Over the years, we have been honored to serve as a conduit for voices from diverse backgrounds, providing a platform for bloggers, opinion writers, and researchers to share their thoughts and expertise freely. We have taken great pride in being an advocate for free expression and knowledge sharing. However, as the adage goes, "Change is the only constant," and with this principle in mind, we would like to announce a significant change in the way we operate.

Starting 31 October 2023, Torque Communities will be introducing a nominal fee for the publication of research articles while keeping the avenues for blogs and op-eds completely free of charge. We understand that this transition may raise questions and concerns, so we want to take a moment to clarify the reasons behind this decision.

‍Why We're Introducing Charges
‍Torque Communities has grown tremendously, both in terms of readership and the quality of content that graces our platform. We have always been committed to providing an open space for thought-provoking ideas and meaningful discourse. To maintain and enhance the quality of our services, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to introduce charges for research articles. This change will enable us to sustain the platform, invest in its infrastructure, and continue promoting high-quality content
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Way Forward in Terms of Pricing
‍Blogs and op-eds will remain a free of cost space for you to express your thoughts and ideas. However, for research articles, there will be a nominal platform sustenance fee of PKR 5,000 per article. This fee will not only help cover the expenses of maintaining our platform but also allow us to provide better support for research authors and enhance our publication process. We believe this balanced approach will ensure that we maintain the vibrancy of our community while securing the future of Torque Communities.
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‍Annual Publishing Subscription
‍For those who are committed to sharing their research articles with our community, we are introducing an Annual Publishing Subscription for PKR 15,000. This subscription includes the option to publish up to 5 research articles annually. This not only simplifies the process but also offers excellent value for prolific researchers who wish to continue contributing to our platform. Send us an email here to express your interest in subscribing.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your ongoing support and contributions. We understand that change can be unsettling, but please rest assured that our commitment to fostering an inclusive and vibrant community remains unwavering. We look forward to your continued engagement with Torque Communities and value your understanding as we navigate this important transition.

Should you have any questions or require further clarification about these changes, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team at info@torquecommunities.org .Thank you for being part of the Torque Communities family. We look forward to a bright and prosperous future together.

Publishing Guidelines
‍a. File Format and Naming Convention: All research submissions must be in Microsoft Word format. The file name should follow this format: Membership Number_Title of Research. For example: RFCM000_Pakistan's Economic Analysis.docx
‍b. Thesis and Dissertation: If your work is a thesis or dissertation, we recommend extracting shorter research articles from them for publication.
‍c. Quality Control: All submissions will undergo a thorough check for originality, grammar, referencing format, and overall quality.
‍d. Referencing Format: Please use the Harvard Manchester referencing format system in your research or one that is similar to this.
‍e. Abstract and Keywords: Include an abstract of up to 200 words along with a few keywords or tags that best describe your research.
‍f. Feedback and Revisions: Expect key recommendations and suggestions in the comments of your research submission. Authors will have the opportunity to revise and incorporate these suggestions, if required.
‍g. External Reviewers: If required, an external reviewer may be assigned the research article to review.
.h. Submission Process: Keep the email subject line as: "Research Submission - Research Fellow." Email your research to: info@torquecommunities.org
‍i. Final Review: The final draft will be shared with the author for any changes before publishing.
‍j. Research Themes: Ensure that your research revolves around sustainable development, referencing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for details. Our priority areas include economy, society, health, climate change, environment, low-carbon growth, inclusivity, geopolitics, and development in general.

Acknowledgments: In accordance with the nature of your submission, please consider the following acknowledgments:
a. Extensive Grammatical: Edits If your research requires extensive grammatical edits, an 'Editor' acknowledgment shall be added in the research, including the name of the editor.
b. External Review: In the case of a request for an external review, an acknowledgment of a 'Reviewer' will be added.
c. Co-authorship: In the case of co-authorship, all authors will be mentioned in last name alphabetical sequence.

‍Payment Process
1. Submit your research
In order to initiate the research publication process, please first submit your article in accordance with the recommended publishing guidelines stated above.
2. Receive a confirmation email
You will receive a confirmation email from us stating that we have received your publication submission typically within 3 weeks of the submission. We will inform in this email if your article meets our minimum publication requirements and is aligned to our publication policy.
3. Payment Instructions
Accompanying the confirmation email you will receive instructions on how to pay the platform sustenance fee for publishing.

We appreciate your understanding and support in these changes, which are aimed at ensuring the sustainability of our platform and the continued provision of high-quality content to our community. Should you have any questions or require further clarification about the payment process or publishing guidelines, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team at info@torquecommunities.org .Thank you for your continued contributions to Torque Communities. We look forward to your valuable submissions.
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