Community College Journal of Research and Practice: Scope, Guidelines, and Impact

The Community College Journal of Research and Practice serves as a vital multidisciplinary forum for researchers and practitioners within higher education, behavioral sciences, and social sciences. Published twelve times a year by Routledge, this journal maintains an international scope and purpose, offering a platform for disseminating original research and scholarship related to community colleges. The journal aims to highlight the dynamics of research practice, as it unfolds in the life of a researcher, in the growth and decline of a field, and in relation to a changing social and institutional environment.

Journal Overview

The Community College Journal of Research and Practice stands out as a key resource in the field. It is committed to the highest academic, professional, legal, and ethical standards in publishing. As a multidisciplinary forum, the journal's scope is not defined in terms of academic disciplines of professional fields. It cuts across disciplines and fields by drawing out the living dimensions of research unfolding through history, culture, research communities, professions, and of course the lives of individual researchers. The journal seeks to study the evolving patterns of thinking and practice that underlie open inquiry in any domain. The scope also includes topics such as research training, research design, research utilization, research policy, and innovative forms of research. The journal targets all researchers, scholars, research-inclined professionals, and research students, irrespective of their disciplinary background.

Manuscript Submission Guidelines

To ensure a smooth peer review, production, and publication process, authors are encouraged to adhere to the journal's guidelines. The journal uses ScholarOne Manuscripts for managing submissions and peer review.

Manuscript Types and Length

The journal accepts two types of manuscripts:

Full-Length (Scholarly and Research): These manuscripts should provide sufficient detail for critical peer review while remaining concise. They typically do not exceed 30-35 pages, including all components (references, tables, figures). A structured abstract of no more than 250 words is required. A section on implications for practice should conclude research manuscripts, detailing the implications of the research findings for practitioners and including recommendations for change.
Shorter Length (Exchange): These manuscripts should be succinct yet scholarly, focusing on research and practical applications. Manuscripts should not exceed five pages total and should include a brief abstract, description of the research or project, implications for practice and/or policy and research, and author reach information.

Formatting Requirements

Software: Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format.
Font and Spacing: Use 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced throughout the manuscript, with one-inch margins on all sides.
Page Numbering: Number pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, with a running header (shorter title) in the upper left-hand corner.
Anonymity: Author names should not appear on the manuscript itself (other than the title page) to ensure blind peer review.
Abstract: The abstract should be on a separate page following the title page and before the main body of the paper. Scholarly and Research section abstracts should be between 150 and 250 words.
Style: Figures, tables, references, and overall writing style must conform to the latest edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). Currently the 6th edition, 2009.

Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be submitted as separate files, not embedded within the text.
Each table should have a short descriptive title above it, with a clear legend and footnotes appropriately identified below. Include all necessary units.
Figures should be completely labeled, considering potential size reduction during publication. Captions should be typed double-spaced.
Original figures should be clearly numbered and submitted as digital files.
Color art will be reproduced in color online at no cost to the author. Print publication of color illustrations is possible, but the author will be responsible for covering the associated costs.

Other Considerations

Reviews and Letters: The journal also considers timely reviews of subjects and books of interest to community and junior college administrators, teachers, counselors, researchers, and scholars in the social and behavioral sciences. Letters to the editor are also published at the discretion of the editorial board.
Reprints: Reprints of individual articles can be ordered through Rightslink.
Ethics: The journal adheres to the standards set forth by the Committee of Publications Ethics (COPE), addressing issues such as conflicts of interest, data falsification, plagiarism, and authorship disputes.

Journal of Research Practice

The Journal of Research Practice (JRP) seeks to develop our understanding of research as a type of practice, so as to extend and enhance that practice in future. The journal aims to highlight the dynamics of research practice, as it unfolds in the life of a researcher, in the growth and decline of a field, and in relation to a changing social and institutional environment. The journal welcomes deliberation on the basic issues and challenges encountered by researchers in any specific domain. The journal aims to explore why and how different activities, criteria, methods, and languages become part of research practice in any domain.

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Each submission is first examined by the editor for its relevance to the focus, scope, and editorial perspective of JRP. If found relevant, it is next examined to check whether the Author Guidelines have been followed adequately, especially the guidelines on "Language and Tone." The submission is expected to contain some critical self-reflection by the author(s) and be written for the broad and multidisciplinary readership of JRP. Submission abstracts are then shared in the JRP Forum (implemented through the "Research_Practice" electronic group). Reviewers are generally selected from this forum. A submission is assigned to two or more reviewers. Reviewers are requested to practice transparency and integrity in discharging their duty, declaring any possible competing interest that may interfere with their judgment. They are also requested to write their comments so as to be informative and helpful to the authors. The typical time taken to review is about 4-6 weeks.

The Significance of Research Practice

Research is an adventure. Doing research means to explore partly or entirely unknown territory for which no reliable maps are available. Research, then, requires improvisation and a willingness to face surprises, be it exciting success or disappointing setbacks. Research promises those moments of sudden understanding and insight-moments in which new conjectures or questions emerge, or new observations, ideas, or methods that lead us on. In the research literature, we read much about results and the supposedly straightforward methods that lead to those results, but little about the experience of doing research, the difficulties and detours involved, and the issues encountered in real-world contexts of application. We read little about how researchers can learn the art of doing research. The literature about research hardly responds to the needs of research practitioners. The Journal of Research Practice aims to help close this gap in the literature, by promoting reflection and debate among practicing researchers and everyone concerned with research practice.

Looking at the contemporary realities of research, we find it divided not only among disciplines and specialties, but also ironically among research perspectives upheld by notions of method. While such plurality can add strength to the overall repertoire of research, it can also make researchers impervious to the generic qualities of their task, and thus forget their common roots. This danger seems more real today, with researchers branching out into ever new contexts, entering into new alliances, and accepting new challenges-even those for which their tools and methods are not well adapted. The Journal of Research Practice addresses everyone interested in the practice of research, including both practitioners and users of research, including both policy makers and citizens. The journal also addresses research theorists and research philosophers with a particular interest in what it takes to promote relevant and responsible research practice in applied contexts. The Journal of Research Practice is expected to facilitate learning and communication among researchers and research users, cutting across disciplines and professions.

Financial Support and Sponsorship

The Journal of Research Practice relies on sponsorship rather than charging authors or readers to meet its cost of operations. The journal adheres to a strict policy of keeping all internal roles in the journal independent of the financial contributions one may make. Assignment of any internal roles (such as reviewer, editor, etc.) depends exclusively on demonstrated competence, along with interest in the journal's aims and scholarly engagement with the journal.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Institutional Sponsorship: Research-oriented institutions are invited to support the journal by making an annual commitment of USD 100-1,000 for a term of at least 3 years.
Occasional Institutional Contribution: Alternatively, research-oriented institutions may contribute USD 100-1,000 for a specific year, without any promise of continuing the support.
Personal Sponsorship: Individuals who can spare USD 50-200 per annum for a term of at least 3 years will be enlisted as the journal’s Personal Sponsors.
Occasional Personal Contribution: Alternatively, individuals may contribute USD 50-200 for a specific year, without any promise of continuing the support.

Journal Metrics and Impact

The Community College Journal of Research and Practice is indexed and tracked by several prominent databases, offering insights into its reach and influence:

SCImago Journal Rank (SJR): As of the latest data, the journal has an SJR of 0.536. The SJR measures the scientific influence of journals, taking into account both the number of citations received and the importance of the citing journals.
Impact Factor: The latest impact factor for the journal is 1.28 (evaluated in 2024). The impact factor reflects the average number of citations to recent articles published in the journal.
H-index: The journal has an h-index of 40, indicating the number of articles that have received at least that many citations.
Ranking: Over the last 11 years, the journal's ranking has varied, reaching its highest position of 8656 in 2020 and its lowest position of 12292 in 2014.
ISSN: The journal is identified by the following International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN): 10668926, 15210413.
Quartile: The best quartile for the Community College Journal of Research and Practice is Q2 (2024).
Coverage History: The Community College Journal of Research and Practice coverage history can be summarized as follows: 1993-2025.

These metrics demonstrate the journal's consistent contribution to the field of education and its role in disseminating impactful research.

Internationalization in Community Colleges: A Key Theme

The journal also provides a platform to discuss internationalization efforts in community colleges. In the United States, a significant number of community colleges offer international student programs, and a portion of those also provide education abroad opportunities. This reflects a broader recognition of the importance of international education in preparing students for a global economy.

The Role of Community Colleges

Community colleges play a critical role in training adults with the skills needed to participate in a global economy where required job skills change rapidly. This global economy is a context in which international and cross-cultural skills are in high demand. This demand is being addressed by community colleges adding international learning in their academic and in career training curricula and programs. It is also addressed by fostering access to international programs and activities for all students.

Challenges and Opportunities

Community colleges face challenges such as decreased state and federal funding, which can complicate the financing of international education offices. However, research indicates that international programs positively influence student success, leading to increased persistence, transfer rates, and completion rates.

Future Directions

Several key points have emerged from research on community college internationalization that will be important drivers in moving international education forward. These include:

Reinforcing that local is not the opposite of global and that international education is indeed one of the community colleges’ missions as it encapsulates an academic shift that promotes international literacy as a critical employability and educational skill.
Avoiding haphazard implementation of services that reinforce hegemonic patterns in which some students are given access to life-altering experiences while others are denied those experiences.
Eliminating student stereotypes that feed into a negative narrative.
Using caution when designating students as a desirable source of revenue.
Understanding that the limits of student success are connected to a lack of supportive institutional practices rather than to a lack of student interest.

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