Journal of NEAFCS

Manuscripts must be submitted through the online submission portal. The portal closes on April 1, 2025. See details below to prepare an article for the 2025 Journal of NEAFCS. 

Click here to access the online submission portal

Submission Guidelines

The Journal of the National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (JNEAFCS) is a refereed journal published annually to showcase research and creative activities of National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences members. Marketing, reviewing, and publishing JNEAFCS is coordinated by the Journal Editorial Committee under the leadership of Co-editor Ashley Dixon of University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and Rebecca Hardeman of University of Georgia, Apprentice Meagan Brothers of Purdue University Cooperative Extension, and VP of Member Resources Troy Anderson of University of Maryland. 

JNEAFCS invites submissions in three categories:

  • Research: discusses research procedures and outcomes, whether basic or applied, quantitative or qualitative, which are essential to successful Extension programs.
  • Best Practices: may not always incorporate a research component, but should focus on lessons learned through practical applications.
  • Implications for Extension: features trends and other emerging issues of benefit to Family and Consumer Sciences professionals.

JNEAFCS accepts general submissions on all Family and Consumer Sciences related topics. 

Submissions

Reminder: PDFs are not accepted. Submissions must be uploaded as a WORD file. 

Identify the category of each submission. Upload two separate copies of each manuscript:

  • one blind copy with no identifying information (e.g., names of authors, institutions, or geographic locations), AND
  • one copy that includes identifying information (see Format).

At least one author must be a current member of the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. Authors will be listed in the order submitted. All communications from the editors will be directed to the lead author. Only contact information for the lead author will be published.

Authors increase their chances of acceptance by carefully following guidelines in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition. For objectivity, authors would do well to have their manuscripts reviewed by a trusted colleague with expertise in the English language. Articles should be comprehensive, cohesive, logical, and readable. Extensive grammar and spelling errors will result in manuscripts being declined for publication, or returned to authors for correction prior to blind review.

Layout

Text should be double spaced, using Arial or Calibri, with 11-point font size, and 1 inch margins.

Format

Refer to the Publication Manual of the APA, Seventh Edition as a style guide and for examples of the correct structure and content of manuscripts..

  1. Title page: includes title of the paper, the authors' names, and the institutional affiliations. The page should also include an author's note listing (1) authors' names, (2) ORCID iDs, (3) changes in affiliations, and (4) disclosures or acknowledgements. Be sure to follow APA guidelines.
  2. All pages have a running head and page numbering.
  3. Abstract: separate page, 50 to 100 words, key words not required.
  4. Text begins on next page, includes title (centered), and introduction (not labeled).
  5. Articles should be 8 pages or less (not including references and appendices).
  6. References begin on a separate page and should be meticulously formatted according to APA guidelines.
  7. Double check in-text citations and cross reference for accuracy before submission. Make sure URLs are active.
  8. Tables, figures, and appendices all begin on separate pages (in that order) and must be formatted according to APA guidelines (see Publication Manual, Section 7).
  9. Photographs may be submitted. If selected for publication, a signed release from photographer (and subjects, if applicable) is required.

Requirements

Manuscripts in all categories (i.e., Research, Best Practices, and Implications for Extension) must include an abstract, an introduction (not labeled), a comprehensive and relevant literature review, and five levels of heading (as applicable), including main headings and subheadings to improve readability.

All submissions must include an author's note including the (1) corresponding author's name, (2) ORCID iD, (3) changes in affiliations, (4) disclosures or acknowledgements. Be sure to follow APA guidelines for specific guidance.

Articles submitted must include the following main headings:

  • Abstract
  • Introduction (not labeled)
  • Objective or Purpose
  • Method (for Research track) or Background (for other tracks)
  • Results or Findings
  • Summary or Discussion

Use the Author's Checklist to assure that all submission guidelines and requirements have been met prior to submission.

Review

The Journal of National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences uses a blind, peer review procedure which may take from six to eight months. As part of the review process (1) each article is read by three or more reviewers; (2) reviewer's recommendations and comments are returned to editors; (3) editors incorporate reviewer's comments into manuscripts using Track Changes, which keeps reviewer's feedback anonymous; (4) manuscripts are forwarded to lead authors for revision; (5) corrected manuscripts are returned to the editor; (6) editors continue to work with lead authors until all revisions are acceptable and manuscripts are ready for publication.

Note

JNEAFCS prefers articles that have not been published previously. If the article, or the study, program, or research described in the article, has been published in any format, a signed permission letter on letterhead from both the publisher and the author must accompany the manuscript when submitted. Any future reference to the article published in JNEAFCS should cite and credit the JNEAFCS publication.

Disclaimer

Authors are solely responsible for the content, accuracy, and clarity of manuscripts. Mention of any educational method, service, product, or manufacturer in publications of the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences does not constitute endorsement by (a) NEAFCS, (b) any state Extension organization, or (c) the Cooperative Extension system.

Author's Checklist

Please see the JNEAFCS Author's Checklist for the complete Author's Checklist.

For additional information see Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition. Also visit Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) APA Formatting and Style Guide or APA Style Website.