Submission Guidelines

Before preparing a manuscript for submission, authors must review the Aims and Scope section of the journal to ensure that their research fits within the journal’s objectives. Authors should also verify that all requirements related to publication ethics, copyright, authorship, figure and table formatting, data presentation, and references have been fully addressed. Each co-author must approve the final manuscript prior to submission.

The journal operates under a full open-access policy: readers are not charged for access to content. However, once a manuscript is accepted, the authors or their affiliated institutions must pay the Article Processing Charge (APC).

1. Submission

All manuscripts must be written in clear and grammatically correct English. Submissions can be made through the online submission system or by email to submissions@aessweb.com.
Manuscripts must be submitted as a single Microsoft Word file containing the full text, tables, figures, references, and appendices.

The recommended length is 5,000–12,000 words, including all components of the manuscript.

2. Title Page

The first page of the manuscript must include the full title, the names of all authors, their institutional affiliations, ORCID and email addresses. The corresponding author must be clearly identified with complete contact details. The second page must contain the abstract.

3. Abstract

The abstract must be a clear and concise summary of the study, written in a single paragraph of 200–250 words. It must include:

• Background/Introduction: Brief context and rationale.
• Objectives: The study’s aims or hypotheses.
• Materials and Methods: Data, sample, design, and methodology.
• Results: Significant findings, with quantitative details where relevant.
• Conclusion and Implications: Broader implications for policy, practice, or further research.

Style Requirements:

• Strictly 200–250 words.
• Use past or present tense for methods, results, and interpretations.
• Maintain an objective and scientific tone.
• Do not include citations, uncommon abbreviations, or unnecessary jargon.

4. Keywords and Contribution to the Literature

After the abstract, provide:

1. Five keywords representing the manuscript’s core themes.
2. A Contribution/Originality statement (maximum 50 words) explaining how the study advances knowledge or offers new insights.

Example Format:
Contribution/Originality:
This study contributes to the existing literature by exploring [brief focus]. It offers new insights into [specific aspect] and enhances understanding of [impact or application].

5. Abbreviations

All abbreviations must be spelled out in full upon first use, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses.

6. Preparing Tables and Figures

Tables must contain descriptive headings for each column. Large tables may use smaller fonts but not below 8 points. All tables must be created with the Microsoft Word table function.

Figures must be inserted into the main text and must have a minimum resolution of 1000 pixels in width or height, or 300 dpi. Text within figures must be legible.

7. References and Citation Policy

All references must follow APA style. The reference list must appear at the end of the manuscript in alphabetical order, single-spaced, and in 10-point font size. All in-text citations must appear in the reference list, and all items in the reference list must be cited in the text.

Examples of APA References
Journal Articles

• One author: Herrington, A. J. (1985). Classrooms as forums for reasoning and writing. College Composition and Communication, 36(4), 404-413.
• Two authors: Horowitz, L. M., & Post, D. L. (1981). The prototype as a construct in abnormal psychology. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 90(6), 575-585.
• Institutional author: Institute on Rehabilitation Issues. (1975). Critical issues in rehabilitating the severely handicapped. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 18(4), 205-213.

Books

• One author: Castle, E. B. (1970). The teacher. London: Oxford University Press.
• Two authors: McCandless, B. R., & Evans, E. D. (1973). Children and youth: Psychosocial development. Hinsdale, IL: Dryden Press.
• Three or more authors: Smith, V., Barr, R., & Burke, D. (1976). Alternatives in education: Freedom to choose. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa, Educational Foundation.
• Society, association, or institution as author: American Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Author.
• Editor as author: Rich, J. M. (Ed.). (1972). Readings in the philosophy of education (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
• Chapter in edited book: Medley, D. M. (1983). Teacher effectiveness. In H. E. Mitzel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of educational research (Vol. 4, pp. 1894-1903). New York: The Free Press.

Newspapers and Magazines

• Newspaper (no author): More jobs waiting for college grads. (1986, June 17). Detroit Free Press, pp. 1A, 3A.
• Magazine (one author): Powledge, T. M. (1983, July). The importance of being twins. Psychology Today, 19, 20-27.
• Magazine (no author): CBS invades Cuba, returns with Irakere: Havana jam. (1979, May 3). Down Beat, 10.

Microforms

• ERIC report: Plantes, M. K. (1979). The effect of work experience on young men’s earnings (Report No. IRP-DP-567-79). Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Institute for Research on Poverty. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED183687).
• ERIC paper: Whipple, W. S. (1977, January). Changing attitude through behavior modification. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, New Orleans, LA. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED146500).

Internet article based on a print source (exact duplicate) with DOI assigned

• Stultz, J. (2006). Integrating exposure therapy and analytic therapy in trauma treatment. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(4), 482-488. doi:10.1037/0002-9432.76.4.482

Article in an Internet only journal with no DOI assigned

• Sillick, T. J., & Schutte, N. S. (2006). Emotional intelligence and self-esteem mediate between perceived early parental love and adult happiness. E-Journal of Applied Psychology, 2(2), 38-48. Retrieved from http://ojs.lib.swin.edu.au/index.php/ejap/article/view/71/100

Daily newspaper article, electronic version available by search

• Botha, T. (1999, February 21). The Statue of Liberty, Central Park and me. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Webpage

• Raymon H. Mulford Library, The University of Toledo Health Science Campus. (2008). Instructions to authors in the health sciences. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://mulford.mco.edu/instr/

Annual report

• Pearson PLC. (2005). Reading allowed: Annual review and summary financial statements 2004. Retrieved from http://www.pearson.com/investor/ar2004/pdfs/summary_report_2004.pdf

Citation Policy
Authors must ensure that all external material is properly cited and that necessary permissions are obtained. Excessive self-citation must be avoided, as well as citing materials without having read them. Authors must not show bias by disproportionately citing their own, their colleagues’, or their institutions’ work. Advertising or promotional citations are not permitted.
As per COPE guidelines, any verbatim text from another source must be placed within quotation marks and cited appropriately. The same applies to the author’s own previously published material.

8. Footnotes

Footnotes must be numbered consecutively throughout the text.

9. Funding Statement

All sources of funding must be disclosed. If none, a declaration must be included.
Examples:

• This research was supported by the [Funding Organization], Grant Number [XXXXXX].
• This study received no specific financial support.

10. Ethics Statement / IRB

All manuscripts involving human subjects, or sensitive data, must include an ethics statement.
Examples:

• Approved by the IRB of [Institution Name], Approval No. [XXXX]. Written informed consent was obtained.
• Ethical review was waived for this study, as it involved no human.
• Not applicable.

11. Disclosure of AI Use

Authors must disclose any use of AI tools in preparing the manuscript, specifying the name, version, and purpose of use.

Example:
The authors used OpenAI’s ChatGPT (version May 2024) to improve the clarity and grammar of the Introduction section. All content was reviewed and verified by the authors.
Failure to disclose AI usage may be considered a breach of publishing ethics.

12. Data Availability Statement

Provide details about where the supporting data can be accessed. If the study has no associated data, this section may be omitted.

13. Appendix

Supplementary material may be included as an appendix.

14. Reviewer Suggestions

Authors must suggest three potential reviewers with expertise in the subject area. Reviewers must not have collaborated with the authors within the last three years and should preferably belong to different institutions. Complete contact details must be provided. Suggestions should be included in the cover letter.