Submissions

Author Guidelines

Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies welcomes high-quality manuscripts that contribute to advancing research and scholarly discourse within the social sciences. The journal particularly encourages submissions that explore issues related to society, culture, governance, equity, inclusion, social justice, sustainability, and policy innovation, while promoting interdisciplinary perspectives and critical analysis of contemporary social challenges.

1. Scope and Focus

 

Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (SIJMDS) welcomes high-quality manuscripts that contribute to advancing research and scholarly discourse across the social sciences, humanities, education, and interdisciplinary fields.

The journal particularly encourages submissions that examine contemporary societal, economic, educational, cultural, and governance challenges through rigorous theoretical, empirical, or applied research approaches.

We welcome contributions in (but not limited to) the following areas:

Economics and Development Studies

• Development economics and policy

• Regional and global economic issues

• Economic inequality, sustainability, and growth

• Public finance and economic governance

Management, Business, and Organizational Studies

• Business administration and management practices

• Organizational behavior and leadership

• Entrepreneurship and innovation

• Strategic management and corporate governance

Education and Pedagogical Studies

• Teaching and learning processes

• Educational policy and reform

• Higher education research

• Digital and technology-enhanced learning

Political Science, Public Policy, and Governance

• Political theory and institutions

• Public administration

• Governance and policy analysis

• Global and comparative politics

Sociology and Social Research

• Social structures and social change

• Inequality, inclusion, and social justice

• Community studies and social development

• Quantitative and qualitative social research

History and Cultural Studies

• Historical analysis

• Cultural dynamics and heritage

• Regional and global historical perspectives

Language, Literature, and Humanities

• Linguistics and language studies

• Literary criticism and theory

• Interdisciplinary humanities research

Library and Information Science

• Information management

• Digital libraries and knowledge systems

• Scholarly communication and research data management

SIJMDS particularly values interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research that bridges these domains—for example:

• Economic perspectives on education policy

• Management approaches to governance and public institutions

• Cultural and historical contexts in social or economic development

• Technology and digital transformation in education, governance, and society

All submissions must demonstrate academic rigor, originality, and relevance to contemporary scholarly and policy debates.

2. Manuscript Types and Requirements

Type	Word Count (excluding references)	Minimum References	Recent References (2020–2025)
Original Research	5,000–9,000 words	≥ 30	≥ 70%
Theoretical / Conceptual Paper	4,500–7,500 words	≥ 40	≥ 70%
Review Article (systematic, integrative, critical)	5,000–8,000 words	≥ 60	≥ 70%
Reflective Practitioner Account / Case Study	3,500–6,000 words	Case-by-case	≥ 70%
Pedagogical Innovation Narrative / Design Case	3,000–5,500 words	Case-by-case	≥ 70%
Commentary / Position Paper	2,000–4,000 words	Case-by-case	Not applicable

3. Submission Process

Submit manuscripts exclusively through the journal’s online submission system.

Required accompanying documents:

•    Download the Author Declaration and Copyright Agreement Form to submit with your submission.
•     Download the separate cover page containing full author details (including author names, affiliations, email, and ORCiD IDs) to submit with your submission.
•        Manuscript file (anonymized – remove all identifying information)

4. Manuscript Preparation

There are no strict formatting requirements at the initial submission stage. However, all manuscripts must contain the essential elements required to evaluate the submission, including: title, abstract, author affiliations (submitted separately for double-blind review), figures, tables, funding information, and references. Further formatting and structural details may be requested upon acceptance.

Language: English only. Non-native speakers are strongly encouraged to have their manuscripts professionally proofread before submission.
File Format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)
Font & Spacing: Times New Roman, 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, A4 page size, 2.5 cm margins all sides
Referencing Style: APA 7th Edition (strict adherence required)
ORCiD: All authors are strongly encouraged to provide their ORCiD iD

Structure of the Manuscript (anonymized version):

·       Title

·       Abstract (150–250 words; structured or unstructured)

·       Keywords (5–8)

·       Main Text (use appropriate headings; see below)

·       References

·       Tables & Figures (embedded or at end, editable format)

·       Declarations (Funding, Conflicts of Interest, Ethical Approval, AI Usage – see below)

Recommended Headings for Empirical/Theoretical Manuscripts:

·       Introduction

·       Theoretical / Conceptual Framework

·       Research Questions / Aims

·       Methodology

·       Findings / Results

·       Discussion

·       Conclusion

·       Implications

·       Limitations

·       Future Directions

5. Declarations

Author(s) Contributions

For manuscripts with multiple authors, a brief statement outlining individual contributions is required. Use the following format:

“Conceptualization, X.X. and Y.Y.; methodology, X.X.; software, X.X.; validation, X.X., Y.Y., and Z.Z.; formal analysis, X.X.; investigation, X.X.; resources, X.X.; data curation, X.X.; writing—original draft preparation, X.X.; writing—review and editing, X.X.; visualization, X.X.; supervision, X.X.; project administration, X.X.; funding acquisition, Y.Y. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.”

If AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, etc.) were used during manuscript preparation for language editing, summarization, or formatting assistance, a statement also must be included. Example:

“The authors used [AI tool name] for [brief description of use, e.g., grammar correction or paraphrasing]. All content was reviewed and verified by the authors.”

Funding Information

If the research received financial support, state the funding source(s). If no external funding was received, include:

“This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.”

Availability of Data and Materials

Include a statement about the accessibility of the data supporting the findings. Example:

“The data supporting this study are available upon request. The data are stored in [e.g., institutional repository, Google Drive] and can be provided to interested parties.”

Declaration of Conflict of Interest

Disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the work. If none, use:

“The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.”

Clinical Trial Registration (if applicable)

Provide the trial registration number if applicable.

Human Ethics and Consent to Participate

If ethical approval or consent was required, provide details. Otherwise, include:

“The study did not involve any clinical interventions or experiments requiring formal ethical approval.”

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

Journal follows a transparent and responsible AI policy.

Permitted Uses (non-substantive only):

·       Grammar, spelling, and style correction

·       Paraphrasing for clarity

·       Formatting assistance

·       Brainstorming ideas or structure

Prohibited Uses:

·       Generating substantive content, arguments, data analysis, or interpretations

·       Creating new scientific claims or literature synthesis

Mandatory Disclosure:
If AI tools were used in any capacity, authors must include a clear statement in the manuscript (e.g., in Acknowledgements or a separate “AI Usage Disclosure” section):

“[Tool name(s), e.g., ChatGPT-4o, Grammarly] was used for [specific purpose, e.g., language polishing and sentence restructuring]. All content was reviewed, verified, and edited by the authors.”

Failure to disclose AI use may result in rejection or retraction.

6. Publication Schedule & Author Limits (Effective 2026)

·       Journal is published Quartely (March, June, September, and December).

·       Rolling submissions are accepted year-round.

Publication Frequency Rule:
To ensure diversity of voices, an author (including co-authors) may publish only one article in each of the next three consecutive issues.

Example:

·       If published in Issue 1 (March 2026), the same author(s) cannot publish in Issues 2 or 3; eligibility resumes with Issue 4.

·       This rule does not apply to commentaries, book reviews, or editorials.

7. Peer Review Process

·       All submissions (except invited commentaries) undergo double-blind peer review by at least two independent experts.

·       Average time to first decision: 8–12 weeks.

·       Full details: Visit Peer Review Policy 

8. Revisions

Revised manuscripts must include:

·       Author Response Letter — point-by-point response to all reviewer/editor comments

·       Revised Manuscript (Tracked Changes)

·       Revised Manuscript (Clean Copy)

9. Article Processing Charges (APCs)

·       No APCs in 2026 (Volume 1). All publication costs are covered by Synergy Publication during the launch year. See Payment policy

·         Future policy will be announced well in advance.

10. Open Access & Copyright

·    All articles are published Gold Open Access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

·        Authors retain copyright.

·     Post-publication, authors agree not to submit the same work (or substantially similar version) elsewhere without prior written permission from the Editor-in-Chief.

11. Authorship & Ethical Responsibilities

·  Authorship follows ICMJE/COPE criteria/PNAS standards.(substantial contribution + drafting/revising + final approval + accountability).

·    Include Author Contributions statement (CRediT taxonomy preferred). Authors may provide either:

o   A free-text statement, e.g.:
All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Data collection and analysis were performed by [name], [name], and [name]. The first draft was written by [name], and all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

o   Or a CRediT taxonomy format:
Conceptualization: [name]; Methodology: [name]; Writing – original draft: [name]; Writing – review & editing: [name]; Supervision: [name]; etc.

·       Disclose funding, conflicts of interest, and ethical approvals

·       Ensure data integrity and transparency

·       Declare any AI usage (see Section 5 above)

·      Authors are fully responsible for originality, accuracy, plagiarism prevention (<10% similarity as per UGC guidelines), and ethical compliance.

·     Changes to authorship after submission (addition, removal, or reordering of authors) are not allowed after acceptance and should be avoided during peer review unless justified. Any change requests during the review stage must:

o   Be explained in a formal letter.

o   Be approved by all co-authors and the Editor-in-Chief.

o   Include confirmation that all authors agree to the change.

12. Disclaimer

The statements, opinions, and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Synergy Publication or the editor(s) of the journal. While reasonable editorial and peer-review procedures are followed, Synergy Publication and the editor(s) do not endorse any products, methods, or claims described in the content.

For questions, contact the editorial office editor@sijmds.com