Author Guidelines

Articles

Authors must prepare and submit manuscripts in accordance with the following requirements.

1. Manuscript submission

Submit two separate Microsoft Word files containing the same manuscript:

• File 1: Full manuscript with author details. Include the article title, full names of all authors, institutional affiliations, countries, email addresses and ORCID identifiers, where available. Clearly identify the corresponding author and provide their contact details.

• File 2: Anonymised manuscript. Include the article title and complete manuscript, but remove author names, affiliations, acknowledgements and any other information that could reveal the authors’ identities. Remove identifying information from the file properties, comments and tracked changes. Refer to your own published work in the third person.

Label the files clearly as “Author Details” and “Anonymised Manuscript”.

2. Manuscript formatting

All manuscripts must use:

• Font: Arial.

• Font size: 12 point.

• Line spacing: Single.

• Text alignment: Justified.

• Page size: A4, with 2.54 cm margins.

• Page numbering: Consecutive throughout the manuscript.

Use clear, consistently formatted headings and subheadings. Submit a clean manuscript with all tracked changes accepted and editorial comments removed.

3. Language and presentation

Manuscripts must be written in clear, scholarly UK English. Authors are responsible for checking grammar, spelling, punctuation and consistency before submission. Define abbreviations at first mention and avoid unnecessary jargon.

4. Article structure

Research articles should ordinarily contain:

1. Article title.

2. Abstract.

3. Keywords.

4. Introduction and background.

5. Literature review and theoretical or conceptual framework, where applicable.

6. Methodology.

7. Findings or results.

8. Discussion.

9. Conclusion and recommendations, where appropriate.

10. References.

Findings and discussion may be combined where appropriate. Conceptual, theoretical and review articles may adopt a structure suited to their purpose, provided that the argument is coherent and clearly developed.

5. Title, abstract and keywords

The title must accurately reflect the article’s focus and contribution.

Provide an abstract of 150–300 words, summarising the purpose, approach, principal findings and contribution of the article. Avoid citations and unexplained abbreviations in the abstract.

Include four to six keywords immediately below the abstract.

6. Referencing

Use APA referencing style, seventh edition, consistently throughout the manuscript.

Every source cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and every reference listed must be cited in the text. Provide accurate bibliographic details and include DOIs as hyperlinks where available. Direct quotations must include page numbers or another appropriate locator.

7. Tables, figures and illustrations

Number tables and figures consecutively and refer to each in the text. Provide a clear title for every table and an appropriate caption for every figure.

Tables must be editable. Figures and illustrations must be clear and legible. Acknowledge sources and obtain permission to reproduce copyrighted material where required.

8. Originality and publication ethics

Submissions must be original and must not be under consideration by another journal. Authors must disclose any substantial overlap with previously published work, including material drawn from a thesis, conference paper or preprint.

Plagiarism, fabricated or falsified data, and inaccurate or invented references are unacceptable. All listed authors must have made a substantive contribution and approved the submitted manuscript.

9. Research ethics and declarations

Where applicable, state the ethical approval obtained, name the approving body and provide the approval reference. Explain how informed consent, confidentiality and participant protection were addressed.

Disclose funding sources and any competing interests. Place acknowledgements and identifying funding details in the manuscript containing author details; anonymise these in the version prepared for peer review.

10. Use of artificial intelligence

Authors must disclose substantive use of generative artificial intelligence in preparing the manuscript, analysing data or producing images. State the tool used and the purpose of its use.

Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors. Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, references and integrity of all submitted content.

11. Editorial assessment and peer review

Manuscripts will undergo an initial editorial assessment for relevance, scholarly quality, originality and compliance with these guidelines. Submissions that meet the initial requirements may proceed to double-anonymous peer review.

Authors asked to revise their manuscripts must submit a revised version and a separate, point-by-point response explaining how reviewers’ comments have been addressed.

12. Submission checklist

Before submission, confirm that:

• Both the full and anonymised manuscripts are included.

• Arial, 12-point font, single spacing and justified alignment have been used.

• The abstract and keywords are included.

• Citations and references correspond and follow APA style.

• Tables and figures are numbered, titled and cited in the text.

• Relevant ethical, funding, competing-interest and AI-use declarations are provided.

• All authors have approved the submission.

• The manuscript has been proofread and contains no unresolved comments or tracked changes.

Manuscripts that do not comply with these requirements may be returned to authors for correction before further consideration.