In submitting an article to the Journal of Middle Eastern Politics and Policy (JMEPP), we ask authors to consider the following guidelines:
Technical Guidelines:
- Articles may be submitted in one of three forms: Analysis (1,000-2,500 words), Opinion (600-1,100 words), and Review Essays (800-1,500 words).
- All submissions must be original pieces and not draw substantially from previously published articles.
- All figures, tables, and charts must be submitted as separate, high-resolution files.
- Citations must be in Chicago Manual of Style Endnotes.
Structural Guidelines:
- Arguments must be clearly constructed and substantiated. JMEPP looks for articles that include the following elements:
- Introduction: should state the author’s purpose/thesis and situate his/her argument in a current debate; should also contain a “road map” that lays out the structure of the article for the reader.
- Body: each section of the article must be essential to supporting the author’s thesis – “every word should count.” Each paragraph should begin with a central idea, followed by supporting evidence. Authors should also address the strongest possible counterarguments.
- Conclusion: should reiterate the main points of the argument and suggest courses of action. JMEPP looks for pieces that are not just descriptive but also prescriptive – revealing important, otherwise overlooked insights and translating them into creative policy proposals.
Substantive Guidelines:
- JMEPP looks for analytical, nuanced arguments that expand and improve the discourse on the contemporary Middle East and North Africa. JMEPP is not looking for descriptive pieces that fail to provide new insights on an issue. Ultimately, articles should force readers to think about a subject in a new light, help solve a larger problem, or illuminate a little-known trend or subject.
- Authors must always keep the reader in mind. While articles should be valuable for academics and practitioners concerned with the Middle East, they must also be accessible to the lay reader. As such, all technical terms should be clearly explained and assumptions about the reader’s previous knowledge should be kept to a minimum (unnecessary description can always be removed by the editorial staff).
The Journal of Middle Eastern Politics and Policy will consider all manuscripts submitted, but assumes no obligation regarding publication. All material submitted is returnable at the discretion of the Journal of Middle Eastern Politics and Policy.
Articles may be submitted for consideration to: jmepp@hks.harvard.edu.