WCER Working Paper Series

Pre-publication versions of papers, reports, and articles by researchers affiliated with WCER

The Working Paper Series makes available new educational research by projects and scholars affiliated with the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. These papers have not been peer reviewed. The purpose is to share preliminary findings with the larger community and to stimulate discussion and feedback from scholars working on related topics.

WCER’s mission is to improve educational outcomes for diverse student populations, impact education practice positively and foster collaborations among academic disciplines and practitioners. Authors may submit unpublished papers that fit this mission to the Working Paper series.

How to submit

The process of submitting a working paper is simple. Using Word, send an abstract of up to 200 words, with key words at the end, and a draft of the paper to Molly Wesling, WCER senior editor, for review to ensure it fits the WCER mission. This review also gives the editors the opportunity to get back to the author with any questions. Generally, we can edit the working paper within 2 weeks of receiving the submission.

Once accepted, a WCER editor will format the paper for the series, edit it for clarity and consistency, and send it back to the author for review. Usually we do a light edit, as most submissions are nearly publication ready. When required, we will do a more substantive edit. After the author reviews the edit and finalizes the paper, the paper is posted on the WCER working paper publication page.

If a paper in the series has been or will be submitted later to a journal, authors should consult the journal guidelines to find out if pre-publication is allowed.