Journal of International Economic Policy
Manual for Authors and Reviewers
Contents:
Why write and review articles for a peer-review journal?
I. AUTHORS
A.Substance
1. Framing a question/thesis/argument
2. Originality
3. Strength of Argument
4. Documentation
5. Time Allocation
6. Revisions
B.Organization and Style
1. Organization
2. Style
Usage
Abbreviations/Acronyms
Capitalization
3. Grammar and Spelling
4. Citations, Notes and References
Plagiarism
How to Recognize Unacceptable and Acceptable Paraphrases
C.Submitting an Article
1. Guidelines
2. Submission
3. Post-submission
II. REVIEWERS
Appendices
This manual is a general guide for authors and reviewers unfamiliar with international standards of the anonymous peer-review process and who are considering publishing articles in periodicals / journals, including the Journal of International Economic Policy, that subscribe to these standards and process. Although some parts of the manual are devoted to writing an academic article and other parts to reviewing academic articles, we strongly believe that studying the whole manual will be equally beneficial to both authors and reviewers interested in learning about and understanding the anonymous peer-review process and how to write academic papers and articles according to international standards.
The goal of the manual is to give you a clear understanding of the publishing process, from its beginning, when a scholar has an idea he/she would like to write about, to the published article. Understanding the process for submission of an article and its review will make you a better author and a better peer reviewer.
Why write and review articles for a peer-review journal?
Before we begin, we would like to take a moment to explain why it is in your interest to contribute to the Journal of International Economic Policy specifically and anonymous peer-review journals generally. First, as an academic and researcher, you will want to share your research with as broad a community as possible, the broadest of which is of course the international academic community. By gaining access to this community, you will develop invaluable partnerships and networks beyond your national base, deepen your field of specialization, contribute to a larger knowledge-base, raise your profile and enhance your credibility. However, in order to access this community, it is important to participate in and become familiar with its practices and standards. These practices and standards include the anonymous peer-review process.
As a member of the scholarly community, you have an obligation to share your research findings and your intellectual efforts by publishing them.[1]
Second, publishing articles in anonymous peer-review journals will assist in career mobility and advancement. While career advancement may certainly have national characteristics, such as those in Ukraine which should continue to be respected, these national characteristics may have little in common with the criteria for career advancement in other countries or systems. As a result, an academic trying to branch out and establish him/herself outside of the national base will find him/herself being judged according to standards and criteria about which he/she has little knowledge and in which he/she has had little experience and opportunities. One such standard and criteria is publishing in anonymous peer-review journals, widely considered to be the best measurement of an academic’s credentials and credibility and, thereby, of his/her merit for career advancement and promotion. Thus, to advance in one’s career – if such career plans include branching out internationally – then publishing in anonymous peer-review journals is essential. Otherwise, the career trajectory will be limited.
Finally, reviewing articles for a peer-review journal is also a very good way of developing one’s own expertise, learning about other research and new developments, and building a community of professionals in international economics. Moreover, reading works by others will improve one’s own writing skills.
As mentioned above, this manual is for authors and reviewers. We begin with information for authors.
I. Authors
Any written material can be judged according to international standards on two things: first, the message it carries, or the substance, and second, how the message is carried out, or the style. Both the substance and style need to be very good for an article to be published in a journal subscribing to international standards, such as the Journal of International Economic Policy. Some authors may be familiar already with this information, but it is always worthwhile to review.
Part A:Substance
1. Framing a question/thesis/argument
Before you sit down to write you have to know what the substance of your paper is, or in other words what your paper is about. What aspects of international economic issues, including trade, investment, management, monetary stability, reform, cooperation, law, political economy, international financial institutions as well as security which face developed, transition and developing states fascinate you? What questions posed by the international economics have not been answered yet? What would you like to brainstorm about and begin an intellectual discussion on?
2. Originality
The more original the issue you choose to write about and your study of that issue, the more likely you will find a receptive audience and a publisher. As a result, when you find an interesting issue to write about, you must ensure that you have something new to say about it that others who write on that same issue may not have already covered. If your article happens to be just another statement on a topic already published by others, the value of your contribution to understanding that issue is diminished and you are less likely to find a better quality audience and / or publisher.
3. Strength of Argument
Your main argument must be sound, based on well-developed and clearly presented supporting arguments, and meaningfully conclude. At the same time, you must remember that you are limited to 20-25 pages of text, or 5000 words (see more Styleguide for Authors); thus, your paper must argue its point and conclude within these limits. In this respect, keep in mind that a topic suitable for a thesis or dissertation of a hundred to three hundred pages is not suitable for an article in an academic journal.
4. Documentation
The strength of your argument and paper will also be determined according to the amount of research you have carried out and cite in your paper. Uncited statements and references to facts, statistics and other research is unacceptable according to international standards. Such information and material must be documented. Make sure that you have access to the information necessary to support your arguments. Give yourself time to examine the evidence and the background literature as you prepare the article. (See also in this manual the section on Plagiarism for related information on avoiding improper and unacceptable use of sourced material.)
5. Time allocation
Think about how much time you have for research, writing and organizing your paper. Organize your ideas and notes so that when you start writing you do not spend much time looking over your notes trying to find a quote or reference.
6. Revisions
Revise your article before you submit it, and then revise some more. Some authors find it beneficial to have a qualified colleague read the article or to present the paper at a conference before it is submitted for consideration by the Journal to help the author deal with any areas of weakness before the article undergoes the formal review process. Leave yourself time to make corrections. You may spot some paragraphs that need re-writing or expanding. You may also move sentences or paragraphs around to strengthen the organization of your paper.
Proof-read, proof read, proof-read!
PART B: Organization and Style
The organization and style of your article are very important because, despite a very interesting thesis and good evidence to support your argument, your paper will not be acceptable for publication if it is not organized according to international practice. Accordingly, an academic paper, like any written material, has to have a flow: the reader must be able to follow your argument and understand your logic. The argumentation behind your thesis should be clear, not only to you, but to everyone who reads your article.
1. Organization
The general structure of an academic article consists of three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. In the introduction, the author outlines the problem examined, thesis and/or main argument related to the problem, the article’s major purpose, and the relationship with theoretical or policy issues. To emphasize, stating the thesis and/or main argument in the introduction is essential. A very good introduction will do just that: introduce the article to the reader by informing the reader what the article is about and by giving the reader enough relevant information about the article to assist him/her in deciding whether the article is of interest. In this respect, a good introduction will stand out from the rest of the paper and can be read on its own. In general, the introduction should not be more than 2-3 pages.
Editors of scholarly journals agree that one of the most common and frustrating problems with submitted articles is a failure on the part of the authors to express their thesis clearly and early in the article.[2]
In the body, the author carries out his/her argument. Each supporting argument is presented and clearly developed according to paragraphs and/or sections identifiable with section headings. In presenting these supporting arguments, the author demonstrates his/her knowledge of the latest research and publications on the problem, cites the research that supports the article’s argument or which he/she is disputing, and proposes a solution to the problem. It is in this part of the paper where the author will demonstrate the credibility of the paper, particularly with ample citation of sources and the ideas and materials of other scholars. In general, the body should be approximately 15-20 pages.
Structure demands that in a good paper not only should each sentence be well written and make sense; it should also be logically connected to the sentences around it, each paragraph to the paragraph around it, each section to the section around it, and all of them to the overall theme of the paper.[3]
Finally, in the conclusion the author provides a summary of the paper, considers the larger theoretical and/or policy implications of the findings, and may offer suggestions for future research. The conclusion should not introduce new ideas or arguments, but stay relevant to the article and argument just presented. In general, the conclusion should not be more than 2-3 pages.
2. Style
Style is difficult on which to offer advice because it is such a personal matter and an expression of the individual. However, there is general agreement about which writing styles make for a stronger academic article. Below are some style guidelines for publications of the Centre for Trade Policy and Law in Ottawa which you may find helpful.
Usage:
- Use the active voice whenever possible rather than the passive voice. The active voice is more vigorous, direct, and easier to read. However, sometimes the passive voice is essential.
- Write in a positive rather than a negative form. The positive is more straightforward, vigorous, and brief. For example, illegal is stronger than not legal.
- Be as specific as possible in all time references. Avoid time references that might confuse the reader or date the work unnecessarily. When possible use specific dates. Use the 1980s instead of the last decade, or give the specific year instead of last year. Last year would be misleading for someone reading a 1992 publication in 1995. Also, avoid the word recently.
- Write in clear and simple language.
- Avoid jargon whenever possible. Explain in the text or in a footnote terms or phrases which may be unique or highly specialized and that may be unknown to the well-informed generalist.
- Avoid laborious phrases, non-working and needless words. For example, if or should is better than in the event that. Avoid phrases such as close proximity (use instead near), or end result (use instead result), at this point in time (use instead at this time, or, now).
Abbreviations/Acronyms:
- In the first instance, always spell out the full name or term and follow it with the abbreviation or acronym in parentheses. For all succeeding references, use the abbreviation or acronym alone. It is best to use abbreviations and acronyms sparingly to avoid confusion.
- Omit periods in abbreviations (US, OECD, CTPL, WTO) and acronyms (NATO, NAFTA, UNICEF, UNCTAD) unless the meaning would otherwise be ambiguous (such as e.g., i.e., c.o.d., and no. [for number]).
Capitalization:
- Be judicious in the capitalization of entire words for emphasis; use them to help make the text clear. Too many can lead to tedious over emphasis and, visually, can distract from the text.
- Capitalize official and legal names and titles, but not subsequent references that are partial, inverted, or colloquial versions of the full form (e.g., Government of Canada, but Canadian government; Prime Minister Jean Chrétien but the prime minister).
- In titles of books or articles, capitalize the first and last words and all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions. Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the) unless part of a corporate name (e.g., The Globe and Mail), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor), subordinating conjunctions (if, as, before, after, when, where), or prepositions (in, at, by, of, off, out, to, up, for, on, under) unless they are the first or last word in a title.
- For hyphenated and compound words, always capitalize the first element in a title. Capitalize the second element if it is a proper noun or proper adjective, if it is as important as the first element, or if it comes at the end of a title (Twentieth-Century Literature, Neo-Conservatism in Theory, Run-of-the-Mill Responses, Medium-Sized Businesses, Non-Tariff).
3. Grammar and Spelling
Towards the end of writing your article you should check for grammatical errors, spelling and punctuation. Regardless of the language in which you submit your article (English or Ukrainian) the paper should be as error free as possible. Articles with an unacceptable amount of errors will not be considered and automatically returned to authors.
Proof-read!
4. Citations, Notes and References
References should be listed at the bottom of the text as endnotes. Number the notes consecutively and ensure that they correspond to those in the text.
- Notes should be used to identify all sources of information referred to in the article and to present explanatory material that is not an integral part of the text.
- Reference to a note is indicated by an arabic superscript (an arabic numeral positioned slightly above the line). The numeral is not bracketed and stands outside all punctuation, except a dash. Most word processing programs have a feature that generates a footnote; it is strongly recommended that you take advantage of this feature to facilitate the process.
- Do not place notes in chapter titles and in headings. Avoid placing them in mid-sentence.
- Cite a work in full at first mention. Subsequent references may appear in abbreviated form.
Articles submitted in Ukrainian should follow the style for references required in Ukraine (according to the form 23 approved by Supreme Attestation Commission of Ukraine dated March 3, 2008 № 147); articles submitted in English should follow international standards (as an example, you can use the Chicago Manual of Style). Articles translated into English will be prepared accordingly.In sum, the international standard requires the following information to be included in the footnote:
-first and last name of author(s) followed by a comma;
-title of article — if from a journal — , or title of chapter — if from an edited book —, set out in quotation marks and followed by a comma;
-title of journal, edited book, or book if the book itself is the reference, set in italics and not followed by any punctuation if there are no editors, otherwise insert a comma;
-names of the editors of the edited book and not followed by any punctuation;
-for books, city of publication followed by a colon (:), name of publisher, followed by a comma and year of publication — all set out within parantheses;
-for journals, the volume and issue numbers, separated by a colon (:), as well as the quarterly season of the issue and volume year set out in parantheses;
-the page number(s) where the information being cited can be located (for books, preceded by a comma; for journals, preceded by a colon).
Proper punctuation (use of commas, colons) is vital.
The examples below are again from the Style Guide for Publications for the Centre for Trade Policy and Law in Ottawa.
Examples of notes:
1Gilbert R. Winham, Trading with Canada: The Canada-US Free Trade Agreement (New York: Priority Press Publications, 1988), p. 40.
2Winham, Trading with Canada, p. 59.
3Michael Hart, “The Role of Dispute Settlement in Managing Canada-US Trade and Investment Relations,” in Vanishing Borders: Canada Among Nations 2000, eds. Maureen Appel Molot and Fen Osler Hampson (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), pp. 98-99.
4Jim MacNeill, “The Greening of World Politics,” International Journal 45:1 (Winter 1989/90): pp. 1-12.
5Hart, “The Role of Dispute Settlement,” p. 113.
6Canada, Department of the Environment, Towards an International Accord on Climate Change (Ottawa: August 1991), p. 57.
Plagiarism
Proper endnotes and references are extremely important. Failure to acknowledge another writer’s idea, quotes or findings in your article is considered plagiarism. Although it is difficult to arrive at a precise definition of plagiarism, it can be defined simply as the copying by one person of another person’s work, in whole or in significant part without crediting the original source.[4]