Submissions

Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines and Submission Policy

Journal of Research in Social Sciences (JRSS)

Authors are requested to carefully follow the guidelines below when preparing and submitting manuscripts to the Journal of Research in Social Sciences (JRSS). Compliance with these requirements facilitates the editorial screening and peer-review process and helps ensure consistency in the presentation of published articles.

1. Scope of the Journal

The Journal of Research in Social Sciences (JRSS) publishes original scholarly research in the social sciences and related interdisciplinary fields. The journal welcomes theoretically informed, empirically grounded, and methodologically sound research addressing contemporary and significant issues in areas including, but not limited to:

• International Relations and International Studies
• Political Science and Governance
• Sociology and Social Studies
• Economics and Development Studies
• Education
• Peace and Conflict Studies
• Public Policy and Administration
• Area and Regional Studies
• Strategic and Security Studies
• International Political Economy
• Media and Communication Studies
• Interdisciplinary social science research

Submitted manuscripts should make a clear scholarly contribution to the relevant field and should demonstrate appropriate engagement with existing literature, theoretical perspectives, research methods, and evidence.

2. Originality and Exclusivity of Submission

Manuscripts submitted to JRSS must be original and must not have been previously published, in whole or in substantial part, in another journal, book, conference proceeding, or other publication.

A manuscript submitted to JRSS must not simultaneously be under consideration by another journal. Authors are required to disclose any previous or concurrent dissemination or consideration that may affect the originality or publication status of the manuscript.

The corresponding author is responsible for confirming that all authors have approved the submission and that the manuscript is being submitted exclusively to JRSS.

3. Language

Manuscripts should be written in clear and academically appropriate English. Authors may use either American or British English, but the two styles should not be mixed within the same manuscript.

The manuscript should:

• be grammatically correct and carefully proofread;
• use formal academic language;
• avoid colloquial, informal, slang, or region-specific expressions;
• avoid unnecessary idiomatic or emotionally charged language;
• maintain consistency in spelling, punctuation, terminology, and style throughout.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the manuscript has been adequately proofread before submission.

4. Manuscript Length

A research article should normally be between 4,000 and 7,000 words, depending on the topic, research design, and methodology.

The word count includes:

• title;
• abstract;
• main text;
• tables;
• figures; and
• reference list.

Authors should avoid unnecessary length while ensuring that the research problem, literature, theoretical framework, methodology, analysis, findings, and conclusions are adequately developed.

For exceptional cases in which the scholarly contribution requires a longer manuscript, the Editor may consider the submission on its academic merits.

5. Page Setup and General Formatting

Manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word format.

The following formatting should be used:

• Page size: A5
• Margins: 2.54 cm on all sides
• Font: Times New Roman
• Main text: 12 points
• Line spacing: Double
• Alignment: Fully justified
• File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

Authors should use italics rather than underlining, except where underlining is required for specific URL formatting.

Headers, footers, decorative page elements, and unnecessary formatting should be avoided.

6. Title Page and Article Title

The title should be concise, informative, specific, and reflective of the central argument or research problem of the article.

Title formatting

• Font: Times New Roman
• Size: 14 point
• Style: Bold
• Alignment: Center

The title page should include:

1. Full name of each author;
2. Institutional affiliation;
3. Department/Faculty where applicable;
4. Institutional email address; and
5. Any other relevant author information required by the journal.

For manuscripts undergoing double-blind peer review, identifying information should be provided in a separate title page/file where required so that the manuscript itself can be appropriately anonymized.

7. Abstract

The abstract should be concise, clear, and directly relevant to the research.

The abstract should not exceed 150/200 words.

It should normally communicate:

• the research problem or purpose;
• the principal research question or objective;
• the theoretical or conceptual orientation where relevant;
• the methodology or research approach;
• the principal findings; and
• the main conclusion or scholarly contribution.

The abstract should be presented as one coherent paragraph and should not contain unnecessary citations, extensive background information, tables, or figures.

8. Keywords

Authors should provide a maximum of six keywords that accurately represent the principal concepts, themes, geographical areas, or variables addressed in the article.

Keywords should be specific and useful for indexing and retrieval.

Keywords: China, strategic competition, Indo-Pacific, connectivity, ASEAN, regional order

9. Abbreviations

Authors should avoid unnecessary abbreviations.

An abbreviation should be introduced by writing the full term at its first occurrence, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. The abbreviation may then be used consistently throughout the manuscript.

For example:

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Widely recognized abbreviations may be used where appropriate, but excessive use of abbreviations should be avoided.

10. Structure of the Research Article

Research articles should have a clear and logical structure appropriate to the discipline and methodology employed.

Depending on the nature of the study, a manuscript may include:

1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
3. Theoretical or Conceptual Framework
4. Research Questions and/or Hypotheses
5. Methodology/Research Methods
6. Analysis/Discussion
7. Findings
8. Conclusion
9. Recommendations or Policy Implications, where appropriate
10. References

The exact structure may vary according to the research design.

Introduction

The introduction should clearly establish the research problem and explain its significance. It should provide sufficient engagement with relevant literature and identify the research gap or unresolved issue that the article addresses.

The introduction should clearly establish:

• the research problem;
• the significance of the study;
• relevant scholarly context;
• the research objective;
• research questions and/or hypotheses where applicable;
• the scope of the study; and
• the principal contribution of the article.

The introduction should lead logically to the central argument or research purpose.

Literature Review

The literature review should critically engage with relevant and recent scholarship rather than merely listing previous studies.

Authors should demonstrate:

• knowledge of existing scholarship;
• major debates and competing perspectives;
• areas of agreement and disagreement;
• limitations or gaps in existing research; and
• the specific contribution made by the present study.

A separate heading titled "Literature Review" is not mandatory where the literature is more effectively integrated into the theoretical framework or substantive discussion.

Theoretical or Conceptual Framework

Where applicable, the manuscript should clearly identify the theoretical or conceptual framework informing the research.

Authors should explain how the selected framework relates to the research problem and how it is used to interpret the evidence or develop the argument.

Research Questions and Hypotheses

Research questions and hypotheses should be clearly stated where applicable to the research design.

Qualitative, interpretive, conceptual, and exploratory studies may employ research questions rather than formal hypotheses.

Methodology and Methods

The methodology section should explain how the research was conducted.

Depending on the nature of the study, this may include:

• research design;
• case selection;
• sampling;
• data sources;
• data collection procedures;
• analytical methods;
• variables or indicators;
• ethical considerations; and
• limitations of the study.

Quantitative studies should clearly describe the relevant statistical or analytical procedures. Qualitative studies should adequately explain case selection, sources, analytical procedures, and the basis on which interpretations are developed.

Analysis and Discussion

The analysis should directly address the research questions and/or hypotheses and should remain connected to the theoretical or conceptual framework.

Authors should distinguish between empirical evidence, interpretation, and broader implications. Claims should be supported by appropriate evidence and relevant scholarly sources.

Findings

Findings should clearly communicate the principal results of the research. Where appropriate, findings may be integrated with the analysis and discussion rather than presented under a separate heading.

Quantitative findings should be reported accurately and objectively. Qualitative findings should be presented with appropriate evidentiary support and should avoid unsupported generalizations.

Conclusion

The conclusion should return to the central research problem and clearly explain what the study has established.

It should not simply repeat the introduction or summarize individual sections. The conclusion should identify the principal contribution of the research and, where appropriate, discuss theoretical, empirical, practical, or policy implications.

Recommendations should be directly derived from the findings and should not introduce unrelated arguments.

11. Terminology and Use of Evidence

Authors should use terminology appropriate to the methodological orientation of their research.

For empirical and quantitative research, terms such as data, data collection, data analysis, variables, measurements, and results should be used accurately. For qualitative research involving documents, discourse, literary material, interviews, or other interpretive sources, terms such as texts, sources, documents, narratives, evidence, interpretation, and analysis may be more appropriate.

The terminology should reflect the actual research design and should not be used interchangeably where the distinction is methodologically important.

12. Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be directly relevant to the argument and should not duplicate information already presented in the text.

All tables and figures should:

• be numbered consecutively;
• be referred to in the main text;
• be placed at the appropriate point within the manuscript;
• have clear and informative titles/captions; and
• include the source where applicable.

Tables should be labelled above the table, while figure captions should normally appear below the figure.

Authors must ensure that tables and figures are sufficiently clear and readable in the submitted Microsoft Word file.

13. Citations and References

JRSS currently requires the use of the American Psychological Association (APA), 6th edition, for in-text citations and reference-list formatting.

Authors should ensure complete consistency between in-text citations and the reference list.

Every work cited in the text should appear in the reference list, and every work included in the reference list should be cited in the manuscript.

Authors should provide URLs for online sources where available.

Authors are responsible for verifying the accuracy and completeness of all references.

In-text citations

The author-date citation system should be used consistently.

Examples:

(Smith, 2020)

(Smith & Khan, 2021)

(Smith et al., 2022)

Where a direct quotation is used, the relevant page number should be provided where applicable.

14. Reference Quality

Authors should use authoritative and academically appropriate sources.

The reference list should prioritize:

• peer-reviewed journal articles;
• scholarly books and book chapters;
• official government documents;
• reports of recognized international and national organizations;
• primary documents;
• reputable research institutions; and
• other credible academic sources.

Unreliable websites, anonymous online material, Wikipedia, and other non-scholarly sources should not be used where authoritative sources are available.

Authors should ensure that article titles, journal titles, volume and issue numbers, page ranges, publication years, DOI information, and URLs are accurate.

15. Authorship and Changes in Authorship

All individuals who have made a substantive scholarly contribution to the research should be appropriately recognized as authors, in accordance with accepted publication-ethics principles.

The corresponding author is responsible for:

• confirming the authorship order;
• confirming the spelling of all authors' names;
• confirming institutional affiliations;
• obtaining approval from all co-authors before submission; and
• ensuring that all authors agree with the submitted version.

Authors are permitted to make changes to authorship before the commencement of the peer-review process.

After desk review and before the manuscript enters peer review, authorship information must be finalized. Once the manuscript has entered the peer-review stage, adding, removing, or changing authors will not normally be permitted.

Any exceptional request for a change in authorship must be formally justified and will be considered in accordance with JRSS publication-ethics procedures.

16. Author Biographical Information

Authors may be required to provide a brief professional biography for publication or editorial records.

The biography may include:

• full name;
• highest academic qualification;
• current designation;
• institutional affiliation;
• principal research interests; and
• institutional or professional email address.

Biographical information should be concise and professionally presented.

17. Anonymization for Double Blind Peer Review

JRSS follows a double-blind peer review process.

Authors should therefore ensure that the manuscript submitted for peer review does not unnecessarily disclose their identity.

Authors should:

• remove names and affiliations from the anonymized manuscript;
• avoid self-identifying statements where possible;
• anonymize references to unpublished work where necessary; and
• ensure that document properties or file metadata do not unnecessarily identify the authors.

A separate title page containing author names, affiliations, and contact information may be submitted where required by the journal's submission system.

18. Research Ethics and Integrity

Authors must ensure that their research complies with applicable ethical standards and institutional requirements.

Where research involves human participants, interviews, surveys, personal data, or other ethically sensitive material, authors should provide appropriate information regarding ethical approval or informed consent where applicable.

Authors must not fabricate, falsify, manipulate, or misrepresent research data, evidence, sources, findings, or citations.

19. Plagiarism, Similarity, and Originality

All manuscripts are subject to editorial screening for originality and similarity.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the manuscript does not contain plagiarism, duplicate publication, inappropriate self-plagiarism, fabricated material, or unattributed use of another person's work.

The JRSS submission checklist currently requires authors to affirm that the manuscript's similarity index is below 19% in accordance with the stated HEC requirement.

Similarity screening is an editorial screening mechanism and does not by itself determine whether a manuscript constitutes plagiarism. The editorial team may examine the nature, source, and context of identified similarities before making an editorial decision.

20. Use of Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI

Authors should disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence or AI-assisted tools where such use has materially contributed to the preparation, analysis, translation, editing, or presentation of the manuscript.

AI tools must not be listed as authors.

Authors remain fully responsible for:

• the accuracy of the submitted manuscript;
• the originality of the work;
• the accuracy of citations and references;
• the integrity of data and analysis;
• compliance with research-ethics requirements; and
• any content produced or substantially modified using AI-assisted tools.

AI-generated content should not be used to fabricate citations, sources, data, quotations, or research findings.

JRSS may use appropriate technological tools as part of its editorial screening procedures. AI-detection results, where used, should be treated as indicators requiring editorial assessment rather than as conclusive evidence of misconduct.

21. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, professional, personal, or other relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation.

Relevant conflicts may include:

• research funding;
• institutional affiliations;
• consultancy;
• financial interests;
• personal or professional relationships; and
• other interests that may affect the objectivity of the research.

Reviewers and editors are also required to disclose relevant conflicts of interest and should recuse themselves where a conflict could compromise impartiality.

22. Submission Checklist

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should confirm that:

• the manuscript is original and has not been previously published;
• the manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration elsewhere;
• the submission is in Microsoft Word format;
• the manuscript follows the required Times New Roman formatting;
• the manuscript is prepared on A5-size pages with 2.54 cm margins;
• the manuscript is double-spaced and fully justified;
• the title is formatted according to JRSS requirements;
• the abstract should be between  150-200 words;
• no more than six keywords have been provided;
• all abbreviations are appropriately introduced;
• tables and figures are placed at appropriate points within the text;
• citations and references follow APA 6th edition;
• URLs are provided for references where available;
• all references cited in the text appear in the reference list;
• all authors have approved the manuscript;
• authorship and affiliations have been verified before peer review;
• the manuscript has been adequately proofread;
• the similarity index is below 19% as required by the current JRSS checklist;
• any required ethical approvals or disclosures have been provided; and
• the manuscript complies with JRSS editorial and publication-ethics requirements.

The current JRSS online checklist specifically requires Microsoft Word format, URLs where available, double spacing, 12-point text, appropriate placement of tables/figures, compliance with the Author Guidelines, and an asserted similarity index below 19%.

23. Submission of Supporting Documents

Where requested by the editorial office or submission system, authors should provide the relevant supporting documents, which may include:

• manuscript;
• separate title page;
• author information;
• author biographies;
• cover letter;
• similarity/Turnitin report;
• ethical approval or consent documentation, where applicable; and
• proof of applicable publication or processing fee.

Authors should ensure that the information provided in the manuscript and supporting documents is consistent.

24. Publication and Processing Fees

In accordance with the NUML Research Journals Policy (2022), JRSS charges authors a partial amount of the processing and publication costs borne by the National University of Modern Languages.

Guest authors, including scholars of international repute, are exempt from the submission fee in accordance with the applicable JRSS policy.

The current JRSS submission page lists the following charges:

S. No.	Description of Fee	Amount	Stage
1	Initial submission	Rs. 1,000	At the time of submission
2	Processing fee	Rs. 9,500	After successful internal peer review report
3	Publication fee	Rs. 9,500	Publication the article

Note: fee paid at any stage is non-refundable if a manuscript fails peer review.

Bank Details

Bank: Askari Bank Ltd.
Branch: I-9, Industrial Area Branch, Islamabad
Account Title: National University of Modern Languages – Journal of Research in Social Sciences

National Account No.: 00550380006729
International IBAN: PK52ASCM0000550380006729

Authors should retain proof of payment where applicable and provide it through the submission system or as instructed by the editorial office.

25. Editorial Screening and Peer Review

All submissions undergo an initial editorial/desk review to determine whether the manuscript:

• falls within the scope of JRSS;
• meets basic scholarly and methodological requirements;
• complies with the submission guidelines;
• demonstrates sufficient originality;
• satisfies ethical and publication requirements; and
• is suitable for external peer review.

Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's basic requirements may be returned to authors for correction or may be declined at the desk-review stage.

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial assessment are normally sent for double-blind peer review by at least two expert reviewers. JRSS may use both local and foreign/international reviewers, depending on the subject, expertise required, and availability of appropriate reviewers.

The detailed peer-review procedure is governed by the JRSS Peer Review Policy.

26. Revision of Manuscripts

Where reviewers request revisions, authors should submit a revised manuscript together with a clear response to the reviewers' comments.

The response should:

• address each substantive reviewer comment;
• explain changes made in the manuscript;
• identify where changes have been made where appropriate; and
• provide a reasoned response where a suggested change has not been adopted.

A revised manuscript may be returned to the original reviewers for further assessment where the Editor considers this necessary.

27. Editorial Decision

The final publication decision rests with the Editor/Editorial Team, taking into consideration the peer-review reports, scholarly quality, originality, methodological soundness, relevance to the journal, and compliance with publication-ethics requirements.

Possible editorial decisions may include:

• Accept;
• Minor Revision;
• Major Revision/Revise and Resubmit; or
• Reject.

The receipt of favorable reviewer reports does not automatically guarantee publication, as the final decision remains an editorial responsibility.

28. Copyright and Licensing

Authors must ensure that the manuscript is their original work and that they have the necessary rights and permissions for any third-party material reproduced in the article.

Copyright and licensing arrangements shall be governed by the current JRSS Copyright Policy and Licensing Policy applicable at the time of publication.

Authors should not submit material for which they do not possess the necessary rights or permissions.

29. Confidentiality

The editorial team and reviewers will treat submitted manuscripts as confidential.

Reviewers must not:

• disclose the manuscript to others;
• use unpublished information for personal or professional advantage;
• share manuscript content without authorization; or
• contact authors directly regarding the manuscript unless authorized by the journal.

Editorial and reviewer communications should remain confidential.

30. Fair and Non-Discriminatory Editorial Practice

JRSS is committed to fair and objective editorial treatment.

Editorial decisions should be based on scholarly quality, originality, methodological soundness, relevance, and compliance with journal policies rather than an author's gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality, institutional affiliation, political viewpoint, or other personal characteristics.

31. Complaints and Appeals

Authors may raise concerns regarding editorial procedures, peer review, publication ethics, or other journal matters through the appropriate JRSS complaint and appeal procedures.

Complaints will be handled in accordance with the journal's Complaint Policy & Procedure and relevant publication-ethics standards.

An appeal should provide a clear and substantive explanation of the grounds for reconsideration rather than simply expressing disagreement with an editorial decision.

32. Privacy

Names, institutional affiliations, email addresses, and other personal information submitted through the JRSS website will be used for the stated purposes of journal administration, editorial processing, peer review, and publication.

Such information will not be made available for unrelated purposes or to unauthorized third parties, in accordance with the journal's Privacy Statement.

33. Final Responsibility of Authors

Submission of a manuscript to JRSS constitutes confirmation that the authors have:

• read and understood the Author Guidelines;
• approved the submitted manuscript;
• verified authorship and affiliations;
• ensured the originality of the work;
• accurately reported the research;
• properly acknowledged sources;
• disclosed relevant conflicts of interest;
• complied with applicable ethical requirements; and
• obtained all necessary permissions for copyrighted or third-party material.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the manuscript being returned, rejected, withdrawn, or subject to further editorial action in accordance with JRSS policies.

Important Formatting Summary

Element	JRSS Requirement
Font	Times New Roman
Main text	12 point
Title	14 point, Bold, Centered
Page size	A4
Margins	2.54 cm on all sides
Line spacing	Double
Alignment	Fully justified
Abstract	between 150-200 words
Keywords	Maximum 6
Article length	5,000–8,000 words
Referencing	APA 7th edition
File format	Microsoft Word
Peer review	Double-blind
External review	Minimum two expert reviewers
Reviewer pool	Local and foreign/international
Similarity requirement	Below 19%
Tables/Figures	Within the text at appropriate points