Required Submission Format 
 

1. An excellent academic paper should be an example of:

• A sound academic style of writing and structure.

• Grammatically correct language.

• Consistency in language conventions (e.g., usage of British English) and grammatical person (e.g., usage of either first or

 

Structure of the paper

Article title: Garamond; 14 pt; bold; alignment centered; single-line spacing; All Caps (max. 100 characters with spaces).

Author details: Garamond; 12 pt; single-line spacing; alignment centered. Please write the author’s details in the following order:

John Smith

ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/000000000000000
E-mail: ____________

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Abstract and keywords: Explaining research question, original parts of research, an overview of the used methodology, and conclusion(s). Between 150 and 200 words (5-7 keywords); Garamond; 12 pt; single-line spacing; justify. Write your abstract using concise but complete sentences. Get to the point quickly and always use the past tense because you are reporting on a study that has been completed. You need to include four things: 1) your research problem and objectives, 2) your methods, 3) your key results or arguments, and 4) your conclusion.

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Article text: Garamond; 12 pt; justify; 1.5 line spacing; margins: Top: 2,5 cm; Bottom: 2,5 cm; Left: 3 cm; Right: 3 cm. The scope of the submitted text should not exceed more than 30.000 characters (with spaces), including references. The text should be concisely written in the neuter gender with correct orthography. Latin phrases should be set in italics.

Quotations: If they are brief (3 lines or fewer), quotations should be run on with the text. Longer quotations should be indented without quotation marks. All indented quotations should be typed single-spaced.

Citation style: The author should follow Chicago Style (author-date system) for referencing, for example: (Dahl 1989, 45); (Geddes 1999, 134-43); (Linz 1975). All references should be given in full at first mention. Subsequent citations can be abbreviated. Footnotes should be kept to a minimum.

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Headings and subheadings: Times New Roman; 12 pt; bold.

Tables: Garamond; bold; size 10; align heading left; single line spacing. Tables must be created in Word, not Excel. The table heading is situated above the table.

Figures Garamond; bold; size 10; alignment centered; single line spacing. The authors must submit original electronic copies of the figures applied in the article in TIFF, JPG, or PNG format. The figure heading is situated under the figure. Consider aligning tables and figures at the center.

Dates: Dates should be given in the form: 26 December 1981.

Literature review (optional) explaining what has been written on the topic previously and what conclusions others reached explanation of what theoretical framework and approach are used and why. If applicable, a causal model may be shown at this point or later after data investigation.

Conceptualization and operationalization (optional)

Definition of basic terms and their indicators, (optional) choice of variables, and their validity testing. Formulation of hypotheses (explicit or implicit) based on the theory/theories. Elaborate a specific claim(s) in the investigated theory/theories. If applicable, description of the causal mechanism, i.e., the chain of events purported to link your explanatory variables to the specific outcome (recommended)

Methodology (recommended) Description of the specific research method used (i.e., process-tracing, discursive analysis, MLA, etc.), its advantages and weaknesses, and why it was chosen. Description of the data used, number of cases, case selection method, source of data, method of data collection, sampling method.

Analysis and findings. What the data show in detail, general tendencies, and exciting particularities.

Conclusion: The conclusion is intended to help the reader understand why your research should matter to them after they have finished reading the article. A conclusion is where you summarize the article’s findings and generalize their importance, discuss ambiguous data, and recommend further research. These include:

Presenting the last word on the issues you raised in your article.

Summarize your thoughts and convey the more significant implications of your study.

Demonstrating the importance of your ideas.

Introducing possible new or expanded ways of thinking about the research problem. 

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Future research possibilities for the researcher or other scholars, promising directions, and requirements for future research.

 

​References: The reference list appears at the end of your article and provides more detailed information about your cited sources. Each entry in the reference list also begins with the author’s last name and the publication date so that your reader can easily find any source they encounter in the text. For four or more authors, list all of the authors in the reference list; in the text, list only the first author, followed by et al. It is alphabetized by the author's last name.

 

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Note on Plagiarism

 

• Plagiarism is not acceptable. Plagiarized content will not be considered for publication. If plagiarism is identified, we will follow COPE guidelines.

• Authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to be aware of and comply with best practices in publication ethics. Authors are expected to be mindful of and comply with best practices in publication ethics, including authorship, dual submission, plagiarism, manipulation of figures, competing interests, and compliance with policies on research ethics. Details are provided below or in related documents. Reviewers and editors must treat manuscripts fairly and confidently and declare any competing interests. We will vigorously investigate allegations of research or publication misconduct, and we reserve the right to contact authors’ institutions, funders, or regulatory bodies if needed.

• ​In cases of suspected or alleged misconduct, we will follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) flowcharts and may also seek advice at the COPE Forum. If we find conclusive evidence of misconduct, we will take steps to correct the scientific record, including issuing a correction or retraction. If you have any concerns about potential misconduct, please e-mail the journal’s Editor-in-Chief or any member of the Editorial Board or International Committee​

• Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• 1.) Directly copying text from other sources without attribution. 

• 2.) Copying ideas, images, or data from other sources without attribution. 

• 3.) Reusing text from your own previous publications without attribution or agreement of the editor (read the COPE guidelines on text recycling). 

• 4.) Exception: Reusing text from the Methods section in the author’s previous publications is acceptable with attribution to the source. 

• 5.) Using an idea from another source with slightly modified language without attribution

​ for any other purpose or to any other party.