Guidelines for Contributors

Commentary and Research Articles

To discuss a proposal or submission of an article to the Journal, please contact the Editor, Dr Emma De Angelis.

The RUSI Journal accept submissions on a rolling basis. Open access options are available for authors whose manuscripts are accepted for publication.

All submissions are rigorously and anonymously reviewed. In most cases, authors will be notified of the Editorial Board's initial decision within six to eight weeks of submission.

• Articles should be between 3,500 and 5,000 words, including references and endnotes. We also invite a limited number of longer articles (up to 6,000 words) in discussion with the Editor.
• Articles should be the author's original work, and be concise, relevant, well-written and fully referenced.
• Simultaneous submission to other publications must be indicated.
• Any graphics or figures should be attached separately and not embedded in the text.
• Text should be double-spaced and set in 12pt Times New Roman. Authors are asked to submit their work as a Microsoft Word file. The manuscript should be anonymised (please do not include the names of the authors in the text).
• All submissions are made using the ScholarOne platform. ScholarOne allows authors to track the progress of their submission throughout the production process. To submit a manuscript or register for an account please visit the RUSI Journal's ScholarOne site.

Contributors are requested to read and adhere to the Institute's style guide for external writers. Please pay particular care to the Institute's referencing style, the improper application of which will cause delay or rejection.

Authors alone are responsible for the content of their respective papers. The opinions and conclusions expressed in articles written by RUSI Staff and RUSI Fellows do not necessarily represent the views of the Institute.

It is the policy of the RUSI Journal to give the fullest freedom to contributors and correspondents. Only by doing so can the Institute carry out the terms of its charter. The Institute reserves the right to edit contributions to the Journal for space and clarity.

Letters To the Editor

Letters to the editor are welcome and should be no longer than 700 words. Please send your letter by email: emmad@rusi.org, or by post, to Editor, RUSI Journal, Royal United Services Institute, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET.

Book Reviews

The Book Reviews Editor welcomes the submission of unpublished reviews of important or useful new books on all aspects of defence, security and military history. Reviewers are requested to follow the following guidelines.

Reviews should primarily consider the value of the book to practitioners and scholars in the particular subject area. Reviews should not merely summarise the contents of a book, but rather assess its contribution to the subject and literature as a whole. In the case of edited volumes, we ask that reviewers do not analyse each chapter in turn, but rather synthesise the book’s debates, perspectives and findings. Criticism is welcome, but must be fair and supported in detail within the review.

If for whatever reason a contributor is uncomfortable with reviewing a book they have been assigned or offered to do, they should inform the Book Reviews Editor as soon as possible. Likewise, in the interest of impartiality, reviewers should declare any connection or interest to the book they are considering.

RUSI Journal book reviews are generally 700–1,000 words. The precise limit can be agreed on a case-by-case basis with the Book Reviews Editor. Authors are asked to adhere to the RUSI house style.

The final decision on selection rests with the Book Reviews Editor. Authors can expect to be notified of the Editor’s decision within two weeks of submission. If selected for publication, reviews will be edited to meet the RUSI house style and the Institute reserves the right to make alterations for space and clarity. Authors will receive an edited version of their review and also one PDF proof before the Journal goes to press. In each case, the author will have 72 hours to send any amends to the Editor.

Reviewers are not paid. However, they may keep the copy of the book they have been sent and they will receive a courtesy copy of the Journal issue in which they are published, as well as an electronic copy (PDF) of their review.

If you would like to suggest yourself as a reviewer for a newly published book, please contact the Book Reviews Editor at edwardm@rusi.org. Once agreed, submissions should be made through the ScholarOne platform. To submit a manuscript or register for an account please visit the RUSI Journal's ScholarOne site.

If you would like to submit a book to be considered for review, please address it to: The Book Reviews Editor, Royal United Services Institute, Whitehall, London SW1A 2ET.

Newsbrief is RUSI's online current affairs magazine, available to all RUSI Members.

Submissions for consideration should be between 1,500–2,500 words and should be submitted in Word doc form.

Copy should be submitted to the Editor of Newsbrief, Dr Jonathan Eyal.

Articles should aim to be opinionated, advancing a distinct and clear idea. Authors should use hyperlinks to reference.

Simultaneous submission to other publications must be indicated. Authors will be notified of the Editor’s decision within two weeks of submission.

Download this PDF for more detailed information

Submissions for consideration should be between 800 and 1,200 words, including references. 

Copy should be submitted to the Editor of RUSI Defence Systems, Justin Bronk.

Articles should be detailed and cover the technological, conceptual and acquisition issues faced by the global defence community. They should be written in a style suitable for subject-matter experts, analysts and practitioners.

RUSI Commentary is the Institute's short-form online blog. Several articles are published each week and all are publicly available.

Submissions for consideration should be between 700-800 words and should be submitted in Word doc form to the Editor of RUSI Commentary, Dr Jonathan Eyal.

Articles should aim to be opinionated, advancing a distinct and clear idea. Authors should use hyperlinks to reference and keep their paragraphs short.

Authors should bear in mind the following questions: What is the hook? What is your argument? Why should people care? Is your analysis original? What evidence is there to support your argument? Is your article easy to understand?

Simultaneous submission to other publications must be indicated. Authors will be notified of the Editor’s decision within two days of submission. All accepted submission will go through an editing process.

RUSI considers unsolicited proposals or manuscripts of up to 40,000 words for its longer research monographs.

To discuss a possible Whitehall Paper, please contact the Series Editor, Professor Malcolm Chalmers.

For all other matters, please contact the Director of Publications, Dr Emma De Angelis.