Preparation of the manuscript

The manuscript must be typed in a Serif or San Serif font in a font size 11 or 12, with 1.5 line spacing on A4 paper, with 2 cm margins. All main article files and abstracts must be in single-column format. Individual line numbering is not required.

Each manuscript file must be under 20MB in size. Please do not upload any Figures or Tables within the main manuscript: instead upload a separate individual numbered file for each Figure and each Table into our submission portal, but ensure that you include placeholders within the main manuscript - for example 'insert Table 1 here', insert Figure 4 here', etc.

Please ensure that any references or acknowledgements for each Figure and/or Table are included in the individual Figure/Table files (please do not be concerned by this: our manuscript management system will re-build the full final manuscript once it is approved for publication with all text, Figures and Tables so long as you follow these instructions)

Research Articles must not exceed 8,000 words (not including references and bibliography), while Practice Articles must not exceed 3,000 words.


New Submissions

New submissions made to UDI will comprise of a number of separate documents which must be uploaded to our system:-

  • An anonymised Main Article document (written in MS Word, with the base language set to UK English), including placeholders to indicate where each individual Figure and Table should appear
  • An Author Information file
  • Separate individual files for each individual Figure (eg. image, illustration, photograph, schematic, etc) you wish to include in the submission.
  • Separate individual files for each individual Table you wish to include in the submission

If you have used an independent certified service to ensure that your submission has acceptable English grammar and language standards, you can also upload the relevant certificate for that as a Supplementary Information file.

Please note that submissions do not require a covering letter to the journal's Editors.

For submissions which are revisions, you will also need to upload an anonymised Rebuttal Letter.


Main Article files must be written using the following format:-

A concise and informative Title

Abstract

A concise and informative abstract of 150 words maximum, summarising the significant points of the paper.

Keywords (max. 5)

Up to five keywords or phrases for indexing purposes.


Introduction

The introduction should clearly state the purpose (aims and objectives) of the paper. It should include key references to appropriate work but should not be an historical or literature review.

Literature Review

This section should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the available literature on the topic of the paper. It should document the state of the art with respect to the subject or topic the paper is writing about.

Methodology

A research methodology should explain how the paper intends to carry out the research and describe the methods used.

Findings

This section should present the outcomes of the research. This usually refers to the totality of outcomes, rather than the conclusions or recommendations drawn from them.

Discussion

The discussion should explain what your findings mean, and how they relate to the existing literature.

Conclusion

The conclusion is often placed in the final paragraph of the discussion, but it can sometimes be in a separate section.

The conclusion should not repeat information from the discussion section but it should restate the main conclusions in a new concise way for your readers, so that they are in no doubt what you have achieved while doing the research presented in your paper.

It should also emphasise the implications and practical significance of research findings, their limitations, and relevance to previous studies. Please bear in mind that the journal places a primary emphasis on bringing together urban design practice and research..


References in the text

Citations should follow the Harvard style, enclosed within parentheses (author surname, year) if not a natural part of the surrounding sentence; the year should be enclosed within parentheses if the names do form a natural part of the surrounding sentence. Citations of works by two authors should have ‘and’ (not an ampersand) between the names. Citations of works by three or more authors should have the first author followed by "et al" in italics with no trailing stop.

Publications by the same author(s) in the same year should be identified with a, b, c (e.g. 2008a, 2008b) closed up to the year.

Personal communications should be listed as such where they are cited in the text, and not listed in the references.

Example:

Since Paterson (1983) has shown that… This is in results attained later (Kramer, 1984). Results have been reported (Don Graham, 1989, personal communication).

Articles not yet published should show "forthcoming" in place of the year (in both the reference and the citation). "In press" should be used in place of the volume, issue and page range details.

Example:

Sharp Parker, A.M. (forthcoming) Cyberterrorism: An examination of the preparedness of the North Carolina local law enforcement. Security Journal, in press.

List of References

References are placed in alphabetical order of authors. Examples of correct forms of references for alphabetical style:

Book

Slovic, P. (2000) The Perception of Risk. London: Earthscan Publications.
Edited volume
Nye Jr, J.S., Zelikow, P.D. and King D.C. (eds.) (1997) Why People Don’t Trust Government. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Chapter in book

Flora, P. and Alber, J. (1981) Modernization, democratization, and the development of the welfare state. In: P. Flora and A.J. Heidenheimer (eds.) The Development of Welfare States in Europe and America. New Brunswick and London: Transaction Books, pp. 17–34.

Article in journal

Thompson, K., Griffith, E. and Leaf, P. (1990) A historical review of the Madison model of community care. Hospital and Community Psychiatry 41(6): 21–35.

Article in newspaper

Webster, B. (2008) Record bonus for Network Rail chief, despite Christmas chaos. The Times, 6 June: p1.

Newspaper or magazine article (without a named author)

Economist (2005) The mountain man and the surgeon. 24 December, pp. 24–26.

Article online

Gardener, T. and Moffatt, J. (2007) Changing behaviours in defence acquisition: a game theory approach. Journal of the Operational Research Society, advance online publication 28 November, doi: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602476.

Other online resource

Green Party. (2005) Greens call for attack on asylum ‘push factors’. Green Party report, 4 March, http://www.greenparty.org.uk/index.php?nav=new&n=1838, accessed 9 March 2005.

Conference proceedings

Sapin, A. (ed.) (1985) Health and the Environment. Proceedings of the Conference on Biological Monitoring Methods for Industrial Chemicals; 30–31 March 1984, Chicago, IL. Chicago: American Toxological Association.

Conference paper

Harley, N.H. (1981) Radon risk models. In: A.R. Knight and B. Harrad, (eds.) Indoor Air and Human Health. Proceedings of the Seventh Life Sciences Symposium; 29–31 October, Knoxville, TN. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp.69–78.

Papers/talks presented at a conference but not published

Martin, S. (2003) An exploration of factors which have an impact on the vocal performance and vocal effectiveness of newly qualified teachers and lecturers. Paper presented at the Pan European Voice Conference; 31 August, Graz, Austria.

Dissertation/thesis

Young, W.R. (1981) Effects of different tree species on soil properties in central New York. MSc thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

Research papers/reports/working papers

Bloom., G. et al (2005) Poverty Reduction During Democratic Transition: The Malawi Social Action Fund 1996-2001. Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies. IDS Research Report no. 56.

Mimeo

Bond, S. A., Hwang, S., Lin, Z. and Vandell, K. (2005) Marketing Period Risk in a Portfolio Context: Theory and Empirical Estimates from the UK Commercial Real Estate Market. Cambridge, UK: Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge (mimeo).

Speech

Blair, A. (2003) Britain in the World. Speech to FCO Leadership Conference. London, 7 January.