Information For Authors

IJGE welcomes original, unpublished manuscripts in geology, climate change and environmental science, and petroleum engineering. Prospective authors should review the guidelines below before submitting.

Aims and Scope

IJGE is a specialised journal covering the geosciences and environmental sciences, publishing theoretical, empirical, applied, and review contributions that make a clear, demonstrable contribution to knowledge or practice. The journal particularly encourages research addressing geoscience and environmental challenges relevant to Somalia 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 and AI-assisted technologies (e.g., large language models such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Copilot) may be used only to improve the language, grammar, and readability of a manuscript, or to assist with code formatting. AI tools must not be used to generate original scientific content, data, results, analysis, or conclusions, and must not replace author judgment in interpreting findings. Any use of generative AI in manuscript preparation must be disclosed in a dedicated "Declaration of Generative AI Use" section placed immediately before the reference list, describing the tool and the specific purpose for which it was used. AI-generated or AI-assisted images, figures, or altered visual data are not permitted, except where explicitly approved by the editor for illustrative, non-data purposes. Authors remain fully responsible and accountable for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the entire manuscript, regardless of any AI assistance used.

AI tools do not qualify for authorship. They cannot take responsibility for a submitted work, approve a final manuscript, or be held accountable for its integrity — criteria that authorship requires. AI tools may not be listed as an author or co-author, nor cited as an author.

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 (e.g., field assistants, laboratory technicians, survey crew) should be named in the Acknowledgements. The corresponding author manages communication with the journal on behalf of all co-authors.

Research and Publication Ethics

Studies involving human participants (e.g., community surveys in environmental or social-impact research) require ethics review board approval and informed consent.

Fieldwork, sampling, and survey activities (geological, hydrogeological, or environmental) must comply with the relevant institutional, environmental, and national regulatory requirements of the country in which the research was conducted.

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

Data fabrication, falsification, image or map 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 IJGE.

Copyright and Open Access

IJGE 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

Article Type	Word Count	Description
Original Research Articles	3,000 – 8,000 words	Primary studies presenting new data, methodology, and original findings.
Review Papers	6,000 – 12,000 words	Comprehensive, critical summaries of the current state of research on a specific topic.
Technical Case Studies	2,000 – 5,000 words	Focused reports on specific field observations, technical applications, or regional geological data.

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 (supported by tables, figures, maps, and geological/geophysical data as appropriate), and Discussion, followed by a Conclusion.

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

Review papers and technical case studies 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

IJGE 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

IJGE publishes on a biannual basis (two issues per year), with the option to release special issues on emerging or high-priority topics. 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.

Interested in submitting to this journal? We recommend that you review the About the Journal page for the journal’s section policies, as well as the Author Guidelines. Authors need to register with the journal prior to submitting or, if already registered, can simply log in and begin the five-step process.