars, including students.

Articles

Articles are the primary, peer-reviewed reports that advance knowledge in the field of arts in corrections.

Essays

Essays include perspectives observations, or other commentary on an issue of importance to arts in corrections. Essays are selected by the editors but not peer-reviewed. Abstracts are not required.

Resources

Resources provide material useful to researchers and address important contributions to strengthen the practice of quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches to describing and/or explaining programs and activities that pertain to conducting or supporting arts in corrections. Resources are not research reports, which would instead be prepared and submitted as Articles. Resources are editor-reviewed.

Creative Works

Creative Work can consist of any printable record of a tangible, creative expression, such as written material, an image of visual art, photograph, hyperlink to a sound or video clip, section of a musical score, architectural drawing, or other record in publishable format that is not included as part of another journal section submission. Contributors must have the permission of the copyright owner to use the item. A short paper not to exceed 1,000 words can be submitted for publication to explain the item and its relevance to the journal as well as background on the creator (there is no need to specify past transgressions; we aim to focus on creating a positive identity for the future). No abstract is required and submissions will be selected by the editors without peer review. Images must be in .png or .jpg format.

Reviews

Reviews of relevant books, films, plays, exhibits, events, musical performances, site visits, etc. Reviews are selected by the editors and are not peer-reviewed. No abstract is necessary.

Copyright Notice

Submission of an original manuscript to the IJCI will be taken to mean that it represents original work not previously published and that it is not being considered elsewhere for publication. Copyright for articles published in this journal is retained by the authors. Authors are responsible for obtaining permissions for the inclusion of any third-party material, including images, in the text.

The journal takes the stance that the publication of scholarly research is meant to disseminate knowledge and, in a not-for-profit regime, benefits neither publisher nor author financially. It sees itself as having an obligation to its authors and to society to make content available online now that the technology allows for such a possibility. In keeping with this principle, the journal will publish all of its issues online.

Authors who publish in IJCI agree to release their articles under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License (CC 4.0). This license allows anyone to copy and distribute the article provided that appropriate attribution is given. For details of the rights an author grants users of their work, please see the license summary and the full license.

This document provides suggested language for authors and editors to use when requesting permission to reuse copyright-protected works owned by third parties. If you are unfamiliar with how to identify copyright owners or with the permissions-seeking process more generally, please review the “Asking for Permission” guide from Columbia University Libraries.

Please also note that most large commercial publishers, such as Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, and Taylor & Francis, handle copyright permission requests through a third-party service called Rightslink, which is run by the Copyright Clearance Center. If you try to send permissions request to these publishers directly over email, you may not receive a reply.

Dear [COPYRIGHT OWNER NAME],

My name is [AUTHOR/EDITOR NAME] and I am a [ROLE] at [INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION NAME]. I have authored a manuscript entitled, [ARTICLE TITLE], and hope to publish it in an open-access academic journal, [JOURNAL NAME]. I would like to include a copy of your [WORK TYPE, e.g., photograph, figure, etc.] entitled, “[WORK TITLE]” in my manuscript. Accordingly, I am writing to request perpetual, nonexclusive permission to reproduce and disseminate this [WORK TYPE] in my article, which will be freely accessible to anyone with an internet connection once the article has been published. Should you grant permission, I will of course provide full attribution to [YOU / COPYRIGHT OWNER NAME] as the copyright owner.

If you are submitting images of artworks created by others, please request our Consent Form by email or use your institution's form requesting permission for use.

Privacy Statement

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