Author Guidelines

I.- Background

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Government and Public Administration edits and publishes original and unpublished documents in Spanish or English in the following categories: Articles, Essays, Public Experience Documents, and Reviews. It is published twice a year. Since 2025, it has been published in July and January. The concepts, judgments, and opinions expressed in these categories are the sole responsibility of the authors.

External peer review is adopted using a double-blind system.

Plagiarism and self-plagiarism are rejected, and Compilatio software is used to control them.

Gobierno y Administración Pública only accepts contributions through the OJS system, which generates a tracking code. It also confidentially safeguards information regarding conflicts of interest declared by authors and peer reviewers.

The journal Gobierno y Administración Pública does not charge publication fees, nor does it impose monetary costs on its users.

The editorial management process of Government and Public Administration begins when the author's registration has been completed, allowing them to access the submission platform and send all the documentation for a manuscript: (1) The manuscript file itself (OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, RTF, or WordPerfect formats); (2) Excel files with tables and figures (if applicable), jpg image files; (3) file with a declaration of originality and commitment.

Receipt of the manuscript is formalized upon submission of all the aforementioned documentation, at which point a code and date of receipt are assigned.

The stages that follow the editorial process are as follows:

1. Preliminary evaluation: This includes a general assessment of the manuscript for the proposed section, as well as compliance with the requirements of form, organization, topicality, and editorial interest. The result of this evaluation may be: rejection or arbitration. Any decision is communicated to the corresponding author. The maximum time frame for this stage is 10 days.
2. Arbitration: This involves assigning the manuscript to external thematic and/or methodological peer reviewers using a double-blind system. The verdict may be: a) rejection; b) acceptance with suggestions; or c) acceptance, subject to review by at least two peers. In the event of a controversy, a third peer reviewer is requested. If the controversy persists due to a disagreement among peers, the Editorial Committee of the journal adopts the final decision. Any decision is communicated to the author(s). In cases of acceptance with suggestions or acceptance, the corresponding author receives a memo that includes the reviewers' and/or the editor's suggestions. The maximum time frame for this stage is 110 days.
3. Editing and Production: This stage begins once the corrected version of the document and the attached files have been received. This stage includes tasks such as adapting the wording and style, making adjustments to the beginning and end of the manuscript, reviewing the translation of titles, abstracts, keywords, and formatting in PDF, XML, and E-Pub formats. It ends when the authors approve the final version of the edition.
4. Publication: This stage includes markup, preliminary publication on the journal's website, and DOI assignment.
5. Dissemination: This includes the dissemination of the manuscript in databases and on social media.

All in all, from submission to final approval or rejection, the deadline is 120 days.

II.- Type of manuscript

A) Articles: We accept unpublished scientific research, developed in the public sphere, that contributes to the field of public administration and/or political science.

B) Essays: Unpublished essays addressing reflections and critiques on both national and international public contexts will be accepted. These texts should contribute to the debate on the exercise of public sector functions, the formulation of public policies, or state management. In addition, they should include theoretical, conceptual, or legal elements that support the argument.

C) Public Experience Documents: We may accept unpublished documents that analyze public experiences and are reviewed as case studies, contributing to further research. The papers must be constructed in such a way as to demonstrate a theoretical and conceptual analysis of the cases reviewed, which must be limited to experience in the public sphere.

D) Reviews: Unpublished reviews of books and scientific articles, as well as bibliographic comments, will be accepted. In terms of content, reviews should include a critical reflection on the document, a description and analysis of the hypothesis or research questions that may guide the work, and a summary of the main ideas of the chapters. Reflections that clearly identify unresolved issues or ambiguities, according to the work's objectives, will be particularly valued, as they may contribute to new research or publications.  

 III.- Presentation of the text

A.- Editorial Standards Articles

Articles: They must develop a specific topic of interest in the area of politics and public policy, government and public administration, public leadership, and/or information management for decision-making in the public sector and must also be related to theoretical, methodological, ethical, or scientific aspects of the research process.  

Format: Articles may be submitted in Spanish or English, double-spaced, on letter-size paper, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with 3 cm margins on all sides, single spacing, and no space between paragraphs. The length of the text, including bibliographical references and abstracts, must be a minimum of 6,000 words and not exceed 10,000 words.

Text organization: Papers should be divided into the following sections: Title, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and Bibliographic References. The text may be presented using subheadings, which should be bold and italics, size 12, without numbering, and only one level of subheading should be used.

a) Title: The first page of the paper must contain a concise and informative title of the research in capital letters, written in the original language, followed by the titles in another language (Spanish or English). It is suggested not to exceed 20 words.

• Authorship: At the bottom of the first page, indicate the full name of the author or authors, accompanied by one or more asterisks (*), according to their position in the authorship. At the bottom of the page, with the corresponding asterisk(s), the following information must be provided: institutional affiliation (up to three levels; for example: Department or School, Faculty, University), city and country, ORCID, and email address.

b) Abstract: Beginning with the original language, followed by the other language (Spanish or English), briefly stating the objective, materials and methods, results, and conclusions. It should not exceed 250 words, be single-spaced, and include 3 to 5 keywords in both languages at the end.  

c) Introduction: This part of the paper is subdivided into the following elements:

• Problem: Clearly and precisely describe what will be solved by research. It should state what the research is about and why. It should be developed in one or two initial paragraphs.
• Literature review: Present the theoretical and/or referential framework that supports the research work. Through citations, acknowledge previous studies that are specifically related to the work.
• Objective and/or hypothesis: Formally state the objective and reasoning behind your proposal and, if applicable, define the possible variables. The objective must clearly indicate what the researcher intends to observe and/or measure, written in an affirmative manner and subject to a single interpretation. The hypothesis should clearly, precisely, and concisely express a relationship or difference between two or more variables, including, if applicable, the study variables and their effect.

d) Method: State the paradigm to which the research adheres and clearly describe the sample, ethical components, instruments, and procedures for analyzing the information, including the terms of the artificial intelligence use policy. Starting in 2026, this section requires you to provide details on where the data supporting the reported results can be found, including links to publicly archived datasets that were analyzed or generated during the study.

Please refer to the suggested data availability statements in the GYAP Research Data Policies section. You may choose to exclude this statement if the study has not submitted any data.

e) Results: They should be presented in a logical sequence, use subtitles if necessary, and include a statistical or interpretative analysis in relation to the object of study. Reflections should address the questions and hypotheses raised, as well as the theoretical aspects presented in the introduction.

If tables, graphs, figures, or diagrams are included, they should be integrated into the text and also attached as separate files from the manuscript: tables and graphs preferably in Excel (.xls/.xlsx) —if sent as an image, with a minimum of 600 dpi—; and figures, images, or maps in JPG/JPEG (preferably) or PNG/TIFF, with a minimum of 300 dpi at final size. These elements should be designed in black and white, approximately half a page size, using clearly distinguishable patterns or designs and dimensions suitable for reduction. They must include sequential numbering and a brief title (Table No. 1, Image No. 1, Graph No. 1, etc.), with the title and source outside the element (not within the image or table). In the text, avoid repeating information; highlight only the most relevant observations. All tables, images, and graphs must clearly indicate their source and, where appropriate, be cited in the document's bibliographic references.

f) Discussion: The discussion should be based on the objectives and results, which should then be compared with the frame of reference. A discussion of the new aspects and limitations of your study is expected, stating projections or new hypotheses if applicable. Preferably, consider studies that are no more than five years old.

g) Conclusions: These should respond to the objectives of the study and be limited to the data found, without citing references.

h) Bibliographic references: This section acknowledges the sources used to carry out the research work. To support the justification of the study, no fewer than 30 references are suggested. The citation style corresponds to the standards of the American Psychological Association (APA) in its 7th edition. The list of references is always arranged alphabetically. All sources are listed by the authors' last names and included individually at the end of the manuscript. We recommend preparing references using a bibliographic software package, such as EndNote, ReferenceManager , or Zotero, to avoid typographical errors and duplicate references. We recommend citing data, computer codes, and other research materials. If they are available online, you can use the reference style indicated below.

B.- Editorial Guidelines Essays

Essays: Monographic works that present original reflections on a specific topic of interest in the area of politics and public policy; government and public administration, public leadership, and/or information management for decision-making in the public sector. They should include theoretical and methodological discussions, or reflections based on empirical data or mainstream articles.

Format: Papers may be submitted in Spanish or English, on letter-size paper, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with 3 cm margins on all sides, 1.5 line spacing, and no space between paragraphs. The text, including the bibliography and abstract, must be at least 5 pages long and no more than 10 pages, including tables and graphs.

Text organization: Papers should be divided into the following sections: Title, abstract, introduction, development, discussion, and bibliographic references. The text may be presented using subheadings, which should be bold and italics, size 12, without numbering, and only one level of subheadings should be used.

a) Title: The first page of the paper must contain a concise and informative title of the research in capital letters; it must be written in the affirmative, in the original language, followed by the titles in another language (Spanish or English).

• Authorship: At the bottom of the first page, indicate the full name of the author or authors, accompanied by one or more asterisks (*), depending on their position in the authorship. At the bottom of the page, and with the corresponding asterisk(s), the following information must be provided: institutional affiliation (up to 3 levels; for example: Department or School, Faculty, University), city and country, ORCID, and email address.

b) Abstract: beginning with the original language, followed by the other language (Spanish or English), briefly stating the objective, theoretical review, hypotheses, and/or questions that justify the reflection and conclusions. It should not exceed 250 words, be single-spaced, and include 3 to 5 keywords in both languages at the end.

c) Introduction: This section should develop a theoretical review that supports the central argument of the essay. It should analyze the aspects that justify the thesis or hypothesis that will be addressed in the essay, as well as the main questions on which the author reflects. At the end of this section, the use of artificial intelligence tools must be declared in accordance with GYAP policy.

d) Development: The essay should be presented in a logical sequence, using subheadings if necessary, and include a statistical or interpretive analysis related to the object of study. Reflections should address the questions and hypotheses raised, as well as the theoretical aspects presented in the introduction.  

If tables, graphs, figures, or diagrams are included, they should be integrated into the text and also attached as separate files from the manuscript: tables and graphs preferably in Excel (.xls/.xlsx) —if sent as an image, with a minimum of 600 dpi—; and figures, images, or maps in JPG/JPEG (preferably) or PNG/TIFF, with a minimum of 300 dpi at final size. These elements should be designed in black and white, approximately half a page size, using clearly distinguishable patterns or designs and dimensions suitable for reduction. They must include sequential numbering and a brief title (Table No. 1, Image No. 1, Graph No. 1, etc.), with the title and source outside the element (not within the image or table). In the text, avoid repeating information; highlight only the most relevant observations. All tables, images, and graphs must clearly indicate their source and, where appropriate, be cited in the document's bibliographic references.

e) Discussion: This should outline the scope and implications of the reflection for future research.

f) Bibliographic references: This section acknowledges the sources used to carry out the research work. To support the justification of the essay, no fewer than 20 references are suggested. The citation style corresponds to the standards of the American Psychological Association (APA) in its 7th edition. The list of references is always arranged alphabetically. All sources are listed by the authors' last names and included individually at the end of the manuscript. We recommend preparing references with bibliographic software, such as EndNote , ReferenceManager or Zotero, to avoid typographical errors and duplicate references. We recommend citing data, computer codes, and other research materials. If they are available online, you can use the reference style indicated below.

C.- Editorial Guidelines Public Experience Documents

Documents: These are works that compile public experiences and analyses of public affairs that may contribute to future in-depth research. Documents must include a theoretical and conceptual analysis of the case within the framework of the field experience under review. They must include a final critical reflection, with suggestions for improvement or reflections that allow for further research in the field, or possible reports to public institutions on the progress and optimization of public policies.  

Format: Manuscripts may be submitted in Spanish or English, on letter-size paper, using Times New Roman font size 12, with a 3 cm margin on all sides, 1.5 line spacing, and no space between paragraphs. The length of the text, including bibliographical references and abstracts, must be a minimum of 7,000 words and not exceed 13,000 words, including tables, graphs, and bibliography.

Text organization: Papers shall be divided into the following sections: Title, Abstract, Introduction, Development, Proposals for Improvement, Conclusion, and References/Bibliography. The text may be organized using subheadings, which shall be in bold and italics, size 12, without numbering, and only one level of subheadings shall be used.

a) Title: The first page of the paper must contain a concise and informative title of the research in capital letters, written in the affirmative, in the original language (Spanish or English), followed by the titles in the other two languages.

• Authorship: At the end of the first page, indicate the full name of the author or authors, accompanied by one or more asterisks (*), according to their position in the authorship. At the bottom of the page, with the corresponding asterisk(s), the following information must be provided: institutional affiliation (up to 3 levels; for example: Department or School, Faculty, University), city and country, ORCID, and email address.

b) Abstract: beginning with the original language, followed by the other language (Spanish or English), briefly stating the objective, description of the case and/or experience, development of the case, proposals for improvement, and conclusions. It should not exceed 250 words, be single-spaced, and include 3-5 keywords in both languages at the end.

c) Introduction: This section should develop a conceptual review that supports the central argument of the case. It should analyze the factors and actors involved in the case and the aspects that justify the experience. The development should be structured around the main areas described and the major issues observed in the experience. In this section, you must declare at the end the use of artificial intelligence tools in accordance with GYAP policy.

d) Development: The case or experience should be presented in a logical sequence, using subheadings if necessary and with a statistical or interpretive analysis in relation to the object of study. Reflections that respond to the situations in the case presented should be used, as well as the use of fundamental conceptual aspects from normative, theoretical, and emerging approaches. The situation, case, or experience should be described, detailing the actors, institutions, events, activities, and other elements that enable the description and understanding of the fundamental aspects that give rise to the case's main interest.

If tables, graphs, figures, or diagrams are included, they should be integrated into the text and also attached as separate files from the manuscript: tables and graphs preferably in Excel (.xls/.xlsx) —if sent as an image, with a minimum of 600 dpi—; and figures, images, or maps in JPG/JPEG (preferably) or PNG/TIFF, with a minimum of 300 dpi at final size. These elements should be designed in black and white, approximately half a page size, using clearly distinguishable patterns or designs and dimensions suitable for reduction. They must include sequential numbering and a brief title (Table No. 1, Image No. 1, Graph No. 1, etc.), with the title and source outside the element (not within the image or table). In the text, avoid repeating information; highlight only the most relevant observations. All tables, images, and graphs must clearly indicate their source and, where appropriate, be cited in the document's bibliographic references.

e) Proposals for improvement: The document's presentation should include a section created by the author or authors that outlines proposals for improvement to be considered by the institution or institutions being analyzed in the situation, case, or experience described in the document. Recommendations should be based on regulatory, theoretical, and/or emerging approaches.

f) Conclusion: These should summarize the central elements of the case, the proposals for improvement, and the final reflections of the author or authors.

g) Bibliographic references: This section acknowledges the sources used to carry out the research work. To support the justification of the document, no fewer than 20 references are suggested. The citation style corresponds to the standards of the American Psychological Association (APA) in its 7th edition. The list of references is always arranged alphabetically. All sources are listed by the authors' last names and included individually at the end of the manuscript. We recommend preparing references with bibliographic software, such as EndNote , ReferenceManager, or Zotero, to avoid typographical errors and duplicate references. We recommend citing data, computer codes, and other research materials. If they are available online, you can use the reference style indicated below.

D.- Editorial Guidelines Reviews

Reviews: We accept reviews of books and scientific journal articles, as well as bibliographic comments in the fields of politics and public policy; government and public administration; public leadership and/or information management for decision-making in the public sector. The author or authors are expected to comment on the central elements of the work from a critical, analytical perspective and to provide in-depth reflections on the document's contributions.

Format: Reviews should be submitted in Spanish or English, on letter-size paper, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with a 3 cm margin on all sides, single spacing, no space between paragraphs, and 1.5 line spacing. The length of the text, including bibliographical references and abstracts, must be a minimum of 1 page and not exceed 3 pages, including the bibliography.

Text organization: Papers should be divided into the following sections: Title, Body, and Bibliographic References. The text may be organized using subheadings, which should be in bold and italics, size 12, without numbering, and only one level of subheadings should be used.

a) Title: The first page of the paper must contain the title of the book and author(s), year of publication, publisher or journal, number or edition, ISSN or ISBN, respectively.

• Authorship: At the bottom of the first page, indicate the full name of the author or authors, accompanied by one or more asterisks (*), according to their position in the authorship. At the bottom of the page, and with the corresponding asterisk(s), the following information must be provided: institutional affiliation (up to 3 levels; for example: Department or School, Faculty, University), city and country, ORCID, and email address.

b) Development: About the work, the review should be written in the third person, highlighting the main aspects from a critical perspective, analyzing the elements and conclusions, and generating the author's or authors' own reflections.

If tables, graphs, figures, or diagrams are included, they should be integrated into the text and also attached as separate files from the manuscript: tables and graphs preferably in Excel (.xls/.xlsx) —if sent as an image, with a minimum of 600 dpi—; and figures, images, or maps in JPG/JPEG (preferably) or PNG/TIFF, with a minimum of 300 dpi at final size. These elements should be designed in black and white, approximately half a page size, using clearly distinguishable patterns or designs and dimensions suitable for reduction. They must include sequential numbering and a brief title (Table No. 1, Image No. 1, Graph No. 1, etc.), with the title and source outside the element (not within the image or table). In the text, avoid repeating information; highlight only the most relevant observations. All tables, images, and graphs must clearly indicate their source and, where appropriate, be cited in the document's bibliographic references. In this section, you must declare at the end the use of artificial intelligence tools in accordance with GYAP policy.

c) Bibliographic references: This section acknowledges the sources used to carry out the review work. The citation style corresponds to the standards of the American Psychological Association (APA) in its 7th edition. The list of references is always sorted alphabetically. All sources are listed by the authors' last names and are included individually at the end of the manuscript. We recommend preparing references using bibliographic software such as EndNote , ReferenceManager or Zotero to avoid typographical errors and duplicate references. We recommend citing data, computer codes, and other research materials. If they are available online, you can use the reference style indicated below.

IV.- Citation and Reference Requirements.

During the submission process, authors are required to include the bibliographic references for their manuscripts when entering the metadata. To do this, it is important that there are no line breaks within the same reference, and that references are separated by a double line break (double-click on the ENTER key). As illustrated in the example:  

Cau, C. (2025). The evolution of e-government in Mozambique: Progress, challenges, and future prospects. GYAP Journal, 9(pp. 17-30). https://doi.org/10.29393/GP9-2GECC10002          

Muñoz, T. (2024). Aging applied to the Local Development Program (PRODESAL) in the commune of Tomé, Chile. GYAP Journal, (7), 50-60. https://doi.org/10.29393/GP7-5PDMB10005  

Quinteros, C. (2025). The abolition of the Provincial Governor: Former authorities' assessments of its impact on the quality of governance in the region. GYAP Journal, 9(pp. 3-16). https://doi.org/10.29393/GP9-1DFQF10001  

Rodríguez, D., Hsieh, G., & Mendoza, C. (2025). Internal control as a generator of public value: Diagnosis and improvements in the Housing and Urbanization Service of the Biobío Region, Chile. GYAP Journal, 9(pp. 31-46). https://doi.org/10.29393/GP9-3CIRT30003         

Essential tips for following APA 7 guidelines.

The citation style corresponds to the standards of the American Psychological Association (APA) in its 7th edition. The list of references is always arranged alphabetically. All sources are listed by the authors' last names and included individually at the end of the manuscript. We recommend preparing references with bibliographic software, such as EndNote , ReferenceManager or Zotero, to avoid typographical errors and duplicate references. We recommend citing data, computer codes, and other research materials.

In-text citations  

• If a document has three or more authors, use "Last name et al. (Year)" or "(Last name et al., Year)."

• For a single page, use the abbreviation "p."

• When citing more than one page, use the abbreviation "pp."

• Narrative citations example:  

Muñoz (2024) highlights the importance of recognizing the social value of older people in rural areas.  

• Parenthetical citations example:  

It is important to recognize the social value of older people in rural areas (Muñoz, 2024).  

• Textual citations example:

Less than 40 words

"If prejudice towards aging based on productive incapacity increases, years of tradition will also be ignored" (Muñoz, 2024, p.57).  

More than 40 words, separate block without quotation marks:  

 As Muñoz (2024) states:

Recognizing the social value of older people in rural areas. If prejudice towards aging based on productive incapacity increases, years of tradition and practical knowledge about forestry and agricultural activities will also be ignored; the objective must be to adapt to this reality and not ignore it (p. 57).

In the references

Follow alphabetical order.

Use hanging indentation.  

Prefer DOIs over web links.

Common citation formats:

1. Book:  

Last name, N. (Year). Book title. Publisher.  

1. Book chapter

Last name 1 and Last name 2. (Year). Chapter title. In Book title, Edition number. Edited by editor 1 and editor 2. Place of publication: publisher, vol. X, pp. XX-XX.

1. Journal article:  

Last name, N. and Last name, N. (Year). Title. Name of journal, volume (Number), pages. DOI.  

1. Website:  

Page Name. (Specific date). Title of the web page content. Website URL.

Unlike published works, websites may change over time or disappear, so we recommend that you create an archive of the cited website using a service such as WebCite . Archived websites should be cited using the link provided as follows:
Site title. Available online: URL (archived on day month year).

 More information on how to cite in APA 7

https://normas-apa.org/wp-content/uploads/Guia-Normas-APA-7ma-edicion.pdf

V.- Appendix

1. a) Acknowledgments:

The author(s) may acknowledge any support provided that has not been mentioned in the authors' contributions or funding sections. This may include administrative and technical support, as well as donations-in-kind (e.g., materials used in experiments).

1. b) Biographical Notes

In this section, you can include the author's profession, academic degrees, educational institutions, and areas of expertise.

1. c) Declaration of use of AI tools:

In accordance with the Artificial Intelligence usage policy, when Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has been used for purposes such as text, data, or graphics generation, study design, or data collection, analysis, or interpretation, add "During the preparation of this manuscript/study, the authors used [name of tool, version information] for [description of use]. The authors have reviewed and edited the result and assume full responsibility for the content of this publication."

1. d) Author contributions

Since 2025, GYAP has required a Contribution Statement, in which each author must have made substantial contributions in areas such as the conception or design of the work, the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data, the creation of new software used in the study, or the writing and substantial revision of the work. In addition, they must approve the final version submitted and be personally responsible for their contributions, ensuring that issues related to the accuracy or integrity of the work, even those in which the author did not directly participate, are appropriately investigated, resolved, and documented in the bibliography. For articles with multiple authors, a brief paragraph describing the individual contributions of each author should be included, in accordance with the Declaration of Originality and Commitment.

The following statements should be used: "Conceptualization, X.X. and Y.Y.; Methodology, X.X.; Software, X.X.; Validation, X.X., Y.Y., and Z.Z.; Formal Analysis, X.X.; Investigation, X.X.; Resources, X.X.; Data curation, X.X.; Writing: preparation of the original draft, X.X.; Writing: review and editing, X.X.; Visualization, X.X.; Supervision, X.X.; Project management, X.X.; Fund acquisition, Y.Y." For an explanation of the CRediT terms, see here. "Authorship should include and be limited to those individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the work."

1. e) Data availability statements

Since 2026, a Data Availability Statement is required where applicable. Authors must include a statement on data availability in all articles published in GYAP. During peer review and editorial decision-making, authors may be asked to share existing datasets or raw data used in the manuscript and to indicate whether they will be available to other researchers after publication. They will also be asked to provide details of any existing datasets analyzed in the article. They may choose not to include this statement if the study does not present data.

Update: December 2025