CompassPoint Author Information

CompassPoint is the official publication of the Association of Camp Nurses. Quarterly issues keep members informed about association activities, programs, and initiatives. The newsletter seeks original articles for publication consideration and recognizes that readers benefit tremendously from the experiences and contributions of other camp nurses.

FORMAT

The newsletter can accommodate a variety of formats.

Letters to the Editor that respond to content in a published issue, share experiences, or stimulate thinking among readers about camp-related subjects are always welcomed.

Contributions to the Practice Corner are a great way to start or continue writing experience with a much smaller investment of time. This feature uses clinical questions, answers to previously raised questions, and practice tip. Reviewing recent issues is a good way to see what topics have been raised. Articles can use a variety of formats to convey new information. We welcome case studies, disease or problem-focused papers, descriptions of new programs or new approaches to old problems. Clinical updates, evidence-based practice examples, and original research papers are welcomed. Sometimes papers written for school courses can be reworked into publishable papers. The best way to get a sense of the format is to review past issues for style, level, and format. Almost without exception, we accept only papers that have not previously been published.

GETTING STARTED

The editor welcomes inquiries by letter, phone, or email regarding our interest in a particular topic. If you haven’t written the paper yet, the editor can provide some direction that could be very helpful. The editor’s job is to help you make your paper the best possible representation of your work. Keep in mind that what we are seeking is the author’s ideas and experiences. You know best what you have to say, the editor can help you say it. IF you have an interest in writing but are having trouble identifying a topic, talking with the editor may be useful.

STYLE

Manuscript length can be from 1 to 8 pages, typed, double spaced with 1-inch margins. We use Arial font, 12 point type but manuscripts can be submitted as e-mail attachments in any font or point size if this is not convenient for you. Write from your experience using references where appropriate to substantiate your work. Heads and Subheads are used to divide the text into logical sections and help transition one part of the paper into another. Consult a recent issue to see how these are used. The editor can help with this aspect as needed. Tables, photos, or figures add interest to the paper. These should be referred to in the text but should be submitted as separate files.

REFERENCES

The use of references helps validate your work, gives credit to others for their work, and can lead interested readers to further information. We use American Psychological Association (APA) style. If you do not have access to an APA Style Manual, consult the APA website or look at recent issues to see how to handle references. Please provide the editor with the complete citation. In general, use references that are less than five years old unless you are referring to classics in the field.

SUBMISSION

Only one copy of the manuscript is needed for submission. An e-mail attachment file is preferred over a hard copy but either is acceptable. Articles should be submitted to only one publication at a time.

PUBLICATION CONSIDERATION

At this time, CompassPoint is not a refereed publication. Publication acceptance is generally based on the editor’s decision with input from the Executive Directors or board members when appropriate. Accepted manuscripts may be returned to the author for revisions when the editor feels that revisions will make a stronger or more informative presentation. The editor will work with authors to help in the revision process and authors will receive a final copy of the edited paper for approval before publication.

Changing to a refereed decision-making process is a future goal. A refereed publication is one in which submitted manuscripts are reviewed without author identification by members who serve on a review panel. The reviewers make suggestions and give their opinion on whether the paper represents current practice and should be published. The editor then makes a final decision based on this input. For authors in academia, refereed publications are considered more favorably than non-refereed publications.