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.

Use of AI Tools

MPR prides itself on being a forum for an exchange of information between subject specialists and policymakers, state and municipal leaders, and the interested general public. Therefore, the journal discourages the use of AI tools (large language models [LLMs]) by authors when they are writing their submissions. The use of an AI tool to improve readability and grammar is acceptable, but please note that MPR editors copyedit all submissions thoroughly for conformation to MPR style and tone guidelines.

We expect honesty and transparency from our authors and ask that any use of an LLM to help with writing be fully documented in the cover letter and methods section. Please include the tool name and a description of the prompt. Authors need to take full accountability for accuracy and completeness of the AI-generated text and citations. Fair warning: AI invents references all the time, adds faulty DOIs to citations, and sounds supremely confident even when it is incorrect. Honestly, it seems a lot easier to do the writing yourself.

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.