Author Guidelines
1. General Information
Journal of Architecture and Spatial Planning (JASP) welcomes original scholarly contributions addressing contemporary issues in architecture, spatially based urban design, and the built environment. The journal provides a scholarly platform for researchers, academics, practitioners, and other professionals to share research findings, theoretical perspectives, methodological developments, and critical discussions relevant to the journal's scope.
Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts that demonstrate a clear academic contribution, appropriate methodological rigor, sound analysis, and relevance to current developments in architecture and urban spatial studies.
All manuscripts must be prepared in accordance with these guidelines and the official JASP article template before submission.
2. Types of Manuscripts
JASP considers the following types of scholarly contributions:
Research Articles
Research Articles present original empirical, analytical, methodological, or design-based research. They should clearly demonstrate the research problem, objectives, methodology, findings, discussion, and contribution to knowledge.
Review Articles
Review Articles provide a critical and systematic synthesis of existing scholarly literature on a specific topic relevant to architecture, spatially based urban design, or the built environment. Review manuscripts should demonstrate a clear analytical perspective and identify significant developments, gaps, or future research directions.
Theoretical and Conceptual Articles
Theoretical and Conceptual Articles develop, examine, or critically discuss theories, concepts, frameworks, or approaches relevant to the journal's field. Such manuscripts should provide a substantive scholarly argument and demonstrate their contribution to architectural and spatial knowledge.
3. Originality and Exclusivity
Manuscripts submitted to JASP must represent original scholarly work and must not have been published previously in another journal or publication in substantially similar form.
A manuscript submitted to JASP should not be under consideration by another journal at the same time. Authors are responsible for ensuring that the submission does not constitute duplicate or redundant publication.
Where a manuscript is derived from or substantially related to previously disseminated research, authors should clearly disclose the relationship and appropriately acknowledge the earlier work.
4. Manuscript Preparation
Manuscripts should be written in clear and academically appropriate English and prepared using the official JASP article template.
The structure of a manuscript may vary according to its type and research approach. However, a research article will generally include the following components:
- Title
- Author Names and Affiliations
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Introduction
- Literature Review and/or Theoretical Framework
- Research Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgements, where applicable
- Funding Statement, where applicable
- Conflict of Interest Statement
- Author Contributions, where applicable
- References
Authors may adapt the structure where necessary to accommodate the characteristics of review articles, theoretical contributions, or other scholarly formats.
5. Title, Abstract, and Keywords
The title should be concise, informative, and accurately reflect the main subject and contribution of the manuscript.
The abstract should clearly overview the research, including its background or context, objectives, methodology, principal findings, and conclusions. Authors should avoid unnecessary references and unexplained abbreviations in the abstract.
Keywords should represent the principal concepts and themes of the manuscript and should assist readers in discovering the article through academic databases and search systems.
6. Tables, Figures, Maps, and Other Visual Materials
Tables, figures, photographs, maps, diagrams, and other visual materials should be clearly presented and appropriately integrated into the manuscript.
All visual materials should be numbered consecutively and referred to in the main text. Captions should provide sufficient information for readers to understand the content without referring extensively to the main text.
Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of visual materials and for obtaining permission where copyrighted materials belonging to third parties are reproduced.
For architectural and spatial studies, maps, drawings, spatial diagrams, photographs, and other visual representations should be presented at an appropriate resolution and accompanied by relevant sources or explanatory information where necessary.
7. Citations and References
Authors are responsible for ensuring that all sources cited in the manuscript are accurately documented and included in the reference list.
References should be relevant to the subject of the manuscript and should reflect appropriate engagement with current scholarly literature. Authors are encouraged to use primary and peer-reviewed sources wherever appropriate.
The citation and reference format should follow the style specified in the official JASP article template.
Authors should carefully check the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of all bibliographic information, including author names, publication year, article title, journal title, volume, issue, page numbers, and DOI where available.
8. Research Ethics and Responsible Research
Research involving human participants, interviews, surveys, personal information, or other ethically sensitive activities must comply with applicable ethical standards and institutional requirements.
Where applicable, authors should provide information regarding ethical approval, informed consent, data protection, or other relevant ethical considerations.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that research findings are reported accurately and transparently and that research data are not fabricated, falsified, or inappropriately manipulated.
9. Authorship and Author Contributions
Authorship should accurately reflect substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or development of the research and manuscript.
All listed authors should have made a meaningful contribution to the work, approved the final version of the manuscript, and agreed to its submission to JASP.
The corresponding author is responsible for communicating with the editorial office and ensuring that all authors have approved the submitted manuscript.
Individuals who have contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be appropriately acknowledged.
Any change in authorship after submission should be communicated to the editorial office and must receive the agreement of all authors concerned.
10. Conflict of Interest
Authors are required to disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation.
Where no conflict of interest exists, authors should include an appropriate statement such as:
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
The disclosure of a conflict of interest does not necessarily prevent publication. Rather, it enables the editorial team and readers to evaluate the research transparently.
11. Funding and Acknowledgments
Authors should disclose all sources of financial or institutional support received for the research.
Funding information should identify the funding body and, where applicable, the relevant grant or project information.
Individuals, institutions, facilities, datasets, or other forms of support that contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship may be acknowledged appropriately.
12. Submission Process
Manuscripts should be submitted electronically through the JASP online submission system.
Before submission, authors should ensure that:
- the manuscript is relevant to the journal's Focus and Scope;
- the manuscript follows the official JASP template;
- all authors have approved the final manuscript;
- all necessary citations and references are provided;
- figures, tables, maps, and other materials are appropriately prepared;
- conflicts of interest and funding information are disclosed where applicable; and
- the manuscript complies with the journal's publication ethics and plagiarism policies.
The corresponding author is responsible for completing the submission process and communicating with the editorial office on behalf of the authors.
13. Editorial Screening
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening before being considered for peer review.
The editorial team evaluates the manuscript in relation to:
- its relevance to the journal's scope;
- originality and academic contribution;
- general scholarly quality;
- methodological appropriateness;
- compliance with the Author Guidelines; and
- potential ethical or plagiarism concerns.
Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's basic requirements or fall outside the journal's scope may be returned to the authors or declined before entering the peer-review process.
Passing the initial screening does not imply acceptance for publication.
14. Peer Review
Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening are evaluated through the double-blind peer-review process adopted by JASP.
The identities of authors and reviewers are kept confidential throughout the review process. The Peer Review Process page provides further information on reviewer selection, evaluation criteria, revision, and editorial decisions.
15. Revision and Resubmission
Authors may be invited to revise their manuscripts in response to comments from reviewers and editors.
When submitting a revised manuscript, authors should carefully consider all comments and provide a clear response explaining how each substantive issue has been addressed.
The revised manuscript may be returned to the reviewers for further evaluation when considered necessary by the editorial team.
16. Publication Decision
The final decision regarding publication is made by the Editor-in-Chief or the designated editor based on the academic quality of the manuscript, reviewer recommendations, editorial assessment, and the journal's policies.
Possible editorial decisions include:
- Accept
- Accept with Minor Revisions
- Major Revisions
- Reject
The submission of a manuscript does not guarantee acceptance or publication.
17. Article Processing Charges
JASP is committed to providing equitable access to scholarly publishing.
Journal of Architecture and Spatial Planning (JASP) does not charge authors any submission fee, article processing charge (APC), peer-review fee, page charge, or publication fee.
All manuscripts are processed and published free of charge, regardless of the authors' institutional affiliation or nationality.
The absence of publication charges does not influence editorial or peer-review decisions.
18. Post-Publication Corrections
Authors are encouraged to notify the editorial office if they identify a significant error or inaccuracy in their published article.
Where necessary, JASP may publish a correction, clarification, expression of concern, or retraction in order to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.
19. Compliance with Journal Policies
By submitting a manuscript to JASP, authors acknowledge that they have read and agree to comply with the journal's policies concerning peer review, publication ethics, plagiarism, open access, copyright, and other applicable editorial requirements.
Authors are encouraged to consult the relevant policy pages on the JASP website before submitting their manuscripts.
