Guidelines for Authors

  1. General Manuscript Preparation
  • Language: Manuscripts must be written in clear and concise English.
  • File Format: Submit manuscripts as Microsoft Word documents (.docx) using the provided template file.
  • Structure: Organize the manuscript according to the sections outlined below.
  1. Formatting Requirements
  • Font: Use Times New Roman throughout the manuscript. Specific font sizes are noted in the relevant sections below.
  • Spacing: Use single spacing for the abstract. (Note: Spacing for the main body is not explicitly defined in the template overview, but follow the template's layout).   
  • Margins & Page Numbers: Use standard margins as set in the template. Ensure page numbers are included.
  1. Title Page and Initial Information
  • Title: The manuscript title must be in Title Case, Bolded, Centered, and 14pt font size.   
  • Authors: List author names below the title. Use superscript numbers for affiliations.   
  • Affiliations: Provide the full affiliation for each author below the author list, corresponding to the superscript numbers. Include Faculty, University Name, Postal Code, City, State/Region, Country.   
  • Corresponding Author: Indicate the corresponding author with an asterisk (*) and provide their email address clearly marked.   
  1. Abstract and Keywords
  • Abstract Content: The abstract should be a single paragraph of 250 words or less. It must summarize the key aspects:
    • Overall purpose and research problem(s).   
    • Basic study design.   
    • Major findings or trends.   
    • Brief interpretation and conclusions.   
  • Abstract Format: Format the abstract using 11pt Times New Roman, single spacing, and justified alignment.   
  1. Main Body StructureFollow this structure for the main sections of your manuscript:
  • Introduction:
    • Lead the reader from a general area to the specific topic.   
    • Establish scope, context, and significance by summarizing current understanding.   
    • State the research problem/purpose, possibly with hypotheses or questions.   
    • Briefly explain the methodology used.   
    • Highlight potential outcomes.   
    • Address gaps or deficiencies in existing literature.   
    • Note broader theoretical, empirical, or policy contributions.   
    • Conclude the introduction with a brief overview of the paper's organization.   
    • Include a clear Problem Statement describing the issue being studied.   
  • Literature Review:
    • Provide an overview, summary, and critical evaluation of relevant literature (books, articles, etc.).   
    • Demonstrate how your research fits within the broader field.   
    • Combine summary and synthesis, potentially organizing by conceptual categories.   
    • May offer new interpretations, trace intellectual progression, evaluate sources, or identify research gaps.   
  • Methodology:
    • Describe the actions taken to investigate the research problem.   
    • Provide rationale for specific procedures and techniques used for data identification, selection, processing, and analysis.   
    • Answer: How was data collected/generated? How was it analyzed?.   
    • Write clearly, directly, and in the past tense.   
    • Include subsections for:
      • Research Design: Framework of methods chosen.   
      • Population and Sampling: Define the overall group (population) and the specific group data was collected from (sample).   
      • Data Collection: Describe sources and methods (primary/secondary) used to gather facts/figures.   
      • Measurement/Trustworthiness: Detail the instruments used (surveys, interview questions, etc.) and ensure they relate directly to the research questions.   
  • Results:
    • Present the findings of the study concisely. Findings confirm or reject hypotheses, they do not "prove" them.   
    • Clearly distinguish reported findings from raw data (which usually belongs in an appendix). Avoid data not critical to the research question.   
    • Use non-textual elements like tables and figures effectively.   
    • Ensure the Introduction provides sufficient context to understand the results.   
  • Discussion:
    • Interpret and describe the significance of your findings.   
    • Connect findings back to the Introduction (research questions/hypotheses) and Literature Review.   
    • Explain how the study advances understanding of the research problem.   
    • Present the underlying meaning, implications, and potential improvements.   
    • Highlight the study's importance and contribution to filling gaps.   
    • If applicable, identify new gaps revealed by the findings.   
    • Engage the reader critically based on evidence-based interpretation.   
  • Conclusion and Implications:
    • Provide a final perspective on the issues raised.   
    • Summarize key thoughts and convey the study's larger significance (answer the "So What?" question).   
    • Describe how identified literature gaps have been addressed.   
    • Demonstrate the importance and impact of your findings.   
    • Offer new insights or creative ways to think about the research problem, based on the results (avoid new information).   
  1. Supplementary SectionsInclude the following sections after the Conclusion:
  • Data Availability Declaration: State that contributions are documented in the article/supplementary materials and direct inquiries to the corresponding author.   
  • Funding: Declare if the research received external funding or state that it did not.   
  • Acknowledgement: (Optional) A brief paragraph (max 50 words) thanking supervisors, colleagues, institutions, funders, family, etc..   
  • Conflict of Interest: Include the provided statement asserting no commercial or financial conflicts.   
  • Publisher’s Note: Include the provided standard disclaimer about author assertions and endorsements.   
  1. References
  • Style: All citations and references must follow APA Style.   
  • Citation Tools: Using referencing software like EndNote or Mendeley is recommended for ease of organization.  
  • In-text Citations: Follow APA format (e.g., Chen & Tan, 2011).   
  • Reference List: Provide a complete list of references at the end of the manuscript, formatted according to APA style (see examples in the template).   
  1. Tables and Figures
  • Placement: Embed tables and figures within the main text close to where they are first mentioned.
  • Referencing: Refer to all tables and figures in the text (e.g., "as shown in Table 1" or "Figure 1 illustrates...").   
  • Formatting: Follow the formatting shown in the template examples (Table 1, Table 2, Figure 1). This includes clear titles/captions placed correctly (title above table, caption below figure).   
  • Numbering: Number tables and figures consecutively (Table 1, Table 2; Figure 1, Figure 2).
  • Notes: Include explanatory notes below tables as needed (see Table 1 and Table 2 examples).   
  1. Appendices
  • (Optional) Include supplementary material as Appendices at the very end of the manuscript.
  • Label them clearly (e.g., Appendix A, Appendix B) with descriptive titles.
  1. Submission
  • Ensure your manuscript strictly adheres to these guidelines and is formatted using the provided HDF Journal template file before submission.
  • Submit the manuscript through the journal's online submission system (link usually found on the journal website).