General Information

Inside Homeland Security® is the official publication of the American Board for Certification in Homeland Security (ABCHS).
Audience: Members of all branches of the U.S. military, government officials (federal, state, and local), police and fire officials, emergency management professionals, security professionals, information technology professionals, public health professionals, chaplains, and counselors/psychologists.

Length

Continuing Education articles should have a word count between 4,000 and 8,000 words. Longer pieces may be accepted, but may be divided across two issues. Manuscripts below 4,000 words may receive a lower publication priority, as they will not qualify for continuing education credit. Submissions for columns, opinion pieces, and regularly occurring features should contain 1,200 to 2,000 words.

Format

Authors must follow the format guidelines outlined below, with every submission in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx), double-spaced with only one space between sentences, and prepared neatly with following items:

• A title page with the manuscript title and the authors’ names, degrees, affiliations, and contact information.
• An article abstract of no more than 150 words.
• A one-paragraph (80 to 100 words) biography about the author at the beginning of the manuscript.
• State the manuscript’s target audience(s), as well as a program level—use basic, intermediate, or advanced, depending on the nature and scope of the manuscript.
• In-text citations and references should both strictly adhere to APA style. NO FOOTNOTES. Manuscripts with footnotes will be returned to author for correction. (See Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition: 6.11–6.21)
• Manuscripts that are submitted with photographs and other visual complements will receive priority publication status upon acceptance.

CE Required Components

These specifications apply only for manuscripts totaling 4,000 or more words (based only on body text, not additional components such as references, bios, or abstracts.

• A list of three to five key words that express the precise content of the manuscript (used for indexing purposes), positioned immediately following the abstract.
• A list of at least three measurable and observable learning objectives that cover the main points of the manuscript, positioned immediately following the key words. Longer manuscripts should list additional objectives.
• A minimum of six multiple-choice test questions that adequately cover the material highlighted in the learning objectives (used to offer continuing education credit through journal learning). Longer manuscripts should include additional questions, up to 10. No more than 25 % of the test questions can be true/false. Multiple-choice questions should all possess the same number of answers (four or five preferably, but consistency is key); do not use “all of the above,” “none of the above,” or “a and c”-style answers. Please indicate the correct answer to each question.

Photographs and graphics

Pictures, tables and figures are welcome with submissions, and should be submitted in acceptable file formats and in high, print-quality resolution. A photograph of the author(s) should accompany the manuscript. Authors can submit photographs and illustrations that visually and cognitively enhance and support the text. When e-mailing photographs/graphics, ONLY the following extensions are accepted: .jpeg and .pdf.

Writing Style and Grammar

Inside Homeland Security® publishes research articles written in the third person using active voice. Authors should follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition and , if unfamiliar with Inside Homeland Security® , should refer to back issues to better understand the association and its audience. Check the manuscript for content and style. Ensure that all required sections of the manuscript are completed (abstract, bio, resume, key words, learning objectives, and continuing education questions). Manuscripts that contain numerous typographical issues or errors, or lack any of the required components, will be returned to the author for revision before they are submitted for peer review. Authors must supply references when quoting a source directly, citing, or paraphrasing another person’s work or ideas, or referring to information that is generally not well known.

Submitting the Manuscript

E-mail your submission to editor@abchs.com. If necessary, accompanying materials, such as photographs, may be mailed to Editor, IHS, 2750 E. Sunshine, Springfield, MO 65804. Once received, a manuscript will be reviewed to ensure it meets the submission guidelines. It will then be sent for peer-review to members of an editorial board with expertise in the author's field. The reviewers may accept the article as-is, require changes before acceptance, or reject the paper. CHS will pass on reviewer comments to the author.

Important Exclusivity Note: By submitting a manuscript to Inside Homeland Security®, an author certifies that the material has not been and will not be submitted to any other publication prior to its appearance in Inside Homeland Security®.

Inside Homeland Security® reserves the right to edit manuscripts for grammar, length, and clarity. Inside Homeland Security® also reserves the right to complete creative control over the appearance of the final product, i.e., design considerations and selection of accompanying illustrations and photographs.

2013 Submission Deadlines

Summer '13 Issue

Editorial Process:

• Article and Feature Submissions: 2/19/13
• Review Process: 2/20/13 to 3/20/13
• Final Editing: 3/20/13 to 4/10/13

Design Process:

• Design/Layout: 4/10/13 to 5/8/13
• In-Hand: 6/14/13

Fall '13 Issue

Editorial Process:

• Article and Feature Submissions: 5/21/13
• Review Process: 5/22/13 to 6/19/13
• Final Editing: 6/19/13 to 7/10/13

Design Process:

• Design/Layout: 7/10/13 to 8/07/13
• In-Hand: 9/13/13