Author FAQs

Prime Academic Press publishes peer-reviewed journals and selected books and monographs across the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, and engineering. Visit our discipline hubs or journal catalogue to confirm scope, ISSN, and indexing status before submitting.

Read the journal’s Aims & scope and recent issues. The editorial office may desk-reject manuscripts clearly outside scope without external review. When in doubt, send a pre-submission enquiry to the editor with your title and abstract.

No. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is not permitted. A manuscript must be withdrawn from any other venue before we can consider it. Prior publication as a preprint, thesis excerpt, or conference abstract is allowed if disclosed and the submission is substantially expanded—see our ethics policy.

Yes. Posting on recognized preprint servers (e.g. arXiv, SSRN, OSF Preprints) does not count as prior publication. At submission, declare the preprint DOI and update the preprint record after publication with a link to the version of record.

English is the primary language of publication. Non-native authors are encouraged to use professional language editing before submission; editorial office can advise on accepted language-editing services if required at revision stage.

Submit editable source files: Microsoft Word (.docx) or LaTeX with compiled PDF. Figures may be embedded or supplied separately (TIFF, PNG, or EPS at publication resolution). Do not submit PDF-only manuscripts unless the journal explicitly allows it.

Limits vary by article type (research article, review, brief report, commentary). Typical research articles are 6,000–10,000 words including references; check the journal’s author instructions. Overlength manuscripts may be returned for shortening before review.

Yes. Word and LaTeX templates are available in our Author guidelines. Using the template speeds technical checks and production.

Follow the journal’s reference style (commonly APA, Vancouver, or Chicago as stated in author instructions). Ensure DOIs are included where available. Reference management software files (.ris, .bib) may be requested at acceptance.

Figures and tables should be cited in order, with clear captions and permission statements for reused material. Supplementary files (datasets, appendices, videos) are published alongside the article under the same licence unless exempted. Very large datasets should be deposited in a repository with a DOI cited in the article.

Yes. Our author guidelines include a checklist covering structure, ethics statements, declarations, and file completeness. Incomplete submissions may be returned unreviewed.

All journal submissions are made through our Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. Create an author account, select the journal, and follow the guided submission steps. For books and special projects, use our Submit research page or contact the editorial office.

Typically required: manuscript file(s), title and abstract, keywords, author names and affiliations with ORCID iDs, cover letter, suggested and opposed reviewers (if permitted), funding statement, competing interest declaration, ethics approval (if applicable), and data availability statement.

Many journals allow authors to suggest qualified reviewers and to name conflicts of interest. Editors are not obliged to use suggested reviewers and may select additional experts. Opposed reviewers with clear conflicts will not be invited.

Log in to OJS and open your author dashboard. Status labels (e.g. submitted, under review, revisions required, accepted) update as the manuscript progresses. You will also receive email notifications for key decisions.

Yes. Contact the editorial office through OJS or by email. If review is already underway, withdrawal is at the editor’s discretion and should be explained. Withdrawn manuscripts may be submitted elsewhere unless copyright or licence steps have already been completed.

Most Prime Academic Press journals use double-blind peer review: authors and reviewers are anonymous to each other. Some titles may use single-blind or open review where stated in journal policy. Editorial screening occurs before external review.

Most manuscripts receive a first editorial decision within 4–6 weeks of submission, though timelines vary by discipline, reviewer availability, and revision rounds. Authors can monitor status in OJS; urgent queries may be directed to the editorial office after the stated window.

Common outcomes: accept, minor revision, major revision, reject with encouragement to resubmit, or reject. Editors synthesize reviewer reports and may request additional review after revision. A reject decision is usually final unless new substantive information is presented.

Submit a point-by-point response letter, revised manuscript with tracked changes, and any new files requested. Address every comment directly; if you disagree, explain your reasoning respectfully with evidence. Late or incomplete responses may result in rejection.

Appeals are considered only for documented procedural errors or compelling new data, not for disagreement with reviewer opinion alone. Submit a formal appeal to the editorial office within 30 days of the decision letter, with a detailed justification. Appeals are reviewed by a senior editor or editorial board member.

We publish gold open access: articles are freely available immediately on publication under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0), allowing reuse with attribution. There is no subscription paywall for readers.

APCs apply to gold open access publication and cover peer review administration, production, hosting, and long-term archiving. APC amounts are listed on each journal’s homepage and may differ by article type. Authors are informed of fees before acceptance where possible.

Waivers and discounts may be offered for authors from low- and middle-income countries, unfunded researchers, or under institutional agreements. Request a waiver at submission or acceptance; decisions are made case by case and do not influence editorial judgment.

CC BY publication and immediate open access align with major funder requirements. Authors should confirm journal compliance with their funder’s policy; grant numbers must be declared at submission. Institutional transformative agreements may cover APCs where in place.

Invoices are typically issued after acceptance and before or at publication, unless a waiver or prepaid agreement applies. Payment terms are stated on the invoice; publication may be delayed until required fees are settled or a waiver confirmed.

Authors retain copyright. On acceptance, authors grant Prime Academic Press a non-exclusive licence to publish and distribute the work. Readers may reuse the article under CC BY 4.0, with attribution to the authors and journal.

Others may copy, distribute, remix, and build upon your work, including commercially, provided they credit you, cite the original source, and indicate if changes were made. Moral rights and attribution remain with authors.

Yes. You may share the published PDF or link to the version of record at any time. We encourage use of the official DOI link for citations and sharing to maximize metrics and discoverability.

You are responsible for obtaining permission for material under third-party copyright (e.g. extensive quotations, images, scales) and for stating permissions in the caption or methods. CC-licensed third-party content must be compatible with CC BY.

Your paper enters production: copy-editing, typesetting, and author proofing. You will receive proofs to check errors only—substantive changes at proof stage require editor approval. Publication is scheduled once proofs are approved and any APC or waiver is resolved.

Proofs are usually returned within 48–72 hours unless otherwise stated. Delays may postpone online publication. Contact production immediately if you cannot meet the deadline.

Minor errors may be corrected via erratum or corrigendum; serious issues may lead to retraction or expression of concern following COPE guidance. Contact the editorial office promptly if you discover an error after publication.

Share the DOI on social media, institutional repositories, and conferences. Consider plain-language summaries, press releases through your institution, and updating ORCID and funder profiles. Altmetric and citation tools track impact over time.

Authorship follows ICMJE recommendations: substantial contribution to conception, execution, or interpretation; drafting or critical revision; final approval; and accountability for the work. Gift, ghost, or honorary authorship is not permitted. All authors must meet criteria and approve submission.

Yes. Submissions are screened with similarity-detection software. High overlap with published work, redundant publication, or unattributed sources may result in rejection or investigation per COPE flowcharts.

All authors must disclose financial and non-financial interests that could influence the work. If none exist, state “The authors declare no competing interests.” Undisclosed conflicts may lead to correction or retraction.

AI tools may assist with language or analysis but must be disclosed in the methods or acknowledgements. AI cannot be listed as an author. Authors are fully responsible for accuracy, originality, and permission for any AI-generated content. Undisclosed use may constitute misconduct.

Authors should follow FAIR principles: deposit data in a suitable repository where ethical and legal constraints allow, cite the dataset with a DOI, and include a data availability statement. Exceptions (e.g. sensitive human data) must be justified.

Yes, where applicable. State the approving committee, reference number, and consent procedures. Studies without appropriate approval or consent will not be considered.

Use the password reset link on the login page. If your account is locked or you never received registration email, contact [email protected] with your name, email, and journal title.

Check file size limits and format requirements; try a different browser or clear cache. If the problem persists, email support with screenshots, browser version, and file sizes. Do not start duplicate submissions—note your submission ID if partial.

Contact the editorial office before acceptance to change corresponding author, affiliation, or ORCID. After acceptance, changes require production or editorial approval and may appear as a correction notice if already published.

• Editorial (scope, review, decisions): [email protected] or contact form
• Technical (OJS login, uploads): [email protected]