Updated: Submission Guidelines.
Submission Guidelines
The Scottish Historical Review (SHR) is a vital resource for scholars of Scottish historical studies. A ‘generalist’ journal, the SHR covers the history of Scotland and its peoples, in British, European, global and transnational or comparative contexts, in any period from the early to the modern. It provides a platform for scholars at all career stages.
The journal is the official publication of the Scottish Historical Review Trust (SHRT) and has been running for over a century. Published by Edinburgh University Press (EUP), it produces three print issues a year and also releases accepted articles online Ahead of Print (AoP). In its standard issues, the SHRpublishes peer-reviewed original research articles, alongside shorter peer-reviewed pieces known as Documents and Notes and book reviews. Special issues typically focus on a theme.
Please submit your contribution to the relevant editor.
Editors
Pre-1707 material
Dr Alastair MacDonald
Email: a.j.macdonald@abdn.ac.uk
Post-1707 material
Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones
Email: NLloyd-Jones@histparl.ac.uk
Special Issues
Dr Chris Langley
Email: christopher.langley@open.ac.uk
Reviews
Send books for review to:
Dr Clare Loughlin
Email: clare.loughlin@abdn.ac.uk
The reviews editor is happy to receive suggestions for books to consider for review.
The Scottish Historical Review Trust
The journal is overseen by a Trust made up of acknowledged experts in historical scholarship, the heritage and museum sectors and policy organisations. It is a charitable organisation (accountable to the Scottish Charities Regulator) and all Trustees are volunteers. Working closely with the SHR’s editors and EUP, the Trustees are responsible for promoting the journal, ensuring adherence to academic best practice and advising on developments in historical study and the public understanding of history.
There may be occasions when authors, reviewers and readers want to raise suggestions, queries or concerns with the Trust. Trustees are not members of the editorial team and have no influence over publication decisions. They are there to support the work of the editors.
The Convener of the SHRT is Professor Laura Stewart.
Email: laura.stewart@york.ac.uk
Author Conduct
We ask authors to treat editors with respect at all times. Edinburgh University Press and the Trustees of the Scottish Historical Review will not tolerate any abusive behaviour.
Style Guide
The journal's style guide is available to view here. All submissions must conform to house style and should be presented in a sans serif font, double spaced and paginated. Please send an electronic copy of your article (compatible with Word) to the relevant editor.
The SHR is committed to the use of inclusive language in its publications and encourages authors to consult EUP’s guide when preparing their article. This guide is not exhaustive, but we hope that it provides a useful starting point. Please do discuss any queries with the relevant editor.
SHR Research Articles
An SHR research article should typically be 8,000–12,000 words in length, including footnotes. We do occasionally publish longer articles but please consult with the relevant editor before submitting anything longer. Articles should be accompanied by an abstract of up to 250 words.
An article must be the original work of the author(s). It must not have been published before, in print or electronically, and must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.
We encourage PhD students and Early Career Researchers to consider submitting their research to the SHR, but note that we cannot accept for consideration a chapter of a PhD thesis that has not been sufficiently reworked into an article. You may wish to consult the Guide to Writing a Research Article available on EUP’s ECR hub.
What is an SHR article?
The SHR publishes research on all forms of historical inquiry that relate to Scotland and the Scottish peoples from Classical antiquity to the present day.
Our interpretation of ‘Scotland and the Scottish peoples’ is intended to be broadly understood. It includes, but is not confined to, ethnic, material and linguistic interactions within and across what will become Scotland’s borders; Scotland’s economic, cultural and diplomatic relations with other countries; the place of Scotland and its peoples within the evolving British union and the British state; Scottish migrant communities and diasporas; Scotland and its peoples in comparative, transnational, colonial, imperial and post-colonial contexts; and migrant and immigrant communities in Scotland.
The SHR is a ‘generalist’ history journal, committed to publishing original, exciting and high-quality research that will be of interest to a wide range of both specialist and non-specialist readers. We seek to publish articles that analyse underutilised sources and put them into new contexts, or address particular historical problems from a Scottish perspective, or bring the history of Scotland and its peoples into fruitful dialogue with alternative methodologies and historiographies.
The journal adheres to high standards of writing and presentation. It demands that articles exhibit a clear and sustained argument, while maintaining clarity and accessibility to scholars unfamiliar with Scottish history and its historiography. SHR articles are grounded in primary sources, whether textual, material or visual and situated critically in the relevant historiographical debates. Methodologically and theoretically, the journal’s output is historical and historicised, but the journal welcomes articles that engage meaningfully with other disciplinary approaches.
Images
The SHR can incorporate images to accompany articles. Images will only be accepted, though, if they are vital in explanatory terms or make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of the analysis. There is an added production cost for using coloured images, and contributors are asked to seek funding to cover this expense. If efforts to source funding are unsuccessful, some costs may, in certain circumstances, be covered by the SHR Trust. If a contributor intends to include images, this should be discussed with the relevant editor as soon as possible.
Subsequent Submissions
Authors who have previously published a research article in the SHR can submit a new article after an interval of four years from the date of their original submission. This interval is reduced to two years for early career researchers (defined as individuals within eight years of PhD award, excluding any period of career break). This interval does not apply to authors of book reviews, Notes or Documents or special issue articles.
SHR Notes and Documents
In addition to research articles, the SHR publishes Notes and Documents.
Like research articles, Notes are original pieces of historical scholarship, seeking to illuminate aspects of the Scottish historical past, broadly defined. They are shorter than full-length articles, usually between 3,000 and 5,000 words long. They are also focused discussions, illuminating a single issue rather than adopting a wider analytical remit.
Documents present neglected primary sources in published form that provide valuable historical perspectives in various ways. Unknown or little-known material is featured which is unpublished or available only in obscure and imperfect published form. Documents feature a modern scholarly text of the primary source and also a critical analysis to stress the usefulness of the source. Text and commentary together would not normally exceed 6,000 words.
Notes and Documents accepted to be considered for possible publication are peer-reviewed through an anonymised reviewing process. Normally one subject expert, rather than two as for full-length articles, is asked to provide their opinion on suitability for publication. Notes and Documents must not have been published before, in print or electronically, and must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.
SHR Book Reviews
Reviews are typically 800 words long for monographs, and 1,200 words for edited volumes. We are also happy to commission longer review essays of multiple titles, subject to consultation with the reviews editor.
We do not accept unsolicited reviews. If there is a particular title you are interested in reviewing, please contact the reviews editor. We do not publish multiple reviews of the same publication.
SHR Special Issues
One issue of the SHR each year is normally dedicated to a particular theme. Usually led by two or more subject specialist guest editors, special issues offer an opportunity for groups of scholars to discuss in detail new areas of research or reappraise longstanding topics of interest in Scottish history. Special issues may cross traditional subject boundaries, bringing together scholars from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Special issues can accommodate articles of various lengths, ranging from traditional scholarly essays of 8,000-12,000 words to shorter communications. Articles in special issues must not have been published before, in print or electronically, and must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Articles appearing in special issues will be subject to peer review. Guest editors identify reviewers with relevant expertise and oversee the peer-review process. If you wish to discuss a possible topic for a special issue, please contact the special issues editor.
Imbalances in Authorship
We are conscious of current and historic imbalances in the authorship of SHR articles, especially in terms of gender and race. The Scottish Historical Review Trust, which oversees the journal, has been working for some time to address these imbalances and you can learn more about our endeavours on the SHRT website.
The journal welcomes submissions from all authors, including independent scholars, and especially those from groups that are under-represented in our author profile. We are aware that there are groups who face particular challenges in getting their work published, whether personal or societal. The Trust is able to provide additional support for authors affected by such challenges. Authors are encouraged to discuss any needs in strict confidence with the relevant editor. You may prefer, in the first instance, to approach the Convener of the SHRT.
Early Career Researcher Prize
The SHR Trust offers an annual Essay Prize for an unpublished piece of work by an early career researcher (ECR). The Prize is intended to promote the careers of ECRs, and especially those from social groups who remain under-represented in the SHR’s author profile, by providing an opportunity to publish in a leading peer-reviewed journal.
ECRs are defined as individuals within eight years of PhD award, excluding any period of career break.
Details of the Prize can be found here. The Prize call will be announced in the spring. Please check the SHR Trust website and social media for updates.
Peer Review
Articles accepted to be considered for possible publication are peer-reviewed through an anonymised reviewing process. Authors are asked to remove all identifying marks from their submission. Articles are reviewed on the understanding that they have not previously been published and are not under consideration elsewhere. The review process typically takes around four months but may take longer.
Peer reviewing is essential to sustaining academic rigour and ensuring the continued vitality of the field. The SHR is grateful to colleagues who are willing to undertake this work on behalf of our academic community. The SHR editors, the SHRT and EUP are committed to publishing work that meets the highest scholarly standards. We firmly believe that this is best achieved through a constructive and supportive peer review process.
We do not require peer reviewers to follow a template. However, we ask reviewers to consider the following points when preparing their report:
the originality of the research, analysis and argument
command of the source base and the soundness of the methodologies for studying it
the appropriateness of the conceptual framework in which the research has been positioned
engagement with relevant historiographies
clarity of argument
quality of writing and presentation, with awareness of accessibility for non-specialists in Scottish history and historiography
any citation biases or imbalances
the overall contribution to historical knowledge and understanding
We ask reviewers to provide a clear recommendation:
publication with minor revisions
revise and resubmit
do not publish in its current form
In preparing their report, reviewers are asked to treat authors with respect, keeping in mind that they are reviewing the piece of work, not the author, and thus to avoid comments that could be interpreted as personal or derogatory. Part of the purpose of peer reviewing is to provide advice that will help the author achieve publication, whether in the SHR or elsewhere. It is helpful for editors if reviewers can offer specific points for improvement.
Editors will ensure that reports are anonymised before returning to the author(s). They reserve the right to edit a report in the interests of providing the author(s) with what they consider to be the most appropriate and informative guidance. Reviewers may wish to make comments for the attention of the editors only, but please indicate clearly where this is the case.
The EUP website provides further guidance on the peer review process for journals.
Plagiarism and Artificial Intelligence
Plagiarism is defined as using ideas, words, data or other material that were not produced by the author without acknowledgement. It can occur in respect to all sources and media, wherever published, and whether published or unpublished. Self-plagiarism (or text recycling) occurs when an author uses significant sections of text from previous publications without attribution. Duplicate publication, in which significant portions of an existing work, or its fundamental ideas, are published more than once without proper cross-referencing, thereby creating a false impression of new research, is also a form of self-plagiarism.
Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. Submissions containing suspected plagiarism, in whole or part, will be rejected. Any suspicions of plagiarism identified by reviewers in a submitted article or by readers in a published article can be raised confidentially with the relevant editor and/or with the Convener of the SHRT. If plagiarism is suspected post-publication, we will, if necessary, review the article and, if plagiarism is confirmed, we will retract the article.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly being used in university and academic settings. We acknowledge a distinction between assistive AI, which may have legitimate uses for editing work otherwise wholly original to the author(s), and generative AI, which is generally in breach of academic standards of originality and accountability. Assistive AI must be acknowledged to the editors. The use of any AI tool in the production of research data, or in the analysis of texts, must be acknowledged and explained in the work. In general terms, the use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to create the work is not acceptable and, in the event that it is detected, we will revert to our plagiarism policy.
Fuller guidance on AI tools will be published by EUP shortly. Please check back for updates.
Author Copyright Form
Authors will be required to complete a copyright form prior to publication. The nature of this form will depend on whether you publish via the standard route or choose Open Access publication. Please see below or discuss this with the relevant editor.
Print Publication and Ahead of Print
The SHR publishes three print issues a year: standard issues in April and December and a special issue in August. Once accepted, your article will be allocated to the next print issue with an available slot. We also provide an Ahead of Print (AoP) option, whereby the copyedited version of an accepted article is published online prior to print publication and is later replaced online by the version of record. The timescale for AoP publication varies piece to piece but AoP typically reduces the period between acceptance and publication.
Contributor copies
Authors will receive a pdf copy of their article and a 30-day access token to the journal online. Authors are entitled to a 40% discount on the journal issue containing their article, a 40% discount on all EUP books and a 40% discount on any journal subscription.
Journal Statistics
In accordance with the requirements of Plan S, the journal publishes annual statistics on submissions and the review process. EUP is currently updating these statistics for the SHR. Please check back for updates.
Authorship
In order to be considered an author or co-author of an article in Scottish Historical Review, a person must:
1) have made substantial contributions to the work
2) be willing to accept accountability for the work that was done and its presentation in a publication.
The contributions to the manuscript of anyone who does not meet this criteria should be listed in the acknowledgements section. For example, things like general mentoring, collecting data, acting as study coordinator or providing comments on early versions of the manuscript do not constitute authorship, but should be noted in the acknowledgements for an article.
For any other questions on authorship (or other aspects of publication ethics) please click here.
Fees
There are no fees to submit or publish in any Edinburgh University Press journal. Separate fees apply for optional gold open access publication – please see below or visit our open accessguidance for further information.
Open access, archiving and social sharing
All EUP journals are published on a Green Open Access basis, whereby authors are allowed to deposit a pre-publication version of their contribution on their personal or departmental web page and in their institutional repository. Authors are also permitted to deposit a pre-publication version of their contribution in a non-commercial subject repository one year following publication in print. The Version of Record of the article, as it appears in the journal following layout and proof correction, may not be deposited by authors in institutional repositories. Please visit our Copyright and Open Access Licenses page for full details of our self-archiving policy for all EUP journals.
Authors can also choose to pay a fee to make their article freely available online immediately via the EUP journals website. Please visit our open access page for full information on our gold open access publishing options.
A selection of EUP journals is included in our Edinburgh Subscribe to Open initiative, in which journal volumes are converted to open access without fees to authors as long as they receive enough support from library subscribers.
Editorial Decision Appeals Policy
If you wish to appeal an editorial decision, please review the Editorial Decision Appeals Policy Guidance and Criteria.
English language editing service
Edinburgh University Press collaborates with Enago to provide academic English editing and translation services to help authors get their manuscript submission-ready. A special 20% discount is available for all EUP Authors. For more information, please visit www.enago.com/eup.
Discounts for authors
Journal Authors are entitled to a 40% discount on the journal issue containing their paper, a 40% discount on all EUP books and a 40% discount on any journal subscription. Please contact marketing@eup.ed.ac.uk to order books at discount and journals@eup.ed.ac.uk for discounted journal subscriptions.
Author hub
Visit our author hub for more information on publication ethics, clearing permissions, copyright and licenses, guidance for early career researchers, tips for promoting your work and more.