Online Journal of Missouri Speech-Language-Hearing Association (OJMSHA)

Published Journals

• Volume 8, No. 1 (2023)
• Volume 7, No. 1 (2022)
• Volume 6, No. 1 (2021)
• Volume 5, No. 1 (2020)
• Volume 4, No. 1 (2018)
• Volume 3, No. 1 (2017)
• Volume 2, No. 2 (2016)
• Volume 1, No. 1 (2015)

Call for Submissions for the Online Journal of Missouri Speech-Language-Hearing Association (OJMSHA)

The Online Journal of MSHA (OJMSHA)is a yearly, peer-reviewed interprofessional journal publishing articles that make clinical and research contributions to current practices in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology. The journal is also intended to provide updates on various professional issues faced by our members, while including the latest and most significant findings in the field of communication disorders. The journal welcomes academicians, clinicians, graduate and undergraduate students, and other allied health professionals who are engaged in research in the field of communication disorders. Interested authors/contributors are highly encouraged to submit their manuscripts/papers to msha@showmemsha.org. An inquiry regarding specific information about a submission may be emailed to Jayanti Ray. Submissions are accepted throughout the year; however, for consideration of publication in the next annual issue, please submit your manuscripts by September 15. Upon acceptance of the manuscripts following a double-blind peer review process, a PDF version of the journal with select articles will be posted on the MSHA website. This publication is open to both members and nonmembers. Readers can freely access or cite the articles.

Guidelines for Submissions to Online Journal of Missouri Speech-Language-Hearing Association

The Online Journal of Missouri Speech-Language-Hearing Association (OJMSHA) is MSHA’s peer-reviewed journal, which is published annually. Manuscripts from clinicians, students, and academicians are accepted on a rolling basis.

Manuscript Submission
OJMSHA is an online journal that publishes papers pertaining to the processes and disorders of speech, language, and hearing, and to the diagnosis and treatment of such disorders, as well as articles on educational and professional issues in the discipline. Contributed manuscripts may take any of the following forms: reports of original research, including single-subject experiments; theoretical or review articles; tutorials; research notes; and letters to the editor.

OJMSHA follows the policies and procedures of any typical scholarly publishing board. Articles submitted to OJMSHA are reviewed by professionals in communication science and disorders and, when appropriate, professionals from allied health fields are also invited to review the papers.

Manuscripts should be submitted to OJMSHA Coordinator, Jayanti Ray at jray@semo.edu. Specific questions or concerns may also be directed to jray@semo.edu. Manuscripts are reviewed by at least two peer reviewers on the editorial board and final decisions are made jointly by the coordinator and peer reviewers. Submissions are reviewed and edited for content and clarity prior to publishing. The author will be sent the final proof for approval. The peer reviewers, based on their expertise, have the discretion to reject any submissions, if necessary.

Circulation
OJMSHA is circulated to MSHA members using the website one time in a year around the beginning of fall. The journal is open to nonmembers and other professionals.

Editing
The peer reviewers are expected to review the submitted paper and make specific recommendations to the author within 45 days from the initial date of submission of the manuscript. It is the author’s responsibility to edit the paper for APA style (6th Edition), clarity, and consistency before submitting. After the paper is accepted, the authors are sent the article electronically for final proofreading. Only minimal alterations are permissible pertaining to the final draft.

The editorial consultants of OJMSHA are established authorities in their areas of expertise and most of them have terminal degrees in their disciplines. Clinicians are also encouraged to serve as peer reviewers given the scope of the journal.

Editorial Policies
All manuscripts are peer reviewed, typically by two editorial consultants with relevant expertise and the editor/coordinator. The principal criteria for acceptance are significance of the topic or experimental question, conformity to rigorous standards of evidence and scholarship, and clarity of writing. No manuscript that has been published or is under consideration elsewhere may be submitted.

All manuscripts should be accompanied by a cover letter requesting that the manuscript be considered for publication and stating that the manuscript has not been published previously and is not currently submitted elsewhere. The contact author’s business address and phone number should be included. The names of any student authors who contributed to the article should also be included in the cover letter.

Letters to the Editor
E-mail letters to Jayanti Ray. Please include your name and telephone number. Letters will not be printed without contact information.

Manuscript Style and Requirements
Contributions are expected to follow the style specified in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition). To ensure clarity of scientific communication in this journal, articles should not exceed 50 manuscript pages (double-spaced, 12 font size, Times New Roman) including title page, abstract, references, tables, and figures. In light of special circumstances, the editorial board may approve articles longer than 50 pages. OJMSHA policy requires the use of nonsexist language. Authors are encouraged to refrain from using person-first language in preparing manuscripts.

A completely double-spaced electronic version of the manuscript should be attached to the author’s cover letter and e-mailed to jray@semo.edu. A system of blind review is available to contributors. Authors who wish to remain anonymous to the editorial consultants during the review process should attach a second copy of the manuscript with no names or institutional references by which a reviewer could identify the author. Responsibility for removal of identifying information rests with the author.

Tables and Figures
Copies of tables and figures should be attached to each copy of the manuscript. Use Arabic numerals for both tables and figures, and do not use suffix letters for complex tables; instead, simplify complex tables by making two or more separate tables. MS Office tools may be used for figures and tables. Table titles and figure captions should be concise but explanatory. The reader should not have to refer to the text to decipher the information. The pictures (color or black/white) should be submitted using the jpeg format (resolution: 300×800 dpi). Keep in mind the width of a column or page when designing tables and figures. Figures/charts and tables created in MS Word should be included in the main text rather than at the end of the document. Pictures may be submitted using separate files.

References
All literature, as well as test and assessment tools must be listed in this section. References should be listed alphabetically, then chronologically under each author. Journal names should be spelled out and italicized. Pay particular attention to accuracy and APA style for references cited in the text and listed in the References. The reference page may be single-spaced.

Authorship
Papers should only be submitted for consideration once the authorization of all contributing authors has been gathered. Those submitting papers should carefully check that all those whose work contributed to the paper are acknowledged as contributing authors. The list of authors should include all those who can legitimately claim authorship. This is all those who have made a substantial contribution to the concept and design, acquisition of data or analysis and interpretation of data; drafted the article or revised it critically for important intellectual content. Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for appropriate portions of the content.

Research Ethics
All papers reporting human studies must include whether written consent was obtained from the local Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Patient/Participant Consent
Authors are required to follow the IRB guidelines and the study participants have a right to privacy that should not be infringed without informed consent. Identifying information, including patients’ names, initials, or hospital numbers, should not be published in written descriptions and photographs. Informed consent for this purpose requires that a patient/participant who is identifiable be shown the manuscript to be published. When informed consent has been obtained it should be indicated in the submitted article.

Copyright Transfer
The authors of manuscripts must transfer all rights, title, interest, and copyright ownership in OJMSHA when the paper is accepted for publication. The authors will not have the rights to edit, publish, reproduce, distribute copies, prepare derivative works, include in indexes or search databases in print, electronic, or other media. All accepted articles become MSHA’s property and may not be published elsewhere without the prior written permission. Authors may use parts of the article (e.g., tables, figures) in subsequent works (submitted to MSHA) without asking the permission. The Copyright Transfer Form will have to be signed by the authors upon acceptance of the manuscript.

Copyright Clearance
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission from copyright holders for reproducing any illustrations, tables, figures or lengthy quotations previously published elsewhere. Copies of individual journal articles or journal articles used for commercial purposes must request permission from MSHA.