Instructions For Authors

The Civitas Journal of Contemporary Social Studies (CJCSS) welcomes original, academically rigorous, ethically conducted, and methodologically sound research within the fields of social sciences and related interdisciplinary disciplines.
Authors must prepare and submit their manuscripts in accordance with the instructions provided on this page. Manuscripts that do not comply with the journal’s requirements may be returned for correction before editorial consideration.

1. General Submission Requirements

A manuscript will be considered for publication only when:
– It is original and has not previously been published.
– It is not under consideration by another journal.
– All listed authors have approved the submitted version.
– All sources, data, ideas, and materials taken from other works have been properly acknowledged.
– The research complies with applicable ethical and professional standards.
– Any potential conflicts of interest have been disclosed.
– Necessary permissions have been obtained for copyrighted material.
– Submission of a manuscript confirms that the authors agree to comply with the editorial, ethical, copyright, licensing, peer-review, correction, and retraction policies of CJCSS.

2. Manuscript Submission

Authors must submit their manuscripts through the official online submission system of CJCSS.
The corresponding author is responsible for:
– Completing the submission process
– Providing accurate information about all authors
– Communicating with the editorial office
– Responding to reviewers’ comments
– Submitting revised versions
– Ensuring that all authors approve the final manuscript
– Reviewing the proofs before publication
– Authors should ensure that all required files and declarations are included at the time of submission.

3. Cover Letter

Every manuscript must be accompanied by a cover letter from the corresponding author.
The cover letter should confirm that:
– The manuscript is original.
– The manuscript has not been published previously.
– The manuscript is not being considered by another journal.
– All authors have approved the submission.
– All listed authors have made a meaningful contribution.
– Ethical approval and informed consent have been obtained where applicable.
– Funding sources have been disclosed.
– Conflicts of interest have been declared.
– Permission has been obtained for any reproduced or adapted material.

 The cover letter should also briefly explain the relevance of the manuscript to the aims and scope of CJCSS.

4. Authorship
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research and preparation of the manuscript.
Authors should have contributed to one or more of the following:
– Conceptualization
– Research design
– Data collection
– Data analysis
– Interpretation of findings
– Drafting of the manuscript
– Critical revision of the manuscript
– Supervision of the research

All authors must approve the final version and accept responsibility for their contributions.
Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship may be acknowledged with their permission.
Requests to add, remove, or rearrange authors after submission must be supported by a written explanation and the approval of all affected authors. Unjustified authorship changes may result in rejection of the manuscript.

5. Research and Publication Ethics

Authors must conduct and report their research in accordance with accepted ethical standards.
Where research involves human participants, interviews, surveys, personal data, vulnerable populations, or confidential information, authors should provide details of:
– Approval from an Institutional Review Board or Research Ethics Committee
– The name of the approving institution
– The approval or reference number, where available
– Informed consent procedures
– Measures taken to protect participants’ privacy
– Procedures used to maintain confidentiality and anonymity

Where formal ethical approval was not required, the authors should provide an appropriate explanation.

CJCSS does not tolerate:
– Plagiarism
– Self-plagiarism
– Data fabrication
– Data falsification
– Duplicate publication
– Simultaneous submission
– Citation manipulation
– Inappropriate authorship
– Undisclosed conflicts of interest
– Unethical treatment of research participants
– Misrepresentation of findings
All manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism-detection software.

6. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, personal, institutional, professional, political, or academic relationship that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, the research or its interpretation.
Where no conflict exists, authors should include the following statement:
“The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.”

7. Double-Blind Peer Review
CJCSS follows a double-blind peer-review process.
The identities of the authors are not disclosed to reviewers, and the identities of reviewers are not disclosed to authors.
Authors must submit the following separate files:

Title Page
The title page should include:
– Full title of the manuscript
– Full names of all authors
– Institutional affiliations
– Department, institution, city, and country
– Email addresses of all authors
– ORCID identifiers, where available
– Name and contact details of the corresponding author
– Funding information
– Conflict-of-interest statement
– Author-contribution statement
– Acknowledgements, where applicable

Anonymized Manuscript

The main manuscript must not contain:
– Author names
– Institutional affiliations
– Email addresses
– Author biographies
– Acknowledgements identifying the authors
– Statements that directly reveal the authors’ identities
– File properties containing identifying information

Authors should cite their previous work in the same manner as the work of other researchers and should avoid self-identifying expressions.

8. Manuscript Format
Manuscripts should be prepared in Microsoft Word or a compatible editable format.
The following formatting requirements apply:
– Font: Times New Roman
– Font size: 12 points
– Line spacing: Double
– Margins: One inch on all sides
– Alignment: Left aligned
– Page numbers: Consecutively numbered
– Referencing style: APA 7th edition
– File format: Microsoft Word or compatible format

Headings and subheadings should be clear, consistent, and appropriately organized.

Footnotes should be used sparingly and only where necessary.

9. Manuscript Title

The title should be:
– Concise
– Informative
– Relevant to the content
– Free from unnecessary abbreviations
– Academically appropriate
– Reflective of the main subject of the manuscript
Titles should avoid unsupported claims, unnecessarily technical language, and excessive length.

10. Abstract

The abstract should not exceed 250 words.
For original research articles, the abstract should preferably be structured under the following headings:
– Background or Purpose
– Methods
– Results or Findings
– Conclusion

The abstract should briefly explain:
– The research problem
– The objective of the study
– The research design and methods
– The main findings
– The principal conclusion or implications
– Abstracts for review articles, conceptual papers, policy analyses, and similar submissions may be written as one coherent paragraph where a structured format is not suitable.

The abstract should not contain:
– Citations
– References
– Tables
– Figures
– Unexplained abbreviations
– Information not discussed in the manuscript

11. Keywords

Authors should provide three to six keywords below the abstract.
Keywords should:
– Represent the main themes of the manuscript
– Improve online discoverability
– Use recognized academic terminology
– Avoid unnecessary repetition of words already used in the title

12. Types of Manuscripts

CJCSS accepts the following types of submissions:
– Original research articles
– Review articles
– Conceptual and theoretical papers
– Policy analyses
– Comparative studies
– Case studies
– Short communications
– Guest editorials
– Book reviews
– Letters to the editor

13. Original Research Articles

Original research articles should normally include:
– Title
– Abstract
– Keywords
– Introduction
– Literature Review or Theoretical Framework
– Research Objectives, Questions, or Hypotheses
– Methodology
– Results or Findings
– Discussion
– Conclusion
– Recommendations or Implications
– Limitations
– Acknowledgements
– Funding Statement
– Conflict-of-Interest Statement
– Author-Contribution Statement
– Data-Availability Statement
– References
– Appendices, where applicable
The structure may be adjusted according to the nature of the research and disciplinary requirements.
Results and discussion may be presented separately or combined where appropriate.

14. Review Articles

Review articles should critically examine and synthesize existing research on a clearly defined topic.
A review article should explain:
– The purpose of the review
– The research question or objective
– The literature-search strategy
– Databases or sources searched
– Inclusion and exclusion criteria, where applicable
– The method used to analyze the literature
– Major findings or themes
– Limitations of existing research
– Implications for research, policy, or practice
– Recommendations for future research
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses should follow an appropriate recognized reporting guideline.

15. Conceptual and Theoretical Papers

Conceptual and theoretical papers should:
– Clearly define the issue under examination
– Engage critically with relevant literature
– Present a coherent theoretical argument
– Identify limitations in existing knowledge
– Explain the manuscript’s original contribution
– Discuss implications for research, policy, or practice

16. Policy Analyses

Policy analyses should provide an evidence-based examination of a policy, programme, law, institution, or governance issue.
The manuscript should describe:
– The policy problem
– The relevant social, political, legal, or institutional context
– The analytical framework
– The evidence used
– The main findings
– Policy implications
– Practical recommendations

17. Case Studies

Case studies should provide an in-depth and academically informed examination of a specific:
– Institution
– Community
– Organization
– Programme
– Policy
– Event
– Region
– Social phenomenon

A case study should normally include:
– Introduction
– Background and context
– Relevant literature or conceptual framework
– Rationale for case selection
– Methods and sources of evidence
– Case description
– Analysis
– Discussion
– Conclusion
– References
Case studies must offer an analytical or theoretical contribution and should not be limited to a descriptive narrative.

18. Short Communications

Short communications may present:
– Preliminary findings
– Innovative methods
– Focused academic arguments
– Timely observations
– Brief empirical studies
– Emerging research issues
Short communications should contain sufficient information regarding the issue, method, findings, significance, and limitations.

19. Guest Editorials

Guest editorials should offer informed commentary on an important issue relevant to the journal’s aims and scope.
Editorials should be:
– Evidence-based
– Balanced
– Academically responsible
– Clearly argued
– Relevant to contemporary social issues

20. Book Reviews

Book reviews should critically evaluate a recent and academically relevant publication.
A book review should:
– Provide complete bibliographic information
– Explain the book’s purpose and main argument
– Assess its strengths and limitations
– Discuss its contribution to the relevant field
– Maintain a professional and balanced tone
– Avoid merely summarizing individual chapters

21. Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor may:
– Comment on articles published in CJCSS
– Respond to an academic debate
– Address a significant issue within the journal’s scope
– Provide constructive scholarly criticism
Letters should be concise, evidence-based, professional, and free from defamatory or inappropriate language.

22. Methodology

The methodology section should provide sufficient information for readers and reviewers to understand and evaluate the research process.
Where applicable, authors should describe:
– Research design
– Research setting
– Target population
– Sampling method
– Sample size
– Inclusion and exclusion criteria
– Data-collection instruments
– Instrument validity and reliability
– Data-collection procedures
– Analytical methods
– Software used
– Ethical considerations
– Study limitations

Qualitative Research
Authors should describe:
– The qualitative approach
– Participant-selection method
– Data-collection procedures
– Interview or observation methods
– Coding and analysis process
– Theme development
– Researcher reflexivity
– Measures used to establish credibility and trustworthiness

Quantitative Research
Authors should report:
– Variables
– Measurement instruments
– Sample-size justification
– Statistical tests
– Assumptions
– Significance levels
– Confidence intervals
– Effect sizes, where relevant
– Procedures for handling missing data

Mixed-Method Research
Authors should explain:
– The purpose of using mixed methods
– The qualitative and quantitative components
– The sequence of data collection
– The method of integration
– How the combined findings were interpreted

23. Tables

Tables should be:
– Numbered consecutively
– Clearly titled
– Referred to in the text
– Presented in an editable format
– Prepared according to APA 7th edition
– Accompanied by explanatory notes where necessary
Tables should not be submitted as screenshots or images.
Information presented in tables should not be unnecessarily repeated in the main text.

24. Figures and Illustrations

Figures, charts, diagrams, photographs, and illustrations should:
– Be numbered consecutively
– Have clear and descriptive titles
– Be referred to in the manuscript
– Be submitted in high-quality format
– Remain legible after resizing
– Include appropriate source information
– Follow APA 7th edition presentation requirements
Where photographs of identifiable individuals are used, written permission must be obtained before publication.

25. Copyrighted Material

Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission to reproduce or adapt copyrighted:
– Tables
– Figures
– Photographs
– Diagrams
– Questionnaires
– Scales
– Maps
– Illustrations
– Other published material
Evidence of permission must be provided when requested by the editorial office.
The original source must be properly cited in accordance with APA 7th edition.

26. Statistical Reporting

Authors must report statistical findings accurately and consistently.
Where applicable:
– Statistical tests should be identified.
– Exact p-values should be reported where possible.
– Effect sizes should be included where relevant.
– Confidence intervals should be provided where appropriate.
– Sample sizes should be clearly stated.
– Missing data should be explained.
– Decimal places should be used consistently.
– Statistical software and version numbers should be identified.
Authors should not claim causation where the research design establishes only association or correlation.

27. Units of Measurement

Measurements should be expressed using the International System of Units, where applicable.
Alternative or locally familiar units may be provided in parentheses where this improves understanding.

28. Abbreviations

Abbreviations should be used only where necessary.
The first time an abbreviation appears, the full term should be written first, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.
For example:
Public–private partnership (PPP)
Abbreviations should generally be avoided in titles. Uncommon abbreviations should not be used in the abstract unless they are clearly defined.

29. Language and Terminology

Manuscripts must be written in clear, professional, and grammatically correct English.
Authors should:
– Use respectful and inclusive language
– Avoid discriminatory or stigmatizing terms
– Use terminology consistently
– Define technical or specialist terms
– Avoid unnecessarily long and complex sentences
– Distinguish between evidence, interpretation, and opinion
– Avoid unsupported generalizations
Authors are responsible for proofreading and language editing before submission.
Manuscripts may be returned where language problems prevent proper editorial or peer-review evaluation.

Referencing Style
CJCSS follows the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition.

30. In-Text Citations

References must be cited using the author–date system.

One Author
(Ahmed, 2024)
Ahmed (2024) examined the relationship between social trust and civic participation.

Two Authors
(Khan & Ali, 2023)
Khan and Ali (2023) discussed institutional reform in developing societies.

Three or More Authors
(Hassan et al., 2025)
Hassan et al. (2025) identified several factors influencing community participation.

Direct Quotation
(Ahmed, 2024, p. 17)
For sources without page numbers, authors should use a paragraph number, section heading, or another suitable locator.

31. Reference List

The reference list must:
– Appear at the end of the manuscript
– Be arranged alphabetically by the surname of the first author
– Use a hanging indent
– Include every source cited in the manuscript
– Exclude sources not cited in the manuscript
– Provide Digital Object Identifiers in URL format where available
– Follow APA 7th edition rules for punctuation, capitalization, and italics
References must not be numbered.

32. Reference Examples

Journal Article
Ahmed, S., Khan, M. A., & Ali, R. (2024). Social trust and political participation among urban communities. Journal of Contemporary Social Research, 12(2), 115–132. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx

Book
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Chapter in an Edited Book
Smith, J. A. (2022). Identity, culture, and social transformation. In R. Ahmed and T. Khan (Eds.), Contemporary perspectives on social change (pp. 45–63). Academic Press.

Edited Book
Ahmed, R., & Khan, T. (Eds.). (2023). Governance and society in changing political environments. Academic Press.

Institutional Report
United Nations Development Programme. (2024). Human development report 2023–2024: Breaking the gridlock. United Nations Development Programme.

Webpage
World Bank. (2025, February 10). Social protection and sustainable development. Website Name. URL

Thesis or Dissertation
Ali, S. (2023). Political participation among university students in Pakistan [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. Institutional Repository.
Authors must verify the accuracy and completeness of all references before submission.

33. Acknowledgements

Authors may acknowledge individuals, institutions, or organizations that contributed to the research but do not qualify for authorship.
Permission should be obtained before naming individuals in the acknowledgements section.

34. Funding Statement

Authors must disclose all sources of financial or institutional support.
Where no funding was received, authors may include the following statement:
“This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.”

35. Author-Contribution Statement

Authors should describe their individual contributions to the manuscript.
Contributions may include:
– Conceptualization
– Methodology
– Investigation
– Data collection
– Data analysis
– Writing of the original draft
– Review and editing
– Supervision
– Project administration
– Funding acquisition

36. Data-Availability Statement

Where applicable, authors should explain whether the data supporting the findings are:
– Publicly available
– Available in an institutional repository
– Available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request
– Restricted because of ethical, legal, or confidentiality requirements
– Not applicable to the manuscript
Authors must not share confidential, personally identifiable, or legally restricted data.

37. Permissions

Material reproduced or adapted from another source must be properly acknowledged.
Where required, written permission must be obtained from the author, publisher, copyright holder, or relevant organization.
Submission of copyrighted material without authorization may result in rejection, correction, or retraction.

38. Review and Editorial Process

An acknowledgement will be issued after successful submission.
The manuscript will normally pass through the following stages:
1.  Administrative completeness check
2. Initial editorial screening
3. Assessment of relevance to the journal’s scope
4. Similarity and plagiarism screening
5. Double-blind peer review
6. Communication of reviewer comments
7. Revision by the authors
8. Assessment of the revised manuscript
9. Final editorial decision
10. Copyediting and formatting
11. Author proofreading
12. Publication

A manuscript may be rejected during initial screening if it:
– Falls outside the journal’s scope
– Does not follow the author guidelines
– Lacks originality or academic contribution
– Contains major methodological weaknesses
– Does not comply with ethical requirements
– Contains plagiarism or publication misconduct
– Is written in language that prevents proper evaluation
Reviewer recommendations inform the editorial decision. However, the final decision rests with the editorial leadership of CJCSS.

39. Editorial Decisions

The editorial decision may be:
– Accept
– Accept subject to minor revisions
– Revise and resubmit with major revisions
– Reject
Acceptance is based on:
– Originality
– Academic quality
– Relevance
– Methodological strength
– Clarity
– Ethical compliance
– Contribution to knowledge
– Response to reviewer comments

40. Article Processing Charges

The Civitas Journal of Contemporary Social Studies charges an Article Processing Charge of USD 200 for each manuscript accepted for publication.
The Article Processing Charge is payable only after:
– The manuscript has completed the editorial screening process.
– The manuscript has undergone peer review.
– All required revisions have been completed.
– A formal acceptance letter has been issued.

CJCSS does not charge:
– A manuscript submission fee
– A peer-review fee
– An initial editorial screening fee
Payment of the Article Processing Charge does not guarantee manuscript acceptance and does not influence the editorial or peer-review process.

All editorial decisions are based solely on:
– Academic quality
– Originality
– Relevance
– Methodological rigor
– Ethical compliance
– Contribution to the journal’s field
Authors are responsible for any bank, currency-conversion, or transaction charges associated with payment.

41. Copyright and Licensing

Authors must review and agree to the copyright and licensing terms of CJCSS before publication.
The journal’s copyright and licensing policy explains:
– Ownership of published material
– Author rights
– Journal publishing rights
– Reuse and distribution conditions
– Requirements for attribution
– Application of any Creative Commons licence
The applicable licence will be clearly stated on the published article.

42. Proofreading
Following acceptance and formatting, the corresponding author may receive proofs for final review.
Authors should check:
– Author names
– Affiliations
– Article title
– Tables
– Figures
– References
– Typographical errors
– Formatting issues

At the proof stage, authors may correct minor errors. Major changes to the content, results, authorship, or conclusions will not normally be permitted.
Proofs should be returned within the period specified by the editorial office.

Submission Preparation Checklist
Before submission, authors must confirm that:
– The manuscript is original.
– The manuscript has not previously been published.
– The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal.
– All authors have approved the submission.
– All listed authors meet the authorship criteria.
– The authorship order has been approved by all authors.
– A separate title page has been provided.
– The main manuscript has been fully anonymized.
– Author names, affiliations, emails, and identifying information have been removed from the review file.
– A cover letter has been included.
– The abstract does not exceed 250 words.
– Three to six keywords have been provided.
– The manuscript has been prepared in Microsoft Word or a compatible editable format.
– Times New Roman, 12-point font, and double spacing have been used.
– All in-text citations follow APA 7th edition.
– All references follow APA 7th edition.
– The reference list is arranged alphabetically and is not numbered.
– Every source cited in the text appears in the reference list.
– Every reference-list entry is cited in the manuscript.
– Tables and figures are properly numbered and titled.
– Permission has been obtained for copyrighted material.
– Ethical approval information has been provided where applicable.
– Informed consent information has been provided where applicable.
– Funding sources have been disclosed.
– Conflicts of interest have been declared.
– An author-contribution statement has been included.
– A data-availability statement has been included where applicable.
– The manuscript has been checked for plagiarism.
– The manuscript has been proofread for grammar, spelling, clarity, and consistency.
– The authors understand that an Article Processing Charge of USD 100 is payable only after formal acceptance.
– The authors understand that no submission or peer-review fee is charged.
– The authors agree to comply with the journal’s ethical, copyright, licensing, correction, and retraction policies.

Suggested Reviewers
Where requested by the submission system, authors may provide the names, institutional affiliations, areas of expertise, and professional email addresses of suitable reviewers.
Suggested reviewers must not:
– Be affiliated with the same institution as any author
– Have recently collaborated with the authors
– Have contributed to the submitted research
– Have a personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest
– Be in a relationship that could affect the objectivity of the review
The editorial team is not obligated to invite reviewers suggested by the authors.

Privacy Statement
The names, email addresses, affiliations, and other personal information entered on the CJCSS website will be used only for the journal’s:
– Submission management
– Editorial communication
– Peer-review process
– Publication process
– Administrative records
– Academic correspondence
Personal information will not be shared with third parties for unrelated commercial or promotional purposes.
Author and reviewer information will be handled confidentially in accordance with the journal’s editorial, privacy, and publication ethics policies.