by Lenore Balliro, Field Notes editor

Field Notes is a place for practitioners in Massachusetts adult basic education — teachers, administrators, counselors, and other staff — to publish their writing. It is a forum to share ideas, raise issues, critique policies and practices, review books and other materials, and describe classroom practice. Submissions range from very short blurbs (highlighting a great Web site, publicizing a conference) to in-depth articles. We especially welcome writers who have not yet written for Field Notes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. I have an idea for a Field Notes article. How do I go about getting it published?

A. Start by calling or e-mailing me to discuss your idea, and we can see if it's appropriate for an upcoming issue. My e-mail address is: lballiro (at) worlded.com E-mail is the best way to reach me.

Q. I have an idea for an article, but it doesn't seem to fit into the themes for upcoming issues.

A. Your idea might fit with a theme we've selected for a future issue but just haven't advertised yet, so please contact me anyway. I might ask you to wait to submit until that theme comes up. Or, if it's something that is time-sensitive or pressing, we could include it in an issue even if it doesn't fit the theme.

Q. Who decides the Field Notes themes?

A. Ideas for themes come from a variety of sources. Advisory board members, comprised of practitioners from around the state, offer suggestions for topics. Regional SABES directors from all of the SABES support centers make suggestions based on the needs and interests in their regions. Periodic surveys and questionnaires go out to Field Notes readers. These themes are prioritized based on recent initiatives in the field.

Q. I'd like to write about my teaching, but I have a hard time getting started.

A. I am happy to talk through ideas with you, help you find a focus, and work on drafts with you until you get to a final piece.

Q. Can you explain the process you go through when working with a writer?

A. I often go back and forth with the writer, asking questions and making suggestions, until we reach an agreed upon final version. Sometimes this goes quickly, sometimes it takes a few revisions. This process almost always works smoothly. The writer gets final approval of any article before it is printed.

Q. Is Field Notes censored?

A. No. It does get reviewed by two people, Luanne Teller, SABES Director, and Sharon Artis-Jackson, Adult and Community Learning Services at the Department of Education, before publication. They may point out things I have missed and we negotiate changes. Field Notes refuses, however, to publish anything racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise discriminatory.

Q. Can I reprint my article elsewhere after it's been published in Field Notes?

A. Of course. Any article from Field Notes may be reprinted anyplace as long as Field Notes is cited.

Q. How do I submit?

A. See the summary below describing the submission process.

Submission Guidelines

• Please keep the article to 1,000 words or less. Field Notes readers generally prefer shorter articles. However, I can be flexible with this restriction if space allows and if you really need more words.
• Submit the article via e-mail. If you have MS Word, use an attachment. If not, please save your piece as a text-only file or copy and paste it into the body of an e-mail message. My e-mail address is: lballiro (at) worlded.org
• Please, please, please do not format. Really. Keep everything the same size font. Times is best, 12 point. Don’t indent paragraphs; use two spaces between paragraphs. Use only one space after periods. (You may have to reset your default for this one.) Don’t center things or bold them or underline. You cannot imagine how much easier it is for me in layout when I get articles submitted like this. I have to change all of your formatting anyway, because I use InDesign when I do the design and layout. (Yes, it is a one-woman show.) The only exception to this format request is when you submit tables or charts. Send them to me as a table or chart in Word or as a PDF file.
• Attach any graphics separately; do not embed them into the body of your text. If you can give me tiff files in black and white, that’s great. If not, send high quality resolutions of your jpeg and I can convert it. I can also scan from a regular photo and give it back to you.
• Include a bio note of about two-to-three lines. Example: Gilda Romato, a former astronaut, teaches GED at the Literacy Center in Rangely, MA. She can be reached at: ladyastro@gmail.com
• Include a complete snail mail address so I can send you your five contributor's copies.
• If you are citing other work, please include complete bibliographical information using the APA citation format. You can find all the guidelines you need at:
  www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citapa.htm

Sample Book Citation
Okuda, M., & Okuda, D. (1993). Star trek chronology: The history of the future. New York: Pocket Books.

Sample Web site Citation
Lynch, T. (1996). DS9 trials and tribble-ations review. Retrieved October 8, 1997, from Psi Phi: Bradley's Science Fiction Club
Web site: http://www.bradley.edu/campusorg/psiphi/DS9/ep/503r.html

Sample Journal or Magazine Article
(use for journals that start each issue with page one)
Wilcox, R. V. (1991). Shifting roles and synthetic women in Star trek: The next generation. Studies in Popular Culture, 13(2), 53-65.

Field Notes Submission Cover Sheet

Please fill out the information on the submission cover sheet. Save the form and include the file as an attachment with your e-mailed article submission.

(The form requests: name, position, program, title of article, your mailing address, your e-mail address, your bio note, and any bibliographical info for other works you're citing. Thanks!)

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