Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines

AIJOSH welcomes original research articles and conceptual papers within its published Focus and Scope. Authors must prepare their submissions using the official journal template and comply with the following guidelines and editorial policies.

1. General Requirements

Manuscripts must be original, must not have been published or accepted for publication elsewhere, and must not be under consideration by another journal. Authors must provide an originality declaration confirming these conditions.

All listed authors must meet the journal’s authorship criteria, approve the manuscript, and consent to its submission. Contributions, funding, conflicts of interest, and relevant ethical information must be disclosed accurately.

Manuscripts must be written in English. Use clear academic language, consistent terminology, and logically connected arguments. 

Submissions may undergo similarity screening. Matched text will be assessed in context; a similarity score alone does not establish plagiarism.

Prior dissemination as a preprint, an academic thesis or dissertation, or a conference abstract does not automatically preclude consideration. Authors must disclose such dissemination at submission, provide the relevant reference or link, and explain the relationship between the submitted manuscript and the earlier version.

Manuscripts substantially overlapping with previously published journal articles or full conference papers must be disclosed to the editor. Any consideration of an expanded or substantially revised work requires a clear explanation of its original contribution and appropriate acknowledgment of the earlier publication.

2. Manuscript Format

Prepare the manuscript in Microsoft Word using the official AIJOSH template.

  • Main manuscript file: Editable .docx is preferred; .doc and .rtf are also accepted. PDF is not accepted as the main manuscript.

  • Paper size: A4.

  • Margins: 2.54 cm on all sides.

  • Manuscript length: 3,000–7,000 words, including references, table text, and figure captions, unless the journal specifies a different limit for an article type.

  • Article title: Maximum 15 words; Times New Roman, 13 pt, bold, Title Case, left-aligned. Do not capitalize the entire title.

  • Author information: Times New Roman, 10 pt, left-aligned; full names without abbreviations or academic degrees, followed by affiliations and email addresses.

  • Abstract: Academic English; one paragraph of 120–150 words; Calibri, 9 pt, justified.

  • Keywords: Maximum five keywords or keyword phrases, separated by semicolons; Calibri, 9 pt.

  • Main section headings: Times New Roman, 11 pt, bold, uppercase, left-aligned, without numbering.

  • Subheadings: Times New Roman, 11 pt, bold, Title Case, left-aligned, without bullets or numbering.

  • Sub-subheadings: Times New Roman, 11 pt, italic, Title Case, left-aligned, without bullets or numbering.

  • Main text: Times New Roman, 11 pt, justified, single spacing; first-line indent of 1.25 cm.

  • Block quotations: Times New Roman, 9 pt, justified; left and right paragraph indents of 1.25 cm.

  • Figure captions and table titles: Times New Roman, 9 pt, centered; use Title Case as indicated in the template.

  • Figure and table source statements: Times New Roman, 9 pt.

  • Table content: Times New Roman, 9 pt, left-aligned unless the content requires another alignment.

  • Reference list: Times New Roman, 11 pt, left-aligned, single spacing, with a 1 cm hanging indent.

  • Citation style: APA Seventh Edition, using author–date citations.

Use the paragraph and character formatting provided in the official template. Single spacing means a line-spacing value of 1.0, not an exact line height of 1 pt. Remove instructional text, sample references, placeholder illustrations, lorem ipsum text, and the typography instruction page before submission.

Foreign-language and regional-language terms should be italicized where appropriate, except for proper names and expressions conventionally presented in roman type.

3. Manuscript Structure

Research articles should contain the following main sections:

  • INTRODUCTION

  • METHOD

  • RESULT AND DISCUSSION

  • CONCLUSION

  • REFERENCES

An optional list of informants may be included after the references where applicable.

Conceptual papers may use an appropriate thematic structure but must explain their purpose, analytical approach, selection of literature or source materials, and scholarly contribution.

3.1. Title and Author Information

The title must not exceed 15 words and should identify the manuscript’s central subject and contribution concisely. Use firm, concrete wording and avoid jargon or ambiguous terms. Specify the geographical setting, historical period, or population where relevant. Avoid unnecessary abbreviations and claims broader than the study supports.

Write author names without academic degrees or professional titles. Provide full institutional names rather than unexplained acronyms. Author order and identifying information must match the submission-system metadata.

Authors are encouraged to provide their ORCID iDs in the submission-system metadata where supported. Each ORCID iD must belong to the named author.

The number of author blocks in the template is illustrative and does not establish an authorship limit. Include only individuals who meet the journal’s authorship criteria.

3.2. Abstract and Keywords

Write the abstract in clear academic English as a single paragraph of 120–150 words. It should explain:

  • The research context or purpose.

  • The research question or problem.

  • The methods or analytical approach.

  • The principal findings.

  • The conclusion or central contribution.

For historical research, identify the spatial and temporal scope where relevant. Avoid citations, undefined abbreviations, and unsupported claims.

Provide a maximum of five keywords or keyword phrases representing the article’s principal concepts and subject matter. Separate them with semicolons.

3.3. Introduction

Establish the research problem and its significance within relevant academic debates. Discuss previous studies critically, identify the research gap, and explain the article’s contribution.

Present the relevant theoretical, conceptual, or historiographical framework and explain how it informs the study. State the research questions or objectives clearly.

Demonstrate novelty through engagement with existing scholarship rather than unsupported claims that the topic has never been studied.

3.4. Method

Explain how the study was conducted and how its findings or arguments were developed. Describe the research design, selection of sources or participants, data collection, and analytical procedures as appropriate.

Identify primary and secondary materials and explain their relevance, scope, and limitations. Describe the procedures actually undertaken rather than compiling definitions of research methods.

Historical studies should explain source identification, selection, criticism, and interpretation, including relevant geographical and chronological boundaries.

Participant-based research should describe recruitment or selection, consent, confidentiality, and ethical approval where required. Conceptual and literature-based studies should explain the selection and analysis of their materials.

Where ethical approval is required, identify the approving committee and approval reference number, where available. If approval was formally waived or was not required under the applicable institutional or national framework, explain the basis for this status. Authors must not claim ethical approval that was not obtained. Supporting documentation may be requested by the editor.

3.5. Results and Discussion

Present findings and analysis in a coherent sequence that answers the research questions and develops the article’s argument.

Use thematic subheadings where helpful. Use bold subheadings and italicized sub-subheadings, both without bullets or numbering. The main heading RESULT AND DISCUSSION should remain identifiable.

For historical studies, maintain a clear chronology where relevant and explain relationships among events, processes, conditions, and consequences. Chronological sequence alone should not be treated as evidence of causation.

Interpret findings in relation to the research framework and previous scholarship. Distinguish documentary evidence, participants’ accounts, and the author’s interpretation. Address significant limitations and alternative explanations.

3.6. Tables and Illustrations

Number tables and figures consecutively and refer to each in the text.

Place table titles above tables and figure captions below figures. Provide source information and obtain permission where required.

Create tables using Microsoft Word’s table function. Do not submit tables as screenshots or JPG images.

Provide photographs, maps, diagrams, and other graphical illustrations in JPG format with sufficient quality for publication. Maps should include relevant orientation, scale, legend, and source information.

Authors must verify the copyright or licensing status of third-party material, including photographs, maps, archival reproductions, questionnaires, and substantial text extracts. Where the intended use is not covered by an applicable license or legal exception, authors must obtain the necessary permission and retain documentary evidence for submission to the journal upon request. Credit lines must identify any third-party material excluded from the license applied to the article.

Large illustrations or supporting materials may be submitted as supplementary files. Explain their relationship to the manuscript.

Do not reproduce unedited statistical output or repeat every table entry in the discussion. Highlight the findings relevant to the argument.

3.7. Conclusion

Answer the research questions and articulate the article’s principal contribution. Develop a concluding argument from the discussion rather than merely summarize the preceding sections.

Explain relevant implications and acknowledge important limitations. Do not introduce new evidence or unsupported claims. Write the conclusion in connected prose.

3.8. Acknowledgments and Declarations

Place acknowledgments and declarations after the conclusion and before any endnotes and references. Acknowledge individuals or organizations whose assistance does not qualify for authorship, and obtain permission before naming individuals.

Include the following statements where relevant:

  • Author contributions: Use the CRediT taxonomy in accordance with the journal’s Authorship and Contributorship policy.

  • Funding: Identify funding sources and explain the funder’s role.

  • Conflicts of interest: Disclose relevant conflicts, including a declaration when none exist.

  • Ethical approval and informed consent: Provide the relevant information where applicable.

  • Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies: Follow the journal’s Generative AI Policy. Where disclosure is required, identify the tool and explain its purpose and extent of use. Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, citations, and integrity of the submitted work. AI tools must not be listed as authors.

  • Data and source availability: For research articles, explain where supporting data or source materials can be accessed, or why access is restricted or not applicable.

The Data and Source Availability Statement should provide repository links, persistent identifiers, or archival collection details where available. Public sharing is not required where it would breach participant consent, confidentiality, copyright, archival access conditions, or other legitimate restrictions. Where access is restricted, explain the restriction and any permissible access procedure. For studies that did not generate a dataset, describe the availability of the documentary or published sources supporting the analysis. Respect confidentiality commitments in all acknowledgments and declarations.

3.9. Notes and Informant Information

Use explanatory notes sparingly for contextual or archival information that cannot be incorporated conveniently into the text. Notes must not replace the author–date citation system.

Where necessary, place consecutively numbered endnotes before the References section.

An optional list of informants may appear after the references. Use names, pseudonyms, or participant codes consistently with consent and confidentiality arrangements. Include only information necessary to understand the research; full addresses and other identifying details should not be disclosed unnecessarily.

4. Citations and References

Use APA Seventh Edition consistently. A reference-management application such as Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote is required.

4.1. In-Text Citations

Use the author–date system:

  • One author: (Surname, 2024).

  • Two authors: (Surname & Surname, 2024).

  • Three or more authors: (Surname et al., 2024).

  • Direct quotation: (Surname, 2024, p. 25).

Use additional author names where necessary to distinguish otherwise identical shortened citations. Do not italicize “et al.”

Direct quotations require a page number or another appropriate locator. Apply APA 7 conventions for short quotations and block quotations.

Names must be represented accurately. Do not invent family names for authors whose published names do not follow a surname-based structure.

4.2. Reference List

Include at least 18 references, with approximately 80% journal articles and 20% books or other sources. Select references for their relevance and credibility. Historical and foundational sources remain appropriate where required by the research.

Every recoverable source cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and every listed reference must be cited. Apply APA exceptions appropriately for personal communications and research-participant material.

Arrange references alphabetically, following APA rules for multiple works by the same author.

Verify imported metadata against the original publication or an authoritative record. Check names, dates, titles, publication details, page ranges, and identifiers. Present DOIs in the format https://doi.org/ followed by the DOI.

APA 7 does not require publisher locations for books. For ordinary webpages, italicize the webpage title rather than the website name.

Refer to the official APA Style reference examples for source-specific guidance.

4.3. Archival Sources and Citation Integrity

Archival references should identify the creator where known, date, document title or description, collection, file or item identifier, repository, and location as applicable.

Distinguish recoverable oral-history records from personal communications and interviews collected as research data. Respect consent and access restrictions.

Cite AIJOSH articles when relevant to the argument. Citation of the journal is not a condition of submission or acceptance. Avoid citation padding and unnecessary self-citation.

5. Submission and Editorial Assessment

Submit through the journal’s online submission system. Ensure that all metadata and files are complete and consistent.

A cover letter must accompany each submission. It should identify the manuscript title and article type, explain its principal contribution and relevance to AIJOSH, confirm originality and exclusive submission, and confirm approval by all authors. It should also disclose related preprints, theses, conference dissemination, or overlapping publications; identify any previous submission of the manuscript to AIJOSH; and provide the corresponding author’s contact details. Relevant conflicts of interest should be declared or explicitly stated as absent.

Manuscripts undergo editorial screening before external review. Suitable submissions proceed to independent peer review in accordance with the journal’s published Peer-Review Process policy.

Before completing submission, upload and verify the following files, following the review-file requirements:

  • The manuscript containing the title, abstract, keywords, main text, references, tables, and figures.

  • A cover letter and the required originality declaration.

  • Similarity Check Report by Turnitin with max. 25% of similarity index.

  • Supplementary materials, where applicable, with descriptive filenames and clear references in the manuscript.

  • Permission documents, ethical approval or exemption documentation, and additional disclosure forms where applicable and requested.

Reviewer selection is the responsibility of the editors. Do not include reviewer nominations unless expressly requested under the journal’s published review policy. Specific, substantiated concerns about a potential conflict of interest may be communicated confidentially to the editor.

Authors will receive a written decision and relevant reviewer comments. Revised manuscripts must include a point-by-point response explaining the changes made or providing a reasoned response to recommendations not adopted.

Consult the Peer-Review Process policy for the review model, reviewer requirements, and estimated timelines. Submission, revision, or payment of any applicable charges does not guarantee acceptance.

6. Acceptance and Publication

Accepted manuscripts proceed to copyediting, layout preparation, proofreading, and publication scheduling. Authors must review proofs carefully and obtain editorial approval for substantive changes.

Authorship changes must follow the Authorship and Contributorship policy. Applicable publication charges and payment arrangements are stated separately on the journal’s website.

Copyright ownership and permitted reuse are governed by the journal’s Copyright and Licensing Policy. Articles are published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Authors must review the applicable terms before submission.

After publication, authors must promptly notify the journal if they discover a significant error or omission in their article. They are expected to respond to substantive editorial queries and cooperate in assessing concerns, including providing supporting data or source documentation where ethically and legally permissible. Corrections and other amendments will be handled under the journal’s Corrections policy, while scholarly commentaries and responses will follow its Post-Publication Discussions policy.

Authors are encouraged to deposit and share permitted versions of their work through institutional or subject repositories in accordance with the journal’s Electronic Archiving policy. Shared published versions should retain the article’s citation, DOI, and licensing information.

7. Templates and Related Policies

Use the official manuscript template appropriate to prepare your submission.

Manuscript Template (*.docx)

Cover Letter Template (*.docx)

Acknowledgement and Declarations (*.docx)

How to submit?

Read Make Submission

What files need to be attached?

1. Manuscript (*.docx), max. 2MB in size
2. Cover Letter (*.pdf), max. 2MB in size
3. Similarity Check Report by Turnitin (*.pdf), max. 25% of similarity index
4. Acknowledgement and Declarations (*.pdf), max. 2MB in size
5. Supplementary file (if any/optional: high resolution of figure, table, chart, etc.)

Consult the following policy pages on this journal’s website before submission:

If a downloaded template contains older instructions that conflict with these guidelines, follow the current guidelines and contact the editorial office where clarification is needed.