Submissions

To ensure consistency and academic excellence, AJOBIT requires authors to adhere to the following guidelines:

1. General Requirements

i. Authors are encouraged to submit only scholarly articles within the journal’s scope and subject areas. 

ii. The submitted manuscript must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration in any other journal.

iii. Authors must uphold ethical research standards and ensure their work is plagiarism-free.

iv. Authors must avoid the unethical use of AI in their work. 

v. v. Manuscripts must be written in English, consistently using either American or British spelling throughout.

vi. Manuscripts should be well-organized, with a clear, logical structure and easy-to-follow arguments.

vii. All manuscripts must be written in clear academic language, without grammatical and spelling errors. 

viii. Each manuscript must have a robust and credible biblical, theological, or linguistic foundation and thoroughly engage with relevant and up-to-date literature.

ix. The journal encourages the use of gender-inclusive language. Authors should avoid gender-specific terms when the subject's gender is unknown or irrelevant. For example, use “humankind” instead of “mankind,” “chairperson” instead of “chairman,” and “they” instead of “he” or “she” as a generic pronoun.

x. Research articles should be between 6,000 and 8,000 words (including footnotes, tables, figures, graphs, bibliography/references). 

 

Each manuscript should be structured as follows: Title, Abstract, Introduction, Main Body (with subsections), Conclusion, and References/Bibliography. 

Title

• The title should be clear, concise, and informative (maximum 15 words).

• It should accurately reflect the content and scope of the paper. 

• Write the title in all caps and center-align the text.

 

Abstract

• The abstract should provide a concise (summarized) overview of the entire article. 

• It should be written in one paragraph and should be between 150 and 250 words. 

• It should clearly outline the research problem, purpose of the study, methodology (briefly mentioned), main argument, key findings, conclusions, implications (if applicable), and contribution to knowledge. 

• It should be written in the past tense.

• No citations are to be included in the abstract. 

• Be sparing with abbreviations, using only those firmly established in the field. 

• Make your abstract self-contained because most readers use it to decide whether to read the full article or not.

• Authors should include 4–6 carefully selected terms or phrases that accurately reflect the main themes, concepts, or geographical and theoretical focus of the paper to enhance discoverability in academic searches.

 

• Full name(s) of the author(s) (without academic titles) and highest academic qualification (e.g., MA, MPhil, MTh, DTh, PhD)

• Institutional affiliation(s) and country

• Corresponding author’s email

• Only those who contributed significantly to the research (that is, helped write or revise the manuscript), approved the final version, and take responsibility for its content should be listed as authors.

 

• The introduction should introduce the reader to the topic and lead the reader into the body of the paper. 

• It must provide background or context for the study.

• It must clearly state the research problem or identify a gap in existing literature.

• It must outline the objectives or research questions and highlight the significance or rationale of the study.

• It must briefly describe the structure of the paper, significant findings, conclusions, and recommendations (if applicable). 

 

Methodology

Each manuscript must include a clearly defined methodology appropriate to the nature of the study. The methodology section should explain the approach or method used—whether empirical (e.g., surveys, interviews, case studies) or non-empirical (e.g., theological reflection, linguistics analysis, exegetical analysis, conceptual inquiry)—and justify its relevance to the research objectives. It should address key questions such as: What steps were taken to investigate the research problem? What sources or data were used? How were they gathered and analyzed at each stage? Authors must also mention any ethical considerations involved in the research, including matters like consent and confidentiality where applicable, and acknowledge any limitations or boundaries of the chosen method. They must also mention the software tools used in analyzing data. Some common software tools used in data analysis include NVivo, ATLAS.ti, MAXQDA, Dedoose, and Quirkos for qualitative analysis; SPSS, Stata, R, SAS, and Excel for quantitative analysis; and QDA Miner and MAXQDA Analytics Pro for mixed-methods research. These tools help researchers organize, code, analyze, and visualize both textual and numerical data effectively. Further details about the methodology are given below.  

 

Methodology for Empirical Research

• For empirical research, the methodology section should provide a clear and detailed account of the research process. 

• Authors must describe the overall research design—such as qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, case study, or historical analysis—and explain its relevance to the study. The section should specify the population and sample, including sampling techniques and relevant demographic information. 

• Authors should clearly outline the data collection methods, such as surveys, interviews, observations, or fieldwork, and describe the procedures used to gather and organize the data. Finally, the section must detail the data analysis techniques applied, whether statistical tools, coding procedures, or thematic analysis, ensuring that the research process is transparent, replicable, and aligned with the study’s objectives.

 

Methodology for Non-empirical Research

• Non-empirical conceptual studies must also be grounded in a clear and coherent methodological framework. While such studies do not involve collecting empirical data, they are expected to follow a systematic and rigorous approach. Authors should articulate the theoretical or conceptual framework of the research, identifying the key philosophical, biblical, linguistic, or theological concepts (frameworks) that inform their analysis. The method of inquiry—such as exegetical analysis, theological reflection, conceptual analysis, or historical-critical interpretation—should be clearly described and appropriately applied to the selected sources.

• It is essential to specify the nature and scope of the sources being analyzed, whether these include scriptural texts, doctrinal statements, historical documents, or theological/linguistic literature, and to explain their relevance to the research question. Authors should also describe the interpretive strategy used, acknowledging any particular lens or tradition guiding their analysis, such as liberation theology, feminist theology, or Catholic social teaching. The choice of methodology must be justified in relation to the research aims and questions. Its suitability for the study should also be mentioned.

 

The Body

• The body of the manuscript should preferably be divided into clear subsections with appropriate headings that guide the reader through the development of the argument or presentation of findings.

• The body should present a logical progression of the main argument, supported by interpretation and reasoning, and demonstrate critical engagement with relevant scholars, traditions, or perspectives.

• Note, however, that the structure may be adjusted to suit the nature of the study while maintaining clarity, coherence, and scholarly depth. Further details about the body are given below.

For qualitative or empirical research, the body may include:

• Literature Review: A summary and critique of relevant previous research. 

• Biblical/linguistic/theological foundation: In addition to or in place of the literature review, the body should include a section on the theological/biblical/linguistic foundation related to the subject matter under study.

• Methodology: A detailed description of how the research was conducted. (see the notes on methodology in the previous section)

• Findings/Results: A systematic presentation of the research findings, supported by relevant data such as tables, figures, or qualitative descriptions.

• Discussion and analysis: A critical interpretation of the findings, taking into consideration the research questions, existing literature, and relevant biblical, theological, and linguistic perspectives.

 

For non-empirical research, such as biblical, theological, linguistic, or conceptual studies, the body may include:

• Contextual or Theoretical Background: Establishing the intellectual or theological context.

• Textual. Linguistic or Doctrinal Analysis: In-depth examination of key texts, doctrines, or ideas.

• Synthesis: Integration of insights from analysis to construct or support a coherent theological, biblical, linguistic argument.

• Implications/Application: Reflection on the significance of the findings for biblical studies, theological formulation, linguistics studies, practice, further scholarship, and their relevance to a specific context.

 

Conclusion

• The conclusion should summarize the main findings or arguments.

• It should reflect on the broader implications of the findings.

• It should be written as one paragraph (preferably).

• It should be written without introducing new information. Therefore, there should be no citation in the conclusion.

 

Bibliography/References

• Use either the Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition) or the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) Manual of Style, depending on what was used in the body of the text. 

• All entries should be arranged alphabetically by the author’s last (surname) name. 

• When an entry extends to more than one line, apply a hanging indent for proper formatting. 

• Ensure consistency in citation style throughout the manuscript—Use either the Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition) or the SBL Manual of Style consistently.

 

Authors must adhere to the following formatting guidelines. 

• Font: Times New Roman, 12pt for body text; 12pt bold for the title; 12pt for the abstract and references.

• Spacing: Single line spacing throughout the document. Insert a space between sections/subsections (not between paragraphs). 

• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides.

• Paragraphs: Paragraphs should not be separated by extra spacing; instead, they should be indicated by indenting the first line—except for the very first line of a new section, which should not be indented. Use the tab key to indent paragraphs. All texts should be justified, except the title of the article, which should be center-aligned. 

• Tables & Figures: Numbered sequentially (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1) and must include captions. Table headings should be placed at the top, while figure headings go below the figure.

• Section/sub-section Headings: Limit your headings to three levels. First-level headings should be written in all caps, bold, 12pt, and justified. Second-level headings should be bold, 12pt, with only the first letter of major words capitalized, and justified. Third-level headings should be in bold italics, 12pt, with the first letter of major words capitalized, and justified. For both the second and third level headings, articles (such as a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (such as and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet), short prepositions (typically four letters or fewer, such as at, by, for, in, of, off, on, out, over, to, up, with), and the “to” in infinitives are not capitalized unless they are the first word of the heading.

• Heading Structure and Numbering: Use Arabic numerals for headings and subheadings, following a hierarchical format. Use numbers 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and so on for first-level headings (major headings); 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and so on for second-level headings (subheadings); and 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, and so on for third-level heading (minor headings).

• Italicization: Italics should be used sparingly and only for emphasis, foreign (non-English) words, phrases, or book titles. Bold and underlining should not be used for these purposes.

• Abbreviations (general): Abbreviations should be spelled out in full the first time they appear in both the abstract and the main text, except for those that are widely recognized and commonly used.

• Abbreviations (biblical books): Biblical book abbreviations are standardized for use in footnotes, parenthetical citations, and bibliographies. Old Testament books are abbreviated as follows: Genesis (Gen.), Exodus (Exod.), Leviticus (Lev.), Numbers (Num.), Deuteronomy (Deut.), Joshua (Josh.), Judges (Judg.), Ruth (Ruth), 1 Samuel (1 Sam.), 2 Samuel (2 Sam.), 1 Kings (1 Kgs.), 2 Kings (2 Kgs.), 1 Chronicles (1 Chr.), 2 Chronicles (2 Chr.), Ezra (Ezra), Nehemiah (Neh.), Esther (Esth.), Job (Job), Psalms (Ps.), Proverbs (Prov.), Ecclesiastes (Eccl.), Song of Solomon (Song), Isaiah (Isa.), Jeremiah (Jer.), Lamentations (Lam.), Ezekiel (Ezek.), Daniel (Dan.), Hosea (Hos.), Joel (Joel), Amos (Amos), Obadiah (Obad.), Jonah (Jon.), Micah (Mic.), Nahum (Nah.), Habakkuk (Hab.), Zephaniah (Zeph.), Haggai (Hag.), Zechariah (Zech.), Malachi (Mal.). For the Apocrypha, common abbreviations include: Tobit (Tob.), Judith (Jdt.), Wisdom of Solomon (Wis.), Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) (Sir.), Baruch (Bar.), 1 Maccabees (1 Macc.), 2 Maccabees (2 Macc.). In the New Testament, the abbreviations are: Matthew (Matt.), Mark (Mark), Luke (Luke), John (John), Acts (Acts), Romans (Rom.), 1 Corinthians (1 Cor.), 2 Corinthians (2 Cor.), Galatians (Gal.), Ephesians (Eph.), Philippians (Phil.), Colossians (Col.), 1 Thessalonians (1 Thess.), 2 Thessalonians (2 Thess.), 1 Timothy (1 Tim.), 2 Timothy (2 Tim.), Titus (Titus), Philemon (Philem.), Hebrews (Heb.), James (Jas.), 1 Peter (1 Pet.), 2 Peter (2 Pet.), 1 John (1 John), 2 John (2 John), 3 John (3 John), Jude (Jude), Revelation (Rev.). For the Apocrypha, abbreviations include Tobit (Tob.), Judith (Jdt.), Wisdom of Solomon (Wis.), Sirach or Ecclesiasticus (Sir.), Baruch (Bar.), 1 Maccabees (1 Macc.), and 2 Maccabees (2 Macc.). In running text, the full names of biblical books are preferred, while in notes and parenthetical references, these abbreviations are used along with chapter and verse numbers separated by a colon (e.g., Gen. 1:1).

• The article template can be downloaded here. 

 

Referencing/Citation Style

i. AJOBIT accepts the Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition—footnotes) and the SBL Manual of Style (in-text), but a single manuscript must follow one style consistently. Discursive footnotes should be minimal. 

ii. SBL Style: Use a block quotation for any quotation of 40 words or more, indented on the left, single-spaced, and without quotation marks.

iii. Chicago Style: Use a block quotation for any quotation of four or more lines, indented on the left and single-spaced, without quotation marks.

iv. All or some of the following items are required to cite and prepare a bibliography/references for an article:

• Author(s): Include the full name(s) of the author(s), listed as last/surname name, first name for the bibliography and first name last name for the footnotes.  

• Title: Provide the full title of the article, chapter, or conference proceedings (in quotation marks), the full title of books, and full journal names in italics.

• Date: Indicate the publication year, and include the month or day for newspapers or websites.

• Volume and Issue Numbers: Include volume and issue numbers for journal articles.

• Editors, Translators, or Compilers: Mention editor(s), translator(s), or compiler(s)— with appropriate abbreviations (ed., trans., comp.)—if citing a chapter in an edited or a translated work.

• Publisher: Provide the publisher's name for books and edited volumes.

• Place of Publication: Include the city where the book was published. Provide the city, not the country. Provide the country only when ambiguity exists where there is also another city by the same name in another country (e.g., Cambridge in Massachusetts, USA vs. Cambridge, UK).

• Page Numbers: Cite the specific page numbers for chapters, journal articles, or specific sections referenced. 

• DOI or URL: Provide the DOI or stable URL for online sources when referencing digital content.

• Capitalization: Use headline-style capitalization (major words capitalized).

Further guidelines on the Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition) and SBL Manual of Style are given here. 

 

General Requirements for Book Review Articles

i. Authors are encouraged to submit critical and scholarly book reviews that engage with recent publications relevant to the journal’s focus areas in biblical studies, translation studies, linguistics, and intercultural theology, and related disciplines.

ii. Submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under review by any other journal or outlet.

iii. Authors must adhere to ethical academic standards, ensuring the review is free from plagiarism and represents an honest, fair, and balanced critique of the work.

iv. The use of AI tools must be ethical, transparent, and must not compromise the integrity or originality of the review.

v. All reviews must be written in English, using either American or British spelling consistently throughout the manuscript.

vi. Book reviews should be clearly structured, beginning with full bibliographic details of the book under review, followed by a concise summary, critical analysis (critique), and concluding reflections.

vii. The writing must be in clear, academic prose, free from grammatical and typographical errors.

viii. Reviews should demonstrate familiarity with the broader scholarly context, engaging the reviewed work in light of relevant biblical, linguistic, or theological discourse.

ix. Authors are encouraged to use gender-inclusive language, especially when referring to hypothetical persons or general human subjects. For instance, use “humankind” instead of “mankind,” “chairperson” instead of “chairman,” and “they” instead of “he” or “she” where appropriate.

x. Book review articles should generally be between 1,000 and 1,500 words, unless otherwise requested by the editor.

xi. Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format to the editor via ajobitjournal@gmail.com or through the online submission system. 

 

Structure for Review Article

The following components are necessary. 

 

• Title of the review: A brief title indicating the book being reviewed.

• Introduction: Introduce the book, author, and provide the review's purpose and angle.

• Summary of the book: Give a brief overview of the book’s key content without excessive detail.

• Critical evaluation (critique): Discuss the book’s strengths and weaknesses, and compare it to other works in the field.

• Relevance and contribution: Evaluate the book's impact on the field and its intended audience.

• Conclusion: Offer a final assessment, including recommendations and suggestions for improvement.

• References: List any additional sources or references mentioned in the review.

 

Formatting of Review Article

i. Manuscripts should be formatted in Times New Roman, 12-point font, with single line spacing, justified paragraphs.

ii. Read the formatting guidelines for article manuscripts outlined above for more on formatting guidelines. 

iii. The article template can be downloaded here. 

 

AJOBIT upholds the highest standards of academic integrity and strictly prohibits plagiarism in any form. To maintain originality and credibility, all submitted manuscripts undergo a plagiarism check using CrossRef’s Similarity Check powered by iThenticate before the editorial review process begins. Plagiarism is considered a serious offense, including self-plagiarism and the unacknowledged use of others' work. Manuscripts with suspected plagiarism will be rejected or retracted if discovered post-publication.

While AJOBIT permits the ethical use of AI tools for minor tasks such as language editing, grammar and spelling checks, reference formatting, and data analysis, authors must ensure that their manuscripts remain the product of genuine human scholarly effort, critical reasoning, and adherence to ethical academic standards. AI should not be used to generate core content such as arguments, analyses, or citations. Any substantial use of AI must be clearly disclosed. Authors are fully responsible for their work, and AI tools cannot be credited as co-authors. AJOBIT reserves the right to reject submissions that misuse AI or compromise academic integrity. Note: The subject of the use of AI in academic work is a complex one that needs constant reflection. We reserve the right to modify our policy and publish it officially on our website, as and when the need arises. 

 

Submissions should be sent to ajobitjournal@gmail.com or via the online submission system.

 

AJOBIT follows a triannual publication schedule, releasing issues in June, October, and February.

 

AJOBIT may periodically publish special issues based on specific themes. Calls for papers for special issues will be announced in advance. To uphold academic integrity, all special issues must align with the journal’s scope and undergo the same rigorous peer review process as regular issues. The Editor-in-Chief holds ultimate responsibility for their content, with guest editors approved and supervised by the editorial team. To ensure fairness, guest editors’ own submissions will undergo independent review and will not exceed 25% of the total issue. These measures ensure that special issues contribute meaningfully to scholarly discourse while maintaining high editorial standards.

 

AJOBIT does not charge any fees for submission, peer review, or publication. All accepted articles will be published free of charge to promote open access and the dissemination of knowledge. However, from January 2026, an Article Processing Charge (APC) will apply upon acceptance for publication. The APC will help cover editorial, production, and administrative costs. The applicable charges will be as follows: 

 

Authors from Ghana GHS 500.00

Authors from other parts of Africa USD 70.00

Authors from outside Africa USD 100.00

 

Note: The APC has been waived for all authors publishing in the September 2025 and March 2026 issues. 

 

Information about the mode of payment will be officially announced on the Journal’s website before we begin to charge authors for their publications. 

 

All research papers published in AJOBIT are open access, meaning they are freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication. Articles can be downloaded at no cost from the journal's website, allowing authors to share their research with a broader audience and enabling the global research community to access all published work without the need for membership or subscription fees. Under open access, users are free to read, copy, distribute, print, search, link to full texts, index articles, use them as data for software, or apply them for any other lawful purpose, without requiring prior permission from the publisher or author. This aligns with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition of open access. The copyright holder—the author(s) of all published articles—grants usage rights to others under an open license (CC BY license), ensuring broad dissemination and reuse while maintaining author attribution.

 

i. All research articles published in this journal are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license allows unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any format, provided the original work is properly credited.

ii. Authors retain the copyright to their published articles while agreeing that the CC BY 4.0 license applies to their work. Under this license, members of the research community do not need prior permission from the authors or publisher to copy, distribute, share, or modify the content.

iii. The views, opinions, and conclusions expressed in published articles solely reflect those of the authors. The journal assumes no responsibility for any disputes or liabilities arising from conflicts of interest, copyright violations, or the misuse of published content.

 

AJOBIT is currently indexed Crossref. We will publish additional indexing bodies once our application receives approval.