Submission Guidelines
Manuscript Submission
Adherence to manuscript preparation and submission guidelines increases the efficiency with which manuscripts are processed. The Editors reserve the right to return or reject manuscripts that deviate substantially from these requirements.
Manuscript format and style. Follow the instructions and specifications provided in the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2019). It may be purchased from the APA Order Department, P.O. Box 92984, Washington, DC 20090-2984 (online: www.apa.org/books/). Begin each of the following on a new page: title page, abstract, first page of text, references, appendix, footnotes, tables, figure captions, figures. Use margins of 1 inch on all sides of every page (top, bottom, and sides). Double-space everything, including text, tables, and references. Please use 12-point font. Text should be left-justified, and words should not be divided at the end of lines.
Title page. A separate title page should be submitted with the manuscript. Place all information about the authors (e.g., institutional affiliations and contact information) on this page only, using the APA three-paragraph format (i.e., affiliation, acknowledgments, contact information). Blind review requires that information that might identify the authors or their affiliations be removed from all pages of the manuscript except the title page.
Abstract. Include an abstract that does not exceed 150 words in length.
Manuscript length. Most reports of empirical investigations that are considered for publication in Merrill-Palmer Quarterly do not exceed 30–40 pages, all-inclusive (i.e., including references, tables, and figures). Additional page space may, at times, be permitted for manuscripts that contain multiple studies.
Written informed consent. Reports of studies in which minors (i.e., children, adolescents under the age of 18) were participants must include a description of the procedures used to obtain written informed consent, and an assurance that informed consent was obtained for all participants prior to their involvement in the investigation (see the American Psychological Association’s ethical guidelines). Reports of studies that do not meet established ethical standards (e.g., the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association) cannot be considered for publication.
Cover letter. In a cover letter, the corresponding author must affirm that (a) the manuscript (and findings) is not under consideration by another publisher or journal and (b) the study reported in this manuscript has been conducted in accordance with APA ethical guidelines. For studies that are part of a larger project or have aspects in common with previously published articles, please explain how the various parts are related. The cover letter should contain the following forms of contact information for the corresponding author: e-mail address, postal (street) address, and phone number. The corresponding author is responsible for keeping coauthors apprised of all information pertaining to manuscript submission, manuscript review, and editorial decisions.
Submitting manuscripts for review. To submit a manuscript, use the submit article portal at digitalcommons.wayne.edu/mpq. Submissions (manuscript and cover letter) should be uploaded as MS Word documents.
Student class/graduation requirements. Student/scholar authors needing publication within a limited timeline for the purpose of meeting graduation and/or other class requirements: because of the cyclical nature of periodic journals, a specific hastened future publication date cannot be offered nor guaranteed, and relying on this is advised against.
Manuscript inquiries and communications. Inquiries about manuscripts should be directed to the Editorial Office via e-mail (mpq@asu.edu). Receipt of manuscripts will be acknowledged via e-mail.
References
American Psychological Association. (2019). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.