Writing guidelines for authors

Caution! Authors are asked to write their text in from the first submission.

The title will contain less than 20 words. It may be accompanied by a subtitle.

The abstract, of 250 words maximum, will be written in English and French. It will include information on the objectives of the text, the context, the method used, the results and the conclusions. This information must be adapted to the characteristics of the type of text concerned.

Keywords (maximum 5) will be written in English and French.

Non-sexist writing is requested. Here are some advice:

  • Unless gender is relevant, always use gender-neutral words rather than gender-specific ones. For example, use 'workforce' instead of 'manpower', 'artificial' instead of 'man made', and 'business person' instead of 'businessman'.
  • Most occupational terms are already generic, so there is no need for qualifiers like 'female academic', or 'male nurse'.
  • Do not default to a generic gendered pronoun like 'he' or 'she' to talk about a generic person. For example, do not say: "A highschool student should be able to set his own assessment criteria". Instead, you can:
    • recast sentences in the plural: "Highschool students should be able to set their own assessment criteria"
    • leave out or replace the pronoun: "A highschool student should be able to set assessment criteria"
    • use 'they', 'their' or 'them': "A highschool student should be able to set their own assessment criteria". Note that using 'they', 'their' and 'them' to refer to singular subjects is increasingly regarded as grammatically correct.
    • use both he/she, her/his, her/him: "A highschool student should be able to set her/his own assessment criteria". Note that this is the least preferred solution. If you have to use it, order the words in alphabetical order ("he or she", but "her or his").

The body of the text is written according to the following instructions:

  • Use Arial font, size 11.
  • Single line spacing.
  • No tab at the beginning of the sentence.
  • No automatic spaces before and after a paragraph.
  • No space before : ; ? !
  • Do not use double spaces after a full stop.
  • Follow each paragraph with a white line.
  • A paragraph must be at least two sentences long (no line breaks after a single sentence).
  • Systematically insert a blank line as soon as there is a line break. That is, do not play on two types of paragraphs (with or without white line).

Titles: The text must be clearly structured in different sections identified by a title (respecting the levels and formats indicated below).

  • Try not to go beyond three levels of title.
  • Favor short titles.
  • Number them to specify the hierarchy (use the numbering logic: 1, 1.1, 1.1.1).
  • Do not put a full-stop at the end of titles.
  • Avoid orphan titles (e.g., 1.1 not followed by 1.2).

The format of the titles must be respected. The titles must be numbered. They're all aligned on the left. There is no full-stop at the end of the title.

  • Level title 1 is in Arial, size 18, single-spaced, 36pt before and 6pt after.
  • Level title 2 is in Arial, size 16, single-spaced, 24pt before and 12pt after.
  • Level title 3 is in Arial, size 14, single line spacing, 18pt before and 6pt after.

Do not insert a blank line before and after the title.

APA Standards: texts must be written according to the standards set by the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition, English). Changes from the 6th edition are highlighted.

SOME REMINDERS AND SPECIFICATION ELEMENTS:

Bold: reserve its use only for titles. To underline a word or expression, use italics.

The underlining is never used.

Italics: use it to underline a term, an expression; For foreign phrases (Latin, French or other); to indicate the title of a book or periodical inserted in the sentence.

Quotation marks : Use English quotation marks: " ". But use single quotes ' ' inside quotes already in quotes.

They must be used for any direct quotation of less than 40 words.

Digits and numbers: write in letters from zero to nine, then in numbers from 10. But they are all expressed in numbers when they are grouped together for comparison with numbers above nine (e.g., "scores are 3, 8 and 12 respectively"). Any number at the beginning of a title or sentence is expressed in letters.

Quotes

  • From less than 40 words, they are included in the text in quotation marks.
  • Those of more than 40 words are indented, in Arial size 10, without quotation marks, isolated in a separate paragraph.
  • Any addition or modification to a quotation must be placed into brackets [ ]
  • Any omission (of a word or passage) must be indicated by the indication: [...].

All quotations are accompanied by a complete reference following the APA standards:
One author: (Author, Year, p. #).
Two authors: (Author & Author, Year, p. #).
Three authors or more: (Author et al., Year, pp. #-#).

For a work with three or more authors, include the name of only the first author plus "et al." in every citation, including the first citation (unless doing so would create ambiguity).

Abbreviations (acronyms, associations, organisms) must be explained when first used, then systematically used (except in titles). Do not put a dot between the letters of an acronym.

Figures and tables must also comply with APA standards.

  • Figures and tables are numbered in two separate lists.
  • They must have a title.
  • Figures and tables must be inserted into the text exactly where they are intended.
  • For all iconographic documents, it is mentioned "Figure" and not "Graph", "diagram", etc.).
  • Figures are inserted in "image" format.
  • The titles are above the table or figure, as follows:
    Figure 1
    Example of a title

    Table 1
    Example of a title

  • Indicate the complete source of each figure when it is a borrowing or adaptation, including when the figure is designed by the author.
  • The tables are to be created in Word with the "Table" function of the software.
  • The author is responsible for formatting the tables.
  • Tables and figures should not extend beyond the margins.

Respect as much as possible the graphic guidelines of La Revue LEeE (Arial, font between 9 and 11, line spacing 1). Frame figures with a thin border.

The notes are in Arial, size 9, single-spaced, justified without paragraph, numbered from 1 to n inside the article. They end with a full-stop. Notes should be used sparingly.

References : Respect the standards set by the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition). Any submission with references that do not comply with APA standards, or are incomplete will be returned to the author.

  • The list must contain all references cited in the text and only these.
  • DOIs are formatted the same as URLs. The label "DOI:" is not needed.
  • When it is an open access article, indicate the URL.
  • URLs are not preceded by "Retrieved from".
  • For books and book chapters, only the publisher is needed, not the place of publication.

Examples
Journal article :
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Name of the Journal, volume(issue), #-#. http://doi.org/10.XXXX

Book :
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Copyright Year). Title of the book (7th ed.). Publisher. http://doi.org/10.XXXX

Book chapter :
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Copyright Year). Title of the book chapter. In A. A. Editor & B. B. Editor (Eds.), Title of the book (2nd ed., pp. #-#). Publisher. http://doi.org/10.XXXX

Conference contribution:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year, Month DD-DD). Title of contribution [Type of contribution]. Conference Name, City, Country. http://xxxx

Symposium contribution:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month, DD-DD). Title of contribution. In A. A. Chair & B. B. Chair (Chairs), Title of symposium [Symposium]. Conference Name, City, Country. http://xxxx  

Doctoral dissertation:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University or institution awarding the degree.

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation [Doctoral dissertation, University]. Database or Archive Name where dissertation is published. https://xxxx

Document from an organization:
Name of Organization that published the document (Year). Document title. Publisher. https://doi.org/10.xxxx (or URL if no DOI).

Length of the text does not include the title, abstracts and references. It must not exceed the following limits:

  • 10'000 words for empirical research articles, theoretical articles, meta-analysis, literature reviews, practice narratives and practical implications articles.
  • 2'000 words for book reviews.

Digital text support: the recommended electronic format for texts is Microsoft® Word 2010 or a later version, or any other comparable open source format. JPEG, GIF, TIFF image formats are recommended for figures and graphics.

Peer review criteria:
Peer reviewers are asked to apply the following criteria:

  • The text corresponds to the type of text announced and is organised according to the main parts that characterise it.
  • The sequence of the contents of the text is coherent (internal consistency, thread).
  • The research questions and/or hypotheses are specified.
  • The epistemological approach is specified.
  • The text proposes a reasoned state of knowledge and theories in relation to the object of study.
  • The key concepts and/or variables, as well as their relation, are explained.
  • The context and participants, data collection and associated tools are specified and relevant.
  • The method of data analysis is described and is relevant to the research question.
  • The results are rigorously interpreted and discussed in relation to the research objectives and the literature.
  • Developmental perspectives are discussed and scientific and/or social implications are outlined.
  • The text complies with the editorial standards of "La Revue LEeE".