The primary purpose of Communiqué is to keep members informed about the activities of NASP and about critical issues and current practices in the profession. In addition to articles submitted by the Contributing Editors, unsolicited manuscripts from members and readers are encouraged.

Communiqué is primarily read by busy practitioners who need concise, interesting reading about important issues in the field. Its articles are intended to provide new information to help them improve their practice. Graduate educators and their students also benefit from using this publication in their training.

Guidelines for Writing

When writing, be sure to use formal language and proper grammar. Use spell check, but also remember to proofread your manuscript! Make sure your listed references match your in-text citations and that any URLs are current. NASP uses the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition for its publications.

Manuscripts should be submitted in MS-Word, in 12 point Times New Roman font. Do not use unusual formatting (e.g., multiple font styles, boxes around words), as this is time consuming to remove.

The editors will suggest revisions with the intention of enhancing the quality and clarity of the article. Try not to personalize these comments, but rather make the revisions that you feel are appropriate. If you disagree with the suggestions, contact your editor to discuss your concerns. Although Communiqué is not a peer-reviewed journal, research-based and best practice articles are usually sent for blind, independent review.

It is assumed that any manuscript submitted is not being considered concurrently by another publication, including School Psychology Review. If the article has been submitted to or published previously in another newsletter, such as a state association newsletter, the author should so indicate in order to obtain permission to reprint and to give proper credit to the original source, should it be accepted by Communiqué. The editor reserves the right to edit the manuscript as necessary for publication, including editing for space or layout limitations. Article titles will likely be shortened or rewritten to fit available headline space.

Because of a limited amount of discretionary space available each month, articles are frequently accepted well in advance of their publication date.

Types of Articles

Columns. Ongoing columns, such as Just a Click Away, generally do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

Communication Matters. This feature provides diverse ideas and insights for making improvements across the range of comprehensive school psychological service. We are particularly interested in strategies you used to encourage participation in the new approaches for which you advocated.

Research-Based Practice. These substantive articles provide a brief review of research literature that is then tied to implications and suggestions for school practice. These are the longest (3,000 words) and most stringently reviewed articles.

Professional Practice. These articles cover legal issues, professional standards, and ethical practice. Length is typically between 1,500 and 3,000 words.

Advocacy. These articles describe advocating for school psychology services at the local, state, and national levels and the skills employed to do so. Length is 3,000 words or shorter.

Crisis Management. These articles vary, from reviews of research in crisis management, to descriptions of crisis interventions, to articles about training for crisis preparedness and response. Length is 1,000–3,000 words.

Transitions. These articles are about negotiating changes in careers, such as starting a first job, changing from an academic to a practitioner position, or moving into retirement. Length is 1,000–2,000 words.

Viewpoint and Opinion. Letters to the editor are brief commentary (450–850 words) about a previously published article. Viewpoints are informed opinion about an issue in school psychology, broadly defined (750–1,500 words). Viewpoint articles express the views of the authors and do not constitute or necessarily reflect official NASP policy or positions.

Student Connections. This regular column, written primarily by graduate students, helps inform student members about the activities, ideas, and experiences of other school psychology students.

Graduate Education. These articles, written by university professors, deal with issues in school psychology graduate education. Maximum word count should be 2,500.

Reviews. Book reviews are written by practitioners, professors, and students. Watch for Calls for Book Reviewers in Communiqué in the December and June issues.