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What types of manuscripts does TCP publish?
The Counseling Psychologist is the official publication of the Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17) of the American Psychological Association, and the premier journal in the field. The journal publishes articles related to the theory, research, and practice of counseling psychology. While TCP may be known for its publication of Major Contributions, the journal also accepts single papers, as well as submissions to the various fora.
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Can I check with the Editor regarding the appropriateness of a topic for TCP?
Yes, for questions regarding the appropriateness of a manuscript please email TCP’s editor, Nadya Fouad, at nadya@uwm.edu. Dr. Fouad is willing to consult with authors regarding the appropriateness of a topic, however, this is in no way an indication that an article will be published.
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What is the appropriate format for submitted articles?
All manuscripts should be written according to APA style, as set out in The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6 th Ed (APA, 2009). If a manuscript is not submitted in APA style, it will be withdrawn from consideration in TCP.
In addition, all manuscripts must be blind, meaning that there is no identifying information within the manuscript document. Authors are required to submit a separate title page with their name and affiliation.
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Should authors’ citations be masked?
No, authors should appropriately cite their own work (e.g. Fouad, 2008) rather than substituting Author (e.g. Author, 2008) to ensure a blind review.
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How long should my manuscript be?
Major Contributions should be between 80 – 100 pages in length. All other manuscripts should be approximately 30 pages in length.
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What should every manuscript submission include?
Each submission should include the following items:
- A blind version of the actual manuscript
- An abstract
- A separate title page with the author information
- A cover letter
**Please note that there are more specific instructions for submitting a Major Contribution.
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How do I know what section to submit to?
When you submit an article to TCP, you will be asked to select a manuscript type. The most common type of manuscript submission is “Regular Manuscript”, and this should be selected unless you are submitting a Major Contribution, Major Contribution Proposal, or your article is of particular relevance to one of the forums described below.
The Practice Forum: This section is for invited manuscripts that address trends in the practice of counseling psychology. It is intended to give a voice to practitioners in TCP. Please refer to the following article to learn more about this section: Prince, J. P. (2008). Introduction to practice forum. The Counseling Psychologist, 36, 477-478.
An advisory board comprised of Division 17 leaders assists with the solicitation, review and selection of manuscripts. The editor of the Practice Forum is Jeffrey Prince, Ph.D.
The Legacies and Traditions Forum: This section is for articles that document the personal and professional lives of people whose work has shaped the profession of counseling psychology, as well as the broader field of psychology or society as a whole. People who serve as the focus of these articles must be at least 60 years of age and have made major contributions to the field of counseling psychology through science, practice, education, public policy, or professional activities. Submissions for these biographical articles are submitted by the forum co-editors based on information from surveys regarding senior counseling psychologists’ significant contributions toward the profession. This section also includes articles that describe critical events which have impacted the profession of counseling psychology. The co-editors of the Legacies and Traditions Forum are Stephen W. Cook, Ph.D., and Tammi Vacha-Haase, Ph.D.
The International Forum: The purpose of this section is to highlight international contributions to counseling. For a more detailed description of this section, please refer to the following article: Kwan, K. K. & Gerstein, L. H. (2008). Envisioning a counseling psychology of the world: The mission of the international forum. The Counseling Psychologist, 36, 182 - 187.
Articles might focus on: counseling persons in an international population, counseling strategies unique to an international setting, problems in adapting counseling to an international setting, reviews of literature on counseling in non-English speaking countries, and research on international populations. For examples of the International Forum articles, please refer to the January 2000 issue of TCP. The co-editors of the International Forum are Larry Gerstein, Ph.D. and Karl Kwan, Ph.D.
The Around the Winter Roundtable: This section is for invited manuscripts that focus on racial and cultural issues relevant to counseling psychology. Invited authors include the keynote speaker and/or the Janet E. Helms award recipient from the Winter Roundtable on Cultural Psychology and Education. The editor of the Around the Winter Roundtable Forum is Marie Miville, Ph.D.
In Memoriam: This section honors the passing of psychologists who have made significant contributions to counseling psychology. Past presidents of Division 17 and Leona Tyler Award winners are all recognized. In addition, other distinguished psychologists are selected on a case-by-case basis, with assistance from an advisory committee composed of the past president, president, and president-elect of the society.
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How do I submit my manuscript?
All manuscripts must be submitted electronically at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/tcpjournal. In order to submit your manuscript, you must create an account with manuscript central, consisting of your email address and a password. Create an account by clicking on “Register Here” in the top right corner.
Once you create your account, manuscript central has clear-cut instructions that will walk you through each step of the submission process. Please ensure that your manuscript is blinded, and contains no identifying information prior to submitting it. For more detailed instructions on manuscript submission, please click here: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsProdManSub.nav?prodId=Journal200805.
If you have further questions, please contact Elizabeth Cotter at tcpjourn@uwm.edu.
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How long is the review process?
When a manuscript is received, it will be reviewed by editorial board members, ad hoc reviewers, and the editor. Editorial feedback will be provided within 8 to 10 weeks of receipt of the manuscript. If appropriate, the author(s) will be allowed between 8 to 10 weeks to make revisions. Once a draft has been received that is judged to be acceptable with only minor revisions, the manuscript is scheduled for publication and needed documents are requested, including a transfer of copyright agreement.
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What is the average length of time between manuscript submission and publication?
The typical turnaround time between manuscript submission and publication is one year but each manuscript will also be published online ahead of print.
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Will each revision of my manuscript have the same reviewers?
Revised manuscripts may be reviewed by the same individuals who reviewed the first submission, or new reviewers, depending on the editor’s preference.
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Does the decision of “Revise and Resubmit” indicate eventual acceptance?
While most manuscripts may go through multiple revisions before they are accepted, the decision to revise and resubmit does not guarantee eventual acceptance. However, even if a manuscript is rejected, the authors will still receive constructive feedback from the reviewers.
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How many opportunities are there to revise and resubmit?
TCP policy is one opportunity, although an action editor may, on rare occasions, allow two.
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How do I submit a Major Contribution?
A Major Contribution is a collection of articles centered around a single topic, followed by a series of reaction articles intended to stimulate additional thought. The first step in submitting a major contribution is typically the “Major Contribution Proposal”. Authors have a choice of whether they would like to submit a proposal first, or simply submit the full Major Contribution document. The proposal may be preferable because it is an easier way to get feedback on a large project. Below is the structure for submitting this proposal:
Section I is an approximately five-page overview of the following five points, preferably addressed point by point:
- A one-paragraph description of the content domain of the Major Contribution.
- Specific goals of the Major Contribution: The goals should include some level of conceptual, empirical, and methodological contributions to research, practice, and/or training activities of interest to counseling psychologists. Critical literature reviews are encouraged. Authors are especially encouraged to submit a package of shorter articles. For example, the lead article might be primarily a conceptual article, with the next two articles each providing empirical support for some part of the conceptual model identified in the first article. A fourth article might build on the other three articles by discussing practice implications. Collectively, the package of articles in such a Major Contribution would integrate theory, science, and practice. Whether through one extended manuscript or package of shorter articles, the best proposals will explicitly (a) integrate theory, practice, and science; (b) address major societal problems; (c) discuss implications for specific populations, such as women, men, racial/ethnic group members, non-ethnic groups (gay, lesbian, bisexual), and various educational levels, social classes, and nationalities; and (d) establish a historical context for the Major Contribution.
- A brief rationale explaining why and how both the content and specific goals above are important for counseling psychologists at this time.
- A one-paragraph description of the proposed structure of the Major Contribution. The complete manuscript, whether consisting of one or more articles, including references, can range from 60 to 80 double-spaced, typed pages. Given the general shortage of journal space, concise manuscripts are valued.
- Specify the amount of time needed to prepare the proposed Major Contribution.
Section II is a summary of the proposed article(s) that constitute the Major Contribution (approximately 10 pages). The purpose of this section is to allow the author(s) to provide specific details about the proposed structure and content of the proposal discussed in Section I. Inclusion of some citations is encouraged.
Section III: References.
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Are international manuscripts welcome?
Yes, TCP welcomes submissions from international authors. In addition to the International Forum, TCP welcomes international submissions in the form of Regular Manuscripts, as well as Major Contributions. Please be aware that all articles must be written in APA style in order to be considered.
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What major contributions have been made?
Click here to see the major contributions.
Download the FAQs in a Word Document by clicking here.
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Journal Description
