Reviews of Peer-Reviewed Journals in the Humanities and Social Sciences
We give you the scuttlebutt on academic journals—aiding you in selecting the right journal for publication—in reviews that are sometimes snarky, sometimes lengthy, always helpful. Written by Princeton University graduate students and Wendy Laura Belcher.
Journal of Marriage and Family
For those interested in publishing articles that are empirically-based and deal with the topics of marriage and family, this is the top journal in the field.
The Journal of Marriage and Family (JMF), published by the National Council on Family Relations, describes itself as having been “the leading research journal in the family field for more than 75 years.” According to the journal’s self-description, JMF publishes “original research and theory using the variety of methods reflective of the full range of social sciences, including quantitative, qualitative, and multi-method designs; research interpretation; integrative review; reports on methodological and statistical advances; and critical discussion concerning all aspects of marriage, other forms of close relationships, and families.” That said, the tendency appears to be for publishing more quantitative research. Recent trends in JMF’s published research include international studies as well as studies on health and studies on low-income families. The most recent decade in review appeared in the February 2020 issue (Vol. 82, No .1) provides insight into some of the journal’s most prominent topics.
Articles in JMF tend to clock in at around 10,000 words. The introductions tend to be short (about 500 words), and authors tend to state their arguments and articulate their claims to significance early.
Review date: January 2020
Word count: No word limit listed; however, the journal indicates that submissions should be limited to 35 double-spaced pages, inclusive of title page, abstract, text, references, tables, figures, and appendices
Issues per year: 4
Current volume number: 83
Articles per year: 85
Citation style: APA
Abstract length (if required): 200–225 words
Upcoming special issues (if available): None
Relevant editors: editor: Liana C. Sayer; deputy editors: Daniel L. Carlson, Dawn M. Dow, Abbie E. Goldberg, Matthew Johnson, Sarah J. Schoppe-Sullivan, Maria Stanfors, and Mieke Beth Thomeer
Open access? No
Online? Yes
Submission method: Online
Submission fee: $25 for members of the National Council on Family Relations, $35 for nonmembers
Bibliography (articles in the journal consulted for this review)
Cherlin, Andrew J. “Degrees of change: An assessment of the deinstitutionalization of marriage thesis.” Journal of Marriage and Family 82, no. 1 (2020): 62–80.
Mari, Gabriele. “Is there a fatherhood wage premium? A reassessment in societies with strong male‐breadwinner legacies.” Journal of Marriage and Family 81, no. 5 (2019): 1033–1052.
Ocobock, Abigail. “Status or access? The impact of marriage on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer community change.” Journal of Marriage and Family 80, no. 2 (2018): 367–382.
About Wendy Belcher
