Submissions

Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.

All the co-authors of the manuscript, and not only the submitter or corresponding author (“Principal contact for editorial correspondence”, in the Journal system terminology), have been registered with the Journal site (http://www.tuningjournal.org/user/register) prior to or during the submission process.
The submitted manuscript has not been previously copyrighted or published in any form (including electronic media, databases, institutional repositories, and preprint platforms) and is not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
The submitted manuscript has been prepared using the standard template supplied for that purpose (Word format: TJHE Article Template Version Sept 2014 Open Office format: TJHE Article Template Version Sept 2014).
The submitted manuscript has been prepared as a single editable Microsoft Word or Open Office document with line numbering. The file includes the title page, the complete text, references, tables, figures, and author's biographical note.
The length of the submitted manuscript is between 5,000 and 12,000 words excluding notes and references.
The submitted manuscript is written in academic British or U.S. English consistently. It includes a 100-300 word abstract and 5 to10 keywords. The title page includes authors’ full names, email addresses, and institutional affiliations, plus the email address of a single corresponding author.
For citing and referencing, the authors have consistently used either of the two referencing systems of the Chicago Manual of Style (16th or later edition): Notes and Bibliography system and Author-Date system (https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html). (This is a new rule applicable as from 1st January 2022. Until that date, authors were required to use the Notes and Bibliography system only)
Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics for emphasis rather than underlining (except with URL addresses).
All illustrations, figures, and tables are clearly identified and placed at the end of the manuscript with clear indication in the text of where the author wants them placed.
Usage for Numbers:
One thousand = 1,000
One point seven = 1.7
In tables - one thousand point seven = 1000.7 (default U.S./UK keyboard MS Excel style)
A biographical note of 150-200 words (a continuous text containing full name, email address, affiliation, current post, relevant experience, main research area(s), and highest academic qualification) has been provided for each author and is appended to the manuscript.
Every effort has been made to ensure the integrity of the blind peer-review.

Author Guidelines

General Information

Tuning Journal for Higher Education (TJHE), Tuning journal in short, is a joint academic publication of the University of Deusto (Spain) and the University of Groningen (Netherlands). It is published by the University of Deusto on behalf of the two institutions. It appears twice a year, in May and November, in both digital and print formats. Its first Issue was published in November 2013.

TJHE is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing in English original research studies and reviews in all aspects of competence-based, student-centred, and outcome-oriented education reforms at university level across the globe.

At any time of the year, the Journal welcomes submissions related to its scope and focus. No pre-acceptance and or post-acceptance fees are applicable.

The submitted manuscript shall not have been previously copyrighted or published in any form, including electronically, and must not be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.

The editorial staff uses the TURNITIN software to verify the originality of manuscripts submitted to the Journal.

The submission and its eventual publication shall not be in violation of any codes of conduct, privacy and confidentiality agreements, laws or any rights of any third parties.

Authors are solely liable for the consequences that may arise from third parties’ complaints about the submitted material and its publication in TJHE.

Authors should clarify whether their research study involved ethical considerations, how these have been taken into account (including evidence of approval by the competent ethical/research committee) and, if not, explain why not. For reference material, authors can use the BERA’s Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research (https:// www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-2018).

Authors shall sign a copyright transfer agreement (to the Publisher) after the acceptance but before the publication of their manuscripts in TJHE.

These Guidelines should be used with reference to the TJHE Ethical Guidelines for Publication, Peer Review Process, and Copyright Notice; all of which are available at the web page of the Journal (http://www.tuningjournal.org).

Manuscript Preparation

To expedite the review process, please format your manuscript as follows:

Prepare your manuscript as a single editable Microsoft Word or Open Office document with line numbering, using the template downloadable from the web page of the Journal (Word format: TJHE Article Template Version Sept 2014 Open Office format: TJHE Article Template Version Sept 2014). The file should include the title page (with all authors’ full names, email addresses, and institutional affiliations, plus the email address of a single corresponding author), the complete text, references, tables, and figures. All revised manuscripts should again be sent as a single editable document.
Manuscripts must be written in either UK English or U.S. English consistently and include a 100-300 word abstract. The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), 16th or later edition, should be used as a reference for manuscript preparation (http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/).
Format of references, notes, and bibliography list.
1. From 1st January 2022, authors can format their citations and references in either of the two referencing systems of the Chicago Manual of Style (16th or later edition): Notes and Bibliography system and Author-Date system (https://
  chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html). They however are required to use either system consistently. Until 1st January 2022, authors had to use the Notes and Bibliography system only.
2. Note references must be numbered in superscript format in the text and arranged numerically (in the order they appear in the text) at the bottom of each page, in line with the CMOS ‘Footnotes’ system.
3. ‘Notes’ include complete bibliographic information when cited for the first time. For subsequent citations of the same source, shortened versions are preferred.
4. The Bibliography or Reference list includes all and only sources cited in the ‘Notes’ or text, and provides complete reference information.
5. Bibliography or Reference list entries are to be arranged alphabetically by (first) author’s last name following the CMOS guidelines. Note that for works of two or more authors, only the name of the first-listed author is inverted in a Bibliography or Reference list entry. This rule does not apply to ‘Notes’.
6. Microsoft Word (2010 or later edition) can be used with such software as “EndNote”, “RefWorks”, “Reference Manager”, RefME, and “Zotero”, to simplify the task of managing citations and references according to the recommended CMOS.
Authors are asked to provide between 5 and 10 keywords immediately following the Abstract.
Authors are reminded that it is their sole responsibility to ensure that the use of English in their manuscripts is consistently either UK English or U.S. English, but not both, and that they can resort to professional language editing services, preferably prior to first submission.
Please ensure that all the characters and special characters in the text, tables, figure legends, footnotes and references are in a single typeface and point size – such as 12 pt Times New Roman. Once a manuscript is accepted, a copy editor will decide the typeface and size of the different elements of the article.
Please submit all figures or photographs as separate jpg or tif files with distinct characters and symbols at 500 dpi (dots per inch). Tables and equations should be in an editable rather than an image version. Tables must be edited either with Microsoft Word or Open Office. Equations must be edited with the appropriate Equation Editor. Tables, table captions, figures and figure captions should be appended after the ‘Bibliography’ section, as indicated on the template (Word format: TJHE Article Template Version Sept 2014 Open Office format: TJHE Article Template Version Sept 2014).
Type your manuscript single-spaced. This will conserve paper and makes it easier for reviewers to handle.
Manuscripts must be between 5,000 and 12,000 words excluding notes and references. Diagrams should be reckoned at the equivalent of 500 words if they occupy a full page and proportionately less if smaller. Longer articles require editorial approval.
Authors of manuscripts are each required to submit a biographical note of 150-200 words. The note should be a continuous text containing the author’s full name, email address, affiliation, current post, relevant experience, main research area(s), and highest academic qualification. The note should be appended at the end of the manuscript.

Online Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online via the Tuning Journal for Higher Education online submission and review system at <https://www.tuningjournal.org/>.

All the co-authors of a manuscript, and not only the submitter or corresponding author (“Principal contact for editorial correspondence”, in the Journal system terminology), must be registered with the Journal site (https://www.tuningjournal.org/user/register) prior to or during the submission process. Failure to comply with this requirement may delay the initial assessment of their manuscript.

Manuscripts will be processed using the Open Journal Systems (OJS) software which allows authors to track the progress of their manuscript.

Upon submission of each manuscript, the system automatically sends out an acknowledgement to the submitter.

In OJS, editorial correspondence related to a manuscript is reserved for the person who actually submits the manuscript. In cases of various authors, the submitter is the sole co-author with access right to the manuscript and related files. It is therefore important that the corresponding author, referred to as “Principal contact for editorial correspondence” in OJS terminology, be the actual submitter of the manuscript in question. Otherwise, he/she will not be able to send and receive, through the platform, correspondence, modify the metadata of the manuscript and or upload additional files to the system. Exceptionally and at the sole and exclusive discretion of the Editor and/or Managing Editor, can an additional co-author be allowed to act as “Principal contact for editorial correspondence”.

Review Process

Currently, Tuning Journal for Higher Education uses a double-blind peer review system: mandatory anonymity for both the reviewer and reviewed author throughout the review process. Hence, every effort should be made to prevent the disclosure of their identities to each other.

Manuscripts not conforming to the Journal guidelines will be returned to authors without evaluation.

Manuscripts accepted for review will be handed to the Editor, or a member of the Editorial Advisory Panel, who will assign them to external reviewers.

The Editor will prepare a decision letter based on the comments of the reviewers and the recommendation of the Advisory Editor, which will be sent to the corresponding author by email.

It is our intention to notify authors of non-reviewed manuscripts within 21 days of submission acknowledgement. For manuscripts accepted for review, the process shall last 6 months. However, due to reasons beyond our control, the whole process (initial screening and peer review) can take longer time to be completed.

Manuscripts under consideration for publication in Tuning Journal cannot be submitted elsewhere without formal withdrawal approved by the Editor.

Submission and Publication Fees

Currently, no charges for manuscript submission, processing, and publication are applicable.

More Information and Correspondence

More and updated information can be sought from the editorial and management team of the Journal. Editorial correspondence should be sent to the Editor (Professor Mary Gobbi, mary.gobbi@deusto.es) and or Managing Editor (Ladislas Bizimana, PhD, ladislas.bizimana@deusto.es, tuningjournal@deusto.es). The mailing address is the following:

University of Deusto
DEIKER-OTRI & Publications
Attn: Managing Editor, Tuning Journal for Higher Education
Avenida de las Universidades, 24
48007 Bilbao
SPAIN

Copyright Notice

Authors are required to sign and submit a copyright transfer agreement after acceptance but before publication of their manuscript. To that effect, they receive, from the Managing Editor of Tuning Journal for Higher Education, a standard copyright assignment form designed along the following lines:

1. Authorship:

The author who signs the copyright transfer agreement must be the sole creator of the work or legally acting on behalf of and with the full agreement of all the contributing authors.

2. Copyright and Code of conduct:

a) Authors warrant that their work is original; has not been previously copyrighted or published in any form; is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; its submission and publication do not violate TJHE Ethical Guidelines for Publication and any codes (of conduct), privacy and confidentiality agreements, laws or any rights of any third party; and no publication payment by the Publisher (University of Deusto) is required.

b) Authors are solely liable for the consequences that may arise from third parties’ complaints about the submitted manuscript and its publication in Tuning Journal for Higher Education (TJHE).

c) Authors grant to the Publisher the worldwide, sub-licensable, and royalty-free right to exploit the work in all forms and media of expression, now known or developed in the future, for educational and scholarly purposes.

d) Authors retain the right to archive, present, display, distribute, develop, and republish their work (publisher's version) to progress their scientific career provided the original publication source (Tuning Journal) is acknowledged properly and in a way that does not suggest the Publisher endorses them or their use of the wortk.

e) Authors warrant that no permissions or licences of any kind will be granted that might infringe the rights granted to the Publisher.

3. Users:

Tuning Journal for Higher Education is an Open Access publication. Its content is free for full and immediate access, reading, search, download, distribution and reuse in any medium or format only for non-commercial purposes and in compliance with any applicable copyright legislation, without prior permission from the Publisher or the author(s). In any case, proper acknowledgement of the original publication source must be made and any changes to the original work must be indicated clearly and in a manner that does not suggest the author’s and or Publisher’s endorsement whatsoever. Any other use of its content in any medium or format, now known or developed in the future, requires prior written permission of the copyright holder.

Privacy Statement

The personal data, such as names and email addresses, entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party, in accordance with the privacy policy of the University of Deusto (https://www.deusto.es/en/home/privacy/privacy-policy).