Submissions

Author Guidelines

The Journal of Sustainable Development Issues (JOSDI) welcomes high-quality original manuscripts that contribute to theoretical, empirical, methodological, and policy-oriented debates in the broad field of sustainable development. The journal publishes interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral research addressing economic, social, environmental, institutional, technological, and policy dimensions of sustainable development.

JOSDI accepts original research articles, review articles, case studies, policy papers, and other scholarly contributions that have not been previously published and are not under consideration elsewhere.

1. Submission Procedure

Manuscripts should be submitted through the journal’s online submission system ( https://manuscriptgate.net/josdi/login). Authors are required to register or log in to the journal platform and follow the step-by-step submission process.

In case of technical difficulties during online submission, authors may contact the editorial office by email ([email protected]). However, the online submission system remains the preferred method for manuscript submission and editorial communication.

All submissions must include:

• a separate title page containing the authors’ names, affiliations, email addresses, ORCID IDs where available, corresponding author information, conflict-of-interest statement, funding statement, and acknowledgements where applicable;
• an anonymised main manuscript prepared for double-blind peer review;
• an abstract and keywords;
• references;
• tables, figures, appendices, and supplementary materials, where applicable.

The anonymised main manuscript must not contain author names, institutional affiliations, email addresses, acknowledgements identifying the authors, or other information that could reveal the authors’ identities to reviewers.

2. File Format

Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format: .doc or .docx.

PDF files are not accepted for initial manuscript submission.

3. Language

The journal accepts manuscripts written only in English.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the manuscript is written in clear, grammatically correct, and academically appropriate English. Manuscripts with serious language problems may be returned to authors before peer review.

4. Manuscript Length

JOSDI accepts manuscripts in both short and long formats:

• Short articles: approximately 7–10 pages;
• Full-length articles: up to 25 pages.

Manuscripts exceeding this limit may be considered only if the length is justified by the nature of the research, methodology, data, or contribution.

5. Manuscript Structure

Submitted manuscripts should generally include the following sections:

Title Page

The title page should contain:

• Title of the manuscript;
• Full name(s) of author(s);
• Institutional affiliation(s);
• Email address(es);
• ORCID ID, where available;
• Corresponding author information;
• Abstract;
• Keywords;
• JEL Classification codes, if applicable.

Abstract

The abstract should be between 100 and 250 words. It should briefly present:

• The purpose of the study;
• Research problem or objective;
• Data and methodology, where applicable;
• Main findings;
• Theoretical, empirical, or policy implications.

Keywords

Authors should provide 5–7 keywords. Keywords should be specific, relevant, and suitable for indexing purposes.

JEL Classification

For economics, finance, management, and related papers, authors should provide 2–4 JEL Classifications codes.

Main Text

The main text may include, but is not limited to, the following sections:

1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
3. Data and Methodology
4. Empirical Results / Analysis
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion and Policy Implications
7. References
8. Appendices, if necessary

The structure may vary depending on the type and discipline of the manuscript.

6. Headings and Subheadings

Authors should use a clear and consistent heading structure.

First-level headings

First-level headings should be written in capital letters and bold.

Example:

3. ECONOMETRIC METHODOLOGY AND DATA

Second-level headings

Second-level headings should be written in bold italic.

Example:

3.1. Functional Specification and Data

Third-level headings

Third-level headings should be written in italic.

Example:

3.1.1. Unit root and cointegration tests

7. Formatting Requirements

Manuscripts should follow the formatting requirements below:

• File format: Microsoft Word .doc or .docx;
• Line spacing: single-spaced;
• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides;
• Paragraph spacing: 6 pt before and 0 pt after;
• Font: preferably Times New Roman;
• Font size: 12 pt for main text;
• Footnotes should be used instead of endnotes;
• Pages should be numbered consecutively;
• Tables, figures, and equations should be numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals.

8. Tables, Figures, and Equations

Tables and figures should be placed as close as possible to the relevant text.

Each table and figure must have:

• A clear title;
• A number;
• Source information, where applicable;
• Notes, if necessary.

Examples:

Table 1. Descriptive Statistics

Figure 1. Trends in Renewable Energy Consumption

Equations should be numbered consecutively and placed on separate lines where appropriate.

Example:

(1)

Authors should ensure that all tables, figures, and equations are cited in the main text.

9. In-text Citations

JOSDI follows APA Style Referencing.

Examples:

For one author:

• Mukhtarov (2022)
• (Mukhtarov, 2022)

For two authors:

• Hasanov and Mikayilov (2021)
• (Hasanov & Mikayilov, 2021)

For three or more authors:

• Mukhtarov et al. (2022)
• (Mukhtarov et al., 2022)

For institutional authors:

• World Bank (2023)
• (World Bank, 2023)

When citing multiple studies together, separate them with semicolons:

• (Mukhtarov, 2021; Mikayilov, 2022; Hasanov et al., 2023)

Direct quotations should be placed in quotation marks and should not exceed 40 words.

10. Reference List

The reference list should include only sources cited in the manuscript. References should be arranged alphabetically by the surname of the first author.

Book

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the book. Publisher.

Example:

Frey, B. S. (2010). Happiness: A revolution in economics. MIT Press.

Book Chapter

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the chapter. In Title of the book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

Example:

Mukhtarov, S., & Aliyev, J. (2021). The relationship between financial innovation and economic growth: Evidence from Azerbaijan. In Strategic Outlook in Business and Finance Innovation: Multidimensional Policies for Emerging Economies (pp. 207–217). Emerald Publishing Limited.

Journal Article

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page range.

Example:

Mukhtarov, S., Karacan, R., Aliyev, F., & Ismayilov, V. (2022). The effect of financial development on energy consumption: Evidence from Russia. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 12(1), 243–249.

Internet Source

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the webpage or report. Website link. Accessed on Day Month Year.

Example:

Smith, J. (2022). Renewable energy policies in developing countries. https://www.example.com/renewable-energy-policies. Accessed on 15 January 2025.

If the source is an institution or organization, please use the following format:

Institution Name (Abbreviation, if available). (Year). Title of webpage or report. Website link. Accessed on Day Month Year.

Example:

International Energy Agency (IEA). (2023). Electricity grids and secure energy transitions. https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-grids-and-secure-energy-transitions. Accessed on 15 January 2025.

Authors should ensure that all online sources are reliable and properly cited.

11. Originality and Plagiarism Policy

Submitted manuscripts must be original and must not have been published or submitted elsewhere.

All manuscripts may be checked using plagiarism detection software (Turnitin). An overall similarity rate below 20% is normally expected. Manuscripts exceeding this threshold may be returned to authors or rejected before peer review.

The use of proper citation and referencing is mandatory. Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate submission, data fabrication, data falsification, and unethical use of artificial intelligence tools are considered serious violations of publication ethics.

12. Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

Authors may use artificial intelligence tools for language editing, grammar improvement, or technical assistance. However, AI tools must not be listed as authors.

Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, integrity, and ethical compliance of the submitted manuscript. Any substantial use of AI tools in preparing the manuscript should be transparently acknowledged where appropriate.

13. Review Process

All submitted manuscripts are initially screened by the Editor-in-Chief or assigned editor for relevance, originality, formatting, and compliance with journal requirements.

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening are sent for double-blind peer review. Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on originality, methodological quality, theoretical contribution, clarity, relevance, and overall scholarly merit.

Based on reviewers’ reports, the editorial decision may be one of the following:

• Accept;
• Minor revision;
• Major revision;
• Reject.

The expected final decision period is approximately 60 days, depending on reviewer availability and the quality of the submitted manuscript.

14. Revision Process

If revision is requested, authors should submit:

• Revised manuscript;
• Response letter to reviewers;
• Clear explanation of all changes made.

Authors should address each reviewer comment carefully and respectfully. Revised manuscripts should highlight or clearly indicate the changes made.

Failure to submit the revised manuscript within the requested period may result in withdrawal of the submission.

15. Article Processing Charge

JOSDI publishes articles with full open access. Accepted articles may be subject to an Article Processing Charge.

The current Article Processing Charge is 250 USD. However, articles submitted before 2028 are exempt from the APC, according to the journal’s current APC policy.

16. Open Access Policy

JOSDI is an open-access journal. All published articles are freely available to readers without subscription or access fees.

The journal supports the wide dissemination of scholarly knowledge and encourages authors, researchers, institutions, and policymakers to use published research for academic, educational, and policy purposes.

17. Copyright and License

The journal publishes all articles as Open Access. Articles published under the journal’s current licensing policy are made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

This license allows users to read, download, copy, distribute, reuse, translate, adapt, and build upon the published content for any purpose, including commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given to the author(s) and the original publication, a link to the license is provided, and any changes made are clearly indicated.

Users may not impose additional legal or technological restrictions that prevent others from exercising the rights granted under the license.

Authors retain copyright in their articles and grant the journal the right of first publication and the right to identify itself as the original publisher.

The license stated on each individual article page is authoritative. Articles previously published under another Creative Commons license remain subject to the license displayed on their respective article pages unless the relevant copyright holder has expressly authorised an additional license.

18. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must ensure that:

• The manuscript is original;
• The manuscript has not been submitted to another journal at the same time;
• All sources are properly cited;
• All authors have contributed significantly to the study;
• All authors have approved the final version of the manuscript;
• Conflicts of interest are disclosed;
• Funding sources are acknowledged;
• Data, results, and interpretations are presented honestly and accurately.

19. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the research process or interpretation of findings.

If there is no conflict of interest, authors should include the following statement:

Conflict of Interest: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

20. Funding Statement

Authors should clearly acknowledge all financial support received for the research.

Example:

Funding: This research received no external funding.

or

Funding: This research was supported by [Name of Funding Agency], Grant Number [XXXX].

21. Data Availability Statement

Where applicable, authors are encouraged to include a data availability statement.

Example:

Data Availability: The data used in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

or

Data Availability: The data supporting the findings of this study are publicly available at [repository/source].

22. Acknowledgements

Authors may acknowledge individuals, institutions, or organizations that contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship.

23. Final Note

Manuscripts that do not comply with these guidelines may be returned to authors before peer review.

Authors are strongly encouraged to carefully review the journal’s aims and scope, publication ethics policy, and submission requirements before submitting their manuscripts.