NLIU Cell for Studies in Intellectual Property Rights

NLIU JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW

The Cell for Studies in Intellectual Property Rights (CSIPR) is a student body guided by our faculty in charge Professor (Dr.) Ghayur Alam. We are dedicated to research in the field of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). CSIPR aims to help students and professionals better understand the various contemporary concerns regarding IPR and to facilitate dissemination of knowledge of intellectual property laws. It handles amongst other things, the publication of the yearly flagship blind peer reviewed ‘NLIU Journal of Intellectual Property Law’ (Journal) the editor of which is Prof (Dr.) Ghayur Alam.

The Journal was launched in 2012 and has since published eight volumes. It aims to contribute to the development of a just, efficient and equitable regime of intellectual property law and to research the dynamic intersection of the academic and transactional worlds that the intellectual property laws present. The Journal has featured articles written by academics, solicitors and law students from all around the world and aims to reach even more people with each new edition.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACT

Submission of ‘abstract’ of the manuscript shall precede the submission of the complete manuscript. The abstract must make a new and useful claim. The author must categorically mention, in the abstract, the specific contribution of the Article, beyond the existing available literature, AND the practical utility of his/her recommendations, in not more than 250 words. The submissions should therefore focus on emerging issues that are at the cutting edge of the local or global IP ecosystems. Five to eight keywords should be included below your abstract.

The contributors whose abstracts are accepted shall be intimidated to submit the manuscripts within the notified time frame.

Important Note: The abstracts shall be accepted only if submitted via the form on or before 11.59 PM on 13th November 2023.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS

  • The manuscript should be written in English, in a style appropriate for scholarly publications.
  • No previously published work may be submitted for the submission.
  • Co-authorship is permissible up to 2 authors per submission. Authors are permitted to send only one submission per author or a team of co-authors.
  • Name of the author should not be mentioned throughout the article, except in the cover letter. All the relevant details must be mentioned only within the form attached.
  • Authors shall be informed of the status of their manuscripts after every stage of review. Editorial decisions shall be based solely on review of the final manuscripts, and no requests for expedited review shall be entertained by the Editorial Board.
  • Submissions must be made only through the google form available on our website. Submissions made through any other medium, including by way of emails, shall not be considered for review by the Editorial Board.
  • All the submissions must be in (.docx) and be compatible with Microsoft Word 2007 or above.
  • Authors shall receive an email acknowledging the receipt of their manuscript within ten days of receiving the entry. If the same is not received, authors can write to us at csipr@nliu.ac.in.
  • Manuscripts not in conformity with these guidelines may be rejected at the sole discretion of the Editorial Board. The Editorial Board reserves the right to send the manuscripts back to the authors for any modification(s) at any stage, in the event of non-conformity with any of the submission guidelines.
  • The Editorial Board may, in its absolute discretion, waive any of the above rules or amend the process. In case of any dispute or ambiguity, the decision of the Editorial Board shall be final and binding.

TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED BY THE JOURNAL

All word limits are exclusive of footnotes, keywords and abstract.

  • Articles [6,000– 10,000 words] It must be a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the problem(s) dealt with, including reference to a wide range of sources and contributions in the form of alternatives or suggestions from the author.
  • Case Notes [2,000 – 5,000 words] It should be a comment on a recent judgment, bringing out the relevance with the development of IPR laws, views expressed in the judgment and the opinion(s) of the author.
  • Book Review [1,000 – 3,000 words] The review must be a crisp account of a recently published book including the issues explored and related arguments of the author.

FORMATTING GUIDELINES

  • Title [Times New Roman, 14 points, 1.5 line spacing, All Caps, Bold, Underlined, Centre Aligned]
  • Abstract [Times New Roman, 12 points, 1.15 line spacing, Italics, Justified, Indentation 2 cm on both sides]
  • Heading Level 1[Times New Roman, 14 points, 1.5-line spacing, Small Caps, Bold, capitalize each word and small caps, Centre Aligned] Numbering should be: I, II, III, …
  • Heading Level 2[Times New Roman, 12 points, 1.5 line spacing, Italics, Sentence Case, Centre Aligned] Numbering should be: A, B, C, …
  • Heading Level 3[Times New Roman, 12 points, 1.5 line spacing, Italics and Underlined, Sentence Case, Left Aligned] Numbering should be a), b), c), …
  • Main Body[Times New Roman, 12 points, 1.15 line spacing, Justified, 1-inch margins on all sides]
  • Footnotes[Times New Roman, 10 points, 1.0 line spacing, Justified]
  • Acronyms and short forms on first instance should be spelled out in parentheses. These acronyms or short forms should be followed at all further instances in the manuscript.
  • Names of cases, publications, books, emphasized words, and uncommon foreign words should be italicized.
  • Number should be written in words, and percentage should be denoted by ‘%’ symbol.

CITATION STANDARDS

  • Citations shall strictly conform to the standards laid down in the Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (4th ed., 2012).
  • Only footnotes shall be used as form of citation.
  • Speaking/substantive footnotes are highly discouraged.
  • SCC citations for cases must be preferred wherever available.

PARAMETERS FOR EVALUATION

A. Technical Review

  • Submissions made to the Journal must be original and devoid of any plagiarized content. Plagiarism check is the first level of scrutiny that every manuscript shall be subjected to and it shall be conducted in two stages. The Editorial Board reserves the sole right to reject a manuscript, without review, if any instance of plagiarism is detected.
  • A manuscript having no footnotes shall be rejected at Stage I of the Plagiarism Check as it will not meet the minimum criteria of the Journal.
  • Paraphrasing as well as verbatim copying of content without appropriate citation of authorities shall qualify as plagiarism.
  • Any instance of plagiarism in the abstract or the body of the manuscript is a ground for immediate disqualification of the manuscript.
  • Secondary plagiarism (plagiarism of the sources relied upon) is a ground for immediate disqualification of the manuscript.

B. Content Review

Manuscripts which are not rejected at the Technical Review stage undergo Content Review. The Content Review is conducted in two stages wherein the manuscripts which are fit for publication as is, or do not require significant changes are shortlisted for Blind Peer Review. The manuscripts are evaluated in Content Review on the following six parameters:

Grammar and Language

  1. The language of the manuscript must be crisp and concise. A direct statement or argument would be preferred over an indirect one and minimum usage of passive voice is recommended. A single, coherent thought should be expressed in each sentence.
  2. Authors should refrain from referencing themselves in the first person. To make sentences flow coherently, carefully place subordinate clauses in logical positions. When using a sentence, avoid using the words “or” and “more” more than once in a single sentence so as to keep the sentence crisp and simple.
  3. Author(s) must be familiar with the usage of a term used in the manuscript. The author(s) may be marked down for unnecessary repetition, long- winded sentences and irrelevant rhetoric.

Structure and Logical Coherence

  1. The manuscript must be logically sound and appropriate for the objective it seeks to achieve. Every section of your paper should deal with the subject or the topic that was stated in the very introductory part of your paper. When using paragraphs, keep in mind that each one should only cover one topic or point. Every shift in topic or introduction of a fresh thought requires a new paragraph. The comparison of any concept or approaches needs to be made using the same criteria not in different terms.
  2. Author(s) may be marked down for arguments based on incorrect premises or presumptions, the lack of a clear structure or the lack of a proper logical flow. The comparison of any concept or approaches needs to be made using the same criteria not in different terms.

Contribution to Existing Literature

If the topic of the manuscript is one which has been written about extensively in the past, the author(s) must consider what the contribution of the manuscript to the discussion is. Merely quoting and/or summarizing precedents would be inadequate. On the other hand, writing in a more innovative manner and providing a novel explanation/interpretation of a concept would be appreciated.

Contemporary Relevance

Manuscripts are expected to include recent developments on the topic. A manuscript is considered to possess contemporary relevance when it deals with trending societal issues and legal issues that have not been given the attention they deserve. The topic may also be one that has faded from public memory but has reemerged for some reason. The relevance of the particular topic should be highlighted by the author(s) in the introduction.

Referencing and Research

  1. The manuscript must reflect an in-depth, and not just superficial research. In case, the author refers to his own previously published work, He/ She is required to give a complete citation and acknowledgement to any such prior work to which the references are made.
  2. It is imperative to accurately and completely cite any assertion that is not your original idea. The author is expected to give a brief description and explanation of the term of art, particular policy, programme, or legislation which may not be familiar to the readers in the context of your article whenever you introduce it. The author needs to be aware of what citation is required in the circumstances, when to cite (and when not to cite) and the relevance of that citation.

Conclusion

  1. Summarize everything together in your conclusion. Make sure, in particular, that the argument or premise you addressed in your abstract and introduction is compatible with your conclusion.