Writing and Formatting Guidelines for Authors

  • File Format for Manuscript

Please provide editable source files for your entire submission including figures, tables, and text graphics. Here are some guidelines:

  • Save your files in an editable format, using .doc/.docx for MS Word files. A PDF is not acceptable as a source file.
  • Format the text in a single column.
  • Check the file contents for spelling and grammar to avoid errors.

  • Submission of files for Double anonymized peer review

 JCTE follows a double anonymized review process which means author identities are concealed from reviewers and vice versa. To facilitate the double anonymized review process, Authors should provide the title page (including author details) and anonymized manuscript (excluding author details) separately in the submission.

The anonymized manuscript should contain the main body of your paper including:

  • References
  • Figures
  • Tables
  • Acknowledgements

     It is important that the anonymized manuscript does not contain any identifying information such as author name(s), email(s) or affiliation(s).

  • Title Page

The title page is a separate file in addition to the main file containing the article text. Make sure to include the following details on your title page:

  • Article Title: The title should be concise and informative. Avoid abbreviations and formulas unless they are well-known (like DNA).
  • Author Names: List the full first and last names of all authors. The order of the names should match the submission system. Double-check the spelling of all names. If needed, you can include your name in your native script in parentheses after the English version.
  • Affiliations: Below the author names, list the affiliation addresses where the work was done. Use a lowercase superscript letter after the author’s name to link it to the corresponding address. Include the full postal address for each affiliation, including the country, phone number and the email address of each author.
  • Corresponding Author: Clearly indicate who will handle all communication related to the article during and after publication. This person will be responsible for answering any questions about the results, data, methods, and materials. Make sure their phone number, email and contact information are up to date.
  • Present/Permanent Address: If an author has moved since the work was done, or was visiting during that time, you can include a "present address" (or "permanent address") as a footnote to their name. However, the main affiliation should remain the address where the work was conducted. Use superscript Arabic numerals for these footnotes.

  • Abstract

   Provide a concise and clear abstract that briefly outlines the purpose of your research, key findings, and main conclusions. Here are some guidelines:

  • The abstract should be able to stand alone since it may be presented separately from the full article.
  • Avoid using references. If it is absolutely necessary, include the author(s) and year(s).
  • Avoid using non-standard or uncommon abbreviations. If you must include them, define them when they first appear in the abstract.

  • Keywords

   Provide 4-7 keywords for indexing purposes. Keywords should be in English language and try to avoid using phrases with multiple words (like ‘and’ or ‘of’). Use abbreviations in keywords only if they are well-known and commonly used in your field.

  • Tables

  • Submit tables as editable text, not as images.
  • Place tables next to the relevant text or on separate pages at the end of your article.
  • Cite all tables in the manuscript text and number them in order of appearance.
  • Provide captions for each table and place any notes below the table body.
  • Avoid using vertical lines or shading in table cells.
  • Use tables sparingly and avoid repeating data that is already described elsewhere in the article.

  • Figures, Images, and Artwork

  • Submit figures, images, diagrams, and other graphical media as separate files along with your manuscript.
  • Cite all images in the manuscript text and number them in order they appear.
  • Name image files logically (e.g., Figure_1, Figure_2).
  • Provide captions for each image in a separate file. Captions should include a brief title and a description, with minimal text on the image itself. Explain any symbols or abbreviations used.
  • Text graphics can be embedded in the text at the appropriate location.

 

  • Generative AI and Images

    In certain situations where authors use AI in any part of the paper, they must describe it in detail in the relevant section and cite it appropriately. The author(s) must disclose the use of Generative AI or AI assisted technologies in the writing process by adding a statement at the end of their main paper file. If authors have not used it, then they can mention the same in the following statement.

Statement: During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and took full responsibility for the content of the publication.

  • Supplementary Material

  • Use supplementary materials like applications, images, and sound clips to enhance your research.
  • Cite all supplementary files in the manuscript text.
  • Submit supplementary materials with your article, noting that they will appear online as submitted, without additional formatting.
  • Include a brief, descriptive caption for each supplementary file.
  • Update supplementary files if you need to make changes during the publication process, but do not annotate or correct the previous version.
  • Disable "track changes" in Microsoft Office files to prevent them from appearing in the published version.

  • Article Structure

    Divide your article into clearly defined sections: Title, abstract, introduction, review of related literature, Research objectives, research questions/hypotheses if any, methodology, results, discussion and conclusion. Subsections may have brief headings, which should appear on a separate line.

  • Introduction: The introduction should clearly state the objectives of your work. Provide an adequate background but avoid a detailed literature overview or summary of results.
  • Literature Review: Literature review includes detailed literature related to the problem covered by the paper.
  • Theoretical/Conceptual Framework: Explain theoretical and/or conceptual framework (whichever is applicable) of the study. It can be added on the basis of existing theories or models from literature or a diagram.
  • Research Methodology: Provide sufficient details to allow your work to be reproduced by an independent researcher. If quoting directly from a published method, use quotation marks and cite the source. Describe any modifications made to existing methods.
  • Results: Present results clearly and concisely. Refer to sections in this guide on tables, artwork, supplementary material, and sharing research data.
  • Discussion: Explore the significance of your results without repeating them. You may combine results and discussion into one section if appropriate. Avoid extensive citations and discussion of published literature.
  • Conclusion: Present the main conclusions of your study. The last paragraph of the conclusion must consist of recommendations for further actions and future research work.

  • References

References within text:

  • Ensure all references cited within your article are also present in your reference list and vice versa.
  • Cite references in your abstract in full.
  • Avoid including unpublished results and personal communications in your reference list; mention them in the text.
  • References cited as "in press" imply acceptance for publication.
  • Correct reference data allows linking to indexing services like Scopus, Crossref, and PubMed.
  • Use DOIs for permanent links to electronic articles.
  • JCTE uses APA reference style (7th Edition) in the paper.
  • Include author names, journal/book titles, article/chapter titles, publication years, volume numbers, and DOIs where applicable, as per APA reference style (7th Edition).
  • Abbreviations: Use only standard abbreviations; use of nonstandard abbreviations can be confusing to readers. Avoid abbreviations in the title of the manuscript. If abbreviations are essential in your paper, define them in parentheses at first mention unless the abbreviation is a standard unit of measurement. Review your use of abbreviations to ensure consistency.
  • Acknowledgements: Include individuals/organizations who provided help during your research (e.g., research work, data collection, language, writing, proofreading) in the acknowledgements section. Include acknowledgements only on the last page.
  • Author Contributions (Credit Taxonomy): Corresponding authors must acknowledge co-author contributions for roles like conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, funding acquisition, investigation, methodology, etc. Not all roles will apply to every manuscript, and authors may contribute through multiple roles. Read more about Credit taxonomy and check an example of a Credit author statement. A statement on authorship must be added in the main article file.
  • Funding Sources:
  • Disclose any funding sources that provided financial support for the research or article preparation.
  • Declare the role of sponsors, if any, in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, report writing, and publication submission.
  • List funding sources in a standard way to comply with funder requirements.
  • Please supply all details required by your funding and grant-awarding bodies as follows:

For single agency grants

“This work was supported by the [Funding Agency] under Grant [number xxxx].”

For multiple agency grants

This work was supported by the [Funding Agency #1] under Grant [number xxxx]; [Funding Agency #2] under Grant [number xxxx]; and [Funding Agency #3] under Grant [number xxxx].

  • If funding sources are not involved, state it in your submission. If no funding was provided, include the statement: "This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors."

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