Guidelines for Contributors to Voices Journal

Editors in Chief: Carolyn Kenny (USA) and Brynjulf Stige (Norway)

General Information

The Journal section of Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy offers an international avenue for publication of texts on contemporary music therapy, with a specific focus upon multidisciplinary and multicultural dialogue and understanding. Texts in a variety of genres are included in the journal (see below). We encourage submissions from music therapists and others who work with music and health as scholars and/or practitioners.

Three issues of the Journal are published a year; March 1, July 1, and November 1. Texts for the standard genres (see below) could be submitted at any time of the year. Submit online via OpenJournalSystem (contact Managing Editor (rune.rolvsjord@grieg.uib.no if you need technical assistance).

All articles in the standard genres are reviewed internally by the Editors-in-Chief and externally by two members of our Editorial Board. The review process of articles may be outlined as follows: The manuscript is first reviewed internally by the editors. Author(s) may be asked to produce revised versions before the text is sent to external reviewers. When the reviewers have evaluated the manuscript the action editor produces an evaluation statement, with the reviewers' evaluations enclosed. A minor or a major revision may be requested. Author(s) then produce a revised article at their earliest convenience. When a major revision has been asked for, a second external review is made. When the article is accepted for publication it is sent for professional language checking and copy-editing. The authors may read the proofs of the article before printing.

The review process usually takes 6-8 weeks. The procedures outlined above are established to ensure the quality of articles and to help and guide authors. We aim to make the review process a constructive and professional peer critique, and authors' comments and feedback on the process will be appreciated.

Authors from all over the world are welcome to write in the journal. Therefore, we offer advice regarding language to those for whom English is the second, third or fourth language, and Non-English authors are also welcome to submit an additional version of their article written in their native language. This version must be edited for language by the author her-/himself.

There are limitations to how well musical processes could be described in words, and Voices therefore encourages authors to use figures, and audio and video recordings for documentation and illustration of practical work.

Standard Genres

To the degree possible, we encourage our authors to use one of the genres described below. When submitting a text, please inform the editor about which genre - or mix of genres - you have used. The following describes the main genres of the Journal. (Note that the Voices website also includes other sections and genres in addition to those represented in the Journal, such as Columns and Discussions and a series of papers called Country of the Month).

Genres of text usually included in the Journal are here listed alphabetically:

Perspectives on Practice

Texts in the Perspectives on Practice genre have a practical focus and the authors reflect upon presented case material or vignettes, whether these are linked to a clinical context or a community context. While authors are encouraged to relate their reflections to current research and theory, texts in Perspectives on Practice are not themselves presented as research or theoretical contributions. Voices considers this genre to be very important in that it may contribute to the integration of practice and theory. Contributions are encouraged, on innovative and new practices as well as on more conventional or traditional practices of music therapy.

Research Articles

[Note that the agenda approach to evaluation of articles is a pilot project that applies the agenda approach ONLY to the genre of "research articles." Other texts submitted to Voices in other genres will continue to be reviewed based on our standard criterian.]

The Agenda Approach to Research Evaluation

Productive evaluation is a vital element of the research process and stimulates research quality. The vision of Voices is to encourage dialogue, discussion, and reflection. Our international journal therefore supports a dialogic agenda approach to evaluation, hoping that authors as well as reviewers and editors engage in the evaluation process with reflexivity as a central value.

We use a modified version of what has previously been described as an EPICURE agenda (add article reference here), with the intention of encouraging a shift of attention from rule-based judgment to reflexive dialogue. Unlike criteria, an agenda may embrace pluralism and does not request consensus on worldviews, theories of knowledge, or methodological issues, only on what themes warrant discussion. The EPICURE agenda focuses upon how research ideas and projects grow out of practical as well as academic concerns, with the implication that standards developed for evaluation should not be thought of as fixed rules to be followed but as adaptable tools that could be used to better understand what makes studies interesting and useful.

The EPICURE agenda itself should therefore be used and interpreted flexibly. The two main dimensions of it are communicated through use of two acronyms:

The first, EPIC, refers to the challenge of producing rich and substantive accounts based on Engagement (with the phenomenon and problem), Processing and Interpretation (of the material), and (Self)-Critique (in and of the research process).
The second, CURE, refers to the challenge of dealing with preconditions and consequences of research, with a focus upon (Social) Critique, Usefulness (in relation to practical concerns), Relevance (in relation to academic concerns), and Ethics (in relation to research process and products).

Further details on the dimensions and items of the EPICURE agenda.

Evaluation Process

When a research article is submitted to Voices, a formalized evaluation process starts. This process includes standard elements such as peer review of submission, response to review, and editorial decision. What characterizes the agenda approach to research evaluation is that these elements are developed within a dialogic ethos. We could say that the submission is an expression, the review an answer to that expression, the response an answer to that answer, and so on. But this is not the whole story: The submitted article is not the first expression but an answer to previous ones (such as practical and academic concerns). There is a complex web of expressions and answers involved in any evaluation process, then, which requires that all participants reflexively position themselves as much as they can. Below we will exemplify how authors, reviewers, and editors might participate in this process:

Pre-submission

Evaluation is an integrated element of the entire research process. The EPICURE agenda is designed through use of an acronym and communicates an accessible framework that can enhance dialogue and reflection throughout the research process. This process could for instance include use of reflective notes, supervision, member checking, peer debriefing, and auditing. So the author is involved in such an agenda prior to submission of the article to Voices.

Submission

The submitted research article is the expression that starts the formalized process of research evaluation and brings other eyes and perspectives into the process. Authors are invited to integrate the elements of the EPICURE agenda in the writing of the article to the degree it helps them to clarify the premises, perspectives, and purposes that have informed the study. In a cover letter following the article it is often helpful if authors add a brief process statement and an equally brief position statement:

In a process statement authors can clarify the history of evaluation of the submitted work (cf. the paragraph on pre-submission above). They may also want to outline how they hope the article could stimulate continued dialogue and discussion if the work is published. Authors should also feel free to suggest reviewers (specific scholars or the type of competencies they deem relevant for evaluation of the work).

In a position statement authors can clarify priorities they have made in relation to the EPICURE agenda. The various items of the agenda are relevant for researchers in different ways, depending upon factors such as cultural context, tradition of research, and research question. For instance, one study might focus upon interpretation and critique with perhaps somewhat less focus upon systematic processing of material. This is not necessarily a weakness, because it could allow for more critical awareness than a study with meticulous attention to detail in procedure. The EPICURE agenda, then, allows for considerable flexibility. Note, however, that the idea of using a shared agenda suggests that complete neglect of any of the items would be problematic. If an item is considered irrelevant, authors are invited to clarify why they think this is the case. (If they think an item of discussion that would be relevant for the evaluation of their article is missing in the agenda, they are also invited to communicate this).

Review

An agenda approach to research evaluation invites dialogue and discussion and therefore requires reviewer reflexivity. When writing the review, it is important that reviewers take into consideration how the submitted work is situated and that they clarify and make explicit how they as reviewers position themselves in relation to this.

Response

The authors’ response to the requests made by the reviewers could be considered an answer and a new expression in a continued dialogue. When writing the response to the reviewer requests and clarifying how they have been dealt with, it is therefore important that authors take into consideration how the review is situated and how they as authors position themselves in relation to this.

Decision

Evaluation dialogues such as those described above could lead to consensus or at least some shared understanding of how and why the submitted (and revised) work is interesting and relevant. In some cases this is more difficult to achieve. Even though the review process applied by Voices is characterized by a dialogic ethos, the editor-in-chief at some point will have to make a decision. The dialogic quality of this decision is not necessarily that consensus is achieved, then, but that the editor takes into consideration how the submitted work, the review(s), and the response(s) are situated and that it is made explicit how the editor positions himself/herself in relation to this.

Essays

Some reflections and contributions are difficult to forge into theoretical papers and other traditional styles of academic writing. Yet these contributions can add significant aspects to our discursive practices in music therapy. In Voices we therefore encourage authors to make advanced reflections in a more free and personal style, through use of the essay genre. Texts in this genre may elaborate upon an issue or problem, in an analytic and interpretative manner, including constructive speculations or experiment with more fluid genre mixing.

Reports

Reports may describe music therapy developments of various sorts, such as the development of a program or a project, or a specific way of working. Reports may illuminate local or regional traditions, and may also illuminate national or international developments. Authors are encouraged, however, to avoid confusion with the report series in the section Country of the Month on the Voices website.

Stories

Stories provide structure in a narrative form that can frame a problem, or create a metaphor that has a beginning, a middle, and an end. In some societies, stories are part of an oral tradition, and one that can transmit knowledge in vivo. Storytellers respond to the presence of the listener or audience and make adjustments in their stories based on the age, disposition, mood of the listener, the purpose of the gathering, and the function of the story in the context. Stories are often told to honor the hero, heroine or other characters in the story. They are told to transmit important knowledge about the best ways to exist in a society. They are also told as a meaningful expression of history, affiliation, and reinforcement of social norms. In Voices, stories can take a written form, but can also respond to readers as imagined listeners, therefore addressing, in part, some of the more traditional uses of the story format and the "immediacy" available in this genre.

Theoretical Papers

Authors of theoretical articles draw on existing literature in order to promote or evaluate theories of music therapy or fields closely related to music therapy, or to propose original theoretical concepts that might expand or complement existing theoretical literature in music therapy. As music therapy is multi-faceted, theoretical papers may build upon scientific research literature and/or theoretical contributions from the humanities. Voices encourages authors to give theoretical contributions to the field, and find it especially important to encourage developments that integrate clinical relevance, empirical grounding, indigenous healing concepts, cultural awareness, and philosophical refinement.

Special Genres

In addition to the standard genres described above, the Voices Journal also publishes interview and texts in a series called International Archives.

Do you have ideas and suggestions for persons or groups that should be interviewed? Do you want to interview someone and submit a text? Contact our Interview Editors.

Do you have ideas for the International Archives? Contact our Managing Editor.

Interviews

Interviews may have an important role to play in a journal such as Voices, as this genre is particularly apt for communication. Interviews are particularly good at helping us to maintain the humanistic aspects of our work in music therapy. The relationship between the interviewer and interviewee can communicate the dynamics of an interpersonal dialogue, shared between two professionals or perhaps a music therapist and a traditional healer. Because so much of the written word is created by Western academics, the interview provides a wonderful environment for reaching out to experts who might be willing to share traditional knowledge not readily available in texts. This would be a good example of one of those bridges we mentioned earlier because often traditional healers share knowledge through stories. And it is an important aspect of the mission of Voices to create this type of bridge. We want to create a level playing field in which established scholars who regularly publish scientific articles can come into discourse with new scholars and new practitioners as well as established traditional practitioners.

International Archives

Articles from all over the world may be submitted to the Voices series labeled International Archives. The intention with the series is twofold: First, we want to present to a worldwide audience interesting texts that previously have been published in a national or regional context. Second, we want to inform and remind our readers about the many excellent journals of music therapy around the world. Texts from journals that do not use the English language may also be published: If the text is translated we can publish both the original and the translated version. We may also publish non-translated texts, if a summary and/or a comment in English is added.

Criteria for Publication

Below you will find some writing advice, based upon the criteria that are central to the reviewers and editors when evaluating your text:

Strive for clarity of voice

Voices editors expect your text to be coherent and well-written. You should make clear statements, descriptions, and interpretations or analyses and you should clarify the various voices of your text (author, therapist, client, and other participants). Imagine that you are taking your readers on a journey. Help them to follow your narrative without being distracted by poor grammar, errors, or tangents.

Strive for substantive content

Whether you are writing about experiences in your clinical practice, stories, or other genres, your work will be reviewed and evaluated based on the substance of your content. The standards for this criterion will be defined in relation to the style and genre that you decide to write in.

Choose an appropriate style and genre

Style is important in communicating ideas effectively. Choose a style that is in accord with the genre you have selected. For example, if you are writing a story, be sure there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. If you are writing a theoretical paper, be sure that you state your theoretical premises in a clear and logical manner and back them up with existent literature as well as offer creative alternatives.

Encourage dialogue

Since the purpose of Voices, as a forum, is to encourage International dialogue, your text should offer ideas that are conducive to International exchanges. How are our ideas and practices alike and different? You can pose questions that will encourage the reader to reflect.

Situate the text

Describe the context of your paper. Describe why you are writing this paper. Try to offer something that is unique to your region. You might include your geographic location, academic discipline, traditional cultural practice, professional practice, or the social context of your paper. Context is extremely important when working across cultures. Be descriptive enough so that we can imagine your context. Give specifics.

Voices Editorial Style

For general advice on scholarly writing we refer authors to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, APA (http://apastyle.apa.org/) or Chicago Manual of Style (http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org). Consistency is required. Some specifics for the Voices Editorial Style are:

1

Manuscripts should not be previously published in books or other journals, nor submitted for publication elsewhere (The exception is submissions to the genre International Archives, see description above). By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the non-exclusive license to reproduce and distribute the article have been given to the publishers.

Permission to quote from or reproduce copyright material must be obtained by the authors before submission.

2

There is no predefined word-limit. If the story or the argument requires space, that is quite acceptable, but the article should be written as tight as possible.

All articles should have an abstract (200 words) and an author bio (150 words). A photo of the author should also be included.

3

Authors are responsible for following high ethical standards in their writing. The anonymity and protection of participants is ensured by the author, and s/he - not the journal - is responsible for having collected necessary formal permissions from superiors, ethical committees, clients, and relatives of clients.

4

To stimulate international communication, English is chosen as the main language of the journal. Manuscripts should be written in good English, linguistically revised. Authors may use American (Merriam-Webster), British ( Oxford English Dictionary ) or any other formalized version of the English language, but consistency within one article is required.

5

Because manuscripts are sent out anonymously for editorial review, the author's name and affiliation should appear only on a separate page. All identifying personal data should - as much as possible - be removed from the body of text.

6

Tables and figures should be marked in the text and collected in separate files. Figures must be ready for publishing in one of the following formats: gif, jpg, png.

Authors are encouraged to use audio and video recordings for documentation of case studies and vignettes of clinical practice (but confer 3 above).

7

Relevant literature references must be given according to APA style or Chicago Manual of Style. Consistency is required. A complete list of references in alphabetical order should follow articles.

Copyright Notice

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

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