| 2006
in Retrospect at the Journal
DECEMBER 2006 - Over
the past year, I’ve had the pleasure to meet and speak
with many NYSSCPA members who participate in committee service.
They often ask the same questions regarding The CPA Journal’s
procedures:
- “Why
haven’t you published an article recently on (fill
in the blank)?”
- “How
long should an article be?”
- “What
topics are you interested in?”
- “What
criteria do you use when deciding whether to publish a
manuscript?”
- “Does
the Journal publish articles authored only by
Society members?”
The
following overview of the Journal’s submission process
answers these and other common questions.
Overview
Now
completing its 76th year of publication, The CPA Journal
is a submission-based, double-blind peer-reviewed publication
that is published monthly with special themes during the
year on technology and personal financial planning. Articles
may include technical analysis, policy analysis, and informed
commentary. The content and length of an article determine
whether it will appear as an In Focus article, or in the
Perspectives or Essentials sections. In Focus articles address
areas of general interest, such as interviews with accounting
regulators. Articles in the Essentials sections cover specific
technical topics and are usually between 500 and 3,000 words.
The Perspectives section includes news and opinion pieces
on matters of importance to CPAs and are usually between
250 and 2,500 words.
The
primary areas of interest covered in the Journal are
accounting and auditing, taxation, finance, management,
responsibilities and leadership, and technology. The editors
attempt to balance practical information and conceptual
analysis to provide readers with opportunities to enhance
their understanding of key issues. We depend on a large
cadre of individuals from a diverse cross-section of the
profession, including academics, practitioners, and other
professionals, both NYSSCPA members and non-members, to
assist us in providing the best material available for our
readers. These individuals may author or review manuscripts.
When we ask a reviewer to evaluate a manuscript for possible
publication, we use six criteria to ensure quality control:
technical accuracy, readability, practicality, relevance
of topic, timeliness, and comprehensiveness.
During
the Society’s fiscal year between June 1, 2005, and
May 31, 2006, the Journal received a total of 357 submissions,
as compared to 311 during the previous year (2004/2005).
Of those, 202 were eventually accepted, 91 were rejected,
and 122 were returned to authors for revision. Because of
stricter enforcement of the quality review process, the
comparable numbers for the previous year were: 228 accepted,
55 rejected, and 62 returned to authors for revision. Because
of stricter enforcement of the quality review process, the
average length of time a manuscript spent in the review
process was 49 days (37 in the previous year). The average
article took approximately 143 days from acceptance to be
published (164 in the previous year). The overall acceptance
rate was 57% (73% in the previous year), with an acceptance
rate for submissions from academics of 55%, and from practitioners
and other financial professionals of 59%.
Acknowledgments
Every
year at this time, we take this opportunity to thank everyone
who has contributed to the Journal by developing
topics, soliciting authors, reviewing submissions, and participating
in judging for the annual Max Block Distinguished Article
Award program. The Editorial Board, editors, and production
staff are named each month on the masthead. The Editorial
Board includes individuals who contribute and review submissions,
solicit and develop submissions by others, and advise the
editors as we continue to develop the mission and future
direction of the magazine. In addition to those hard-working
and dedicated individuals, the Journal has also
benefited over the past year from the efforts of many members
of the Editorial Review Board, upon whom the editors frequently
rely for evaluating manuscripts; and ad hoc reviewers, experts
whom the editors occasionally ask to review individual manuscripts
on a particular subject. The names of Editorial Review Board
members and ad hoc reviewers who evaluated manuscripts over
the past year are listed in Perspectives.
The
editors would also like to thank the Society’s committee
members, many of whom contribute their time and energy to
authoring manuscripts for the Journal. Their efforts
have assisted other accounting and financial professionals
by unselfishly sharing their knowledge in many technical
areas.
Finally,
I would like to thank the members of the editorial and production
staffs, who are instrumental in making The CPA Journal
a quality publication. Without their dedication and hard
work, this monthly endeavor would not be possible.
As
always, we welcome your comments and suggestions, and encourage
your support of The CPA Journal’s mission
for the profession.
Mary-Jo
Kranacher, MBA, CPA, CFE
Editor-in-Chief
mkranacher@nysscpa.org
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