Submissions

Author Guidelines

MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS

The aim of The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL) is to disseminate scholarly information to academics and practitioners of open and distributed learning worldwide. Authors submit their manuscripts online by registering with this journal, logging in, clicking the “New Submission” link, and following the screen instructions through a five-step submission process. There are no article submission or access charges for publication in IRRODL. If you have trouble logging in to IRRODL’s site, please contact us at irrodl@athabascau.ca.

• Submission topics must relate to open or distributed learning and may be placed in the Research Article, Literature Review, or a Notes sections. 
• Research Articles must have a word count within 4,000–7,000 words, including all references, appendices, tables, and figures. Submissions that exceed this limit will not be accepted for review.
• Notes sections are normally below 4,000 words.
• Literature Reviews with analyses may be acceptable if they include a large number of references that exceed the word limit; however, the body of the paper must not exceed 7,000 words. Such submissions must be clearly labeled.
• An abstract (150–250 words) and keywords (at least 4) must follow the title.
• Upon submission, all authors and affiliations must be represented in the submission metadata. Author information must be removed from the article for blind review. Replace all author mentions with “Author” and author references with “Deleted for Peer Review.”
• Tables and figures are encouraged in articles and must be placed within the text.
• Footnotes are not accepted; however, endnotes can be included at the end of an article as appropriate.
• Supplemental files are not accepted. Any file attached to your submission will be deleted. To provide supplemental information other than in an Appendix, include a link to an external website for readers to review. Note: this will not be reviewed or edited by IRRODL.
• APA 7th edition formatting style, referencing, and double-blind peer review requirements are strictly enforced. Failure to meet the submission guidelines satisfactorily will result in your article being rejected.
• By submitting to IRRODL, authors agree to the submission of their article to Turnitin for the purpose of detecting plagiarism or confirming originality.
• Data must be collected and analyzed in an appropriate manner, ensuring regard for the privacy of subjects. Researchers must confirm that they have followed ethical standards for research involving human participants (e.g., standards detailed for Canadian researchers). If an AI application (e.g., Bard, ChatGPT) has been used, it must be acknowledged.

PREPARING FULL-PAPER (RESEARCH ARTICLE) MANUSCRIPTS

A publishable paper should include the following sections:

• Abstract (150–250 words): Describe the research problem, method, basic findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Keywords: Provide at least four keywords.
• Introduction: Describe the research problem.
• Research Method and/or Theory Used: Outline the methodology or theoretical framework.
• If applicable, describe the pool of subjects and how they were chosen.
• Analysis: Discuss research results and their impact on theory and practice.
• Conclusion
• References: Provide an unnumbered reference list in APA 7th edition format.

Documentation

Manuscripts must conform to the APA 7th edition standard for referencing and style. Authors are expected to consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed., 2020).

• Follow the author-date method of citation in the text.
• Provide page numbers for all direct quotes.
• Prepare an unnumbered reference list in alphabetical order by author. For multiple articles by the same author(s), list the most recent first.
• Ensure all references cited in the text also appear in the reference section.

Authors may download the IRRODL Submission Guideline Template to help ensure compliance with submission requirements.

Below are some examples of basic reference list formats:

Citing an Article in a Periodical

• Format: Surname, A. A. (Year). Article title. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), inclusive page numbers. DOI or link if available.
• Example: Grow, G. O. (1994). In defense of the staged self-directed learning model. Adult Education Quarterly, 44(2), 109–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/074171369404400206

Citing a Book

• Format: Surname, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. DOI or link if available.
• Example: Rogers, E. (1962). Diffusion of innovations. Free Press.

Citing an Edited Book

• Format: Surname, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In Editor First Initial, Editor Last Name (Ed.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher. DOI or link if available.
• Example: Ally, M. (2008). Foundations of educational theory for online learning. In T. Anderson (Ed.), The theory and practice of online learning (pp. 15–44). AU Press. https://www.aupress.ca/books/120146-the-theory-and-practice-of-online-learning/

Refer to the  APA 7th edition website for more reference types, including conference proceedings, blog posts, reports, and dissertations.

Style

Refer to the APA 7th edition for guidance on expression (grammar, reducing bias, etc.) and style (punctuation, capitalization, headings, etc.). Adherence to APA 7th edition style is mandatory.

Language

IRRODL accepts articles in English only. Submissions in International, British, or American English spelling are acceptable but must be consistent throughout. Please use spell check before submission.

Abbreviations

To abbreviate the name of an organization or agency, use capitals without periods (e.g., YWCA). For the first occurrence of an abbreviation, provide the full name followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Once introduced, the abbreviation may be used throughout the paper (not the abstract).

Example: The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning (IRRODL) is a refereed, open-access, online journal that disseminates original research, theory, and best practices in open and distributed learning.

ORIGINALITY

Manuscripts submitted to IRRODL must be original material that has not been published or submitted for review elsewhere.

1. Every article must maintain a high quality of scholarship, be original and unpublished, and contribute to the field of open and distributed education scholarship. It must not plagiarize the work of others. Articles previously published or currently under review by another peer-reviewed commercial or scholarly publisher are not eligible for publication in IRRODL. Using large portions of an author’s previously published works is not permitted.
2. Authors are solely responsible for the accuracy of all references, citations, and information presented in the manuscript. If an AI application (e.g., Bard, ChatGPT) has been used in the preparation of the article, this use must be clearly acknowledged within the manuscript.
3. Articles distributed as conference proceedings or self-published in blogs or institutional repositories should be substantially revised before submission. If your article is derived from a thesis or dissertation, please provide the name of the institution to which it was submitted, the date of submission, the author(s), and the supervisor. The editor may ask to review in detail the publication/distribution history of any work to make this determination.
4. Articles that appeared in conference proceedings or were self-published should acknowledge this distribution history in an endnote. Authors submitting articles that were previously distributed should also include a note to the editor detailing the rationale for review and publication by IRRODL.

ESL/New Authors: If you are uncertain whether your paper meets the standards required by a peer-reviewed journal, please seek advice and assistance from a professional agency or an editor, such as AuthorAid at http://www.authoraid.info/ (a free-of-charge mentoring service).

IRRODL SECTIONS

• Research Articles: Peer-reviewed articles presenting theory, research findings, or best practices in open and distributed learning, including Literature Reviews. Submissions should range between 4,000–7,000 words and undergo a double-blind peer review process.
• Notes: Short articles that fall outside the scope of a Research Article and are typically reviewed by editors. These may be categorized as one of the following:
• Research Notes: Reports on proposed or ongoing research projects or on completed studies that lack key elements, such as a theoretical framework.
• Leadership Notes: Articles addressing leadership challenges or developments specific to distributed or open learning.
• Field Notes: Concise descriptions of innovative projects, practical applications, or interventions within distributed or open education programs.
• Technical Notes: Articles that examine, compare, or evaluate technological tools, innovations, or applications.

• Book Reviews: IRRODL reserves a dedicated section for the scholarly review of current books that contribute to the literature of open and distributed education. These reviews aim to engage distance educators in sharing their perspectives on new publications that advance the theory, research, and practice of distance education. While IRRODL often invites specific reviews, unsolicited reviews are also welcome and can be submitted to the Book Reviews Editor. Reviews should adhere to the following structure and guidelines:
  
  
  • Heading and Signature: Each review should begin with the full details of the book, including the title, author’s name, location, publisher, publication date, edition, number of pages, and ISBN. Additionally, include the name of the reviewer and their institutional affiliation.
    
    
  • Introduction: The introduction should provide an overview of the book’s topic and content. Clearly state your main purpose in presenting the review. Offer context about the author’s background and qualifications, the intended audience of the book, its purpose, and the author’s main thesis.
    
    
  • Organization/Structure: Discuss the organization and structure of the book. Evaluate how accurate and up-to-date the presented information is. Analyze how effectively the author develops their thesis through supporting ideas, arguments, documentation, and evidence. Assess whether the evidence provided supports the book’s conclusions.
    
    
  • Assessment of Significance: Evaluate the book’s contribution to the field of distance education theory, research, and practice. Consider how current the information is, how effectively the author conveys the information, and the major strengths and weaknesses of the work. Compare the book with other works on the same subject to determine its uniqueness and impact.
    
    
  • Overall Impression: Provide a summary of your overall impressions and conclusions. Explain whether you would recommend the book and why. Offer a holistic assessment of the book’s value to the field.
    
    
  • Additional Points (Mechanics): Support your evaluation with examples from the text. Highlight noteworthy statements or quotations and cite page numbers in parentheses following the quotes.
    
    
  • Word Count: Book reviews should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words.

IRRODL SPECIAL ISSUES

Special Issues in IRRODL are collections of articles centered around a specific theme relevant to open or distributed learning, such as research issues, policies, theory, and/or practice. These issues typically consist of a series of articles related to the chosen topic, along with an editorial written by the Special Issue Editor. As an innovative journal, IRRODL also welcomes proposals for formats beyond this traditional structure and is open to considering unique formats from the research community on a case-by-case basis.

To submit a proposal for a Special Issue, please follow the submission process outlined here and submit your proposal to the IRRODL Editor for consideration.