Submissions Guidelines and Information

Between the Keys (BtK) is currently welcoming submissions in English on all topics related to the development of pedagogic materials. Between the Keys is an open journal, meaning that we accept submissions from everyone, not just JALT members. The magazine is currently published three times a year and distributed online in PDF format.

We are currently open to the following:

• Research Articles

• Reviews

• Columns

Descriptions and word counts, as well as instructions on how to submit and our statement on copyright can be found below.

Articles

Between the Keys is looking for academic research articles regarding materials design. Articles can be about any aspect of materials design, but should follow accepted professional and academic standards, meaning they must be fully referenced and include sufficient background detail that their wider context is easily understood. They should be between 1500 - 4000 words in length (although longer articles may be divided into sections and published across multiple issues.) All research articles will be proofread and vetted by the members of the JALT Materials Writers SIG and published as a peer-reviewed work.

Reviews

Between the Keys is also looking for thoughtful, discussion-provoking reviews of academic and journalistic articles, textbooks, teaching tools and materials, and presentations. Reviews should follow professional standards and contain a complete citation of the work being reviewed. They should be between 800 to 1000 words regardless of the materials being reviewed. Photos, videos, and other illustrations are encouraged for inclusion with the review.

Columns

At the time of writing, Between the Keys has two columns: Musings on Marketing and Key Lessons.

Musings on Marketing

Have you written a textbook or published materials independently? If so, we'd love to hear about it. Musings on Marketing is a new column based on Sean Anderson's article of the same name published in Between the Keys 30.1 (Spring 2022). The column will run between 800 to 1000 words, ideally broken into 7 to 10 bullet points that reflect on your experiences with materials writing and creation. These might include your route to publication, your day-to-day work in creating your materials, and your reflections on your experience as a whole.

Key Lessons

The past few years have accelerated changes that were already happening in our classrooms due to changes in technology, pedagogical theory, and materials design. What we'd like to know is how that has affected your teaching practice. In particular, we'd like you to share lesson plans that reflect these changes. In short, tell us about a lesson plan you have perfected, are working the knots out of, or are considering implementing soon. What sparked the idea and how has it worked out? What materials did you create or adapt to use in your lesson plan? (Between 800 and 3,000 words.)

Additionally

In addition to the formats listed above, Between the Keys is open to a wide range of "other" articles and columns. We welcome:

• perspective/opinion pieces (up to 1500 words)

• responses to BtK articles (up to 1000 words)

• letters to the editor (up to 500 words)

• interviews with materials-related writers, publishers, academics (up to 1500 words)

Submissions

All submissions should follow these guidelines. Any submissions that fail to do so will not be considered.

• Submissions should be sent to materialswriters-publications@jalt.org 

• The submitted work should be formatted as either an MS Word document or a Google Docs document.

• Any photos or illustrations necessary should be included in a separate archive file (e.g. a zip file).

• Please include a brief cover letter describing the submitted work (e.g. article, review, etc.) and a brief biography of the author.

If you do not have a completed piece of work to submit but wish to know if it might be suited for Between the Keys, please send an email to the address listed above with the word "pitch" in the subject line. If we think your work is right for the magazine, we will work with you to see it to completion.

Between the Keys accepts work for publication year-round. Once a piece is accepted, the author may be requested to make changes for purposes of clarity, length, or other publishing considerations. While it is always our intent to publish work as soon as possible, we cannot guarantee any specific length of time between acceptance and publication.

Policy on the Use and Disclosure of Generative AI

AI tools have become ubiquitous in academia, and academic writing is no exception. However, in order to maintain professional standards and transparency, certain safeguards are necessary to ensure that AI tools are used ethically.

In cases where AI has been used in a submission, authors should identify, clearly and specifically, what it was used for in a disclosure statement along with their submission. This should indicate which portions of the paper (Abstract, Introduction, Methodology, etc.) contain AI alterations, and for what purposes (proofreading, calculations, etc.) AI was used. If AI has not been used, a disclosure should still be submitted, stating, “Generative AI was not used in the research, writing, analysis, or editing of this paper.”

“AI” as used here includes generative AI and large language-learning models (ChatGPT, Claude, Grok) or any software capable of composing or transforming text beyond simple proofreading. Spelling and grammar check functions found in most word processing software are permitted without acknowledgement, as is translation, provided it is direct and literal, not interpretive.

Acceptable uses of AI may include:

• Initial research (suggesting literature)

• Proofreading (grammar, punctuation)

• Numerical or statistical calculations (not analysis, labels, or interpretations)

• Translation (if direct and literal, not interpretive)

However, because AI is a tool, and not an author, it cannot take responsibility for academic work, and as such, cannot ethically be used for:

• Composition (writing; this includes rewriting, paraphrasing, or altering text to achieve an “academic tone”)

• Analysis (beyond numerical or statistical calculations; the significance of such calculations must always be determined by human authors)

• Generating codes, themes, or titles

• Making claims, interpretations, or conclusions

AI may not be listed as an author, contributor, collaborator, etc.

Between the Keys may employ current AI-detection tools as part of its initial editorial screening. Where screening suggests that a manuscript may be substantially AI-generated or otherwise inconsistent with the journal’s authorship policy, the editors may request clarification from the author before any editorial decision is made. Final decisions regarding publication rest with the editorial board.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that use of AI tools does not violate data protection, confidentiality, or participant consent requirements.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all submitted work, including any content produced or assisted by AI tools.

Copyright

All articles are the copyright of their respective authors. JALT Materials Writers SIG publishes Between the Keys under a Creative Commons BY-SA license. This allows us to collect and re-publish articles at any time; however, full attribution will always be given to all authors.