The Hidden Headache: What Makes Running an Academic Journal So Difficult?

What Makes Running an Academic Journal So Difficult?

Introduction Running an academic journal sounds prestigious. The title alone conjures images of tweed jackets, intellectual debates, and thoughtful peer reviews. But ask anyone who has actually managed one, and you’ll quickly get a different story. Behind the formal editorials and polished PDFs lies a chaotic machine of unpaid labor, technical bottlenecks, and bureaucratic gymnastics. … Read more

Updating Editorial Policies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Journal Editors

Updating editorial policies - Featured

Introduction Editorial policies are the invisible scaffolding of scholarly publishing. They determine what gets published, how peer review operates, how conflicts are managed, and how journals respond to ethical breaches. In short, they are the backbone of trust in academic communication. Yet many editorial policies haven’t been revised in years. Some haven’t even been read … Read more

How Many Words Should a Journal Article Be?

How many words should a journal article be

Introduction The question of how long a journal article should be has long haunted graduate students, early-career researchers, and seasoned academics alike. Is 3,000 words enough? Is 10,000 too much? The answer, as always in academia, is: it depends. Word count is not just a matter of verbosity or brevity. It’s about discipline norms, journal … Read more

How to Start a Social Sciences Journal

How to start a social sciences academic journal

Introduction Starting a social sciences academic journal may sound like an endeavor best reserved for tenured professors or publishing conglomerates with budgets that rival the GDPs of small countries. However, with the right mix of vision, planning, and unwavering perseverance, it is entirely possible to launch a journal that makes a meaningful contribution to the … Read more