Ahead of Print (AoP) Policy

Ahead of Print (AoP) Policy

"The Shield - Research Journal of Physical Education & Sports Science" prioritizes the rapid dissemination of impactful research to advance knowledge in physical education, sports sciences, and athlete performance. Our "Ahead of Print" (AoP) policy ensures timely public access to peer-reviewed findings while maintaining rigorous academic standards.

Policy Statement

The AoP policy is designed to accelerate the sharing of critical research findings (e.g., emergent trends in sports technology or seasonal training adaptations).

  • AoP Publication: Accepted manuscripts are published online immediately after final editing and formatting is complete.
  • Accessibility: Articles are accessible under a dedicated AoP section of the journal’s website, facilitating early engagement with cutting-edge research (e.g., novel training methodologies, sports injury prevention studies).
  • Pre-Publication DOI Assignment: Each AoP article receives a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) immediately upon publication online. This ensures the article is permanently and correctly citable (e.g., early citation of a groundbreaking study on hydration strategies for endurance athletes) from the moment it appears on the website.
  • Final Inclusion: AoP articles are considered the definitive version of the accepted manuscript and are later assigned to a scheduled official issue and volume, maintaining archival consistency.

Quality Assurance

The rapid publication process does not compromise quality. "The Shield" maintains the highest standards:

  • All AoP articles undergo the same rigorous double-blind peer review, editorial scrutiny, and ethical checks.
  • The policy is aligned with the journal's commitment to strict adherence to the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing defined by DOAJ and the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
  • Manuscripts are held to the same high standards as final print publications (e.g., validation of statistical methods in sports performance analysis).