Contact the Quarterly Editor about your article ideas at editor@governmentauditors.org. Here are some tips to develop your article.
Scheduled topic themes:
Detecting Fraud (Fall 2011)
Recruiting, Training, and Retaining Audit Staff (Winter 2011)
The Local Government Auditing Quarterly content is primarily divided into two segments: feature articles and abstracts. Potential authors need to decide whether their ideas should be explored in depth - and are thus more appropriate for a feature article format - or whether their submission would work better as book review, editorial, or as a simple abstract.
Authors are usually practicing ALGA members, but not always. Retired auditors, senior management, academics, those involved in research relevant to the local government auditing profession, consultants, and others are welcome to submit articles for the Local Government Auditing Quarterly.
Many of the Local Government Auditing Quarterly's readers are from regions outside the United States, so submitted manuscripts should reflect the magazine's global focus. Authors need not worry about their writing ability; the magazine's review committee and editors are available to help focus the article and develop its content.
Subject Matter
One basic criterion for any good manuscript is whether or not the author has something of value to say: Does the manuscript provide information others might need or value? The best catalyst for a good article is likely to come from one's own audit experiences. Individuals who have found a way to audit a new high-risk area or to simplify report writing, for example, have information others want and will avidly read. Successful writers put themselves in the position of the readers and think about what the readers want to know about the topic, not just what they want to say about it.
Most of our readers tell us they prefer practical, "how to" articles that provide information they can apply to their own work. Articles falling under this category include case studies that describe actual procedures or methodologies used at a particular organization or discussions of audit challenges that offer solutions, using actual or hypothetical examples. Articles that are theoretical in nature or are based on academic research should include practical applications. Manuscripts based on studies or surveys, for example, should draw conclusions from the research, analyze the impact on the profession, and offer insight or advice that will be useful to readers.
Format/Style
Because writing an article requires a considerable investment of time and energy, potential writers may want to review back issues of Local Government Auditing Quarterly to get an idea of the types of material generally published, as well as the general editorial tone and article construction. Authors are also invited to write or call a Local Government Auditing Quarterly editor to discuss a particular topic or find out whether another article on the topic has been published recently.
To facilitate the writing process and develop the structure of the article, authors are encouraged to follow the topics that the editorial board has established so that there is some amount of thematic continuity in every issue. The magazine's editorial review board will publish this list of topics at the end of every issue to keep authors informed and to serve as a sort of writing prompt for the authors of articles. This will help to ensure that relevant issues in local government auditing are covered and the issues structure is logically organized.
The Basics of Writing
When composing a draft article, authors should begin with a clear, concise introduction that explains what the article is about and why the reader would be interested in it. The rest of the article should then address the points covered in the introduction and remain as focused as possible. Articles should be broken into separate sections with subheads so that readers can more easily digest the presented information. Also, because readers may not have the time to read an entire article, they may need to browse section headings to determine which portions of the text are relevant to their work.
Authors should strive to write using plain language. If technical terms or jargon must be included, they should be accompanied by brief explanations. Essential references need to be woven into the text (i.e., do not use footnotes or endnotes.) Slang or idiomatic language should also be avoided, in light of Local Government Auditing Quarterly's global audience.
Authors are encouraged to use visual elements to help convey complex processes or illustrate an important concept. Such content, however, should not simply repeat information already provided in text. If a chart is copied from another source, be sure to cite that source completely. If a work is copyrighted, permission to use it must be obtained.
Submitting a Feature
Feature manuscripts are usually about 1,000 words, not including exhibits, but can be more or less depending on content. Articles should be submitted electronically (by sending via e-mail to editor@governmentauditors.org), preferably in Microsoft Word. You can download a template for formatting your article from the ALGA website. The author's name, email address, and telephone number should be provided.
Review Process
The review process for the Local Government Auditing Quarterly is fairly simple. All articles that are submitted one month before the publication date will be considered for publication in the next issue. Some issues may have too many articles that what could be published, but that has been very rare. In the event that an article is postponed the author will be notified.
The editor will make minor corrections or ask the author to address the issues if the corrections are extensive. The author will be sent a copy of the edited manuscript so that any questions can be answered and inaccuracies can be corrected before publication.
Accepted articles are filed according to their date of acceptance, but they may not always be published in precise chronological order because of special editorial considerations (an issue focusing on a special theme, for example).
By local government auditors about local government auditing....
The best models for potential authors would include back issues of the Local Government Auditing Quarterly that would allow one to approximate the current format and style. Current sections include:
Member news: Reader comments regarding recently earned certifications, promotions, and transfers within the profession are welcomed and encouraged. City or county name/location, title, credentials, and e-mail address are requested for use in the member news byline. All news items may be edited for clarity and length.
Editorials: Readers are invited to submit short opinion essays on issues of interest to Local Government Auditors. The format should begin with a strong thesis statement followed by supporting paragraphs and a conclusion.
Features: The objective of these columns is to provide audit professionals with information and resources about what other audit organizations have learned. It could include tips from other auditors, accounts of new and innovative methodologies, examples of auditor-developed applications that address specific auditing and administrative needs, a book review, or anything else that may be applicable to other ALGA members. All features will be considered for publication, but the decision to publish is based on space limitations, appropriateness, timeliness, and other factors.
Abstracts: Authors are encouraged to share emerging risk issues and best practices from their own audit experiences by providing a one-page summary of an audit. Abstracts may fall into multiple categories but should be labeled with a primary heading at the top to ease in organization.
Authors can work as individuals or within groups to develop Local Government Auditing Quarterly contributions. Some suggestions:
In lieu of an article, authors might want to develop a list of the kinds of articles and information that would be of value and interest to them. The list, which should be submitted to Local Government Auditing Quarterly, might include the names of prospective authors as well. If you could spend an hour discussing a professional issue or problem with anyone, who would that person be?
Authors and Editors
If you have written an article, or have editor authority set up on the website, you can write and edit articles online. Download this Word document with instructions on how to work with online articles.
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