Submissions

Author Guidelines

Authors are invited to make a submission to this journal. All submissions will be assessed by an editor to determine whether they meet the aims and scope of this journal. Those considered to be a good fit will be sent for peer review before determining whether they will be accepted or rejected.

Before making a submission, authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any material included with the submission, such as photos, documents and datasets. All authors identified on the submission must consent to be identified as an author. Where appropriate, research should be approved by an appropriate ethics committee in accordance with the legal requirements of the study's country.

An editor may desk reject a submission if it does not meet minimum standards of quality. Before submitting, please ensure that the study design and research argument are structured and articulated properly. The title should be concise and the abstract should be able to stand on its own. This will increase the likelihood of reviewers agreeing to review the paper. When you're satisfied that your submission meets this standard, please follow the checklist below to prepare your submission.

Individual calls for submissions may include more detailed author guidelines with additional information beyond what is given above. A Writing Style Sheet can be accessed here.

We ask all authors to prepare a RIS export (or Zotero or BibTex export) of all their references, including the ludography. Please have the export ready after you receive the notice that the submission was accepted.

JARPS will accept submissions in the following sections.

Original Research Article: A paper on new findings based on one or several connected, original studies. Expected length: ca. 6,000 words (English) or 12-15,000 characters (Japanese).

Theoretical Article: A paper building new theoretical knowledge concerning analog role-playing games, such as TRPGs or larp, in relation to existing theories. Expected length: ca. 6,000 words (English) or 12-15,000 characters (Japanese).

Explorative Paper: An experimental contribution that, for example, links research on role-playing games to an ergodic/interactive engagement with its readers. Expected length: ca. 4,500 words (English) or 8-12,000 characters (Japanese).

Case Report: A hands-on report based on original ideas or new perspectives, discussing implantation, results and/or best practice examples. Expected length: ca. 4,500 words (English) or 8-12,000 characters (Japanese).

Educational Material: Materials or tools useful for educational or teaching through analog RPGs in Japan and worldwide. Expected length: ca. 4,500 words (English) or 8-12,000 characters (Japanese).

Book Review: Creative and critical discussion of publications concerning analog RPGs. Expected length: ca. 1,500 words (English) or 2-3,000 characters (Japanese).

Short Note / News: An article written for the purpose of disseminating and sharing creative ideas that contribute to the research and practice of analog RPGs, or discussing ongoing research and practical projects. Expected length: ca. 3,000 words (English) or 4-6,000 characters (Japanese).

Essay: A non-academic article written from a unique perspective on trends and future development of analog RPG in Japan and worldwide. Expected length: ca. 3,000 words (English) or 4-6,000 characters (Japanese).