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MACQUARIE MATRIX: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH JOURNAL

Submission information

Submission guidelines

The Journal accepts submissions of around 3000 words, not including abstract or the reference section.
You must electronically submit a complete copy of the work labelled ‘Not for review’ as well as a blind copy suitable to send out for review (that is, an anonymous copy for reviewers). All submissions must be in Microsoft Word. We also require submission of a coversheet.
Referencing style guidelines can be found at http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/index.aspx
Formatting and other advice on preparing your manuscript, including directions on preparing a blind copy, can be found here.
The official language of Macquarie Matrix is Australian English (refer to the Macquarie Dictionary for spelling conventions). For all manuscripts non-discriminatory language is mandatory.
Email the coversheet and manuscript to student.journal@mq.edu.au. You will receive an email acknowledging that it has been received.

What is double-blind-peer review?

In this context, peer review is the process whereby fellow researchers comment on, annotate and evaluate the merits of submitted manuscripts and their suitability for publication in Macquarie Matrix, against the general criteria for publication. Double-blind reviewing, where the reviewer is not aware of the identity of the author(s) and vice versa, is the gold standard. Names of reviewers will be published in the final edition of the Journal each year to acknowledge their essential contribution.
Typically, the peer reviewers for Macquarie Matrix are candidates enrolled in higher degree research programs, at Macquarie University and other higher education institutions, and academic staff members of Macquarie University and other higher education institutions. Every work submitted will be sent to at least two reviewers. Co-authors and staff members involved in the production of the work (but who are not authors) are not eligible to be reviewers for that particular manuscript. Reviewers are not paid. They participate for many reasons, chiefly because they are authors themselves and appreciate that peer review is integral to producing high quality scholarly works.

What are the criteria for publication?

Macquarie Matrix accepts submissions of high quality, original work that is not published, accepted or submitted for publication elsewhere. Reviewing criteria include:

Originality and Interest: does this paper add to our existing body of knowledge; and are the findings noteworthy?
Soundness: are the conclusions supported by the research data and the methods used to collect it?
Readability: can it be easily read by an intelligent audience who are not necessarily experts in the field?
Meets guidelines: for length, style and ethical framework.

How long will it to take to receive information about whether the work has been accepted for publication?

Typically six weeks after receipt. You will receive an initial email notifying you that the submission has been received, and again when the peer review process has been completed. Possible outcomes are:

The work is accepted as is, with no changes required.
The work is accepted, pending minor changes; these changes are to be made within four weeks.
The work is accepted, provided that the comments made by the reviewers are fully addressed. The authors of the work must submit a revised copy, as well as the original, with a covering letter which details how the work has been modified.
The work is not accepted, but resubmission is invited based on comments made by the reviewers to improve the standard of the work.
The work is not accepted, based on comments of the Editor, and/or reviewers, and/or the Editorial Board.

Macquarie Matrix reserves the right to reject any work for publication if it is considered unsuitable or unethical. The Editor's decision is final.

Proof copy

Once the manuscript has final acceptance, a proof copy of the manuscript in its final layout will be sent to the corresponding author. This may include grammatical changes and other minor corrections made by our editing team. The corresponding author will be expected to respond within a the timeframe specified by the editor if any further amendments are required.