Style guide - Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education

Style guide

Please follow the Submission Guidelines for specific types of submission for details regarding the expected length, content, and structure of the articles.

Formatting

Points of style:

  • Use single inverted commas for quotations in-text, and double quotation marks for quotations within quotations. Large quotes should be indented but not italicised. Speech marks are not needed for indented quotes.
  • Keep the use of capital letters to a minimum and avoid excessive use of emphasis. 
  • Use only one space after a full stop.
  • Use ‘s’ in place of ‘z’ in organise, problematise, analyse, etc.
  • Avoid footnotes.
  • Illustrative materials, diagrams and graphs are welcomed.
  • Avoid use of abbreviations such as cf.; ibid.; op cit.; and etc., where possible.

Please use headings and styles when formatting your document as follows:

  • Article title: Heading 1 (Arial 16 point bold)
  • Section headings: Heading 2 (Arial 14 point bold italics)
  • Sub-headings (if necessary): Heading 3 (Arial 13 point bold)
  • Body text 12 point Arial, 1.5 line spacing, left-aligned

Referencing

Please use the Harvard (Cite Them Right) conventions as outlined in Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2022) Cite Them Right: The Essential Referencing Guide. 12th edn. London: Bloomsbury Study Skills. Available at: https://www.citethemrightonline.com/

The examples below are for brief guidance on in-text citation and compiling reference lists.

In-text citation should be as follows:

     It has been demonstrated (Cirstea, 2022)…

     OR: In his influential work on the matter, Hagyard (2010) argues…

     OR: Some authors assert (Wilkins, 2009; Hayes, 2010)

Page numbers should only be included in a citation if the text includes a direct quotation or to indicate an idea is from a particular page (‘p.’) or pages (‘pp.’) of a work. No space is required after p. or pp.

     … those in the network ‘seeing the humanity in others, and being seen in return’ (Buckley, 2021, p.3)…

     OR: … as evident from Cowan’s (2015, pp.15-16) discussion of unconditional acceptance. 

In-text citation of sources with two or three authors.

     El-Badri and Abu-baker (2021) argue…

     OR:  … indicating that students ‘should not be considered a homogenous group who are au fait with  technology’ (Williams, Windle and Wharrad, 2020, p.9) 

In-text citation of sources with four or more authors.

     The evidence suggests (Smith et al., 2023) …

     OR: Smith et al. (2023) provide a compelling discussion … 

     (Please note that we do not italicise et al.)

End-text reference lists and bibliographical information:

      Electronic journal article with DOI:

Coneyworth, L., Jessop, R., Maden, P. and White, G. (2020) ‘The overlooked cohort? – Improving the taught postgraduate student experience in higher education’, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 57(3), pp.262–273. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2019.1617184.  

Hilsdon, J. (2005) ‘Re-thinking reflection’, Journal of Practice Teaching in Health and Social Work, 6(1), pp.57-70. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts.v6i1.322.

     Books and book chapters:

Lowe, T. (ed.) (2023) Advancing student engagement in higher education: reflection, critique and challenge. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003271789.

Newstead, S. E. and Hoskins, S. (1999) ‘Encouraging student motivation’, pp.70-82, in H. Fry, S. Ketteridge and S. Marshall (eds.) A handbook for teaching and learning in higher education. London: Kogan Page.

     Online resources:

McVitty, D. (2022) ‘Building back learning and teaching means changing assessment’, Wonkhe, 24 January. Available at: https://wonkhe.com/blogs/building-back-learning-and-teaching-means-changing-assessment/ (Accessed: 1 November 2023). 

Hilsdon, J. (2008) ‘Towards a brief definition of learning development’, LDHEN JISCmail list, 22 April. Available at: ldhen@jiscmail.ac.uk (Accessed: 1 November 2023). 

Universities UK (2023) How can universities prepare for the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act? Available at: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-research/publications/how-can-universities-prepare-higher (Accessed: 30 October 2023).

     Conferences:

Ridley, P. and Sinfield, S. (2010) ‘Making ideas visible – drawing as a tool for teaching, learning and research’, Celebrating partnerships in learning: 7th LDHEN Symposium. Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, 29-31 March.

     JLDHE publications:

Roberts, L. and Berry, J. (2023) ‘Should open-book, open-web exams replace traditional closed-book exams in STEM? An evaluation of their effectiveness in different disciplines’, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 28, pp.1-39. Available at: https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi28.1030

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