Guidelines for Authors

1.1. Overview

The Journal of Physical Activity, Sports and Education (JPASE) publishes scholarly and professional work in the fields of physical activity, sport sciences, sports medicine, physical education, coaching, kinesiology, health promotion, movement studies, sport pedagogy, sport psychology, sport sociology, performance analysis, and related interdisciplinary areas.

The journal aims to promote scientific dialogue, methodological quality, and international academic exchange. It welcomes original contributions from researchers, lecturers, doctoral candidates, and professionals whose work contributes meaningfully to knowledge in the field.

Manuscripts should demonstrate academic integrity, conceptual clarity, relevance to the journal scope, and a sound scientific or theoretical basis.

1.2. Publication Principles

• JPASE accepts manuscripts that have not been published previously and are not under consideration elsewhere.
• The journal uses an editorial screening process followed by double-blind peer review.
• All authors must approve the final submitted version of the manuscript.
• Authors remain responsible for the content, data accuracy, authorship order, citations, and ethical compliance of the manuscript.
• The journal reserves the right to request revisions to language, structure, formatting, tables, figures, or references before review or before final acceptance.

1.3. Language and Style

Manuscripts must be written in clear academic English. Authors may use either British or American English, but usage must remain consistent throughout the manuscript. The writing style should be formal, precise, and readable.

• Avoid informal language, unsupported claims, and excessive repetition.
• Define abbreviations the first time they appear in the text.
• Use discipline-appropriate scientific terminology.
• Where helpful, have the manuscript checked by a qualified English-language editor before submission.

1.4. Format and Layout

• Paper size: A4.
• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides.
• Font: Times New Roman, 11 pt.
• Line spacing: double.
• Text alignment: justified.
• Page numbers: consecutive throughout the manuscript.
• Line numbering: recommended for all submitted manuscripts.

1.5. Types of Manuscripts

JPASE may publish several categories of contributions depending on the editorial plan and thematic scope of each issue.

1.6. Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically to the journal editorial office. Authors should ensure that all required files and declarations are included.

• Main manuscript file prepared according to JPASE guidelines.
• Separate title page containing all author-identifying information.
• Authorship statement.
• Conflict of interest declaration.
• Ethics approval information where relevant.
• Tables and figures in appropriate editable or high-quality formats, if submitted separately.

Editorial contact: editorialoffice@jpase.ust.edu.al

• SURNAME-Manuscript.docx
• SURNAME-TitlePage.docx
• SURNAME-Declaration.pdf
• SURNAME-Table1.docx
• SURNAME-Figure1.tif

1.7. Peer Review Process

JPASE follows a double-blind peer review procedure to ensure fairness, academic quality, and independent evaluation. Submitted manuscripts first undergo editorial screening. Manuscripts that fit the scope and meet minimum scholarly and technical requirements are then sent to expert reviewers.

• Reviewer and author identities are concealed during review.
• The editorial team may request technical corrections before the peer review stage.
• Decisions may include acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection.
• Revised manuscripts may be returned to reviewers when necessary.
• The editorial board retains the right to make the final publication decision.

• Fit with the aims and scope of the journal
• Originality and academic value
• Language quality and readability
• Basic methodological adequacy
• Compliance with ethical and formatting requirements

1.8. Ethics, Originality and Research Integrity

JPASE takes publication ethics seriously. Authors must ensure that the manuscript is original, that all listed authors have contributed appropriately, and that all research involving human participants or animals complies with institutional and national ethical standards.

• The same manuscript must not be submitted simultaneously to another journal.
• Text recycling, undisclosed duplication, and plagiarism are unacceptable.
• Data fabrication, falsification, and misleading representation of results are grounds for rejection.
• All relevant funding, affiliations, and competing interests must be disclosed.
• If copyrighted material is reused, written permission must be obtained by the authors.

Research involving human participants should include a statement indicating approval by the relevant ethics committee or institutional review body, together with informed consent procedures where applicable. Where ethics approval was not required, authors should state this clearly and explain why.

1.9. Open Access and Copyright

JPASE may publish content under an open-access model, subject to the policies adopted by the editorial board. Authors should check the journal’s current publication and licensing policy before final publication.

By submitting to the journal, authors confirm that they hold the rights necessary to publish the submitted work, including all figures, tables, photographs, or supplementary material included in the submission.

2.1. Title Page

The title page should be submitted as a separate file and must contain all information that identifies the authors and the manuscript.

• Full title of the manuscript
• Type of contribution
• Running head
• Full names of all authors
• Institutional affiliations
• Corresponding author’s postal address and e-mail
• Word count of the manuscript
• Number of tables and figures

2.2. Abstract and Keywords

The abstract should appear on the second page of the manuscript. It should summarize the key elements of the work in a compact and informative way.

• Maximum recommended length: 250 words
• State the purpose of the study clearly
• Summarize methods briefly
• Present the main findings
• State the principal conclusion or implication
• Avoid citations in the abstract where possible

Provide up to six keywords below the abstract. Keywords should reflect the content of the manuscript and support accurate indexing.

2.3. Main Text Structure

For original research articles, the recommended structure is:

• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion (recommended)
• Acknowledgements (if applicable)
• Conflict of Interest
• References

The introduction should present the context, identify the problem, explain the research gap where relevant, and state the aim or hypothesis of the study.

This section should provide enough detail to allow readers to understand the design, participants, procedures, instruments, measurements, and statistical analysis used in the study.

Results should be reported clearly and objectively. Tables and figures may be used where they improve readability, but the text should still guide the reader through the main findings.

The discussion should interpret the findings, relate them to previous literature, explain their theoretical or practical significance, and acknowledge important limitations where appropriate.

2.4. Statistical and Scientific Reporting

• Use correct and consistent statistical terminology.
• Report exact p-values where appropriate.
• Include units of measurement using SI conventions where possible.
• Define all symbols and abbreviations used in tables and figures.
• Describe the statistical methods sufficiently for readers to understand the analysis.

2.5. References

JPASE recommends the use of the APA reference style, unless the editorial board adopts a different style for a specific issue. Authors must ensure that citations in the text correspond exactly to entries in the reference list.

• List references alphabetically by author surname.
• Use DOI identifiers where available.
• Check journal titles, page ranges, volume numbers, and publication years carefully.
• Ensure that all in-text citations are complete and consistently formatted.

The accuracy of all references is the responsibility of the authors. Incorrect or incomplete references may delay editorial processing.

2.6. Tables

• Each table should be cited in the text in numerical order.
• Table titles should be concise and placed above the table.
• Tables should be editable, not inserted as images.
• Footnotes may be used below the table to explain abbreviations or special notes.
• Do not duplicate exactly the same content in both the text and a table.

2.7. Figures

• Each figure should be cited in the text in numerical order.
• Figure captions should be clear and informative.
• Figures should be supplied in good visual quality.
• Any reproduced visual material requires permission from the rights holder.
• Graphs, charts, and diagrams should be legible in print and digital formats.

2.8. Terminology, Units and Style Consistency

• Use consistent terminology throughout the manuscript.
• Measurements of length, body mass, distance, time, and similar variables should be reported in recognized scientific units.
• Decimal notation, symbols, and abbreviations should be used consistently.
• Specialized biological or Latin names should follow accepted scientific formatting conventions.

2.9. Acknowledgements and Conflict of Interest

Contributions that do not meet authorship criteria may be recognized in an acknowledgements section. Any financial support, institutional support, technical assistance, or other relevant contribution may also be indicated there.

A separate conflict of interest statement should indicate whether any competing interests exist.

3.1. Proofs and Final Corrections

After acceptance, authors may receive page proofs for checking. At this stage, only minor corrections are normally allowed. Authors should review the proofs carefully and return them within the requested timeframe.

3.2. Final Responsibility of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the final approved text is accurate, complete, and ready for publication. Late substantial changes after proof approval may not be possible.

• The manuscript fits the scope of JPASE.
• The manuscript is original and not under review elsewhere.
• All authors approved the submitted version.
• The title page is complete and accurate.
• The abstract and keywords are included.
• The manuscript follows the journal format.
• Language has been checked carefully.
• All references are complete and consistent.
• Tables and figures are cited correctly.
• Ethics information is included where necessary.
• Conflict of interest information is included.
• All required submission files are attached.