Submissions

Author Guidelines

Authors are invited to make a submission 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 to be a good fit will be sent for peer review before determining 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 photos, documents and datasets. All authors identified on 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 study's country.

An editor may desk reject a submission if it does not meet minimum standards of quality. Before submitting, please 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 on its own. This will increase the likelihood of reviewers agreeing to review the paper. When you're satisfied that your submission meets this standard, please follow the checklist below to prepare your submission.

HUIJMS welcomes original, unpublished manuscripts across a broad range of disciplines, including economics, agricultural, environmental and energy economics, development studies, business, education, public health, social sciences, humanities, engineering, and applied and natural sciences. Prospective authors should review the guidelines below before submitting.

Aims and Scope

HUIJMS is a general multidisciplinary journal that publishes theoretical, empirical, applied, and review contributions making a clear, demonstrable contribution to knowledge or practice. The journal particularly encourages research addressing challenges relevant to Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions, though submissions are welcomed from authors worldwide regardless of nationality, institutional affiliation, or geographic focus.

Peer Review Process

All research and review articles undergo single-blind peer review. Submissions are first screened by the Editor-in-Chief or a handling editor for scope fit, originality, and adherence to author guidelines (desk review, typically 1–2 weeks). Manuscripts passing desk review are sent to a minimum of two independent subject-matter reviewers, who recommend Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject. Where reviews conflict, a third reviewer or the editor's independent judgment resolves the decision. The typical target for a first decision is 6–8 weeks from submission. Reviewer identity is withheld from authors.

Plagiarism and Text-Similarity Policy

Every manuscript is screened with a recognized plagiarism-detection tool (e.g., Turnitin or iThenticate) prior to review. A total text-similarity score of 25% or below (excluding the reference list and properly attributed quotations) is required for a manuscript to proceed to peer review.

Similarity ≤ 25%, no single source above 5%: proceeds to peer review.

Similarity 25–35%: returned to authors for mandatory revision and re-screening.

Similarity above 35%, or any verbatim unattributed reproduction: manuscript is rejected outright and may be referred for an ethics inquiry.

Self-plagiarism is assessed under the same thresholds. Post-publication findings of plagiarism are handled under the journal's Correction and Retraction Policy.

Generative AI Policy

Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot) may be used only to improve language, grammar, and readability, or to assist with code formatting — never to generate original scientific content, data, analysis, or conclusions. Any AI use must be disclosed in a "Declaration of Generative AI Use" section before the reference list. AI tools cannot be listed as authors and cannot be used to generate or alter images or figures. Authors remain fully accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the entire manuscript.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship is limited to individuals who made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the work; drafted or critically revised the manuscript; approved the final version; and agree to be accountable for it. Others who contributed materially should be named in the Acknowledgements. The corresponding author manages communication with the journal on behalf of all co-authors.

Research and Publication Ethics

Human-participant studies require ethics review board approval and informed consent.

Animal studies must confirm compliance with institutional/national guidelines.

All financial, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest must be disclosed.

Data fabrication, falsification, image manipulation, and duplicate submission are treated as serious misconduct, investigated per COPE guidelines.

Correction and Retraction

Minor errors are addressed via a formal Corrigendum. Errors materially affecting a finding's validity, or confirmed misconduct, result in Retraction following COPE guidelines, with a notice linked to the original article.

Withdrawal Policy

Authors wishing to withdraw a manuscript prior to publication must submit a written request to the Editorial Office, signed by all authors, stating the reason for withdrawal, as early as possible in the editorial process.

During screening or peer review: manuscripts may be withdrawn at the author's request, subject to acknowledgement by the Editorial Office.

After acceptance but before formal publication: considered only in exceptional circumstances and requires Editor-in-Chief approval.

After formal publication: withdrawal is not permitted; such cases are handled under the Retraction procedure above.

Authors who withdraw without valid justification after peer review has begun, or who submit the same manuscript simultaneously to another journal, may be barred from future submissions to HUIJMS.

Copyright and Open Access

HUIJMS is fully open access. Authors retain copyright and publish under a CC BY 4.0 license. Authors must confirm the work is original, unpublished elsewhere, and free of third-party copyright infringement.

Article Types Accepted

Original Research Articles

Review Articles (systematic or narrative)

Short Communications / Research Notes

Case Studies (professional/applied fields)

Policy Briefs and Perspectives

Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts must follow the IMRAD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion), together with a title and keywords:

Title Page: informative title, full author names and affiliations, and the corresponding author's email address.

Abstract: approximately 200–300 words covering purpose, methods, key findings, and conclusion.

Keywords: 4–6 keywords, listed immediately below the abstract, separated by commas.

Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion, followed by a Conclusion.

Acknowledgements, Declaration of Generative AI Use (where applicable), and References (APA style) follow the Conclusion.

Review articles, short communications, case studies, and policy briefs may adapt this structure to the nature of the contribution, but must retain a title, abstract, and keywords.

Formatting Guidelines

Manuscripts should be prepared according to the following formatting requirements:

Font style: Century Gothic, used consistently throughout the manuscript.

Font size: 12 pt for body text.

Line spacing: 1.5 lines throughout the manuscript.

Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides.

Page size: A4, with pages numbered consecutively.

Text alignment: justified.

Manuscripts that do not conform to these requirements may be returned to authors for correction before peer review.

Reference Style

HUIJMS follows the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style, 7th edition, for in-text citations and the reference list.

In-text citations use the author–date format, e.g., (Ahmed, 2024).

The reference list is arranged alphabetically by author surname, with a hanging indent, at the end of the manuscript.

DOIs, where available, must be included for journal articles and other electronic sources.

Authors should consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) for guidance on specific source types.

Publication Frequency and Fees

HUIJMS publishes continuously, with articles compiled into quarterly issues. All articles submitted on or before December 31, 2027, will be eligible for a 100% waiver of Article Processing Charges (APCs). No fee is charged at submission or during review.

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online through the journal's OJS submission portal. Authors should ensure their manuscript, cover letter, and any required declarations (ethics approval, conflicts of interest, AI use) are complete before submission. For submission support or editorial queries, contact the Editorial Office.