Author Instructions
The Journal's Editors and Editorial Board welcome submissions which present case-study material, new approaches, techniques, empirical research or conceptual papers. UDI does not accept submissions which have been published elsewhere as pre-prints, reviewed papers or dissertations & theses.
Please ensure that you read the Format Instructions below for more detailed information.
Please make sure you have read through these instructions carefully before beginning the submission process. To contact the Journal Staff regarding a submission that is already in progress, simply click the "Send Manuscript Correspondence" link located under the "More Manuscript Info and Tools" header on the manuscript details screen - please do not email UDI's staff directly.
Contents:
New Account Registration
Review Process
Preparing to Submit
Submission Process
Getting Help
Context-Sensitive Help
Contact Journal Staff
Login Help
Manuscript Status
Starting
New Account Registration
To register a brand new account, click the "New Users: Please Register Here" link on the home page. You will be asked to enter your Last Name, Email and Telephone Number so that the system may first determine if an account already exists for you. If the system determines you already have an account, your login name and a new, temporary password will be automatically emailed to you. If you need further assistance, please contact the Journal Staff directly.
If the system does not find an existing account in the database, you will be directed to the registration screen where you can enter in your personal information and choose a login name and password. You may login immediately after creating your new account. You will also receive an email with your selected login information.
Note that when you register you will be asked if you wish to consider acting as a reviewer for UDI too. This is not compulsory, but we always welcome qualified expert candidates to add to our reviewer pool.
Please note that if you indicate you are willing to act as a reviewer for UDI, you can use the control panel to notify us of dates you are not available for review, using the tab 'Dates Not Available' in your opening UDI control panel.
The manuscript submission and peer review process is broken down into the following steps:-
- The Author submits a manuscript in line with UDI's submission requirements.
- The manuscript goes through an Initial Quality Control (QC) process. If there are any errors in the submission it will be returned to the Corresponding Author by email with a detailed summary of each error, and what needs to be done for each error to correct them. Note that if Authors do not comply with the request to correct their submissions on 3 separate occasions, the manuscript will be rejected without review.
- The Editor decides whether or not to accept the submission for review.
- If accepted, the Editor assigns at least 2 Reviewers to the manuscript to do a blind review. Note that UDI takes great care to find the best expert Reviewer for the specific remit and content of each individual manuscript submitted, so this process can take some time.
- The Reviewers review the manuscript and send feedback to the Editors, including a recommendation.
- The Editor drafts a final Review decision and sends it to the Author.
Preparing to Submit a Manuscript for the first time
Before submitting a manuscript for the first time, please gather the following information:
- Author(s)
- First and Last Name(s)
- Postal Address(es) for institution or workplace
- Work Telephone Number (for Corresponding Author only)
- E-mail address(es)
- Title (you can copy and paste this from your manuscript)
- Abstract (you can copy and paste this from your manuscript)
Main Article files submitted to UDI must be written and submitted in an authentic version of MS Word, ensuring that the language used for the entire document is "English (UK)" via Review->Language->Default. Please do not submit Main Article files as PDF documents, otherwise our system cannot proceed with our mandatory Initial QC process. Please note that the text in all Main Article files must all be in default black colour, with no coloured text, and have no additional formatting eg. double-columns.
Figures/Images should be in TIFF, GIF, JPG, PDF, Postscript, or EPS format.
All tables and figures (eg. photos, images, drawings, etc) must be numbered, captioned and uploaded separately as single individual files to UDI's online submission portal - for example a file entitle 'Table 1' for the first table, a file called 'Table 2' for the second table, a file called 'Figure 1' for the first figure, etc, etc. The caption for each Table and Figure should be included in each file. Within the main Article File use a placeholder to indicate where each Table/Figure should be positioned: for example, 'Insert Table 1 here', 'Insert Figure 3 here', etc. UDI's submission portal software will reassemble the full manuscript including the Tables and Figures automatically and convert them into a PDF before issuing them for review.
Manuscript files should not contain any author identifiable information as articles are double blind reviewed. Main manuscript files containing author identifiable details will be returned for correction.
A cover letter to UDI's editors is not required.
Full contact details of all of the author(s) should be included in a separate file as indicated on the submission page. Please only include full contact details for the author(s), including name of institution/company (where appropriate), a full postal address, telephone number and an email address - no other information, including biographies, is required. The named corresponding author's details will be used for sending article PDF proofs for checking once the manuscript has been processed by our production dept.
Submitting a Revised Manuscript
To submit a revised manuscript following reviewer and editor feedback follow the above process for elements of your submission that need revising. You will also need to submit a Rebuttal Letter, which clearly states how you have addressed the comments made by your 2 reviewers and the assigned UDI editor. Please ensure that this Rebuttal Letter contains no information which might identify the author(s), such as their names, names of their institutions, etc.
We ask that any edits made in the Main Article file are done using 'Track Changes' in MS Word so that reviewers and UDI editors can easily identify changes, additions, deletions, etc.
Submission Process
The manuscript submission process is broken into four steps that gather detailed information about your manuscript and allow you to upload the associated files. The four steps of the submission process are:
Upload Files
- Specify files to be uploaded, identify each file (i.e. as article, biography, figure, etc.) and indicate the required order of the files. As instructed above, please ensure that the files are in the correct file format; and that Tables and Figures are uploaded separately to the main manuscript document and not included in the main manuscript file.
- After completing this section, your files will be uploaded to our server and all article files will be converted into a PDF file format. Prior to being issued to reviewers and editors all component PDF files will be merged into a single PDF document.
- Supply all information about your manuscript, including the Authors, Title, Abstract, Keywords, and, if appropriate, the Special Issue to which you are submitting your manuscript. Please ensure that the required Author Information file only includes the information requested, namely author names, institutions and contact details. DO NOT include photographs of the author(s).
- UDI do not require authors to submit author biographies or a covering letter to the Editor.
- View the uploaded article files and merged PDF and verify your manuscript has been uploaded and converted to PDF correctly. If the conversion is incorrect, you can replace or delete your manuscript files as necessary. You will also have the opportunity to upload additional files, if needed. After you have reviewed the converted files, you will need to click on "Approve Manuscript".
- Please ensure at this stage that you have followed all of the instructions listed above, and respond accurately to each of the the checklist prompts in the manuscript uploading system.
- Submit your manuscript to the Journal. After the manuscript is submitted, you will be taken back to the homepage. A red note at the top of the page will note ‘Manuscript Accepted’ and supply a unique manuscript number. You will also receive confirmation of your submission via email.
Throughout the system, red arrows 
indicate pending action items that you should address.
- Context-Sensitive Help
If you need additional help, you can click on the help signs spread throughout the system. A help dialog will pop up with context-sensitive help.
- Contact Journal Staff
You may contact the Journal Staff at any time by clicking the "Send Manuscript Correspondence" link under the "More Manuscript Info and Tools" header on the manuscript details screen.
- Login Help
If you have forgotten or do not know your login name or password, simply click the "Unknown/Forgotten Password" link on the home page. You will be asked to enter either your Login Name or your First and Last Name. If a single account can be found in the database, the system will automatically and instantly send you an email with your login name and a new, temporary password. If a single account cannot be identified from the information provided, you will need to contact the Journal Staff to reset your password for you.
After you approve your manuscript, the submission process is complete. You can get the status of your manuscript via:
- Logging into the system with your password.
- Clicking on the link represented by your manuscript tracking number and abbreviated title.
- Clicking on the "Check Status" link at the bottom of the displayed page.
The manuscript submission process starts by pressing the "Submit Manuscript" link on your "Home" page after you have logged into the system. Please make sure you have gathered all the required manuscript information listed above BEFORE starting the submission process.
Format Instructions
Main Article should be in UK English, typed in a Serif or San Serif font in font-size 11 or 12, with 1.5 line-spacing on A4 paper with 2cm margins and page-numbering (we do not require individual line-numbering). The manuscript and abstract must be in single-column format, with no other additional formatting. Ensure that the manuscript is written in an authorised copy of Microsoft (MS) Word, and that it does not exceed 20Mb in file-size.
Please do not upload and Figure or Tables within the main article file - please follow the instruction given above to upload them as individual separate files.
Articles should not normally exceed 8,000 words in length (including all notes and references). Please do not use footnotes. Include a word count at the end of the text, together with the date of the manuscript. Please do not number paragraphs, headings or sub-headings.
Provide an abstract of 150-200 words with the article, plus a list of up to six keywords, suitable for indexing and abstracting services.
Figures and tables
Figures/Images should be uploaded in TIFF, GIF, JPG, PDF, Postscript, or EPS format.
Tables produced in Microsoft Excel format should be typed in either Courier, Times New Roman or Arial fonts. Figures should be clear and easy to read, and not need any redrawing or retouching by UDI.
Upload all Figures and Tables required in the manuscript separately as individual appropriately named and numbered files - for example, Table 1, Table 2, Figure 1, Figure 2, etc. Please ensure that an references or acknowledgements for each Figure and/or Table are included in each file.
Ensure that the main article file includes placeholders at the required point that each of these files needs to be inserted - for example 'INSERT TABLE 1 HERE', 'INSERT FIGURE 5 HERE', etc. Once your paper has been approved for review and/or publication, our manuscript management system will re-build the article so that the Tables and Figures appear in the correct location in the PDF file.
Notes
Keep textual notes to a minimum, indicate them with superscript numbers, and provide the note text as a list at the end of the article before the references. Please do not use footnotes.
References in the text
The whole citation should follow the Harvard style, enclosed within parentheses (author surname, year) if not a natural part of the surrounding sentence; the year should be enclosed within parentheses if the names do form a natural part of the surrounding sentence. Citations of works by two authors should have ‘and’ (not an ampersand) between the names. Citations of works by three or more authors should have the first author followed by et al in italics with no trailing stop.
Publications by the same author(s) in the same year should be identified with a, b, c (e.g. 2008a, 2008b) closed up to the year.
Personal communications should be listed as such where they are cited in the text, and not listed in the references.
Example:
Since Paterson (1983) has shown that… This is in results attained later (Kramer, 1984). Results have been reported (Don Graham, 1989, personal communication).
Articles not yet published should show ‘forthcoming’ in place of the year (in both the reference and the citation). ‘In press’ should be used in place of the volume, issue and page range details.
Example:
Sharp Parker, A.M. (forthcoming) Cyberterrorism: An examination of the preparedness of the North Carolina local law enforcement. Security Journal, in press.
List of references
References are placed in alphabetical order of authors. Examples of correct forms of references for alphabetical style:
Book
Slovic, P. (2000) The Perception of Risk. London: Earthscan Publications.
Edited volume
Nye Jr, J.S., Zelikow, P.D. and King D.C. (eds.) (1997) Why People Don’t Trust Government. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Chapter in book
Flora, P. and Alber, J. (1981) Modernization, democratization, and the development of the welfare state. In: P. Flora and A.J. Heidenheimer (eds.) The Development of Welfare States in Europe and America. New Brunswick and London: Transaction Books, pp. 17–34.
Article in journal
Thompson, K., Griffith, E. and Leaf, P. (1990) A historical review of the Madison model of community care. Hospital and Community Psychiatry 41(6): 21–35.
Article in newspaper
Webster, B. (2008) Record bonus for Network Rail chief, despite Christmas chaos. The Times, 6 June: p1.
Newspaper or magazine article (without a named author)
Economist (2005) The mountain man and the surgeon. 24 December, pp. 24–26.
Article online
Gardener, T. and Moffatt, J. (2007) Changing behaviours in defence acquisition: a game theory approach. Journal of the Operational Research Society, advance online publication 28 November, doi: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602476.
Other online resource
Green Party. (2005) Greens call for attack on asylum ‘push factors’. Green Party report, 4 March, http://www.greenparty.org.uk/index.php?nav=new&n=1838, accessed 9 March 2005.
Conference proceedings
Sapin, A. (ed.) (1985) Health and the Environment. Proceedings of the Conference on Biological Monitoring Methods for Industrial Chemicals; 30–31 March 1984, Chicago, IL. Chicago: American Toxological Association.
Conference paper
Harley, N.H. (1981) Radon risk models. In: A.R. Knight and B. Harrad, (eds.) Indoor Air and Human Health. Proceedings of the Seventh Life Sciences Symposium; 29–31 October, Knoxville, TN. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp.69–78.
Papers/talks presented at a conference but not published
Martin, S. (2003) An exploration of factors which have an impact on the vocal performance and vocal effectiveness of newly qualified teachers and lecturers. Paper presented at the Pan European Voice Conference; 31 August, Graz, Austria.
Dissertation/thesis
Young, W.R. (1981) Effects of different tree species on soil properties in central New York. MSc thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
Research papers/reports/working papers
Bloom., G. et al (2005) Poverty Reduction During Democratic Transition: The Malawi Social Action Fund 1996-2001. Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies. IDS Research Report no. 56.
Mimeo
Bond, S. A., Hwang, S., Lin, Z. and Vandell, K. (2005) Marketing Period Risk in a Portfolio Context: Theory and Empirical Estimates from the UK Commercial Real Estate Market. Cambridge, UK: Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge (mimeo).
Speech
Blair, A. (2003) Britain in the World. Speech to FCO Leadership Conference. London, 7 January.
Spelling
Use either UK spellings consistently throughout. For UK spellings take as a guide the new edition of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary and the Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors.
CopyrightAuthors are responsible for obtaining, and, if necessary, paying for permission from copyright holders for reproducing through any medium of communication those illustrations, tables, figures or lengthy quotations previously published elsewhere. Add your acknowledgements to the typescript, preferably in the form of an acknowledgements section at the end of the paper. Credit the source and copyright of photographs or figures in the accompanying captions.
The journal's policy is to own copyright in all contributions. Before publication authors assign copyright to the Publishers, but retain their rights to republish this material in other works written or edited by themselves subject to full acknowledgement of the original source of publication.
The journal mandates the Copyright Clearance Center in the USA and the Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK to offer centralised licensing arrangements for photocopying in their respective territories.
Accuracy of reproduction
All reasonable efforts are made to ensure accurate reproduction of text, photographs and illustrations. The Publisher does not accept responsibility for mistakes, be they editorial or typographical, nor for consequences resulting from them.
The Publisher reserves the right to edit, abridge or omit material submitted for publication.
PDF
Corresponding authors will receive a PDF of their article. This PDF offprint is provided for personal use. It is the responsibility of the corresponding author to pass the PDF offprint onto co-authors (if relevant) and ensure that they are aware of the conditions pertaining to its use.
The PDF must not be placed on a publicly-available website for general viewing, or otherwise distributed without seeking our permission, as this would contravene our copyright policy and potentially damage the journal’s circulation. Please visit www.palgrave-journals.com/pal/authors/rights_and_permissions.html to see our latest copyright policy.
Proofs
Following acceptance, the corresponding author will be sent an email with a link to a PDF file of their typeset article proof, which must be carefully checked and returned. Full instructions will be given.
Authors will also be given the opportunity to order individual copies (off-prints) of their article at that time. You should note that if you request individual copies of your paper after publication of the Journal (i.e. re-prints) the costs will be considerably higher. We cannot give you a quote for off-prints before a paper is typeset. Prices will be included with the order form. You will also be asked to sign the copyright assignment form at this time.
Publication Ethics
We take an active interest in issues and developments relating to publication ethics, such as plagiarism, falsification of data, fabrication of results and other areas of ethical misconduct. This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics. Please note that submitted manuscripts may be subject to checks using the iThenticate service, in conjunction with CrossCheck, in order to detect instances of overlapping and similar text. The iThenticate software checks submissions against millions of published research papers, documents on the web, and other relevant sources.
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