Submissions

Author Guidelines

About JCES

The Journal of Counseling and Educational Studies (JCES) publishes original, high-quality manuscripts that contribute meaningfully to the advancement of counseling and related educational science disciplines. The journal is grounded primarily in counseling and counselor education while also welcoming strong scholarship from educational psychology, educational leadership, school psychology, and related fields when that work clearly informs counseling theory, research, practice, training, supervision, policy, or outcomes.

JCES seeks manuscripts that are theoretically grounded, methodologically rigorous, and practically relevant. We welcome scholarship that addresses contemporary issues in counseling, counselor preparation, educational systems, leadership, mental health, learning, equity, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The journal serves a diverse readership that includes scholars, researchers, counselor educators, practitioners, school psychologists, educational leaders, doctoral students, emerging scholars, and policy professionals.

Who May Submit

Anyone may submit an original manuscript to JCES provided they hold the copyright to the work or are authorized by the copyright holder(s) to submit it. Submission of a manuscript indicates that all listed authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript and agree to its submission to the journal.

Types of Manuscripts

JCES welcomes the following types of submissions:

• Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods empirical research
• Theory-driven and conceptual manuscripts
• Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and integrative literature reviews
• Methodological and measurement studies relevant to counseling and educational sciences
• Program evaluations and practice-informed research
• Policy analyses with clear implications for counseling and educational systems

Although the journal’s central identity is rooted in counseling and counselor education, manuscripts from adjacent disciplines are encouraged when they demonstrate clear relevance to the journal’s audience and mission.

General Submission Policies

Submitted manuscripts must be original work and may not have been previously published or be under consideration by another journal at the time of submission.

By submitting a manuscript to JCES, authors affirm that:

• the work is original;
• the manuscript is not under review elsewhere;
• all authors have approved the submitted version; and
• the manuscript complies with applicable ethical, professional, and scholarly standards.

Manuscripts that fall outside the scope of the journal or do not conform to submission requirements may be returned without external review.

Peer Review Policy

JCES uses a double-blind peer review process. All submissions are first reviewed by the editorial team for fit, quality, and adherence to journal requirements. Manuscripts deemed appropriate for the journal will be sent for anonymous peer review.

To preserve the integrity of the review process, authors must ensure that the manuscript is fully anonymized prior to submission.

Manuscript Preparation and Formatting Requirements

All manuscripts must be prepared in accordance with the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).

Initial submissions should meet the following requirements:

• Submit manuscripts in Microsoft Word format.
• Use 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Double-space all material, including the abstract, quotations, references, tables, and figure notes.
• Use 1-inch margins on all sides.
• Include page numbers throughout the manuscript.
• Manuscripts should generally not exceed 20 pages, including references, tables, and figures. Longer manuscripts may be considered when justified by the nature of the study, such as qualitative, mixed-methods, or multi-study designs, though authors are expected to write with clarity and concision.
• Tables and figures should be embedded in the manuscript near their first mention or placed at the end of the document, provided they are clearly labeled and cited in the text.
• Avoid the use of footnotes and endnotes unless absolutely necessary.
• Use clear, professional, inclusive, and bias-free language consistent with APA 7 standards.

Title

Include a concise and informative title of no more than 15 words.

Abstract

Include an abstract of 120 to 200 words. The abstract should briefly communicate the purpose of the manuscript, the context or problem addressed, the method or approach used, the principal findings or core argument, and the implications of the work.

Keywords

Include 3 to 5 keywords immediately following the abstract.

Organization of the Manuscript

Although manuscript organization may vary somewhat by methodology and article type, authors should generally prepare submissions with clearly developed sections appropriate to the nature of the work.

Empirical research manuscripts will typically include the following:

• Introduction
• Literature review or conceptual framing
• Method
• Results or findings
• Discussion
• Implications
• Limitations
• References

Conceptual, policy, methodological, and review manuscripts should also be organized clearly and logically, with headings that guide readers through the purpose, argument, evidence base, and implications of the manuscript.

Authors are encouraged to write for an interdisciplinary audience. Strong manuscripts clearly establish the significance of the problem, connect the work to relevant theory and scholarship, and explain why the findings or argument matter for counseling, counselor education, educational systems, leadership, or related practice settings.

Review Requirements

Because JCES uses double-blind peer review, all manuscripts must be prepared for masked review.

The manuscript file must not include:

• author names
• institutional affiliations
• acknowledgments
• grant numbers or identifying funding details
• self-identifying references in text
• any other content that could reveal the identity of the author(s)

Authors should also remove identifying information from file properties whenever possible.

Self-citations should be written in a neutral manner. Authors should refer to their prior work in the third person, consistent with APA style, rather than using phrasing that reveals authorship.

A separate title page containing author information must be uploaded at the time of submission.

Title Page Requirements

The title page should be submitted as a separate file and must include:

• the manuscript title
• full name of each author
• institutional affiliation for each author
• corresponding author’s name and email address
• ORCID iD for each author, if available
• acknowledgments, if applicable
• funding statement, if applicable
• conflict of interest statement
• ethics approval statement, if applicable
• data availability statement, if applicable

Ethical and Research Reporting Expectations

JCES is committed to ethical, transparent, and rigorous scholarship. Authors are expected to adhere to appropriate professional and disciplinary standards in the design, conduct, reporting, and interpretation of their work.

For manuscripts reporting research involving human participants, authors should include a statement regarding:

• institutional review board or ethics committee approval, exemption, or waiver, as applicable
• informed consent and, when appropriate, assent procedures
• adherence to relevant ethical standards and professional guidelines

For counseling-related research, authors should ensure that the manuscript reflects appropriate attention to professional standards, such as the ACA Code of Ethics, ACES Best Practices, or other relevant disciplinary guidance where applicable.

Authors should also disclose:

• any funding sources
• any conflicts of interest or competing interests
• data availability information, when applicable

Empirical manuscripts should provide sufficient detail for readers to evaluate the quality and relevance of the work. As appropriate, authors are encouraged to report:

• participant or sample characteristics
• inclusion and exclusion criteria
• measures and supporting psychometric information
• procedures
• analytic methods
• limitations
• implications for research, training, practice, policy, leadership, or systems

Authors are encouraged to follow relevant APA reporting guidance for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research.

Authorship

All listed authors should have made substantial scholarly contributions to the manuscript and should approve the final submitted version. Authorship should accurately reflect intellectual contribution and responsibility for the work.

The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the journal and for ensuring that all coauthors have reviewed and approved the submission.

References

All references must be prepared according to APA 7th edition. Authors are responsible for ensuring that references are accurate, complete, and consistent with in-text citations.

Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be clearly labeled, cited in the text, and presented in a format consistent with APA 7. Titles and notes should provide enough information for readers to understand the content without referring back extensively to the text.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce or adapt copyrighted tables, figures, or other material when required.

Copyright and Publication

Authors retain responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their submitted work. If a manuscript is accepted, authors may be required to submit a final non-blinded version and complete any publication agreements required by the journal.

If copyrighted material is reproduced or adapted, authors must secure the necessary written permissions prior to publication.

Questions

Questions about manuscript preparation or submission may be directed to the editorial board of the Journal of Counseling and Educational Studies at jces@wichita.edu. Authors are encouraged to review the journal’s scope carefully before submission to ensure alignment with the journal’s mission and readership.