About the Journal
Focus and Scope
Hypothesis is an international peer-reviewed journal that provides a venue for original research and research-related content, including research studies and reflections on the process in order to encourage a broader, reflective conversation among MLA members, medical librarians, and librarians interested in research. There is no requirement to be an MLA or MLA Research Caucus member in order to submit manuscripts to the journal.
Manuscripts are reviewed for possible publication and evaluated based on criteria suited to the type of content. Assuming that works submitted meet the criteria, they are published with the understanding that they have not been published elsewhere, including in online formats. As an exception, research or other content that has been presented at a conference will be accepted, with the requirement that authors add a note to that effect in the manuscript. For questions, please contact the Editorial Team at hypothesisj@protonmail.com.
To learn about our publication options, please visit our submission categories page.
Publisher
Hypothesis is published by the Research Caucus of the Medical Library Association. This journal is hosted and supported by IUPUI University Library.
Peer Review Policy
A member of the Editorial Team will screen each submission to ensure it meets the basic submission requirements. Then, the Associate Editors will make a recommendation to decline or to send the submission out for review. If acceptable, Associate Editors will assign a minimum of 2 peer reviews to complete a double-blind peer review. Upon reviewing the comments, the Associate Editor will recommend the article be accepted with minimal revisions, request revisions, or decline the submission. After soliciting input, the Editor will make a final decision for each submission.
Editorial Team Submissions
For submissions by the Editorial Team (e.g., Editor, Associate Editors, Copy Editors, or Production Editor), the Editorial Team author will remain blinded throughout the process. Other members of the Editorial Team will assess quality of submissions, assign peer reviewers, review and make recommendations about proposed revisions for publication of the submission in Hypothesis.
Research Approval
For any studies dealing with human subjects or animals, authors should indicate Human Ethics, Institutional Review Board (IRB), or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval.
Publication Frequency
Hypothesis is published online in September and March of each year. Submissions are accepted and reviewed year round. Learn more about our Submission categories and contact the The Editorial Team, if you have any questions or concerns.
Indexing
Hypothesis is indexed in CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), LISSA (Library and Information Science Source), and LISTA (Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts).
Open Access Policy
Hypothesis provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Users have the right to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal, or use them for any other lawful purpose.
Copyright
All works in Hypothesis are licensed under a CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International. Authors own copyright of their articles appearing in Hypothesis. Readers may copy articles without permission of the copyright owner(s), as long as the author(s) are acknowledged in the copy, and the copy is used for educational, not-for-profit purposes. For any other use of articles, please contact the copyright owner(s).
Archival Policy
Hypothesis is digitally preserved using the PKP Private LOCKSS Network (PLN). For more information about the PKP PLN, see https://pkp.sfu.ca/pkp-lockss/.
Article Processing Charges (APC)
Hypothesis is an open access journal and does not charge article processing charges for accepted publications.