Praxis
Praxis?!?!?! What’s that?!
Praxis is a student-run journal, specifically designed to publish scholarship produced by students at Loyola’s School of Social Work. Praxis is published annually and is currently preparing to publish its fourth edition. Praxis accepts submissions from all students in the School of Social Work. Submissions may include empirical studies, case studies, theoretical analyses, book reviews, letters to the editor, and personal commentaries on the experience of being a student social worker.
Praxis is run like any other major journal whereby each submission is reviewed anonymously by three readers, each separately making a recommendation for rejection, revision or acceptance into the journal. Each reader will also provide the writer with helpful and constructive feedback on the article submitted. If more articles are accepted than there is space, the editor-in-chief makes the final determination regarding which articles are ultimately published in the journal.
Praxis-shmraxis! Why should I bother?
Well, there are a lot of good reasons to try to get published. First of all, right now, you may not be thinking about going for a PhD or becoming involved in academia, but that could change down the road. A publication could help your resume and build up your credibility as a writer. Also, we all have an obligation to the field of social work to contribute to the fund of knowledge available and, more importantly, we all have something to contribute based on our unique experiences and interests. Praxis is in Social Work Abstracts, so others in the field will see your work. Lastly, it’ll make mom proud. She’ll love showing off your work to the neighbors!
Ok, ok, you’ve sold me. Submitting to Praxis sounds like a good idea, but I don’t have anything to submit.
Sure, you do. By now, you have a number of papers under your belt that you have completed for classes. Those make the best submissions. Obviously, though, you will need to rework your paper to ensure it fits the scholarly nature of Praxis.
But, I wrote that paper at 4 in the morning . . . It’s not good enough to be published.
That is what revision is all about. You probably received some good feedback from your professor after the paper was graded. You can always go back and ask for further ways to improve your paper to increase its chances of being published. Also, it is a good idea to ask your colleagues to review your paper; they can provide you with helpful feedback as well. Ask for criticism—it is more useful that all praise. You can also use the Student Writing Center for assistance. For pointers on writing, you can pick up a number of style manuals as well as information on the internet.
Gee, those articles in last year’s edition were pretty darn good. I wish I knew how to get my paper to be that good.
Fear not. The Praxis editorial board came up with this handy, easy-to-use checklist that breaks down all of the major areas that are considered in reviewing a submission.
Contribution to Social Work Knowledge
- Is the paper original? Does it bring in a new point of view that has not been discussed
- before?
- Is the information useful and relevant to social work practice?
- Does the paper clearly use existing knowledge and point out how this paper fills a gap in the existing literature?
Purpose
- Is the purpose clearly stated in the first few paragraphs?
- Is there a clear statement of purpose, or thesis statement?
- Does the author address all issues of the stated and implied purposes of the paper?
- Is this a topic of significance that others should know about?
- Does the author explain how this article can impact others both in practice or implications for future research?
Organization
- Does the paper have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion?
- Does the paper flow coherently and logically?
- Are subheadings used to help the reader track the flow of the article?
Content
- Does the paper remain culturally aware and avoid any sort of bias or stereotyping?
- Does the paper avoid any generalizing labels (i.e. one should use “persons diagnosed with a mental illness” instead of “the mentally ill?”)
- Are all opinions clearly identified?
- If applicable, is case material used to illustrate major theoretical concepts rather than to serve as the substance of the manuscript?
- Are terms and concepts clearly defined in the paper? (i.e. don’t assume the reader is familiar with the topic)
- Has the paper been proofread and devoid of grammar or spelling mistakes?
- Are solutions to stated problems provided?
- Has unnecessary information been removed?
- Is proper methodology used and justified in article?
- Are methods clearly explicated in the article?
- Are authentic, original, and significant elements clearly revealed as a result of this article?
Style
- Are all redundancies and superfluous language eliminated?
- Is the paper written in the active voice throughout?
- Is the writing fresh and lively with colorful language?
References/Citations
- Is the work related to existing knowledge on the subject?
- Are references relevant to the topic?
- Is information up-to-date?
- Are all references properly documented using APA style?
That reference stuff is still tricky for me. The last thing I want is to be published and accused of plagiarism.
You’re right. Imitation may be the biggest form of flattery, but it is illegal. So, you must be extra careful in documentation and citation. Again, your professors and colleagues are good sources to ask questions about citation. But, the most useful book is the APA style manual, which lays out the proper way to document information obtained from nearly any source.
Mission accomplished! I have been through the checklist and checked it twice! My references are complete. Now, what?
You can submit your manuscript to Dr. Janice Rasheed, Faculty Liaison for Praxis by JANUARY 29. The next submission opportunity for the 2011 edition of Praxis is in May. If you submit your paper in January, however, and the reviewers recommend that you revise and resubmit your article for possible publication, you will have time to work on it and resubmit it if you wish. Papers submitted in May will not have an option of being revised and resubmitted. So take advantage of the January priority deadline!!!!
Submission Guidelines:
Manuscripts should be no longer than twenty pages in length and formatted with double spaced text, 12 point font size (Times New Roman font), and one inch margins (left, right, top, bottom). Please put all identifying information, including contact information, on a separate page. The entire review process is anonymous. E-mail your manuscript to Dr. Rasheed at jrashee@luc.edu. Clearly mark that it is a PRAXIS submission in the subject heading. Any questions about PRAXIS, please contact Byron Young at byoung1@luc.edu
Printable Version
PRAXIS Home Ph.D. in Social Work
Praxis: Where Reflection & Practice Meet is the journal of the Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work. Established in 2000, Praxis is one of the few student-published social work journals in the country. The
Board of Praxis is comprised of undergraduate, master's and doctoral social work students. The journal publishes the scholarly work of SSW students and alumni to provide a forum in which they can express their diverse viewpoints, as well as learn from and be inspired by one another's ideas.
The School of Social Work created Praxis to give voice to the scholarly work of students and alumni. Our mission is to encourage and support the development of social work knowledge that will enhance the lives of the clients we serve, embody the humanistic values of our profession, and promote social justice and care for vulnerable populations. Praxis respects and welcomes all viewpoints.