Submissions

Author Guidelines

1. Background
The Ethiopian Journal of Police Studies (EJPoS) follows strict submission policy, which is thought to be consistent with its publication policy as specified here under. It is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research studies, theoretical overviews or reviews, and articles on good practice or practice evaluation, to reflect the constantly changing landscape in which police personnel in Ethiopia, Africa and around the World operate. EJPoS seeks to encourage policing practitioners and academic researchers to submit articles for publication that focus on real World policing issues such as cybercrime, criminal investigation, police management, crime prevention, public engagement, and threats to domestic and international security (refer to the Administration and Publication Manual for details on the scope of the Journal). The Editors welcome contributions from police and policing related researchers from both within and outside Ethiopia so that policing knowledge, research, experience and practice can be shared as widely as possible.
The EJPoS is an open access, peer-reviewed and scholarly journal that publishes articles on various aspects of policing and related fields. The journal is published twice a year, and strictly adheres to the principles of the peer review process. It will be published both online and in print (refer to the Administration and Publication Manual for details on the scope of the Journal).
The Journal has adopted a double-blind reviewing policy, where both the referee and author remain anonymous throughout the process. The manuscript will not include authors' names, institutional affiliations or contact information. Also, authors' own works will be blinded in the references.

2.  Manuscript Presentation Guideline

The EJPoS accepts only manuscripts of sufficient quality that meet the aims and scope of the Journal. As part of the submission process authors will be required to warrant that they are submitting an original work, that they are submitting the work for first publication in the Journal and that it is not being considered for publication elsewhere and has not already been published elsewhere, and that they have obtained and can supply all necessary permissions for the reproduction of any copyright works not owned by them (refer to the Administration and Publication Manual for details on the scope of the Journal).
The EJPoS accepts submissions and publishes manuscripts written only (for now) in English (refer to the Administration and Publication Manual for details as to use of other languages). Either British or American English may be used, but the dialect used should be followed consistently throughout the manuscript. A manuscript of full-length should not be more than 10,000 words (this limit includes figures, references, and tables) while shorter ones are preferred. However, this does not impose an absolute page limit on manuscripts.
2.1. Layout
Manuscripts should be prepared with Microsoft Word in .docx, .doc or in .rtf file formats. Use 1” margins all around, 1.5 spacing, and 12-point Times New Roman. Number the pages consecutively starting with the first page.
2.2. Title Page

The title page should contain a brief title, name(s) of author(s) and their affiliations. The title should be without any abbreviations and it should enlighten the contents of the paper. All affiliations should be provided with a lower-case superscript letter just after the author's name and in front of the appropriate address. The name of the corresponding author should be indicated along with telephone, full postal address and e-mail address.
2.3. Abstract

The abstract should be concise and informative. It should not exceed 300 words in length. It should briefly describe the purpose of the work, techniques and methods used, major findings with important data and conclusions. No references should be cited in this part. Generally non-standard abbreviations should not be used, if necessary they should be clearly defined in the abstract, at first use.

2.4. Keywords

Immediately after the abstract, about 4-6 keywords should be given. Use of abbreviations should be avoided, only standard abbreviations, well known in the established area may be used, if appropriate. The EJPoS uses the title, keywords and abstract as keys to ensuring readers find the article through search engines like Google.
2.5. Abbreviations

Non-standard abbreviations should be listed and full form of each abbreviation should be given in parentheses at first use in the text. To maximize clarity issues, the Journal encourages using abbreviations sparingly.
2.6. Introduction

In this section, authors are expected to provide a factual background, clearly defined problem, proposed solution, a brief literature survey and the scope and justification of the work done.
2.7. Contribution to the literature/originality
The EJPoS encourages authors to show ways their paper contributes to the existing literature in three or four bullet points using a maximum of 100 words. They can also emphasize the originality and the significance of their work in terms of research questions, employed methods, and/or findings and results. However, this section is not expected to carry implications. The purpose of this section is to help the readers to be able to compare and contrast the work to previous works, if any exist, and to understand how the paper advances the scholarship in the field.
2.8. Reference citations within the text
The Journal uses an APA style of citation (authors are therefore strongly advised to refer to the latest editions of the APA Style). On first citation of references with three to five authors, give all names in full, thereafter use [first author] “et al.” If more than one article by the same author(s) in the same year is cited, the letters a, b, c, etc., should follow the year.
2.9. Section headings
Authors are expected to make the first-, second-, third-, and fourth-order headings clearly distinguishable. This makes a significant contribution to clarity and readability of the paper.
2.10. Materials and methods

In this section, basic methods followed in conducting a case study or a survey or experimental research, etc. (e.g. study site, sampling, data collection, data analysis, statistical tools, ethical issues, etc. as appropriate to the specific research) have to be presented clearly and systematically.
2.11. Results and discussion

Authors are required to describe results clearly and in a concise manner. Results for different parameters should, for instance, be described under subheadings or in separate paragraphs. Table or figure numbers should be mentioned in parentheses for better understanding. The discussion should not repeat the results, but provide detailed interpretation of data. This should interpret the significance of the findings of the work. Citations should be given in support of the findings. The results and discussion part can also be described as separate, if appropriate. In qualitative analysis, the descriptive and conceptual findings collected through questionnaires, interviews, or observation should be presented by using illustrative quotes. Quotes are “raw data” and should be compiled and analyzed, not just listed. Quotations of less than 40 words should be incorporated into the text using double quotation marks. Quotations longer than 40 words should be in a freestanding block of text without quotation marks, per APA style. There should be an explanation of how the quotes were chosen and how they are labeled.
2.12. Tables and figures

Tables and figures should be placed inside the text; and be presented as per their appearance in the text. It is suggested that the discussion about the tables and figures should appear in the text before the appearance of the respective tables and figures. No tables or figures should be given without discussion or reference inside the text.

Tables should be explanatory enough to be understandable without any text reference. Double spacing should be maintained throughout the table, including table headings and footnotes. Table headings should be placed above the table. Headings should be proceeded with table number (Table 1: …., Table 2: …., etc.). Footnotes should be placed below the table with superscript lowercase letters. Each figure should have a caption with figure number (Figure 1: …, Figure 2: …). The caption should be concise and typed separately, not on the figure area. Figures should be self-explanatory. Information presented in the figure should not be repeated in the table. All symbols and abbreviations used in the illustrations should be defined clearly. Figure legends should be given below the figures.
2.13. Conclusions

A conclusion involves stepping back from the specifics in order to view the bigger picture of the study. By so doing, it reminds the reader of the main arguments of the study and what has been supported by the evidences. In a way it is a synthesis of key points from the study to an evidently higher level. It also includes the recommendations, limitations of the study, and possible future studies.
2.14. Authorship and acknowledgments

All parties who have made a substantive contribution to the article should be listed as authors. Principal authorship, authorship order, and other publication credits should be based on the relative scientific or professional contributions of the individuals involved, regardless of their status. A student is usually listed as principal author on any multiple-authored publication that substantially derives from the student’s dissertation or thesis. All contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be listed in an Acknowledgements section. The authors are expected to acknowledge all support received during the preparation of the paper (e.g. people who provided assistance in manuscript preparation, funding for research, etc.). Such acknowledgments may be recorded after the conclusion section just before the references. All sources of funding should be declared as an acknowledgment. Authors should declare the role of the funding agency, if any, in the study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript. If the study sponsors had no such involvement, the authors should so state.
2.15. Declaration of conflicting interests

The Journal encourages authors to include a declaration of any conflicting interests.
3. Publication Ethics

The EJPoS takes issues of copyright infringement, plagiarism or other breaches of best practice in publication very seriously (see details in the Administration and Publication Manual). It seeks to protect the rights of its authors and always investigates claims of plagiarism or misuse of published articles. It also seeks to protect the reputation of the Journal against malpractices. Submitted articles may be checked with duplication-checking software. Where an article, for example, is found to have plagiarized other work or included third-party copyright material without permission or with insufficient acknowledgement, or where the authorship of the article is contested, the Journal reserves the right to take action including, but not limited to: a) publishing an erratum or corrigendum (correction); b) retracting the article; c) taking up the matter with the head of department or dean of the author's institution and/or relevant academic bodies or societies; and d) taking appropriate legal action.
4. Contributor's Publishing

Agreement Before publication, the Journal requires the author as the rights holder to sign a Contributor’s Publishing Agreement. Contributor’s Publishing Agreement is an exclusive licence agreement which means that the author retains copyright in the work but grants EJPS the sole and exclusive right and licence to publish for the full legal term of copyright (see details in the Administration and Publication Manual).

5. References
As indicated earlier, references should follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style (latest edition) and the DOI number, if exists, must be included.
5.1. Journal articles
The authors' last names followed by publication year, title of the article, journal name, volume number, issue number, and page numbers.
5.2. Standard book
The authors' last names followed by publication year, the title of the book, publisher.
5.3. Book chapters
The authors last names followed by publication year, the title of the chapter, In editors last names (eds.), the title of the book, page number range of the chapter, publisher.
5.4. Examples
Journal Articles: Antrobus, E. Thompson, I. and Ariel, B. (2019). Procedural justice training for police recruits: results of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Experimental Criminology 15(1), 29–53 Brosnan, S. (2018). The socioeconomic determinants of crime in Ireland from 2003-2012. The Economic and Social Review 49(2, Summer), 127–143
Books:
Balko. R. (2013). Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces. New York: Public Affairs
College of Policing (2015). College of Policing Analysis: Estimating Demand on the Police Service. London: College of Policing
Chapter in book:
Felitti, V.J. and Anda, R.F. (2010). The relationship of adverse childhood experiences to adult medical disease, psychiatric disorders, and sexual behavior: implications for healthcare. In Lanius, R., Vermetten E. and Pain, C. (Eds.), The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease: The Hidden Epidemic. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 77–87
Tajfel, H. and Turner, J.C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In Austin, W.G. and Worche,l. S. (eds.), The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Monterey: Brooks/Cole
Conference papers:
Ambissa, K., Solomon, A. and Zenebe, B. (2008). Pre-Service Secondary Teacher Education in Ethiopian University after TESO; Proceedings of the Third Annual National Conference on Teacher Education in Ethiopia: Prospects and Challenges, Addis Ababa University, pp. 1-41
Gebrekidan, A. (2006). Integrating environmental education into the secondary and senior secondary schools curricula in Ethiopia; Paper presented at the Conference of Teacher Education for Sustainable Development in Ethiopia, organized by College of Education, Addis Ababa University, DebreZeit, 5-6 May, pp.304-316
5.5. Appendices
Supplementary materials (if there are any) should be collected in an Appendix and placed before References.
6. Short Communication
The EJPoS also entertains short communications on top of the full-length articles. A full-length article is a much more thorough, in-depth study that includes more than one result while a short communication aims at establishing one single result or short finding or technique that is of general interest to the audience.
Short Communication manuscripts should follow a similar format like a full-length article that consists of Title page, Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Result, Discussion, Conclusion, Acknowledgment, References. Short Communication should be no more than 2500 words, and could include two figures or tables. It should have at least 10 references. Short communications must report completed work, not preliminary findings: they are an alternative format for describing smaller pieces of work.
7. Submitting a Manuscript
Submission should be made using online submission system <(http://ejol.aau.edu.et/index.php/ejps/about/submissions)> or using the official e-mail address <fikadubaylie@yahoo.com> when the online system is not working.
8. Special Note to Authors
8.1. Authors’ restrictions
To ensure author and domain diversity, effective 1 January 2024, a researcher is limited to co-publish at most two articles per year.
8.2. Copyright without Restrictions:
As indicated earlier (also refer to the Administration and Publication Manual), the EJPoS allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions and will retain publishing rights without restrictions. The submitted papers are assumed to contain no proprietary material unprotected by patent or patent application; responsibility for technical content and for protection of proprietary material rests solely with the author(s) and their organizations and is not the responsibility of the EJPoS or its Editorial Staff. The main (first/corresponding) author is responsible for ensuring that the article has been seen and approved by all the other authors; and it is the responsibility of the author to obtain all necessary copyright release permissions for the use of any copyrighted materials in the manuscript prior to the submission.

9. Submission Fee
There is no submission fee, publication fee or page charge for standard publication in this Journal.