Council Policy Manual: I. Publications and Communications

The APA Policy Manual is a collection of policy actions taken by the APA Council of Representatives. This edition includes actions taken after 1960 and up to but not including August 2001. The texts included in the Manual are the texts of the actual motions passed by Council.

• I. Advertising Policy
  
• II. Complimentary Journal Subscriptions
  
• III. Freedom of Scientific Inquiry
  
• IV. Management of Journals
  
• V. Psychological Bulletin

I. ADVERTISING POLICY

1. 1971

The following policy concerning advertising in APA journals was adopted:

The publications of APA are published for, and on behalf of, the membership to advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting human welfare. The Association, therefore, reserves the right to, unilaterally, reject, omit, or cancel advertising which it deems to be not in the best interest of these objectives, or which by it tone, content, or appearance is not in keeping with the essentially scientific or scholarly nature of its publications. Conditions, printed or otherwise, which conflict with this policy will not be binding on the publisher.

2. 1984

On the recommendation of the Board of Directors, Council approved the following policy statement:

"Advertising of doctoral programs in APA publications will be restricted to those schools or other institutions fully accredited by regional or other institutional accrediting associations recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA)."

II. COMPLIMENTARY JOURNAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

1. 1971

The following recommendations concerning complimentary subscriptions were accepted:

(a) A member of the Publications Board (now Publications and Communications Board), shall, during the term of office, be entitled to receive complimentary subscriptions to all journals.

(b) An editor of an APA journal shall be entitled, during the term office, to receive complimentary subscriptions to all APA journals and shall be entitled to receive for life a complimentary subscription to the journal he or she edited.

(c) Associate editors of APA journals shall be entitled, as long as they serve in these capacities, to receive complimentary subscriptions to the journal which they serve and such other journals as are required to serve their purposes for their work on a specific journal.

(d) Consulting editors of APA journals shall be entitled, as long as he or she serves a specific journal, to receive a complimentary subscription to that journal.

III. FREEDOM OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

1. August 2000

Council voted to adopt the following APA policy statement on freedom of scientific inquiry and presentation of research results:

IV. MANAGEMENT OF JOURNALS

1. 1949

Council approved the following statement of general policy governing the management of the Association's journals:

(a) The Association should consider itself obligated to ensure the opportunity for publication in every major area of the field of psychology.

(b) It is unnecessary and undesirable, however, that all publication outlets be controlled by the Association.

(c) As long as any subdivision of the general field is adequately represented by an independent journal, the Association should not attempt to take over or duplicate the functions of this vehicle.

(d) While all major areas of psychology should be represented within the Association's program or outside of it, the Association is not obligated to provide means for publishing the total output of the membership.

(e) It is considered right and proper that any profits which may accrue from the sale of heavily subscribed journals be applied to the cost of publishing others which are not completely self-supporting. This rule is subject to exceptions required by legal obligations.

V. PSYCHOLOGICAL BULLETIN

1. 1970

The Psychological Bulletin publishes evaluative reviews of the research literature in psychology. It includes reviews and interpretations of substantive and methodological issues. This journal publishes reports of original research only when these reports are used to illustrate some methodological problem or issue. Methodological issues discussed in the journal should be aimed at the solution of some particular research problem in psychology, but these issues should be of sufficient breadth of interest a wide readership among psychologists. Articles of a more specialized nature should appear in the various statistical, psychometric, and methodological journals. This journal does not publish original theoretical articles. Such articles should be submitted to the Psychological Review.

Council Policy Manual: Table of Contents | Introduction | A. Elections | B. Awards | C. Membership | D. Human Resources | E. Ethics | F. Board of Directors | G. Divisions and State and Provincial Associations | H. Organization of APA | I. Publications and Communcations | J. Convention Affairs | K. Educational Affairs | L. Professional Affairs | M. Scientific Affairs | N. Public Interest - Part 1 | N. Public Interest - Part 2 | N. Public Interest - Part 3 | N. Public Interest - Part 4 | N. Public Interest - Part 5 | O. Ethnic Minority Affairs | P. International Affairs | Q. Central Office | R. Financial Affairs