Submissions

Author Guidelines

Authors are invited to make a submission to this journal. All submissions will be assessed by an editor to determine whether they meet the aims and scope of this journal. Those considered to be a good fit will be sent for peer review before determining whether they will be accepted or rejected.

Before making a submission, authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any material included with the submission, such as photos, documents and datasets. All authors identified on the submission must consent to be identified as an author. Where appropriate, research should be approved by an appropriate ethics committee in accordance with the legal requirements of the study's country.

An editor may desk reject a submission if it does not meet minimum standards of quality. Before submitting, please ensure that the study design and research argument are structured and articulated properly. The title should be concise and the abstract should be able to stand on its own. This will increase the likelihood of reviewers agreeing to review the paper. When you're satisfied that your submission meets this standard, please follow the checklist below to prepare your submission.

Welcome to Legal Studies in Digital Age! We are excited to receive your submissions. Below, you will find the detailed guidelines for submitting your manuscript. Please carefully read through these instructions to ensure your submission adheres to the required standards and formatting.

Scope of the Journal

Legal Studies in Digital Age publishes research that examines the intersection of law and digital technologies, including areas such as cybersecurity law, data privacy, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, intellectual property, and the evolving role of law in a digital world. Submissions should offer original, high-quality, and innovative contributions to the legal aspects of digital transformation.

Types of Submissions

We accept the following types of submissions:

• Research Articles: Original research based on data, case studies, or legal analysis.
• Review Articles: Literature reviews and comprehensive surveys of existing research in the field.
• Case Studies: Detailed analysis of specific legal cases related to digital technologies.
• Short Commentaries/Opinions: Brief articles offering insights or viewpoints on a current legal issue in the digital age.

Manuscript Preparation

General Formatting

• Font: Use 12-point Times New Roman font throughout the manuscript.

• Margins: Set 1-inch margins on all sides.

• Line Spacing: The manuscript should be double-spaced throughout (including the title, abstract, and references).

• Page Numbers: Number the pages consecutively, starting from the title page.

• Paragraphs: Use a half-inch indent for all paragraphs.

• Headings and Subheadings: Use APA-style headings. The levels of headings are as follows:

  1. Level 1: Centered, Bold
  2. Level 2: Left-aligned, Bold
  3. Level 3: Left-aligned, Bold Italic
  4. Level 4: Indented, Bold
  5. Level 5: Indented, Bold Italic

• File Format: Submit your manuscript in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf).

Title Page

The title page should include the following:

• Title of the manuscript (concise, informative, and reflecting the focus of the paper).
• Author(s): Full name(s) of all authors, along with their institutional affiliation(s).
• Corresponding Author: Indicate the corresponding author with their email address and full postal address.
• Word Count: Provide the total word count of the manuscript (excluding the abstract, references, tables, and figures).
• Running Head: A shortened version of the title, no more than 50 characters, aligned to the left at the top of each page.

Abstract and Keywords

• Abstract: Provide an abstract of 150–250 words summarizing the main research question, methodology, key findings, and contributions of your paper.
• Keywords: List 3–6 keywords related to your paper. These should be relevant to the subject matter and help with indexing.

Main Body

The main body of your manuscript should follow this general structure:

1. Introduction: State the problem or research question, provide background information, and briefly outline the structure of the paper.
2. Literature Review (if applicable): Summarize previous research related to your topic, identifying gaps your research aims to address.
3. Methodology: Describe the research design, data collection methods, and analysis techniques used. For empirical studies, ensure that ethical approval (if required) is mentioned here.
4. Results and Discussion: Present your research findings (if applicable) and provide an in-depth discussion, linking results to theory and prior research.
5. Conclusion: Summarize the key findings, implications for legal practice, policy, or theory, and any limitations of the study. Suggest areas for future research.

References

The reference list should be in APA style (7th edition). For full details on formatting references, see the APA 7th edition manual. Below are some common formats:

• Books:

  • Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle (Edition, if applicable). Publisher. DOI (if available)

  Example:

  • Smith, J. R. (2020). The digital future of law: A global perspective. Oxford University Press.

• Journal Articles:

  • Lastname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), page range. DOI (if available)

  Example:

  • Davis, R. E., & Patel, S. (2022). Legal challenges in blockchain regulation. Journal of Cyber Law and Technology, 14(3), 245–267. https://doi.org/10.1080/12345678.2022.1945892

• Websites:

  • Lastname, F. M. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. Website Name. URL

  Example:

  • Campbell, A. (2021, June 12). AI in legal services: Current trends. LegalTech News. https://www.legaltechnews.com/ai-trends

• Legal Documents and Cases:

  • Name of Case, Volume Reporter Page (Court Year).

  Example:

  • R v. Google Inc. [2021] UKSC 20, [2021] 3 WLR 118.

Ensure that all references are formatted consistently, with hanging indents (i.e., the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented by 0.5 inches).

Figures and Tables

• Placement: Tables and figures should be placed within the text as close to their first mention as possible.
• Title and Numbering: All tables and figures must have a title and a number. For example, "Table 1. Results of the survey on digital privacy" or "Figure 1. Blockchain technology overview."
• Legibility: Ensure all text in tables and figures is legible and of sufficient size. Use a simple, clear layout for figures.
• Copyright Permission: If you use any material that is not your own (e.g., tables, figures, images), you must have written permission from the copyright holder and include proper attribution.

Appendices (if applicable)

If you have supplementary material such as detailed tables, extended data, or questionnaires used in the study, they should be included in an appendix. Label each appendix (Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.) and refer to it in the main text.

Submission Process

1. Manuscript Submission: All manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the journal’s online submission system. Please ensure that your manuscript is formatted according to the guidelines outlined above before submitting.

2. Peer Review: Once submitted, your manuscript will undergo a double-blind, anonymous peer review process. Reviewers will evaluate the manuscript for quality, originality, relevance to the field, clarity, and adherence to academic and ethical standards.

3. Revisions: If revisions are required, you will receive feedback from the reviewers and editor. Authors are expected to revise the manuscript based on the reviewers’ comments and resubmit it for further consideration.

4. Final Decision: After the peer-review process and any necessary revisions, the editorial team will make a final decision regarding acceptance or rejection. If accepted, your article will be published online and included in the journal’s next issue.

Ethical Considerations

By submitting your manuscript to Legal Studies in Digital Age, you confirm that the work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and has not been simultaneously submitted to another journal. Authors are also required to comply with the journal’s Publication Ethics as outlined on the journal's website.

If your research involves human participants or sensitive data, please ensure that you have obtained the necessary ethical approvals and informed consent.