Author Guidelines

Authors are expected to prepare manuscripts in clear and appropriate English. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to have their manuscripts carefully checked for language, grammar, and clarity before submission.

Manuscripts submitted to Journal of Sustainability and Community Empowerment (JSCE) must be original and must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal.

The official language of JSCE is English.

General Author Guidelines

1. Manuscript Preparation

1.1 General Format

  • Manuscripts must be written in English.
  • Manuscript length should be 3,000–8,000 words, including references, tables, and appendices.
  • Use Times New Roman, 11 pt, with single spacing.
  • Use A4 paper size with 2.54 cm margins on all sides.
  • Manuscripts should not exceed 17 pages.
  • Submit the manuscript in Microsoft Word (.docx) format.

2. Article Structure

2.1 Title

  • The title should be concise, informative, and accurately reflect the main content of the article.
  • The title should preferably not exceed 16 words.
  • The title should be written in Times New Roman, 11 pt, and centered.
  • Avoid unnecessary abbreviations and overly general wording.

2.2 Authors and Affiliations

Authors should provide:

  • full name of each author;
  • institutional affiliation;
  • country of affiliation; and
  • email address of the corresponding author.

The corresponding author should be clearly identified.

Authors should ensure that the order and spelling of author names are correct at the time of submission.

2.3 Abstract

The abstract should contain 150–250 words and briefly present:

  • the research objective or purpose;
  • the research methodology;
  • the main analytical approach;
  • the key findings; and
  • the main conclusion or implication, where appropriate.

The abstract should be understandable as a standalone text and should not contain unnecessary citations or unexplained abbreviations.

Use Times New Roman, 11 pt, with single spacing.

2.4 Keywords

Provide 3–5 keywords that represent the main concepts, topics, or variables discussed in the article.

Keywords should complement rather than simply repeat the title.

3. Main Body of the Article

3.1 Introduction

The Introduction should establish the context and rationale of the study and clearly explain:

  • the background and significance of the research problem;
  • relevant literature and the current state of knowledge;
  • the research gap or problem addressed by the study;
  • the conceptual or theoretical basis, where appropriate;
  • the purpose or research objectives; and
  • research questions or hypotheses, where applicable.

The Introduction should clearly establish the contribution of the study to sustainability, contextual learning, community engagement, or related areas within the scope of JSCE.

3.2 Method

The Method section should provide sufficient information to allow readers to understand and evaluate how the study was conducted.

Depending on the research design, this section should include:

  • research design or approach;
  • research setting and participants;
  • population and sampling procedures, where applicable;
  • instruments or data sources;
  • data collection procedures;
  • data analysis techniques;
  • software or analytical tools used, where relevant; and
  • ethical considerations.

Subheadings may be used to organize the Method section.

3.3 Results and Discussion

The Results and Discussion should present and interpret the findings in a clear and logical sequence.

Authors should:

  • present findings in relation to the research objectives or questions;
  • use tables, figures, or other visual materials where appropriate;
  • explain the meaning and significance of the findings;
  • relate findings to relevant theories and previous research; and
  • discuss similarities, differences, implications, and possible explanations where appropriate.

Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively and referred to in the main text.

For example:

Table 1. Characteristics of the participants

Figure 1. Research framework

3.4 Conclusion

The Conclusion should concisely summarize the main findings and their significance.

Where appropriate, authors may also discuss:

  • theoretical or practical implications;
  • implications for education, sustainability practice, or community engagement; and
  • limitations and recommendations for future research.

The Conclusion should not simply repeat the Results section.

3.5 Acknowledgements

Where applicable, authors may acknowledge:

  • funding agencies and grant numbers;
  • institutional support;
  • research collaborators;
  • data providers; or
  • other individuals who contributed to the research but do not qualify for authorship.

4. Figures, Tables, and Equations

  • Figures should be clear, legible, and of sufficient resolution for publication.
  • Text within figures should remain readable after publication.
  • Tables should be concise and readable.
  • Tables and figures must be numbered consecutively and cited in the manuscript.
  • Each table and figure should have an informative title or caption.
  • Authors should avoid unnecessary duplication of information between the text, tables, and figures.
  • Equations should be numbered consecutively where applicable.
  • Equations should be referred to in the text as Equation (1), Equation (2), and so forth.
  • Figures or tables should be placed close to their first citation in the manuscript where possible.

5. References and Citations

  • References and in-text citations should follow the latest edition of APA Style adopted by the journal.
  • Authors are encouraged to use recent and relevant scholarly sources.
  • At least 20 references should normally be cited for a research article.
  • Authors should prioritize recent peer-reviewed literature, particularly literature published within the last 10 years, while also citing seminal or foundational works where appropriate.
  • Authors are encouraged to use reference-management software such as Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote to maintain consistency.
  • Authors are responsible for ensuring that all references cited in the text appear in the reference list and vice versa.

6. Submission Process

Manuscripts must be submitted through the JSCE Online Journal System (OJS):

JSCE OJS

Before submission, authors should ensure that:

  • the manuscript follows the journal's Author Guidelines and manuscript template;
  • the manuscript is original and is not under consideration by another journal;
  • all authors have approved the submitted manuscript;
  • the corresponding author has provided accurate contact information;
  • references and citations are complete and consistent; and
  • relevant ethical and research-integrity requirements have been addressed.

All submitted manuscripts may undergo similarity screening as part of the journal's editorial screening process.