Call for Papers

The journal is always open for paper submission. We especially encourage INCOSE members to consider publication of your work that fits the journal Aims and Scope, as you are our major stakeholders!

Manuscripts submitted to Systems Engineering should report original research that contributes significantly to the body of knowledge in the field of systems engineering that aligns with the journal’s Aims and Scope. The journal publishes papers in 4 categories. Although published page lengths are stated, these are not hard limits, they intended as guidelines.

  1. Regular papers are a novel contribution that advances the state-of-the-art as a result of original research. Regular papers are focused on empirical investigations, so authors should state the questions addressed and their context relative to prior knowledge on the subject. They should present relevant theories, justify the research design decisions, and describe the research methods to permit an evaluation of their quality. The data must support the interpretation of the results. The conclusions should explain the significance of the results and implications for advancing systems engineering research or practice. Case studies based on practice in industry are also encouraged and published under this category. They are normally 10-15 published pages in length or shorter.
  2. Communications are a response to earlier published papers, book reviews, corrigenda, interviews, or sharing of very recent emerging and important results in systems engineering. They are generally no more than 5 published pages in length.
  3. Review Papers report on a literature survey, state-of-the-art survey, tutorial, or educational topic. Authors should clearly state the purpose, scope or research questions addressed by the review. These reviews should include a critical analysis, synthesis, or evaluation of previous research to provide new perspectives, a new knowledge structure, general conclusions or overarching principles, or new research directions. Reviews should specify the type of review (systematic, meta-analytic approaches, or their variants) and include clear descriptions of the inclusion criteria, search strategies, and coding and analysis methods. Reviews should also address the quality of primary sources identified. An explanation of the significance of the insights that advance systems engineering research or practice should be provided. Reviews are normally 10-15 published pages in length or shorter.
  4. Editorials are an introduction to a published issue or statements of opinion or critical observation written by members of the editorial board or invited guest editors. An editorial is an essay of about 1,500 words that presents an opinion on an aspect of systems engineering research. The opinion should be supported by scholarly arguments, with references. Authors who wish to submit guest editorials should contact the Editor and Deputy Editor with their proposed idea. They are normally 1–2 published pages in length.

The Author Guidelines offer details about the structure and types of papers acceptable for journal consideration.

To submit a paper for consideration for publication, go to the Systems Engineering Wiley online library website, and select Contribute, then Submit a Manuscript.

Call for Reviewers

Want to become a peer reviewer for journal articles? See our Call for Reviewers. This involves creating an account on the ScholarOne ManuscriptCentral journal paper management system, which adds your name to the database of reviewers used by editors to invite reviewers to comment on manuscripts. Systems Engineering uses a single-blind review process, where editors and reviewers know the names of the authors, but the authors do not know the names of the reviewers of their paper.

Membership in INCOSE does not influence either the review or publication decision of manuscripts submitted.

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