International Political Science Review

Manuscript Submission Guidelines: International Political Science Review / Revue internationale de science politique

This Journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics

Please read the guidelines below then visit the Journal’s submission site http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/IPSR to upload your manuscript. Please note that manuscripts not conforming to these guidelines may be returned.

Only manuscripts of sufficient quality that meet the aims and scope of International Political Science Review will be reviewed.

There are no fees payable to submit or publish in this Journal. Open Access options are available - see section 3.3 below.

As part of the submission process you will be required to warrant that you are submitting your original work, that you have the rights in the work, and that you have obtained and can supply all necessary permissions for the reproduction of any copyright works not owned by you, that you are submitting the work for first publication in the Journal and that it is not being considered for publication elsewhere and has not already been published elsewhere. Please see our guidelines on prior publication and note that the journal may accept submissions of papers that have been posted on pre-print servers; please alert the Editorial Office when submitting (contact details are at the end of these guidelines) and include the DOI for the preprint in the designated field in the manuscript submission system. Authors should not post an updated version of their paper on the preprint server while it is being peer reviewed for possible publication in the journal. If the article is accepted for publication, the author may re-use their work according to the journal's author archiving policy.
If your paper is accepted, you must include a link on your preprint to the final version of your paper.

 

1. What do we publish?
   1.1 Aims & Scope
   1.2 Article types
   1.2.3 Symposia on topical and contemporary research
   1.3 Writing your paper
2. Editorial policies
   2.1 Peer review policy
   2.2 Authorship
   2.3 Acknowledgements
   2.4 Funding
   2.5 Declaration of conflicting interests
   2.6 Research Data
3. Publishing policies
   3.1 Publication ethics
   3.2 Contributor's publishing agreement
   3.3 Open access and author archivin
   3.4 Conflict of Interest Policy
4. Preparing your manuscript
   4.1 Formatting
   4.2 Artwork, figures and other graphics
   4.3 Supplemental material
   4.4 Reference style
   4.5 English language editing services
   4.6 Data
5. Submitting your manuscript
   5.1 ORCID
   5.2 Information required for completing your submission
   5.3 Permissions
6. On acceptance and publication
   6.1 Sage Production
   6.2 Online First publication
   6.3 Access to your published article
   6.4 Promoting your article
7. Further information

 

1. What do we publish?

1.1 Aims & Scope

Before submitting your manuscript to International Political Science Review, please ensure you have read the Aims & Scope.

1.2 Article Types

Please also watch the IPSR author guidance video. 

1.2.1 Research articles

IPSR welcomes the submission of research articles of no more than 8,000 words (including references, notes, tables and figures). In general, there should be a maximum of 45 references. Regarding large tables, see the guidelines on supplementary data below.

It is expected that authors will establish the significance of their research question, locate it within the relevant literature, and clearly set out the research design through which they intend addressing the question.

The article should begin by identifying a significant puzzle or question that the article will address and that might engage the interest of readers beyond the sub-discipline. The opening sentences of the article should be designed to engage the reader’s interest rather than referring back to previous literature on the topic. Similarly, the closing sentences of the article should recapitulate the implications of the author’s own findings, rather than referring to the work of others.

As noted above, case studies of single countries should consider the theoretical and comparative implications of the case. Detail about submitting research article manuscripts is provided below at 4.

1.2.2 Special Issues

IPSR will be issuing regular calls for special issues on themes of particular theoretical or political importance. Prospective guest editors need to submit proposals to IPSR at ipsr.journal@gmail.com by the deadline posted on the IPSR website. Special issues will normally consist of an editorial introduction (ca 5000 words) and five or six articles (each a maximum of 8000 words). All special issue proposals should include the following:

• Outline of the theme.
• Rationale, in terms of significance, timeliness and relevance for IPSR and international political science.
• Abstracts of the proposed articles (five or six articles and editorial introduction).
• Brief author biographies for contributors and editors.

Once a proposal has been accepted, guest editors will be responsible for the timely online submission of the articles, which will be subject to the normal IPSR double-anonymize review process.

1.2.3. Symposia on topical and contemporary research

International Political Science Review (IPSR) will accept proposals for symposia on a specific current topic from guest editor(s) on a rolling basis throughout the year. Symposia will normally consist of an editorial introduction (ca 2000 words) and four articles (each a maximum of 5000 words). Each symposium must cover topical and contemporary research that is interesting to a large audience across the discipline. Symposium articles should be short, jargon free, and accessible. Prospective guest editor(s) should submit proposals to IPSR at ipsr.journal@gmail.com and must commit to submit the symposium within 3 months of a positive assessment by the editors. An accelerated review process will be used. 

Symposia proposals should include: 

• An outline of the topic 
• Discussion of the contemporary relevance and timeliness of the topic 
• The theoretical and empirical relevance of the contributions 
• The appeal of the topic to a broad audience 
• Abstracts of the proposed articles (four short articles and editorial introduction) 
• Brief author biographies for contributors and editors

1.2.4 Meta Analyses

IPSR welcomes the submission of meta analyses (state-of-the art surveys of key developments) in specific disciplinary area. These can be submitted on Scholar One and are subject to peer review.

1.2.5 Article Types

IPSR occasionally publishes research reports of no more than 6000 words. These report on particularly interesting findings of research projects without meeting all the requirements of a full research article. Such reports are subject to review.

1.3 Writing your paper

The Sage Author Gateway has some general advice and on how to get published, plus links to further resources.

1.3.1 Make your article discoverable

For information and guidance on how to make your article more discoverable, visit our Gateway page on How to Help Readers Find Your Article Online

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2. Editorial policies

2.1 Peer review policy

All articles are subject to anonymous peer review by experts in the field, drawn from a database of international referees. If you would like to be a referee, send a short CV and note areas of specialty to one of the editors (see contact details at foot of document).

2.2 Authorship

All parties who have made a substantive contribution to the article should be listed as authors. Principal authorship, authorship order, and other publication credits should be based on the relative scientific or professional contributions of the individuals involved, regardless of their status. A student is usually listed as principal author on any multiple-authored publication that substantially derives from the student’s dissertation or thesis.

Please note that AI chatbots, for example ChatGPT, should not be listed as authors. For more information see the policy on Use of ChatGPT and generative AI tools.

2.3 Acknowledgements

All contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in an Acknowledgements section. Examples of those who might be acknowledged include a person who provided purely technical help, or a department chair who provided only general support.

Any acknowledgements should appear first at the end of your article prior to your Declaration of Conflicting Interests (if applicable), any notes and your References.

2.4 Funding

International Political Science Review requires all authors to acknowledge their funding in a consistent fashion under a separate heading.  Please visit the Funding Acknowledgements page on the Sage Journal Author Gateway to confirm the format of the acknowledgment text in the event of funding, or state that: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. 

2.5 Declaration of conflicting interests

International Political Science Review encourages authors to include a declaration of any conflicting interests and recommends you review the good practice guidelines on the Sage Journal Author Gateway. 

2.6 Research Data
At Sage we are committed to facilitating openness, transparency and reproducibility of research. Where relevant, the Journal encourages authors to share their research data in a suitable public repository subject to ethical considerations and where data is included, to add a data accessibility statement in their manuscript file. Authors should also follow data citation principles. For more information please visit the Sage Author Gateway, which includes information about Sage’s partnership with the data repository Figshare.

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3. Publishing Policies

3.1 Publication ethics

Sage is committed to upholding the integrity of the academic record. We encourage authors to refer to the Committee on Publication Ethics’ International Standards for Authors and view the Publication Ethics page on the Sage Author Gateway.

3.1.1 Plagiarism

International Political Science Review and Sage take issues of copyright infringement, plagiarism or other breaches of best practice in publication very seriously. We seek to protect the rights of our authors and we always investigate claims of plagiarism or misuse of published articles. Equally, we seek to protect the reputation of the journal against malpractice. Submitted articles may be checked with duplication-checking software. Where an article, for example, is found to have plagiarised other work or included third-party copyright material without permission or with insufficient acknowledgement, or where the authorship of the article is contested, we reserve the right to take action including, but not limited to: publishing an erratum or corrigendum (correction); retracting the article; taking up the matter with the head of department or dean of the author's institution and/or relevant academic bodies or societies; or taking appropriate legal action.

3.1.2 Prior publication

If material has been previously published it is not generally acceptable for publication in a Sage journal. However, there are certain circumstances where previously published material can be considered for publication. Please refer to the guidance on the Sage Author Gateway or if in doubt, contact the Editor at the address given below.

3.2 Contributor's publishing agreement

Before publication, Sage requires the author as the rights holder to sign a Journal Contributor’s Publishing Agreement. Sage’s Journal Contributor’s Publishing Agreement is an exclusive licence agreement which means that the author retains copyright in the work but grants Sage the sole and exclusive right and licence to publish for the full legal term of copyright. Exceptions may exist where an assignment of copyright is required or preferred by a proprietor other than Sage. In this case copyright in the work will be assigned from the author to the society. For more information please visit the Sage Author Gateway

3.3 Open access and author archiving

International Political Science Review offers optional open access publishing via the Sage Choice programme and Open Access agreements, where authors can publish open access either discounted or free of charge depending on the agreement with Sage. Find out if your institution is participating by visiting Open Access Agreements at Sage. For more information on Open Access publishing options at Sage please visit Sage Open Access. For information on funding body compliance, and depositing your article in repositories, please visit Sage’s Author Archiving and Re-Use Guidelines and Publishing Policies.

3.4 Conflict of Interest Policy

This conflict of interest policy should guarantee that the relationship between authors and IPSR editors follows the highest professional standards. We define a conflict of interest as a transaction or relationship, which might compromise an editor’s obligation toward IPSA, and/or the integrity of the publishing process. Such conflicts of interest include but are not limited to situations, where either an IPSR author or an IPSR editor gains any material or non-financial benefit other than the ones specified in her/his contract. Examples of material benefits include any cash or in-kind benefit that the editors might gain from their editorial duties. Non-financial benefits include any preferential treatment in the editorial process that is not merit based. This also requires that editors will not publish original research articles in IPSR during their tenure. 

Because of their central role at the IPSA organization, our conflict of interest policy also foresees that the immediate past president, the president, the president elect, and the executive director are precluded from submitting original research articles for publication in the journal during their terms in office. To prevent any form of preferential treatment of authors, it is also IPSR policy that an editor does not handle manuscripts from people from their department, co-authors on published papers, members of their dissertation committee, co-applicants for funding, and spouses or children. In all these cases, the second co-editor will be assigned to handle the manuscript. If a manuscript has an alternate editor assigned and it is accepted and published, the fact that an alternate editor was assigned will be noted in the journal.

IPSR holds editors to the highest professional and ethical standards. If they violate such obligations, which might involve cases of plagiarism, professional favoritism, or criminal acts, any person can make an ethical claim against an editor. Upon their appointment, editors of IPSR are also obliged to reveal any real or potential conflict of interest. 

If an author or anyone else wants to submit a conflict of interest complaint, he or she should to this in writing to the IPSA ethics representative, who will review the complaint and take appropriate steps. 
 

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4. Preparing your manuscript for submission

4.1 Formatting

The preferred format for your manuscript is Word. LaTeX files are also accepted. Word and (La)Tex templates are available on the Manuscript Submission Guidelines page of our Author Gateway.

4.2 Artwork, figures and other graphics

For guidance on the preparation of illustrations, pictures and graphs in electronic format, please visit Sage’s Manuscript Submission Guidelines  

Figures supplied in colour will appear in colour online regardless of whether or not these illustrations are reproduced in colour in the printed version. For specifically requested colour reproduction in print, you will receive information regarding the costs from Sage after receipt of your accepted article.

4.3 Supplemental material

This journal is able to host additional materials online (e.g. datasets, podcasts, videos, images etc) alongside the full-text of the article. For more information please refer to our guidelines on submitting supplementary files

4.4 Reference style

Given recent evidence* about possible bias in citation patterns we recommend that authors check their references to make sure that they are referring where relevant to the work of female as well as male scholars and to scholars outside the Global North.

(*Maliniak, Daniel, Ryan Powers and Barbara F Walter (2013). The Gender Citation Gap in International Relations. International Organization. DOI: 10.1017/S002081831300209)

Please note that for IPSR submissions full names of authors or editors should be provided in the references (rather than just initials), and the order of names only needs to be reversed for the first named author or editor, as in the examples provided below.

In-text references should be as follows: (Michalski, 2006: 2).

References at the end of the article should be in the following style:

    Articles in journals: Smith, Charles Anthony and Heather M Smith (2011) Human Trafficking: The unintended effects of United Nations intervention. International Political Science Review 32(2): 125–146.

    Books: Bartolini, Stefano and Peter Mair (1990) Identity, Competition, and Electoral Availability: The Stabilisation of European Electorates 1885-1985. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapters in books: Lawson, Kay (1988) When Linkage Fails. In Kay Lawson and Peter H Merkl (eds) When Parties Fail: Emerging Alternative Organizations. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 13–38.

    Online publications: Cowling, David (2013) What Price Democracy? Counting the Cost of UK Elections, BBC, 8 November. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24842147

    Unpublished works: Bardi, Luciano (1992) The Empirical Study of Party Membership Change, Mimeo, Università di Bologna.

4.5 English language editing services

Authors seeking assistance with English language editing, translation, or figure and manuscript formatting to fit the journal’s specifications should consider using Sage Language Services. Visit Sage Language Services on our Journal Author Gateway for further information.

4.6 Data

IPSR encourages all authors to share their research data where appropriate. Authors can make data available as a supplementary data file, which will be hosted on FigShare. The data will be openly available, either from the IPSR website where a link will be co-located with the article or directly from FigShare.

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5. Submitting your manuscript

International Political Science Review is hosted on Sage Track, a web based online submission and peer review system powered by ScholarOne™ Manuscripts. Visit http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/IPSR to login and submit your article online.

IMPORTANT: Please check whether you already have an account in the system before trying to create a new one. If you have reviewed or authored for the journal in the past year it is likely that you will have had an account created.  For further guidance on submitting your manuscript online please visit ScholarOne Online Help.

Please ensure that the format of your manuscript adheres to these criteria:

1. double-spaced
2. contains no more than 8,000 words (including references, notes, tables and figures)
3. contains no more than 45 references (except in exceptional circumstances)
4. includes the notes, references, tables and charts on separate pages within your manuscript, following the journal style
5. does not contain page numbers, an abstract or keywords (see next point)
6. separate from your manuscript, you will need to submit (via Sage track’s text fields online form) a 100–150 word abstract and keywords, your name, title, affiliation and full contact details. 

please ensure that your manuscript does not include information that will identify you as the author, including references to articles that you have not yet published.

5.1 ORCID

As part of our commitment to ensuring an ethical, transparent and fair peer review process Sage is a supporting member of ORCID, the Open Researcher and Contributor ID. ORCID provides a unique and persistent digital identifier that distinguishes researchers from every other researcher, even those who share the same name, and, through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between researchers and their professional activities, ensuring that their work is recognized. 

The collection of ORCID IDs from corresponding authors is now part of the submission process of this journal. If you already have an ORCID ID you will be asked to associate that to your submission during the online submission process. We also strongly encourage all co-authors to link their ORCID ID to their accounts in our online peer review platforms. It takes seconds to do: click the link when prompted, sign into your ORCID account and our systems are automatically updated. Your ORCID ID will become part of your accepted publication’s metadata, making your work attributable to you and only you. Your ORCID ID is published with your article so that fellow researchers reading your work can link to your ORCID profile and from there link to your other publications.

If you do not already have an ORCID ID please follow this link to create one or visit our ORCID homepage to learn more.

5.2 Information required for completing your submission

You will be asked to provide contact details and academic affiliations for all co-authors via the submission system and identify who is to be the corresponding author. These details must match what appears on your manuscript. The affiliation listed in the manuscript should be the institution where the research was conducted. If an author has moved to a new institution since completing the research, the new affiliation can be included in a manuscript note at the end of the paper. At this stage please ensure you have included all the required statements and declarations and uploaded any additional supplementary files (including reporting guidelines where relevant).

5.3 Permissions

Please also ensure that you have obtained any necessary permission from copyright holders for reproducing any illustrations, tables, figures or lengthy quotations previously published elsewhere. For further information including guidance on fair dealing for criticism and review, please see the Copyright and Permissions page on the Sage Author Gateway

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6. On acceptance and publication

6.1 Sage Production

Your Sage Production Editor will keep you informed as to your article’s progress throughout the production process. Proofs will be made available to the corresponding author via our editing portal Sage Edit or by email, and corrections should be made directly or notified to us promptly. Authors are reminded to check their proofs carefully to confirm that all author information, including names, affiliations, sequence and contact details are correct, and that Funding and Conflict of Interest statements, if any, are accurate. 

6.2 Online First publication

Online First allows final articles (completed and approved articles awaiting assignment to a future issue) to be published online prior to their inclusion in a journal issue, which significantly reduces the lead time between submission and publication. Visit the Sage Journals help page for more details, including how to cite Online First articles.

6.3 Access to your published article

Sage provides authors with online access to their final article.

6.4 Promoting your article

Publication is not the end of the process! You can help disseminate your paper and ensure it is as widely read and cited as possible. The Sage Author Gateway has numerous resources to help you promote your work. Visit the Promote Your Article page on the Gateway for tips and advice. In addition, Sage is partnered with Kudos, a free service that allows authors to explain, enrich, share, and measure the impact of their article. Find out how to maximise your article’s impact with Kudos.

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7. Further information

Any correspondence, queries or additional requests for information on the manuscript submission process should be sent to the International Political Science Review editorial office as follows:

Mathis Bouquet, Editorial Assistant, IPSR editorial office
ipsr.journal@gmail.com