Information For Authors

Article types and format

Research article – The maximum length of articles is 10.000 words approximately (including spaces, notes, tables, and bibliography). For contributions intended as comments/responses to an essay published in the same or the previous issue, the maximum limit is 4.000 words approximately. Articles exceeding these specified lengths may be returned to the author with a request to reduce them before being reviewed by the Editorial Office.

Special issue – Scholars are encouraged to submit proposals for special issues anytime. Each issue typically contains an introduction by the guest editor(s) and a minimum of four research articles. The RIPP Editorial Board will thoroughly evaluate the proposal, ensuring a rigorous selection process. A special issue proposal should be sent to sps.ripp@unibo.it and contain the following information:

  • Statement explaining the topic and its relevance to public policy research;
  • A short bio of the guest editor(s);
  • A call for papers;
  • A schedule including submission deadline and completion of the editorial process.

Once a special issue proposal is approved, the articles within the special issue undergo a double-blind peer review process prior to publication in the journal. 

Symposium – Collections of essays (maximum three plus a brief introduction) on a specific topic. Maximum 8.000 words for the essays, maximum 3.000 words for the introduction. The proposal for a symposium must be reviewed by the Editorial Board. The proposal should be sent to sps.ripp@unibo.it, specifying the provisional title and listing the papers to be included, each accompanied by an abstract of no more than 500 words. Following the acceptance of the proposal, the authors can proceed with the standard online submission procedure. Once a symposium proposal is approved, the articles within the symposium undergo a double-blind peer review process prior to publication in the journal. 

Young Scholars Annual Prize - The RIPP annually announces a Young Scholars Award for the best policy article written by young researchers under 35. The prize includes a €300 voucher for purchasing books from "Il Mulino", a one-year journal’s subscription, and the essay’s publication. The submitted article, written in Italian or English, should be sent directly to sps.ripp@unibo.it. Works submitted for the competition must be original, previously unpublished and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The maximum length of submitted articles is 10.000 words approximately (including spaces, notes, tables, and bibliography). In the case of multiple authors of one article, all co-authors should be under 35. The prize will be awarded by a jury of at least three experts in policy studies. The jury will evaluate the submitted essays anonymously, indicating the winning essay and making suggestions if improvements are needed for publication.

 

Peer review

Submissions are managed through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) software for journal management and publishing. The Editor-in-Chief and the Managing Editors initially check all submissions for originality and appropriateness to the aims and scope of the journal. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for initial decisions on desk rejection or start of the peer review. The Editor-in-Chief and the Managing Editors guarantee the anonymity of the authors and do not serve as reviewers. The other members of the Editorial Board acting as Associate Editors do not serve as reviewers, and the authors of the manuscripts currently under review are not disclosed to them. When an article is sent out for review, it undergoes a double-blind peer review process, wherein it is anonymously reviewed by two or more referees not affiliated with the same department as the author(s). This process is consistently applied to both regular and special issues and symposia. For special issues and symposia, the journal may also ask the guest editors or the contributors to suggest potential reviewers. The evaluation reports from the referees are presented in their entirety and anonymously to the author(s) and to the guest editors.

The journal’s Editor-in-Chief evaluates the feedback from peer reviewers to make a decision. The possible outcomes include:

  • Accept submission. The article can be published, and no revision is needed;
  • Minor revision ("Revisions required" in the drop-down menu). The article requires minor changes that can be reviewed and accepted by the editor;
  • Major revision ("Resubmit for review" in the drop-down menu). The article requires major revisions and will typically undergo at least one more round of review;
  • Decline submission. The article cannot be published.
 
 

If your article is accepted, the RIPP Secretary and Editorial Office will oversee the production process. The production process includes correcting the proofs of your article and signing a license agreement with the publisher. Your manuscript will be published in one of the three regular issues RIPP publishes every year, available in both digital and print formats. The publisher also offers the option to publish the articles online as Early Access, allowing them to be available before assignment to a specific volume and issue. When articles are published as Early Access, the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is also made available. A limited number of Open Access agreements are available from the publisher each year; please contact the Editor-in-Chief for further information.