Submission Conditions

By submitting to BJRD, authors confirm that the manuscript is original, has not been published previously in the same or substantially similar form unless clearly disclosed and approved, and is not under consideration by another journal, conference proceedings, book, repository-as-publication, or other publication outlet.

All listed authors must have approved the submission, agreed to the author order, and accepted accountability for the work. Authors must also disclose conflicts of interest, funding, data availability, ethics approval, consent, acknowledgements, and AI use where applicable.

Files to Upload

• an anonymised main manuscript file for peer review;
• a separate title page containing author names, affiliations, ORCID identifiers where available, corresponding author details, acknowledgements, funding, conflict-of-interest statements, ethics approval information, data availability statement, and AI-use disclosure where applicable;
• a cover letter explaining the manuscript’s fit with BJRD, its contribution, and any declarations requiring editorial attention;
• a point-by-point response letter for revised submissions;
• high-resolution figures, images, tables, appendices, or supplementary materials if submitted separately; and
• ethics approval letters, consent documentation, reporting checklists, permissions, or data/code availability details where requested by the journal.

Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts must be prepared in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx), using Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spacing, one-inch margins, line numbers, page numbers, and clear headings and subheadings. Research articles normally should be 4,500–5,000 words excluding references, appendices, tables, figures, and title page, unless the editorial office approves a different length for the article type.

Title Page

The title page must be submitted separately from the anonymised manuscript and must include the manuscript title, full author names, institutional affiliations, mailing address where needed, email address of each author, corresponding author contact details, ORCID identifiers where available, acknowledgements, funding information, conflict-of-interest statement, data availability statement, ethics approval statement, consent statement where applicable, and AI-use disclosure where applicable.

Anonymised Manuscript

The anonymised manuscript must include the title, abstract, keywords, main text, references, tables, figures, and appendices as appropriate, but it must not include author names, affiliations, acknowledgements, self-identifying statements, author biographies, or document metadata revealing authorship. Authors may cite their own work in the third person where necessary and must avoid phrases such as “in our previous study” during review.

Abstract, Keywords and Structure

Each manuscript must include an abstract of 150–200 words summarising the purpose, approach, key findings, and contribution of the study. Authors must provide five keywords, preferably in alphabetical order. Research articles normally include introduction, literature review or conceptual background, methodology, findings or results, discussion, conclusion, implications or recommendations, references, and appendices where necessary.

Referencing and Language

BJRD uses the most recent edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) style unless otherwise specified by the editorial office. Authors must ensure that every in-text citation appears in the reference list, references are complete and accurate, DOI information is provided where available, and sources are cited accurately. Manuscripts must be written in clear, professional English.

Tables, Figures and Reporting Standards

Tables and figures must be numbered consecutively, clearly titled or captioned, cited in the text, and accompanied by source acknowledgements where required. Images must be high resolution and submitted in editable or high-quality formats where possible. Authors must follow discipline-appropriate reporting standards and submit checklists where relevant.

Submission Checklist

• The manuscript fits BJRD’s aims and scope.
• The work is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
• The main manuscript file is anonymised.
• The title page is submitted separately.
• APA style and journal formatting requirements have been followed.
• The abstract and keywords are included.
• Tables, figures, appendices, and supplementary files are complete and properly labelled.
• Ethics approval, informed consent, and participant protection statements are included where applicable.
• Conflict-of-interest and funding statements are included.
• Data availability statement is included.
• AI-use disclosure is included where applicable.
• Permissions for copyrighted materials are obtained where necessary.
• All authors have approved the manuscript and author order.
• ORCID identifiers are provided where available.
• A cover letter is included.