The Review of Higher Education

Hopkins Press does not require potential contributors to pay an article submission fee in order to be considered for publication in any of the Journals that we publish. Any other website that purports to be affiliated with a Hopkins Press Journal and that requires you to pay an article submission fee is fraudulent. Do not provide payment information. Instead, we ask that you contact William Breichner, Hopkins Press Journals Publisher: wbreich1@jh.edu.

The Review of Higher Education is interested in empirical research studies, empirically-based historical and theoretical articles, and scholarly reviews and essays that move the study of colleges and universities forward. The most central aspect of RHE is the saliency of the subject matter to other scholars in the field as well as its usefulness to academic leaders and public policymakers. Manuscripts submitted for RHE need to extend the literature in the field of higher education and may connect across fields and disciplines when relevant. Selection of articles for publication is based solely on the merits of the manuscripts with regards to conceptual or theoretical frameworks, methodological accurateness and suitability, and/or the clarity of ideas and gathered facts presented. Additionally, our publications center around issues within US Higher Education and any manuscript that we send for review must have clear implications for US Higher Education. 

Guidelines for Contributors

Manuscripts should be typed, serif or san serif text as recommended by APA 7th edition (e.g., 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, and 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, 10-point Computer Modern) double-spaced throughout, including block quotes and references. Each page should be numbered on the top right side of the page consecutively and include a running head. Please supply the title of your submission, an abstract of 100 or fewer words, and keywords as the first page of your manuscript submission (this page does not count toward your page limit). The names, institutional affiliations, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and a short biography of authors should appear on a separate cover page to aid proper masking during the review process. Initial and revised submissions should not run more than 32 pages (excluding abstract, keywords, and references; including tables, figures and appendices). Authors should follow instructions in the 7th edition Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association; any manuscripts not following all APA guidelines will not be reviewed. Please do not change fonts, spacing, or margins or use style formatting features at any point in the manuscript except for tables. All tables should be submitted in a mutable format (i.e. not a fixed image). Please upload your manuscript as a word document. All supporting materials (i.e., tables, figures, appendices) should be editable in the manuscript or a separate word document (i.e., do not embedded tables or figures). For a fixed image, please upload a separate high-resolution JPEG.

Authors should use their best judgment when masking citations. Masking some or all citations that include an author’s name can help prevent reviewers from knowing the identities of the authors. However, in certain circumstances masking citations is unnecessary or could itself reveal the identities of manuscript authors. Because authors are in the best position to know when masking citations will be effective, the editorial team will generally defer to them for these decisions.

Manuscripts are to be submitted in Word online at mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rhe. (If you have not previously registered on this website, click on the “Register here” link to create a new account.) Once you log on, click on the “Author Center” link and then follow the printed instructions to submit your manuscript.

The term “conflict of interest” means any financial or other interest which conflicts with the work of the individual because it (1) could significantly impair the individual’s objectivity or (2) could create an unfair advantage for any person or organization. We recommend all authors review and adhere to the ASHE Conflict of Interest Policy before submitting any and all work. Please refer to the policy at ashe.ws/ashe_coi

Please note that The Review of Higher Education does not require potential contributors to pay an article submission fee in order to be considered for publication.  Any other website that purports to be affiliated with the Journal and that requires you to pay an article submission fee is fraudulent. Do not provide payment information. Instead, we ask that you contact the RHE editorial office at rhe@ashe.ws or William Breichner the Journals Publisher at the Johns Hopkins University Press wbreich1@jh.edu.

Author Checklist for New Submissions

1. Page Limit. Manuscripts should not go over 32 pages (excluding abstract, keywords, and references; including tables, figures and appendices.)
2. Masked Review. All author information (i.e., name, affiliation, email, phone number, address) should appear on a separate cover page of the manuscript. The manuscript should have no indication of authorship. Any indication of authorship will result in your manuscript being unsubmitted.
3. Formatting. Manuscripts should be typed, serif or san serif text as recommended by APA 7th edition (e.g., 11-point Calibri, 11-point Arial, and 10-point Lucida Sans Unicode, 12-point Times New Roman, 11-point Georgia, 10-point Computer Modern), double-spaced throughout, including block quotes and references, and each page should be numbered on the top right side of the page consecutively. Authors should follow instructions in the 7th edition Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association; this includes running heads, heading levels, spacing, margins, etc.. Any manuscripts not following APA 7th edition will be unsubmitted. [Please note, the RHE editorial team recommends 12-pt Times New Roman font to ensure proper format conversion within the ScholarOne system.]
4. Abstract. All manuscripts must include an abstract of 100 words or fewer, and keywords as the first page of your manuscript submission (this page does not count toward your page limit).
5. Author Note. An Author’s note may include Land Acknowledgments, Disclosure Statement (i.e., funding sources), or other acknowledgments. This should appear on your title page (not in the masked manuscript).
6. Tables. All tables should be editable. Tables may be uploaded in the manuscript itself or in a separate word document. All tables must be interpretable by readers without the reference to the manuscript. Do not duplicate information from the manuscript into tables. Tables must present additional information from what has already been stated in the manuscript.
7. Figures. Figures should be editable in the manuscript or a separate word document (i.e., no embedded tables). For fixed images, please upload high-resolution JPEGs separately.
8. References. The reference page should follow 7th edition APA guidelines and be double spaced throughout (reference pages do not count toward your page limit).
9. Appendices. Appendices should generally run no more than 3 manuscript pages.
10. Cover Letters. These are welcomed but not required. If you would like to recommend particular manuscript reviewers or reviewers to avoid, please do so as a part of a cover letter and the editors will consider your recommendations.

Additional Checklist for Revised Submissions

Revised manuscripts should follow the checklist above, with the following additional notes: 

1. Page Limit. Revised manuscripts should stay within the page limit for new submissions (32 pages). However, we do realize that this is not always possible, and we may allow for a couple of extra pages for your revisions. Extensions to your page length will be subject to editor approval upon resubmission, but may not exceed 35 pages (excluding abstract, keywords, and references).
2. Author Response to Reviewer Comments. At the beginning of your revised manuscript file, please include a separate masked statement that indicates fully [1] all changes that have been made in response to the reviewer and editor suggestions and the pages on which those changes may be found in the revised manuscript and [2] those reviewer and editor suggestions that are not addressed in the revised manuscript and a rationale for why you think such revisions are not necessary. This can be in the form of a table or text paragraphs and must appear at the front of your revised manuscript document. Your response to reviewer and editor comments will not count toward your manuscript page limit. Please note that, because you will be adding your response to the reviewer and editor feedback to the beginning of your submission, this may change the page numbers of your document unless you change the pagination and start your manuscript itself on page 1. The choice is yours but either way, please ensure that you reference the appropriate page numbers within your manuscript in these responses. Additionally, when you submit your revised manuscript, there will be a submission box labeled “Author Response to Decision Letter”. You are not required to duplicate information already provided in the manuscript, but instead may use this to send a note to the reviewer team (e.g., an anonymous cover letter or note of appreciation for feedback). Please maintain anonymity throughout the review process by NOT including your name or by masking any potentially identifying information when providing your response to the reviewer's feedback (both in documents and the ScholarOne system).

Editorial Correspondence

Please address all correspondence about submitting articles (no subscriptions, please) to one or both of the following editors:

Dr. Penny A. Pasque, PhD
Editor, Review of Higher Education
341 C Ramseyer Hall
29 W. Woodruff Avenue
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH 43210
email: rhe@ashe.ws

Dr. Thomas F. Nelson Laird, PhD
Editor, Review of Higher Education
201 North Rose Avenue
Indiana University School of Education
Bloomington, IN 47405-100
email: rhe@ashe.ws

Submission Policy

RHE publishes original works that are not available elsewhere. We ask that all manuscripts submitted to our journal for review are not published, in press or submitted to other journals while under our review. Additionally, reprints and translations of previously published articles will not be accepted.

Type of Preliminary Review

RHE utilizes a collaborative review process that requires several members of the editorial team to ensure that submitted manuscripts are suitable before being sent out for masked peer-review. Members of this team include a Editor, Associate Editor and Managing Editors. Managing Editors complete an initial review of manuscripts to ensure authors meet RHE’s Author Guidelines and work with submitting authors to address preliminary issues and concerns (i.e., APA formatting). Editors and Associate Editors work together to decide whether it should be sent out for review and select appropriate reviewers for the manuscript.

Type of Review

When a manuscript is determined as suitable for review by the collaborative decision of the editorial team, Editors and/or Associate Editors will assign reviewers. Both the authors’ and reviewers’ are masked throughout the review and decision process.

Criteria for Review

Criteria for review include, but are not limited to, the significance of the topic to higher education, completeness of the literature review, appropriateness of the research methods or historical analysis, and the quality of the discussion concerning the implications of the findings for theory, research, and practice. In addition, we look for the congruence of thought and approach throughout the manuscript components.

Type of Revisions Process

Some authors will receive a “Major Revision” or “Minor Revision” decision. Authors who receive such decisions are encouraged to carefully attend to reviewer’s comments and recommendations and resubmit their revised manuscripts for another round of reviews. When submitting their revised manuscripts, authors are asked to include a response letter and indicate how they have responded to reviewer comments and recommendations. In some instances, authors may be asked to revise and resubmit a manuscript more than once.

Review Process Once Revised

Revised manuscripts are sent to the reviewers who originally made comments and recommendations regarding the manuscript, whenever possible. We rely on our editorial board and ad-hoc reviewers who volunteer their time and we give those reviewers a month to provide thorough feedback.
Please see attached pdf for a visual representation of the RHE workflow.

Timetable (approx.)

• Managing Editor Technical Checks – 1-3 days
• Editor reviews and assigns manuscript to Associate Editors – 3-5 days
• Associate Editor reviews and invites reviewers – 3-5 days
• Reviewer comments due – 30 days provided for reviews
• Associate Editor makes a recommendation –  5-7 days
• Editor makes decision – 5-7 days
• If R&R, authors revise and resubmit manuscript – 90 days provided for revisions
• Repeat process above until manuscript is accepted or rejected -

Type of review for book reviews

Book reviews are the responsibility of the associate editor of book reviews. Decisions about acceptance of a book review are made by that associate editor.

The Hopkins Press Journals Ethics and Malpractice Statement can be found at the ethics-and-malpractice page.

The Review of Higher Education expects all authors to review and adhere to ASHE’s Conflict of Interest Policy before submitting any and all work. The term “conflict of interest” means any financial or other interest which conflicts with the work of the individual because it (1) could significantly impair the individual’s objectivity or (2) could create an unfair advantage for any person or organization. Please refer to the policy at ashe.ws/ashe_coi.

Guidelines for Book Reviews

• RHE publishes book reviews of original research, summaries of research, or scholarly thinking in book form. We do not publish reviews of books or media that would be described as expert opinion or advice for practitioners.

• The journal publishes reviews of current books, meaning books published no more than 12 months prior to submission to the associate editor in charge of book reviews.

• If you want to know whether the RHE would consider a book review before writing it, you may email the associate editor responsible for book reviews with the citation for the book.

• Reviewers should have scholarly expertise in the higher education research area they are reviewing.

• Graduate students are welcome to co-author book reviews, but with faculty or seasoned research professionals as first authors.

• Please email the review to the associate editor in charge of book reviews (Timothy Reese Cain, rhe-bookreviews@ashe.ws), who will work through necessary revisions with you if your submission is accepted for publishing.

• In general, follow the APA Publication Manual, 7th edition.

• Provide a brief but clear description and summary of the contents so that the reader has a good idea of the scope and organization of the book. This is especially important when reviewing anthologies that include multiple sections with multiple authors.

• Provide an evaluation of the book, both positive and negative points. What has been done well? Not so well? For example the following are some questions that you can address (not exclusively), as appropriate:

  • What are the important contributions that this book makes?

  • What contributions could have been made, but were not made?

  • What arguments or claims were problematic, weak, etc.?

  • How is the book related to, how does it supplement, or how does it complicate current work on the topic?

  • To which audience(s) will this book be most helpful?

  • How well has the author achieved their stated goals?

• Use quotations efficiently to provide a flavor of the writing style and/or statements that are particularly helpful in illustrating the author(s) points. 

• If you cite any other published work, please provide a complete reference.

• Please include a brief biographical statement immediately after your name, usually title and institution. Follow the same format for co authored reviews. The first author is the contact author.

• Please follow this example for the headnote of the book(s) you are reviewing:
  Stefan M. Bradley. Upending the Ivory Tower: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Ivy League. New York: New York University Press, 2018. 465 pp. $35. ISBN 97814798739999.

• Our preferred length is 2,000–2,500 words in order for authors to provide a complete, analytical, review. Reviews of shorter books may not need to be of that length.

• The term “conflict of interest” means any financial or other interest which conflicts with the work of the individual because it (1) could significantly impair the individual’s objectivity or (2) could create an unfair advantage for any person or organization. We recommend all book reviewers read and adhere to the ASHE Conflict of Interest Policy before submitting any and all work. Please refer to the policy at ashe.ws/ashe_coi

NOTE: If the Editor has sent a book to an author for review, but the author is unable to complete the review within a reasonable timeframe, we would appreciate the return of the book as soon as possible; thanks for your understanding.

Please send book review copies to the contact above. Review copies received by the Johns Hopkins University Press office will be discarded.

Editors

Penny A. Pasque,
The Ohio State University

Thomas F. Nelson Laird,
Indiana University-Bloomington

Senior Associate Editors

Chrystal A. George Mwangi,
George Mason University

Milagros Castillo-Montoya,
University of Connecticut

Associate Editors

Timothy Reese Cain (including Book Reviews),
University of Georgia

Tania D. Mitchell,
University of Maryland

Elizabeth Niehaus,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Federick Ngo,
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Senior Managing Editor

Monica Quezada Barrera,
The Ohio State University

Managing Editors

Miras Sharipov,
Indiana University-Bloomington

Arman Zhumazhanov,
Indiana University-Bloomington

Editorial Assistant

Mianmian Fei,
The Ohio State University

Editorial Board

Sonja Ardoin,
Clemson University

David Ayers, 
Old Dominion University

Peter Riley Bahr,
University of Michigan

Vicki Baker,
Albion College

Allison BrckaLorenz,
Indiana University-Bloomington

Nolan L. Cabrera,
The University of Arizona

Brendan Cantwell,
Michigan State University

Rozana Carducci,
Elon University

Deborah Faye Carter,
Claremont Graduate University

Ashley Clayton,
Louisiana State University

Regina Deil-Amen,
The University of Arizona 

Jennifer A. Delaney,
University of California-Berkeley

Erin E. Doran,
The University of Texas-El Paso

Antonio Duran,
Arizona State University 

Michelle M. Espino,
University of Maryland-College Park

Nichole Margarita Garcia,
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Claudia García-Louis,
The University of Texas-San Antonio

Susan Gardner,
Oregon State University

Deryl Hatch-Tocaimaza,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Nicholas Hillman,
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Judy Marquez Kiyama, 
The University of Arizona

Darrius Means,
Clemson University

Román Liera,
Montclair State University

Demetri L. Morgan, 
University of Michigan

Rebecca Natow,        
Hofstra University 

Robert T. Palmer,       
Howard University

Rosemary Perez,
University of Michigan

Meghan Pifer,
University of Kentucky

OiYan Poon,
NAACP LDF Thurgood Marshall Institute

Vanessa Sansone,
The University of Texas at San Antonio

Tricia Seifert,
Montana State University

D-L Stewart,
University of Denver

Amy Stitch,
University of Georgia

Barrett Taylor,        
University of North Texas 

Annemarie Vaccaro,
University of Rhode Island

LaWanda Ward,
The Pennsylvania State University

Stephanie Waterman,
University of Toronto 

Rachelle Winkle-Wagner,        
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Association for the Study of Higher Education Board of Directors

The Review of Higher Education is the journal of Association for the Study Higher Education (ASHE) and follows the ASHE Bylaws and Statement on Diversity. 

ASHE Board of Directors

Abstracting & Indexing Databases

• Clarivate Analytics
  • Current Contents
  • Web of Science
• De Gruyter Saur
  • Dietrich's Index Philosophicus
  • IBZ - Internationale Bibliographie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Zeitschriftenliteratur
  • Internationale Bibliographie der Rezensionen Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaftlicher Literatur
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  • Educational Administration Abstracts, 3/1/1991-
  • ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), 1977-
  • MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association)
  • Poetry & Short Story Reference Center, 3/1/1997-
  • PsycINFO, 2001-, dropped
  • Russian Academy of Sciences Bibliographies
  • TOC Premier (Table of Contents), 9/1/2003-
• Elsevier BV
  • Scopus, 1996-
• ERIC (Education Resources Information Center)
  • ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), 1977-
• Gale
  • Gale Academic OneFile
  • Gale OneFile: Educator's Reference Complete, 12/2001-
  • MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association)
• John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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• National Library of Medicine
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• OCLC
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  • Periodical Abstracts, v.26, n.4, 2003-v.33, n.3, 2010
  • PsycFIRST, vol.24, no.3, 2001-vol.33, no.1, 2009
• Ovid
  • ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), 1977-
  • PsycINFO, 2001-, dropped
• Personal Alert (E-mail)
• ProQuest
  • Education Collection, 7/1/2003-
  • Education Database, 7/1/2003-
  • ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), 1977-
  • Health Research Premium Collection, 7/1/2003-
  • Hospital Premium Collection, 7/1/2003-
  • MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association)
  • Periodicals Index Online, 1/1/1981-7/1/2000
  • Professional ProQuest Central, 07/01/2003-
  • ProQuest 5000, 07/01/2003-
  • ProQuest 5000 International, 07/01/2003-
  • ProQuest Central, 07/01/2003-
  • Psychology Database, 7/1/2003-
  • PsycINFO, 2001-, dropped
  • Research Library, 07/01/2003-
  • Social Science Premium Collection, 07/01/2003-
• Taylor & Francis
  • Educational Research Abstracts Online
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  • Studies on Women and Gender Abstracts (Online)

Abstracting & Indexing Sources

• Contents Pages in Education   (Ceased)  (Print)
• Family Index   (Ceased)  (Print)
• Psychological Abstracts   (Ceased)  (Print)

Source: Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.

2.2 (2024)
3.3 (Five-Year Impact Factor)
0.00144 (Eigenfactor™ Score)

Rank in Category (by Journal Impact Factor):
166 of 756 journals, in “Education & Educational Research”

© Clarivate Analytics 2025

Published quarterly

Readers include: Scholars, academic leaders, administrators, public policy makers involved in higher education, and all members of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)

Print circulation: 692

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