The Knowledge Inquiry Journal (KIJ) welcomes high-quality, original submissions that contribute to academic discourse across a wide range of disciplines. To ensure a smooth review and publication process, authors must adhere to the following submission criteria:

  1. Originality and Unpublished Work
  • Submissions must be original and unpublished.
  • Manuscripts should not be under consideration by another journal at the time of submission.
  • Any overlap with previously published work must be disclosed and justified.
  1. Scope and Relevance
  • Manuscripts must fall within the interdisciplinary scope of the journal, covering fields such as:
    • Business, Management, and Economics
    • Basic and Applied Sciences
    • Social Sciences
    • Arts, Humanities, and Language Use
  • The research must demonstrate scholarly rigor, practical relevance, and a clear contribution to knowledge.
  1. Manuscript Structure
  • Title page (including title, author names, affiliations, and contact email)
  • Abstract (150–250 words) and keywords (4 – 6 words)
  • Introduction
  • Literature Review
  • Methodology
  • Results and Discussion
  • Conclusion and Recommendations
  • References (APA 7th edition)
  1. Formatting Requirements
  • Manuscripts must be submitted in MS Word (.docx) format.
  • Font: Times New Roman, size 12pt, 1.5 spaced.
  • Page size: A4, with 1-inch margins on all sides.
  • All tables and figures must be numbered and captioned, and placed appropriately within the text.
  1. Length of Manuscripts
  • Research articles: 5,000 to 8,000 words (excluding references).
  • Conceptual papers: 4,000 to 6,000 words.
  • Book reviews/commentaries: 1,500 to 3,000 words.
  • Policy briefs/research notes: 2,000 to 4,000 words.
  1. Referencing Style
  • All references and in-text citations must conform to the APA 7th edition style.
  • Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all references.
  1. Ethical Considerations
  • Authors must comply with ethical standards in research involving human subjects, animals, or sensitive data.
  • Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited. All manuscripts will be checked using plagiarism detection software.
  • Any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
  1. Peer Review Process
  • All submissions undergo initial editorial screening followed by double-blind peer review.
  • Authors may be requested to revise and resubmit based on reviewer comments.
  • Acceptance is subject to final editorial approval.
  1. Language and Clarity
  • Manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct language.
  • Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to use language editing services before submission (except for French language, Ewe language, or Akan/Twi papers).
  1. Submission Procedure
  • Submissions should be emailed to: kij@epuc.edu.gh.
  • Subject line: Submission – [Title of Manuscript]
  • Include a cover note stating:
  • The title of the manuscript
  • Names and contact details of the corresponding author.
  • A statement confirming that the work is original and not under review elsewhere
  1. Publication Fees
  • The publication mode is both online and print.
  • The online version is free; the printed copy is $100 per copy.
  1. Frequency of Publications
  • April
  • August
  • December

 

PEER REVIEW POLICY

1.       Review Model

KIJ operates a double-blind peer review system:

  • Double-blind means that neither authors nor reviewers know each other’s identity, thereby ensuring an unbiased assessment.
  • All manuscripts are reviewed by a minimum of two (2) independent reviewers, selected based on subject-matter expertise.
  • In some instances, three (3) reviewers may be assigned. The editorial decision will be based on at least two completed reviews.

2.       Initial Editorial Screening

Upon submission, each manuscript is first reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor to determine:

  • Compliance with the journal’s scope and submission guidelines.
  • Adherence to ethical and formatting standards.
  • Suitability for peer review based on quality and originality.
  • Manuscripts failing to meet the basic criteria may be rejected without being sent out for review (“desk rejection”).

3. Reviewer Selection and Responsibilities

  • Reviewers are selected based on subject expertise, publication history, and prior experience in academic reviewing.
  • Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback, focusing on:
  • Originality and contribution to knowledge.
  • Clarity of research problem and objectives.
  • Methodological soundness.
  • Quality of data and analysis.
  • Theoretical grounding and relevance.
  • Structure, language, and referencing.
  • Reviewers are required to disclose any conflicts of interest and maintain strict confidentiality throughout the review process.

4.       Editorial Decision and Notification.

      Based on reviewer feedback, the Editor will make one of the following decisions:

  • Accept: The manuscript is accepted as submitted or with minor edits.
  • Minor Revision: Authors are required to revise the manuscript with minor changes and resubmit within 14 days.
  • Major Revision: Substantial improvements are required. Revised manuscripts will be re-reviewed.
  • Reject: The manuscript is not suitable for publication in the journal.
  • Authors will receive a formal decision letter, along with anonymized reviewer comments.

5.       Revision Guidelines

  • Authors receiving revision requests must respond within 14 days (minor) or up to 30 days (major).
  • Revisions should be accompanied by a response letter detailing how each reviewer’s comment was addressed.
  • Authors must pay attention to:
  • Typographical and grammatical errors.
  • Completeness and accuracy of references.
  • Logical flow and argumentation.
  • Technical formatting as per KIJ guidelines.
  • Late or poorly revised submissions may be rejected.

6. Acceptance and Publication

  • Final versions of accepted manuscripts must be submitted in both MS Word and PDF formats.
  • Accepted papers will be published in chronological order of final submission.
  • Authors will receive one (1) complimentary copy of the journal issue in which their paper appears.
  • The journal reserves the right to edit accepted manuscripts for clarity, length, and formatting before publication.

7.       Confidentiality and Ethics

  • All manuscripts and reviewer identities are treated with strict confidentiality.
  • Plagiarism, duplicate submission, or data falsification will result in rejection and may lead to potential blacklisting.
  • KIJ follows the COPE guidelines for resolving cases of publication misconduct.

8.       Appeals

Authors who believe their manuscript was unjustly rejected may submit a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief. The appeal must state:

  • Grounds for reconsideration.
  • Response to reviewer/editor concerns.
  • The editorial board will evaluate the appeal and respond within a reasonable timeframe.