Submissions

Author Guidelines

Authors are invited to make submissions to this journal. All submissions will be assessed by an editor to determine whether they meet the aims and scope of this journal. Those considered a suitable fit will be forwarded for peer review before the decision on whether they will be accepted or rejected.

Before making a submission, authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any material included with the submission, such as photographs, documents, and datasets. All authors identified in the submission must consent to be identified as an author. Where appropriate, research should be approved by an appropriate ethics committee in accordance with the legal requirements of the country in which the study was conducted.

An editor may desk reject a submission if it does not meet minimum standards of quality. Before submitting an article, authors must ensure that the study design and research argument are structured and articulated properly. The title should be concise and the abstract should be able to stand alone. This will increase the likelihood of reviewers agreeing to review the paper. Once satisfied that a submission meets this standard, authors should follow the checklist below to prepare the submission.

1. Types of articles

The Journal of Global Smallholder Studies (JGSS) accepts two types of articles: research articles and review articles. A research article presents a complete report of findings from original research, typically including sections such as an introduction, a methodology, results, and a discussion/conclusion. Original research articles should not exceed 8,000 words (excluding references). 

A review article provides a comprehensive summary of the existing body of knowledge on a specific topic or issue, offering insights into the current state of the field and directions for future research. Review articles should not exceed 10,000 words (excluding references).

2. File Format

Please submit the manuscript as a Microsoft (MS) Word document. The journal system processes only MS Word files, and submission in any other format, including PDF, is not supported.

3. Language

Manuscripts must be submitted in English (either UK or US variants). It is imperative that the text is clear, well-structured, and free of grammatical and typographical errors. Non-native English speakers are strongly advised to have their manuscripts reviewed by an English-speaking colleague prior to submission. Manuscripts exhibiting numerous language errors may face rejection.

4. Required Documents

• Cover Letter
• Main Manuscript (Including the Reference List)

5. Cover letter

All submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter as a separate document. This letter must contain:

• A summary of the significant results and the impact of your research for consideration in the Journal of Global Smallholder Studies (JGSS).
• The names of four to five potential reviewers of the manuscript, including their affiliation, area of expertise, and email address.

6. Manuscript Preparation

A manuscript should be compiled into a single MS Word file. The document should begin with the Title Page Information, followed by the Manuscript Main Text. Before submission, the manuscript should be thoroughly checked and formatted in accordance with the journal's standards.

7. Title Page Requirements

Article Title: The title should be concise, informative, and reflect the content of the article. Avoid using abbreviations, and ensure the title is suitable for indexing and retrieval purposes.

Author Information:

• Names: List all contributing authors' names in the order they should appear in the publication, ensuring correct spelling and format based on previous publications.
• Affiliations: Clearly state the authors' institutional affiliations, including the department, university or organisation, city, and country. Use superscript numbers to match authors with their respective affiliations.
• Contact Information: Provide a complete postal address for each affiliation, including email addresses and ORCID iDs for all authors to facilitate professional correspondence and verification.
• Corresponding Author: Identify the primary contact author with an asterisk (*) before the name. Only one author may be designated as the corresponding author, and their email address must be included for editorial communication.

Please ensure all information is present according to these guidelines to facilitate a smooth peer review and publication process.

8. Main Text Structure

Abstract: Provide a succinct summary of the manuscript, including its objectives, methodology, key findings, and conclusions. Avoid using references and minimise the use of abbreviations; if necessary, define them upon first use.

Keywords: Select three to five keywords that encapsulate the core themes of the research.

Introduction: Offer a concise review of relevant literature and prior work, concluding with the clear objectives of the study.

Methods: Describe the method in detail to enable replication. Reference established methods appropriately, noting any modifications.

Results: Present findings clearly, utilising tables and figures to enhance understanding while avoiding the presentation of redundant data.

Discussion: Interpret the implications and significance of the results, discussing their broader impact. You may choose to combine or separate this section from the results.

Conclusion: Without reiterating previous sections, summarise the interpretations and suggest future directions.

Ethics Approval and Consent: Confirm receipt of ethics approval and participant consent.

Acknowledgements: Recognise any contributions or support provided by parties other than the author/s.

Funding: Disclose any financial support received for the research.

Conflict of Interest: Declare any potential conflicts of interest, even if none exist.

References: 

Authors are required to meticulously list in the References section all references cited in the text. The list should be alphabetically arranged by the authors' last names. It is imperative that authors verify the completeness and accuracy of each reference, ensuring no essential information is omitted. Consistency must be maintained between the references cited in the text and those listed in the References section, adhering to the APA (7th edition) citation and reference format recommended by the JGSS.

Tables and Figures: 

Authors are required to number tables sequentially, both within the text and in the titles of the tables, ensuring they are inserted close to their first mention. The numbering should reflect their order of appearance, using a clear format such as "Table 1", "Table 2", and so on. To maintain uniformity and facilitate editing, tables must be embedded directly into the manuscript text rather than submitted as separate files or in non-editable formats like images, Excel files, or PDF documents.

Authors should ensure that all figures are sequentially numbered in accordance with their appearance in the text, with each figure having a corresponding caption. Figures must be embedded close to where they are first mentioned in the manuscript. To maintain image clarity and quality, acceptable formats for figure submissions include JPEG and PNG.