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1.0 Introduction

The Malawi Journal of Politics and Public Affairs review process is aimed at ensuring that original, quality manuscripts that contribute to knowledge are published. Our reviewers play a crucial role in ensuring that the manuscripts published in the journal are of a high standard.

 1.1 Initial Manuscript Evaluation

At this stage, all submitted manuscripts are evaluated by the editorial team. Manuscripts that do not fulfill the minimum criteria are rejected. Typically, manuscripts rejected at this stage are those that demonstrate a lack of originality, have methodological flaws that are serious in nature, possess poor grammar, or fall outside the aims and scope of the Journal. Authors whose manuscripts are not accepted during the initial stage will generally be informed of this outcome within three weeks of submission.

 Manuscripts that meet the minimum criteria are then subjected to a rigorous review process by at least two experienced reviewers who have been selected based on their expertise in the relevant 6 subject matter. This approach ensures that only the most comprehensive and insightful feedback is provided, resulting in the highest quality output.

1.2 Double-Blind Peer Review

The Journal operates on the principle of double-blind peer review where the author remains anonymous to the reviewers and vice-versa. The articles are reviewed using the following criteria:

·        The importance and originality of the content

·        Contribution to knowledge

·        Methodological competence

·       Quality of language

·        Suitability with the Journal’s scope

 The Reviewers can make any of the following recommendations:

·        Accept the manuscript.

·        Suggest minor revisions.

·        Recommend major revisions.

·        Reject the manuscript.

 The author will be notified of the outcome of their manuscript submission, along with comprehensive feedback from the referees regarding its acceptance or rejection.

 When an author receives a request to revise and resubmit a manuscript, it is expected that they complete the revisions within a three-month timeframe. The revised version should address any comments or concerns raised by the reviewers, and it is important for the author to clearly indicate where changes have been made. To facilitate this process, it is recommended that a separate table or matrix be included, outlining the specific issues addressed and the corresponding page numbers from the manuscript.

Once the revisions have been completed, the author should submit the revised manuscript to the Chief Editors for further review. It is essential that the revised version is of high quality and meets the standards set forth by the publishing guidelines. By adhering to these guidelines, we can ensure that the final product is of the utmost quality and reflects positively on all parties involved.

1.3 Publication of Manuscripts

Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, the editorial staff takes on the task of preparing it for print. This process is comprised of two main components: language editing and author review. The manuscript is first subjected to language editing, after which it is returned to the author for review. The Chief Editors then provide the author with a set of galley proofs to review for any typographical errors within a five-day window. The entire process, from manuscript receipt to final printing, typically takes approximately 15 weeks.

 2.0 PUBLISHING POLICIES

2.1 Research Integrity

The Malawi Journal of Politics and Public Affairs is committed to maintaining the utmost ethical standards in all of its publications. Our rigorous review process is designed to ensure the integrity and credibility of the journal's content, and to uphold the highest standards of academic excellence.

2.2 Plagiarism

The Malawi Journal of Politics and Public Affairs strongly opposes plagiarism in all forms, including failure to give credit for someone else's work or submitting duplicate publications. To ensure that all published materials are plagiarism-free, every manuscript is thoroughly checked with plagiarism detection software. If any plagiarism is detected, the manuscript is rejected. In the rare case that plagiarism is detected after publication, the manuscript is retracted, and an official communication of retraction is made in the next issue of the Journal.

2.3 Licensing and Publication Rights

By submitting to have their work published in the Malawi Journal of Politics and Public Affairs, authors consequently grant the journal permission to publish their work in any lawful format, language, or medium for any legitimate purpose. MJPPA is an open-access journal, and authors retain copyright of their work while granting the journal the right of first publication. Nevertheless, authors retain the right to use their published work in any way they see fit, provided that they acknowledge its initial publication in the journal. This includes making their work available on social media platforms or institutional repositories. Articles may be distributed and reproduced for non-commercial purposes provided proper attribution is given.

 2.4 Research Ethics

All research done with human participants has to get approval from appropriate Ethics Committees of the institutions the authors are associated with or any internationally recognized Ethics Bodies. Authors should clearly state in their manuscript that informed consent was obtained from all participants and that the research adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

 2.5 Competing Interests

The Journal mandates that authors disclose any relevant competing interests to editors during the review process and in the published work. This protocol mitigates potential bias that may arise from authors' financial or personal interests in any subjects related to the study. To ensure transparency, authors must disclose sources of funding and any relationship with the Journal's editors. This measure upholds the integrity of the published research and strengthens the public's confidence in the accuracy and impartiality of the findings.

 2.6 Sponsorship

The Journal is published by the Political Science Association of Malawi (PSA) in collaboration with the Department of Politics and Government of the University of Malawi. 8

2.7 Disclaimer

The Malawi Journal of Politics and Public Affairs and its editors accept no liability for any actual or perceived loss, cost, claim or damage sustained from reliance upon any information, statement, authoritative guidance or opinion contained in its published issues. Any information or contents in the Journal remain the author's opinion and must be independently verified before reliance upon it.

3.0 SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

We welcome manuscripts that align with our aims and scope. Review will only be given to manuscripts that meet the Journal's publication standards.

 3.1 Style and Formatting Guidelines

·       Word Limit- Research Articles should be between 6,000 and 8,000 words. Policy and Practice Papers (4,000-6,000 words), Case Studies (4,000-5,000 words), Review Articles (5,000-7,000 words), Book Reviews (1,500-2,500 words), and Commentary/Opinion Pieces (1,500-3,000 words). Word counts include references, tables, and appendices.

·       File Format- Submit manuscripts in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx).

·       Font and Spacing- Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1.5 line spacing and normal (2.54 cm / 1-inch) margins. Text should be justified and page numbers included.

·       Language- Use either British or American English consistently throughout the manuscript.

·       Title- The title should be in bold, font size 14, and centered. Only key terms should be capitalized.

o   Headings: o Level 1: Bold

o   Level 2: Bold Italics

o   Level 3: Italics

·       Citation and Referencing- MJPPA follows the latest edition of the APA Style Manual (7th Edition). Footnotes should be used sparingly. For examples of common reference formats, please see the Appendix of this document.

·       Tables, Figures, and Illustrations- Tables and figures must be numbered consecutively and have a title. All must be cited in the text. High-resolution images should be submitted separately in JPEG or PNG format. Authors must indicate the source of externally obtained material.

 3.2 Quotations

·        Use “double inverted commas” when quoting from a source.

·        Use ‘single inverted commas’ to quote within a quote.

·        Indent and italicize quotations that are longer than 40 words.

 3.3 Abstract and Keywords

·       Please prepare an abstract of between 300 and 350 words that clearly states the purpose, methods, key findings, and main conclusion of the manuscript.

·       Submit 4-6 keywords immediately below the abstract, distinguished with a semicolon (e.g., democratization; public policy; Malawi; governance).

3.4 Authorship

·       Originality- By submitting manuscripts to the Journal, authors certify that the work is original, that it is not being considered for publication by another publisher, and has not previously appeared in print or online. If accepted for publication, they will not be posted online or submitted to another publication without permission from the editor.

·       Contributors- Please provide a list of individuals who have made substantial contributions to the conception, data collection/analysis, and writing or revising of the manuscript. All authors must have made such contributions and must approve the final manuscript.

·       Changes to Authorship- Should you wish to modify the authorship of a published article, we kindly request that you write to the editor and provide a comprehensive explanation for why the change is being requested.

 3.5 Bibliographical Note

In order to maintain the highest level of accuracy and professionalism in the publication of your article, we kindly request that all authors provide a brief biographical note (max. 100 words). This note should include your current position, institutional affiliation, and email address. Furthermore, please clearly indicate the corresponding author.

3.6 Acknowledgements

It is crucial to include an acknowledgements section at the end of a manuscript to give credit to individuals who have contributed to the work, but are not considered authors. As an author, it is your duty to acknowledge any financial or logistical support that has been received.

3.7 Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted by visiting https://journal.unima.ac.mw/manuscript/new/18. Authors should submit two separate documents:

1.     Document 1: Title Page containing the full title, full names of authors, institutional affiliations, ORCID identifiers (where available), email addresses, and corresponding author details.

2.     Document 2: Anonymous Manuscript containing the title only, abstract, keywords, main text, references, and tables/figures. No identifying information should appear in this version.

3.8 Contact Information Malawi Journal of Politics and Public Affairs (MJPPA) Email: malawipsa@gmail.com