Submissions

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Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
  • The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  • Author confirms the writing has not been completed using Generative AI tools, that their content is accurate, and that any editing/refinement/language improvement is limited to grammatical corrections and basic streamlining. In other words, Generative AI tools have not be used to substantively reword, change the tone, or in any other way craft the author’s words. Generative AI tools may not be listed as authors. Generative AI has not been used in the creation and manipulation of images and figures.
  • The submission file is in Microsoft Word.
  • The text has a consistently applied citation style (Chicago, MLA, Harvard, etc).
  • The font for all text should be 12-point, in a standard serif typeface, such as Times New Roman. Manuscripts should be double-spaced throughout the document’s main body, and include page numbers somewhere in the document.
  • Main manuscript file contains, at a minimum, keywords after the title. Peer-reviewed articles should also include an abstract.
  • All images/figures/tables are uploaded together in a single ZIP file (not embedded in the main document) and are accompanied by a separate caption sheet. Caption sheet must include a written description of the image, as well as provenance metadate (source, date of creation, date of access when relevant, etc).
  • Author acknowledges sole responsibility to obtain image permissions (if applicable) should the submission be accepted for publication.
  • If submitting an article manuscript for peer review, the author/s of the document have deleted their names from the text, endnotes, and file metadata.
  • Should the work be accepted (or if the work has already been accepted), authors acknowledge that they will be required (or have already) to format their submission to conform with ROMchip's Formatting and Style Requirements Checklist and Image and Caption Requirements Checklist (provided upon acceptance).

Author Guidelines

Submission Types 

ROMchip welcomes submissions of four types of content: 

  • Articles: 7,000 to 10,000-word academic essays intended for peer review. 

  • Interviews: 5,000 to 9,000-word edited transcripts from interviews or recently conducted oral histories with individuals related to the game industry (historical or present) and cultural institutions. Our Interviews section serves as both a service to our contemporary community and an archive for future game historians. 

  • Materials: Short essays (4,500 words maximum if written) on museum, library or archival acquisitions, newly located or accessioned artifacts, or strange and unique historical finds related to game history. This section is open to experimental or less traditional forms, and work can be presented as a photo essay, game walkthrough, video essay, etc. Our Materials section is also a space to spread the news about recently acquired collections and draw attention to conservation and preservation issues. Additionally, it is an ideal place for accessible public writing, especially by non-academics.

  • Translations: This is ROMchip's space dedicated to hosting translated work, including translations of English-language ROMchip content into non-English languages, translations of historical materials and sources, as well as significant scholarship published in other venues (with permission). Translations can operate across any two languages and are not required to originate in or be translated into English. This section is available to anyone with translation experience. Word count varies with source material.

Word count is inclusive of bibliography and notes.  

General Author Guidelines 

For the purposes of review, work may be submitted in any citation or formatting style the author is familiar with, so long as it is consistently and correctly applied, and the style does not interfere with general readability. Details below are the minimum formatting and stylistic requirements for submission. If accepted, authors will be given the ROMchip Formatting and Style Requirements Checklist, which must be followed to advance to publication.

Submission of a manuscript to ROMchip implies that it is original and unpublished work and that it is neither under active consideration for publication elsewhere, nor has been accepted for publication elsewhere.   

ROMchip does not apply any charges or fees (including Article Processing Charges) pertaining to publication, distribution, or access. Authors maintain copyright to their work. Access to all material published at ROMchip is free and without restrictions, no registration is necessary.

Format 
The font for all text should be 10 or 12-point, in a standard serif typeface, such as Times New Roman. Manuscripts should be double-spaced throughout the document’s main body, and include page numbers somewhere in the document. 

Length 
Word counts are inclusive of notes. Article manuscripts are 7,000-10,000 words; Interviews are 5,000-9,000 words; Materials should not exceed 4,500 words; Translations are flexible, depending on source material. 

Citation Style
For the purposes of review, work may be submitted in any citation style the author is familiar with, so long as it is consistently and correctly applied. However, if accepted to ROMchip, citations must be revised to adhere the Chicago Manual of Style, using endnotes with full citations. For issues not addressed in the Chicago Manual of Style (particularly related to contemporary technological and cultural terms), please refer to the Buzzfeed style guide.

Images/Figures/Tables  
Images should be of good resolution quality, submitted in JPEG file format, and uploaded together in a single ZIP file. File names should read: "FigureXX.jpg" with "XX" referring to the image's order in the manuscript and on the caption sheet. Do not embed images in your document. Please use the phrase "(See Figure XX)" in your manuscript to specify where an image should be referenced.

Authors submitting images must also upload a separate caption sheet. The caption sheet should be submitted as a Word document, with a unique caption for each image. Captions should include a brief description of the image, the image source, and acknowledgement of right to reproduce (if applicable). 

Image Permissions 
It is standard practice in academic journals to require authors to obtain written permission to reproduce any images. Authors are not required to provide image permissions at time of submission, but should be prepared to solicit permissions immediately upon manuscript acceptance. 

Generative AI Policy
ROMchip has Gen AI policies for both authors and reviewers.

Authors
ROMchip expects that works submitted for consideration by authors are original and have been written with integrity. It is the author’s responsibility to ensure that their writing has not been completed using Generative AI tools, that their content is accurate, and that any editing/refinement/language improvement is limited to grammatical corrections and basic streamlining. In other words, Generative AI tools should not be used to substantively reword, change the tone, or in any other way craft the author’s words. Generative AI tools may not be listed as authors.

ROMchip currently does not permit the use of Generative AI in the creation and manipulation of images and figures.

If authors have any questions about the acceptable use of AI for editing purposes, please consult with the Editorial Group before submitting a written work [romchip.journal@gmail.com].

Reviewers
ROMchip strictly prohibits the use of AI tools for assessment by external evaluators. The entering of manuscripts into Generative AI systems may give rise to risks around confidentiality, infringement of proprietary rights and data, and other risks. Therefore, editors must not upload unpublished manuscripts, including any associated files, images, or information into Generative AI tools. Ultimately, you are responsible for the integrity of your report, so please be sure that the review you submit is reflective of your own assessment of the text under evaluation.

Peer Review Policies
Submissions submitted as "Articles" will undergo a two-tiered peer review process. First, the Editorial Group reviews each submission to evaluate its suitability in relation to ROMchip's scope, mission, and aims. Manuscripts judged unsuitable for ROMchip will be rejected without peer review.

If a manuscript demonstrates a solid fit, it will move to the next stage and be reviewed by two anonymous peer reviewers. Review is "double blind": the author will not be identified to the reviewers and the reviewers will not be identified to the author. Peer review will be provided by members of the Editorial Board and/or additional experts pending manuscript subject matter.

Peer reviewers advise on the originality, rigor, and criticality of a manuscript; the Editorial Group makes a publication decision based upon these reports. Manuscripts will either be accepted, recommended for publication upon revision, or rejected. In cases where the Editorial Group accepts a paper subject to revisions, the author will normally be asked to complete all revisions by a specific deadline. The revised manuscript will be subject for further review based upon the discretion of the Editorial Group. 

Authors will receive an automated confirmation that their submission has been received. Once a manuscript has entered the review process it may take up to six months to receive a decision. All editorial decisions will be communicated via email. Accepted manuscripts will be published online in accordance with ROMchip’s semi-annual schedule. Typically, manuscripts accepted for publication will be published within 6-12 months of notification. 

Specific Submission Guidelines for Interviews, Materials, and Translations
Interviews, Materials, and Translations are typically not peer-reviewed. If content is accepted, authors will be required to follow all guidelines laid out in ROMchip's Formatting and Style Requirements Checklist and Image and Caption Requirements Checklist in order to advance to publication. 

We strongly recommend prospective authors pitch their ideas to the Editorial Group by emailing Managing Editor Laine Nooney [laine.nooney@gmail.com]. If you are unfamiliar with academic submission procedures, we are happy to assist you in putting together your submission. Freelance writers are encourage to explore our Freelancer Fund, which enables us to financial support independent, non-academic writers.

Special Note for Interviews: Interviews may be published as a co-authored work by both the interviewer and the interviewee, should both parties desire that. Interviewer and interviewee should be listed as first and second author, respectively.

Once the Editorial Group expresses interest in a pitch, the final work must be uploaded through the ROMchip submission portal on this website

Copyright Notice

Works published in ROMchip are open access in accordance with the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license. Authors retain copyright to works published in the journal.

This license allows others to copy and redistribute work published in ROMchip, according to the following license terms: 

  1. Provide Attribution — Redistributed work must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . Redistributors may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  2. Non-Commercial — Redistributed material may not be used for commercial purposes .
  3. No Derivatives — If an individual remixes, transforms, or builds upon the material, they may not distribute the modified material.

Author/s retain all other rights to the publication, including rights to republish, audio/visual, film and television, podcast, and all other rights not named herein, and may do so without ROMchip’s permission.

Author/s grant ROMchip a nonexclusive, perpetual license to publish their work.

Author/s understand they must provide a citation to the original ROMchip publication if/when they publish the Work elsewhere. 

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