Author Guidelines: Journal of School Administration

Last Updated: June 2026

Table of Contents

1. Aims and Scope (What We Publish)
2. General Policy and Ethical Considerations
3. Journal Contact Information
4. Pre-Submission Inquiries
5. Submission Requirements (Files to Upload)
6. Author Information and ORCID
7. Manuscript Structure and Formatting
8. Citation and Reference Requirements
9. Acknowledgment of Funding and Assistance
10. Research Ethics and Human/Animal Subjects
11. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy
12. Data Availability Statement
13. Peer Review Model
14. Publication Fees and Open Access Policy
15. Withdrawal Policy
16. Appeals Process
17. Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions
18. Resubmission of Rejected Manuscripts
19. Special Issues and Call for Papers
20. Indexing and Abstracting
21. Submission Process (Step by Step)
22. After Submission – What to Expect
23. Common Reasons for Immediate Rejection (Desk Rejection)
24. Language Editing Services
25. Social Media and Promotion
26. Manuscript Preparation Checklist for Novice Authors
27. Tips for First-Time Authors
28. Contact and Support
29. Aims and Scope (What We Publish)

1.1 Broad Definition

The Journal of School Administration is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to advancing the theory, research, and practice of educational leadership and school management. We publish original empirical research, theoretical contributions, systematic reviews, and methodological papers that examine how schools are organized, led, and improved.

Primary audience: Academics, researchers, graduate students, school administrators (principals, vice principals, department heads), district leaders, education policymakers, and teacher leaders.

Educational levels covered: Pre-K–12 and K–12 education (early childhood through secondary education).

1.2 Core Topic Areas (Organized by Theme)

We welcome submissions on the following topics:

1. School Leadership and Principal Effectiveness
2. Teacher Leadership and Professional Development
3. School Culture, Climate, and Community Engagement
4. Educational Policy and Governance
5. School Improvement and Effectiveness
6. Resource Management and School Finance
7. Curriculum and Instructional Leadership
8. Special Populations and Inclusive Education
9. School Organization and Change Management
10. Educational Technology and AI Leadership
11. Student Services and Whole-Child Supports
12. Evaluation and Accountability
13. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in School Administration
14. Early Childhood and Primary School Administration
15. Secondary and High School Administration
16. Cross-Cutting and Emerging Topics

1.3 Methodological Scope

We welcome diverse research approaches:

Methodology	Examples
Quantitative	Surveys, experiments, quasi-experiments, longitudinal studies, secondary analysis of large datasets (e.g., national education datasets), meta-analyses, structural equation modeling
Qualitative	Case studies, ethnography, interviews, focus groups, document analysis, classroom/school observations, phenomenological studies
Mixed Methods	Sequential or concurrent designs combining quantitative survey data with qualitative interview data
Theoretical/Conceptual	New theoretical frameworks, model development, systematic literature reviews, policy analysis
Systematic Reviews	PRISMA-compliant systematic reviews, scoping reviews, meta-syntheses, meta-analyses
Methodological	New instruments, validated surveys, measurement tools, or analytical approaches for school administration research
Action Research	Practitioner-led research in schools with clear methodology and reflection

1.4 Types of Articles Accepted

Article Type	Description	Typical Word Count
Original Research	Full-length empirical studies	Up to 7,000 words
Review Articles	Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, critical literature reviews	Up to 8,000 words
Theoretical Articles	New frameworks, models, or conceptual advances	Up to 6,000 words
Case Studies	In-depth analysis of a single school, district, or program	Up to 5,000 words
Methodological Articles	New instruments or analytical techniques	Up to 5,000 words
Policy Analysis	Critical examination of education policies affecting schools	Up to 5,000 words
Book Reviews	Reviews of recent scholarly books (by invitation or open submission)	1,500–2,000 words
Practitioner Briefs	Research summaries translated for school leaders	2,000–3,000 words

2. General Policy and Ethical Considerations

The Journal of School Administration follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. All authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to adhere to COPE principles.

• Original Work:Only original manuscripts based on the authors' own research and demonstrating innovation will be considered. Translations of previously published articles are not accepted.
• No Dual Submission:Manuscripts must not have been previously published nor be under consideration for publication or review elsewhere.
• No Redundant Publication:Do not submit a paper that substantially overlaps with a previously published paper (including conference proceedings) without clear citation and explanation of new contribution.
• One Manuscript at a Time:Authors should not submit more than one manuscript simultaneously. The journal will not process additional submissions until a final decision has been made on the first.
• Final Acceptance:Final acceptance is subject to approval by reviewers, scientific advisors, and the Editorial Board. Upon issuance of the acceptance certificate, copyright is transferred to or licensed to the journal.
• Responsibility for Content:Authors bear full responsibility for the content of their articles. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the journal.
• Plagiarism Check:All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software. Acceptable similarity threshold: Maximum 15% total similarity, with no single source above 5% (excluding references and quoted text). Manuscripts exceeding this will be desk-rejected.
• Image Manipulation:Digital images (figures, gels, blots, micrographs) must not be manipulated in ways that misrepresent findings. Adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance must be applied to the entire image. Splicing, cloning, or obscuring parts of images is not permitted.
• Preprint Policy:Authors may post their manuscript to a preprint server (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv, SSRN, EdArXiv) before You must disclose this in the cover letter and provide a link to the preprint. Preprints do not constitute prior publication.
• Conference Papers:If your manuscript is based on a conference paper, it must contain at least 50% new content (new data, analysis, or interpretation). Disclose the conference in the cover letter.
• Editing Rights:The journal reserves the right to make literary and technical edits without altering the core content. Submitted manuscripts will not be returned.
• Correspondence:After submission, all communication (acknowledgment of receipt, status updates, etc.) is conducted exclusively through the journal's online system. Avoid unnecessary contact (see Section 27 for definition).

3. Journal Contact Information

Item	Information
Journal Email	jsa@uok.ac.ir
Submission System URL	https://jsa.uok.ac.ir
Journal ISSN	Insert Print: 2538-4724 / Online ISSN: 2538-4732]
Publisher	University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
Publication Frequency	Quarterly
DOI Prefix	10.22034

Important: All inquiries, requests, and correspondence regarding submissions must be sent to the journal email address. Authors are strongly recommended to direct all communication through the official journal email rather than contacting individual editors or staff members personally. This ensures your request is properly documented and responded to in a timely manner. Expected response time: 1 week.

 

4. Submission Requirements (Files to Upload)

After registering on the journal submission system and carefully reading these guidelines, authors must prepare and submit the following 5 files:

File	Description	File Naming Convention
a. Authors' Information File	Contains full name, academic rank, department, faculty, university, city, country, organizational email, phone number, and ORCID for each author. Do not use titles like Dr. or Professor.	Authors_Lastname.docx
b. Main Manuscript File	Complete manuscript (title, abstract, keywords, main text, references, acknowledgements). No author identifiers in this file for blind review.	Manuscript_Lastname.docx
c. Conflict of Interest Form	Completed, signed (or stamped) by all authors. Download from journal website.	COI_Lastname.pdf
d. Declaration of Commitment Form	Completed, signed (or stamped) by all authors. Download from journal website.	Declaration_Lastname.pdf
e. Similarity Check Report	Generated by approved plagiarism detection software (e.g., Samim Noor, iThenticate). Report must be no more than 3 months old.	Similarity_Lastname.pdf

Important: If any file is missing or incorrectly formatted, your submission will be returned to you without review.

 

5. Author Information and ORCID

• Order of Authors:Entered correctly in the system; this order will appear in the published article. Changes to author order after submission require a signed agreement from all authors.
• Thesis/Dissertation Articles:Author order must comply with the regulations of the student's university.
• Corresponding Author:All correspondence will be with the submitting/corresponding author only. Choose one author (typically the lead author or senior author) as the corresponding author.
• Affiliation Format (exact pattern):
  Academic rank, Department name, Faculty/School name, University name, City, Country, Organizational email

Example: Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership, Faculty of Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran, a.rahimi@ut.ac.ir

• Email Requirement:Faculty members must use an official university or institutional email. Personal email addresses (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) are not accepted for faculty authors. Graduate students may use institutional email; if none exists, use a professional personal email with explanation.
• ORCID iD:All authors must have an ORCID iD. Registration is free at https://orcid.org. Link your ORCID to the submission system for automatic population of your information.

Tip for novice authors: Setting up an ORCID takes 2 minutes. It ensures you get credit for your work and is now required by most reputable journals.

 

6. Manuscript Structure and Formatting

6.1 Required Structure (in order)

Your main manuscript file must follow this exact order:

Section	Required?	Notes
1. Title	✅ Yes	Concise, descriptive, maximum 20 words
2. Abstract	✅ Yes	150–250 words (see Section 7.2)
3. Keywords	✅ Yes	3–5 words or short phrases
4. Introduction	✅ Yes	Background, problem statement, research questions
5. Statement of the Problem	✅ Yes	Clear articulation of the gap or issue addressed
6. Theoretical Literature / Literature Review	✅ Yes	Review of relevant theories and prior research
7. Research Methodology	✅ Yes	Design, sample, instruments, procedures, analysis
8. Data Analysis / Findings	✅ Yes	Results with tables/figures as needed
9. Discussion	✅ Yes	Interpretation of findings in context of prior research
10. Conclusion	✅ Yes	Summary, limitations, implications
11. Recommendations	✅ Yes	For practice and future research
12. Acknowledgements	Optional	Funding sources, AI disclosure, thanks to colleagues
13. References	✅ Yes	Complete list in required citation style
14. Appendices	Optional	Surveys, interview protocols, supplementary data

 

6.2 Abstract Structure

Your abstract (150–250 words) must include:

• Background:What problem did you investigate?
• Objective: clearly write the aim/purpose of the research.
• Methodology:How did you conduct the research? (Sample size, design, instruments, data analysis)
• Findings/Results:What did you discover? (Include key numbers or themes)
• Conclusion/Contribution:What does this mean for school administration theory or practice?

Example abstract (good):

*This study examined the relationship between principal instructional leadership and student reading achievement in 120 urban elementary schools. Using a cross-sectional survey design, we collected data from 120 principals and 3,400 teachers, analyzing responses using hierarchical linear modeling. Findings indicated that principal instructional leadership explained 18% of between-school variance in reading achievement after controlling for school demographic characteristics. Distributed leadership practices—particularly shared goal-setting and collaborative professional development—were the strongest predictors. We conclude that principals seeking to raise reading achievement should prioritize building teacher leadership capacity rather than engaging in direct instructional supervision alone. Recommendations for principal preparation programs and district policies are discussed.*

 

6.3 Formatting Specifications

Element	Requirement
Maximum pages	20 pages (including references and tables)
Maximum word count	6,500 words (excluding abstract, references, tables)
Abstract	150–250 words
Keywords	3–5 words
Language	English (American or British, but consistent)
Font	Times New Roman, size 12
Line spacing	Double (2.0)
Margins	1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides
Page numbers	Centered at bottom of each page
File format	Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) only (no PDF for main manuscript)
Tables and figures	Embedded in the text, numbered sequentially (Table 1, Table 2; Figure 1, Figure 2)
Table/figure resolution	Minimum 300 dpi for images

 

6.4 Additional Formatting Notes for Novice Authors

• Headings:Use APA 7th edition heading levels (Level 1: Centered, Bold; Level 2: Flush Left, Bold; Level 3: Flush Left, Bold Italic)
• Quotations:Short quotes (<40 words) within paragraph in double quotation marks. Long quotes (≥40 words) in a separate indented block without quotation marks.
• Numbers:Write numbers 0–9 in words; use numerals for 10 and above. Use numerals for all numbers with decimals or units of measurement (e.g., 5 cm, 12 kg).
• Abbreviations:Define on first use (e.g., Response to Intervention (RTI)). Thereafter, use the abbreviation alone.
• Anonymity for peer review:Remove all author names, affiliations, and any self-citations that would reveal your identity. Replace "as we showed in our previous work (Smith, 2020)" with "as previously shown (Smith, 2020)."
• Template:A downloadable Word template is available on the journal website. Using it will save you time and ensure compliance.

 

7. Citation and Reference Requirements

• Citation style:APA 7th edition (American Psychological Association, 2020).
• In-text citations:(Author, year) for paraphrasing; (Author, year, p. X) for direct quotes.
• Reference list:Alphabetical by first author's last name. Do not number references.
• DOI:Include DOIs for all references that have them (format: https://doi.org/xxxxx).
• Number of references:No minimum or maximum, but typically 30–80 for original research.
• Self-citation:Limit self-citation to no more than 20% of your references.
• Geographic diversity:We encourage citing scholarship from diverse geographic contexts (not only Western/English-language sources).

Recommended reference manager: Zotero (free), EndNote, or Mendeley. These tools will format your references automatically.

Example reference list (APA 7th):

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/122.311

Grissom, J. A., Egalite, A. J., & Lindsay, C. A. (2021). How principals affect students and schools: A systematic synthesis of two decades of research. The Wallace Foundation.

Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077

 

8. Acknowledgment of Funding and Assistance

If your research received financial support, include an Acknowledgements section before the references:

Example:

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the [Name of Funding Body], Grant Number [XXXXXX]. The funder had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors thank Dr. Jane Smith for feedback on an earlier draft and the participating school districts for their cooperation.

Also acknowledge:

• Colleagues who provided feedback but are not co-authors
• Research assistants who contributed to data collection
• AI tools used (see Section 11)

 

9. Research Ethics and Human/Animal Subjects

9.1 Human Subjects Research

If your study involves human participants (students, teachers, principals, parents, etc.), you must include an ethics statement in your manuscript (in the Methodology section) confirming:

1. Informed consent:All participants gave informed consent (for minors, parental consent plus child assent).
2. Institutional approval:The study received approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee.
3. Confidentiality:Participants' identities were protected (pseudonyms, aggregated data, secure storage).

Example ethics statement:

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of [University Name] (Protocol #2024-001). All participants provided written informed consent. For student participants under 18, parental consent was obtained along with student assent. Data were anonymized before analysis.*

 

 

10. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy

AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Claude, Gemini, Grammarly) may be used only for:

• Language polishing and grammar correction
• Spelling and punctuation checking
• Basic formatting assistance

AI tools may not be used for:

• Generating research ideas, hypotheses, or research questions
• Data collection, analysis, or interpretation
• Drafting substantial portions of the manuscript
• Creating tables, figures, or statistical outputs
• Writing the discussion, conclusion, or recommendations

Disclosure requirement: If you used any AI tool, you must disclose this in the Acknowledgements section, specifying:

• The tool(s) used (name and version)
• How they were used (e.g., "used to check grammar and spelling")
• That the authors reviewed and take full responsibility for all content

Example disclosure:

The authors used ChatGPT-4 (OpenAI, 2025) solely for grammar and spelling checking during manuscript preparation. No AI tools were used for data analysis, interpretation, or content generation. The authors assume full responsibility for the final manuscript.

Prohibited: AI tools cannot be listed as co-authors. Only humans can be authors.

 

11. Data Availability Statement

Every manuscript must include a Data Availability Statement after the main text and before the references. Choose one of the following templates:

Statement	When to Use
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.	Most common; data not publicly deposited
The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in [repository name] at [DOI/URL].	When data are publicly archived
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed.	For conceptual, theoretical, or review articles
The data underlying this article will be shared upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.	Alternative to first option

 

 

 

Example:

Data Availability Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Ethical restrictions prevent public deposition of data containing student-level identifiers.

 

12. Peer Review Model

The journal uses a double-blind peer review model. This means:

• Authors do not know who the reviewers are.
• Reviewers do not know who the authors are.
•  

12.1 How to Prepare for Double-Blind Review

Do This	Do NOT Do This
Remove all author names and affiliations from the main manuscript file	List authors in the main file (put them in the separate Authors' Information File)
Remove acknowledgements that identify you (e.g., "We thank our colleagues at University X")	Include acknowledgements in the main file (move them to the Authors' Information File, to be added after acceptance)
Replace self-citations that reveal identity: change "as we previously found (Smith, 2020)" to "as previously found (Smith, 2020)"	Leave self-citations in the first person
Remove any reference to your institution, department, or funding source from the main text	Include these in the main file

12.2 Review Process Details

Element	Detail
Number of reviewers	Minimum 2, typically 2–3
Reviewer selection	Based on expertise; authors may request exclusion of up to 3 reviewers (provide names and reasons)
Review timeline	Reviewers are asked to complete reviews within 4 weeks
Revision timeline	Authors typically receive 4–6 weeks to complete revisions
Revision extension	Requests for extensions (up to 2 additional weeks) may be granted if submitted in writing before the deadline
Missed revision deadline	Without an approved extension, the manuscript may be withdrawn or treated as a new submission

 

13. Publication Fees and Open Access Policy

 

13.1 Article Processing Charges (APCs)

Fee Type	Amount
Submission fee	5000000Rials/ 10 $
Publication fee	50000000 Rials/50$

 

13.2 Open Access Policy

The journal is [select one: fully open access / subscription-based / hybrid].

• If open access:All articles are freely available immediately upon publication under a Creative Commons license.
• If hybrid:Authors may choose to pay an APC for open access; otherwise, articles are available to subscribers only.
•  

13.3 Licensing

Articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license (or as otherwise specified). This allows anyone to share and adapt the work with proper attribution.

 

13.4 Copyright Transfer

Upon acceptance, the corresponding author will receive a Copyright Transfer Agreement (CTA) or Publishing License. Authors retain the right to:

• Post the accepted version to institutional repositories after publication (Green Open Access)
• Use the article in their own teaching and future research
• Share the article with colleagues

 

14. Withdrawal Policy

Stage	Fee	Conditions
Before peer review begins	5000000Rials/50 $	Corresponding author must email withdrawal request with all co-authors copied
After peer review has commenced	5000000Rials/100 $	Administrative fee may apply
After acceptance	Not permitted	Manuscript cannot be withdrawn once accepted

 

How to withdraw: Send email to journal email address with subject line "WITHDRAWAL REQUEST: [Manuscript ID]" signed by all co-authors.

 

15. Appeals Process

If your manuscript is rejected, you may appeal the decision within 30 days of the rejection date.

To file an appeal: Send an email to the journal email address with subject line "APPEAL: [Manuscript ID]" containing:

1. A clear statement that you are appealing the decision
2. A point-by-point response to each reviewer and editor concern
3. A rationale for why the decision should be reconsidered (e.g., factual errors, misinterpretation of methods, new evidence)

What happens next: The Editor-in-Chief or a designated editorial board member will review the appeal. The decision after appeal is final. No second appeals are permitted.

 

16. Resubmission of Rejected Manuscripts

A rejected manuscript may be resubmitted only if:

• The decision letter explicitly invited resubmission (e.g., "Reject but allow resubmission after major revisions")
• The authors have addressed all reviewer comments in a point-by-point response letter
• The resubmission includes a marked copy showing changes.

Without an invitation to resubmit, a rejected manuscript will be desk-rejected if resubmitted.

 

17. Indexing and Abstracting

The Journal of School Administration is indexed or abstracted in the following databases:

• ISC, DOAJ, Google Scholar

Note: Indexing status changes over time. Please check the journal website for the most current information.

17.1 Digital Preservation

The journal's content is digitally preserved in:

• https://jsa.uok.ac.ir/

• https://www.magiran.com/volume/245913
• https://jcr.isc.ac/jDetails.aspx

If the journal ceases publication, archived content will remain accessible through these preservation services.

 

18. Submission Process (Step by Step for Novice Authors)

Follow these steps carefully:

Step 1: Prepare Your Materials

• Read these guidelines completely
• Use the journal template (download from website)
• Prepare main manuscript (anonymized, no author names)
• Prepare authors' information file (names, affiliations, ORCIDs, emails)
• Complete and sign Conflict of Interest Form (all authors)
• Complete and sign Declaration of Commitment Form (all authors)
• Generate similarity check report (must be less than 3 months old)

 

Step 2: Register or Log In

• Go to the submission system: https://jsa.uok.ac.ir/

• If new, click "Register" and create an account (use your institutional email)
• If returning, log in with your username and password

 

Step 3: Start a New Submission

• Click "New Submission" or "Submit a Manuscript"
• Follow the 5–7 step wizard:

 

Step	Action
1. Start	Select article type, confirm adherence to guidelines
2. Upload Files	Upload all 5 files (authors info, main manuscript, COI form, declaration form, similarity report)
3. Enter Metadata	Enter title, abstract, keywords, authors (in correct order), affiliations, ORCIDs
4. Additional Information	Answer ethics questions (human subjects? conflicts of interest? funding?)
5. Comments	Add a cover letter to the editor (optional but recommended)
6. Review	Check all information for accuracy
7. Submit	Click "Submit" – you will receive a confirmation email

 

Step 4: After Submission

• You will receive an automated email confirmation within 1 hour
• The editorial office will perform an initial check within 5–7 business days
• If files are missing or incorrect, you will be notified to revise your submission
• Once approved for peer review, you will receive a second email with the manuscript ID

 Tip: Save your manuscript ID (e.g., JSA-2026-00123). You will need it for all future correspondence.

 

19. After Submission – What to Expect

19.1 Typical Timeline

Stage	Estimated Time	What Happens
Initial check (desk review)	5–10 business days	Editor checks scope, formatting, plagiarism, completeness
Reviewer assignment	1–2 weeks	Editor invites 2–3 reviewers
Peer review	4–6 weeks	Reviewers evaluate manuscript
Editorial decision	1–2 weeks	Editor synthesizes reviews and makes decision
First decision (typical)	8–12 weeks from submission	You receive decision letter
Revision (if invited)	4–6 weeks (authors)	You revise and resubmit
Second review	2–4 weeks	Reviewers check revisions
Final decision	1–2 weeks	Accept or reject
Production	4–8 weeks	Copyediting, typesetting, proof review, publication
Total to publication	4–6 months

 

 

 

 

 

19.2 Possible Editorial Decisions

Decision	Meaning	Next Steps
Desk reject	Manuscript does not meet scope or quality standards	You may submit elsewhere
Major revisions	Substantial changes required; manuscript may be sent for second review	Revise and resubmit within 6 weeks
Minor revisions	Small changes required (e.g., clarify a method, add a citation)	Revise and resubmit within 4 weeks
Accept with minor revisions	Manuscript will be accepted after small changes	Revise and resubmit within 2 weeks
Accept	Manuscript approved for publication	Move to production

 

19.3 Tracking Your Manuscript

• Check status only through the submission system
• Status definitions:
  • Submitted: Received but not yet processed
  • With Editor: Initial check in progress
  • Under Review: Peer review in progress
  • Required Reviews Complete: All reviews received, editor making decision
  • Decision Pending: Final decision being prepared
  • Revise: Revisions requested
  • Accepted: Approved for publication

Please do not email the journal to ask for status updates within 4 weeks of submission. The system automatically updates. This is what we mean by "unnecessary contact."

 

20. Common Reasons for Immediate Rejection (Desk Rejection)

To save you time, avoid these common mistakes:

Reason	How to Avoid
Manuscript outside scope	Read Section 1 carefully; send a pre-submission inquiry if unsure
Missing files	Use the checklist in Section 26
Similarity too high (>15%)	Paraphrase, use quotations sparingly, cite all sources
No ORCID for any author	Register for free at orcid.org
Faculty author used Gmail/Yahoo	Use institutional email
Author names in main manuscript	Remove all identifiers for blind review
Structure does not follow required order	Follow Section 7.1 exactly
Abstract too short or too long	Keep between 150–250 words
Exceeds page/word limit	Edit to meet limits (20 pages, 6,500 words)
No ethics statement for human subjects	Add statement to Methodology section
Missing data availability statement	Add before references
AI use not disclosed	Disclose in Acknowledgements
Incomplete or unsigned forms	All authors must sign
Similarity report older than 3 months	Generate a new report

 

21. Language Editing Services

If English is not your first language, we strongly recommend professional editing before submission to improve clarity and readability.

The journal does not endorse specific services. Note: Use of a language editing service does not guarantee acceptance. It only improves presentation.

 

22. Manuscript Preparation Checklist for Novice Authors

Use this checklist before submitting. Check every box.

Scope and Fit

• My manuscript addresses one or more topics listed in Section 1.2
• My manuscript is not about higher education, medical topics, or pure curriculum content without leadership implications

Ethics and Policies

• My manuscript is original (not published elsewhere)
• My manuscript is not under review elsewhere
• I have disclosed any preprint or conference paper basis
• I have obtained ethics approval for human subjects (if applicable) and included a statement
• I have disclosed any AI use in Acknowledgements
• All authors have ORCID iDs
• Faculty authors used institutional email addresses

Formatting (Main Manuscript)

• No author names or affiliations in the main file
• Follows required structure (Section 7.1)
• Abstract is 150–250 words with objective, method, findings, conclusion
• Keywords are 3–5 words
• Manuscript is ≤20 pages and ≤6,500 words
• Font: Times New Roman 12, double-spaced, 1-inch margins
• Tables/figures embedded with captions
• References in APA 7th edition with DOIs where available
• Data availability statement included
• Acknowledgements section (if needed) with funding and AI disclosure

Files Ready to Upload

• Authors' Information File (names, affiliations, ORCIDs, emails, phone)
• Main Manuscript File (anonymized)
• Conflict of Interest Form (signed by all authors)
• Declaration of Commitment Form (signed by all authors)
• Similarity Check Report (less than 3 months old, <15% similarity)

Final Check

• I have read these guidelines completely
• I have used the journal template (recommended)
• I have saved my manuscript ID after submission

 

23. Contact and Support

 

Purpose	Contact Method
Pre-submission inquiries	jsa@uok.ac.ir  (subject: "Pre-submission inquiry")
Submission system technical issues	Use "Contact Us" link in the submission system
Appeals and withdrawal requests	jsa@uok.ac.ir  (subject: "APPEAL" or "WITHDRAWAL REQUEST")
General questions	jsa@uok.ac.ir

Journal Email: jsa@uok.ac.ir
Submission System: https://jsa.uok.ac.ir/

Journal Website: https://jsa.uok.ac.ir/

Response time: 10 business days for email inquiries.

Reminder: After submission, track your manuscript only through the online system. Do not email the journal for status updates within 4 weeks of submission. This is considered unnecessary contact and slows down processing for everyone.

These guidelines are subject to change. Authors must always refer to the latest version on the journal website before submitting. The journal website always contains the most current guidelines.

Thank you for considering the Journal of School Administration for your research. We look forward to your submission.