Submissions

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Author Guidelines

  1. Scope and Submission Policy

The Historian is a peer-reviewed, biannual journal committed to high-quality, ethical, and globally relevant historical scholarship.

  • Originality: We welcome original, unpublished manuscripts.
  • Exclusivity: Simultaneous submissions to other journals are strictly prohibited.
  • Review Model: The journal follows a triple-blind peer review model (two national experts, one international scholar).
  1. General Formatting Guidelines

Authors must ensure their manuscripts adhere to the following format. Submissions not meeting these requirements may be returned without review.

  • File Format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) only.
  • Font: Times New Roman, size 12 pt.
  • Line Spacing: Double-spaced throughout (including block quotes and references).
  • Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides.
  • Alignment: Text must be justified (aligned on both left and right margins).
  • Paragraphs: Indent the first line of each paragraph; do not insert extra line breaks between paragraphs.
  • Page Numbers: Do not include page numbers, headers, or footers in the main document (to facilitate blind review).
  1. Language and Style
  • Language: Manuscripts must be written in clear, scholarly British English.
  • Spelling: Follow British conventions (e.g., organisation, labour, centre).
  • Style Guide: Adhere to the Oxford Style Guide for Editors.
    • Use the serial (Oxford) comma.
    • Use logical punctuation.
    • Use inclusive, non-discriminatory language.
  • Italics: Use italics for book titles, foreign terms (unless naturalised), and minimal emphasis.
  • Abbreviations: Spell out on first mention with the abbreviation in brackets—e.g., Government College University (GCU). Use sparingly.
  • Quotations:
    • Short quotations (fewer than 40 words): Enclose in quotation marks.
    • Long quotations (40+ words): Format as indented block quotations without quotation marks.
  1. Word Count
  • Length: Manuscripts must be between 5,000 and 8,000 words.
  • Inclusions: This count includes the main text, block quotes, and the reference list.
  1. Manuscript Components

Submissions must be divided into three separate files to ensure anonymity during peer review.

  1. Title Page (Separate File)

Must include:

  • Article Title.
  • Full Author Name(s).
  • Institutional Affiliation(s).
  • Contact Email(s).
  • ORCID iD (if available).
  • A short author biography (50–70 words).
  1. Main Document (Anonymised)

Must include:

  • Title (with no author information).
  • Abstract (150–250 words).
  • Keywords (5–7).
  • Main Text.
  • References (Bibliography).
  1. Tables and Figures (Separate Files)
  • Numbered sequentially and titled/referenced in the text.
  • Provided in high resolution (minimum 300 DPI).
  • Captions and sources must be clearly labelled.
  • Permissions: Authors are responsible for obtaining copyright clearance for any reproduction of content.
  1. Referencing Style

The Historian requires the Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition) Author-Date system.

In-Text Citations

Place citations in parentheses within the text, including the author’s last name and the year of publication. For direct quotes, include page numbers.

  • Example: (Colley 1992, 37).
  • Example: (Hobsbawm 1987).

Bibliography Guidelines

General Formatting A separate bibliography is required at the end of the document. Entries must be formatted according to the Author-Date style (as shown below).

Categorisation The bibliography must be divided into two distinct sections:

  • Primary Sources: (Archival documents, oral histories, government reports, newspapers, and original manuscripts).
  • Secondary Sources: (Academic books, journal articles, and dissertations).

Ordering Entries within each section must be alphabetised by the author's last name.

Primary Sources

Includes archival data, official reports, oral history interviews, and contemporary periodicals.

  • Government Report: Government of India. 1911. Census of India, 1911: Vol. XIV, Punjab. Lahore: Civil and Military Gazette Press.
  • Newspaper/Periodical: The Civil and Military Gazette. 1898. “The Plague in Lahore.” May 14, 1898.
  • Archival Document: Deputy Commissioner Lahore. 1920. “Report on Civil Unrest.” File 12/B, Home Political Dept. Punjab Archives.

Secondary Sources

Includes scholarly analysis, monographs, and peer-reviewed articles.

  • Book: Colley, Linda. 1992. Britons: Forging the Nation, 1707–1837. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  • Journal Article: Taghipour Bazargani, Davood. 2015. “A comparative study on two translations of the Holy Quran: A critical discourse analysis approach.” Journal of Translation Studies 13: 49–64.
  1. Ethical Compliance, AI Policy, and Authorship Standards Adherence to Standards:

This journal follows the ethical requirements outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE, 2022).

Originality and Plagiarism

  • Originality: Submissions must be the authors' original work. Manuscripts under consideration by other journals or publications will not be accepted (No Multiple Submissions).
  • Similarity Threshold: The similarity index must not exceed 19% (excluding references and quotations), as verified by software such as Turnitin.
  • Consequences: Any instance of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or data fabrication will result in the immediate rejection of the manuscript. Serious infractions may be reported to the authors' affiliated institution.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

  • Scope of Permitted Use: This journal permits the use of Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) for specific research-support tasks, including language editing, proofreading, formatting, and initial conceptual brainstorming. However, these tools must be used under strict human oversight and may not be listed as authors. Authorship implies accountability, which AI tools cannot possess.
  • Human Oversight and Detection: We align our practices with major international publishers, including Elsevier and Taylor & Francis, by prioritizing human editorial review over automated metrics. We acknowledge that current AI detection software can yield inaccurate results and false positives, particularly when authors use software for legitimate language refinement.
  • Assessment Criteria: Consequently, the journal does not enforce a rigid threshold for "AI probability" or "AI content" scores. Decisions regarding manuscript integrity are based on a holistic editorial assessment of the content's validity and flow, rather than automated detection percentages alone.
  1. Authorship Criteria
  • Contribution: Authorship is limited to individuals who have made substantial scholarly contributions to the work.
  • Approval: All listed authors must approve the final submitted version as well as any subsequent revisions.
  1. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including personal, institutional, or financial relationships that could influence the research or interpretation of the work.

  1. Ethical Research Protocols
  • Institutional Approval: Articles involving human subjects, oral histories, or sensitive topics must provide evidence of ethical approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or equivalent ethical body.
  • Informed Consent: Written informed consent must be obtained from all participants where applicable.
  1. Peer Review and Post-Publication
  • Evaluation: Manuscripts are evaluated on originality, relevance, methodological rigour, theoretical contribution, and clarity.
  • Decisions: Accept | Minor Revisions | Major Revisions | Reject.
  • Corrections/Retractions: Authors may request corrections for factual errors. Retractions are issued for proven ethical breaches.
  • Appeals: Must be made in writing within 10 days of the editorial decision.
  1. Submission Contact

All manuscripts and correspondence should be directed to:

Editor, The Historian Department of History, Institute of Global and Historical Studies Government College University, New Campus Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore, Pakistan

Email: historian@gcu.edu.pk

Submission Preparation Checklist

All submissions must meet the following requirements:

  • This submission meets the requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.

    1. File Organization (Three Separate Files)

    Submissions must be divided into three separate files to ensure anonymity during the triple-blind peer review process.

    File A: Title Page (Non-Anonymized)

    • [ ] File Format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx).

    • [ ] Article Title: Included at the top.

    • [ ] Author Details: Full name(s), institutional affiliation(s), and contact email(s).

    • [ ] ORCID iD: Included if available.

    • [ ] Biography: A short author biography (50–70 words).

    File B: Main Document (Anonymized)

    • [ ] Anonymity: No author names, headers, footers, or page numbers included in this file.

    • [ ] Title: Article title included (without author info).

    • [ ] Abstract: Between 150 and 250 words.

    • [ ] Keywords: 5–7 keywords.

    • [ ] Main Text: The body of your article.

    • [ ] Bibliography: Included at the end of this file.

    File C: Tables and Figures (If applicable)

    • [ ] Format: Separate file.

    • [ ] Numbering: Numbered sequentially and titled/referenced in the text.

    • [ ] Quality: High resolution (minimum 300 DPI).

    • [ ] Labeling: Captions and sources clearly labelled.

    • [ ] Permissions: Copyright clearance obtained for any reproduced content.

       

    2. Manuscript Formatting

    • [ ] Font: Times New Roman, size 12 pt.

    • [ ] Spacing: Double-spaced throughout (including block quotes and references).

    • [ ] Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides.

    • [ ] Alignment: Justified text (aligned on both left and right margins).

    • [ ] Paragraphs: First line indented; no extra line breaks between paragraphs.

    • [ ] Word Count: Between 5,000 and 8,000 words (includes main text, block quotes, and reference list).

    3. Language and Style

    • [ ] Language: Clear, scholarly British English.

    • [ ] Spelling: British conventions (e.g., organisation, labour, centre).

    • [ ] Punctuation: Use the serial (Oxford) comma and logical punctuation.

    • [ ] Style Guide: Adhere to the Oxford Style Guide for Editors.

    • [ ] Abbreviations: Spelled out on first mention with abbreviation in brackets (used sparingly).

    • [ ] Quotations:

      • Short quotes (<40 words): Enclosed in quotation marks.

      • Long quotes (40+ words): Indented block quotations without quotation marks.

    4. Referencing (Chicago 16th Ed. Author-Date)

    • [ ] System: Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition) Author-Date system.

    • [ ] In-Text Citations: Parentheses with author's last name and year (e.g., Hobsbawm 1987).

    • [ ] Direct Quotes: Must include page numbers (e.g., Colley 1992, 37).

    • [ ] Bibliography Structure: Divided into two distinct sections.

      • Primary Sources: (Archival docs, government reports, newspapers, etc.).

      • Secondary Sources: (Academic books, journal articles, dissertations).

    • [ ] Ordering: Alphabetized by author's last name within each section.

    5. Ethics and Final Compliance

    • [ ] Originality: The work is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.

    • [ ] Plagiarism Check: Similarity index must not exceed 19% (excluding references and quotations).

    • [ ] IRB/Consent: Ethical approval and written informed consent obtained for human subject research.

    • [ ] Conflict of Interest: Any potential conflicts have been disclosed.

       

     

Articles

Section default policy

Privacy Statement

The Historian, Department of History, Institute of Global and Historical Studies Government College University (GCU), Lahore

  1. Commitment to Privacy

The Historian is committed to protecting the personal data of its authors, reviewers, editors, and readers. We adhere to the data protection standards outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure that personal information is handled with transparency, integrity, and security.

  1. Collection of Personal Data

The journal collects specific personal information necessary for processing manuscripts and managing the scholarly record. This data is typically collected during the registration and submission process via our Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform or email correspondence.

Types of Data Collected:

  • Identity Data: Full names, titles, and gender.
  • Contact Data: Institutional email addresses, postal addresses, and phone numbers.
  • Professional Data: Institutional affiliations, department details, ORCID iDs, and biographical statements.
  • Manuscript Data: Authorship metadata associated with submitted and published articles.
  1. Use of Personal Data

The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

Specific Uses Include:

  • Editorial Communication: To contact authors regarding the status of their manuscripts, peer review feedback, and publication decisions.
  • Peer Review Management: To verify the expertise of potential reviewers and manage the triple-blind review process.
  • Publication: To attribute authorship correctly in the final published article and metadata (including DOI registration via Crossref).
  • Journal Updates: To inform registered users of new issues or calls for papers (users may opt out of these notifications).
  1. Data Sharing and Disclosure

The Historian maintains a strict policy regarding the sharing of personal data:

  • No Commercial Sharing: We will never sell, rent, or trade personal data to third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.
  • Third-Party Service Providers: Limited data (Author Name, Article Title, Email, Affiliation) is shared with essential service providers solely for the purpose of academic indexing and preservation. This includes:
    • Crossref: For DOI registration.
    • Turnitin: For plagiarism checking (manuscript content only).
    • Indexing Databases: (e.g., Tehqeeqat, Scopus) for the visibility of published work.
  1. Data Security and Retention
  • Security: All personal data is stored on secure servers managed by the IT Department of Government College University (GCU), Lahore. We implement industry-standard digital security measures to prevent unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.
  • Retention: Personal data associated with published articles (names, affiliations) is retained indefinitely as part of the permanent public scholarly record. Data for rejected manuscripts is retained only as long as necessary for administrative records and audit trails.
  1. Rights of Individuals

In accordance with GDPR and international privacy norms, registered users have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about them.
  • Correction: Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data (e.g., updating an affiliation).
  • Deletion: Request the deletion of their user profile from our system (subject to the retention requirements of the permanent scholarly record for published authors).
  1. Contact Information

For any questions regarding this Privacy Statement or to exercise your data rights, please contact the editorial office:

The Editor, The Historian, Department of History, Institute of Global and Historical Studies, First Floor, Academic Block, New Campus, GT Road, Government College University, Lahore. Email: historian@gcu.edu.pk