April 9—23, 2025: Guiding a Scholar Through Rejection to Resubmission at a New Journal

Transitioning Between APA 7 and Chicago Style with Care

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is helping scholars turn setbacks into successes. Recently, I had the privilege of supporting “Laura M.” (pseudonym chosen to protect client privacy) an emerging qualitative researcher, through the process of revising her article after it was rejected from a journal. Together, we identified a new and more aligned publication outlet, The Qualitative Report (TQR), and reshaped her manuscript to meet their specific requirements.

Initially written in Chicago style, Laura’s article required a full transition to APA 7 formatting for submission to TQR. I carefully converted the file, ensuring that all in-text citations, references, and stylistic details met APA standards. Alongside formatting, we also worked to strengthen her introduction by clarifying theoretical frameworks and enhancing citation support.

After a thorough round of editing—including formatting, content refinement, and strategic feedback—I returned the draft to Laura with clear suggestions. She promptly incorporated the final citations, and I provided a polished version with all changes accepted and comments removed, ready for submission.

Beyond preparing the manuscript, I encouraged Laura to consider presenting her research at TQR’s conference, turning her experience into an opportunity for deeper engagement with her scholarly community.

This project is a testament to the importance of resilience in academic publishing and the value of tailored editorial support. Helping Laura move from rejection to confident resubmission was an honor—and a reminder that every draft can find its home with the right guidance.

Have you experienced a journal article rejection and need help pivoting to a different publishing option? Click here to get started today!