Primary Science Submission Guidelines

Submitting articles

Primary Science aims to share information and ideas that support effective practice in science education at the primary school level through to early secondary education. To this end we publish articles about teaching, learning and thinking, and assessing science, in the main, covering early years to secondary/high school transfer. We welcome articles on a range of areas including:

  • selecting, adapting and managing learning activities both within and outside the classroom, so sharing expertise
  • research interpretations
  • informing and addressing important developments and challenge thinking about them
  • an international perspective on primary science education
  • adaptations for children with special needs
  • health and safety
  • use of ICT
  • links to other areas of the curriculum
  • information about useful books, equipment, audio-visual aids and websites to support both teachers and learners

Articles that provide insight into familiar classroom activities, as well as those containing novel ideas about content and learning and teaching processes, are always of interest. However we look for reflection on practice rather than simple description: impact on the reader or on the people involved in the writing, either pupils or authors. We also value comment on matters of policy and developments in primary science and discussion of innovations whether originated locally or nationally. Short letters, viewpoints, ideas, queries and news items are also welcome.

Length and style

  • articles should be submitted as a word doument
  • keep articles short; ideally around the 1500 word mark, with a maximum of 2000; other contributions such as letters and viewpoints etc should be much shorter
  • keep jargon and technical language to a minimum. If you need to use specific terminology, please clarify it
  • write in a straightforward and economical style; as if you are talking to the reader
  • follow the journal style for writing:
    • title should be no more that 10 word long
    • strapline indicating the article’s content
    • subheadings to break up the text
    • information about yourself at the end of the article
  • ​give a few essential references only, following the journal style - the Harvard system. If this is an online reference, please include the full web address and when you last accessed it
  • remember that most readers are primary teachers but that PS also has an international readership and is read by students, ITE staff, professional developers, researchers, parents, and the education departments of industry and commerce

Illustrations – photographs and children’s work

  • ideally your article should include some images. These may be in the form of illustrations, charts, tables, or may have been sourced publically. Please note that you are responsible for obtaining (and retaining) the permission to use the images from the publisher and for supplying the required credits. ASE does not pay for images. These are best supplied separately to the article text, as high quality 300 dpi images e.g. jpg’s if possible
  • include images that illustrate what you or the children were doing. It is essential to ensure that permission has been granted by the parents of any children inlcuded in submitted photographs and are aware that the article with the photo will be published in Primary Science and on ASE Website  This permission should be retained by you for future reference, but it’s existence indicated when submitting the article
  • please try to give one or two relevant websites to help readers find out further information

Information to include

  • include your title, name, position, home and/or work address, phone number and e-mail addresses on the main document not just on the covering letter/email (which may become separated)
  • indicate on the article whether you want to include your email address for publication, along with other relevant information
  • where you provide sources of equipment, etc, please check that they are up to date and give full addresses/contact numbers

Submitting articles

Please email your submission to lauratownsend@ase.org.uk as an attachment.

As for all ASE publications, we ask that you do not submit the same article to any other publication at the same time.

Note that materials published in PS will also be published on the ASE Website. 

Finally…

Members of the editorial board are always willing to give advice to those who are writing for PS for the first time. Seeking this help before submitting formally will avoid articles being rejected for being 'off the mark'. However, articles intended for publication do need to be submitted through the ASE to the email above.The Editor will read each submission (normally within a week of it arriving) and pass some initial comments back to author. The article is simultaneously forwarded to members of the PS Editorial Board for review. This process can take up to 6 weeks. The Editor will contact the author with the decision about acceptance for publication and any further comments or suggestions for revisions. 

The date of publication of accepted articles falls to the discretion of the Editor. If an author wishes to write for a particular themed issue the article must be received before the copy deadline. The Executive Editor, Helen Johnson, will confirm the date of the articles’ publication and arrange for authors to receive 3 complimentary copies of the relevant issue.