The World Customs Journal invites authors to submit papers that relate to all aspects of customs activity, for example, law, policy, economics, administration, information and communications technologies. The Journal has a multi-dimensional focus on customs issues and the following broad categories should be used as a guide.
Research and theory
The suggested length for articles about research and theory is approximately 5,000 words per article. Longer items will be accepted, however, publication of items of 10,000 or more words may be spread over more than one issue of the Journal.
Original research and theoretical papers submitted will be reviewed using a ‘double blind’ or ‘masked’ process, that is, the identity of author/s and reviewer/s will not be made known to each other. This process may result in delays in publication, especially where modifications to papers are suggested to the author/s by the reviewer/s. Authors submitting original items that relate to research and theory are asked to include the following details separately from the body of the article:
- title of the paper
- names, positions, organisations, and contact details of each author
- bionotes (no more than 100 words for each author) together with a recent, high resolution, colour photograph for possible publication in the Journal
- an abstract of no more than 100 words for papers up to 5,000 words, or for longer papers, a summary of up to 600 words depending on the length and complexity of the paper.
Please note that previously refereed papers will not be refereed by the World Customs Journal.
Practical applications, including case studies, issues and solutions
These items are generally between 2,000 and 5,000 words per article. Authors of these items are asked to include bionotes (no more than 100 words for each author) together with a recent, high resolution, colour photograph for possible publication in the Journal. The Editorial Board will review articles that relate to practical applications.
Reviews of books, publications, systems and practices
The suggested length is between 350 and 800 words per review. The Editorial Board will review these items submitted for publication.
Papers published elsewhere
Authors of papers previously published should provide full citations of the publication/s in which their paper/s appeared. Where appropriate, authors are asked to obtain permission from the previous publishers to re-publish these items in the World Customs Journal, which will acknowledge the source/s. Copies of permissions obtained should accompany the article submitted for publication in the World Customs Journal.
Authors intending to offer their papers for publication elsewhere — in English and/or another language — are asked to advise the Editor-in-Chief of the names of those publications.
Where necessary and appropriate, and to ensure consistency in style, the editors will make any necessary changes in items submitted and accepted for publication, except where those items have been refereed and published elsewhere. Guidance on the editors’ approach to style and referencing is available on the Journal’s website.
Letters to the Editor
We invite Letters to the Editor that address items previously published in the Journal as well as topics related to all aspects of customs activity. Authors of letters are asked to include their name and address (or a pseudonym) for publication in the Journal. As well, authors are asked to provide full contact details so that, should the need arise, the Editor-in-Chief can contact them.
All items should be submitted in Microsoft Word or RTF, as email attachments, to the Editor-in-Chief: editor@worldcustomsjournal.org
