This journal supports best practices in research openness and transparency. The policies below outline our expectations for authors to help ensure that the research results we publish are as transparent as possible.

Referencing and Data Handling in Submissions

Authors, editors, and referees for JBLAC are encouraged to pay special attention to the referencing of works and the handling of data within submitted manuscripts. References should not only include works directly consulted by the author but, where possible, also cite the original sources of those works.

Data sources must be clearly referenced, and if they are publicly available, authors should provide citations that include URLs or append them as supplementary material. In instances where data is not publicly available—often for valid reasons—authors should provide explanations, typically in a footnote, detailing the rationale behind the lack of accessibility.

Articles reporting results of empirical studies, such as quantitative analyses or experimental results, should provide sufficient information to allow for replication by other researchers based on the content of the article, references, and any supplementary materials. The availability of field notes may depend on specific circumstances, but if such notes are accessible, they should be referenced and made available.

Authors reporting original fieldwork are also responsible for documenting essential metadata, including where and when the data was collected, the methods used for data collection, and relevant characteristics of the participants involved, such as age, education, and gender. Additionally, authors presenting judgments, such as acceptability or meaning assessments, should be prepared to substantiate their conclusions if questioned by referees or editors, anticipating inquiries about their most significant examples. This level of transparency and rigor in data handling and referencing aligns with JBLAC’s commitment to high-quality scholarship and the responsible advancement of knowledge in the field.

Publication Ethics 

The Journal of Black Language and Culture (JBLAC), as a journal of the Linguistic Society of America (LSA), adheres to the LSA’s Guidelines on Ethics for LSA Publications and Conferences. You can also refer to the full JBLAC Ethics Guide.