Purpose and Scope
This document establishes the compensation policy for commissioned articles at the Aqliyyat Research Institute. It covers the two production models the Institute uses, the rate structures for each, and the principles governing where a specific project lands within its rate range.
The policy applies to all external contributors—scholars not on a monthly stipend—who are commissioned to produce original scholarship for the Institute. For contributors already on a monthly stipend, this policy governs any out-of-scope work that falls outside their standard brief and is compensated by written amendment to their agreement.
This is an internal reference document. The rates and structures described here are used by the Director when scoping projects and issuing briefs, and are communicated to contributors as part of the commissioning process.
The Institute's Output
The Institute produces three categories of scholarly output:
- —Original articles and essays — works of original scholarship making a defined contribution in kalam, mantiq, or falsafah.
- —Critical translations — annotated translations of classical Arabic texts, with scholarly introductions and annotation.
- —Book-length studies — monographs and extended studies, treated as separate projects outside this policy.
This policy covers original articles and essays only. Translations and book-length studies are governed by separate rate structures not addressed here.
Two Production Models
The Institute uses two models for producing articles, depending on how the work is assigned and who performs it.
3.1 Researcher-Writer Model
One contributor performs both the research and the writing. They receive a Research Assignment Brief, produce a Research Dossier, and then write the article from their own dossier. They are responsible for the full intellectual product—research, argument, structure, and prose.
This is the standard model for external commissions. The rate structure for this model is set out in Section 5.
3.2 Writing-Only Model
The research has already been completed. A Research Dossier exists and has been approved by the Director. The contributor receives a Writing Assignment Brief together with the completed dossier and is responsible for producing the article from it.
The writer in this model still bears full scholarly responsibility for the argument, structure, and prose. The dossier is a resource, not a script. The writer may adopt, engage critically with, or set aside the researcher's assessments—but may not ignore them without reason. Where the writer departs significantly from the dossier's analysis or suggested outline, this must be noted in the submission cover note.
Because the research phase is already complete, the writing-only rate is set at 50% of the researcher-writer rate for the equivalent project. The rate structure for this model is set out in Section 6.
Article Categories
Articles are classified along two axes: length and research difficulty. Together these two variables determine the applicable rate.
4.1 Length
Length is measured in final published word count, single-spaced. Page counts are approximate, based on single-spaced Cormorant Garamond at 12pt with standard margins.
| Category | Word Count | Approximate Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Short | 3,500–7,500 words | 7–15 pages |
| Medium | 7,500–12,500 words | 15–25 pages |
| Long | 12,500–25,000 words | 25–50 pages |
Articles exceeding 50 pages fall outside this policy and will be scoped and priced as book-length projects.
4.2 Research Difficulty
Research difficulty reflects the demands the project places on the contributor—not their general expertise, but the specific requirements of this assignment. Three levels are defined.
The piece makes its contribution through clarity and presentation. The contributor organizes, explains, and where necessary brings a topic into accessible English for the first time. A minor argumentative element is permitted—a small claim or light adjudication of a narrow point—but the piece is not structured around an argument, and any argument present remains incidental to the expository purpose. Research labor is modest; the contributor draws from an existing body of literature rather than excavating it. The argumentative chain is short: the piece moves from a question to an answer without needing to establish a sequence of intermediate claims.
- ◈Scholarship — established and sufficient, or sparse but the contribution is accessibility
- ◈Argument — not required; expository mode, minor claims permitted
- ◈Chain — short; question moves directly to answer
- ◈Research labor — modest
The piece is built around a genuine argument. The contributor takes a position and defends it—adjudicating between views where they exist, or establishing a case from primary sources where they do not. This requires identifying gaps or weaknesses in existing treatments where relevant, and moving through a multi-step argumentative chain. Research labor is substantial: sources must be tracked down, weighed, and synthesized rather than simply cited. The territory is manageable and the conclusion is reachable without the intensive excavation that Advanced work demands.
- ◈Scholarship — present or absent; position must be defended either way
- ◈Argument — required; contributor takes and defends a position
- ◈Chain — multi-step; competing views must be weighed
- ◈Research labor — substantial
The question is understudied or the angle of inquiry is genuinely novel—existing scholarship does not adequately address it. The contributor is not building on a well-developed literature but establishing the terms of discussion largely from primary sources. The argument is original in a strong sense: it cannot be derived from synthesizing what others have said because what others have said is insufficient. Research labor is intensive, and the argumentative chain is long, requiring the contributor to work through multiple stages of analysis before reaching a defensible conclusion.
- ◈Scholarship — limited or absent on the specific question
- ◈Argument — original in a strong sense; establishes new terms
- ◈Chain — long; multiple stages of analysis required
- ◈Research labor — intensive
4.3 Difficulty Classification
The Director determines the difficulty level when issuing the brief. Where a project sits at the boundary between two levels, the Director will state the classification and the reasoning in the brief. Contributors may raise questions about classification before accepting the assignment; they may not contest it after the fact.
Researcher-Writer Rates
The following rates apply when one contributor performs both research and writing. The contributor receives a Research Assignment Brief, produces a Research Dossier, and writes the article from their own dossier. Rates are per completed, accepted project. Payment is issued upon the Director's acceptance of the final manuscript, not upon submission.
| Article Size | Simple | Moderate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short | $300–$425 | $450–$625 | $650–$900 |
| Medium | $500–$700 | $750–$1,050 | $1,100–$1,550 |
| Long | $850–$1,200 | $1,500–$2,100 | $2,250–$3,000 |
5.1 Rate Range Factors
Each cell is a range. The specific rate within that range is determined at the time of commissioning, based on three factors:
- —Turnaround time — a tighter deadline moves the rate toward the upper end of the range. Standard turnaround expectations are communicated in the brief; expedited timelines are noted explicitly and priced accordingly.
- —Arabic source density — heavier engagement with primary Arabic sources moves the rate toward the upper end. This is distinct from the difficulty classification: a Moderate article with unusually dense primary source requirements may be priced at the upper end of the Moderate range.
- —Novelty of argument — a genuinely original contribution that advances the field moves the rate toward the upper end. An article that synthesizes existing scholarship without making a new argument is priced toward the lower end, regardless of how well it is written.
The Director states the specific rate—not merely the range—in the Writing Assignment Brief. Once stated in the brief and accepted by the contributor, the rate is fixed.
5.2 Basis for Rates
These rates are built on an estimated hourly basis of $20–$25 per hour for a seminary-trained scholar with Arabic competency. The hour estimates underlying each cell are provided below for transparency, not as a mechanism for contributors to log or dispute time. Contributors are paid by project, not by the hour.
| Article Size | Simple | Moderate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short | 20–30 hrs | 30–45 hrs | 45–60 hrs |
| Medium | 35–50 hrs | 50–70 hrs | 70–95 hrs |
| Long | 55–75 hrs | 75–105 hrs | 105–140 hrs |
Writing-Only Rates
The following rates apply when a completed Research Dossier already exists and the contributor is commissioned to write the article from it. The writing-only rate is set at 50% of the researcher-writer rate for the equivalent project, reflecting that the research phase—which constitutes roughly half the total work—has already been completed. Payment is issued upon the Director's acceptance of the final manuscript.
| Article Size | Simple | Moderate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short | $150–$215 | $225–$315 | $325–$450 |
| Medium | $250–$350 | $375–$525 | $550–$775 |
| Long | $425–$600 | $750–$1,050 | $1,125–$1,500 |
6.1 Rate Range Factors
The rate within the writing-only range is determined by turnaround time. A tighter deadline moves the rate toward the upper end of the range.
Stipend Contributors
Contributors on a monthly stipend are compensated for their ongoing assigned work through that stipend. The stipend covers all projects within their normal brief—research dossiers, articles, and related contributions assigned through the standard workflow. Project completions do not trigger additional payments for stipend contributors.
7.1 Out-of-Scope Work
Where a project significantly exceeds its originally scoped workload—in length, complexity, or turnaround—the contributor may be compensated additionally by written amendment to their agreement. This must be agreed in advance, in writing, before the additional work begins. The contributor may not claim additional compensation after the fact on the grounds that a project was more demanding than expected. The rates in Sections 5 and 6 serve as the reference point for calculating any out-of-scope supplement.
7.2 External Commissions Alongside Stipend
A stipend contributor who also writes articles as an external commission—under a separate brief outside their stipend scope—is paid at the applicable per-project rate for that commission. The two compensation streams do not interact; each is governed by its own agreement.
Payment Terms
- —Trigger — payment is issued upon the Director's written acceptance of the final manuscript. Submission alone does not trigger payment.
- —Kill fee — if a commissioned project is terminated by the Institute after the contributor has begun work, a kill fee applies as specified in the contributor's agreement. The kill fee is not owed if termination is due to the contributor's failure to meet standards or deadlines.
- —Tax reporting — contributors are engaged as independent contractors. Payments of $600 or more in a calendar year are reported on IRS Form 1099-NEC. Contributors must provide a completed W-9 before payment is issued.
- —Currency — all rates are in US dollars.
- —Revisions — the Director may request revisions as a condition of acceptance. Revisions are part of the contracted work and do not entitle the contributor to additional compensation unless the revision constitutes a material change in scope, agreed in writing in advance.
Rate Review
These rates reflect the Institute's capacity in its founding phase. They will be reviewed as the Institute grows and its financial position develops. The goal is to increase rates over time as the endowment grows and grant funding is secured.
Contributors will be notified of any rate changes before new projects are commissioned at revised rates. Rate changes do not apply retroactively to projects already under brief.