Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines — Education Specialist (ES)

Article types • Structure • Formatting • IEEE citations • Double-blind review

This page details requirements for three manuscript categories—Original Article, Review Paper, and Short Communication—including formatting, structure, and IEEE citation & reference style. Submissions must fit the journal’s Focus & Scope and be prepared for double-blind peer review.

1) Article Types & Specific Requirements

1.1 Original Article

  • Purpose & Contribution: Reports original empirical, experimental, or mixed-methods studies in education; states clear gap, robust methods, and implications.
  • Length: 5,000–8,000 words (excluding references, tables, figures, appendices).
  • Abstract: 200–250 words; 3–5 keywords.
  • Recommended Structure (IMRaD): Title Page; Abstract; Keywords; Introduction; Methods; Results; Discussion; Conclusion; Acknowledgment (optional); Declarations (Funding, COI, Ethics, Data Availability); References; Appendices (optional).
  • Tables/Figures: up to 8 items combined; each with descriptive caption and source if applicable.
  • Data & Materials: Provide a Data Availability Statement and repository link where feasible, without compromising confidentiality.

1.2 Review Paper

  • Purpose: Critical synthesis of recent literature, mapping frontiers, gaps, and future directions.
  • Length: 6,000–10,000 words.
  • Abstract: 200–250 words; 3–5 keywords.
  • References: Min. 75 ref. 
  • Acceptable Formats & Structure:
    • Systematic/Scoping Review: Introduction; Review Questions/Eligibility; Sources & Search; Study Selection; Data Extraction; Synthesis/Mapping; Discussion; Limitations; Conclusion; References. (Flow diagram encouraged.)
    • Narrative/Critical Review: Introduction; Thematic Synthesis (with sub-sections); Critical Appraisal; Gaps & Future Directions; Conclusion; References.
  • Coverage: Prioritize the last 5–10 years plus seminal works; state inclusion/exclusion criteria transparently.

1.3 Short Communication

  • Purpose: Concise reports of preliminary findings, methods notes, replications, or timely educational innovations.
  • Length: 1,500–3,500 words.
  • Abstract: 150–200 words; 3–5 keywords.
  • Suggested Structure: Introduction (brief); Methods; Results; Brief Discussion/Implications; Conclusion; References.
  • Tables/Figures: up to 3 items combined.

2) Section-by-Section Guidance (What to Write)

2.1 Title

Concise (≤ 20 words), informative, and specific. Avoid abbreviations and rhetorical phrasing. For double-blind review, include author details only on the separate Title Page.

2.2 Abstract

Single paragraph summarizing: background (why), aim (what), methods (how), key results (what was found), and conclusion/implications (so what). Avoid citations and undefined abbreviations.

2.3 Keywords

Provide 3–5 specific keywords (alphabetical; comma-separated). Prefer standardized descriptors (e.g., ERIC terms) where relevant.

2.4 Introduction — What to include

  • Context & Problem (setting and precise challenge).
  • Literature Grounding (what is known vs unknown; avoid exhaustive review).
  • Gap & Rationale (explicit contribution beyond prior work).
  • Aim/Questions/Hypotheses (linked to methods and analyses).
  • Significance (theoretical/practical relevance for education and policy).

2.5 Methods — What to include

  • Design (experimental, quasi-experimental, survey, case study, qualitative, mixed-methods, R&D) and justification.
  • Context & Participants (setting, sampling/selection, criteria, demographics; avoid identifying information).
  • Instruments & Measures (constructs, validity/reliability—e.g., Cronbach’s α, inter-rater agreement; scoring).
  • Procedures (data collection/intervention, sufficient for replication).
  • Data Analysis (quantitative tests/models & assumptions & effect sizes; qualitative approach/coding/trustworthiness; mixed-methods integration).
  • Ethics (approval reference if applicable; consent/assent; data protection).

2.6 Results — What to include

  • Findings only first; interpretation comes in Discussion.
  • Sub-headings aligned with research questions.
  • Tables/Figures for essential outcomes only; avoid redundancy.
  • Reporting with appropriate statistics (CIs, effect sizes) or qualitative evidence (themes with anonymized quotes).

2.7 Discussion — What to include

  • Meaning in light of literature and theory; mechanisms and relevance.
  • Comparison with prior findings; convergences/divergences.
  • Implications for practice/policy and research use.
  • Limitations (scope, validity/trustworthiness, generalizability).
  • Future Work (specific next steps).

2.8 Conclusion — What to include

  • Concise takeaway (not a repeat of the abstract).
  • Highlight novelty and actionable implications.
  • No new data or references.

2.9 Declarations

  • Funding: Name funder & grant number (or “No external funding”).
  • Conflict of Interest: Disclose or state “No conflict of interest”.
  • Ethics Statement: Approval body & reference; or explain if not required.
  • Data Availability: Repository link/DOI, or justified restrictions.
  • Acknowledgment: Optional non-author contributions/permissions.

3) Manuscript Preparation & Formatting

  • File & Layout: Microsoft Word (.docx); A4; margins 2.5 cm; line spacing 1.15; 11–12 pt (Calibri, Times New Roman, or Arial). Number pages; consistent heading levels.
  • Anonymous Review: Upload a blinded manuscript (no names/affiliations/acknowledgments). Provide a separate Title Page with full author details and corresponding email.
  • Headings: Logical multi-level (e.g., 1., 1.1, 1.1.1).
  • Numbers & Units: SI units; spell out numbers at sentence start.
  • Equations: Use Word Equation Editor/MathType; center; number consecutively as (1), (2)… right-aligned; refer as “(see (3))”.

3.1 Figures

  • Quality: ≥1200 px (single-column) or ≥2400 px (double-column). Preferred: PNG/TIFF (lossless); high contrast; legible labels.
  • Style: Consistent fonts; accessible contrasts; distinguishable patterns/markers.
  • Captions: Below the figure: “Figure 1. …”. Define symbols/abbreviations at first mention.
  • Permissions: Authors must secure permissions for third-party content.

3.2 Tables

  • Construction: Use Word tables (not images); avoid vertical rules; minimal shading; self-contained titles/notes.
  • Captions: Above the table: “Table 1. …”. Explain abbreviations in notes.
  • Non-duplication: Do not repeat the same data in text/figures.

4) IEEE Citation & References (Required)

ES uses the IEEE numeric style. In-text citations are numbered in square brackets [1], [2], … according to first appearance; the reference list is ordered numerically.

4.1 In-Text Citation

  • Single source: “… as shown in recent studies [3].”
  • Multiple sources: “… has been discussed in [4], [7], [9]–[11].” (use en-dash for ranges).
  • Place the citation number inside punctuation when possible: “… as reported in [5].”

4.2 Reference List Format (examples)

  • Journal article: A. B. Author and C. D. Author, “Article title,” Journal Title, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 123–135, 2024, doi: 10.1234/abcd.12345.
  • Book: E. F. Author, Book Title, 2nd ed. City, Country: Publisher, 2022.
  • Chapter in edited book: G. H. Author, “Chapter title,” in Book Title, I. J. Editor, Ed. City: Publisher, 2021, pp. 45–67.
  • Conference paper: K. L. Author et al., “Paper title,” in Proc. 2023 Int. Conf. Education, City, 2023, pp. 88–92. doi: 10.xxxx/xxxx.
  • Thesis/Dissertation: M. N. Author, “Thesis title,” M.S. thesis, Dept. of Education, Univ. Name, City, 2020.
  • Web page: Organization/Author, “Page title,” Site Name. Accessed: Apr. 12, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://example.org/page

Ensure consistency, include DOIs where available, and verify metadata. Use a reference manager (e.g., Mendeley/Zotero/EndNote) configured to IEEE.

5) Submission, Review, and Editorial Decisions

  1. Submission: Create/login to OJS; select correct article type; upload blinded manuscript, Title Page, and any supplementary files.
  2. Cover Letter (recommended): State novelty, scope fit, and propose up to three potential reviewers (name, affiliation, email). Editors may invite alternative, neutral reviewers.
  3. Initial Check: Scope fit, adherence to guidelines, similarity screening, ethical completeness.
  4. Peer Review: Double-blind by ≥2 experts. Decisions: accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject.
  5. Revision: Submit tracked-changes file and a point-by-point response to reviewers.

6) Summary of Key Limits

Component Original Article Review Paper Short Communication
Manuscript length 5,000–8,000 words 6,000–10,000 words 1,500–3,500 words
Abstract 200–250 words 200–250 words 150–200 words
Keywords 3–5 3–5 3–5
Tables + Figures (max) 8 10 (incl. flow diagram) 3
Core structure IMRaD + Declarations Systematic/Scoping or Narrative/Critical + Limitations Intro–Methods–Results–Brief Discussion–Conclusion
Citation & References IEEE numeric style: in-text [1], [2]…; numbered reference list

7) Ethics & Compliance

  • Originality: Not under review elsewhere; free of plagiarism and redundant publication.
  • Human Participants: Ethics approval (if required), informed consent/assent, and strict anonymization.
  • Conflict of Interest & Funding: Disclose in Declarations.
  • Copyright & Licensing: Follow journal policy; obtain permissions for third-party material.

8) Submission Checklist

  1. Fits Focus & Scope; correct article type selected.
  2. Complies with word limits, structure, and IEEE style.
  3. Blinded manuscript + separate Title Page for double-blind review.
  4. Abstract and keywords meet specified limits.
  5. Tables/Figures are captioned, high-quality, and non-duplicative.
  6. Declarations (Funding, COI, Ethics, Data Availability) included.
  7. References complete and consistent; DOIs added where available.
  8. Cover letter (recommended) + up to three suggested reviewers.

9) Contact

For technical questions or policy clarifications, please contact the Editorial Office via the journal website.

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