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An Author's Guide to Writing Monographs for the Journal of Consumer Research
The Journal of Consumer Research provides a unique publication opportunity for major conceptual, empirical, and methodological works of 100-350 pages (monographs).
EDITORIAL OBJECTIVES
JCR is devoted to publishing major works that generate authoritative new findings about consumer research based on large-scale empirical studies or conceptual integration and model development. In contrast to journal articles, which serve as a conduit for research on more narrow topics, monographs are larger and more substantial works of the highest quality.
Monographs are NOT articles that happen to exceed the typical page limits of the Journal of Consumer Research. The primary criterion for publication is not length; the most important criterion is that the manuscript contributes a new or more integrated perspective on a significant issue or controversy in consumer behavior.
Types of Manuscripts Suitable as Monographs
JCR is open to major works with a conceptual, empirical, or methodological focus on an important consumer behavior topic. Typical submissions are expected to fall into one of three categories:
- Reports of empirical findings from programmatic research projects, which may evolve from a single large-scale investigation or from a sequence of studies focused on a particular issue
- Conceptual reviews of a large body of empirical research, which result in a significant integration and understanding of issues in the chosen area
- Theoretical model building, which incorporates empirical research and theoretical perspectives as a means of providing a model for future research
Potential authors may find it helpful to examine the first monograph published by JCR:
- Mary Frances Luce, James R. Bettman, and John W. Payne, Emotional Decisions: Tradeoff Difficulty and Coping in Consumer Choice, 2001.
Other examples include:
- David Brinberg and Joseph McGrath, Validity and the Research Process, Sage Publications, 1985.
- Elizabeth C. Hirschman and Morris B. Holbrook, Postmodern Consumer Research: The Study of Consumption as Text, Association for Consumer Research and Sage Publications, Inc., 1992.
Authors who are unsure whether the scope and substance of their work is appropriate as a monograph are encouraged to submit a proposal for review. The proposal should outline the issues and topics to be studied, the empirical or conceptual focus of the report, an outline of the proposed chapters, and a summary of the manuscript's contribution(s). Based on a proposal review, an opinion will be forwarded to the author, either encouraging or discouraging submission of a fully developed manuscript. Encouragement to proceed with the proposed monograph guarantees subsequent editorial consideration of the fully developed product, but does not guarantee publication.
Types of Manuscripts Unsuitable as Monographs
Dissertations will not be considered, primarily due to their typical focus on a relatively narrow set of issues and empirical data.
Edited volumes of papers, consisting of individual papers written by different authors, will be discouraged in general. Edited volumes rarely provide the type of integration that JCR seeks to provide. Nevertheless, it is possible that an acceptable monograph might emerge from an edited volume with substantial integration on the part of the contributors. A good example would be a volume where several leading scholars in a field are asked to comment on a series of fundamental issues or questions in the field, where the issues have been developed by a single author or set of co-authors (for example, see The Nature of Emotion: Fundamental Questions, Paul Ekman and Richard J. Davidson (ed.), Oxford, 1994). Potential authors considering submission of an edited volume should submit a proposal for review, incorporating a detailed abstract of each paper and a detailed plan for how integration will be achieved across papers. A successful proposal is expected to look more like a "jointly-authored" monograph than a set of individual papers simply bundled into a larger package.
Once again, monographs are NOT articles that happen to exceed the typical page limits of the Journal of Consumer Research. The primary criterion for publication is not length; the most important criterion is that the manuscript contributes a new or more integrated perspective on a significant issue or controversy in consumer behavior.
Manuscript Length and Orientation
Manuscripts should be at least 100 double-spaced pages in length, including references and tables. The upper limit for submissions is 350 pages. In special cases, additional space may be made available, but the contribution of the work must warrant the additional space and all efforts must be made to be economical in the presentation of the work. Authors anticipating the submission of a monograph that exceeds the upper limit should contact the editor before submission.
Manuscripts should also be accessible to all readers. The author should keep the "general" reader in mind and should present ideas, methods, or data in a clear fashion. Issues should be clearly laid out, concepts and terms should be clearly defined, and the discussion should summarize the important points and findings presented.
REVIEW PROCESS
Monograph submissions and proposals will be reviewed by the editor in consultation with expert reviewers. The typical monograph submission will be reviewed by the editor, an associate editor, and two to three reviewers. The associate editor and reviewers will be selected according to the topic and expertise required. If the submission falls within the editor's areas of expertise, the editor may choose not to assign an associate editor.
As soon as the monograph submission or proposal arrives, the editor will assess whether or not it is appropriate as a monograph. If it is clearly not appropriate, the submission will be returned without further review, along with a letter to the author explaining the reason for rejection (and, possibly, suggestions for revising the submission). If there is any doubt about the appropriateness of the submission, the monograph or monograph proposal will be sent to one or more members of the Editorial Review Board for consultation.
Monographs and monograph proposals that pass this screening by the editor will be sent out for peer review. The review will be single blind, with the authors' identities being known during the review process. If the submission is outside of the editor's areas of expertise, the editor will construct a list of possible guest editors who have considerable expertise in the area. After a guest editor has been identified and agreed to serve, s/he will develop a list of possible reviewers for the submission. Individuals suggested by the author will receive consideration at this stage.
Reviewers will submit their reports to the editor through the regular review system at JCR. The associate editor (if there is one) will summarize the reports and point out particular problems and/or areas in need of revision. The associate editor's summary and the reviewer reports will be sent to the author, along with a cover letter from the editor. If an opportunity to revise a monograph submission is extended, the author will be asked to submit a revised manuscript accompanied by a brief set of notes explaining the major changes made in response to reviewer comments. In many cases, this revised monograph will be reviewed by the editor and associate editor, with the editor making an accept or reject decision on this round.
MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION
Manuscripts must be double-spaced (including references and footnotes), in 12-point Times font, with pages numbered consecutively beginning with the title page. The paper must be left justified with one-inch margins on all sides. Please use letter format (not A4 or international).
Submit manuscripts through the JCR Web site.
For additional information, please contact jcr@bus.wisc.edu.
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