African Journals Online
Acta Academica

Instructions to authors…./ Instructions aux auteurs….

1. Acta Academica publishes articles in Afrikaans or English. The preferred length is about 7000 words; 4500 words is regarded as a minimum and 11 000 as a maximum.

2. Two printouts of the text as well as a file on computer disc, in WordPerfect or MSWord, should be submitted. Articles may also be submitted by e-mail to [email protected]. 

3. Articles are to be submitted ready for the press: finally edited, stylistically polished and carefully proofread. Readability, fluency of style and clarity of exposition are essential. In the case of articles deemed by the editorial staff to require extensive language editing, the page fees payable by authors will be doubled.

4. The Editor reserves the right to make such alterations as he sees fit to accommodate the style and presentation of articles to the house style. Where major changes are necessary the text may be returned to the author for correction or approval. Copyright is transferred to Acta Academica on acceptance for publication.

5. Titles should be short and concise. Suitable headings and subheadings should be provided, with sections and subsections indicated by means of Arabic figures and full stops, i.e. 3. Being followed by 3.1 and 3.1.1(at most).

6. Source references in the text should be in the Harvard style, using the author's surname only, e.g.: (Coetzee 1986: 234-45).

7. Only genuine footnotes should be used, i.e. notes containing relevant elucidation of the text. Footnotes should be kept to a minimum. Footnotes should appear on a separate page, consecutively numbered and in double spacing. The position of the note should be indicated in the text in superscript Arabic figures without brackets.

8. A complete bibliography in the Harvard style must be provided, giving all relevant details. All sources must be listed alphabetically by authors' surnames, in the following format:
Coetzee H J 1977. Inflation in South Africa. Acta Economica 27(3): 17-36.
Snyman A L 1986. Human rights in political reform.
Van Rensburg (ed) 1986: 1-34.
Van Rensburg C D (ed) 1986. Human rights in South Africa. 2nd ed.
Pretoria: HAUM.

9. Abbreviations and acronyms should be avoided (except where an acronym, e.g. SABC, is current parlance).

10. Italics should not be over-used for emphasis. Latin phrases such as per se must be italicised. Words in languages other than that of the manuscript should be given in quotation marks.

11. Statistical and other tables should be labelled. Tables, as well as mathematical or similar symbols and expressions should be kept to a minimum.

12. Diagrams, sketches and graphs must be submitted in camera-ready copy on separate sheets of paper. Laser-printed computer graphics are also acceptable. Each diagram must have a short explanatory label.

13. If applicable, full details of the origin of the article must be provided (e.g. a paper delivered at a congress).

14. Two summaries of between 100 and 120 words, in English and Afrikaans, must be included.

15. Refereeing is always anonymous. Authors are invited to submit the names and addresses of up to three persons (from institutions other than their own) as referees. Where possible, at least one of them will be used.

16. Articles will only be refereed if accompanied by a declaration that the text has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere.

17. The author of a published article will receive one free copy of the relevant issue of
the journal and 10 reprints.

18. More detailed instructions and advice to authors are available from the Editor on application. If a specific field of study requires a style of reference other than the Harvard style, a special request may be addressed to the Editor.

19. Address for submissions: 

The Editor
Acta Academica
UFS-SASOL Library 
P O Box 301, Bloemfontein 9300
SOUTH AFRICA