Style Guide for Submission to the International Management Development Association (IMDA) Proceedings

Talha Harcar, Pennsylvania State University, USA
Elliot Wood, Curtin University of Technology, Australia

        In order for any paper to be included in the International Management Development Association Proceedings, it must meet the described guidelines. Papers that do not meet these guidelines will not be included for publication. This document provides examples of the required format to be used by authors when preparing their papers for publication in the IMDA Proceedings.

        The IMDA Proceedings will be printed by photographic reproduction on fine, white paper, size 8.5” by 11”. You must use Microsoft Word 6.0 or higher (PC version). Use a high quality Laser Jet or Ink Jet printer, and print on one side of the sheet only. Do not use matrix printers. Please follow all instructions precisely; papers that deviate cannot be accepted. Note that the introduction has no heading.

Formatting Your Paper

        Use this sample as a model of how your paper should look when it is submitted. Details are found under appropriate subheadings.

Length
        Eight pages per article are the maximum that can be allowed without a page charge. One page prepared with the required 10-point type is approximately equivalent to 3 pages of double-spaced copy printed with 12-point type. Therefore, you should be able to accommodate a 24-page paper on eight pages. Authors desiring to submit more than eight pages for the IMDA Proceedings may purchase extra page rights (in full page increments) for $25 per page. If your paper runs longer than the eight pages, you must include payment for additional page rights with your submission. Checks are payable to IMDA, and credit cards can be used.

Settings
         Margins should be set at 0.875” top, 1.250” bottom, and 0.75” right and left. Paper size should be set for 8.5” by 11”. Base font should be set to Times New Roman in a 10-point size. Set tab settings to 0.25”, so that the first line of a paragraph is indented by that amount. All text should be full-justified. Set the body of your paper in a two column format with 0.30” spacing between columns.

Headings
Title
        In addition to the title heading, no paper should have more than three levels of headings within the body.

        A full horizontal line, 0.02” thick, should be drawn at the top of the first page. One line is skipped, then the title should be printed in upper and lower case letters, 20 point type, and flush to the left margin. Titles that fill more than one line should be single-spaced, and each line is left-justified.

        The author(s) and affiliation(s) should be flush-left, single-spaced, and typed beginning on the second line below the title as shown above. Use 12-point type. Do not use titles such as “Dr.” or “Professor.” Additional authors and affiliations should be stacked under the first with no space between. You should include only your institution’s name and country.

        Skip one line then place another full horizontal line of 0.02” thickness after all the authors and affiliations have been listed. This separates the headings from the text.

Sub-headings within the body
        First level sub-headings should be left-justified, boldface, in upper and lower case, and printed in 14-point type.  (For example, see the “Formatting Your Paper” sub-heading in the left column.)  Second level sub-headings should be left-justified, upper and lower case, in bold italics, and printed in 12-point type.  (For example, see the “Headings” sub-heading above.)  Third level sub-headings, if necessary, are indented, bold italics, upper case on the first word only, and no punctuation at the end.  That paragraph begins right after the sub-heading.  (For example, see the sub-heading of this paragraph.)

Abstract

        All papers begin with an abstract of 100 words or less.  The abstract should be single-spaced and italicized.  Type size should be 10 point.  Do not print a sub-heading over the abstract.

Body
        The body of the paper should be single-spaced and should immediately follow the abstract.  Use 10-point type for the body of the paper.  Indent every paragraph.

Spacing
        Single space the body of the paper.  Double space before first or second level sub-headings (in other words, leave one blank line.)  Sub-headings that take more than one line should be single-spaced.  Single space between each listing in the reference section.  Do not double space between paragraphs.

Table 1.  Sample Characteristics

Citing References
        The latest edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) is used for citations and for any other formatting questions not answered specifically in these guidelines.

        Citations in the text should list the author’s last name, comma, and publication date, all enclosed by parentheses, i.e., (Kang, Kara, Laskey, & Seaton, 1993).  If the author’s name is used in the sentence, there is no need to repeat the name in the citation; just use the year of publication in parentheses, i.e., the Howard and Sheth (1969) Model.  If a particular page, section, or equation is cited, it should be placed in parentheses, i.e., (Kaynak, 1989, p. 168).  Note that an ampersand (&) is used with multiple authors only when they appear in parentheses.

        The reference section, including all citations used, must be included in your paper.  The word “References” should appear as a first-level heading.  Entries must appear in alphabetical order, with an indent of  0.25”.  If several works are cited for any given author, write out the name of the author each time the name appears.  Do not use a dash or line.  The format to be used for journal articles, proceedings, and books is shown at the end of these instructions.

Appendices
        Appendices, if used, should follow the references.  The word “Appendix” should be at the top of each appendix as a first-level heading.  If there is more than one appendix, number each consecutively.

Page Numbering
        Do not print any page numbers.  Instead, number all pages in the lower right hand corner using LIGHT pencil marks.

References

        Tessmer, M. (1995/1996).  Formative multimedia evaluation.  Training Research Journal, 1, 127-149.
        Curtis, K. (1994).  From management goal setting to organizational results:  Transforming strategies into action.  Westport, CT: Quorum Books.
        Varaldo, R., & Pagano, A. (1998).  Can small and medium enterprises survive in the global economy?  In E. Kaynak, K. Becker, & O. Kucukemiroglu (Eds.), Seventh World Business Congress (pp. 1-8).  Hummelstown, PA: International Management Development Association.

Submission Requirements

        Please submit two laser printed copies and a computer disk (using Microsoft Word 6.0 or higher) to Dr. Talha Harcar by May 26, 2003 at the latest (receipt deadline, not a postmark deadline).  You can also send it via electronic mail, so long as the manuscript conforms to all other specifications.  If you have any questions about the style guidelines, contact Talha Harcar  at the address below.

        Dr. Talha Harcar
        Department of Business Administration
        Penn State University at Beaver
        100 University Drive
        Monaca, PA 15061, USA
        Tel: (724) 773-3892
        Fax: (724) 773-3557
        E-mail: tdh13@psu.edu