Submissions

Author Guidelines

Ensure your file is anonymised

Please note that if files are not anonymised, contributions will lead to a desk rejection until this requirement is met. To ensure the integrity of anonymous peer-review, every effort should be made to prevent the identities of the authors and reviewers from being known to each other. This involves the authors, editors, and reviewers (who upload documents as part of their review) checking to see if the following steps have been taken with regard to the text and the file properties:

• The authors of the document have deleted their names from the text, with "Author" and year used in the references and footnotes, instead of the authors' name, article title, etc.
• The authors of the document have removed personal information from the file properties by taking the following steps:
  • Microsoft Word for Windows:
    • Go to File
    • Select Info
    • Click on Check for Issues
    • Click on Inspect Document
    • In the Document Inspector dialog box, select the check boxes to choose the type of hidden content that you want inspected.
    • Click Remove All
    • Click Close
    • Save the document
  • Microsoft Word for MacOS:
    • Go to Tools
    • Click Protect Document
    • Select Remove personal information for this file on save
    • Click OK and save the file
  • PDF:
    • Go to File
    • Select Properties
    • Remove any name in the author field
    • Click OK
    • Save the document

Peer-Review Process

• JACLR follows a double-blind peer review. Thus, all manuscripts must be completely anonymous. Do NOT include any authorial information such as name, email, affiliation or acknowledgments, nor any other kind of data that might contribute to identifying authorship.
• Upon the acceptance of the manuscript, all this information can be incorporated after the review process.

Article Format and Sections

• Articles published by JACLR must be the result of new research. They should be between 4,000 and 8,000 words in length including all sections (abstract, keywords, tables, illustrations, acknowledgements, notes and works cited as well as text). They should follow the latest version of the MLA Formatting and Style Guide.
• Articles must be written in English or Spanish. The authors themselves are responsible for ensuring their paper conforms to an academic and formal style. Authors for whom English is not their mother tongue are strongly encouraged to have their manuscripts proofread by an editor familiar with English academic prose. A translation of the title, abstract and keywords in Spanish must be provided. For those contributors who do not handle Spanish, the Editors will provide the translation.
• Manuscripts must include an Introduction section to the issue, where a brief theoretical framework and description of the research objectives will becovered. Subsequent first-level sections's names are left to the author's discretion, and, just like the Introduction, should be marked as such with the Heading 1 style of the template.
• Where needed, arrange and organize your text with subsections, using the appropriate Heading 2 and Heading 3 styles. Please, follow your main discussion section with Conclusion and Bibliography sections as included in the template.

Citations and References

• As of volume 13 number 2, JACLR uses MLA referencing style, 9th edition. Our templates include several illustrative examples (Please note that we are uploading our templates. This will not affect the decision and the style can be adapted after revision). For additional types of documents beyond those included in our template or manual of style, you can consult the citation format here. 
• Please, try to support your argument with a majority of academic, well-established sources. While referencing non-peer-reviewed sources, such as blogs, newspapers, or webpages can be useful, they should be resorted to sparingly.
• Only those sources whose ideas have been incorporated into the manuscript need to be cited, that is, those necessary to explain, support, or discuss it. Primary sources should be used; unless you cannot find them, please avoid indirect quotations: e.g. (XXX 20, quoted in XXX 50). Remember that including specific pages for your references is required whenever the manuscript includes verbatim quotations.
• Remember that for quotations more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse must be added to the manuscript in a separate paragraph with a smaller font and fully indented left margins. We recommend that you use the Block Quotation style of our template.
• All the references in the manuscript (books, book chapters, journal articles, webpages, disserations, etc) must appear in the Works Cited section of the manuscript, in alphabetical order, and with a hanging indent or French indentation style: As usual, the JACLR team recommend using our own Works Cited style, already included in our template. All references must include URLs or DOIs when available.

Structure

Articles should contain the following sections:

• Abstract: The first page of each article must include a title plus a 250-word abstract. It should consist of one paragraph and contain no bibliographical references in parenthetical form.
• Keywords: Just after the abstract, append a list of up to six keywords separated with semi-colons, so that your contribution can be accurately classified by international reference indexes. Place your keywords in alphabetical order. Do not use a period at the end of the list of keywords.
• Introduction providing the context of the research, formulating the research question(s), the methodology, and theoretical framework, a brief review of the existing scholarship on the subject, justifying the validity, originality, and scientific interest of the research claim.
• The body of the article, in which the analysis must substantiate the research claim. 
• A conclusions section, in which the contribution made to scholarship is neatly delimited and emphasized.
• A Works Cited section. They should follow the latest version of the MLA Formatting and Style Guide.

Headings and subheadings: Up to four levels of headings are permissible. Use headings for the Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Main text sections, Conclusions, and Works Cited. Please follow this style:

• LEVEL 1: 1. ARABIC NUMBERS, ALL CAPITALIZED, BOLD.
• Level 2: 1.1. Arabic  number + Arabic number, bold.
• Level 3: 1.1.1. Arabic number+ Arabic numbers, bold and italics.
• Level 4: 1.1.1.a. Arabic number+ Arabic numbers + letter, italics.

Do not number the Works Cited heading.

Guidelines for Book Reviews

Our list for book reviews is accessible here, but you can also suggest other books to review. Book reviews for monographs and edited collections are substantial reviews covering a number of related books. They should aim at offering a comprehensive analysis of the literature on a specific topic or field through summary, classification, analysis or comparison of at least two published books with either complementary or contrasting views. At the same time, they are expected to incorporate the author’s assessment of the volumes in terms of their relative value and scope, as well as to indicate directions for future research. Book reviews should therefore include a bibliographical revision of previous publications, a description of the contents of the book (e.g. foreword, book chapters, sections), a critical assessment of the debates involved and a description of the contributions made by the authors of the books to the main topic. The journal especially welcomes review articles of books which have appeared within two years of the date of submission (although editors might consider other titles if relevant).
The recommended length for book review runs between 1,000 and 1,500 words (although word count might run longer if requested by editors). Book reviews can also be in the form of review essay, where the author is expected to offer critical perspectives. The length of review essays should not exceed 4,000 words. In review essays, authors can compare more than one work to analyse the quality of the work under review. In any case, objectivity on the part of the reviewer is essential. Formal aspects such as style, layout, critical apparatus or reference system should also be attended to, complying with the journal’s guidelines and MLA 9th edition citation system (please, follow JACLR stylesheet).
For final publication stages of book reviews, please also include a short biography, along with your research interests and contact information (email and ORCID).

Guidelines for Film Reviews

Authors can access the list here. When preparing a film review, the discussion should begin with an objective overview of the work. This overview ought to address the film's central themes, narrative structure, visual and stylistic choices, and directorial approach, while also situating the production within its broader industrial and cultural context. Relevant information regarding genre, the principal cast and crew, and the film’s artistic or cultural significance should be included. To preserve the experience for prospective readers and viewers, plot details should be avoided; instead, emphasis should be placed on artistic strategies and thematic concerns.

The review should also incorporate a critical assessment of the film's accomplishments and limitations. This evaluation may consider the effectiveness of its aesthetic execution, the depth of its thematic exploration, and its contribution to cinematic theory or discourse. Where appropriate, the analysis can draw on established film theories, conventions of genre, or historical and cultural frameworks. Comparisons to other films or works of art may also enrich the analysis, particularly when they illuminate the originality or resonance of the film under consideration. For films produced outside the Anglophone context, reviewers are encouraged to provide cultural and historical background to assist an international readership in appreciating the film’s significance.

Finally, the review must adhere to the journal’s style and formatting requirements. Clarity and concision are essential; sentences should be carefully structured to maintain precision and readability. Reviews should range between 1,000 and 1,500 words, inclusive of references. All sources must be cited in accordance with the MLA Handbook, 9th edition.

Guidelines for Interviews

Interviews should begin with a concise introduction of approximately 150–200 words. In this section, the interviewer is expected to briefly present the interviewee, including their institutional affiliation, academic or professional position, and primary research focus. The introduction must also outline the central theme of the interview, situating the topic within its broader disciplinary or cultural context. To engage the readership, it is recommended to open with a compelling or thought-provoking question that draws attention to the significance of the discussion.

The main body of the interview should range between 300 and 500 words. This section ought to combine descriptive and analytical dimensions: both interviewer and interviewee should provide background information on the chosen subject, supported where possible by relevant data, reports, or scholarly studies. The dialogue should then progress to the interviewee’s perspectives, experiences, and critical reflections, with questions designed to elicit substantive and engaging responses for a broad readership. At least three to four in-depth or analytical questions should be included to ensure debate, contrast, or critical dialogue. The interview should also address the interviewee’s views on the future of the field or topic under discussion. Throughout, the interviewer should guide the exchange with a critical and academic lens, ensuring the discussion maintains intellectual rigor while remaining accessible.

An additional section of 100–200 words may be included to expand upon the conversation by situating it in relation to the interviewee’s own body of research or publications. This allows the interviewer to highlight connections between the dialogue and the interviewee’s scholarly contributions, providing readers with avenues for further exploration.

The conclusion, approximately 100–150 words in length, should offer a succinct summary of the key insights from the discussion. The interviewer is expected to provide reflective closing remarks, emphasizing the main contributions of the interview and reinforcing its relevance within the broader scholarly or cultural context.

All interviews must be accompanied by appropriate academic citations when needed following MLA 9th edition. Direct quotations from the interviewee should be clearly indicated, and the interviewer is required to include at least three to four bibliographic references throughout the transcript. Where the interview is presented in written form, footnotes may be employed. In oral formats, authors and works must be clearly acknowledged within the dialogue itself.

Instructions for the OJS Submission Platform

Tab 1: Start

• Submission language: You must select the language (Spanish or English) in which the manuscript is written.
• Comments for the editor: Authors may use this section to provide a brief description of their submission and any additional information they consider relevant. Any potential conflicts of interest must be clearly disclosed here. Authors may also, optionally, suggest potential reviewers or indicate reviewers they prefer to exclude, with appropriate justification.

Tab 2: Upload Submission. You must upload here all the necessary files (manuscript, images if included, additional material, etc).

Tab 3. Enter Metadata.

• Title and subtitle: The title must be provided in both English and Spanish. When entering the title, both language fields will appear in the text box. The globe icon will display in red if one language version is missing, and in green once both are complete. Subtitles are optional. If a subtitle is included, there is no need to add a colon (“:”) at the end of the title. 
• Abstract: Just like with the title, it must be included in English and Spanish.
• List of contributors: For each author, please provide the following information: full name, institutional affiliation (including institution name and country), email address, and ORCID iD. Click on “Add Contributor” to include additional authors.
• In the Additional Refinements section:
• In Languages, ​​you must identify the language in which the original manuscript is written (English or Spanish).
• Keywords: Enter up to five keywords, adding each individually (press “Enter” after each keyword to confirm). Keywords must be provided in both English and Spanish. Ensure the globe icon turns green, indicating both versions are complete.
• References: References must be listed in alphabetical order, one per line. All references must include, where possible, a URL or, ideally, a DOI in the format https://doi.org/xxx, preferably retrieved from the original source or through the CrossRef metadata search tool. This information is essential for bibliometric purposes, so authors’ full cooperation is requested. If any references are modified during the review process, updates must be made both in the manuscript and on the platform.