Manuscript Submission
Authors are invited to submit original manuscripts to European Polygraph through the journal’s online submission system:
Submit your manuscript via OJS:
https://journals.uafm.edu.pl/ep/about/submissions
Manuscripts submitted to European Polygraph must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by any other journal, book, conference proceedings, or publishing platform. By submitting a manuscript, the author confirms that all co-authors have approved the submission and that the manuscript complies with the journal’s editorial, ethical, and technical requirements.
The journal publishes scholarly articles, research papers, case studies, review articles, legal analyses, historical studies, reports, book reviews, and other materials related to polygraph examinations and associated fields.
Aims and Scope
European Polygraph is an international scholarly journal devoted to the study of polygraph examinations and related methods of credibility assessment, forensic psychophysiology, psychology of deception, legal aspects of lie detection, criminal investigation, security studies, and the history, methodology, theory, and practice of polygraph testing.
The aim of the journal is to provide a forum for the exchange of scientific knowledge, professional experience, and critical reflection concerning the use of polygraph examinations and related methods in forensic, legal, security, and research contexts. The journal seeks to promote high-quality, ethically responsible, and methodologically sound research that contributes to the development of knowledge in the field.
The journal welcomes submissions concerning, in particular:
• polygraph examination methodology;
• forensic psychophysiology;
• credibility assessment and deception detection;
• legal and ethical aspects of polygraph testing;
• psychological and physiological foundations of polygraph examinations;
• criminal investigation and intelligence applications;
• standards of professional practice;
• historical development of polygraph techniques;
• comparative studies of legal and forensic systems;
• case studies and practical applications;
• book reviews and reports relevant to the field.
The journal publishes articles addressed to scholars, forensic experts, legal professionals, psychologists, criminologists, security specialists, and practitioners involved in the study or application of polygraph examinations and related methods.
Types of Contributions
European Polygraph accepts the following types of submissions:
Research Articles
Original scholarly articles presenting theoretical, empirical, methodological, legal, historical, or analytical research relevant to the aims and scope of the journal.
Review Articles
Critical reviews of existing literature, research trends, legal developments, or methodological debates related to polygraph examinations and associated fields.
Case Studies
Analyses of selected cases, practical problems, or professional experiences that provide scholarly or methodological value.
Reports
Reports from conferences, research projects, professional meetings, or institutional developments relevant to the field of polygraph examinations.
Book Reviews
Reviews of books and other scholarly publications related to polygraph testing, forensic psychology, criminology, law, security studies, or related disciplines.
Book reviews, reports, and editorial materials may be assessed by the Editors and are not necessarily subject to external peer review.
Manuscript Preparation
Authors should prepare manuscripts in clear academic English. Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format.
A manuscript should normally include the following elements:
- Title;
- Abstract;
- Keywords;
- Main text;
- Acknowledgements, if applicable;
- Funding information, if applicable;
- Conflict of interest statement;
- References;
- Tables and figures, if applicable;
- Appendices, if applicable.
Formatting Requirements
Manuscripts should be prepared according to the following basic formatting rules:
• file format: Microsoft Word .doc or .docx;
• font: Times New Roman;
• main text: 12 pt;
• footnotes: 10 pt;
• line spacing: 1.5;
• margins: 2.5 cm on all sides;
• text alignment: justified;
• pages should be numbered consecutively;
• tables and figures should be numbered and titled;
• references should be prepared consistently according to the journal’s reference style.
The title page should include:
• full title of the manuscript;
• full name of each author;
• institutional affiliation of each author;
• ORCID iD, if available;
• e-mail address of the corresponding author;
• acknowledgements, if applicable;
• funding information, if applicable;
• conflict of interest statement.
Because European Polygraph applies a double-blind peer-review procedure, authors should also submit an anonymised version of the manuscript. The anonymised manuscript should not contain the authors’ names, affiliations, acknowledgements, self-identifying references, file metadata, or any other information that may reveal the identity of the authors.
Abstract and Keywords
Each research article should include an abstract of approximately 150–250 words. The abstract should clearly present the purpose of the article, the research problem, the methods or approach used, the main findings, and the conclusions.
Authors should provide 4–6 keywords that accurately describe the content of the manuscript. Keywords should be specific and relevant to the subject matter of the article.
References
Authors are responsible for ensuring that all references are accurate, complete, and consistently formatted. Each source cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and each item in the reference list must be cited in the text.
References should include, where applicable:
• author’s surname and initials;
• year of publication;
• title of the article, book, chapter, or document;
• journal or book title;
• volume and issue number;
• page range;
• publisher;
• DOI or URL, where available.
Authors should verify all references before submission. Incomplete or inconsistent references may delay the editorial process.
Tables, Figures, and Illustrations
Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively and accompanied by clear titles or captions. They should be referred to in the main text.
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce any copyrighted material, including illustrations, figures, tables, photographs, or extended excerpts from previously published works.
Tables and figures should be submitted in editable or high-resolution format whenever possible. The Editorial Office may request separate source files during the production process.
Article Processing Charges
European Polygraph does not charge authors any fees for manuscript submission, editorial assessment, peer review, language editing, publication, or online access to published articles.
There are no:
• submission charges;
• article processing charges;
• publication charges;
• page charges;
• colour charges;
• charges for online publication.
Reviewers do not receive remuneration for peer-review reports.
Editorial and Peer Review Process
All manuscripts submitted to European Polygraph are processed according to a transparent editorial and peer-review procedure. The purpose of this procedure is to ensure the scholarly quality, originality, ethical integrity, and relevance of all articles published in the journal.
- Initial Editorial Screening
After submission, each manuscript undergoes an initial assessment by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated member of the Editorial Board.
At this stage, the manuscript is assessed with regard to:
• relevance to the aims and scope of the journal;
• compliance with the journal’s author guidelines;
• scholarly and methodological quality;
• clarity of structure and language;
• originality and potential contribution to the field;
• compliance with publication ethics requirements.
Manuscripts that do not fall within the scope of the journal, do not meet basic scholarly standards, or clearly fail to comply with the author guidelines may be rejected at this stage without external review.
Estimated timeframe: normally within 2–4 weeks from submission. - Double-Blind Peer Review
Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening are sent for peer review.
European Polygraph applies a double-blind peer-review procedure. This means that the identities of the authors are not disclosed to the reviewers, and the identities of the reviewers are not disclosed to the authors.
Each research article is normally evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. Reviewers are selected on the basis of their expertise in the subject area of the manuscript.
Reviewers should not have any conflict of interest with the authors, the submitted manuscript, or the institutions involved.
Reviewers are asked to assess, in particular:
• the originality and scholarly relevance of the manuscript;
• the adequacy of the research methodology;
• the clarity and accuracy of argumentation;
• the use of relevant literature;
• the quality of conclusions;
• compliance with ethical standards;
• the suitability of the manuscript for publication in European Polygraph.
Estimated timeframe: normally 4–8 weeks, depending on reviewer availability and the complexity of the manuscript. - Editorial Decision
On the basis of the reviewers’ reports, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor makes one of the following decisions:
• accept the manuscript for publication;
• accept the manuscript subject to minor revisions;
• invite the author to revise and resubmit the manuscript after major revisions;
• reject the manuscript.
The final decision regarding publication rests with the Editor-in-Chief.
In cases of substantially divergent reviewer opinions, the Editor-in-Chief may appoint an additional reviewer or consult another member of the Editorial Board. - Revision by the Author
If revisions are requested, the author receives the reviewers’ comments and editorial recommendations. The author is expected to submit a revised version of the manuscript together with a response explaining how the comments were addressed.
For minor revisions, authors are normally asked to submit the revised manuscript within 2–4 weeks.
For major revisions, the expected timeframe is normally 4–8 weeks, unless otherwise agreed with the Editorial Office.
The revised manuscript may be returned to the original reviewers or assessed by the editor, depending on the extent of the required changes. - Language Editing and Technical Preparation
After acceptance, the manuscript may undergo editorial, linguistic, bibliographic, and technical preparation.
This stage may include:
• language correction;
• formatting according to the journal style;
• verification of references;
• checking tables, figures, captions, and footnotes;
• preparation of metadata;
• preparation of the final publication file.
The purpose of editorial preparation is to improve clarity, consistency, and formal quality while preserving the author’s argument, meaning, and scholarly responsibility for the text. - Author Proofs
Before publication, the corresponding author receives proofs for final verification.
At this stage, only minor corrections are allowed, such as typographical errors, factual inaccuracies, formatting issues, or corrections requested by the Editorial Office.
Substantial changes to the content, structure, authorship, or conclusions of the article are not permitted at proof stage unless approved by the Editor-in-Chief.
Authors are normally requested to return corrected proofs within 3–7 days. - Publication
After final approval, the article is published in the relevant issue of European Polygraph.
The journal publishes issues according to its declared publication schedule. The Editorial Office makes reasonable efforts to ensure that accepted articles are prepared and published in a timely manner.
Reviewer Selection and Reviewer Responsibilities
Reviewers are selected on the basis of their expertise, scholarly competence, independence, and relevance to the subject matter of the manuscript.
Reviewers are expected to:
• provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations;
• maintain confidentiality of the manuscript and review process;
• disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest;
• identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the author, where appropriate;
• avoid personal criticism of the author;
• assess the manuscript solely on scholarly and methodological grounds.
Reviewers must not use unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their own research or personal advantage without the author’s explicit written consent.
Editorial Independence
Editorial decisions are based exclusively on the scholarly merit, originality, relevance, clarity, methodological quality, and ethical compliance of the submitted manuscript.
Editorial decisions are not influenced by the author’s nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, religion, political views, personal characteristics, or commercial considerations.
The Editor-in-Chief has final responsibility for deciding which manuscripts are published in the journal.
Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
European Polygraph is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics and scholarly integrity. The journal follows internationally recognised principles of publication ethics, including recommendations developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics, COPE, and other relevant organisations concerned with ethical publishing practices.
All parties involved in the publication process authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher are expected to act in accordance with the principles of honesty, transparency, confidentiality, accountability, and respect for intellectual property.
Duties of Authors
Authors submitting manuscripts to European Polygraph are expected to:
• submit only original work;
• ensure that the manuscript has not been published previously and is not under consideration elsewhere;
• properly acknowledge the work of others;
• cite all sources accurately and completely;
• disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest;
• disclose all sources of funding;
• obtain permission for copyrighted material used in the manuscript;
• ensure that all listed authors have made a significant contribution to the work;
• ensure that all co-authors have approved the submitted version of the manuscript;
• promptly notify the Editorial Office if a significant error or inaccuracy is discovered after submission or publication.
Authors must not submit manuscripts involving plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, redundant publication, duplicate submission, ghostwriting, guest authorship, or honorary authorship.
Authorship and Contributorship
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant scholarly contribution to the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or writing of the submitted work.
All persons who have contributed substantially to the work should be listed as authors. Persons who contributed to the research or preparation of the manuscript but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged, provided that they consent to being acknowledged.
The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that:
• all appropriate co-authors are included;
• no inappropriate co-authors are listed;
• all co-authors have approved the final version of the manuscript;
• all co-authors agree to the submission and publication of the manuscript.
Changes in authorship after submission, including addition, removal, or rearrangement of authors, require a written explanation and approval by all affected authors. Such changes are subject to editorial approval.
Ghostwriting and Guest Authorship
European Polygraph considers ghostwriting and guest authorship to be serious violations of publication ethics.
Ghostwriting occurs when a person who made a substantial contribution to the manuscript is not disclosed as an author or contributor.
Guest authorship or honorary authorship occurs when a person is listed as an author despite not having made a substantial contribution to the work.
Authors are required to disclose the contribution of each author and, where applicable, the contribution of other persons or institutions involved in the preparation of the manuscript.
Plagiarism and Originality
All submitted manuscripts must be original. Authors must properly cite and reference all sources, including their own previously published work.
Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. This includes copying text, ideas, data, images, tables, or other materials without proper acknowledgement.
Self-plagiarism, redundant publication, and duplicate publication are also unacceptable unless properly disclosed and justified.
The Editorial Office may use plagiarism detection tools or other methods to verify the originality of submitted manuscripts. If plagiarism or another serious ethical breach is detected, the manuscript may be rejected. If the breach is discovered after publication, the journal may publish a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the circumstances.
Conflicts of Interest
Authors, reviewers, and editors are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence, or be perceived to influence, the publication process.
Conflicts of interest may include financial, institutional, professional, personal, academic, or other relationships.
If a conflict of interest is identified, the person concerned should not participate in the assessment or decision-making process concerning the manuscript.
Authors should include a conflict of interest statement in the manuscript. If there are no conflicts of interest, the following statement should be used:
The author declares no conflict of interest.
For multi-author manuscripts, the statement should refer to all authors:
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Funding Statement
Authors should disclose all sources of funding or financial support related to the research or preparation of the manuscript.
If the research received no external funding, the following statement should be used:
This research received no external funding.
Research Ethics
Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research complies with applicable ethical standards, legal requirements, and institutional regulations.
Where research involves human participants, personal data, sensitive information, or professional case materials, authors must ensure that appropriate ethical approval, informed consent, anonymisation, or legal authorisation has been obtained, where required.
The Editorial Office may request additional information or documentation concerning research ethics before making an editorial decision.
Confidentiality
Editors and reviewers must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.
Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used by editors or reviewers for their own research, personal advantage, or professional benefit without the author’s explicit written consent.
The identity of reviewers is not disclosed to authors, and the identity of authors is not disclosed to reviewers during the peer-review process.
Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern
European Polygraph is committed to correcting the scholarly record when necessary.
If errors, inaccuracies, ethical concerns, or misconduct are identified after publication, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:
• publish a correction;
• publish an expression of concern;
• retract the article;
• notify relevant institutions or bodies, where appropriate.
The decision will depend on the nature and seriousness of the issue and will be made by the Editor-in-Chief in accordance with recognised standards of publication ethics.
Copyright and Open Access License
Articles published in European Polygraph are made available under the journal’s open access policy.
Unless otherwise stated, articles are published under the following Creative Commons license:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License
Authors retain responsibility for the content of their articles and for ensuring that all third-party materials used in the manuscript are properly cited and, where required, reproduced with permission.
Before publication, authors may be asked to complete and sign the relevant author statement, copyright form, or license agreement required by the journal or publisher.
Author Statement
Before publication, authors may be required to submit an author statement confirming that:
• the manuscript is original;
• the manuscript has not been published previously;
• the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere;
• all authors have approved the submission;
• all sources have been properly acknowledged;
• conflicts of interest have been disclosed;
• funding sources have been disclosed;
• all necessary permissions have been obtained;
• the manuscript complies with the journal’s ethical standards.
The Editorial Office may request additional declarations depending on the type and content of the manuscript.
Contact
Questions concerning manuscript submission, author guidelines, peer review, or editorial procedures should be addressed to the Editorial Office of European Polygraph.
Editorial Office:
Michał Widacki, mwidacki@uafm.edu.pl
Anna Szuba-Boroń, aszuba@uafm.edu.pl
Online submission system:
https://journals.uafm.edu.pl/ep/about/submissions
Suggested Files for Authors
Authors are encouraged to consult the following files before submission:
• Manuscript Template;
• Author Statement;
• Reviewer Form;
• Copyright and Open Access License;
• Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.