Manuscript Structure
For Authors
Article Types, Formatting, Referencing, and Declaration Requirements
The International Journal of Social World (IJSW) accepts several types of scholarly manuscripts relating to society, human behaviour, social relationships, cultural practices, social institutions, and contemporary social issues. Authors should select the appropriate article type and follow the manuscript preparation, formatting, referencing, and ethical requirements described below.
1. Article Types
Original Research Article
Presents original theoretical, empirical, qualitative, quantitative, observational, field-based, or applied research addressing social structures, human behaviour, cultural practices, social inequality, community development, or other relevant social science topics.
Recommended length: 4,000–12,000 words
Review Article
Provides a comprehensive and critical review of existing research on a specific social science topic, including major developments, theoretical perspectives, research gaps, and future directions.
Recommended length: 5,000–15,000 words
Case Study / Case Report
Provides a detailed examination of a specific community, social institution, cultural practice, social programme, policy intervention, or social situation supported by appropriate scholarly analysis.
Recommended length: 3,000–8,000 words
Short Communication / Research Note
Presents concise and significant research findings, preliminary results, field observations, methodological developments, or focused scholarly insights relevant to social research.
Recommended length: 2,000–4,000 words
Conceptual / Theoretical Article
Discusses or develops concepts, theories, models, frameworks, or theoretical perspectives relevant to sociology, social work, anthropology, social policy, cultural studies, and related disciplines.
Recommended length: 3,000–10,000 words
Perspective / Commentary
Provides a scholarly discussion or informed perspective on important social, cultural, political, ethical, methodological, or emerging societal issues.
Recommended length: 1,500–4,000 words
The recommended word counts are flexible guidelines and may vary according to the nature, methodology, disciplinary approach, and requirements of the manuscript.
2. Manuscript Formatting
Manuscripts should normally be submitted as Microsoft Word (.docx) files, unless an alternative format or template is specified by IJSW.
| Page element | Recommended formatting |
|---|---|
| Page size | A4 |
| Margins | Approximately 2.54 cm (1 inch) |
| Main text | Times New Roman, 10-point, double-spaced |
| Article title | Times New Roman, 16-point, bold |
| Author names and affiliations | Times New Roman, 12-point |
| Page numbers | Consecutive |
| Headings | Clear and consistent |
| Tables | Editable format where possible |
| Figures | Clear and suitable for publication |
Authors should use the official IJSW manuscript template where provided.
3. Author Information
Each manuscript should include the full article title, names of all authors, institutional affiliations and country, ORCID iDs where available, and the corresponding author's email address.
All authors must be entered accurately in the online submission system. The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the journal and should confirm that all authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript.
4. Abstract and Keywords
Most manuscripts should include an abstract of approximately 150–300 words, briefly presenting the research background or social problem, objective, methodology, main findings, and conclusion or significance.
Authors should provide 3–8 relevant keywords that accurately describe the subject of the manuscript and support academic search and discovery. Keywords may include relevant concepts, populations, communities, social phenomena, theoretical approaches, or research methods.
5. Manuscript Structure
The structure should be appropriate to the article type and research approach. A typical empirical social science research article may follow this sequence:
Title→ Author Information→ Abstract→ Keywords→ Introduction→ Literature Review / Theoretical Background→ Methodology→ Results / Findings→ Discussion→ Conclusion→ Declarations→ References→ Supplementary Materials (where applicable)
Qualitative studies may include themes, interview findings, field observations, or participant perspectives. Quantitative studies may present statistical analyses and numerical findings. Theoretical and review articles may follow a different structure appropriate to their objectives.
Not every article requires all of these sections. Authors should use a clear and logical structure appropriate to their research.
6. References
IJSW follows the Vancouver reference style, unless otherwise specified by the journal.
Authors should ensure that:
✓ References are numbered in the order in which they are first cited.
✓ In-text citations correspond correctly with the reference list.
✓ All cited sources are included in the reference list.
✓ Bibliographic information is accurate and complete.
✓ DOI information is included wherever a valid DOI exists.
✓ DOI and other reference details are verified and never invented or guessed.
Authors should cite relevant scholarly literature, including appropriate research in sociology, anthropology, social work, cultural studies, social policy, and other related fields, depending on the manuscript's subject.
Accurate references help ensure proper scholarly attribution and reliable academic discoverability.
7. Figures, Tables, and Supplementary Materials
Figures and tables should be numbered consecutively and cited in the text, each with a clear and informative title or caption.
Photographs should generally be provided at 300 dpi or higher, and line drawings at 600 dpi or higher. Tables should remain editable where possible.
Maps, charts, interview schedules, survey instruments, fieldwork documentation, and other research materials may be included where relevant. Authors must protect participant identities and confidential information when presenting interview excerpts, case details, photographs, or field observations.
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission and providing appropriate attribution for any copyrighted third-party material.
Supplementary materials—such as anonymized datasets, additional tables or figures, questionnaires, interview guides, research instruments, code, or other relevant files—may be submitted where appropriate and should be clearly identified and cited.
8. Declarations
Where applicable, manuscripts should include the following statements:
Funding
Conflict of Interest
Data Availability
Ethical Approval
Informed Consent
Author Contributions
Acknowledgments
Third-Party Permissions
Use of AI Tools
For example:
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Statements should be included only when they accurately reflect the circumstances of the research.
Research involving human participants, interviews, surveys, vulnerable populations, personal data, or other sensitive information must comply with applicable ethical requirements and include relevant approval, consent, confidentiality, or data protection information where required.
Authors should ensure that research participants cannot be identified through published information unless appropriate authorization and ethical safeguards are in place.
9. Authorship and ORCID
Authorship should reflect a substantial scholarly contribution to the research and manuscript. All listed authors should approve the submitted manuscript and its final version.
Contributors who do not meet the applicable authorship criteria may be acknowledged separately.
Any change to the author list after submission should be supported by a written explanation and confirmation from all affected authors, in accordance with the journal's authorship policy.
Authors are strongly encouraged to provide ORCID iDs to support accurate author identification and scholarly attribution.