Journal of College & University Student Housing

ACUHO-I is not only dedicated to providing valuable educational materials but also to developing upcoming researchers and authors. Contributors of all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to submit their work. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.

ACUHO-I utilizes the Scholastica system to manage its manuscript submission process. Users who do not already have a Scholastica account will be asked to create one. The software allows authors to easily submit their manuscript and follow the process as it moves through the double-blind peer review process.

Submission Process

• Upon receipt, the manuscript is reviewed to ensure it meets minimum requirements.
• The JCUSH editor assigns the manuscript to an associate editor who coordinates with a panel of reviewers. The manuscript is reviewed for:
  • Use of appropriate literature
  • Quality of research design and data collection
  • Conclusions drawn from the data
  • Significance of the topic to housing practitioners
  • Implications for practice
  • Style of writing
  • Contribution to the professional literature
• At the completion of the review, each reviewer makes recommendations: Not to Accept, Accept Pending Revisions, or Accept. The author is notified of that decision.
• If the decision is to proceed, authors work with the associate editor to make necessary revisions before resubmitting.
• When a manuscript is accepted, the text is forwarded to a copy editor who edits it. The copy editor will contact the author, when necessary, about changes.

Submission Guidelines

• JCUSH does not accept material that has been published or is being considered by another medium.
• Authors are responsible for the accuracy of all material and should recognize individuals who contribute as co-authors, joint researchers, consultants, or student supervisees.
• Positions expressed or conclusions drawn are attributable only to the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the position or opinion of ACUHO‐I or the institution of the author(s).
• Published material becomes the property of ACUHO-I.
• The editor reserves the right to edit as necessary.
• The first page of the manuscript should contain the article title, name, position, and institution for each author, and an identified contact person’s email and telephone number. The remainder of the document should contain no identifying information about authors or institutions.
• All articles should include an abstract of no more than 250 words.
• Manuscripts should generally not exceed 5,000 words (approximately 20 pages, including abstract, references, tables, and figures), but each will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Recognize that JCUSH is a volunteer-powered publication, from reviewers through the final copyediting process. Please remember this when attending to publication-related details such as spelling, grammar, editing marks, etc.
  • Prepare your paper according to the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
  • The first page of the manuscript should contain the article title, name, position, and institution for each author, and an identified contact person’s email and telephone number. The remainder of the document should contain no identifying information about authors or institutions.
  • Use appropriate inclusive language, following guidelines in the APA 7th edition.
  • Use APA 7th edition verb usage guidelines. Use past tense for the literature review and methodology. Use present tense for the findings and the discussion. Use active voice as much as possible. Academic writing is clear and concise, not complex or convoluted.
  • Submit your paper in a .doc or .docx file format.
  • Double-space all aspects of the manuscript, including references, tables, figures, and quotations.
  • Use Times New Roman 12-point font.
  • Use uniform one-inch margins.
  • Employ italics where appropriate in APA format rather than underlining.
  • All articles should include an abstract of no more than 250 words.
  • Begin the reference list on a new page.
  • Include URLs for the reference citations, per the APA 7th edition.
  • All figures and tables should be print resolution (300 dpi) and placed at the end of the document.
  • Include only essential data in tables and combine tables if feasible. Generally, no more than four tables and/or figures will be published per article.
  • In some cases, JCUSH style supersedes the APA formatting style.
    • Begin the first paragraph of each part of the text (i.e., the very first paragraph in the paper, plus every initial paragraph after a heading) flush left; all others are indented.
    • Title page format:
      • All text is placed flush left on the page.
      • The title of the paper is in boldface, with major words capitalized.
      • The author’s name is in boldface and in all caps.
      • Include job title, institution, and email address.
    • Abstract format:
      • The abstract has no heading; it is set off from the text by boldfacing it, beginning flush left, and placing the first 3 to 4 words in all caps. Those initial words should be substantive, i.e., something related to the topic, rather than something like “This study explores….”
    • Use a substantive heading for the literature review section:
      • For example, rather than using “Review of the Literature,” specify the content of that section, e.g., “The Value of Diversity on College and University Campuses”
    • Apply this heading format:
      • FIRST-LEVEL  (flush left, all caps, boldface)
      • SECOND-LEVEL  (flush left, first letters of major words capitalized, boldface)
      • THIRD-LEVEL  (indented, only the first word or a proper noun is capitalized, boldface, ending with a period)