Chapter 1: Overview

NASW Press is a division of the National Association of Social Workers and is a major publisher in social work and social welfare. As a leading scholarly press, serves faculty, practitioners, agencies, libraries, clinicians, and researchers throughout the United States and abroad. Known for attracting expert authors, NASW Press delivers professional information to hundreds of thousands of readers through its scholarly journals, book, and reference works. NASW Press has been publishing social work materials since the founding of NASW in 1955.

Publishing with NASW Press is a rewarding professional experience. Editorial boards concentrate on making the peer review process as helpful to authors as possible. NASW Press applies rigorous standards and a strict practice of anonymity during the review process. Characterized by frequent citations and high visibility, our journals are recognized as some as the most prestigious in the human services. If your journal manuscript is accepted, you can expect high-quality professional editing and production.

Editorial Boards and Committees

Volunteers from the NASW membership make up the editorial boards and committees. Responsibility for policy related to individual journals lies with the editorial boards and committees. Editorial boards review and rate manuscripts submitted for publication, make recommendations to the editor-in-chief, develop and recommend changes in editorial and publications policy, and determine publication plans to meet critical issues facing the profession. Editorial boards retain final authority for the content and selection of manuscripts.

Editorial boards assume the following responsibilities as they review manuscripts:

• read and rate an agreed-on number of manuscripts
• provide informed, unbiased recommendations to the editor-in-chief
• maintain objectivity
• provide clear, constructive feedback to the author
• stay current with the literature
• return reviews within an agreed-upon time.

Appointments to Boards and Committees

The elected NASW president appoints members of editorial boards. Appointees must be NASW members in good standing and must be published authors who can be expected to exhibit independence in editorial judgment. Other considerations for appointment are areas of practice, skills, and knowledge to fill gaps in the existing board; geographic location; and representations of women and people of color in accordance with NASW’s affirmative action program.

Members of editorial boards and committees are appointed for three-year terms, with the possibility of reappointment for up to two years. Editors-in-chief are appointed for four-year terms, with the possibility of reappointment for up to two years.

Editorial board members may not serve concurrently on more than one NASW board or committee.

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