Submission Guidelines

Peer Review and Publication Standards

IJPSC applies a structured blind peer review process and is committed to academic quality, fairness, research integrity, and interdisciplinary exchange.

Single-blind peer review is the journal's standard model. Reviewer identities remain confidential. In selected cases, authors may request double-blind peer review when additional author anonymity is editorially justified. For double-blind review, the manuscript and its document metadata must not identify the authors.

Manuscripts are expected to demonstrate scholarly originality, theoretical or practical relevance, methodological rigor, and a clear contribution to the journal's scope. Accepted peer-reviewed articles are identified accordingly and accompanied by the relevant publication metadata, including DOI information where applicable.

Publication Charges

IJPSC does not charge submission, processing, or publication fees. The journal operates as a funded academic publication supported by the Anneliese and Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Waldemar Wittmann Foundation for the promotion of science, research, and education.

Submission Requirements

To facilitate editorial assessment and research transparency, authors should upload all materials necessary to understand and evaluate the manuscript. Depending on the nature of the study, editors or reviewers may request:

• Complete bibliographic source information
• Original source documents or relevant PDFs where legally shareable
• Statistical datasets and supplementary tables
• Questionnaires, surveys, and interview guides
• Methodological documentation and research protocols
• Appendices, code, scripts, and technical documentation

Incomplete submissions may be returned to the authors before external review. Supporting files must not contain confidential or personal data unless their submission is lawful, necessary, and appropriately protected.

Pre-Submission Checklist

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that:

• The manuscript follows the journal's current citation and formatting requirements.
• The official IJPSC manuscript template has been used.
• The manuscript is generally between 4,000 and 8,000 words, including references, unless another format has been agreed with the editorial office.
• All author names, affiliations, ORCID iDs, and contact details are entered correctly in the submission system.
• For double-blind review only, the manuscript and document metadata are fully anonymized.
• An abstract of approximately 150 to 250 words is provided.
• Three to six keywords are included.
• All tables and figures are appropriately labeled and cited in the text.
• References are complete, accurate, and consistently formatted.
• The manuscript is uploaded as an editable DOC, DOCX, or ODT file.
• The filename is short and descriptive and does not contain unusual special characters.
• All co-authors have approved the submission.
• The manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration elsewhere unless this has been disclosed and approved.

Downloads

• IJPSC manuscript template
• Official APA Style guidance

Formatting Guidelines

Document structure

• Begin section numbering with 1 and use consistent numbering, spacing, and alignment.
• Provide an abstract followed by three to six keywords.
• Use clear headings and a consistent hierarchy throughout the manuscript.
• Insert an appropriate separation before the reference list.

Page layout

• Top margin: 2.25 cm
• Bottom margin: 1.75 cm
• Left margin: 1.75 cm
• Right margin: 1.75 cm

Tables, figures, and graphics

• Use black-and-white tables, figures, and graphics unless color is necessary for scientific interpretation and has been agreed with the editorial office.
• Every table and figure must have a clear caption and must be cited in the text.
• Authors must hold the necessary rights or permissions for all reproduced material.

References

• Use a consistent author-date citation system in accordance with the journal's current APA requirements.
• Check every in-text citation against the reference list.
• Remove unnecessary hyperlinks and tracking parameters from references.
• Include DOI information where available.

Reference Management Recommendation

Authors are strongly encouraged to use reference management software when preparing citations and bibliographies. These tools can reduce formatting errors, simplify revisions, and improve consistency.

Commonly used applications include:

• Zotero
• Mendeley
• EndNote
• Citavi

Recommended Tool: Zotero

IJPSC particularly recommends Zotero, a free and open-source reference management system. It supports the collection, organization, management, and citation of scholarly sources and integrates with Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs.

Useful functions include:

• Import of references from academic databases, library catalogues, and websites
• Automatic generation of in-text citations and bibliographies
• Support for a large number of citation styles
• Organization through collections, tags, and saved searches
• Synchronization and shared group libraries for collaborative work

ZoteroBib

Authors who need only occasional citation support may use ZoteroBib, a browser-based bibliography generator that does not require installation.

Authors remain responsible for the accuracy and completeness of every citation and reference included in the manuscript.