Review Criteria 8: The overall clarity of the writing (e.g., syntax, grammar, spelling, and punctuation)

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The quality of a person’s writing is important.  However, the idea that is presented in a manuscript is much more important than the quality of the writing, which can be addressed in copyediting. The International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics attracts international authors and subscribers. Thus, English is the second language among the journal’s stakeholders and reviewers must be culturally sensitive to this fact.

The manuscript should provide an effective flow of content that navigates the reader through specific aims, significance of topic, and clarity about the relation of the content to the journal mission. A logical flow of ideas should be evident and communicated in a concise manner.

Errors in syntax (e.g., sentence structure), grammar (e.g., language use), spelling, and punctuation disrupt the communication of ideas. Evaluate the manuscript according to the APA Style and Grammar Guidelines: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines

Common types of mistakes in manuscripts include:

  • Spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors
  • Incorrect use of apostrophes (e.g., it’s vs. its) and commas (e.g., He did this, this, and that. NOT: He did this, this and that.)
  • Capitalization errors. Common terms are not capitalized, such as “social work,” unless part of a proper name.