Publication guidelines

Who can contribute

The Centre publishes work by its own researchers and welcomes proposals from scholars, practitioners, former officials and early-career researchers in Pakistan, the United States and elsewhere. We are most interested in writing that speaks directly to the US-Pakistan relationship and connects evidence to practical recommendations.

What we publish

• Policy briefs: focused analysis of a single policy question, ending in clear recommendations for decision-makers. Usually 1,500 to 3,000 words.
• Working papers: longer research in progress, shared to invite comment before formal publication. Usually 6,000 to 10,000 words, including references.
• Commentaries: timely, argued responses to current developments. Usually 800 to 1,500 words.
• Reports: in-depth studies, often drawing on original data, fieldwork or dialogue. Length is agreed with the editors in advance.

Word counts are a guide rather than a rule. If your piece needs more room, tell us early.

Preparing your manuscript

• Send an editable file (Microsoft Word or a Google Docs link).
• Include a title, a summary of no more than 150 words, three to six keywords, and a short biography (about 50 words) for each author.
• Policy briefs and reports should open with three to five key takeaways.
• Write in clear, plain English for an informed reader who is not a specialist. Use US or British spelling consistently, and spell out acronyms on first use.
• Supply tables, charts and maps as separate files where possible, each with its source.

Referencing

CUPA uses the Chicago Manual of Style, author-date system: short in-text citations such as (Khan 2023, 45), with a full reference list at the end. Cite primary sources (official documents, agreements, datasets) wherever they exist, and give a working link for anything available online. Commentaries may use links in place of formal references.

Originality and use of AI tools

• Submissions must be original, not published elsewhere, and not under consideration by another outlet. Please tell us about any earlier version, such as a conference paper or blog post.
• Every source, dataset and quotation must be attributed. Submissions may be checked for plagiarism.
• Authors are responsible for every claim in their work. Generative AI tools may be used for limited help such as language editing, but not to produce analysis, arguments, data or references. Describe any AI use in your covering email. AI tools cannot be listed as authors.
• Declare any funding, affiliation or interest that a reader might consider relevant to your argument.

Review process

1. Initial screening. The editors check that the piece fits the Centre's focus and these guidelines.
2. Editorial review. Shortlisted manuscripts are read closely by the editors and, where useful, by a reviewer with expertise in the subject.
3. Revision. Most accepted pieces go through at least one round of revisions. We explain what we are asking for and why.
4. Copy-editing and approval. We edit for clarity, accuracy and house style, and you approve the final version before it is published.

We acknowledge every submission and aim to reach a decision as quickly as we can. Timelines depend on the length of the piece and the review it needs; commentaries on current events are handled fastest.

Rights and licensing

Authors keep the copyright in their work. Unless agreed otherwise, CUPA publications are released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0), so anyone may share and adapt them with credit to the authors and the Centre. Views expressed in CUPA publications are the authors' own.

How to submit

There is no online submission system yet. Email your manuscript to info@cupa.org.pk with "Submission:" and your title in the subject line, together with your summary, keywords, author biographies and the type of publication you have in mind. For a brief or commentary, you are welcome to send a short pitch of a paragraph or two before writing the full piece.