Submit an Essay

Guidelines

[Please scroll down to the section “Preparing Your Manuscript” to find our new submission templates.]

Submissions should be made via email at misinforeview@hks.harvard.edu. We will confirm receipt of your submission within 48 hrs on working days. Please do not follow up with us before that.

As it can be difficult to find reviewers for papers, we invite authors to recommend reviewers who are experts in their field, to help us identify good and appropriate reviewers for specific papers, and to increase the journal’s pool of reviewers. However, we ask that you do not include co-authors of previous papers, or colleagues from your own institution or research projects in your list of suggested reviewers. In most cases one of your recommended reviewers may be invited to review the paper, in addition to another reviewer chosen by the editor, but we reserve the right not to use any of the reviewers suggested.

In addition, all submitting authors agree to serve as peer reviewers on two papers submitted by other authors for publication consideration.

Please ensure that you consider the guidelines on this page when preparing your manuscript, and that you consult our Editorial Policies before submitting.

Publication Timeline

The HKS Misinformation Review publishes on a rolling basis. You can submit your research material at any time.

IMPORTANT: In line with our core mission – making academic research on misinformation available as fast as possible – the HKS Misinformation Review strives to publish research articles (and other material) within a month of entering peer review. If your article is accepted for review, we will send you the reviewers’ comments about 7 working days after your article enters peer review. Only essays recommended for minor revisions will be invited to resubmit. You will be given about 10 working days (two weeks) to revise your work. Please consider this mandatory aspect before submitting your article.

What is Appropriate for the HKS Misinformation Review?

The HKS Misinformation Review is an interdisciplinary, open access platform where journalists, technologists, policy makers, and educators can connect with timely, peer-reviewed research about misinformation. We publish empirical research on misinformation from all fields – quantitative and qualitative – and encourage submissions that define misinformation in all its variations, estimate its prevalence and impact, document media manipulation tactics, evaluate interventions (including education, content moderation, debunking, and regulations), and culturally and historically situate the institutions that define the media ecosystem today. Priority will be given to research with clearly stated, real-world implications.

We are interested in serious, but concise analyses of contemporary misinformation issues. For the scope of this publication, “misinformation” refers to false or inaccurate information – regardless of whether it is shared with the intention to deceive. Misinformation may include completely false information, but also – as Benkler et al. (2017) observed – “decontextualized truths, repeated falsehoods, and leaps of logic that create fundamentally misleading view[s] of the world.”

To ensure content clarity and broad impact, we ask authors to keep academic jargon to a minimum, and we strongly encourage authors to write in a clear, straightforward style.

Research Articles

Research articles need to motivate and formulate an original research question; analyze prior literature in misinformation and relevant studies and position the importance of the research in relation to existing scholarship; develop an original study or model performed by the authors to answer the research question; and present a compelling analysis of the findings of the research for academics and practitioners working on issues relating to mis- and/or disinformation. The HKS Misinformation Review places a high priority on bridging the gap between scholars and practitioners in understanding and responding to mis- and/or disinformation, and our published research articles reflect this shared commitment.

Research articles should offer more than preliminary or exploratory findings, and provide both theoretical and real-world interventions that are consistent with the research presented. Articles should consist of high-quality, rigorously tested, and evidence-based scholarship that has not been previously published and should clearly outline the scope of the study including a thorough description of the data used, selection criteria, and its representativeness.

We encourage authors to review the journal’s publications to see if their submission would be best reviewed as a research article, or alternatively, as a research note or commentary. 

All research articles are double-blind peer reviewed.  As part of our peer-review process, reviewers are given the option to suggest a research article be published as a research note. Research notes present strong research that is more exploratory and limited in scope than our published articles.

For research articles, a length of 1,500 to 3,000 words (excluding footnotes and methodology appendix) is appropriate, but the HKS Misinformation Review will consider publishing longer articles. Authors of articles with more than 3,000 words should send a separate email to misinforeview@hks.harvard.edu prior to submission, outlining why the article needs to exceed the standard word count.

Research Notes

Research notes offer novel preliminary findings and/or exploratory interventions that still present solid research on misinformation and disinformation, but may be based on smaller-scale studies and/or research-in-progress. These submissions tend to present more limited interventions than research articles, for instance a new idea that requires further investigation; more limited data to suggest future directions in mis- and/or disinformation research; empirical findings that fill a gap in the literature or present an observation of importance without a broader theoretical argument; and reflections on methodological approaches, challenges, and debates in the study  misinformation and disinformation.

As HKS Misinformation Review research notes are directed more toward experimental and/or time-sensitive ideas than advancing a particular argument, they are an ideal format for new thinking and early-stage interventions for expanding research on mis- and/or disinformation. Similar to research articles, it is important that research notes make clear the scale and scope of the data presented, as well as a strong case for the potential practical implications and real-world contributions of research findings. 

Research notes are more concise than research articles and are usually 1,500-2,500 words in length. All research notes go through a double-blind peer review process. When submitting a research note, please make sure to include this in the subject line of your message.  Reviewers and the HKS Misinformation Review Editorial Committee may recommend that a research article is better suited to our research note format; Editors will inform authors of this publication option after the peer review reports have been submitted.

Commentaries

HKS Misinformation Review commentaries provide a forum for focused essays and evidence-based perspectives on misinformation and disinformation. A commentary may outline current advances in misinformation research, evaluate the implications of particular efforts to counter mis- and/or disinformation, or suggest new ways of engaging existing issues as they relate to misinformation spaces and policies. Commentaries are not opinion pieces, nor do we publish essays that advocate for or critique specific organizations, individuals or positions.  Commentaries are meant to provide an additional space for evidence-based viewpoints that do not follow the more structured format of a research article or research note. 

We publish a limited number of commentaries per issue. Commentaries may be sent to the journal via our regular submission process, or they may be solicited by our Editors. Authors are also welcome to propose a commentary prior to submission; please note that invitations to submit in these instances do not guarantee publication. Before submitting a commentary, please review the commentaries section of the journal for a better understanding of our editorial approach. Commentaries should not exceed 2,000 words. 

Preparing Your Manuscript

Before submitting your manuscript, please consult our Editorial Policies. Please also consult our Publication Ethics statement.

Templates

Templates are available in these linked documents:

  • Template for quantitative and mixed-methods research articles
  • Template for quantitative and mixed-methods research notes
  • Template for ethnographic, qualitative research articles
  • Template for ethnographic, qualitative research notes
  • Template for evidence-based commentaries
  • Template for appendices

Manuscript files should be in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. Manuscripts created using LaTex should be converted to PDF or Word format before submission. Once your manuscript is accepted, you will be asked to upload a clean version of the accepted manuscript files (preferably in Microsoft Word). If the references of the manuscript have been made using Endnote/Reference manager software or similar programs, please remove the endnote/reference manager links from the manuscript file.

Manuscript files should contain the entire article, including tables, figures, and any appendices. Images that display side-by-side will need to be at least 800 pixels wide to look good across all device sizes and display resolutions. Images that span the full column of the article should be at least 1600 pixels wide. Please note that authors of accepted manuscripts may be required to submit high-resolution versions of images, graphs, and/or figures as separate files. Authors of accepted manuscripts will be required to submit any appendices as separate files.

All submissions need to be fully anonymized. Before submitting your article, please delete your name or any reference that might identify you from the manuscript. The HKS Misinformation Review employs a double-blind review process. That is, HKS Misinformation Review does not release authors’ names to outside reviewers and, likewise, does not release reviewers’ names to authors.

Reference Style

The HKS Misinformation Review adheres to the APA 7 reference style. View our referencing guidelines to ensure your manuscript conforms to this reference style.

Language & Text

Capitalization

For the submission title:
Only capitalize the first letter of the first word and proper nouns. Lowercase the rest.

Headings within the main text:
First-level headings in the text should follow the same rule as the main title.
Headings should be under 75 characters.

Spelling

Submissions must be made in English. Authors are welcome to use American or British spellings as long as they are used consistently throughout the whole of the submission.

E.g., Colour (UK) vs. Color (US)

When referring to proper nouns and normal institutional titles, the official, original spelling must be used.

E.g., World Health Organization, not World Health Organisation

Font

For the body of your document, use Calibri font, 11-point type size, single-spaced. Please consult the HKS Misinformation Review submission templates for detailed instructions regarding font type and size for the names of the major sections and headings of the manuscript.

Underlined text should be avoided whenever possible. Bold or italicized text to emphasize a point are permitted, although they should be restricted to minimal occurrences to maximize their efficiency.

Lists

Use bullet points to denote a list without hierarchy or order of value. If the list indicates a specific sequence then a numbered list must be used. Lists should be used sparingly to maximize their impact.

Punctuation

Commas: The Misinformation Review uses the series comma (aka serial, Oxford, and Harvard comma): A, B, and C (not A, B and C).

Dashes: Differentiate between hyphens, en-dashes, and em-dashes.

Hyphens (-) are used for hyphenated compound nouns such as “runner-up” and in adjectival phrases such as “long-term study”.

En-dashes (–) are used to separate numbers in a range such as “pp. 14–17”, in compound phrases where the two terms have equivalent weight/importance such as “either–or” and “yes–no answers”, unlike like the phrase “long-term study” which takes a hyphen because “long” is modifying “term”—they are not equivalents.

Em-dashes (—) are used to separate out short phrases in a sentence such as “In Rorty’s case—reported here for the first time—the PRRP director cut short a commissioned study …”, and sometimes in titles and headings. Use sparingly.

Quotation Marks: Quotations longer than three lines (or 40 words) must be in an indented paragraph separate from the main text. It must be clear from the text and/or citation at the end of the quote where the quote is sourced from. This includes quotes and interview quotes from qualitative research.

Acronyms & Abbreviations

With abbreviations, the crucial goal is to ensure that the reader – particularly one who may not be fully familiar with the topic or context being addressed – is able to follow along. Spell out most all acronyms on first use, indicating the acronym in parentheses immediately thereafter. Use the acronym for all subsequent references.

E.g., Research completed by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows …

A number of abbreviations are so common that they do not require the full text on the first instance. Examples of these can be found here.

Use of Footnotes/Endnotes

Use footnotes instead of endnotes. These will be linked in the web version of the essay. All notes should be used only where crucial clarifying information needs to be conveyed. Please insert the footnote marker *after* the end punctuation of the sentence or phrase.

Authors who believe their manuscripts would benefit from professional editing prior to submission are encouraged to use a language editing service.

Figures & Tables 

Figures

Figures (e.g., images, graphs, diagrams) must be cited within the main text, in consecutive order using Arabic numerals (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.). 

Each figure must have an accompanying caption, which summarizes the content and/or use of the figure image. Figures should not have multiple parts (e.g., Figure 1a and Figure 1b). These should either be merged into one figure or separated into Figure 1 and Figure 2. 

At initial submission, figures can be provided within the manuscript. Upon revision, all figures must be submitted as separate files. 

In order to display well on our website, all figures need to be at least 1600 pixels wide (and no larger than 2400 pixels wide). Our preferred file formats are JPG and PNG. Please do not submit vector graphics, Excel files, TIFF files, or PDFs. If your figure contains more than one image, please submit it as one file (with one descriptive caption). 

Tables

Tables must be created using a Word processor’s table function (font: Calibri, size 11, if possible).
All tables must be cited within the main text, numbered with Arabic numerals in consecutive order (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, etc.). 

Each table must have an accompanying caption, which summarizes the content and/or use of the table. All tables should have the same formatting style. 

Tables should not have multiple parts (e.g., Table 1a and Table 1b). These should either be merged into one table or separated into Table 1 and Figure 2. 

Please do not change the page orientation to landscape format. If the table cannot fit on one single horizontal page, you can change the font to Calibri size 10 (or 9, if necessary). If it still can’t fit horizontally, the table will be broken in two.

Submission Preparation Checklist

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission’s compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors who do not adhere to these guidelines.

  1. The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
  2. Any third-party-owned materials (e.g., images) used have been identified with appropriate credit lines, and permission obtained from the copyright holder for all formats of the journal.
  3. All authors have given permission to be listed on the submitted paper.
  4. The submission file is in Microsoft Word document file format. 
  5. The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Submission Guidelines, and is formatted in the appropriate template. 
  6. Both in-text citations and bibliographic entries align with APA style guide 7th edition. Where available, DOIs for the references have been provided. If the references of manuscript have been made using Endnote/Reference manager software or similar programs, the endnote/reference manager links have been removed from the manuscript file.
  7. The text is single-spaced; employs italics rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end. 
  8. Any supplemental appendices are formatted according to the HKS Misinformation Review guidelines, clearly labeled and numbered, and included in the file with the main text, at the very end. 
  9. Your submission is fully anonymized (please follow the instructions for Ensuring Blind Peer Review). Submissions which do not follow these guidelines will be returned to authors before being sent for peer review. This may delay the progress of your submission.
  10. If there is accompanying data, the authors have reviewed our Data Sharing Policy and are prepared to upload all data necessary to replicate the study to the Harvard Dataverse repository. If the data can’t be shared openly with the public, an explanation should be provided upon submission.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons (CC BY) Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal’s published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.

Privacy Statement 

The names and email addresses entered in this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party. 

Publication Fees

The HKS Misinformation Review does not charge fees for processing articles (APCs – article processing charges). All costs (editorial processes; web hosting; indexing; marketing; archiving; DOI registration, etc.) are covered by philanthropic funders. This approach maximizes the potential readership of the Misinformation Review and allows the journal to be published open access.

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