We are pleased to announce that Inspire Youth Journal (IYJ) now offers publication for social science research papers!

I. Submission Guidelines:

1. Author Eligibility: Submissions must be authored by students who are currently enrolled at or have graduated from a high school or university. Collaborative projects are permitted so long as all authors meet the eligibility criteria.
2. Research must be original, grounded in social science methodology, and must be related to one of the following fields: economics, political science, sociology, psychology, public policy, and history with social science analysis.
3. Style & Formatting: Manuscripts and references must be in APA style (7th edition preferred; 6th edition is fine)
   1. Formatting guidelines: Times New Roman (12pt), double-spaced, 1 inch margins on all sides, written in Google Docs.
4. Sections Required:
   1. Title Page: Title, author(s), school, grade level, and contact email(s).
   2. Abstract: 150–250 words summarizing research question, methodology, and key findings.
   3. Introduction: Context, research question, and objectives.
   4. Literature Review: Situate your research within existing studies.
   5. Methodology: Detailed description of research design, data collection, and analysis.
   6. Results / Analysis: Findings and interpretation.
   7. Discussion / Conclusion: Implications, limitations, and potential future research.
   8. References / Bibliography: APA style.
5. Word Limit: 3,000 words minimum and 5,000 words maximum (excluding references). Submissions outside this range will not be considered.
6. Research involving human subjects must follow ethical guidelines and include informed consent when applicable. Content that is deemed unethical will not be published.
7. Submissions must disclose funding sources or conflicts of interest if relevant.
8. We do not republish research papers that have already been published elsewhere, in any form or language (partial or full).

II. Review Process:

1. Submission: Please submit your research paper here (Google Docs)
2. Round 1: Editorial Review:
   1. All submissions are first reviewed by IYJ’s editorial team (at least 2-3 editors) for clarity, rigor, ethical compliance, and overall suitability for publication.
   2. If all editors categorize the paper under either a major revision or rejection, it will be rejected.
   3. Feedback may be provided to improve the manuscript prior to final consideration (minor revision).
   4. In the case that feedback is provided, manuscripts will be sent back to authors to make the necessary revisions.
3. Round 2: Scholarly Review:
   1. Submissions accepted by editors (after primary revisions) are sent to undergraduate volunteers from top universities for additional scholarly feedback.
   2. At this stage, if two or more scholarly reviewers categorize the paper under either a major revisionor rejection, the paper will be rejected.
   3. Authors may be asked to revise their work (minor revision) based on reviewer suggestions before final acceptance.
4. Publication
   1. If, after both review rounds, papers are accepted, and all necessary revisions have been made, they will be published in one of IYJ’s biannual research editions.
   2. Submissions accepted between August 16 (of the previous year) – Feb 15 will be included in the end-of-June edition.
   3. Submissions accepted between Feb 16 – August 15 will be included in the end-of-December edition.
   4. On average, 8-12 papers will be included in each edition.
   5. If your research paper has been published in IYJ, please do not publish it elsewhere, in any form or language (partial or full). Violations may result in the removal of the paper from IYJ.

Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis. For questions, please contact us here.