Journal Authors FAQs

How do I submit an article for publication?
How do I know which journal to submit my manuscript to?
What are the submission requirements for the journals?
Does the maximum word count include figures, tables, abstract and references?
I submitted an article to a journal a while ago and have not heard anything since. Can I check its status?
How long will it take for my paper to go through the peer review process?
Once a paper has been accepted, how long will it be before it is published?
My article has been accepted for publication but hasn’t yet been published. When will I receive proofs?
My paper was recently published in one of your journals. Will I be sent offprints or a copy of the journal?
I have noticed an error in the pre-print version of my article. Can this be corrected?
My paper has been accepted for publication but my affiliation has changed. Can this be corrected?
I haven't found the answer I was looking for. What should I do?

How do I submit an article for publication?

Authors are invited to submit papers to the journals of The British Psychological Society via our online peer review system Editorial Manager. All peer review correspondence will be sent electronically. Details can be found on our Author Services page.

How do I know which journal to submit my manuscript to?

Unfortunately, we are unable to advise authors which journal is most suitable for their manuscript. Details of what type of paper each journal publishes can be found on the Author Services page. We also recommend that you view the free sample copies of each journal, which are available to download, to see examples of the type of articles the journals before you submit.

If you are still not sure if your paper is suitable for a particular journal, you may send a note to the appropriate editor via the Journals Office requesting clarification.

What are the submission requirements for the journals?

All of the Society's journals follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style. In addition, each of our journals also has specific submission requirements that can be found on the individual journal’s homepage. Please see the Author Services page for further details.

Purchase the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition

Does the maximum word count include figures, tables, abstract and references?

No. All word counts specified exclude figures, tables, abstract and references.

I submitted an article to a journal some time ago and have not heard anything since. Can I check its status?

Once your manuscript has been submitted to the journal, you can track its progress using our online peer review system. Descriptions of what each status on the online system means can be found in the document entitled What Happens to My Paper?, which is free to download.

How long will it take for my paper to go through the peer review process?

Our target maximum peer review period is three months. The average time from submission to decision on most of our journals is around two months. Please see What Happens to My Paper? for more information.

Once a paper has been accepted, how long will it be before it is published?

An electronic version of each article is normally published on the pre-print area of our website and made available for subscribers to download within 3-4 weeks of acceptance, allowing the research to be searchable and citable before the hard copy journal is published.

The time from acceptance to hard copy publication is dependent on the current publication lag, which can vary. However, we normally publish articles within 6-12 months of acceptance.

My article has been accepted for publication but hasn’t yet been published. When will I receive proofs?

PDF page proofs are sent to authors via e-mail for correction approximately ten days after acceptance. Authors can make amendments at this stage, but are not permitted to substantially rewrite sections of their paper nor introduce new material.

If you have not recieved proofs within two weeks of acceptance, please contact the Journals Department.

My paper was recently published in one of your journals. Will I be sent offprints or a copy of the journal?

Authors will be provided with a PDF file of the final version of their article within two to three weeks after hard copy publication. Distribution of this file is subject to the Society's permitted use policy which can be found on the Copyright Information for Authors page.

Authors may purchase a copy of the journal issue in which their paper appears at the special concessionary rate of 15 UK pounds by contacting the Journals Department.

I have noticed an error in the pre-print version of my article. Can this be corrected?

Unfortunately, it is not usually possible to correct pre-print articles except in exceptional circumstances. Major errors such as missing author names or missing figures may be corrected at the discretion of the Journals Publishing Manager.

My paper has been accepted for publication but my affiliation has changed. Can this be corrected?

The author affiliations listed on the cover of the manuscript should be the institution where most of the research and work on the manuscript was carried out.

If you are the corresponding author on the manuscript, please notify us of any change of address as soon as possible, so that the proofs are sent to the correct address. The correspondence address shown on the front of the manuscript will be changed if you notify us (e-mail: mail@bpsjournals.co.uk; tel: +44 (0)116 254 9580) in reasonable time.

I haven't found the answer I was looking for. What should I do?

Please see the General Journals FAQs or contact the Journals Department (e-mail: mail@bpsjournals.co.uk; tel: +44 (0)116 254 9580) and we will be pleased to help.

Journals