Style Guide

Overall Formatting

Please follow APA style. Be sure to include an abstract and a list of keywords, as well as all notes as footnotes. Follow APA style for references and footnotes.

Also, please do not use the hanging indent function on the “References” page. Just list the sources in alphabetic order.

In-Text

Punctuation

  • Include one space after colons, commas, semicolons, and periods

Periods

  • Use periods with abbreviations of names
  • Use periods with reference abbreviations
  • Do not use periods with abbreviations of state names

Commas

  • Use minimal commas but always use the Oxford comma
  • Use commas between elements in a series of three or more items

Dashes

  • Inclusive dates should use an en dash rather than an em dash
  • Use an em dash dash to indicate a sudden interruption in the continuity of a sentence

Bulleted and Numbered Lists

  • Keep the use of bulleted and numbered lists to a minimum
  • Items should be numbered with just the number, a period, and one space

Example: 1. Ask Questions

  • Use numbers only when there is a clear hierarchy among the items or if they are steps in a process

Block Quotations

  • Do not use quotation marks to enclose block quotations
  • Use double quotation marks to enclose any quoted material within a block quotation

Italics

  • In general, keep the use of italics to a minimum

Use Italics:

  • For titles of books, journals, periodicals, films, videos, and TV shows
  • To distinguish the introduction of a new, technical, or key term
  • For a letter, word, or phrase cited as a linguistic example
  • For periodical volume numbers in reference lists

Numbers

  • Spell out numbers one through nine
  • Use numerals for 10 and above
  • Exception: Always use numerals to express numbers that represent statistical or mathematical functions, fractional or decimal quantities, ratios and percentiles and quartiles
  • Use a comma in numbers expressing quantity that are four digits or longer
  • Exception: Never use a comma in a numeral that expresses a page number
  • Never begin a sentence with a numeral (if it is necessary to begin a sentence with a number spell it out)
  • Use a combination of numerals and words to express quantities that appear back-to-back

Example: 2 one-hour tutoring sessions

Dates

  • Spell out names of months
  • The month should appear first followed by the day and year
  • Include a comma after the day

Example: January 25, 2017

  • For inclusive dates include the full year

Example: 2015-2017

Abbreviations and Acronyms

  • Use only if they have been defined earlier in the article
  • Never begin a sentence with a lowercase abbreviation

Common Acronyms

  • TPR – The Peer Review
  • WC – Writing Center
  • IWCA – International Writing Center Association
  • NCPTW- National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing

Proper Nouns

University Titles

  • Use the official name of all universities

Author Names

  • When crediting another author use first name and last name
  • For each subsequent use just use last name

Publication Titles

  • Spell out the title the first time it is used
  • Abbreviate titles for subsequent uses and italicize the abbreviation

Gender Neutral Pronouns

  • Use “they” as a gender-neutral term
  • Avoid sentences such as “Each tutor displayed his or her own skills”

Footnotes/Endnotes

As of APA7, the use of footnotes and endnotes are dis-preferred because of the increased costs to publishers. In the case of an online journal like The Peer Review, this takes the form of increased maintenance costs in our codebase, which may render an article that includes them inaccessible in future updates due to technical constraints. For this reason, you are encouraged to move any notes into the body of your text or into an appendix as necessary.

 

Multimedia Elements

Data Presentation – General Guidelines

  • Keep it simple
  • Avoid decorative aspects
  • Avoid 3D charts
  • Place items that are to be compared next to each other
  • Make sure labels are clear
  • Include all information necessary to understand to the graphic

Tables and Charts

  • All numbers should appear in numeral form
  • Make sure descriptions are clear
  • Use brief but explanatory titles and headings
  • Standard abbreviations and symbols can be used for nontechnical terms
  • Abbreviations of technical terms must be explained in the table title or in a note

Multimodal Captions

  • Each table, chart, and piece of media should be assigned a number so that it can be referred to within the text
  • In the text, refer to every table, chart, or other piece of media and tell the reader what to look for
  • Discuss only highlights (figures should supplement the text not duplicate it)

Videos

  • All videos should be created and saved in their original forms and then exported to youtube. A link to the video should be shared as submission, along with a full transcript.
  • After the piece has been accepted, captions must be included within the video prior to publication.

Audio Files

  • All audio clips should be saved in their original form and also shared with us using google drive. We will soon have a dropbox account that will be used instead.
  • Label all audio clips clearly and be sure that they match with manuscript references.
  • A full transcript for all audio clips must be provided as a separate document.

Transcripts

  • Each video or audio clip should have a direct transcription included as a separate word document labeled “TRANSCRIPT.” Be sure to label all media clips in text and in the transcript document.

Preparing Your Manuscript

  1. Make sure all submissions are free of names and institutional identifiers
  2. Submit the manuscript as a word document, not a PDF.
  3. Make sure all images are submitted as separate files in their original and richest form. All media and images should have a minimum resolution of 300px per side and be clearly labeled to match with the in-text reference in the full manuscript.
  4. Be sure to use the headings function in word to insert headers.
  5. Make sure that all documents and files are clearly labeled and match with in-text references.
IRB

The Peer Review is committed to ethical research and requires IRB approval for articles that engage in human subject research. While TPR is happy to respond to IRB inquiries, we recommend you contact your institutional office to determine if your study requires IRB approval. Additionally, contact your institution for guidance on how to apply for IRB approval. 

Documentation of IRB approval should be indicated by an early footnote in the manuscript.