Author Guidelines

Scope and Submission Types

Middle Atlantic Archaeology publishes work on the archaeology of the Middle Atlantic region — broadly construed to include New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as neighboring areas where research contributes to regional understanding. The journal covers precontact, historical, and contemporary archaeology, as well as material culture, landscapes and places, heritage and preservation, archaeological science, and public and collaborative archaeology. The journal welcomes submissions from researchers working across academic, CRM, government, museum, community, and avocational settings.

All published content is identified by submission type, as described below. Submission type determines the review process and word limit.

Research Articles address topics of significance to regional archaeology in a way that reaches a broad professional readership. Research articles undergo single-anonymous peer review and should aim for 8,000 - 10,000 words, including references.

Field and Laboratory Reports present technical findings, site reports, methodological contributions, or results of more specialized scope. Reports undergo editorial review by the Editor and should aim for 5,000 – 7,000 words including references.

Book reviews are solicited by the Book Review Editor and do not go through the standard submission process. Contact the Book Review Editor before submitting a book review.

Preparing Your Manuscript

File format. Submit manuscripts as Microsoft Word (.docx) files. The manuscript should be double-spaced throughout in 12-point font with one-inch margins.

Citation style. All manuscripts must follow SAA author-date style, with citations in the text and a complete References Cited section at the end. Authors are encouraged to consult the SAA Style Guide, available at https://www.saa.org/publications.

Word count. Word counts include all text and references. Figures, tables, and captions are not included in the word count.

Tables. Submit tables as separate Word or Excel files. Do not embed tables in the manuscript.

Figures and captions. Submit each figure as a separate TIFF or JPEG file at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. Do not embed figures in the manuscript. List all figure captions together in a separate section at the end of the manuscript. Figures should be limited to those that directly support the manuscript’s argument. Authors wishing to include a larger number of figures should consult the Editor before submitting.

Site designations. Site trinomial designations should follow the relevant state SHPO standards.

Peer Review

Middle Atlantic Archaeology uses single-anonymous peer review for research articles: reviewer identities are kept confidential, but reviewers know author identities. Authors do not need to anonymize their manuscripts before submission. Peer review is conducted by human beings; AI-generated reviews are not accepted.

Cover Letter

All submissions must be accompanied by a cover letter that includes:

Submission type (Research Article or Field and Laboratory Report)
Confirmation that the manuscript has not been submitted elsewhere
Any funding sources and any professional or financial relationships that could be seen as influencing the research or its conclusions
Disclosure of any use of AI tools in the research or manuscript preparation (see AI Policy below)
A data availability statement describing where data supporting the manuscript are archived or how they may be accessed. Authors may inquire with the Editor about supplementary data hosting through the journal's OJS platform.

Authors are encouraged to suggest up to three peer reviewers with relevant expertise, including names, institutional affiliations, and contact information. Suggested reviewers should have no conflict of interest with the authors. The Editor will identify reviewers if none are suggested.

Image Policy

Middle Atlantic Archaeology will not publish photographs of human remains or associated funerary objects. Line drawings and other non-photographic depictions may be considered for publication.

Authors proposing to publish such depictions must provide written documentation of consent to publication from relevant lineal descendants, tribal nations, or descendant communities. Where NAGPRA applies, consent from federally recognized tribal nations is required. For Indigenous research outside NAGPRA's jurisdiction, authors should seek consent from the most appropriate state or federally recognized tribal government or governing body. For other human remains, authors must document consultation with relevant descendant communities and seek their consent to publication wherever feasible. All applicable legal requirements must be satisfied.

Authors should initiate consultation early in manuscript development. The Editor may request additional documentation of consultation and will not proceed with review until the requirements of this policy have been met. Authors uncertain whether their manuscript falls within the scope of this policy should contact the Editor before submitting.

Ethical Standards

All research must conform to professional ethical standards for archaeological practice, including those of the SAA and SHA where applicable. Any permits, permissions, or approvals required for the research described must be obtained and documented.

The Editorial Process

Initial review. The Editor reviews all submissions for scope, quality, and compliance with submission guidelines before sending them for review. Manuscripts that do not meet these standards may be returned without review.

Peer review. Research articles are evaluated by two peer reviewers. The Editor aims to provide a decision within 60–90 days of submission. Possible decisions are: Accept as submitted; Accept with minor revisions; Major revisions required; Reject.

Editorial review. Field and laboratory reports are evaluated by the Editor, who may consult Editorial Board members as appropriate.

Revisions. Authors invited to revise and resubmit should address all reviewer and editorial comments. A cover letter describing the revisions made should accompany the revised manuscript.

Conflicts of interest. Members of the editorial team who submit manuscripts to Middle Atlantic Archaeology are recused from all decisions regarding their submission. Editorial responsibility passes to a designated Editorial Board member, identified by the Editorial Board.

After Acceptance

Copyediting. Accepted manuscripts undergo professional copyediting for grammar, style, and consistency with SAA style guidelines.

Layout. Copyedited manuscripts are typeset for final production.

Proofs. The corresponding author will receive a PDF proof for review. Proof corrections should be limited to errors introduced in production — not substantive revisions to the text. Authors are asked to return corrections within two weeks. Failure to respond within this window may result in publication without author corrections. The corresponding author is responsible for consulting co-authors on proof corrections.

Publication. Accepted manuscripts are published in the annual volume of Middle Atlantic Archaeology. MAAC members can access current issues for three months after publication, after which all content becomes freely accessible to the public.

Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain copyright in their work. Upon acceptance, authors grant Middle Atlantic Archaeology the right to publish under a Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). For more information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

AI Policy

Authors must disclose any use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the research or preparation of their manuscript. This includes using AI for data analysis, image processing, text generation, editing, or any other purpose that materially contributed to the work. Disclosure should be made in the cover letter and, where appropriate, in the manuscript's acknowledgments or methods section.

AI tools may not be listed as authors. Authorship requires accountability for the work, which AI tools cannot provide.

The Editor reserves the right to request additional information about AI use and to make publication decisions accordingly. This policy will be reviewed and updated as standards in the field evolve.

Ready to submit? Submit here.

Questions about submissions should be directed to the Editor at mdgall@wm.edu.