Manuscript Preparation Guidelines
- General Requirements
1.1 Language and Style
Manuscripts must be written in clear, academic English. Both American and British spelling conventions are acceptable, but do not mix the two within a single manuscript. Authors are encouraged to maintain consistency in spelling, punctuation, and terminology throughout.
1.2 Word Count
Manuscripts should contain a minimum of 3,000 words (excluding references, appendices, and tables). The maximum preferred length is 12,000 words. Submissions exceeding this limit may be returned unless prior approval is granted.
1.3 Originality and Similarity
Submissions must be original, unpublished work and not under review elsewhere. Manuscripts are subject to plagiarism checks using dedicated software. The similarity index must not exceed 20%, excluding quotations and reference lists.
- Title Page and Author Information
To preserve the double-blind peer review process, authors must upload two separate files: The manuscript (with all identifying information removed); The title page (as a supplementary file).
2.1 Title
The title should be concise and informative, ideally not more than 12 words. Avoid jargon, abbreviations, or symbols.
2.2 Author Names and Affiliations
Use the format: First name, (optional) middle initial(s), last name (e.g., Laura J. Wang).
Avoid titles (e.g., Dr., Prof.) and academic degrees (e.g., PhD). Affiliations should reflect the institution at which the research was conducted. Authors with no institutional affiliation should list their city and country.
Provide complete contact details: email and telephone(optional) of the corresponding author.
Example:
Jonathan Lee¹*, Sarah K. Brown¹,² and Miguel A. Ortega Jr.²
¹ Department of Linguistics, Western Pacific University, Wellington, New Zealand
² Faculty of Education, Universidad Nacional, Lima, Peru
Correspondence: Jonathan Lee, Department of Linguistics, Western Pacific University, Wellington 6011, New Zealand. Tel: +64-4-123-1234. Email: jonathan.lee@email.com
- Manuscript Formatting
3.1 Formatting
Font: Palatino Linotype, 10 pt
Line spacing: Single-spaced (including references, tables, and figure captions)
Paragraph Format:
No first-line indentation
Spacing before paragraph: 0 pt
Spacing after paragraph: 6 pt
Text Alignment: Justified
Heading Format:
Heading 1
Font: Palatino Linotype, 10 pt
Style: Bold
Line Spacing: 1.4 lines
Spacing before paragraph: 0 pt
Spacing after paragraph: 6 pt
Example: 1. Introduction
Heading 2
Font: Palatino Linotype, 10 pt
Style: Bold
Line Spacing: 1.2 lines
Spacing before paragraph: 6 pt
Spacing after paragraph: 6 pt
Example: 1.1 Theoretical Framework
Heading 3
Font: Palatino Linotype, 10 pt
Style: Bold
Line Spacing: 1.2 lines
Spacing before paragraph: 6 pt
Spacing after paragraph: 6 pt
Example: 1.1.1 Definition of Key Terms
3.3 Abstract
Provide a structured abstract of 150–250 words. Summarize the research objective, methods, key findings, and implications. Do not include citations in the abstract unless absolutely necessary.
3.4 Keywords
Include 3 to 10 keywords immediately below the abstract Use general terms that reflect the main topics of the manuscript.
- Citations and References
4.1 In-Text Citations
Follow APA 7th edition style.
Examples:
Parenthetical: (Nguyen, 2021)
Narrative: Nguyen (2021) found that…
Multiple authors: (Lee, Gomez, & Tan, 2020) → (Lee et al., 2020) after first citation
4.2 Reference List
Include only works cited in the text. Arrange references alphabetically by name. Use hanging indent of two characters (approximately 0.4 inch). Journal titles should be italicized. Follow the Harvard referencing style consistently throughout the list.
Examples:
Journal Article:
Abbott, B.P et al. (2016) ‘Observation of gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger’, Physical Review Letters, 116(6), 061102.
Dobson, H. (2006) ‘Mister Sparkle meets the ‘Yakuza’: depictions of Japan in The Simpsons’, Journal of Popular Culture, 39(1), pp. 44–68. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5931.2006.00203.x
Book:
Alcock, P., May, M. and Wright, S. (eds.) (2012) The student’s companion to social policy. 4th edn. Oxford: Wiley–Blackwell.
Wallace, R. A. and Wolf, A. (2006) Contemporary sociological theory: expanding the classical tradition. 6th edn. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Chapter in Edited Book:
He, X. (1997) ‘The market economy and ethnic relations in China’, in Ikeo, A. (ed.) Economic development in twentieth century East Asia: the international context. London: Routledge, pp. 190–205.
Government Publication – Act of Parliament
Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, c. 2. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/2/contents/enacted (Accessed: 6 May 2021).
Case Law
[2010] UKSC 42.
Web Page
NHS (2019) Diabetes. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetes/ (Accessed: 26 April 2021).
Theses and Dissertations
Wilson, B. (2014) It sounds like revolution: the changing role of popular music within political resistance movements. PhD thesis. University of Sheffield.
- Figures, Tables, and Appendices
Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively (Table 1, Table 2; Figure 1, Figure 2).
Each must have a clear, descriptive title and caption.
Position them within the text, as close as possible to the first reference.
Ensure all visuals are legible in grayscale if printed.
Appendices should follow the references and be clearly labeled (e.g., Appendix A, Appendix B).
- Ethical Considerations
Where applicable, indicate ethical approval obtained from an institutional review board. For studies involving human participants, include a statement of informed consent. Disclose any conflicts of interest or funding sources that may influence the study.
- Submission and Review Process
All submissions should be made via online submission portal. Together with your submission, authors must send a similarity report to check any possible plagiarism (we allow a similarity less than 20%). Manuscripts must be submitted as editable files in Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx), OpenOffice (.odt), or Rich Text Format (.rtf). Submissions in PDF format will not be considered for review.
Manuscripts are subject to double-blind peer review by at least two reviewers. Editorial decisions are typically communicated within 1–2 weeks.
