Taylor & Francis
Prepare your manuscript for The RUSI Journal.
Review the checklist, choose your article type, and turn your draft into a cleaner submission package.
Checked 2026-08-02
Article types
Review
Letter
Book Review
Clinical Trial
Protocol
Editorial
Systematic Review
Lectio
Readiness requirements
Review the key details below, or download the complete checklist with every stored source-backed requirement.
Abstract length
- Manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word, together with a 100-word abstract, 50-word author biography and contact details.
Reference style
- Articlo formats your supplied references to the journal's stored style and checks that citations match the reference list; source validity is not verified.
- Submissions should be between 3,500 and 5,000 words, including references and endnotes.
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- A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Confirmation the authors take full responsibility for the integrity of the whole content, including accuracy of references.
Figure and table rules
- Keep every figure and table numbered, captioned, and cited in the manuscript.
- Any tables or artwork should be supplied separately, not embedded in the document.
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- As an author, you are required to secure permission to reproduce any proprietary text, illustration, table, or other material, including data, audio, video, film stills, and screenshots, and any supplemental material you propose to submit.
Funding statement
- You should declare only the acquired funds and grants that are directly relevant to the work reported in your article; for example, This work was supported by the [Funding Agency #1] under Grant [number xxxx]; [Funding Agency #2] under Grant [number xxxx]; and [Funding Agency #3] under Grant [number xxxx].
Competing interests
- Include or confirm the competing interests required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.
Cover letter
- Include or confirm the cover letter required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.
Author contributions
- Submitting authors should be prepared to submit CRediT roles for themselves and their co-authors (where applicable) as part of the submission process.
Article structure and word limits
- Text should be double-spaced and set in 12pt Times New Roman.
- Review / Book Review: Book reviews should be no more than 1,000 words, and submitted according to the instructions above.
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- These instructions will ensure we have everything required so your paper can move through peer review, production and publication smoothly.
- All submissions should be made online at the RUSI Journal.
- Once logged on to the site, submissions should be made via the Author Centre.
- Simultaneous submission to other publications must be indicated.
- Authors are required to sign an Article Publishing Agreement to facilitate this.
- Your research funder or your institution may require you to publish your article open access.
- Use our APC finder to view the APC for this journal.
- The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information.
- A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Originality and accuracy of content has been confirmed by the authors.
- Authors must provide full methodological details and adhere to relevant reporting guidelines where applicable.
- Authors must retain the original and revised versions which must be shared upon request.
- The PLSP guidelines for authors must be followed at all times.
- New users should first create an account.
- The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies and our publisher Taylor & Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.
- This journal requires image descriptions (alternative text, alt text), to be provided for all images conveying information necessary for an understanding of your work.
- Image descriptions are typically used by systems such as pronouncing screen readers to make images accessible to people that cannot read or see the object due to a visual disability.
Reporting guidelines
- Include or confirm the reporting guidelines required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.
Artificial intelligence disclosure
- Add or confirm the author-written Artificial intelligence statement; Articlo flags it if author input is still needed.
- Please include a statement disclosing whether and how generative AI has been used in the research and manuscript preparation process.
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- Use of AI tools as part of ethical research studies is permitted.
- A declaration must be included within the submission stating: The name and version number of the AI tool used.
- Systematic Review: Use of AI tools as part of ethically conducted literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis and bibliometrics studies is permitted.
- Use of AI tool assisted plain language summaries (PLS) of authors own work is permitted.
- Please read our guidance on using AI tools in your research and manuscript preparation to understand scenarios where their use may be permissible, and the required information that must be disclosed.
- A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Confirmation the authors have checked terms of use for the specific AI tool used, and therefore confirm suitability for publication.
Study reporting guidelines
- Authors must provide full methodological details and adhere to relevant reporting guidelines where applicable (e.g. CONSORT-AI, STARD-AI, GAMER, TRIPOD-AI, etc).
Manuscript structure
- Authors must retain full records of the methods undertaken, including full descriptions and records of the prompts used, which must be shared with the journal upon request.
What your package checks
Declarations: Artificial intelligence
Source transparency
This preparation guide uses published journal-specific author requirements. Journal instructions can change, so authors should complete a final review before submission.
Open official guideline source