Author Guidelines

1. About the Journal

Caucasus Studies Journal is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly journal published by IMCRA. The journal publishes original research concerning the Caucasus and its broader regional and international context.

The journal welcomes interdisciplinary contributions in:

• Political science and governance
• International relations and geopolitics
• History and historiography
• Law and public policy
• Sociology and anthropology
• Education and cultural studies
• Economics and regional development
• Conflict, peace, security, and migration studies
• Language, identity, religion, and media
• Environmental and sustainability studies
• Interdisciplinary Caucasus research

The journal’s primary publication language is English. Manuscripts must be original, methodologically sound, clearly written, and relevant to the journal’s aims and scope.

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2. General Submission Requirements

By submitting a manuscript, the authors confirm that:

1. The manuscript is original and has not previously been published.
2. The manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.
3. All listed authors have made a substantial scholarly contribution to the work.
4. All authors have reviewed and approved the submitted version.
5. The manuscript does not infringe copyright, privacy, or other third-party rights.
6. All sources, quotations, data, images, tables, and ideas obtained from other works are appropriately acknowledged.
7. Any financial, institutional, or personal conflict of interest has been disclosed.
8. Research involving human participants, personal data, interviews, surveys, or sensitive materials has been conducted in accordance with applicable ethical standards.
9. The use of generative artificial intelligence, where applicable, has been transparently declared.

Manuscripts that do not comply with these requirements may be returned to the authors before peer review.

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3. Types of Manuscripts

The journal accepts the following manuscript types:

Original Research Article

A complete report of original empirical, archival, comparative, qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method research.

Recommended length: 6,000–10,000 words, including references.

Review Article

A critical and systematic analysis of the existing literature on a clearly defined subject.

Recommended length: 6,000–12,000 words.

Theoretical or Conceptual Article

A manuscript that develops, evaluates, or applies a theoretical framework, concept, or analytical model.

Recommended length: 5,000–10,000 words.

Historical or Archival Research Article

An original study based on archival documents, primary sources, historiographical materials, or historical evidence.

Recommended length: 6,000–12,000 words.

Comparative or Regional Study

A comparative analysis of countries, societies, political systems, historical processes, institutions, or communities within and beyond the Caucasus.

Recommended length: 6,000–10,000 words.

Book Review

A critical evaluation of a recently published scholarly book relevant to the journal’s scope.

Recommended length: 1,000–2,000 words.

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4. Manuscript Preparation

4.1 File Format

Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format:

• File type: .doc or .docx
• Paper size: A4
• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides
• Font: Times New Roman
• Main text: 12 pt
• Abstract and keywords: 11 pt
• Footnotes: 10 pt
• Line spacing: 1.5
• Text alignment: justified
• Paragraph indentation: 1.25 cm
• Page numbers: bottom centre
• Spacing before and after paragraphs: 0 pt
• Automatic hyphenation: disabled

Authors should use a single-column layout. Decorative formatting, coloured text, unnecessary text boxes, manually inserted page breaks, and complex page designs should be avoided.

4.2 Recommended Length

A standard research article should contain approximately 6,000–10,000 words, including the abstract, tables, figures, footnotes, and references.

Longer manuscripts may be considered when their subject, methodology, archival content, or theoretical contribution justifies the additional length.

4.3 Language

Manuscripts must be submitted in clear academic English. Authors are responsible for the linguistic quality of their manuscripts.

The journal accepts either British or American English, but one form must be used consistently throughout the manuscript.

Machine translation without professional revision is not acceptable. Manuscripts containing serious grammatical, terminological, or stylistic problems may be returned before peer review.

4.4 Anonymous Manuscript

The journal follows a double-blind peer-review procedure. Authors must remove all information that may reveal their identity from the manuscript file.

The anonymous manuscript must not contain:

• Authors’ names
• Institutional affiliations
• Email addresses
• ORCID identifiers
• Acknowledgements identifying the authors
• Statements such as “in our previous study”
• Personal details in file properties
• References to projects that directly reveal authorship

Self-citations should be written in the third person and treated in the same manner as citations of other scholars.

Author information must be provided in a separate title-page file.

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5. Required Submission Files

Authors should submit the following files:

File 1: Title Page

The title page must contain:

• Full title of the manuscript
• Short running title
• Full name of each author
• Academic degree and professional title
• Department and institution
• City and country
• Institutional email address
• ORCID identifier
• Corresponding author’s full contact information
• Author contribution statement
• Conflict-of-interest declaration
• Funding information
• Acknowledgements, if applicable
• Data-availability statement
• Ethics statement, where applicable
• AI-use declaration, where applicable

File 2: Anonymous Manuscript

This file must contain the complete manuscript without names, affiliations, acknowledgements, or identifying information.

File 3: Supplementary Materials

Where applicable, authors may submit:

• Questionnaires
• Interview protocols
• Extended datasets
• Statistical appendices
• Archival document lists
• Maps
• Audio or video materials
• Coding frameworks
• Transcription guidelines
• Additional tables and figures

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6. Title Page Format

The information for each author should be presented in the following order:

Full Name and Surname
Academic degree and position
Department, institution
City, country
Email address
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0000

One author must be clearly identified as the corresponding author.

Author Names

Authors’ names must be written consistently with their ORCID records and previous publications. Changing the order, spelling, or transliteration of names after acceptance should be avoided.

Affiliations

Affiliations must reflect the institution at which the research was conducted. The full official name of the institution must be used. Unexplained abbreviations should not be included.

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7. Article Title

The title should:

• Be concise, accurate, and informative
• Clearly identify the main subject of the study
• Reflect the geographical or historical context where relevant
• Contain the principal research concept or variables
• Avoid unnecessary abbreviations
• Avoid overly broad expressions
• Normally contain between 10 and 18 words

Titles such as “Some Issues Concerning…” or “A Study of…” should be avoided unless they accurately communicate the specific contribution.

A well-constructed title may follow this model:

Main Concept or Relationship: Geographical, Historical, or Institutional Context

Example:

Regional Security and Small-State Strategy: Azerbaijan’s Foreign Policy in the South Caucasus

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8. Abstract

The abstract must contain 200–250 words and should function as an independent summary of the article.

The abstract should briefly present:

1. Background or research context
2. Research problem
3. Objective of the study
4. Methodology and sources
5. Principal findings
6. Main conclusion or contribution

The abstract must not contain:

• Citations or references
• Footnotes
• Undefined abbreviations
• Tables or figures
• General statements that do not describe the study
• Claims not supported by the article

Structured Logic for the Abstract

Although headings are not required within the abstract, authors should follow this sequence:

Background: What is the broader context?
Objective: What does the study investigate?
Methods: What data, materials, or analytical approach were used?
Results: What are the principal findings?
Conclusion: What is the study’s main contribution?

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9. Keywords

Authors must provide five to seven keywords immediately after the abstract.

Keywords should:

• Represent the main concepts of the study
• Include the relevant country or region
• Support the discoverability of the article
• Avoid repeating the entire title
• Use established academic terminology
• Be separated by semicolons

Example:

Keywords: South Caucasus; regional security; foreign policy; Azerbaijan; geopolitical competition; international relations

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10. IMRAD Structure

Original research articles should follow the IMRAD structure:

• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion

The manuscript must also include a title, abstract, keywords, conclusion, declarations, and references.

The complete recommended structure is:

1. Title
2. Abstract
3. Keywords
4. Introduction
5. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework
6. Materials and Methods
7. Results
8. Discussion
9. Conclusion
10. Declarations
11. References
12. Appendices or Supplementary Materials

The Results and Discussion sections may be combined only when the nature of the research makes separation impractical. Authors must nevertheless distinguish clearly between the evidence obtained and their interpretation of that evidence.

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11. Detailed IMRAD Instructions

11.1 Introduction

The Introduction must explain why the study was necessary and what specific question it addresses.

It should proceed from the general context to the specific research problem.

The Introduction should include:

Research Background

Briefly introduce the political, historical, social, legal, cultural, or regional context of the study.

Problem Statement

Identify the concrete scholarly problem. Explain what remains unknown, insufficiently studied, contested, or methodologically unresolved.

Research Gap

Clearly demonstrate the gap in existing scholarship. The research gap may concern:

• An understudied country, region, community, or historical period
• A lack of recent evidence
• Contradictory findings
• An unexplored archive or primary source
• An inadequate theoretical explanation
• A methodological limitation in previous studies
• A missing comparative perspective
• A neglected relationship between important variables

Authors must not simply state that “few studies exist.” They should explain precisely what previous studies have not addressed.

Research Objective

State the principal purpose of the article in one clear sentence.

Example:

This study examines how regional security developments have influenced Azerbaijan’s foreign-policy strategy since 2020.

Research Questions

Research questions should be clear, specific, answerable, and directly connected to the methods and results.

Example:

RQ1. How has the regional balance of power changed since the Second Karabakh War?
RQ2. Which security considerations have shaped Azerbaijan’s subsequent foreign-policy decisions?

Hypotheses

Quantitative and explanatory studies should present hypotheses where appropriate.

Example:

H1. Increased regional security uncertainty is associated with greater diversification of foreign-policy partnerships.

Significance and Originality

Explain how the study contributes to knowledge. The contribution may be:

• Empirical
• Theoretical
• Methodological
• Comparative
• Historical
• Archival
• Practical or policy-oriented

Article Structure

The final paragraph of the Introduction may briefly describe the organisation of the article.

The Introduction should not present detailed results or repeat the abstract.

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11.2 Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

The Literature Review must critically evaluate the relevant scholarship rather than merely list or summarise previous publications.

Authors should:

• Identify major scholarly debates
• Compare different interpretations
• Explain areas of agreement and disagreement
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of previous studies
• Demonstrate how the present study differs from existing research
• Use recent international scholarship
• Include relevant regional and local-language research
• Establish a logical basis for the research questions or hypotheses

The review should be organised thematically, theoretically, chronologically, or methodologically.

A paragraph should not consist of separate summaries such as “Author A stated… Author B stated… Author C stated…”. Sources should instead be synthesised around concepts, arguments, or debates.

Theoretical Framework

Where applicable, authors must identify the theory, model, or analytical framework used in the study.

This section should explain:

1. The origin and principal assumptions of the theory
2. Its relevance to the research problem
3. The principal concepts or variables
4. How these concepts are operationalised
5. How the framework guides data collection and interpretation

Authors should not mention a theory only in the title or introduction. The selected framework must be actively applied in the analysis and discussion.

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11.3 Materials and Methods

The Methods section must provide enough information for another qualified researcher to understand, assess, and, where possible, replicate the study.

This section must answer:

• What research design was used?
• What materials, data, or sources were examined?
• How were they selected?
• How were the data collected?
• How were they analysed?
• What ethical procedures were followed?
• What limitations affected the methodology?

Research Design

Identify the research design, for example:

• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Mixed methods
• Comparative
• Historical
• Archival
• Case study
• Survey
• Interview-based
• Content analysis
• Discourse analysis
• Legal-doctrinal analysis
• Statistical or econometric analysis
• Systematic review

Explain why the selected design is appropriate for the research objective.

Study Context

Describe the geographical, political, institutional, social, or historical context of the research.

Population and Sample

For research involving participants, explain:

• Target population
• Sample size
• Sampling method
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Participant characteristics
• Recruitment procedure
• Study period and location

Sample-size calculations should be reported in quantitative studies where applicable.

Data and Sources

Identify all materials used, including:

• Surveys
• Interviews
• Focus groups
• Official statistics
• Government documents
• Legislation
• Court decisions
• Archival documents
• Newspapers
• Speeches
• Social-media content
• Historical records
• International databases
• Institutional reports

Authors must provide the names of archives, databases, collections, document codes, time periods, and access dates where relevant.

Data-Collection Instruments

Describe the questionnaire, interview guide, observation protocol, coding sheet, or other instrument.

If an existing instrument was used, cite its original source and report evidence of validity and reliability.

If the authors developed a new instrument, explain its development, pilot testing, and validation.

Variables and Measures

Quantitative studies must define:

• Dependent variables
• Independent variables
• Control variables
• Measurement scales
• Indicators
• Coding procedures

Data Analysis

Explain the analytical procedure in sufficient detail.

Quantitative studies should identify:

• Statistical tests
• Statistical software and version
• Significance threshold
• Reliability tests
• Regression models
• Treatment of missing data
• Robustness or sensitivity tests

Qualitative studies should identify:

• Coding method
• Development of themes or categories
• Analytical framework
• Researcher triangulation
• Credibility and reliability procedures
• Software used, where applicable

Ethical Approval

Research involving humans, interviews, surveys, personal information, or sensitive communities must include:

• Name of the approving ethics committee
• Institution
• Approval or protocol number
• Approval date
• Method of obtaining informed consent

If formal ethical approval was not required, authors must provide an explanation consistent with applicable institutional or national rules.

Methodological Limitations

Authors should briefly identify methodological constraints, such as:

• Limited sample size
• Restricted archival access
• Geographical limitations
• Language barriers
• Potential selection bias
• Incomplete historical records
• Measurement limitations
• Limited generalisability

Limitations should be reported transparently without invalidating the entire study.

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11.4 Results

The Results section must present the findings produced by the methods described in the preceding section.

Results should:

• Follow the order of the research questions or hypotheses
• Present findings objectively
• Include both expected and unexpected results
• Use tables and figures where they improve understanding
• Report statistical values accurately
• Avoid repeating every number already presented in a table
• Avoid unsupported interpretation or speculation

Quantitative Results

Authors should report, where applicable:

• Number of observations
• Descriptive statistics
• Reliability and validity results
• Test statistics
• Effect sizes
• Confidence intervals
• Exact probability values
• Regression coefficients
• Model-fit indicators

Use:

p = .032

rather than:

p < .05

where the exact value is available.

Qualitative Results

Qualitative findings should:

• Be organised into themes or analytical categories
• Explain how themes emerged from the data
• Include carefully selected supporting quotations
• Protect participants’ identities
• Distinguish participant statements from author interpretation
• Demonstrate patterns, differences, and exceptional cases

Historical and Archival Results

Historical studies should:

• Present evidence systematically
• Distinguish primary from secondary sources
• Explain the provenance and context of documents
• Compare conflicting records
• Avoid treating politically or institutionally produced documents as neutral evidence
• Clearly distinguish documented facts from interpretation

The Results section should not introduce methods that were not described earlier.

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11.5 Discussion

The Discussion explains what the results mean and why they matter.

It should not simply repeat the Results section.

The Discussion must:

1. Summarise the principal findings
2. Answer the research questions
3. State whether the hypotheses were supported
4. Interpret the findings using the theoretical framework
5. Compare the findings with previous studies
6. Explain agreements and contradictions
7. Discuss the scholarly significance of the results
8. Identify practical or policy implications
9. Acknowledge limitations
10. Suggest directions for future research

Authors should distinguish clearly between:

• Findings directly supported by the data
• Interpretations based on theory
• Broader implications
• Speculative explanations requiring further investigation

Claims must remain proportional to the evidence. A study of one institution, community, country, or period should not be generalised to the entire Caucasus without adequate justification.

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11.6 Conclusion

The Conclusion should provide a concise and integrated final assessment of the study.

It should include:

• Restatement of the research objective
• Direct answer to the research question
• Summary of the most important findings
• Explanation of the article’s original contribution
• Theoretical, practical, or policy implications
• Key limitations
• Recommendations for future research

The Conclusion must not:

• Introduce new data
• Add sources not discussed in the article
• Repeat the abstract word for word
• Make claims exceeding the evidence
• Consist only of a general summary

A standard Conclusion should normally contain 400–700 words.

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12. Adapting IMRAD to Humanities and Historical Research

The journal recognises that conventional IMRAD headings may not suit every historical, legal, theoretical, or humanities-based study.

Such articles must nevertheless preserve the logic of IMRAD:

A historical article may therefore use descriptive section titles while retaining this research logic.

Example:

1. Introduction
2. Historiography and Analytical Approach
3. Sources and Archival Method
4. Historical Background
5. Transformation of Regional Relations
6. Competing Interpretations of the Conflict
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion

Authors must include a transparent explanation of their sources and analytical methods even when conducting historical, legal, conceptual, or textual research.

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13. Systematic and Literature Review Articles

Review articles must not consist of a narrative list of publications. They should use a transparent and reproducible method.

A review article should contain:

1. Introduction
2. Review objective or question
3. Search strategy
4. Eligibility criteria
5. Databases and sources searched
6. Search terms
7. Date range
8. Screening and selection procedure
9. Method of synthesis
10. Results
11. Discussion
12. Limitations
13. Conclusion

Systematic reviews should follow an appropriate reporting guideline, such as PRISMA, where applicable. The final search date must be reported.

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14. Headings and Subheadings

No more than three heading levels should normally be used.

Level 1

1. Introduction

Level 2

1.1. Research Background

Level 3

1.1.1. Regional Context

Headings must be concise and informative. Authors should avoid placing a heading immediately after another heading without intervening explanatory text.

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15. Tables

Tables must:

• Be numbered consecutively
• Be mentioned in the text before they appear
• Have a concise descriptive title
• Be editable, not submitted as images
• Contain explanatory notes where necessary
• Identify the source of reproduced or adapted data
• Avoid unnecessary vertical lines
• Use consistent decimal places and measurement units

Example:

Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of Participants

Table notes should appear beneath the table.

If the table was created by the authors, no “Source: Authors” statement is necessary unless clarification is required. If data were obtained from another source, provide an appropriate citation.

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16. Figures, Maps, and Images

Figures must:

• Be numbered consecutively
• Have clear captions
• Be referred to in the main text
• Be submitted at sufficient resolution
• Remain readable when reduced to publication size
• Include units, legends, and labels
• Provide source and copyright information where applicable

Preferred formats are PNG, JPEG, TIFF, SVG, or editable chart formats. Images should generally have a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted images, maps, photographs, or illustrations.

Maps concerning disputed territories or borders must be presented in an academically neutral manner. The journal may request a disclaimer where the depiction of borders or territorial status could be interpreted as an institutional position.

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17. Quotations

Short quotations should appear within quotation marks in the main text.

Quotations of approximately 40 words or more should be presented as indented block quotations without quotation marks.

Every direct quotation must include a page number or another precise locator.

Authors must verify quotations against the original source. Excessive quotation should be avoided; scholarly analysis must remain the author’s own.

Quotations in languages other than English must be translated into English. Authors may provide the original text in a footnote when linguistically or historically important. The author of the translation must be identified where necessary.

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18. Transliteration and Non-Latin Scripts

Names, titles, geographical terms, and archival materials written in Azerbaijani, Armenian, Georgian, Russian, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, or other languages must be transliterated consistently.

When a recognised transliteration system is used, it should be identified in the Methods section or a note.

Titles of non-English sources should be provided in the original transliterated form, followed by an English translation in square brackets.

Example:

Məmmədov, A. (2023). Cənubi Qafqazda regional təhlükəsizlik [Regional security in the South Caucasus]. Bakı Universiteti Nəşriyyatı.

The spelling of established personal and geographical names should follow the form most commonly used in authoritative English-language scholarship unless the historical context requires another form.

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19. Abbreviations

Abbreviations must be written in full at first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.

Example:

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Only standard abbreviations should be used. Abbreviations should not normally appear in the title or abstract unless they are widely recognised.

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20. Numbers, Dates, and Units

• Spell out numbers from one to nine unless they represent measurements, percentages, ages, or statistical values.
• Use numerals for numbers 10 and above.
• Write percentages as 15%, not “15 percent”.
• Use the International System of Units where applicable.
• Write complete dates in an unambiguous format: 15 August 2026.
• Maintain consistency in historical date systems and explain calendar conversions where necessary.

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21. Footnotes

Footnotes should be used only for necessary explanatory information that would interrupt the flow of the main text.

Footnotes must not be used as a substitute for the reference list. Bibliographic citations should normally appear in the text according to APA style.

Endnotes should be avoided unless required by the nature of the study.

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22. Citation and Reference Style

The journal uses the APA 7th edition citation and reference style.

In-Text Citations

One author:

(Cornell, 2017)

Two authors:

(Broers & de Waal, 2020)

Three or more authors:

(Smith et al., 2024)

Direct quotation:

(Cornell, 2017, p. 48)

Several sources:

(Broers, 2019; Cornell, 2017; de Waal, 2021)

Institutional author:

(United Nations, 2023)

Authors must include page numbers for direct quotations and are strongly encouraged to provide page numbers when referring to a specific argument or passage.

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23. Reference-List Examples

Journal Article

Broers, L. (2019). The politics of non-recognition and democratization. Caucasus Survey, 7(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Journal Article with DOI

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (2025). Title of the article. Title of Journal, 12(3), 145–162. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Book

Cornell, S. E. (2017). The international politics of the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict. Palgrave Macmillan.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Author, A. A. (2024). Title of chapter. In B. B. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. 45–68). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Institutional Report

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. (2023). Title of report. URL

Webpage

Council of Europe. (2025, March 12). Title of webpage. URL

Newspaper Article

Author, A. A. (2025, June 18). Title of article. Name of Newspaper. URL

Thesis or Dissertation

Author, A. A. (2024). Title of dissertation [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. Repository or database. URL

Archival Document

Name of archive. (Year). Title or description of document (Collection name, fond number, inventory number, file number, folio numbers). City, Country.

The format may be adapted to the archive’s cataloguing system, but it must provide sufficient information for the document to be located.

Legal Document

Name of law, official source or statute number (Year). URL

Court Decision

Name of court. (Year). Case name or decision number. URL

Dataset

Author or institution. (Year). Title of dataset (Version) [Data set]. Repository. https://doi.org/xxxxx

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24. Reference Quality

Authors must ensure that:

• Every source cited in the text appears in the reference list.
• Every item in the reference list is cited in the text.
• References are accurate and complete.
• DOI links are included whenever available.
• Retracted or unreliable publications are not used.
• References reflect the international literature relevant to the subject.
• Recent scholarship is adequately represented.
• Sources are not added merely to increase the number of references.
• Authors do not engage in excessive self-citation.
• References are not used to manipulate citation indicators.

As a general recommendation, original research articles should include approximately 30–60 relevant references, depending on the subject and methodology.

At least a meaningful proportion of the references should represent recent research published during the last five years. Historical and archival studies may necessarily use older primary and foundational sources.

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25. Research Ethics

Human Participants

Studies involving human participants must comply with internationally recognised ethical principles and applicable national and institutional requirements.

Authors must confirm:

• Ethics-committee approval
• Voluntary participation
• Informed consent
• Protection of privacy and confidentiality
• Secure handling of personal data
• The right of participants to withdraw

Vulnerable Participants and Sensitive Research

Additional safeguards are required for research involving:

• Children
• Refugees and displaced persons
• Conflict-affected communities
• Ethnic or religious minorities
• Victims of violence
• Politically exposed persons
• Participants whose identification may place them at risk

The journal may request supporting ethical documentation before publication.

Interviews and Personal Communications

Authors must obtain permission to publish identifiable statements. Anonymous participants should be identified through neutral codes such as “Participant 01” or “Interviewee A”.

Personal communications should be cited in the text but are not normally included in the reference list under APA rules.

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26. Conflict of Interest

All authors must disclose any relationship that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research.

Examples include:

• Financial support
• Employment or consultancy
• Political or institutional affiliation
• Personal or professional relationships
• Participation in an organisation discussed in the manuscript
• Ownership of relevant commercial interests

If no conflict exists, include:

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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27. Funding Statement

All sources of financial support must be disclosed, including the funder’s name and grant number.

Example:

Funding: This research was supported by [name of funding organisation] under Grant No. [number].

If the research received no external funding:

Funding: This research received no external funding.

Funders should not influence the study design, analysis, interpretation, or publication decision unless their involvement is explicitly disclosed.

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28. Author Contributions

The contributions of all authors must be specified using the CRediT taxonomy where appropriate.

Possible roles include:

• Conceptualisation
• Methodology
• Investigation
• Data curation
• Formal analysis
• Writing – original draft
• Writing – review and editing
• Visualisation
• Supervision
• Project administration
• Funding acquisition

Example:

Author Contributions: R.N. developed the study concept and methodology. A.B. collected and analysed the data. R.N. and A.B. drafted and revised the manuscript. Both authors approved the final version.

Authorship must not be granted solely for administrative support, funding, translation, proofreading, or institutional position.

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29. Data Availability

Authors must state whether and where the data supporting the findings are available.

Examples:

Data Availability: The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Data Availability: The dataset is publicly available in [repository name] at [DOI or URL].

Data Availability: The research data cannot be publicly shared because they contain confidential participant information.

Authors should deposit non-sensitive data in a recognised repository whenever possible.

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30. Acknowledgements

Individuals or organisations that supported the study but do not meet the criteria for authorship may be acknowledged.

Authors should obtain permission before naming an individual in the Acknowledgements section.

Editorial assistance, translation, language editing, technical support, access to archives, and institutional assistance should be disclosed where relevant.

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31. Artificial Intelligence Policy

Generative artificial-intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors because they cannot take responsibility for the accuracy, originality, ethics, or integrity of a scholarly work.

Authors may use AI-assisted tools for limited purposes such as:

• Language correction
• Improving readability
• Translation support
• Organising non-substantive text
• Technical assistance

AI tools must not be used to:

• Fabricate references, data, quotations, or findings
• Generate false archival evidence
• Alter or invent images
• Replace the authors’ scholarly analysis
• Produce undisclosed substantive sections of the manuscript
• Manipulate research results
• breach participant confidentiality or data-protection requirements

Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content and must verify the accuracy of AI-assisted output.

Substantive AI use must be declared in the manuscript.

Example:

AI Use Declaration: During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [tool and version] for [specific purpose]. The authors subsequently reviewed and edited the output and take full responsibility for the content of the manuscript.

If no generative AI was used:

AI Use Declaration: The authors declare that no generative artificial-intelligence tools were used in the research or preparation of this manuscript.

Standard spelling, grammar, reference-management, and statistical software does not normally require disclosure.

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32. Originality and Similarity

All manuscripts may be screened using similarity-detection software.

The journal does not evaluate originality solely through a numerical similarity percentage. Editors examine the nature, distribution, and source of overlapping text.

The following are prohibited:

• Plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Duplicate publication
• Redundant publication
• Patchwriting
• Unacknowledged translation
• Fabricated citations
• Manipulation of quotations
• Submission of another person’s work
• Reuse of published tables or figures without permission

Authors must appropriately cite and, where necessary, quote all reused material.

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33. Reporting Guidelines

Authors should follow recognised reporting standards appropriate to their research design.

Examples include:

• PRISMA for systematic reviews
• STROBE for observational studies
• CONSORT for randomised trials
• COREQ for qualitative interview and focus-group studies
• SRQR for qualitative research
• CHEERS for economic evaluations
• ARRIVE for animal research

Where applicable, the completed reporting checklist and flow diagram should be submitted as supplementary files.

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34. Peer-Review Process

All eligible research manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review.

The editorial process normally includes:

1. Technical and administrative screening
2. Scope and quality assessment by the editors
3. Originality and ethics checks
4. Double-blind evaluation by at least two independent reviewers
5. Editorial decision
6. Author revision, where required
7. Verification of revisions
8. Final acceptance
9. Copyediting and proofreading
10. Online publication

Possible decisions are:

• Accept
• Minor revision
• Major revision
• Reject and resubmit
• Reject

Submission does not guarantee external review or publication. Editors may reject a manuscript before peer review if it falls outside the journal’s scope, lacks scholarly originality, contains serious methodological problems, or does not comply with the guidelines.

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35. Preparing a Revised Manuscript

Authors invited to revise must submit:

1. A clean revised manuscript
2. A version with all changes clearly marked
3. A detailed response-to-reviewers document

The response document must reproduce every reviewer comment and provide a separate answer beneath it.

Recommended format:

Reviewer Comment 1:
The methodology requires further explanation.

Author Response:
Thank you for this important observation. We have expanded the methodology section to explain the sampling procedure and inclusion criteria.

Change in Manuscript:
The relevant information has been added on pages 7–8.

Authors should respond respectfully and provide scholarly justification when they do not accept a recommendation.

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36. Proofreading and Post-Acceptance Changes

After acceptance, the corresponding author will receive the proof for final examination.

At the proof stage, authors may correct:

• Typographical errors
• Formatting problems
• Minor factual mistakes
• Author names and affiliations
• Errors introduced during production

Substantial changes to the argument, methodology, results, authorship, or reference list are not normally permitted after acceptance.

The corresponding author is responsible for checking the accuracy of the final proof within the specified deadline.

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37. Copyright and Licensing

Articles are published on an open-access basis under the journal’s stated Creative Commons licence. Authors retain the rights permitted by that licence while granting the journal the right of first publication.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that third-party materials included in their articles may legally be published under the applicable licence.

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38. Final Pre-Submission Checklist

Before submission, authors must confirm that:

• The manuscript falls within the journal’s aims and scope.
• The work is original and is not under review elsewhere.
• The manuscript follows the required article structure.
• The title accurately reflects the study.
• The abstract contains the objective, methods, results, and conclusion.
• Five to seven keywords have been provided.
• The research gap and original contribution are clearly stated.
• The methodology is sufficiently detailed.
• Results answer the research questions.
• The Discussion interprets rather than repeats the results.
• All tables and figures are numbered and cited in the text.
• APA 7 style has been applied consistently.
• Every in-text citation appears in the reference list and vice versa.
• DOI links have been included where available.
• Ethical approval and informed consent have been reported where applicable.
• Funding and conflicts of interest have been disclosed.
• Author contributions and data availability have been stated.
• Any use of generative AI has been declared.
• Identifying information has been removed from the anonymous file.
• The manuscript has undergone careful English-language editing.
• All authors have approved the final submission.