Author Guidelines

The International Journal of Essential Competencies in Education (IJECE), published by Lembaga Penelitian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat (LITPAM), welcomes scholarly manuscripts that make an identifiable contribution to understanding, developing, implementing, or evaluating essential competencies in education. Authors should read these guidelines and the journal's relevant policies before submitting a manuscript.

1. Before Submission

All submissions must be written in clear academic English and fall within the journal's Focus and Scope. Relevant topics include critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, metacognition, scientific curiosity, innovative learning, decision-making, information and technology literacy, and related educational competencies.

Authors must ensure that the manuscript is original, has not been published in substantially the same form, and is not being considered simultaneously by another journal. Prior dissemination as a preprint, conference contribution, thesis, or repository deposit must be disclosed so that the editors can assess whether the submission is eligible.

Submissions undergo an initial editorial screening for relevance, scholarly contribution, ethical compliance, presentation, and completeness. Manuscripts that fall outside the journal's scope or have serious ethical or scientific deficiencies may be rejected without external review. Correctable formatting or administrative issues may be returned to authors for revision before review.

2. Manuscript Types

IJECE considers four categories of scholarly manuscripts that address essential competencies in education. Every submission must align with the journal's Focus and Scope, demonstrate a clear scholarly contribution, and comply with the applicable ethical and editorial requirements. The manuscript structure should reflect the nature of the article rather than follow an empirical research format when that format is unsuitable.

2.1. Original Research Article

Original Research Articles report new, systematically obtained findings that advance knowledge about the development, assessment, application, or improvement of essential competencies in educational contexts. IJECE welcomes quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies; experimental and quasi-experimental research; design-based research; educational research and development; and the development or validation of educational instruments, when supported by rigorous methods and a meaningful scholarly contribution.

Manuscripts should clearly describe the research problem and objectives, relevant literature, methodology, ethical considerations, results, discussion, limitations, and implications. The conclusions must be supported by the evidence presented.

2.2. Review Article

Review Articles provide a rigorous, critical synthesis of existing research on issues relevant to the journal's scope. Eligible approaches may include systematic literature reviews, scoping reviews, meta-analyses, integrative reviews, and critically developed narrative reviews, provided that the review question, selection of literature, analytical approach, and scholarly contribution are clear.

Authors must describe how the literature was identified, selected, evaluated, and synthesized, with a level of methodological transparency appropriate to the review type. Reviews should move beyond descriptive summaries to identify patterns, inconsistencies, knowledge gaps, theoretical implications, and directions for research or educational practice. Relevant reporting guidelines, such as PRISMA for applicable systematic and scoping reviews, should be followed where appropriate.

2.3. Commentary

Commentaries present concise, focused, and evidence-informed scholarly arguments concerning significant developments, findings, debates, policies, educational practices, or emerging issues related to essential competencies in education. A Commentary may critically engage with previously published research, clarify a contested issue, or offer a well-supported perspective with implications for educational theory, research, or practice.

Commentaries must have a clearly defined issue, a coherent and original argument, appropriate references, and a substantive contribution to scholarly discussion. They should not be limited to personal opinion, promotional statements, or an unsupported summary of existing work. Original empirical data are not required, but factual claims and recommendations must be adequately supported.

2.4. Theoretical or Conceptual Article

Theoretical or Conceptual Articles develop, critically examine, extend, or integrate theories, concepts, models, or frameworks relevant to essential competencies in education. These manuscripts may propose new conceptual relationships, refine existing explanations, or formulate propositions that can inform future research, educational practice, or policy.

Such articles must present a clearly articulated problem, substantial engagement with relevant literature, logically developed arguments, and an identifiable conceptual or theoretical contribution. They should distinguish the proposed framework from existing scholarship, address important assumptions or limitations, and explain its implications or potential for further examination. Original empirical data are not required.

Editorial assessment. All four manuscript types are subject to the journal's initial editorial screening and applicable double-blind peer review procedures. Acceptance depends on scholarly quality, originality of contribution, relevance to the journal's scope, and compliance with publication ethics. Authors should indicate the appropriate manuscript type in their submission metadata when that option is available.

3. Originality, Plagiarism, and Research Integrity

IJECE screens submissions for inappropriate textual similarity and potential plagiarism using Turnitin or other appropriate editorial checks. The journal's published screening benchmark is 20% similarity. A report above this level requires closer assessment and may lead to revision or rejection, depending on the nature and extent of the overlap. A score of 20% or below does not, by itself, establish originality or guarantee acceptance.

Editors evaluate similarity reports in context, including properly cited quotations, references, methodological terminology, and the location of matching passages. Plagiarism, fabricated or falsified data, duplicate submission, undisclosed redundant publication, and misrepresentation of findings or authorship are prohibited. Authors must comply with the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.

4. Manuscript Format and Template

  • Language: English.
  • File format: An editable Microsoft Word document (.docx preferred; .doc or .rtf may also be accepted).
  • Page and layout: A4 paper, single-column layout, with the margins and spacing specified in the journal template.
  • Typography: Book Antiqua, 12 pt for the main text; manuscript title in 14 pt unless the current journal template specifies otherwise.
  • Template: Use the current IJECE article template available from the ARTICLE TEMPLATE area on the journal homepage. Do not use a template from another journal.
  • Blinded review: Provide author names and affiliations in the submission metadata and, where the workflow permits, in a separate title page. Remove names, acknowledgments, and other directly identifying information from the manuscript sent for double-blind review. Authors should also inspect document properties for identifying metadata.

Tables, figures, appendices, and supplementary files should be clearly labeled, legible, and referred to in the main text. Authors are responsible for permissions to reproduce copyrighted material.

5. Manuscript Structure

The structure below is intended primarily for Original Research Articles. Review Articles, Commentaries, and Theoretical or Conceptual Articles should use a coherent structure appropriate to their scholarly purpose, while including the required front matter, declarations, and references. Sections may be adjusted when justified by the manuscript type and the current journal template.

5.1. Title

The title should be informative, specific, and concise, normally no more than 15 words. It should accurately reflect the principal focus of the study and avoid unnecessary abbreviations.

5.2. Author Information

Provide each author's full name without academic titles, institutional affiliation, and required contact details in the submission metadata. Identify the corresponding author and provide an active email address. ORCID identifiers are encouraged. Authorship and author order must comply with the journal's approved Authorship Criteria and Contributor Responsibilities policy.

5.3. Abstract and Keywords

The abstract must contain 200–250 words and succinctly describe the context or problem, objective, approach or methodology (where applicable), principal findings or central arguments, and conclusions or implications. Report relevant quantitative outcomes when they are central to the findings. The abstract should be self-contained and avoid unnecessary citations or undefined abbreviations.

Include 3–5 keywords that represent the core concepts, methods, or educational context of the manuscript. Separate keywords consistently using the journal template.

5.4. Introduction

The introduction should present the educational context and significance of the problem, critically synthesize relevant previous studies, identify a credible knowledge gap or unresolved issue, establish the originality and expected contribution of the work, and state the research objectives or questions. Hypotheses should be specified when appropriate.

Authors should organize these elements into coherent paragraphs rather than using an artificial fixed number of paragraphs or words per paragraph. Claims of novelty must be supported by a fair appraisal of the literature, including relevant international research.

5.5. Method

Describe the research procedures in sufficient detail to allow readers to evaluate methodological rigor and, where feasible, replicate the work. Include the following information as applicable:

  1. Research design and setting: Study type, methodological approach, setting, timeframe, and rationale for the design.
  2. Participants or sources: Population, sampling strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, sample size and its justification where relevant, and characteristics needed to interpret the findings.
  3. Instruments and measures: Instruments, operational definitions, scoring procedures, and available evidence of validity, reliability, or trustworthiness appropriate to the methodology.
  4. Procedures: Data collection, interventions or learning activities, implementation conditions, and steps taken to limit bias or ensure consistency.
  5. Data analysis: Statistical procedures and assumptions, qualitative analytic approach and coding procedures, mixed-method integration, or review and synthesis methods, as appropriate.
  6. Research ethics: Institutional ethics approval or justified exemption where required, informed consent or assent where applicable, and confidentiality and data-protection procedures.

For systematic or scoping reviews, describe the search strategy, databases, eligibility criteria, screening and selection process, quality or risk-of-bias appraisal when appropriate, and synthesis approach. Authors are encouraged to follow established reporting guidelines relevant to the research design.

5.6. Results

Present findings clearly and in an order corresponding to the research questions or analytical framework. Report relevant descriptive and inferential statistics, estimates and uncertainty measures, qualitative themes with appropriate supporting evidence, or synthesized review findings as applicable. Tables and figures should clarify rather than duplicate information in the text. Avoid presenting interpretations that are not supported by the data.

5.7. Discussion

Interpret the findings in relation to the research questions, relevant theoretical perspectives, and previous empirical studies. Explain the contribution to understanding or developing essential competencies in education. Address plausible alternative explanations, contextual limitations, methodological constraints, and implications for theory, educational practice, or future research. Avoid claims that exceed the study design or available evidence.

Results and Discussion may be combined where this is consistent with the approved manuscript template and appropriate to the study.

5.8. Conclusion

Provide a concise answer to the research objectives or questions, emphasize the principal contribution, and indicate justified implications. Do not introduce new findings, unsupported claims, or a lengthy repetition of the Discussion.

5.9. Recommendations (Where Applicable)

Specific recommendations for teaching practice, policy, or future research may be presented separately when warranted by the evidence. If a separate Recommendations section is not needed, incorporate the relevant implications in the Discussion or Conclusion.

5.10. Acknowledgments

Acknowledge individuals or organizations that provided assistance but do not meet the authorship criteria, with permission where appropriate. Keep acknowledgments factual and distinguish them from funding disclosures.

5.11. Required Declarations

Provide the following statements in the manuscript or through the submission workflow, as applicable:

  • Author Contributions: Describe individual contributions, preferably using the CRediT roles. All listed authors must meet the journal's authorship criteria.
  • Funding: Identify financial support and grant numbers, or state: "This research received no external funding."
  • Conflicts of Interest: Disclose relevant competing interests or state: "The authors declare no competing interests."
  • Ethics Approval and Informed Consent: For studies involving human participants, report the ethics committee or responsible authority, approval information or exemption where applicable, and consent procedures, while protecting participant identity.
  • Data Availability: State whether relevant supporting data are available and under what conditions, subject to confidentiality, ethics, and legal requirements.
  • AI Use: Disclose substantive use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools, naming the tool and its role. If none was used, a brief declaration may be provided. Human authors remain responsible for all content.

Research involving children or other vulnerable participants must include appropriate safeguards, parental or guardian permission and participant assent where applicable, and an explanation of how privacy and welfare were protected.

5.12. References

Use the American Psychological Association (APA) Style, 7th edition, consistently for in-text citations and the reference list. Every work cited in the manuscript must appear in the References section, and every listed reference must be cited in the text. Include accurate author names, publication years, titles, source details, and DOIs or stable URLs where available.

Manuscripts should generally contain at least 10 relevant references and prioritize primary, peer-reviewed research. As a quality benchmark, authors should aim for approximately 80% relevant journal literature published within the past 10 years, where appropriate to the article type. Seminal theory, established instruments, and foundational methodological publications may be older when scientifically justified. Relevance and reliability are more important than meeting a numerical proportion mechanically.

Examples of APA-style in-text citations:

  • One author: (Smith, 2022)
  • Two authors: (Smith & Lee, 2022)
  • Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2022)

Journal-article reference format: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article in sentence case. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), page range or article number. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Reference managers such as Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote may be used, but authors remain responsible for checking reference accuracy and formatting.

6. Tables, Figures, and Supplementary Materials

Number tables and figures consecutively in the order of citation. Provide clear titles or captions, define abbreviations, identify statistical units and notes, and use readable labels. Photographs or figures involving identifiable people require appropriate consent for publication. Do not manipulate images in ways that misrepresent the evidence.

Supplementary materials must be relevant, clearly identified, and referenced in the text. The editorial office may request underlying data, instruments, protocols, or additional documentation when necessary to assess the manuscript.

7. Online Submission

  1. Visit the IJECE submission page and register or log in to your account.
  2. Review the submission checklist and confirm originality, ethical compliance, and agreement of all authors.
  3. Enter complete metadata, including the title, abstract, keywords, each author's name and affiliation, corresponding author details, and other information requested by OJS.
  4. Upload the anonymized manuscript and any separate title page, declarations, cover letter, figures, or supplementary files required by the workflow.
  5. Check all files and metadata before completing the submission. Monitor editorial requests through the OJS dashboard and the corresponding author's registered email.

Do not submit manuscripts to another LITPAM journal by mistake. Submissions to IJECE must be made through its own OJS journal page.

8. Editorial Screening and Peer Review

After initial editorial screening, suitable manuscripts are evaluated through a double-blind peer review process involving at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. Reviewers are ordinarily allowed two weeks to prepare their reports. Additional review may be sought when reports diverge substantially or specialist advice is needed.

Editorial decisions may include rejection, revision and resubmission for further review, acceptance subject to revisions, or acceptance. When revisions are requested, authors should submit a revised manuscript and a point-by-point response explaining how each substantive comment was addressed. Further review rounds may be required when scientific issues remain unresolved.

The published estimated review period is approximately 4–12 weeks, although actual timing depends on reviewer availability, revision requirements, and editorial assessment. Further details appear in the Peer Review Process policy.

9. After Acceptance

Accepted manuscripts may undergo copyediting, proofreading, metadata verification, layout preparation, and publication checks. The corresponding author must review editorial queries and proofs promptly, ensuring that approved corrections do not introduce unsupported changes to the research record.

Article Processing Charges (APC). The IJECE APC policy currently lists a publication fee of USD 45 for an accepted article and a waiver for articles with international (non-Indonesian) authors. There is no article submission charge. Authors should consult the APC page for the current rate and eligibility conditions. Payment must not influence editorial or peer review decisions.

Copyright and Licensing. Authors retain copyright and grant IJECE the right of first publication. Published articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license, subject to the journal's applicable copyright and license terms.

10. Editorial Correspondence and Policy Compliance

All correspondence concerning a manuscript should be conducted through the IJECE OJS submission system or the journal's official contact channel. Contact information is available on the Contact page. The corresponding author is responsible for communicating editorial instructions to all co-authors.

Authors must also follow the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, Authorship Criteria and Contributor Responsibilities, Screening for Plagiarism, and other applicable policies. These instructions may be updated by the editorial team; authors should use the version published on the journal website when preparing a new submission.