Instructions for Authors

Submissions

Make a new submission or view your pending submissions.

Submission Types

Original Research Report: Original research reports may include any research related to TBL and active learning, including studies with positive outcomes (confirming results) or negative outcomes (disconfirming results). The original research manuscripts may be up to 5000 words, with a 250-word abstract, and up to 40 references. Tables/figures are recommended and each article may contain up to five tables/figures. These manuscripts should contain an Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Supplementary information may be included. 

Submit a new Original Research Report.

Brief Research Report: A brief research report is intended to showcase original research, preliminary research, or brief observations more concisely than original research articles. These may include studies with positive outcomes (confirming results) or negative outcomes (disconfirming results). While data is necessary, generally there are less details than an original research manuscript. Brief research reports may be up to 2000 words, with a 150-word abstract, and up to 20 references. Up to two tables/figures may be included. These manuscripts should contain an Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Supplementary information may be included if warranted. 

Submit a new Brief Research Report.

Systematic Review: Systematic reviews should include a synthesis of the current TBL and active learning research with a description of the aggregated evidence related to a specific research question. Systematic reviews must use the PRISMA (http://prisma-statement.org/) reporting guidelines. They should include an Introduction, Methods (including systematic review protocol; search strategy; data sources, data extraction and analysis), Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. A PRISMA flow diagram is required. They may be up to 5000 words with a 250-word abstract. Longer papers will be considered if merited. Tables/figures are recommended and each article may contain up to five tables/figures. There is no limit for references.

Submit a new Systematic Review.

Innovation: Innovations are intended to highlight novel how-to tips and original ideas related to TBL and active learning. They are intended to showcase new thoughts or observations that have not been widely researched within the TBL community. Innovations may be up to 1000 words, with a 100-word abstract, and up to 10 references. Longer papers will be considered if merited.

Submit a new Innovation.

Perspective: A perspective article presents authors' opinions, viewpoints, or interpretations related to recent TBL and active learning related research, trends, or innovations. All perspectives must be constructive and should be supported by evidence (i.e., they may not include unpublished data). They may be up to 750 words with a 100-word abstract. Up to 10 references may be included. One table/figure may be included. Longer papers will be considered if merited. 

Submit a new Perspective.

Technology Report: Critique of a technology used in the classroom for TBL and active learning. Must have been tested by the author to be considered for publication.

Submit a new Technology Report.

Letter to the Editor: Letters may include professional opinions, intriguing questions, classroom experiences, and lessons learned. Letters must be less than 500 words. 

Submit a new Letter to the Editor.

Announcements: Individuals wishing to post TBL and active learning related announcements must send their requests to the Editor-in-Chief. They may be TBLC-related, announcements from other education related organizations, TBL or active learning conference information, or international issues affecting TBL and active learning. 

TBL Modules

The TBLC Resource Portal provides ready-to implement TBL modules for a breadth of disciplines and topics. To get started complete the submission form: TBL Submission Form.

Submit a new TBL Module for the TBLC Resource Portal.

Inclusion in IJTBL

Modules or elements of modules accepted for inclusion in the Resource Portal may be included in IJTBL. Modules published in IJTBL may take the following forms:

  • Abstracts: Abstracts of modules accepted for inclusion in the TBLC Module Bank are published in each issue of IJTBL. 
  • Featured Modules (By Invitation): The editorial team may select modules for expanded publication based on their innovation, pedagogical significance, or contribution to generalizable knowledge in team-based learning. 
  • Module Highlights (By Invitation): The editorial team may select elements of a module that demonstrate particularly innovative or transferable practices. Highlights may include, but are not limited to, novel preparatory materials, individual and team readiness assurance tests (iRATs and tRATs), 4S application exercises, team-building strategies, and peer evaluation tools. 

By Invitation

Expert Commentary: Experts in TBL will be invited to give commentaries. They are intended to provide a critical perspective on recent research or innovations.

Special Articles: Anything that doesn’t fit with the above categories may be considered if it would be interesting with readership (contact the editorial team for inquiries).

Conference Proceedings: Peer reviewed abstracts, summaries and notable reports from the annual TBLC conference are published in IJTBL annually.

Manuscript Format

General Formatting Guidelines

All manuscripts should be in English and formatted in American Psychological Association style, 7th edition. The body of the manuscript should be formatted as follows:

  • Layout: use standard 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, left and right of the page.
  • Font: 11-point calibri.
  • Use the automatic page numbering function to number the pages.
  • Do not use field functions.
  • Use tab stops or other commands for indents, not the space bar.
  • Use the table function, not spreadsheets, to make tables.
  • Use the equation editor or MathType for equations.
  • Manuscripts should be uploaded as Microsoft Word .docx files. PDFs will not be accepted.

Word limits do not include references, tables, figures

Please see the template: Download Manuscript Template

Title Page

Cover letters are not required, but manuscripts should include a title page, submitted as a separate file, including:

  • Manuscript title (limit to 18 words)
  • Names and affiliations of authors
  • Corresponding author contact information
  • Article type
  • Abstract (maximum 300 words)
  • Key words (up to five)
  • Disclosures
  • Acknowledgements

Please see the title page template: Download Title Page Template

Tables and Figures

Figures and tables should be submitted in a separate word document, named according to the number in the manuscript (table 1, table 2 or figure 1, figure 2, etc.). All tables and figures should be formatted according to APA guidelines: 

Citation and Referencing Guidelines (APA 7th Edition)

The journal follows APA 7th edition for all references. Authors must ensure that citations are accurate, relevant, and ethically applied.

APA Citation and Reference Formatting Rules

  • In-text citations: Use author–date format (e.g., (Smith, 2020); (Brown & Lee, 2021); (Jones et al., 2019)).
  •  Reference list: Alphabetical order by first author.
  • Apply a 0.5 inch hanging indent for all references.
  • Italicize journal names and volume numbers.
  • Use sentence case for article titles.
  • Include DOIs as full URLs (https://doi.org/...).

Examples

  • Journal Article: Brown, A., & Lee, C. (2021). Team-based learning in pharmacy education. Journal of Educational Methods, 15(2), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.1234/jem.2021.15.2.45
  • Book: Smith, J. (2020). Active learning strategies for higher education. New York, NY: Academic Press.
  • Website: American Psychological Association. (2020). APA style guidelines. https://apastyle.apa.org

Ethical Citation Practices

  • All research and non-research articles (e.g., Perspective, Commentary) must cite appropriate and relevant literature to support claims.
  • Citation manipulation is strictly prohibited, including excessive self-citation, coordinated self-citation among authors, gratuitous citation of articles from this journal, or any practice intended to inflate citation metrics.
  • Violations will result in rejection and may be reported to authors’ institutions. Attempts by reviewers or editors to encourage such practices should be reported to the publisher.

Author Responsibilities

  • Cite all statements that rely on external sources (not your own findings or general knowledge)
  • Use original sources over derivative works (e.g., cite the original study, not a review that cites it).
  • Ensure accuracy: citations must support the statements made and not misrepresent the source.
  • Do not cite sources you have not read.
  • Avoid preferential citation of your own work, colleagues, or institution.
  • Do not limit citations to one country or region; strive for global representation.
  • Avoid excessive citations for a single point.
  • Use peer-reviewed sources where possible.
  • Do not cite advertisements or promotional material.

De-identification

To ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation, authors should remove all identifying information from the manuscript body, including names, places and affiliations. Only the cover page should include identifiers.

Tags

The editorial board may add tags to publications to denote included TBL components (e.g., TBL-core, pre-class, iRAT, tRAT, application, peer evaluation), evidence of learning level (Kirkpatrick: reaction, learning, behavior, results), delivery modality (e.g., online, hybrid, in-person, asynchronous), learner (e.g., K-12, undergraduate, graduate, health science, workforce), student authors, TBLC award winners and grant recipients.

TBL Core Denotation

To draw meaningful conclusions about TBL across implementations, manuscripts may be designated with a “TBL-Core” notation. To qualify, manuscripts should be based on methodology that included team formation, learning outcomes, a complete readiness assurance process, 4S application(s) and facilitation plan. Please see Haidet et al., 2012 (https://site.ufvjm.edu.br/fammuc/files/2016/05/TBL-4.pdf) for specific guidance. Authors are asked to indicate whether they would like their manuscript to be evaluated for “TBL-Core” denotation during the submission process. Final decisions on eligibility will be made by the editorial board. See Request for TBL-Core Designation.

Ethics Policies

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use

Authors must follow APA current policies regarding AI: 

Ethics Statements

Ethics statements should be included in all submissions:

  • Ethics approval: State the name of the ethics committee or review board, and approval number, that approval was waived and the reason why, or that no approval was necessary and the reason why.
    • For any human studies: Describe how informed consent was obtained, or if it was waived/not required and the reason why.
    • For any animal studies: State that the study followed international, national and/or institutional guidelines for animal welfare or that the study did not involve the use of animals 
  • Conflict of Interest: Declare that there was no conflict of interest or list the potential conflicts of interest of all authors.
  • Funding: State that the work received no specific funds from any agency or disclose the list of all supporting agencies, commercial or non-profit. 

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is not acceptable at IJTBL. Plagiarism includes use of intellectual property without attribution or permission. Self-plagiarism occurs when authors reuse their own previously published work without citation. IJTBL may use software to screen for plagiarism.

Misconduct

Misconduct incidents will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the editorial team. Authors found responsible for misconduct may face manuscript rejection, and be permanently disqualified from involvement with IJTBL, including but not limited to activities such as publication, serving as a peer reviewer or on the editorial board.

Data Transparency

Research articles must include a Data Availability Statement indicating where and how the data supporting the findings can be accessed. When data are available in a public repository, authors must provide a persistent identifier (e.g., DOI) and direct link. If data cannot be shared due to ethical, legal, or privacy constraints, this must be clearly stated. Authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable institutional and regulatory requirements.

Issues and Disputes

Authorship

IJTBL will not engage in discussions of authorship, including but not limited to author order and roles.

Disagreement with Reviewer Decisions

Appeals of reviewer decisions may be made to the editor-in-chief, in writing. In consultation with the editorial board, the editor-in-chief will make the final decision to accept or deny the appeal. 

Errors and Corrections

If an error is discovered after a manuscript has been published that influences the interpretation or outcome of the paper, authors must submit an erratum that will be published in the next issue of the journal. See Erratum Template.

Editorial and Peer Review Process

All submissions undergo editorial assessment and peer review to ensure scientific quality, rigor, and relevance.

Initial Editorial Screening

Upon submission, manuscripts are checked for completeness, adherence to journal guidelines, and compliance with ethical requirements. Submissions that do not meet these criteria may be returned to authors prior to peer review.

The Editor-in-Chief (or a designated Associate Editor) evaluates each manuscript for suitability. Manuscripts deemed outside the scope or not meeting the journal’s standards may be declined without external review.

External Peer Review

Manuscripts that pass initial screening are assigned to a Handling Editor and sent to at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. The journal uses a double-blind review process.

Peer Reviewer Recommendations

Authors may recommend up to three potential reviewers at the time of submission. Recommended reviewers should have appropriate subject-matter expertise and must not have a conflict of interest with the authors. The editorial team reserves the right to select reviewers at its discretion and is not obligated to invite any of the recommended individuals.

Editorial Decisions

Based on reviewer reports and editorial evaluation, one of the following decisions will be issued:

  • Accept
  • Minor revision
  • Major revision
  • Reject

When revisions are requested, authors will receive reviewer comments and a deadline for resubmission. Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers or assessed by the Handling Editor.

Timelines

The journal aims to provide an initial decision within approximately 4–6 weeks, though timing may vary depending on reviewer availability and manuscript complexity.

Acceptance and Publication

Once a manuscript is accepted, it enters the production process, which includes copyediting, typesetting, and proof preparation. Authors will receive page proofs for review and approval prior to publication and are responsible for submitting any corrections within the requested timeframe.

The journal publishes up to two issues per year, typically in June and December. Manuscripts that complete production before the issue deadline will appear in the upcoming issue; those not finalized in time will be published in the subsequent issue.

Final publication is contingent upon completion of all required administrative documentation, including copyright and conflict-of-interest confirmations, as well as payment of any applicable publication fees.

Publication and Submission Fees

There are no submission fees and no publication fees for members of the Team-Based Learning Collaborative (TBLC). All authors are encouraged to become members (https://www.teambasedlearning.org/membership/). Non-members will be charged a final processing fee of $500 per manuscript for publication.  

Why We Charge Fees

As an open-access journal, we do not generate revenue through subscriptions. Publication fees support editorial and peer review management, copyediting and typesetting, online hosting and archiving and DOI registration and indexing services.