Policy Studies Journal

Aims & Scope

The primary focus of the Policy Studies Journal (PSJ) is the study of public policy.

Published on behalf of the Policy Studies Organization and the American Political Science Association’s Public Policy Section, PSJ publishes individually-submitted articles and symposia of exceptional quality by social scientists and other public policy researchers and leaders.

The journal addresses a wide range of public policy issues at all levels of government, and welcomes a comparative approach.

We accept a variety of manuscript types.

View Aims & Scope

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Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	4.9
2024	4.10

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	2.066

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q1

h-index

Year	Value
2024	96

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	1347

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	889

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Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

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Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Environmental Science and Social Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

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Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Background on the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework

  Citation: 1041

  Authors: Elinor

• Policy Entrepreneurship and Policy Change

  Citation: 715

  Authors: Michael, Phillipa

• A Narrative Policy Framework: Clear Enough to Be Wrong?

  Citation: 581

  Authors: Michael D., Mark K.

• Themes and Variations: Taking Stock of the Advocacy Coalition Framework

  Citation: 501

  Authors: Christopher M., Paul A., Kelly

• CONSUMERS AS COPRODUCERS OF PUBLIC SERVICES: SOME ECONOMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

  Citation: 493

  Authors: Roger B., Paula C., Larry, Ronald, Elinor, Vincent, Stephen L., Martha B., Gordon P., Rick

• The Institutional Collective Action Framework

  Citation: 489

  Authors: Richard C.

• An Introduction to IAD and the Language of the Ostrom Workshop: A Simple Guide to a Complex Framework

  Citation: 485

  Authors: Michael D.

• THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PUBLIC POLICY: A FRAMEWORK OF ANALYSIS*

  Citation: 414

  Authors: Paul, Daniel

• Polycentric Systems of Governance: A Theoretical Model for the Commons

  Citation: 405

  Authors: Keith, Rebecca L.

• Outsourcing Regulation: Analyzing Nongovernmental Systems of Labor Standards and Monitoring

  Citation: 374

  Authors: Dara

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