Manuscripts should be no longer than 8,000 words of paginated, double-spaced 12 point text with 1 inch margins, including notes and references, using the LAP style guidelines available by clicking on the link below.
Manuscripts may be submitted in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. If you do not write in English with near native fluency, please submit in your first language. LAP will translate manuscripts accepted in languages other than English. If submitting in Spanish or Portuguese, please indicate if you will have difficulty reading reviews and/or correspondence from the LAP office in English.
For LAP Style Guidelines: CLICK HERE
Manuscript Review and Copy Editing Process
Manuscripts are reviewed by reviewers who are selected from the LAP Collective of Coordinating Editors, Participating Editors, Honorary Editors, Associate Editors and thematic issue editors. Manuscripts that are referred for full review after initial screening are normally evaluated by at least one member of the Editorial Collective, two additional LAP Editors (at least one Latin American) and the issue editor. Based on the reviews, the Collective decides if the manuscript is to be accepted in its present form, returned to the author for revision, deferred for resubmission, or rejected. In all decisions, the reviewers’ comments will be sent to the author. Authors of rejected manuscripts may appeal the decision and the appeal will be considered by the Editorial Collective.
Most manuscripts go through one or more revisions before publication. At each stage, LAP does everything it can to expedite the review and decision process. A manuscript decision will typically be made within 3-4 months of the submission date and sooner if possible. However, due to the professional obligations of our editors, as well as submission volume, delays may occur in the review process.
All accepted material will be subject to copy editing. Authors should respond to correspondence from the copy editor within the specified time period. If due to lack of time or inability to contact the author, we are unable to review changes with the author, the journal reserves the right to make final textual changes. The intent of editing is to clarify meaning and improve style. If we distort the author’s meaning in any way, we accept responsibility.
