Submissions

Author Guidelines

Media Mutations Publishing requires all submissions to conform to the American Psychological Association (APA) 7th-edition style guidelines. Authors must ensure full compliance with these standards. The complete PDF of the guidelines can be downloaded here.

Manuscript Formatting

General Requirements

Font: Times New Roman, 12-point

Line spacing: Double-spaced throughout (including references, footnotes, and block quotations)

Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides

Alignment: Left-aligned (ragged right margin)

Indentation: First line of each paragraph indented 0.5 inches (1.27 cm)

Page numbers: Top right corner of every page

File format: Microsoft Word (.docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf)

Page Order

1. Title page
2. Abstract (if required)
3. Main text
4. References
5. Footnotes (if any)
6. Tables
7. Figures

Title Page

Title: Centered, bold, in title case (capitalize major words)

Author name(s): Centered, one double-spaced line below the title

Author affiliation(s): Centered, one double-spaced line below author name(s)

Author note (optional): Left-aligned, starting on a new line after affiliation

Abstract (if applicable)

Word limit: 150-250 words

Format: Single paragraph, no indentation

Keywords: 3-5 keywords listed below abstract, indented, in italics

In-Text Citations

APA style uses the author-date citation system. All sources cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and all references must be cited in the text.

Basic Format

One author: (Smith, 2020)

Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2020)

Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2020)

Direct Quotations:

Short quotations (fewer than 40 words): Use quotation marks and include page number
Example: "Serial narratives have transformed television" (Smith, 2020, p. 45).

Long quotations (40 words or more): Use block quotation format (no quotation marks, indented 0.5 inches, double-spaced)

Paraphrasing

Include author and year: (Smith, 2020)

Page numbers are optional but encouraged: (Smith, 2020, p. 45)

Multiple Citations

Order alphabetically, separated by semicolons: (Jones, 2019; Smith, 2020; Williams, 2021)

Secondary Sources

Format: (Smith, 2015, as cited in Jones, 2020)

Note: Only Jones (2020) appears in the reference list

Reference List

The reference list appears at the end of the manuscript on a new page with the heading "References" (centered, bold). Entries are listed alphabetically by the first author's last name and formatted with a hanging indent (0.5 inches).

Books

Single author:
Smith, J. A. (2020). Television and narrative complexity. Oxford University Press.

Edited book:
Jones, B. C., & Williams, D. E. (Eds.). (2021). The Oxford handbook of serial narratives. Oxford University Press.

Chapter in edited book:
Brown, L. M. (2019). Streaming platforms and binge-watching. In J. A. Smith & R. T. Davis (Eds.), Digital media studies (pp. 123-145). Routledge.

Journal Articles

Print journal:
Martinez, R. A. (2021). Serial storytelling in the digital age. Media Studies Quarterly, 45(2), 234-256.

Online journal with DOI:
Chen, L., & Park, S. (2022). Audience engagement with streaming platforms. Journal of Media Research, 18(3), 456-478. https://doi.org/10.1234/jmr.2022.18.3.456

Online journal without DOI:
Taylor, M. (2020). The evolution of television drama. Media Culture & Society, 42(5), 789-805. https://journals.sagepub.com/home/mcs

Online Sources

Website:
Netflix. (2023). About Netflix. https://about.netflix.com

Online newspaper article:
Roberts, K. (2023, January 15). The future of streaming television. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/article-url

Conference Papers

Published conference proceedings:
Li, X., & Kumar, A. (2021). Interactive narratives in contemporary media. In Proceedings of the Media Mutations International Conference (pp. 67-89). Media Mutations Publishing.

Unpublished conference paper:
Garcia, M. (2022, October 10-12). Transmedia storytelling strategies [Conference presentation]. Media Mutations International Conference, Bologna, Italy.

Films and Television

Television series:
Benioff, D., & Weiss, D. B. (Executive Producers). (2011-2019). Game of Thrones [TV series]. HBO.

Film:
Villeneuve, D. (Director). (2021). Dune [Film]. Legendary Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures.

Headings

APA style uses up to five levels of headings:

Level 1: Centered, Bold, Title Case
Level 2: Left-Aligned, Bold, Title Case
Level 3: Left-Aligned, Bold Italic, Title Case
Level 4: Indented, Bold, Title Case, Ending With a Period.
Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic, Title Case, Ending With a Period.

Most manuscripts will only need Levels 1-3.

Tables and Figures

Tables:

Number consecutively (Table 1, Table 2, etc.)

Include a brief, descriptive title in italics above the table

Include a note below the table if needed

Refer to tables in text: (see Table 1) or "as shown in Table 1"

Figures

Number consecutively (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.)

Include a brief, descriptive caption in italics below the figure

Include a note if needed

Figures should be high resolution (minimum 300 dpi)

Refer to figures in text: (see Figure 1) or "as shown in Figure 1"

Copyright and Permissions

Authors must obtain permission to reproduce any copyrighted material

Include copyright attribution in the note below tables/figures

Footnotes

Use sparingly; only for content that would disrupt the flow of the main text

Number consecutively throughout the manuscript

Place footnotes at the bottom of the page or on a separate page after references

Format: Superscript number in text, corresponding full-size number in footnote

Language and Style

Grammar and Usage

Use past tense when describing completed research: "Smith (2020) found that..."

Use present tense when discussing implications: "These findings suggest that..."

Use active voice when possible

Avoid contractions in formal academic writing

Use "they/their/them" as singular pronouns when gender is unknown or non-binary

Bias-Free Language

Use person-first language when appropriate

Be specific about age ranges

Use current and respectful terminology for racial and ethnic groups

Avoid gendered language; use "they" or rephrase to avoid "he/she"

Abbreviations

Spell out on first use, followed by abbreviation in parentheses: "European Union (EU)"

Use abbreviation only in subsequent mentions

Do not use periods in abbreviations of three or more capital letters: USA, UK, PhD

Numbers

Spell out numbers zero through nine: "five participants"

Use numerals for 10 and above: "25 participants"

Always use numerals for: measurements, percentages, ratios, scores, statistical values

Begin sentences with spelled-out numbers, or rephrase to avoid

Statistical Reporting

Report exact p values: p = .031, not p < .05 (unless p < .001)

Include effect sizes

Report confidence intervals

Use standard statistical notation: M (mean), SD (standard deviation), t, F, χ²

Example: The difference was significant, t(45) = 3.21, p = .002, d = 0.58, 95% CI [0.23, 0.94].

Common Errors to Avoid

Using "et al." for two authors (always use "&")

Forgetting to double-space the entire manuscript

Not using hanging indents in the reference list

Inconsistent citation format

Missing page numbers for direct quotations

Citing sources not listed in references (or vice versa)

Incorrect punctuation in citations

Not italicizing journal names or book titles

Additional Resources

For detailed guidance, consult:

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.)

APA Style website: https://apastyle.apa.org

Purdue OWL APA Guide: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Compliance

Manuscripts that do not adhere to these guidelines may be returned to authors for revision before entering the peer review process. Authors are responsible for ensuring their submissions meet all formatting and style requirements.

For questions regarding editorial guidelines, please contact the editorial team.