Author Requirements

In your submission’s cover letter, you will identify each author’s academic status using the notations below:

“*” Denotes student investigator (undergraduate and graduate degree seekers).
“†” Denotes an early-career investigator. Individuals within five years of completing their terminal degree or postgraduate training or those with a terminal degree who are still under professional guidance (e.g., in residency).
“‡” Denotes established investigator. Individuals more than five years beyond their terminal degree or training.

ALL submissions must include at least one author identified as a student or early-career investigator. Authors are welcome to dual affiliate when appropriate.

Article types

Original Research
IJES welcomes original research articles that present novel findings and make significant contributions to the literature within the scope of the journal.

Original research articles should include the following sections: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. The Methods section should provide sufficient detail to allow replication of the study, including clear descriptions and justifications of the study design, participants, interventions (if applicable), outcome measures, and statistical analyses used.

All submissions must adhere to IJES formatting guidelines and ethical standards. Authors are encouraged to include tables, figures, and visualization materials that help present the data in a clear and transparent manner. Ethical considerations, including informed consent and institutional review board (IRB) approval, must be clearly stated in the manuscript where applicable. IJES limits the number of references for original research papers to a maximum of forty (40). Original research articles that meet these criteria and contribute valuable insights to the field will be considered for publication.

Systematic Review
Systematic reviews are welcomed and will be subject to the standard peer-review process. In addition, all systematic reviews will undergo pre-review by the Executive Editors to determine if the submission is timely, aligns with the scope of IJES, and makes a significant contribution to the literature.

Systematic reviews should follow rigorous methodology including adherence to established guidelines such as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) or Cochrane Review checklists. Submissions should have a clearly defined research question, a comprehensive literature search, and explicit criteria for study inclusion and exclusion. Manuscripts must include appropriate subheadings, such as Introduction, Methodology, Results, and Discussion, while adhering to standard IJES formatting guidelines. Additionally, a summary table of the articles reviewed must be included within the manuscript. Only systematic reviews meeting these criteria will be considered for publication.

Meta-Analysis
The journal welcomes meta-analyses that synthesize quantitative findings from multiple studies to provide robust conclusions on topics within the scope of IJES. All meta-analyses will undergo the standard peer-review process, along with a pre-review by the Executive team to evaluate the timeliness, relevance, and methodological rigor of the submission.

Meta-analyses must adhere to established guidelines such as Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), and should include a clearly defined research question, comprehensive literature search, and explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. The statistical methods used to aggregate and analyze the data must be thoroughly described, including details of any heterogeneity tests, publication bias, and sensitivity analyses.

The manuscript should include standard sections such as Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion, with emphasis on the Methods section to ensure transparency. A summary table of the included studies, along with their key characteristics and results, is required. Meta-analyses that meet these criteria and provide significant contributions to the literature will be considered for publication.

Brief Report
The journal welcomes pilot studies, feasibility studies, and other early-stage research that assess the viability, practicality, or preliminary outcomes of research methods, interventions, or concepts. Submissions may include exploratory studies, proof-of-concept studies, or preliminary research that provide initial insights and justify further investigation. While these studies are typically smaller in scale, they must present clear research questions and contribute valuable information that supports the development of full-scale research. If sample size is a limiting factor in the study, authors are encouraged to include an analysis that determines the sample size required to achieve adequate statistical power for future, larger-scale studies. Articles should adhere to the journal’s standard formatting guidelines and clearly indicate the study’s scope and limitations.

Brief reports are limited to ten pages (10) total, including references and figures. Authors are limited to twenty five (25) references in brief reports.

Case Report, Series, or Study
At this time, IJES does not accept case reports, case series, or case studies for publication. We encourage authors to consider submitting original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or brief reports that align with the journal’s scope and contribute significantly to the literature.

Submission requirements

In this journal, we encourage contributors to engage in open and diverse discourse with minimal formatting guidelines at the time of submission, allowing for a free-flowing exchange of ideas and insights. Your submissions should include a title page, in-text citations, and a reference list, adhering to the established academic citation style described later on this page.

While the Journal is international in nature, only submissions in English will be reviewable. If accepted, a copy of the revised manuscript in another language may be published as an addendum along with the English version; however page numbers will not be assigned to this addendum.

Original Research and Brief Reports should include the following in order:

1. Title##

Title – should appropriately and concisely describe the overall study. Consider a title that will make electronic retrieval of the article both sensitive and specific.

1. Abstract and Keywords##

Authors must submit an unstructured abstract of no more than 250 words, written as a single paragraph without section headings or tags (e.g., “Background:”). The abstract should clearly and concisely summarize the study, including its context, purpose, basic procedures, main findings, and principal conclusions.
Additionally, include 3–10 keywords or short phrases on a separate line. These should not duplicate words or phrases found in the title or abstract and are intended to assist indexers in cross-referencing your article.

3. Introduction##

This section explains the context or background for the study. While a review of literature is not appropriate here, enough detail must be provided for readers to understand the reason for conducting the experimentation. Include a statement of purpose and statement of hypothesis.

4. Methods##

This section details the protocol used to collect study data. Authors must include a statement in their manuscript detailing the Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval or exemption process for the study. This statement should specify the name of the approving institution, the IRB protocol number (if applicable), and a justification for the exemption if one was granted. Studies involving human participants must explicitly confirm compliance with ethical standards and informed consent procedures. Manuscripts without a clear ethics statement may be returned for revision or rejected.

The Methods section should include only the following subheadings:

• Participants: Provide a description of inclusion and exclusion criteria used with participants. Study participants have a right to privacy that should not be violated without informed consent. Experiments involving the use of human participants must follow procedures in accordance with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration. Experimentation involving the use of animals must indicate the guide for care and use that was followed.

• The editors will look for either an (1) a priori power analysis or (2) a scientific rationale for the number of participants tested that is accompanied by a rationale for why a power analysis could not be conducted. If you have any questions regarding this requirement, please reference the editorial published in volume 13(1) 1-5. Power analysis should be accompanied by a citation that justifies the numbers included in the evaluation.

• Each author must agree that they have conformed to the ethical standards contained in the publication “Ethical Issues Relating to Scientific Discovery in Exercise Science.” To acknowledge this, it is required that the work is referred to in this section using the statement “This research was carried out fully in accordance with the ethical standards of the International Journal of Exercise Science” along with the following reference: Navalta JW, Stone WJ, Lyons TS. Ethical issues relating to scientific discovery in exercise science. Int J Exerc Sci. 2019;12(1):1-8.

• Protocol: This section should include the methodology, equipment or apparatus (provide manufacturer name and address in parentheses), and procedures in adequate detail to allow other investigators to replicate the results.

• Statistical Analysis: Statistical methods should be described in enough detail to allow a knowledgeable reader with access the original data to verify the reported results. Include the computer software used and the alpha-level used for the determination of significance. Also include an interpretation of effect size or secondary measure accompanying reported results.

5. Results##

The results should be reported in a logical sequence, giving the main findings first. The use of descriptive text, tables, and figures should be unique and not repeat information. Tables and figures should be restricted to those needed to explain the argument of the paper. Graphs should be used as an alternative to tables with many entries.

All tables and figures included in the manuscript must be fully interpretable on their own, without requiring reference to the main text. Each should include a clear, descriptive title and, where necessary, concise legends or footnotes to explain abbreviations, symbols, or data presentation methods. Ensure that all relevant details needed for understanding the content are provided directly within the table or figure.

6. Discussion##

This section emphasizes new and important aspects generated from the study. Do not simply repeat information previously given in the Introduction and/or the Results sections. It may be helpful to begin the Discussion with a summary of the main findings of the study, and then suggest potential mechanisms or explanations, compare and/or contrast the results with previous research, and provide the implications of the findings for future research. Be careful not to make unqualified statements that are not adequately supported by the study data.

7. Acknowledgements##

Include funding sources or sources of support, disclaimers, or contributions that do not warrant authorship.

Consider providing a land acknowledgement as a way of showing respect for the Indigenous Communities with whom the work was performed, or whose historic land was taken, now being used by academic institutions and its employees. The National Environmental Education Foundation provides guidance on creating a land acknowledgement. The process involves first identifying the traditional inhabitants of the land at https://native-land.ca. Next, while there is no precise language recommendation, an articulation of acknowledgement is appropriate (see the example below). Finally, once the statement has been created, include the acknowledgement in the manuscript.

Example land acknowledgement: “We respectfully acknowledge that the International Journal of Exercise Science, and Western Kentucky University, are headquartered and located on the ancestral land of the ᏣᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee, East) people.”

8. References##

References and in-text citations should be in AMA style. Please ensure that cited references are characterized appropriately and not misrepresented.

Journal Articles

• Reeves R, Hicks O, Navalta J. The relationship between upper arm anthropometrical measures and vertical jump displacement. Int J Exerc Sci. 2008;1(1):22-29. doi:10.70252/fjtf9033.

Books: Books and websites are discouraged as primary references. However, if absolutely necessary, here is the format for each:

• Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Elsevier Science; 2013.

Websites

• Native land digital. October 8, 2021. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://native-land.ca/.

Citation Managers

• We have found the following citation managers available for use online. However, the editors did not create these resources so their use should be cautiously implemented. Authors are ultimately responsible for the content of their references.

9. Tables and Figures##

Include tables and figures in appropriate places within the body of the text (do not list each separately at the end of the manuscript). Each table and figure must be cited in the text. Number tables consecutively in the order in which they appear in the text. Provide a brief but descriptive title at the top of each table, and explanatory footnotes at the bottom for all nonstandard abbreviations. Tables must be presented in portrait mode only and be configured so that it does not span more that one page. Tables with excessive content must be broken into to smaller quantities or non-essential data should be removed.
Figures should be included in a common electronic format that is editable by the Editors (e.g., Microsoft linked objects). Number figures consecutively in the order in which they appear in the text. Provide a descriptive figure caption at the bottom of each figure.

As the IJES is exclusively published online, authors are strongly encouraged to incorporate color into tables and graphs and include color photographs where appropriate to enhance visual clarity and presentation.
When creating tables and figures for scholarly work, focus on clarity, simplicity, and accessibility. Avoid overly complex designs and ensure each visual communicates a single, clear message. Use high-contrast color combinations, such as black text on a white background, and avoid relying solely on color to differentiate elements. Instead, use patterns or labels to enhance accessibility for readers with color vision deficiencies. Text should be legible, with a recommended size of 10–12 points for tables and larger labels for figures. Consistency is key—use the same fonts, colors, and formatting styles throughout.

For tables, provide concise, descriptive titles above and use footnotes or legends below to explain abbreviations or symbols. Minimize borders and gridlines, relying on spacing for clarity, and align numerical data to the right or by decimal points while keeping text left-aligned. In figures, ensure axes are clearly labeled with units of measurement and provide descriptive titles and legends. Choose graph types that best represent your data, avoiding overly decorative styles. Limit the amount of data in each figure to prevent overcrowding and use annotations like arrows or labels to highlight key points.

Although IJES generally follows AMA guidelines, this resource offered by the APA gives great guidance on table and figure generation. APA Tables and Figures

10. Conflict of Interest Notification##

Inappropriate influences from financial or personal relationships constitute a conflict of interest. Authors desiring to submit a manuscript to be considered for review in the Journal must disclose all relationships that could be viewed as presenting a potential conflict of interest in their cover letter.

Editorial and Peer Review Process

All submissions will undergo the same double-blind review process. First, a member of our pre-review team will evaluate the submission for critical pieces necessary for every paper (e.g., human subjects approval or exemption, formatting expectations) and originality before moving to an editor. Next, members of the Executive Team will ensure that the research aligns with the journal’s scope, has potential impact in the field, and is methodologically sound upon first appraisal. If approved, the submission will move to a Section Editor who will conduct a similar evaluation, but with particular focus on content and relevance. Peer evaluators may be secured after this step.

The review process timeline may vary depending on how promptly authors respond to revision requests and the availability of our dedicated volunteer reviewers to provide valuable, in-depth feedback. Our team is committed to treating each submission with the same care and attention as their own work, ensuring it receives the thorough consideration it deserves. Given the high volume of submissions, there may be some time between submission and an initial decision. Authors can generally expect an initial decision within 3-6 weeks if no immediate revisions are needed. To facilitate timely dissemination, we publish accepted articles promptly upon approval.

Publication details

Expedited Review

Authors seeking quicker turnarounds for their manuscripts can request Expedited Review for an upfront fee of $1,500.00 USD. Expedited Review guarantees peer review and a decision within seven business days from the day full payment is received. While this option does not guarantee acceptance, it covers the indexing fee if the manuscript is accepted.

Only Expedited Reviews are conducted between June 1st and July 31st each year. Regular submissions will not receive attention until August.

Copyright

All published work by IJES is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright for all works published by IJES is retained by the authors. IJES holds no copyright to any of its published works.

The International Journal of Exercise Science conforms to the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) funding model in that it all content is freely available to individuals and institutions without an embargo period. Users may “read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full text of the articles” (1)

IJES is recognized by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors as a journal that follows the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals.