How to Submit a Paper to the JAR

ARF members are welcome to submit their work to the JAR. Journal authors—and the audience they write for—represent all aspects of the advertising community, including academics and experts who work in the fields of advertising, marketing, and marketing research.

The process for submitting an article or article proposal will depend on whether you are an academic or practitioner author:

• Academic authors register fully written manuscripts directly online into a peer-review system managed by the U.K. publisher, WARC. The work is then forwarded into blind peer-review overseen by the Editor-in-Chief and his team of Associate Editors (Please see “Academic Submissions” below for further instructions).
• Practitioner authors may submit completed manuscripts to that online system as well, particularly if theirs is an academic collaboration, however they are not required to do so. Practitioner submissions typically begin with an outline proposal to the JAR Managing Editor (please see “Practitioner Submissions” below for further details).

The goals of any published piece should be both theoretical and practical in nature: to advance the body of scholarship, while offering hands-on practical takeaways for advertising and marketing managers. All articles should be written for a broad audience to understand; authors should not simply write for their own peer group. Please consult the JAR Guidelines for Contributors for guidance on types of articles, content, length, methodology and data requirements.

Authors can choose their own topic, including one related to a Call for Papers in progress. The JAR Call for Papers, established by the Editor-in-Chief, is separate from the ARF’s Call for Content. To learn more about the current JAR Call for Papers, please click here. Practitioner authors, for further details on types of articles you can submit, please see below.

Academic Submissions. To find out more about the types of articles published and their criteria, please click here to be redirected to the JAR website, where you will find instructions for submitting online.  The online peer-review system is called Editorial Manager; if you are not already registered on Editorial Manager, you will have an opportunity to create an account before you submit your work.

Practitioner Submissions. Please email either your white paper or an outline of your article proposal as a Word Document to Managing Editor Nanette Burns (nanette@thearf.org), who decides with a JAR Associate Editor whether it is suitable to be further developed into an article. If accepted, the authors will receive guidance on either developing the outline proposal into a manuscript or developing a white paper into JAR article form. When a first draft is ready, we will ask you to “blind” your identity (remove all author’s details) from the paper before emailing it. The Associate Editor will send it into blind peer-review and the Managing Editor will get back to you with any requests for revisions. 

Types of Articles Published by Practitioner Authors

Empirical Papers (4,500-6,000 words-plus): These are white papers that articulate, in detail, discoveries about advertising, media, and marketing that have direct implications for practice. Contributions should feature literature review, methodology and data transparency (with tables and graphics), discussion of results, implications for future practice/research, and limitations.

For empirical papers, authors should clearly articulate the sampling frame and relevant details including response rates and tests for non-response bias, as well as demographics. Brand-specific data are preferred, with papers offering readers as much bottom-line/ad-effectiveness results as possible.

Short Technical Notes (3,000 words or less): These are “Lessons” or “Observations” on best marketing/research practices.

Point-of-View (2,500 words): Thought-leadership contributions cover issues relevant to a large segment of the JAR readership. Just as for academic authors, although these manuscripts reflect the author’s view, any claims stated as fact must be supported by research or media citations.