Editorial Policy

Types of Contributions

Unsolicited Contributions

The AJP will publish contributions of high quality in any area of philosophy. The Journal welcomes unsolicited contributions of two types: Articles and Discussion Notes. Articles are normally no longer than 8,000 words (though longer pieces of exceptional significance will be considered); the acceptance bar rises with increasing length. Discussion Notes are normally no longer than 2,000 words and must engage with articles recently published in the Journal. In both cases, there will be double-blind refereeing, as described in the Editorial Procedures.
The Journal will not consider proposals for special issues devoted to conference proceedings. (This does not preclude the Journal's publication of occasional special issues based on calls for papers.)
The Journal is willing to consider submissions from organizers of symposia (of, say, two or three closely-related papers), provided that, in each case, the organizer has thoroughly 'pre-vetted' the papers. Written permission of individual authors for a joint submission of their work must be obtained and forwarded to the Editor. The symposium's contents would be reviewed en bloc but otherwise in the usual way, and referees may be asked to comment on the merits both of individual papers and of the symposium as a whole. Notwithstanding the joint submission of the papers, the Editor reserves the right to reject one or more papers from those submitted, or to reject the symposium but to accept one or more of the papers which formed part(s) of it.
Even if submission of a paper has been suggested by persons associated with the Journal, including the Editorial Team themselves, all pieces submitted as Articles or Discussion Notes are treated as Unsolicited Contributions and double-blind refereed in accordance with the Editorial Procedures.
The Journal will not normally be willing to have under consideration more than one submission at the same time from a given author.
The Journal will not consider papers currently under review at another journal.
The Journal will not normally consider very short articles for publication unless they are discussions of papers which originally appeared in the Journal.
The Editor reserves the right not to proceed with publication of "accepted" submissions where the author does not supply a final version in conformity with Journal Style.

Solicited Contributions

The Journal will solicit contributions of three types: Critical Notices and Discussions, Reviews, and Book Notes (brief reviews). The Book Review Editor will normally initiate the review process, but individuals are welcome to make contact to nominate themselves as reviewers.
There is no guarantee of review even if a review copy is supplied. If possible, any book authored or edited by a philosopher resident in Australasia of which the Journal receives a copy will be reviewed. Books by authors resident elsewhere are also reviewed.
Reviews are normally no longer than 1,400 words; Book Notes are normally no longer than 400 words. Reviews and Book Notes will not be refereed, but the Book Review Editor, or the Editor himself, may require changes before they are published.
Critical Notices and Critical Discussions will be of important works in philosophy, and will be commissioned by the Editor. They will normally not exceed 5,000 words, and be anonymously refereed. Associate Editors may, from time to time, make recommendations to the Editorial Team of books which might deserve a Critical Notice.
The Editor reserves the right not to proceed with publication of "accepted" submissions where the author does not supply a final version in conformity with Journal Style.

Feedback to Authors

While there can be no guarantee which applies to every individual case, it is editorial policy to provide authors with timely decisions and helpful comments.

Publication Priorities

The Editor decides the order of appearance of accepted submissions. Priority may be given to Discussion Notes. In these cases, authors of the materials being commented on will be given a right of reply (subject to the usual refereeing), on the understanding that timely publication of the Note will take priority over the desirability of including both Note and Reply in the same issue of the Journal.

The current balance of the Journal's contents is not prescriptive.