Instructions for Authors

                                                                                                                                             Last revised: 1 April 2026

Research in Physical Education, Sport and Health (RPESH)
Open Access – Double-Blind Peer-Reviewed Journal

Submission Templates and Requirements

Authors may download all required templates as a single ZIP file. The archive contains the following documents:

• Title Page
• Blinded Manuscript
• Authorship Declaration
• Copyright Agreement
• Conflict of Interest (COI) Disclosure
• Data Availability Statement
• Ethical Clearance (if applicable*)

Each file should be completed and uploaded separately in the submission system (compressed files are not accepted).

Download all submission templates (.zip)

* The Ethical Clearance document is not included in the ZIP file and must be provided separately when required.

Detailed instructions on manuscript preparation and submission are provided below, including the scope of the journal, types of manuscripts, formatting requirements, and comprehensive guidance on all required submission documents and templates.

Scope of the Journal  (full info on Mission and Scope page)
RPESH publishes original scientific and professional work in:

• Physical education, pedagogy, teaching methods
• Sport science, coaching, sport performance
• Exercise physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics
• Sport psychology and behavioural sciences
• Health, wellbeing, physical activity
• Sport management, policy, and socio-cultural studies

Only unpublished manuscripts not under review elsewhere are considered.

Types of Manuscripts

• Original Research Articles: 4,000–7,000 words
• Review Articles: up to 8,000 words
• Case Studies / Applied Practice Reports: 3,000–5,000 words
• Short Communications: 1,500–2,500 words
• Book Reviews: up to 1,500 words

(Word limits include references, tables, and figures.)

Manuscript Preparation- Format

• File: Word (.doc/.docx)
• Font: Times New Roman (Title- 13 pt, Abstract-12 pt, main text-11 pt) 
• Spacing: single
• Margins: approximately 2 cm (see 7.FinalArticle.docx template)
• Tables and figures: inserted in the text near first mention

Authors must review the full Author Guidelines for Manuscript Preparation

Workflow: From Submission to (continuous) Publication

Files Required for Submissions

1. Title Page (TitlePage.docx) –  contains only:
   • Article title
   • Full author names
   • Institutional affiliations and country
   • ORCID iDs (if applicable)
   • Corresponding author’s email
   • Acknowledgements (optional)
   • Funding information (if applicable)
   • Conflict of interest statement
2. Blinded Manuscript - main file for review (ManuscriptBlinded.docx )
   This file must NOT contain any author-identifying information. Must be submitted with line numbering enabled.
   • Title (without author names)
   • Abstract (150–250 words: purpose, methods, main results, conclusions)
   • Keywords (3–6)
   • Main text (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion)
   • References (APA 7th Edition)
   • Tables and figures embedded in the text
3. Authorship Declaration (AuthorshipDeclaration.pdf)
   An Authorship Declaration Form must be uploaded. All listed authors must sign the document, confirming they meet authorship criteria and approve the final manuscript. All authors may be included in journal communications, in addition to the corresponding author, when relevant. Authorship must be limited to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the study; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; and who have participated in drafting or critically revising the manuscript. All authors must approve the final version and agree to be accountable for the integrity and accuracy of the work. Guest, honorary, or ghost authorship is not permitted. Changes to authorship after submission require written consent from all authors and must be fully justified to the editorial office. Authors should describe contributions according to the CRediT taxonomy; full role definitions are available here. RPESH follows the authorship principles outlined by the ICMJE and COPE’s guidelines on authorship and contributorship.
4. Copyright Transfer / License to Publish Form (CopyrightAgreement.pdf)
   Authors must upload a signed License to Publish Form, confirming that they retain copyright and grant RPESH the non-exclusive right to publish and disseminate the work under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
5. Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (COI_Disclosure.pdf)
   All authors must complete the ICMJE Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form to declare any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could influence the research. Such disclosure supports transparency and upholds ethical publishing standards.
6. Data Availability Statement (DataAvailabilityStatement.docx)
   A Data Availability Statement (DAS) must be included to specify whether the data supporting the findings are publicly available, available upon request, or included within the article. Providing this information strengthens research transparency and reproducibility.
7. Ethical Clearance Letter (when applicable)
   For studies involving human participants, minors, schools, sport clubs, or interventions, an ethics approval document must be uploaded as a separate file.

Guide: How to Submit Your Article – Step-by-Step Author Submission Workflow

Files required for resubmission after author revisions

• Response-to-Reviewers Document (ResponseToReviewers.docx)
  Authors must prepare a single Response-To-Reviewers document. The document should outline how every reviewer comment has been addressed. Responses should be clear, structured, and linked to the specific revisions made in the manuscript. To maintain the integrity of the double-blind review process, the response documents must remain anonymous, with no author names, affiliations, or identifying information included. Full instructions on how to respond to reviewers are available at Response to Reviewers – Author Guidelines page.
  This document should be submitted together with the revised manuscript (Revised Blinded Manuscript.docx), ensuring that authors respond comprehensively to the full set of reviewer feedback.
• Revised Blinded Manuscript 
  After completing the revisions based on the reviewers’ comments, authors must prepare and upload—together with the Response to Reviewers—the revised Blinded Manuscript (with line numbering enabled). To ensure transparency, all revised sections must be clearly indicated, preferably by applying a visible highlight colour (e.g., yellow background).

Post-review Documents

8.ResponseToReviewers.docx|Download Template |(submit after receiving and addressing comments from both reviewers)

9.Revised Blinded Manuscript.docx | (submit after receiving and addressing comments from both reviewers)

Guide: How to Resubmit Your Article After Peer Review – Step-by-Step Author Workflow