Student-Led Research

The Student-Led Research section of the Journal of Kinesiology and Wellness aims to feature student (undergraduate and graduate) scholarly work. This section provides a valuable opportunity for students to publish their research with proper guidance from established scholars.

Authorship Requirements

For student scholarship submissions, the following requirements must be met:

1. A student must be the first author of the manuscript submission
2. It is mandatory that the manuscript be endorsed by someone holding a terminal degree
3. The endorsee (person with terminal degree) must be included as an author

Submission Process

Submitted manuscripts will be subject to a blind peer-review process. Papers for consideration should not have been published elsewhere. WSKW Membership is not required.

Evaluation Criteria

As part of the peer review, the following areas will be evaluated:

1. Original contribution to the field
2. Clear purpose and objectives
3. Clear methodology or logical arguments
4. Sound data analyses or supported arguments
5. Conclusion and implications
6. Accurate grammar, tone, use of English
7. Sound writing (sentence/paragraph structure)
8. Use of current APA Style
9. Relevance of tables and figures

Manuscript Structure

Cover Letter

Your submission must include a separate cover letter addressed to the Editor-in-Chief. This letter should introduce the submission, confirm that the research is original and not under consideration elsewhere, verify the lead author's student status, and include an endorsement statement from a co-author holding a terminal degree.

Download Cover Letter Template

Title Page

Your manuscript submission must include a separate title page with the following information:

1. Title of paper
2. Name of Author(s) and order of contribution
3. Author(s) affiliation
4. Date of submission
5. Author contact information (Name, address, phone, e-mail, and ORCID)
6. Funding (if any)
7. Acknowledgements (if any)
8. Conflict of interest (if any)
9. Statement that indicates the research is original and has not been published elsewhere
10. A statement that indicates the first author is a student (undergraduate or graduate) and identifies which of the other authors has a terminal degree and endorses the manuscript

Download Title Page Template

Blinded Manuscript

The main manuscript should be blinded (no author identifiers) and include:

1. Title of paper (no authors listed)
2. Abstract (250 words or less, formatted with structured headings such as Methods, Results, etc.)
3. Main body with the following heading order (Note: APA does not use "Introduction" as a heading):
   • Methods (or headings to fit a descriptive-type paper)
   • Results (or headings to fit a descriptive type paper)
   • Discussion
   • Conclusion
4. References
5. Tables (placed after references, with APA-formatted captions on top)
6. Figure captions (listed sequentially after the tables, in APA format)

Length: 10-page maximum, excluding references, cover page, and abstract.

Download Manuscript Template

Tables

Tables must be created using Word's built-in table features (do not paste tables as images). They should be added towards the end of the main manuscript file (after the references), rather than submitted as a separate document. Do not embed tables within the main text flow. Each table must follow APA 7th edition formatting:

• Authors must clearly indicate within the main text where each table should be placed (e.g., [Insert Table 1 here]).
• Provide captions on the top of each table. Each table must have a number (e.g., Table 1, Table 2) in bold, placed above the table on its own line.
• Descriptive title in italics immediately below the number (title case)
• Horizontal rules only (no vertical lines)
• A Note. below the table when abbreviations or additional context are needed

Separate Figure Files

Each figure (graph, chart, or image) must be submitted as a separate image file — one file per figure. Do not embed figures in the main manuscript.

Recommended formats:

Format	Best use
TIFF (.tif)	All figure types; photographs (preferred)
PNG (.png)	Graphs, charts, line art
JPEG (.jpg)	Photographs only, at highest quality setting

Minimum resolution:

Figure type	Minimum DPI
Photographs / halftones	300 dpi
Graphs, charts, line art	600 dpi
Combination figures	600 dpi

Name each file with the figure number (e.g., figure1.tif, figure2.png). Resolution must be at the final printed size. Images from websites (typically 72 dpi) and default PowerPoint exports are not acceptable.

Publication Process

All accepted papers will be published online shortly after being accepted. The JKW accepts submissions on a rolling basis, and papers are published as they are accepted rather than waiting for a full volume to be completed.

Benefits for Student Authors

Publishing in the Student-Led Research section offers several benefits for student researchers:

1. Professional Development: Gain experience with the scholarly publication process
2. CV Enhancement: Add a peer-reviewed publication to your curriculum vitae
3. Mentorship: Work closely with an established scholar who holds a terminal degree
4. Visibility: Share your research with the broader kinesiology and wellness community

Human Subjects Research

For research involving human subjects, you must include:

1. IRB Approval Statement: Explain that your research project has received approval from an IRB
2. Consent for Adult Subjects: If your study involves adult subjects, include a statement confirming that informed consent was obtained from all participants
3. Consent and Assent for Child Subjects: In studies involving children, affirm that consent was obtained from parents or guardians, and assent was acquired from the children

These details must be included in the manuscript itself, and the IRB protocol number should be included in the cover letter.