Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

This journal brings together research and methodology in longitudinal studies, which follow up individuals, households, communities or other groups over time. This burgeoning field has a long tradition stretching back over at least eighty years. 

The journal also brings together research and methodology in life course studies, on the influences shaping pathways from birth through to adult life: they tend to span a wide range of disciplines, from history to economics, in an international, multi-method framework for enquiry. The scope of the journal covers this broad field, and seeks papers in the basic groupings of social and economic sciences, health sciences, developmental and psychological sciences, and methodology. 

Papers are sought reporting research and methodological development, embracing one or more of these fields, on topics that include, for example: studies of the processes of development and aging including gene-environment interaction; social, cognitive and economic returns to education; origins and consequences of disabling conditions; life course outcomes of early intervention; origins and consequences of social exclusion; comparisons of processes and outcomes over time, between generations, cohorts and countries and between studies.  

 

Section Policies

Editorial

A leading article written by one or more of the Senior Editorial Team.

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Papers

Academic and policy papers will be published from across all fields related to longitudinal and life course studies, from any country, including comparative and methodological studies.  Preferred length is 5,000 words but up to 7,000 and shorter will, less frequently, be accepted for publication.  All papers will be peer reviewed by a minimum of 2 reviewers - see Author Guidelines for further information.

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Tutorials

Short pieces up to 1500 words, particularly on aspects of methodology.

 


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News, Events and Resources

Bringing together recent information of interest to anyone working in, or interested in longitudinal research, including start-up of new cohort or panel studies, resources available for research purposes, major announcements on funding or policy issues, successes, work-in-progress, forthcoming conferences or workshops etc.

Contributions to this section are very welcome from all countries participating in this type of research study.

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Notes, Comment and Debate

Readers are invited to submit short papers (between 1,000 and 3,000 words) as responses to, or commentary on, previously-published papers or other items in LLCS.  The author of the original item will also be offered an opportunity to reply.

Editors
  • John Bynner
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Correspondence

Readers are invited to send in short textual comment or queries relating to any aspect of recently-published papers, or to related policy matters.

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Book Reviews

In addition to  regular manuscripts the Executive Editor will also consider book reviews, which will be published on an ad hoc basis. Each book review should contain the author's name, title of the book, price and ISBNs for paper and cloth copies, number of pages in the book, and publisher information and address. Publication of book reviews is at the discretion of the Executive Editor.

Editors
  • John Bynner
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Full Issue

Allows the complete journal to be available as a single downloadable document - available at the foot of the Contents List.

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Peer Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to this journal will be peer reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers, normally drawn from the journal's Editorial Board. The journal employs a 'blind' review process, where both the referee and the author remain unknown to each other throughout; a brief explanation of how this is done is given in the Author Guidelines.  These guidelines can be viewed from the website Home Page, without the need to log on, by clicking the link 'For Authors' under the 'Information' subhead in the righthand panel, then clicking the 'Author Guidelines' link in the text that then appears.

 

Publication Frequency

During 2009, the first year of publication, two issues of LLCS will be published, in April and October.  From 2010 onwards, four issues of the LLCS will be published annually, with each containing at least 6 peer-reviewed papers and other material.

 

Open Access Policy

This Journal provides access free of charge to its contents, on the principle that making research publicly available, supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.  

On first visiting the Journal website, the Home Page and Lists of Contents for the current and previous issues can be viewed, but a visitor must register as a Reader, in order to browse the Journal's contents in detail. 

Registered Readers receive an email alert when a new issue of the Journal is uploaded onto the website.

 

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made by the editors, publishers and staff of Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, to ensure that the data, information, statements and opinions contained on the LLCS website and in issues of the journal, are neither misleading nor inaccurate.  No guarantee as to the completeness, accuracy or lack of bias, of the material in any part of the published issues of the journal, including advertisements, can be given, and no responsibility or liability is accepted by the editors, publishers or staff, for any errors or omissions, or for the consequences of any inaccurate or misleading data, information, opinion or statement.