The Community College Journal is published six times yearly: August/September, October/November, December/January, February/March, April/May, and June/July. AACC welcomes Journal submissions. All manuscripts, solicited or unsolicited, are subject to review and may be published or not according to the editors’ discretion. AACC assumes no responsibility for the receipt, return, or publication of unsolicited manuscripts. AACC reserves the right to edit all articles for length, style, and accuracy. All articles published in the Journal become the property of AACC.
A. Topics
Each issue of the Journal focuses on a theme. Please contact the Journal editor for a complete editorial calendar.
- Journal articles examine in-depth trends, problems and solutions, innovations, new technologies, and new ideas in higher education. The Journal avoids articles on empirical research and favors essays offering an objective look at problems and solutions of contemporary community colleges.
- Articles should involve community and junior colleges, technical institutes, and independent schools, particularly those institutions that are members of AACC. Issues should be of current interest to presidents, board members, administrators, faculty, and staff at two-year institutions. The Journal does not accept articles on K–12 or four-year education and rarely accepts articles about general higher education unless they are germane to the two-year college audience.
- For a guest editorial, such as “Lessons in Leadership” and “Viewpoint,” write a piece on a topic of concern to community colleges, particularly something your institution has been involved in. Query the Journal editor for topics of interest.
B. Length
- Features: 1,500–2,200 words on national perspectives, long-term trends, analysis. At this time, the Journal is not accepting Feature submissions.
- Lessons in Leadership – 700–1,000 words: A primer from current and former community colleges leaders on lessons learned, best practices, etc.
- Viewpoint: – 600–800 words: An op-ed from a community college practitioner about an issue of interest to the community college sector.
- Success Stories – 700–1,000 words: A look at an innovative program that has generated positive results at an institution and could be adopted/adapted at other institutions.
C. Style
Associated Press.
D. Tips for Writers
- Read the Journal before submitting anything so you have a better understanding of issues covered and style.
- Avoid overly academic pieces. The Journal is not a peer-reviewed, academic journal.
- Know the audience: readers of the Journal are primarily community college practitioners. They are entrenched in the sector and therefore do not need definitions of what community colleges are or who they serve.
- Add to the current literature or research. Original, even controversial, articles are more desirable than well-written pieces on outworn issues.
- Provide a nuts-and-bolts look at how to implement programs in the real world.
- Present a national perspective, long-term trends, or analysis.
- Submit well-written, coherent, and logical articles.
- Avoid self-promotional articles. The Journal does not run public relations pieces for colleges, outside organizations, or companies that provide products or services to colleges. The only exceptions to this rule are paid advertising and house ads.
- Include candid, publication-quality photographs (300 dpi) illustrating the article. Avoid posed photographs, “grip and grin,” etc. All photos must have an accompanying caption identifying its subject. With feature articles, accompanying charts, graphs and tables are a definite plus. Submitted graphic elements should not be embedded in the article copy. Please send graphics as separate electronic files. Consult Journal editor first if you wish to send photographs or other art electronically.
- Not sure your piece is a fit for the Journal? Try AACC’s daily publication, Community College Daily. Send inquiries to ccdaily@aacc.nche.edu.
E. Deadlines
To be considered for publication, manuscripts must be received at least three months before the issue date. Please contact the Journaleditor for a complete editorial calendar.
F. Submission
- Electronic files sent as an e-mail attachment are the preferred method of delivery. Microsoft Word for PC platform preferred. Send art by fast, traceable service. Consult the Journal editor if you wish to send photographs or other art electronically. Photographs must be high resolution tagged image file format (TIFF) or encapsulated postscript (EPS) file of at least 300 dpi.
- Insert a running header in the text that includes filename, article name, your name, date, and page numbers. Double-space text.
- Send submissions to Tabitha Whissemore at twhissemore@aacc.nche.edu. For more information, e-mail or call 202-416-4521.
Contact Us
Tabitha Whissemore
Writer/Editor
Ph: 202.728.0200 x211
twhissemore@aacc.nche.edu