At the YAFO Institute, our scholars are thought leaders and researchers. Our researchers provide meaningful essays about Ghanaian trends, principles, history, and ideas that underpin a free society: private property, the rule of law, free enterprise, individual liberty, morality, business regulations, unforeseen policy consequences, and power limitations.

Scholars Submission Guideline

Scholars publish nonfiction pieces that are understandable to educated ordinary readers, especially young people. Academic publications, however, refrain from partisan politics and name-calling and instead stress the benefits of liberty in the political, social, and economic spheres. The YAFO Institute’s audience is broad, not specific or political, hence the ideas and rhetoric should be crafted to appeal to as many readers as possible.

Without your consent, YAFO will not publish major modifications to your draft. Nonetheless, in accordance with publishing practice, YAFO bears main responsibility for your piece’s packaging and presentation, including title and picture. Writers should also be mindful that publishing is a long-term commitment. It is against our editorial policy to give or contemplate post-publication corrections, retractions, cutbacks, or anonymity.

At least scholars must submit at least one article per month on trendy issues in Ghana

How to Submit

Submit articles with the subject line “Title of Article, Author Name” to [email protected] in Microsoft Word format or Google Docs. Please add a one-sentence bio that identifies you to our readers, along with a line or two outlining the submission’s main topic.

Scholars send a lot of entries to YAFOweb.org. If we say no, kindly don’t take it personally. There are several reasons why some things might not be a suitable fit for us at a certain moment.

Strong Submissions

Great pieces will have the following characteristics:

Display interest. Be unique. Consider if you would click on, email, or share this story on social media. As you share the article, consider the passages you would quote.

Lead forcefully. They should be drawn in by your opening and continue reading. Describe relevant characters and incidents in your narrative.

Be just. No strawmen, not even men with straw in their pockets. Avoid ambiguous references, such as “Some say…many believe.” Cite sources and be specific.

Be focused. There are only so many topics you can write about in one essay. Instead of attempting to rewrite philosophy from scratch, it is preferable to focus on only one or two key ideas.

Avoid making a “thesis statement” in the opening paragraph, but keep your intended message in mind throughout the essay.

Use straightforward writing. Be professional, but please submit essays in English rather than academic jargon.

Consider your target audience, the best way to reach them, the most appealing aspects of your thesis (have you buried it?), and what readers will gain from the work.

Scholars Rules of Thumb

• • Length. For features, we are open to articles ranging from 800 to 1200 words, although they can be as short as 400 words. If you have an idea for an article that is longer than 1200 words, we recommend that you pitch it first.
• • Documentation. We want to see proven facts and quotations, as well as attributions in the text. (There are no endnotes or footnotes.) We greatly prefer URLs included in the text when mentioning internet sources. In other words, utilize your word processor’s link feature.
• Tone. We’re looking for a certain tone: imagine you’re speaking to a group of bright first-year students at a prestigious university. While we don’t want to lose your distinct voice, we do want the tone and style to be accessible to young people who are interested in our ideas.
• No lengthy paragraphs. Digital reading differs from print reading. The use of paragraphs should be frequent, and each paragraph should include no more than three to five phrases. Long paragraphs can be substantially improved by breaking them up.
• Include subheadings. Subheadings assist the reader in navigating your writing. They also aid in the organization of your writing.
• Bios and photos. Please include your desired biography and a photo of yourself. This will save time for the editing staff. 

Benefits

YAFO Institute provides the following benefits and many more for scholars.

• Research support: YAFO have resources and personnel dedicated to research, which can assist scholars in conducting their own research projects.

• Collaborative opportunities: YAFO bring together experts from various fields, providing opportunities for scholars to collaborate with others in their field or related areas. This collaboration can lead to new research ideas, insights, and partnerships.

• Networking opportunities: YAFO host events and conferences, providing scholars with opportunities to network with other researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in their field.

• Professional development: YAFO provides training programs, workshops, and other professional development opportunities to help scholars stay up-to-date with the latest research methods and techniques. Our international partnership provides external support for professional development.

• Funding opportunities: YAFO provides scholars funding opportunities for research projects as well as opportunities for scholars to work on projects for practical experience and stipends.

• Policy influence: YAFO provides opportunity for scholars to work closely with policymakers, providing scholars with the opportunity to contribute their research to policy discussions and potentially influence policy decisions.

 

Rights

YAFO Institute asks for no exclusive rights to any article. YAFO takes no rights from you but embraces the right to distribute articles accepted for publication in any format, including print, web, e-reader, and formats currently known or yet to be discovered. YAFO maintains an open-reprint policy from its inception.

Begin your scholarly journey

Submit your article to submissions@yafoweb.org