Frequently Asked Questions

Journal of Family Life is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary, multimedia journal supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The online journal is published by the Emory Center for Myth and Ritual in American Life (MARIAL). It is envisioned as a gathering place for ideas and information addressing all aspects of family life in the beginning of the 21st century. While we emphasize the American family, cross-cultural works on family life in general are welcomed.

Who can contribute to Journal of Family Life?

We welcome submissions from scholars, students, journalists, writers, practitioners and others involved in any aspect of family life.

Can I subscribe to Journal of Family Life?

Yes, and it's free! Journal of Family Life offers an RSS feed that readers can add to an RSS aggregator like Google Reader. Journal of Family Life also offers E-Alerts that are emailed to readers when new material is posted.

How do I submit my work?

Please review our submission guidelines. If you have questions, e-mail us.

How long will it take before I hear whether my submission has been accepted for review?

Allow two to four weeks.

Who can I contact to find out whether my submission was received?

E-mail us to confirm receipt of your submission.

How long does the review process take?

Allow two to four weeks.

Can I submit an abstract to see if the Journal of Family Life is interested in publishing my work?

Yes. You may e-mail an abstract to us.

Can I submit work that has been published elsewhere?

No.

How can I become a reviewer for Journal of Family Life submission?

E-mail us a letter of interest and include a CV and describe why you believe you are qualified to be a reviewer.

What is an "open access" publication?  

Open access, as defined by Peter Suber, is "digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions." The primary goal of open access publications is to remove price barriers (such as subscription fees) and user restrictions on published work. Journal of Family Life is an open access publication, freely available on the Internet at no charge to readers or authors. Materials are posted in perpetuity, and are stored in an online repository at Emory University.

Can someone publish images or other media published in Journal of Family Life elsewhere? 

Not without first seeking permission from the copyright holder. Copyright for contributions published in Journal of Family Life is retained by the authors, with publication rights granted to the journal. Print publications and other websites that wish to display images or other content published originally on Journal of Family Life must seek copyright from author(s) and provide a link from each image back to the original Journal of Family Life image page.   

What is your publication schedule/cycle?  

Journal of Family Life does not use an issue/number publication system. Submissions are published on an ongoing rolling basis, and are identified by publication date.

Does Journal of Family Life have article-processing charges?

No.

How long will the electronic publications in Journal of Family Life be accessible? 

All Journal of Family Life publications are assigned a permanent URL. Once a submission is published, it will not disappear.

How can I submit an essay, a poem or a fictional text for publication?

See our submission and review guidelines.

How does the peer review process work?

See our submission and review guidelines.

Can I submit a work for publication in Journal of Family Life previously published in print or released on video elsewhere?  

Generally, no. Please e-mail us if you have questions.

Can I include previously published (copyrighted) audio/video clips with my original submission? 

Yes, as long as you obtain the proper permissions from copyright holders.

What is the procedure for submitting a website to the Journal of Family Life weblinks collection?

Please e-mail us to for information about this procedure.

How do I obtain a printed version of Journal of Family Life publications?

Printable versions of each page are available. Follow the “printer-friendly” link that appears in the upper right corner of the page, and follow the procedure you normally use to print.

What media player do I need in order to play video and audio on the Journal of Family Life site?

The RealMedia Player is the preferred media player for Journal of Family Life. We recommend that users install the latest versions of the RealMedia to ensure proper playback.