Journal Policy

Pakistan Journal of American Studies

ISSN No: 1011-811X

Journal Policy

Scope

Introduction

Pakistan Journal of American Studies (PJAS) is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal produced by Area Study Centre for Africa, North and South America as part of its research and publication program. PJAS is published bi-annually in Summer (Jul-Aug) and Winter (Nov-Dec) every year. The journal is focused on research at the intersection of the humanities and social sciences in American Studies. PJAS welcomes articles on U.S. History, Literature, Politics, Foreign and Security Policy, Culture and the US Soft Power.  As the first and only journal of its kind to focus on American Studies in Pakistan, PJAS holds a unique position.

Aims and Objectives

The journal aims to:

  • produce quality analytical and theoretical research that pertains to the historical, contemporary, and future significance of the United States vis-à-vis its engagement with other regions and countries, particularly South Asia and Pakistan
  • provide stimulating research on all aspects of the U.S. society for both academic and non-academic readers and from national and international authors
  • disseminate cutting-edge research with maximum open access options for free exchange of knowledge and expertise
  • provide a platform for the publication of high quality academic and policy research

 Author Guidelines

  • Manuscript should be typed, double-spaced, and use Times New Roman font size 12, with 2.5” margins.
  • The article submitted must not exceed 6000 words excluding notes and references.
  • For bibliography and citations authors are advised to follow APA 7th).
  • Manuscripts in PDF and MS Word format should contain the following files;
    • Title page: A separate file with the title of article, full name(s)of author(s), institutional affiliation(s), acknowledgments and email(s) address(es)
    • Article: An anonymous file containing title, abstract (150-200 words), key words, complete article with references and appendices.
  • Submissions can be made online via the journal’s OJS website or email at pjasresourceperson@gmail.com.

Editorial Policy

  1. Subscription Policy

PJAS is an open access journal that provides its content free of charge to support academic research as well as to showcase the contribution of Pakistani researchers. All content is freely available online without subscription or payment. Readers may access, download, copy, distribute, and use the material for lawful purposes without prior permission, provided the original work is properly cited. Printed copies of the journal are available at the journal office for a nominal price.

  1. Publication Frequency

PJAS is a biannual journal with a Summer and a Winter issue. The journal accepts submissions on a rolling basis.

  1. Publication Process

3.1 Submission

Articles must be submitted online via the Online Submission System on OJS. As soon as the article is successfully uploaded, the system will send an automated email to acknowledge the submission. PJAS uses the online journal management system whereby authors can track the progress of their article(s) through the editorial process by logging in to the journal website.

3.2 Authorship

PJAS accepts articles written by up to three authors. Names of all authors who have substantially contributed to the article must be mentioned in the manuscript at the time of submission. Additional names will not be considered/inserted once the article is in review.

3.3 Privacy Statement

The journal is committed to protecting the privacy of authors, reviewers, and readers. Personal information submitted to PJAS including names, affiliations, email addresses, and contact details, will be used exclusively for the editorial and publication processes.

3.4 Author Agreement and Copyright Policy

Upon acceptance, authors must submit a signed Author Agreement Form confirming that the submission is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal. Authors retain copyright to their work but grant PJAS the right of first publication. Articles published in PJAS are licensed for non-commercial use and distribution with proper attribution.

3.5 Peer Review Process

Manuscripts submitted for publication are initially screened by two members of the Editorial Board to ascertain their suitability as per the aims and scope of the journal. Articles that meet the journal criteria are then sent for peer review while those deemed unsuitable are declined by the editors. Where editors disagree, the opinion of a specialist may be sought to reach a final decision. All articles are subject to double-blind peer review by at least two referees in the respective area of specialization. Typically, one of the reviewers is international and one is national. Reviewers look, in particular, for originality, usefulness, and theoretical and analytical rigor. The editors aim to reach a final decision based on the advice of the reviewers within six months from the date of submission. Authors can track the status of their submission online throughout the article processing period.

3.6 Editorial Workflow

The editorial workflow consists of the following steps: (1) submission of manuscript; (2) initial editorial screening; (3) assignment to peer reviewers; (4) receipt of reviewer reports; (5) author revision(s); (6) final editorial decision; (7) copyediting and proofreading; (8) layout and production; and (9) publication in the scheduled issue.

3.7 Editorial Timelines

The journal aims to follow the timelines below:
• Initial editorial screening: within 2–4 weeks of submission
• Peer review process: within 3-4 months
• Revision by authors (if required): 4–6 weeks
• Final acceptance notification: within 2 weeks after revision approval
• Copyediting, proofreading, and typesetting: 4 weeks
• Publication of the accepted article in the next scheduled issue

  1. Ethics and Consent

4.1 Authorship Contribution and Consent:
All listed authors must have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, analysis, or writing of the manuscript and must approve the final version prior to submission. Authors must also agree on the order of authorship and confirm that all contributors meeting authorship criteria are appropriately acknowledged.

4.2 Plagiarism

All kinds of plagiarism (including self-plagiarism) is subject to an outright rejection of the manuscript. Where authors are drawing on previous work of their own, due declaration must be provided.

4.3 Third Party Content

It is the responsibility of the author(s) to obtain permission for any copyrighted material to be re-used in the article. While some materials like short excerpts for scholarly criticism and review may be exempt from this requirement, it is the responsibility of the authors to ascertain this. Any material subject to copyright, however, must be accompanied by prior written permission from the copyright owner.

4.4 Conflict of Interest & Disclosure Policy

All submissions must be accompanied by a conflict-of-interest declaration. Authors must disclose all sources of financial support, potential conflicts of interest, and any non-author contributions to the research or writing. Where applicable, authors should include a statement regarding the use of research tools, data sets, or assistance that influenced the work.

4.5 AI Use Policy

Authors must disclose any use of AI tools in the research, analysis, or writing of the manuscript. AI tools may only be used to assist with language editing or non-substantive tasks; they may not generate original analysis or content. Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all material submitted, regardless of AI assistance.

4.6 Simultaneous Submission

PJAS does not accept articles that are under review, in process of publication, or already published elsewhere.

4.7 Corrections and Retractions

PJAS reserves the right to issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions if significant errors, ethical breaches, or research misconduct are identified after publication. Retractions may be initiated by authors or the editorial board. All corrections or retractions will be clearly linked to the original article to ensure transparency and scholarly integrity Once the article is in peer review, retractions on part of the authors will not be possible. Besides, corrections must be submitted within a maximum of 1 month for the article to be considered for publication in the next issue.

  1. Processing & Submission Charges

Currently, there are no article processing or submission charges.  

  1. Funding

Currently, the journal has no external source of funding and is being funded by the Area Study Centre for Africa, North and South America, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

               

Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa                                                                        

Editor, PJAS                                                                                       

Area Study Centre, QAU.