Bank and Policy Journal

1. Scope of Submissions

The journal considers original research articles, review papers, policy analyses, case studies, and interdisciplinary studies that contribute to academic debate and policy-oriented knowledge in banking, finance, economics, financial systems, institutional development, regulatory policy, public finance, and economic governance.

2. Submission Files

Authors must submit two separate files:

• Title Page: includes author names, affiliations, email addresses, ORCID iDs, acknowledgments, funding information, and conflict of interest statement.
• Anonymous Manuscript: contains the full manuscript without author names or identifying information, prepared for double-blind peer review.

3. Manuscript Structure

3.1. Title

The title should be concise, informative, and clearly reflect the focus, methodology, or main contribution of the study.

3.2. Abstract

The abstract should be between 150 and 300 words and written as one coherent paragraph. It should briefly present the research background, objective, methodology, main findings, originality, and policy or practical relevance of the study.

3.3. Keywords

Authors should provide 5–8 keywords that accurately represent the subject matter and improve indexing and discoverability.

3.4. Main Text

The manuscript should normally include the following sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References, and where applicable, Appendices or Supplementary Materials.

3.5. Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the key findings, explain the theoretical and practical contributions, state limitations, and indicate future research directions or policy implications.

4. Formatting Requirements

• File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
• Line spacing: Single, 1.0
• Margins: 2 cm on all sides
• Text alignment: Left
• Headings: Numbered hierarchical structure, such as 1., 1.1., 1.2.
• Length: Usually 4,000–8,000 words, including references. Review papers may be longer if justified.
• Tables and figures: Must be embedded in the text, numbered, titled, and cited in the manuscript.

Authors are not required to apply the final journal layout. Accepted manuscripts will be professionally formatted by the editorial office during the production stage.

5. Citation and Referencing Style

The journal uses APA 7th edition as its standard referencing style. All in-text citations must correspond to a complete entry in the reference list.

In-text citation examples:

• One author: (Mammadov, 2022)
• Two authors: (Yadav & Tripathi, 2021)
• Three or more authors: (Aliyev et al., 2023)

Reference examples:

Journal article:
Yadav, U. S., Tripathi, R., Tripathi, M. A., & Mammadov, N. (2022). MSME industries in Uttar Pradesh: Challenges and policy responses. Bank and Policy Journal, 2(3), 17–29.

Book:
Mammadov, A. (1979). Politics. Azerneshr.

Conference paper:
Ahmadov, H. (2021). Jadidism movement and political reform. In Proceedings of the Science, Education and Innovations Conference (Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 9–14).

Online source:
World Bank. (2024). Global economic prospects. https://www.worldbank.org

6. Ethical Requirements

All submissions must comply with international standards of publication ethics. Authors are responsible for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their work.

• The manuscript must be original and unpublished.
• The manuscript must not be under review by another journal.
• All sources, data, tables, and figures must be properly cited.
• All listed authors must have made a significant scholarly contribution.
• Data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, duplicate submission, and unethical authorship practices are strictly prohibited.

7. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening

All manuscripts are screened using iThenticate, Crossref Similarity Check, or equivalent plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts with excessive similarity, uncited copied material, self-plagiarism, or suspected unethical practice may be returned, rejected, or investigated according to editorial policy.

8. Funding, Conflict of Interest, and Acknowledgments

Authors must disclose all funding sources, grant numbers, institutional support, and any potential conflicts of interest. Individuals or organizations that contributed to the research but do not meet authorship criteria may be acknowledged.

Example funding statement:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Ministry of Science and Education of Azerbaijan under Grant No. 2025-XYZ.

Example conflict of interest statement:
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

9. Data Availability Statement

Where applicable, authors should include a data availability statement explaining whether the data supporting the findings of the study are available, restricted, or not publicly accessible.

Example:
The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

10. Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

AI tools must not be listed as authors. If authors use AI-assisted tools for drafting, language editing, data analysis, or other research-related purposes, this use must be clearly disclosed in the manuscript. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the submitted work.

11. Peer Review Process

The journal applies a double-blind peer-review process. Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening are sent to qualified reviewers. The editorial decision may be acceptance, minor revision, major revision, resubmission, or rejection.

12. Final Production

After acceptance, manuscripts undergo copyediting, technical formatting, DOI assignment where applicable, proofreading, and online publication. Authors may be asked to review proofs before final publication.