Writing Guidelines

Authors | Proofreading

Author Checklist

Clio’s Psyche mostly follows the standards and style presented in APA (see below). Clear, non-technical language is encouraged, while footnotes/endnotes are not allowed. References are discouraged except where there is a direct quote. In-text citations should follow APA guidelines (include the author’s last name, year, and page # when that information is not present within the sentence itself) and include this information after each direct quote. We use a modified APA style, so the first names of authors should be included in the references. Refer to recent issues of Clio’s Psyche to determine any variations in style.

Book Example: Author’s Name: Last Name, First Name. (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher.

Article Example: Author’s Last Name, First Name, & Author’s Last Name, First Name (Year of Publication). Article title. Title of Journal, Volume #, page range. https://doi.org###

Manuscripts should be composed on a word processor and sent electronically as a Microsoft Word document to Paul H. Elovitz by e-mail at cliospsycheeditor@gmail.com.

Author Checklist
Done?
Abstract & Keywords:
  • Articles must include an abstract of usually 25 words and a maximum of 50 words.
  • All manuscripts must include 7-10 keywords that stress the psychohistorical aspects of the article.
  • Abstract and keywords should be placed after the title, author, and affiliation and before the article text in 11 point font and in italics (6 pts after the abstract, 12 pts after the keywords).
  • Reviews and commentaries of symposium should have only keywords, not abstracts.
Length:
  • 2,500-word maximum for most articles, including title, author, biography of the author, keywords, and abstract.
  • Occasional articles of 3,500 words will be accepted, provided that these have deeper scholarship.  These are typically symposium articles, which must be submitted quite early before deadlines on a subject so that colleagues can comment on them and the symposium authors’ can respond. 
  • Commentaries on symposium articles are typically 1,200-1,500 words.  
  • Psychobiography articles, which should be a maximum of 4,000 words, should only focus on the subject, not on psychological theory(ies).
Font:
  • Title: Arial, size 16, bold.
  • Author: Arial, size 14, bold.
  • Affiliation: Arial, size 12, regular (with long dash between author and affiliation).
  • Keywords and Abstract: Times New Roman, size 11, italics.
  • Text: Times New Roman, size 12, regular.
  • Author biography: Times New Roman, size 12.
Quotations & Citations:
  • References are discouraged except where there is a direct quote.
  • References should be at the end of the article after the author’s biography in 11 fonts, 3 pts after each sources, and 18 pts after at the very end. 
  • We use internal citations, which should be in parentheses within the text and include the author’s last name, the year of the work, and the page number (e.g., Pinker, 2018, p. 18).
  • Quotations must have specific references in parentheses.
  • Article titles are in quotation marks; book and journal titles are in italics.
  • Block quotes (quotes 5 lines or longer) are discouraged; short quotes are preferred.
  • When used, block quotes are not italicized, and are indented ½” on either margin.
  • We do not publish endnotes or footnotes.
Spacing:
  • Two spaces are always used between sentences.
  • One space is used after a colon.
  • Single-space the text of the article.
  • 6-point space between paragraphs.
  • No points of space after subtitles.
  • 18-point space at the end of your article.
  • Indent the first line of each paragraph ½”.
Author biography:
  • No more than three or four sentences (typically, 40 to 80 words).  If articles must be cut prior to printing, biographies are often reduced in length.  
  • Put your name in bold/italics followed by your degree abbreviation (e.g., Joe Smith, PhD,).
  • End with your e-mail address.
General Style:
  • Clio’s Psyche mostly follows the standards and style presented in APA (Book Example: Author’s Name: Last Name, First Name. (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher.).
  • Clear, non-technical language is encouraged.
  • Footnotes/endnotes should not be used at all.
  • The first-person singular is encouraged. “Myself” is discouraged.
  • Starting a sentence with “And” is generally not acceptable.
  • Italicize foreign words.
  • Numbers 10 and above are written in numerals; below 10 are written out in English.
  • Centuries are written with a superscript next to the numerals (i.e., 19thcentury).
  • Percentages are expressed with the symbol % and numerals.
  • Lists should have a comma before “and.”
Review Essays of Films or Books:
  • Usually 500 words, maximum length of 1,000 words.
  • Begin with “Review of…” and the full citation of the work you are reviewing. This paragraph should be in italics. See the example below:
  • Review of Daniel Rancour-Laferriere’s The Sign of the Cross from Golgotha to Genocide (New Brunswick, NJ: Transactions Publishers, 2011), ISBN 978-1-4128-1130, pages i-ix, 304, hardbound, $32.69.
Letters to the Editor:
  • Maximum length of 400 words.
  • Begin “Dear Editor” and end “Sincerely yours,” and your name, along with a 100-word maximum biography.
  • Exclude author and affiliation byline.

Proofreading

Proofreading Guidelines for our Volunteers and Staff

Proofreading focuses on consistency and not having errors.  The biggest danger is when text is missing or hidden from view.  The approach is minimalist.  Spacing is important.

Font:

  • Title: Arial, size 16, bold.
  • Author: Arial, size 14, bold.
  • Affiliation: Arial, size 12, regular (with long dash between author and affiliation).
  • Keywords and Abstract: Times New Roman, size 11, italics.
  • Text: Times New Roman, size 12, regular.
  • Author biography: Times New Roman, size 12, italics.

Spacing:

  • Two spaces are always used between sentences.
  • One space is used after a colon.
  • Single-space the text of the article.
  • 6-point space between paragraphs.
  • Indent the first line of each paragraph ½”.
  • 6-point space after title.
  • 12-point space after author/affiliation.
  • No extra space after keywords.
  • 12-point space after abstract.
  • 18-point space after author biography (or References since that should come after author biography).
  • Bullets are indented ¼”.
  • Block quotes are indented ½” on both margins.

Punctuation:

  • Periods, commas, exclamation points, and question marks are included within quotes.
  • Double quotation marks around direct quotes.
  • Single quotation marks around quotes within quotes.
  • Square brackets [ ] for when parenthesis are within parenthesis.
  • Check for curled quotation marks “ ”, not straight.

Abstract & Keywords:

  • Articles must include an abstract, usually 25 words and a maximum of 50 words.
  • All manuscripts must include 7-10 keywords that stress the psychohistorical aspects of the article.
  • Abstract and keywords should be placed after the title, author, and affiliation and before the article text.

Author biography:

  • Author name and degree are in bold along with the comma.
  • First line indented ½”.
  • Ends with author’s e-mail address.
  • Book and journal titles are underlined.
  • Ends with an italicized 12 point font box.

Quotations & Citations:

  • References are discouraged except where there is a direct quote.
  • References should be at the end of the article after the author’s biography in 11 fonts, 3 pts after each sources, and 18 pts after at the very end. 
  • We use brief internal citations, which include the author’s last name, the year of the work, and the page number (e.g., Pinker, 2018, p. 18).
  • Quotations must have specific references in parenthesis.
  • Article titles are in quotation marks; book and journal titles are in italics.
  • Quotes 5 lines or longer should be indented ½” on either margin.
  • We do not publish endnotes or footnotes.

Scholar Interviews:

  • Introduction in italics.
  • Bold initials of interviewer and interviewee.

Book/Film Reviews:

  • First paragraph in italics, beginning with “Review of…” and the book/film information. See the example below:
  • Review of Daniel Rancour-Laferriere’s The Sign of the Cross from Golgotha to Genocide (New Brunswick, NJ: Transactions Publishers, 2011), ISBN 978-1-4128-1130, pages i-ix, 304, hardbound, $32.69.

Letters to the Editor:

  • Begins with “Dear Editor” and ends with “Sincerely yours,” and the author’s name.
  • Includes title and author biography.
  • Does not include author/affiliation line.

Bulletin Board:

  • Bold names of members in the first instance they are mentioned.

General Style:

  • Italicize foreign words.
  • No hyperlinks. Website addresses should be in regular type, black color, no underline.
  • Ignore the “Y” touching the “E” below on the masthead of the inside cover.
  • Clio’s Psyche mostly follows the standards and style presented in APA (Book Example: Author’s Name: Last Name, First Name. (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher.).
  • Clear, non-technical language is encouraged.
  • The first person singular is encouraged.  “Myself” is discouraged.
  • Starting a sentence with “And” is generally not acceptable.
  • Numbers 10 and above are written in numerals; below 10 are written out in English.
  • Centuries are written with a superscript next to the numerals (i.e., 19th century).
  • Percentages are expressed with the symbol % and numerals.
  • Lists should have a comma before “and.”

In-Depth In-Text Citation Style Notes

  • Clio’s Psyche mostly follows the standards and style presented in APA (Book Example: Author’s Name: Last Name, First Name. (Year of Publication). Title of book. Publisher.).
  • In-text citations should follow APA guidelines (include the author’s last name, year, and page # when that information is not present within the sentence itself).
  • If any of the info typically included in the citation is in the same sentence outside of the citation, it does not need to be repeated in the citation. Ex: As biologist Edward O. Wilson (1998) writes in Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, “the undeniable truth is that each society creates culture and is created by it” (p. 141).
  • Page numbers should have a “p.” (if there’s only one page) or “pp.” (if there are multiple pages) before them. 
  • Unlike APA, in Clio’s Psyche, an in-text citation should be included after each direct quote rather than compiled as one in-text citation after several quotes from the same source. 
  • The date should be spelled out—so instead of 11/20/2020, write out November 20, 2020
  • Examples of past in-text citations for books:

    • Freud, Sigmund (1957/1910). Leonardo da Vinci: A memory of his childhood. Routledge.

    • Walker, John, & Walker, Gary (2010). The Walker Brothers: No regrets—Our story. King’s Road.

    • Watkinson, Mike, & Anderson, Pete (1994). Scott Walker: A deep shade of blue. Virgin. 

  • Examples of past in-text citations for articles (Note: For websites, if there’s enough information to find the page, no link should be included because links have a tendency to change and that creates problems):
    • du Plessis, Carolina (2017). The method of psychobiography: presenting a step-wise approach. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 14(2), 216-237. doi: 10.1080/14780887.2017.1284290

    • McAdams, Dan P. (1988). Biography, narrative and lives: an introduction. Journal of Personality, 56(1), 1-18. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1988.tb00460.x

    • McAdams, Dan P. (1995). What do we know when we know a person? Journal of Personality, 63(3), 365-396. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.1995.tb00500.x