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Guidelines for Articles Submitted to the Zwemer Journal

Articles for the Zwemer Journal may be submitted by Christian scholars, students and by Muslim scholars (should we approach them), in order to publish material that is relevant to issues being discussed and debated. That is, it should review and/or critique popular thinking on particular issues, hot topics, observable trends and current practices as they pertain to Muslims, Islam, Christian mission, et cetera.

Submission

Submission can be via an abstract in the first instance, or by the entire article. All articles submitted for publication are reviewed by associate editors. Ideally, the review is a blind review process, that is, neither reviewer(s) nor author(s) will be aware of the other's identity. Articles are assessed for suitability and primarily selected on the following basis:

• whether or not the article satisfies requirements as detailed in the guidelines for submission;
• whether or not the article is consistent with the stated purpose of the journal;
• whether or not the article contributes to a better understanding of the beliefs and practices of Muslims and their religion;
• whether or not the article is empirically sound.

The review process requires reviewers to complete a report, and reviewers are given certain options in their assessment, as follows:

• submission may be accepted;
• submission may be accepted with minor modification;
• submission may be accepted with major changes;
• submission may be rejected.

The editors may use their discretion to notify contributors of necessary changes, and final acceptance depends upon changes being made.

Guidelines for article preparation

How to Submit

To submit the document electronically, send it as an email attachment to zwemercenter@ciu.edu.To submit the document by mail, send a hard copy and a copy on CD by mail to: Zwemer Center, Columbia International University, P.O. Box 3122, Columbia, SC 29230.

An electronic document must be submitted in .doc., .wpd., or .rtf format and be convertible to either HTML or Adobe Acrobat formats. Documents that cannot be opened will be returned to the contributor for resubmission.
The document should be formatted on regular-size (8.5 x 11 inch) paper, using "Times New Roman" and 12-point font. Justify and double-space all material, including footnotes, references, appendices, tables, and figures. Use one-inch margins on all sides.

Title page and page numbering

The first page of the document is the title page and must be numbered "1." It should include the title of the article (capital letters), the author's name (capitals), and the author's contact information in lower case. For example,
JESUS IN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY:
DISCUSSING THE SIMILARITIES AND THE DIFFERENCES
WARREN LARSON
Director, Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies
Columbia International University
Email: zwemercenter@ciu.edu
Phone: 803-807-5325
Fax: 803-786-4209

The author's contact information must be included. While journal readership will be controlled, the abstract accompanying the article will be accessible to a wider audience. From time to time, authors who submit articles may receive requests for copies from others who can access the abstract but not the full article. Editors are not agents of the author and there is no obligation for them to grant such requests. Whether or not copies of the complete article are made available is at the discretion of the author.

Contributing authors should give consideration as to how contact may be communicated to readers. It is recommended that either e-mail addresses or telephone number(s) be given to expedite contact between author and reader. In the event of multiple authors, the contact author is to be noted and all communication conducted through this author only.

Length

Articles 2,000-4,000 words, including references, appendices, tables, and figures are considered an appropriate length. Articles less than 2,000 words or over 4,000 words may be considered at the discretion of the editors.

Title

Generally, a title may be up to eight words and must clearly reflect the article's content.

Keywords/Descriptors

Each article must contain up to five keywords that encapsulate the content of the article, and are to be placed directly after the abstract. Minor aspects of an article should not be key-worded. These keywords should not be viewed as a definitive guide but to help author(s) locate central themes and topics consistent with their research interests.

Readership

It is anticipated that Christian scholars of Islam, missiologists, students, prospective students, missionary candidates, field workers, and others will read the journal. Authors are encouraged to include 1-5 questions for readers to reflect on the material.

Headings and sub-headings

Main headings and first and second sub-headings are encouraged. Headings should be concise and indicate the paragraph content to follow. Main headings must be centered, capitalized and in bold. Minor headings must also be in bold and on the left of the page.

Spelling, punctuation, grammar

Authors must submit articles that are written clearly and without spelling, punctuation or grammatical mistakes. Where there is a difference in spelling and punctuation, authors should use the American English version.
Numbers one to twelve and percent must be spelled out; for example, ten percent. Figures with a decimal point need not be written; for example, 10.5 percent. Sentences with two or more percentage figures may be in numerical form with the percentage sign included; for example, 10.5%.

Figures, charts, diagrams

Figures, charts and diagrams can be included in articles, but authors should be aware that complex figures, charts and diagrams may be difficult to convert. Every effort will be made to maintain the integrity of complex figures, charts and diagrams when placed in html or Acrobat format.

Autobiographical notes

Authors should provide a brief biography, including details as to their qualifications, position, name of organization where they currently work and their scholarly interests. These details will be published at the conclusion of their article.

When submitting articles, authors must pay careful attention to the journal guidelines. Adherence to these guidelines will expedite the process of reviews, editing, and publication.

Submitting an Abstract

Each article should be accompanied by an abstract that is not more than 100 words and up to five keywords should be included at the foot of the abstract. Below key words, authors should give their full name, address, telephone/fax numbers and/or email address, if applicable. Author(s) will be notified if their article has been accepted.

At the discretion of the editors up to three reviewers may be appointed. The editor will forward a letter to the author(s), based on reports received from reviews. Notification of changes to the article will be submitted in order for the article to be placed on the web. A CD and a hard copy must be submitted by mail to the editors before publishing, and a copy may be posted as an attachment to email at this stage.

Authors may expect their article to be published within a reasonable period of time, and to remain on the web for approximately six months from the date of entry. Articles will then be archived and accessible online to subscribers. If authors wish to extend the web time, they may make a written request to the editors. Such Inquiries are welcome however the maximum time for the web is twelve months.

Warren Larson, Editor in Chief and Director of the Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies