Research Participation

Publishing Guidelines at the Arab Center

The Arab Center welcomes researchers to submit papers to be published, or to be presented at conferences adhering to the guidelines detailed below: 

  1. The original research must be specially prepared for the Arab Center, and should not have been published as a whole or in part, either electronically or in print. It should not have been presented at a previous academic conference or to any other party.
  2. The researcher should submit an up to date Curriculum Vitae with their research.
  3. The research should include the following elements: 
    1. The title of the research, and a brief description of the author and their academic institution;
    2. The abstract (100-150 words), which should include the research hypotheses;
    3. The keywords (No more than 5 words in total); 
    4. The research question and objectives, a justification of the topic’s significance, and a critical literature review of the topic, which should include the latest publications. The hypothesis of the research should also be explained, and its limits drawn here; 
    5. Conceptualization and identification of key research indicators, a description of the methodology, analysis, results and conclusions;
    6. The bibliography.
  4. Referencing: The research should comply with the referencing system adopted by the Arab Center (Appendix 1 below).
  5. Attachments: If charts, shapes, equations, graphs, or tables have been used in the research, they should be sent in their original format in Excel or Word, and should be attached as clear and original images in a separate file as well.
  6. Academic Review: All submitted materials are subject to peer review. The suggested notes are subsequently sent to the author to edit. If the author approves, they make the proposed amendments before handing over the material for the final edit.
  7. Word Count: The number of words, including references, explanatory margins, bibliography and appendices, if any, is limited between 6,000 to 8,000 words. In exceptional cases, the Research Department or editorial bodies may approve research and studies that exceed this number, or shorter articles.
  8. Written Language: Research is published in Arabic but can be submitted in English and translated once approved.
  9. Books and Dissertations: The Center welcomes the submissions drafts of books and doctoral dissertations prepared for publication. These drafts are subject to academic review and will be read by a specialized academic committee. If approved for publication, the proposed notes shall be sent to the author to amend before submitting the material for the final edit. The drafts of the books and theses should be sent by email to mohammed.makiyeh@dohainstitute.org
  10. Book Reviews: A book review published by the ACRPS must include the following basic elements:

    • The title of the book, highlighting its importance. 
    • Introduction to the author of the book and their academic background.
    • The book's introductions, overall concept, objectives, plan, references, and contents. 
    • The originality of either the topic itself or the way the topic is addressed.
    • A complete analysis of the book contents, highlighting its main axes, using the critical and comparative methods to contrast with the references to other treatment of the topic. 
    Books should be selected objectively for review, based on the significance of the topic, either as an important addition to existing research or as an original piece of research. The book must be credible to high academic standard and must have contributed research that benefits Arab culture or society in some way. Books will be further chosen according to the extent that they enrich the field of knowledge. The Arab Center will not accept reviews of books more than three years old and prefers reviews of new books published within the last two years. The review of the book should be in-depth, objective, and critical, and not merely a narrative presentation. The review word count ranges between 2000 and 3000 words.
  11. Email addresses for submission: 


  12. The Arab Center is committed to an ethics policy that is built on respect for confidentiality, objectivity and academic integrity. The editors, reviewers, and members of the editorial board do not disclose any information regarding the research and studies they receive.
  13. The Arab Center does not offer financial compensation for published research, studies or articles; or for papers presented at its conferences. 


Appendix 1: Reference style for footnotes and bibliography


1) Books 

Name of Author, Title of Book, Name of Translator or Editor (if necessary), Edition (Place of Publication: Publisher, Publication Date), page number.

Example: James Piscatori, Islam in a World of Nation - States , (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986), 116.

  • Subsequent footnote: Piscatori, 116 (unless more than one reference by the same author is cited, in which case use name and abbreviated title: Piscatori, Islam, 116.)
  • Bibliography entry: James Piscatori. Islam in a World of Nation-States. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1986. 
Example: Kate Nash, Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics and Power, Translated by Haidar Haj Ismail (Beirut: The Arab Organization for Translation, 2013), p. 116. 
  • Subsequent footnote: Nash, p. 117 (abbreviated title if more than one reference by the same author is cited: Nash, Sociology, p. 117.)
  • Bibliography entry: Kate Nash. Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics and Power. Translated by Haidar Haj Ismail. Beirut: The Arab Organization for Translation, 2013. 
For a book co-authored by more than three contributors: Main Author et al., Title of Book, Edition, (Place of Publication: Publisher, Publication Date), page number. 
Example: Al-Sayed Yassin et al., Content Analysis of Arab National Thought, 4th edition (Beirut: Center for Arab Unity Studies, 1991), p. 109. 
  • Subsequent Footnote: Yassin et al, p.109. 
  • Bibliography entry: Al-Sayed Yassin et al. Content Analysis of Arab National Thought. 4th edition. Beirut: Center for Arab Unity Studies, 1991. 

2) Journal Entries 

Author's name, "Title of Article", Title of Journal, volume and/or issue number (year of publication), page number.

Example: Shahram Chubin, “Iran's Power in Context,” Survival  51, no.1 (2009): 165. 

  • Bibliography entry: Shahram Chubin. “Iran's Power in Context.” Survival 51, no. 1 (2009): 165-190. 3. 

3) News Articles

 These references should be mentioned in the footnotes only, not the bibliography, as follows: 

Example: Ian Black, "Assad Urges US to Rebuild Diplomatic Road to Damascus," The Guardian, 17/2/2009. 

4) Electronic Publications

To quote articles posted on websites, sources should be referenced, in the footnotes and not the bibliography, as follows: Name of Author (if given), “Title of Article or Report”, Name of the Series (if any), Name of the Website, Date of publication (if given), date of last access, Website Link. 

Example: Yale Salahi, "Yale Lending Name to Racist Conference," The Electronic Intifada, September 3 2010, Last Accessed August 1 2017, at: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11505.shtml 

‘Israel as a Legally Codified “Jewish Nation”’, Situation Assessment, Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, May 17 2017, Last Accessed August 1 2017, at: http://english.dohainstitute.org/release/4b34402b-72ba466c-88b0-dd121077eb5b

Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies

Al Tarafa Street, Zone 70, Wadi Al Banat, Al Dhaayen, Qatar

P.O.Box 10277

  • Tel : +974 4035 4111

  • Fax : +974 4035 4114

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