Author Guidelines and Submission
Advances in Inclusive Education Research (AIER) welcomes original submissions that advance knowledge and practice in inclusive education. This page contains everything you need to know before submitting your manuscript.
Download the manuscript template before you begin
1. Article Types
AIER accepts the following types of submissions:
Research Articles: 5,000–6,000 words
Review Articles: 6,000–7,000 words
Short Communications: 2,000–3,000 words
Case Studies: 3,000–3,500 words
Word counts include the main body text only and exclude the abstract, references, tables, and figure captions.
2. Manuscript Preparation
- Written in clear, accessible English
- Title page must include: article title, author name(s), affiliation(s), and corresponding author email
- Abstract of 150–250 words, summarising background, methods, findings, and conclusions
- Keywords: 4–6 keywords following the abstract
- Use headings and subheadings to organise the manuscript clearly
- Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively and include descriptive captions
- All manuscripts must be anonymised for peer review — remove all identifying information from the main document
3. Referencing Style
AIER uses the Harvard referencing style for all submissions. Authors are responsible for ensuring references are accurate, complete, and consistently formatted.
In-text example:
(Smith, 2020) or Smith (2020) argues that...
Reference list example:
Smith, J. (2020) Inclusive Education in Practice. London: Routledge.
A full guide to Harvard referencing is available at Cite Them Right.
4. File Submission Requirements
Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word (.docx) format. A PDF copy may be submitted alongside the Word file for reference purposes only. PDF-only submissions will not be accepted.
5. Article Processing Charges
AIER is a fully open-access journal. There are no article processing charges (APCs) for submission or publication. All accepted articles are made freely available to readers worldwide at no cost.
Important Notice: DOI Assignment
All articles accepted and published in Advances in Inclusive Education Research (AIER) will be assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). A DOI provides a permanent, citable link to your published work, ensuring it is discoverable and accessible worldwide. DOIs are assigned at no cost to authors as part of AIER's commitment to open-access publishing.
6. Review Policy
All manuscripts submitted to AIER undergo an initial assessment by the Editor-in-Chief, evaluated for relevance, originality, academic merit, and adherence to the Author Guidelines. Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria may be returned to authors without peer review.
Manuscripts that pass initial assessment are subject to double-anonymised peer review, meaning that both the authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other throughout the process. Each manuscript is reviewed by a minimum of two independent expert referees.
Reviewers evaluate manuscripts on:
- Originality and contribution to the field
- Clarity and coherence of argument
- Rigour of methodology
- Quality and accuracy of evidence
- Appropriateness of referencing
- Overall presentation and readability
Following peer review, the Editor-in-Chief will make one of the following decisions:
- Accept — the manuscript is accepted as submitted
- Minor revisions — small changes are required before acceptance
- Major revisions — substantial changes are required, subject to re-review
- Reject — the manuscript is not suitable for publication in AIER
Authors will be notified of the editorial decision as soon as the review process is complete. We endeavour to process all submissions in a timely manner.
Revised Manuscripts
Authors invited to revise their manuscript must submit a revised version with all changes clearly indicated, along with a point-by-point response to reviewer comments.
Appeals
Authors who wish to appeal an editorial decision may do so by contacting the Editor-in-Chief at editor@aierjournal.uk with a clear written justification. Appeals are considered at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.
7. Publication Ethics
Authorship
Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant intellectual contribution to the work. All listed authors must have contributed substantially to the conception, design, or execution of the research, participated in drafting or critically revising the manuscript, approved the final version for submission, and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Originality and Plagiarism
Authors must ensure that their manuscript is entirely original. Any use of others' work must be appropriately cited. Plagiarism in any form — including self-plagiarism — is considered a serious breach of publication ethics. All submissions are screened for originality prior to review.
Turnitin / Plagiarism Screening statement
All manuscripts submitted to AIER are screened for originality using Turnitin prior to peer review. Submissions identified as containing significant overlap with previously published work — including the author's own prior publications — will be returned without review.
Duplicate Submission
Manuscripts submitted to AIER must not be under consideration at any other journal simultaneously. Duplicate or concurrent submission is grounds for immediate rejection.
Data Integrity
Authors must ensure that all data presented is accurate, honestly reported, and has not been fabricated, falsified, or manipulated.
Conflicts of Interest
All authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional relationships that could be perceived as influencing their work. Declared conflicts of interest will be considered by the Editor-in-Chief and do not necessarily preclude publication.
Research Ethics
Research involving human participants must have received appropriate ethical approval from a recognised institutional review board or ethics committee. Authors must confirm this in their submission and provide details of the approving body where required.
Reviewer Responsibilities
Reviewers must:
- Maintain strict confidentiality regarding the manuscripts they review
- Declare any conflicts of interest that may affect their objectivity
- Provide honest, constructive, and timely feedback
- Refrain from using unpublished material from reviewed manuscripts for their own purposes
Editorial Responsibilities
The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for ensuring a fair, unbiased, and transparent review process. Editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit, relevance, and originality, without regard to the authors' nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, or background.
Corrections and Retractions
If a significant error is identified in a published article, AIER will publish a correction notice. In cases of serious misconduct — including fabricated data, plagiarism, or ethical violations — the article may be retracted. Retraction notices will clearly state the reason for retraction.
Reporting Concerns
Any concerns regarding publication ethics should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at editor@aierjournal.uk. All concerns will be investigated promptly and confidentially.
COPE statement
Advances in Inclusive Education Research (AIER) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and follows the guidelines and principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All editors, authors, and reviewers are expected to adhere to these standards. For further information, visit cope.niso.org.
Before submitting, please ensure you have:
- Selected the correct article type and met the word count
- Removed all identifying information from the manuscript
- Prepared a title page with author details (separate from the main document)
- Formatted references in Harvard style
- Saved your manuscript as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file
- Written an abstract of 150–250 words with 4–6 keywords
When ready, click the "Submit Your Paper Online" button below to access the submission system: Submission – [Article Type] – [Short Title]