Call for Papers for Vol. 1 Iss. 1: Prototypes as Arguments

2023-10-05

We invite you to submit a paper for the inaugural issue of Prototyping Across Disciplines, a peer-reviewed, trans-disciplinary, open-source design journal. We welcome submissions from researchers who have used prototyping to contribute new expert knowledge or insight to their field, whether that is research located within the sciences, social sciences, humanities, engineering, computing science, fine art, design, or any other discipline.

The intention of the inaugural issue is to highlight the ways in which prototyping is used:

  • As part of a sequential process in order to support the construction of new knowledge or understanding and resulting in either new, valid theories either displacing old theories or else filling in their gaps;
  • To help construct valid examinations of an object of study from different perspectives or lenses where the understanding is enriched by prototyping;
  • As part of field research; and 
  • To produce new knowledge.

By learning how prototyping is being done in various disciplines, those already involved in prototyping will be better equipped to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration, while those who are not yet active in the use of prototyping in their own fields may find inspiration to begin.

Prototyping Across Disciplines welcomes the following high quality, original articles:

  1. Research Article
    • 5,000—7,000 words
    • 250-word abstract
    • 5 —10 keywords
  2. Student Researcher Study Report
    • provides an opportunity for at all levels to describe their ongoing research work, as opposed to the completed piece of research that would be expected if publishing in full article route
    • 2,000—3,000 words
    • 250-word abstract
    • 2 —5 keywords
  3. Contextualised prototypes
    • A collection of images with one-sentence descriptions of the relevant elements 
      • Your prototype (min 1 image)
      • Your other related prototypes (min 3)
      • Other people’s related prototypes (min 3)
    • 250-word abstract on why this prototype adds to expert knowledge
    • 2 —5 keywords
Editor-in-Chief 
  • Dr. Milena Radzikowska (she/her) (Mount Royal University, Canada)
Editorial Team
  • Dr. Guilherme Meyer (he/him) (UNISINOS, Brazil)
  • Dr. Naureen Mumtaz (she/her) (Mount Royal University, Canada)
  • Dr. Stan Ruecker (he/him) (Retired)
  • Dr. Brianna I. Wiens (she/her) (University of Waterloo, Canada)
Peer Review

Articles will undergo thorough peer review and we endorse COPE guidelines for reviewers. In accordance with COPE recommendations on ethical editing for new Editors, Editors will assign any submissions they cannot handle (e.g. if they are the author of an article submitted to their own journal) to a member of the Editorial Board or a guest editor.

  1. Student Researcher Study Reports and Contextualised prototypes: single-anonymous peer review (also called ‘single-blind peer review’)
  2. Research Articles: double-anonymous peer review (also called ‘double-blind peer review’)

The details of the comments as well as the overall recommendations by peer reviewers will be considered by the Editor(s) when making a decision, but ultimate responsibility for acceptance or rejection lies with the Editor(s).

Prototyping Across Disciplines is a peer-reviewed, trans-disciplinary design journal. Our mission is to champion and expand design’s contribution in research, industry, business, education, and not-for-profit sectors by providing readers with awareness and understanding of the use of prototyping in a wide range of fields. While traditionally associated primarily with industrial design, and more recently with software and web development, prototyping is now used as an important tool in areas ranging from materials engineering to landscape architecture to the digital humanities. By learning what is being done in various disciplines, those already involved in prototyping will be better equipped to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration, while those who are not yet active in the use of prototyping in their own fields may find inspiration to begin.

Publication Frequency

Prototyping Across Disciplines publishes articles on a rolling basis—each submitted article is reviewed according to an eight to ten-week timeline. Once accepted, reviewed, and revised, the article is published.

Bottom line: the sooner you submit, the sooner you're likely to be published.

Discrete issues are formed from all manuscripts published within one of the following publishing windows:

  1. Vol 1 Iss 1 between July 1 and December 31, 2024
  2. Vol 1 Iss 2 between January 1 and May 30, 2025

Special Issues may be released when appropriate.

Publication Charges

Prototyping Across Disciplines is an open-access journal hosted by the University of Alberta in partnership with Mount Royal University. There are no submission fees, publication fees or page charges for this journal.