Axon: Creative Explorations
ISSN 1838-8973
axonjournal.com.au

Axon: Creative Explorations is an international peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the characteristics of creativity and the creative process. It is published twice a year (usually in March and September) and encourages research into and discussion of the broad domain of creativity, including:

  • the methods and techniques of artists and other creative professionals
  • approaches to creative-led research and the theorisation of creative practice
  • the ways in which creative works are made and function
  • poetics and poetry, and
  • the cultural contexts and theoretical frameworks informing creative practice.

The journal is named for the axon, long extensions from the body of neurons which conduct electrical signals to synapses, thus being crucial to transmission within the nervous system. Though each axon is microscopic, when bundled together they play an important part in providing the energy, the action and the communication that make us human. We intend that Axon will operate in much the same way: providing points of connection and transmission across the creative community, providing the sparks of energy we need to keep making our work, and providing a space in which creative thought can be disseminated.

Our values

Axon is committed to quality research, investigation, and publication.

The editorial board follows the core practices and standards established in 2017 by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), and available at this site, and operates in accordance with Australian law and international conventions. This means we ask contributors to ensure that the content of their work satisfies these standards: that you have secured the copyright owner's permission for any copyright material (words, images, recordings) reproduced in your work.  Typically, you will not need to acquire such permission for material reproduced for the purpose of criticism or review; for anything no longer protected (typically because it is more than 70 years since the author's death); or anything that is not a “substantial part” of the original work. In such cases, of course, you must acknowledge the sources. 

Axon is similarly committed to ethical practice in all aspects of its research and dissemination, adhering to the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (see https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/r39). The journal thereby assists in maintaining a climate in which ethics and responsible research are encouraged and indeed expected, maintaining both quality of research publication and the integrity of the process. 

Axon's editorial process is based on expert (double blind) peer review, and discussion and agreement between editors, never on individual editorial whim. There is a mentoring process for all new editors and reviewers. Records are maintained of all submissions, referee reports and communications with individual authors, with confidentiality fully ensured.

In the event of any concerns regarding items received, published, or the processes involved, Axon editors operate a professional system of response as follows:

1. If the editors have any concerns about the quality of a manuscript, its ethics or its authorship, they will contact the author and discuss their concerns, consider the author's responses, and then inform the author of the outcome of the process.

2. If a reviewer — or, following publication a reader — raises a concern about the ethics or authorship of a manuscript, the editors will first review the submission themselves and then, if they consider there is merit in the reviewer's or reader's concern, contact the corresponding author to discuss the concerns, consider the author's responses, and then inform both author and reviewer/reader of the outcome of the process.

3. If an author raises a concern about how their work has been presented in the journal, the editors will review the situation, remedy it if there is evidence of poor publication process, and inform the author of the outcome of the process. 

Further details about the submission, review and publication process are available on the 'Contribute' page.

Open Access

Axon: Creative Explorations permits open access to its content in order to enhance research, the dissemination of knowledge and the free exchange of ideas.

The name ‘Axon’

Axon is a scholarly and non-commercial journal of creative practice and theory published under the auspices of the University of Canberra. Use of the word ‘Axon’ does not imply any connection with or endorsement by products, services or organisations that use the same word. Use is without prejudice to any holder of a trade mark or statutorily protected identifier that features the word ‘Axon’. Use is consistent with Australian intellectual property law and international conventions regarding such use.