Manuscript Preparation and Submission

Submit All Documents Electronically

Submit manuscripts in Microsoft Word (.doc) or PDF format.  Manuscripts should be double-spaced (including references), using standard 12-point type.  Manuscripts typically range from 15-30 typed pages in length.  Each electronic submission should include TWO FILES, one containing the cover sheet and author biographical sketches (Item A in the “Order of Materials” section), and one containing the abstract, manuscript, references, all relevant tables, figures, etc., and technical appendices (see Items B, C, D, E and F).

All manuscripts must be sent directly to the Editor. Do not send manuscripts to the Publisher. MER processes all manuscripts exclusively by electronic means via email attachments. Please do not mail or fax backup hard copies of manuscripts and related items. Also, please do not send disks by mail. Manuscripts submitted other than through email attachments will be desk rejected.

Electronic submissions should be sent to MER@business.colostate.edu.

Order of Materials

Follow the Order of Materials exactly as indicated below.

A. Front Matter

The following items must precede the body of the text.

Important Note: Do not use ALL CAPS anywhere in the manuscript.  The entire body of the text must be double-spaced.

First Page: Title of the paper (upper/lower case), name and position of author(s), and each author(s)’ complete contact information (complete postal address, phone number, fax number, and email address). Manuscripts received without complete contact information for each author will be desk rejected.

Second Page: Title of the paper (upper/lower case) and a brief sketch for each author limited to only the following information: name, highest degree held and awarding school, current title or position, current organization or institution, city, state, and email address. Example: William L. Cron (Ph.D., Indiana University), Professor of Marketing, M.J. Neeley School of Business, Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX, b.cron@tcu.edu.

Do not include information on prior publications, courses taught, organizations consulted, etc. (i.e., limit the information to only the above). The email address of each author must be included.

If you have any acknowledgments of assistance, please place these on the second page under the brief author sketches.

B. Abstract

Third Page: Title of the paper (upper/lower case) without names of the author(s) and a brief abstract (double-spaced) of no more than 100 words summarizing the article. Be sure the abstract walks the reader through major aspects of the article. Begin page numbering on this page, placing the numbers at the bottom center. This page will be Page 1.

C. Body of Text

Text begins on the fourth page, which will be numbered Page 2. The title of the paper should not appear again at the top of this page. First-level headings (major headings) are to be centered using Upper and Lower Case and should be indicated with boldface type; second-level headings are to be flush left using Upper and Lower Case with boldface and italic; third-level headings are to be flush left using Upper and Lower Case with italic.  Font for the entire manuscript should be 12 point Times Roman or the equivalent (i.e., serif).

Do not begin with the heading “Introduction.” Of course, the first several paragraphs will be your introduction, but do not label it as such. 

Footnotes are to be avoided. In an extraordinary case in which a footnote is needed, DO NOT use the automatic footnoting feature in your word processor. Notes should be indicated by a superscript number in the text, and the note text should be placed as regular running text at the end of the manuscript or in a separate file.

Throughout the manuscript, use only one space after punctuation—not two. This includes after periods, colons, questions marks, and other types of punctuation.

D. References

References within the text should include the author(s)’ last name(s) and year of publication with no comma immediately preceding the date, enclosed in parentheses. Example: (Brown and Peterson 1993). If practical, place the citation just before a punctuation mark, preferably at the end of a sentence. If the author(s)’ names are used within the text sentence, place the year of publication in parentheses. Example: “The results reported by Brown and Peterson (1993) provide evidence of. . . .” If a particular page or section is cited, it should be placed within the parentheses. Example: (Brown and Peterson 1993, p. 73) or Brown and Peterson (1993, p. 73) depending on the context. For multiple authorship articles use up to three names in the citation. With four or more authors, use the first author’s name and et al. Example: (Cravens et al. 1993) or Cravens et al. (1993) depending on the context.

A listing of references in alphabetical order should appear at the end of the manuscript (starting on a separate page), listed by the first author (last name/first name/middle initial), all other authors (first name/middle initial/last name), and then year of publication. Complete names of each author are to be cited. Do not use initials-only unless that author typically writes under initials-only. Example: list Cravens, David W. not Cravens, D.W. Articles by the same author(s) with the same publication year should be distinguished by a lower-case letter after the date. Example: 1992a and 1992b. For authors cited more than once, substitute six hyphens (dashes) for each repeated name in the reference list. Generally, within a series of articles by the same first author you will list any single-author papers first (ascending date order) followed by any two-author papers (also in ascending date order), then papers by three-authors, four-authors, etc. Examples:

Churchill, Gilbert A., Jr. (1996), “Better Measurement Practices are Critical to Better Understanding of Sales Management Issues,” Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 12 (Spring), 73–80.

———, Neil M. Ford, Steven W. Hartley, and Orville C. Walker, Jr. (1985), “The Determinants of Salesperson Performance: A Meta-Analysis,” Journal of Marketing Research, 22 (May), 103–18.

Rackham, Neil, and John DeVincintis (1999), Rethinking the Sales Force: Redefining Selling to Create and Capture Customer Value, 1st ed., New York: McGraw-Hill.

Walker, Orville C., Jr (1979), “Where Do We Go From Here? Selected Conceptual and Empirical Issues Concerning the Motivation and Performance of the Industrial Salesforce,” in Critical Issues in Sales Management: State-of-the-Art and Future Research Needs, Gerald Albaum and Gilbert A. Churchill, Jr, eds., Eugene, OR: College of Business Administration/ University of Oregon, 10–75.

The second in a pair of page numbers should be elided as follows: DO–100–103, 125–37; 108–25; 150–59. DON’T–100–3, 140–9.

E. Tables and Figures

Each table or figure should be placed on a separate page and numbered consecutively beginning with Table 1 and Figure 1. A table or figure should not be included unless it is referenced in the text of the article. In the paper, tables come first followed by figures. Placement in the text should be indicated as follows: 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Place Table 2 about here
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Table or figure number and title should be typed on two separate lines in boldface type using upper/lower case. Example:

Table 1
J
ob Involvement Items

Footnotes in tables and figures should be designated by superscript numbers that correspond to notes at the bottom of the table or figure (outside the box or line).

F. Technical Appendices

Technical appendices may be used to include mathematical or highly technical material that supports the main text but is not critical to the reader’s interpretation of the text. If only one appendix appears, label it APPENDIX  (all caps/no number) and place the title on the next line in upper/lower case. If multiple appendices appear, label these APPENDIX 1, APPENDIX 2, etc. (all caps) with the title on the next line in upper/lower case. Appendices must be referred to in the text of the article, but are not to be designated for placement (unlike tables and figures—see above). 

K. Douglas Hoffman, Editor, MER@business.colostate.edu
Kevin J. Shanahan, Associate Editor, kshanahan@cobilan.msstate.edu
Theresa B. Clarke, Website Manager, clarketb@jmu.edu
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