Author Guidelines

Sri Lankan Journal of South Asian Studies (SLJSAS) published by the Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna

About the Journal

The Sri Lankan Journal of South Asian Studies (SLJSAS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal published biannually by the Faculty of Arts, University of Jaffna. The journal welcomes scholarly work that advances interdisciplinary research in the humanities and social sciences with a focus on South Asia.

Type

Description

Word limt

Original Research Articles

Empirical or theoretical papers contributing new knowledge.

3,000 - 6,000 words

Review Articles

Analytical reviews of existing literature on specific themes.

4,000 -7,000 words

Case Studies

Focused studies on particular events, communities, or practices.

3,000 - 5,000 words

Short Communications/Notes

Brief reports or commentaries.

1,500 - 3,000 words

All submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.

Manuscript Preparation

General Format

  • Manuscripts should be in English.
  • File format: Microsoft Word (.docx).
  • Font: Times New Roman, size 12 pt, double-spaced throughout.
  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
  • Pages should be numbered consecutively.
  • Include line numbering for reviewer reference.

Structure

  • Title Page – Title, author names, affiliations, and corresponding author details.
  • Abstract – 250-350 words with 4–6 keywords.
  • Main Text – Organize as Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Results/Findings, Discussion, Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements – Include contributors, funding, or institutional support.
  • References – Follow APA (7th ed.) or Chicago (author–date) citation style.
  • Number all tables and figures sequentially (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, Figure 1, Figure 2).
  • Table titles should appear above the table (e.g., Table 1: Distribution of Respondents by Age Group).
  • Figure titles should appear below the figure (e.g., Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of the Study).
  • Ensure all tables and figures are referenced within the text and submitted in high resolution (minimum 300 dpi).

Reference Style Guide (APA 7th Edition)

All references should follow the APA 7th Edition format. Below are examples of commonly cited sources:

Journal Article

Format

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, volume number(issue number), page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example

Perera, S., & Fernando, M. (2022). Social identity and political participation in South Asia. Journal of Asian Studies, 81(3), 245–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/12345678.2022.00001.

Book

Format

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the book (edition if applicable). Publisher. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example

Sen, A. (2000). Development as freedom. Oxford University Press.

Edited Book

Format

Editor, E. E. (Ed.). (Year). Title of the book. Publisher.

Example

Jayawardena, K. (Ed.). (2018). Gender and nation in South Asia. Routledge.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Format

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of the book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

Example

Wijesinghe, R. (2019). Language politics in Sri Lanka. In P. Silva (Ed.), Cultural transformations in South Asia (pp. 45–67). University of Colombo Press.

Conference Paper or Proceedings

Format

Author, A. A. (Year, Month). Title of the paper. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of the conference proceedings (pp. xx–xx). Publisher. URL (if available)

Example

Kumar, V. (2021, August). The digital divide in rural South Asia. In R. Peris (Ed.), Proceedings of the South Asian Research Symposium (pp. 112–120). University of Jaffna.

Thesis or Dissertation

Format

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the thesis or dissertation [Unpublished master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation]. Name of Institution.

Example

Sivapalan, T. (2020). The role of community media in post-war Sri Lanka [Unpublished master’s thesis]. University of Jaffna.

Webpage

Format

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of the webpage. Website Name. URL

Example

UNESCO. Accessed on (2023, March 10). Promoting multilingualism in education. UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/multilingualism

Report or Institutional Publication

Format

Organization Name. (Year). Title of the report. Publisher. URL

Example

World Bank. (2021). South Asia economic focus: Shifting gears. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/southasiafocus

Newspaper Article

Format

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of the article. Title of the Newspaper. URL

Example

Fernando, D. (2023, April 2). Sri Lanka’s youth and the digital future. The Daily News. https://www.dailynews.lk/digitalfuture.

Online Video (e.g., YouTube)

Format

Author, A. A. [Username]. (Year, Month Day). Title of the video [Video]. Website name. URL

Example

University of Jaffna. (2022, December 5). South Asian heritage lecture series [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxx.

Submission Process

Submit manuscripts via email to the official journal address sjsas@univ.jfn.ac.lk with the subject line ‘Submission – [Article Title]’. Attach the manuscript and a separate cover letter declaring originality, authorship contributions, conflicts of interest, and non-submission elsewhere.

Peer review and decision process

All manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review with initial screening, external peer review, and editorial decision. Possible outcomes include: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, Revise and Resubmit, or Reject. Conflicting reviews may require a third reviewer or an editorial board decision.

Publication Ethics

The journal follows COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines. Authors must ensure originality, proper citation, and disclosure of funding or conflicts of interest. Editors and reviewers must maintain confidentiality, fairness, and transparency in the review process.

Copyright and Open Access Policy

Articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors retain copyright but grant SLJSAS the right to publish and disseminate. All published content is freely accessible online.

Plagiarism and Similarity Check

All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts exceeding acceptable similarity levels will be rejected or returned for revision.

Archiving and Indexing

The journal ensures long-term archiving in the University of Jaffna Research Repository and aims for inclusion in recognized indexing databases.

Contact Information

Editor
Sri Lankan Journal of South Asian Studies (SLJSAS)
Faculty of Arts,
University of Jaffna
Sri Lanka

Email: sjsas@univ.jfn.ac.lk