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Resources for Authors

Suggestions for Organizing a JAAER Article  

Abstract and Keywords:

The abstract should include the four or five most important concepts, findings, or implications resulting from your research. Including key words with your abstract will help researchers find your article.

Introduction:

The purpose of the introduction is to preview the entire document point by point.  

The introduction should offer a brief encapsulation of the entire paper that includes the following:   

• A thesis statement  
• Research question(s)   
• Overt statement of why the study is needed   
• Methodology statement  
• Organizational preview of entire document   

Background:

The purpose of the background is to justify the need for your study and provide enough information for the reader to appreciate where you are taking them with this essay.   

The background section offers a logical argument for why the study is needed that includes the following:  

• An introduction paragraph for the section  
• A thesis statement for that section itself   
• This thesis statement answers the question of why the study is needed  
• An organizational preview for what will be included in this section  
• A concluding paragraph that summarizes the main take away of this section   

Literature Review:

The literature review locates your study within a tradition of research, scholarship, or studies. It should provide an argument that evaluates existing literature:

• Identify strengths and weaknesses  
• Argue why your study is needed to fill a gap or build on a tradition  
• Support the merits of your study  
• Tell the reader how your study will add to what we already know  

Methodology:

The purpose of the methods section is to detail step-by-step the process involved in the study and to explain why this approach was needed.   

The methodology section should show readers how you established credible research processes by presenting the following information:  

• A reminder of the research question(s)  
• A breakdown of each step in the study   
• A well-researched explanation of why this is the best approach to the study   
• A logical argument that justifies your approach to answering the research question  

Results or Findings:

The purpose of this results section is to report your findings simply and objectively.  

Analysis or Discussion:

The purpose of the analysis section is to make sense of your results.   

Conclusion:

The purpose of the conclusion is to restate the study’s value, to clarify the significance of the findings, and/or to identify strengths and weakness of the study or the results.   

The conclusion should include the following information:  

• An explanation of the study’s significance  
• A description of the study’s strengths   
• A self-critique that admits the limitations and weaknesses of the study  
• Suggestions for further research   

JAAER Article Evaluation Rubric

Criteria>>>>>        Score>>>>>>	Acceptable        4	Minor Corrections     3	Major Corrections     2	Unacceptable       1	Score with optional  comment
Innovative Research:   Contribution to the body of knowledge; operational application to the field.	Notable contribution to the field; clearly identifies real-world problem; acknowledges previous research; explores innovative topic or approach.	Significant contribution to the field; recognizes previous research; attempts to identity real-world applications; addresses new topic or approach.	Insufficient contribution to the field; alludes to previous research; hints at real-world application; attempts to address new topic or approach.	Unclear contribution to the field; fails to acknowledge previous research; lacks real-world application and/or a new topic or approach.	Score:
Organization:   Presentation of the material.	Clear organization; foregrounds research question; presents information logically and concisely.	Mostly clear organization; states research question; presents most information logically and concisely.	Unclear organization; implies research question; needs substantial revision for clarity and concision.	Disorganized; lacks a research question or hypothesis; requires substantial revision.	Score:
Methodology:  Theoretical framework or approach.	Clear statement of methodology; strong connection to research question; supports theoretical framework.	Mostly clear statement of methodology; good connection to research question; supports theoretical framework.	Some explanation of methodology; weak connection to research question; inadequate theoretical framework.	Lacks explanation of methodology;   no connection to research question or theoretical framework.	Score:
Analysis:    Interpretation of results.	Clear explanation of findings; conclusion strongly supported.	Clear explanation of findings; conclusion mostly supported.	Insufficient explanation of findings; inadequate support for conclusion.	Incomplete explanation of findings; flawed support for findings.	Score:
Format:   JAAER and APA guidelines.	Strictly adheres to JAAER format requirementsand APA style guide; free of grammar and spelling errors.	Mostly adheres to JAAER format requirements and APA style guide; mostly free of grammar and spelling errors.	Barely adheres to JAAER format requirements and APA style guide; some mechanical and spelling errors.	Does not adhere to JAAER format requirements and APA style guide; frequent errors in grammar and spelling.	Score:
Reviewer Final Comments: