For Authors

Star Mountain Publishing is committed to advancing scholarly communication through a rigorous, fair, and transparent peer review process. This policy outlines the established practices designed to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, ensure the validity and significance of published research, and support the scholarly community. 

All submissions to Star Mountain Publishing journals undergo thorough editorial assessment and double-blind peer review, where author and reviewer identities are concealed to minimize bias and ensure objective evaluation. The entire process is managed through an online submission system that records all communications, decisions, and reviewer comments, ensuring full accountability and traceability throughout the editorial process.

Contents

Manuscript Preparation

Peer Review Policy

Appeal Policy

Manuscript Formatting Requirements

References

Figures, Tables, Equations, and Image Integrity

Article Types

Language Requirements Policy

 

Manuscript Preparation

Basic Requirements

In preparing manuscripts, authors should ensure adherence to the following academic standards and submission requirements

• Confirm the manuscript is original, has not been previously published, and is not under consideration by any other journal.
• Ensure the manuscript aligns with the target journal's aims and scope.
• The manuscript meets the requirements outlined in the target journal's Author Guidelines.
• Format the manuscript file in Microsoft Word (.docx) or LaTeX 
• Verify that the manuscript has been thoroughly proofread for language, spelling, and grammar.
• All references have been checked for accuracy and completeness.
• All tables and figures have been numbered and labeled.
• Permission has been obtained to publish all photos, datasets and other material provided with this submission.
• All authors agree to the Copyright Notice and other policies on the journal website.

Required Documentation

Cover Letter: All submissions should include a cover letter as a separate file. The cover letter is for editorial use only and is not shared with reviewers to protect author anonymity in our double-blind review. A cover letter includes:

• Full names and affiliations (Department, Faculty/University, City, Postal Code, Country.) of all authors, with the corresponding author clearly identified.
• ORCID iDs for all authors (where available).
• A concise statement outlining the novelty, significance, and broader implications of the findings.
• Statement that all authors have approved the final version and consent to submission.
• Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest and funding sources.
• Declare any preprint in the cover letter if applicable, provide the server name and DOI, and cite it in the reference list.

Ethics Approval: 

For research involving human participants or animals, authors must include a statement in their cover letter confirming adherence to the journal's ethical standards. Specific and detailed requirements can be found in the Research Ethics.

 

Peer Review Policy

Manuscript Submission

Authors should register and log in to the online submission system to submit the manuscript and all supporting files, ensuring all information is correct before final submission. Specific formatting and content requirements are outlined in the journal's Author Guidelines. The corresponding author is responsible for confirming that all co-authors have read and approved the submission.

Initial Screening and Editorial Assessment

Upon submission, every manuscript undergoes an initial administrative and technical screening by the Editorial Office. Comprised of professional publishing staff, the Editorial Office ensures operational efficiency and checks for:

•  Adherence to submission guidelines, formatting, and language standards.
• Assessment of fit with the journal's Aims and Scope.
• Checks for plagiarism, authorship issues, declared conflicts of interest, and compliance with ethical policies for research involving humans and animals.
• Manuscripts failing this screening may be returned to authors for correction or rejected without peer review.

Editorial Assessment by the Editor-in-Chief (EiC)

Manuscripts passing the initial screening are assessed by the Editor-in-Chief (EiC) for scope, originality, and overall merit. The EiC may reject the manuscript at this stage if it is deemed unsuitable.

Assignment to an Academic Editor

Manuscripts that pass the EiC's assessment are assigned to an appropriate Academic Editor (typically a member of the Editorial Board), who will take charge of the subsequent peer review process and is referred to as the Handling Editor.

Peer Review

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial check are advanced to the peer review stage. The assigned Academic Editor initiates the review by securing a minimum of two independent expert assessments. Reviewers are selected based on their relevant expertise, demonstrated scholarly judgment, and the confirmed absence of conflicts of interest with the authors.

Reviewer Guidelines: Reviewers are asked to evaluate the manuscript critically on:

• Originality and significance of the research.
• Scientific rigor, validity of methodology, and data analysis.
• Clarity of presentation, logical structure, and quality of language.
• Accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness of references.
• Ethical conduct of research and reporting.

Confidentiality: All participants must treat the manuscript, review process, and related communications as strictly confidential.

Editorial Decision

Based on an evaluation of the reviewer reports and their independent assessment, the Academic Editor (Handling Editor) provides a clear recommendation to the Editor-in-Chief (EiC). The EiC makes the final decision, which will be one of the following:

• Accept: The manuscript is accepted for publication without further modification.
• Minor Revisions: The manuscript is near acceptance but requires minor clarifications or corrections. Authors are given 14 days to submit a revised manuscript accompanied by a point-by-point response to all the reviewers' comments.
• Major Revisions: The manuscript shows potential but requires substantial methodological, analytical, or interpretive revisions. Authors are given a maximum of 60 days to undertake revisions and must provide a detailed point-by-point response. The revised manuscript will normally be returned to the original reviewers for re-evaluation. If the original reviewers cannot undertake the re-review due to unforeseen circumstances, the Academic Editor may appoint new reviewers to evaluate the revised manuscript. Ordinarily, a maximum of two rounds of major revision is permitted.
• Reject: The manuscript has fundamental flaws, lacks originality, or is outside the journal's scope. A reject decision is final unless a formal appeal is submitted (see the Appeal Policy).

Author Revisions

Mandatory Response:

Authors should submit a revised manuscript accompanied by a detailed point-by-point response document, addressing every comment from reviewers and editors. Disagreements should be explained politely with supporting evidence.

Timeliness: If authors do not respond within the required revision time, the submission may be administratively withdrawn. Authors are welcome to resubmit, but the manuscript will be treated as a new submission.

Final Acceptance and Production

Once a manuscript successfully completes peer review and the Academic Editor confirms that all concerns are adequately addressed, the Academic Editor recommends final acceptance to the EiC, who issues the formal acceptance. The manuscript then enters the production phase for copyediting, typesetting, and proofreading. Authors are required to review the final manuscript before the article can advance to publication.

Post-Publication

Upon acceptance, all articles are assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and published online in the final version. Star Mountain Publishing is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of published research. Articles are permanently archived with trusted digital repositories (e.g., Portico, CLOCKSS) to ensure their continued availability.

 

Appeal Policy

Star Mountain Publishing is committed to a fair and transparent review process. Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions under specific circumstances.

Grounds for Appeal: Appeals are considered only for final decisions of "Reject" and must be based on clear evidence of a substantive error in the review process (e.g., factual misinterpretation of the manuscript content, a reviewer's clear conflict of interest that was overlooked, or a major misunderstanding of the study's scope). Disagreement with the scholarly judgment on novelty or priority is not sufficient grounds.

Procedure: To initiate an appeal, the corresponding author must submit a formal written letter to the Editorial Office within 15 working days of the decision date. The letter must clearly state the reasons for the appeal and provide specific, evidence-based counter-arguments to the reviewers' and editor's rejections.

Appeal Handling: The appeal will be managed by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated Academic Editor not involved in the original decision. It will be assessed by at least two new independent editorial board members or senior experts. The process is confidential. Only one appeal per manuscript is permitted and the outcome of this appeal is final. A decision will be communicated to the corresponding author within 30 working days upon receipt of the formal appeal letter. Possible outcomes of the appeal include upholding the original rejection decision or returning the manuscript for a new round of review.

 

Manuscript Formatting Requirements

All submissions must adhere to the following formatting specifications.

File Format

Submit manuscript in Microsoft Word (.docx) or LaTeX format. Do not submit PDF files.

Manuscript Structure

Title Page

• Compose a concise, declarative title (20 words maximum) that reflects the main findings.Avoid vague phrasing, unnecessary abbreviations, and hyperbolic claims.
• List all contributing authors by their full names (Given then Family). The authorship order requires agreement from all co-authors. Link authors to their affiliations using superscript numerals. Provide the complete postal address for each affiliation in this format below the list:Department, Faculty/University, City, Postal Code, Country.
• Clearly identify the corresponding author and provide a complete postal addressand a valid institutional email address.

Abstract

The abstract must concisely convey the general significance and conceptual advance of the work to a broad readership. It should be a single, self-contained paragraph of no more than 300 words. To ensure clarity and accessibility, minimize the use of abbreviations and do not cite references, figures, or tables.

The abstract for Original Research Articles, Brief Reports, and Communications should be structured into the sections: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. For all other manuscript types (e.g., Review Article, Perspective), a single-paragraph, non-structured narrative abstract should be used. This narrative abstract should objectively and accurately present the main points of the article, maintaining independence and self-contained clarity.

Keywords

Include 3-8 relevant keywords separated by semicolons. Choose standard terms that represent your study's main concepts without repeating words from the title. These keywords should align with common terminology in your research field to ensure proper indexing and discovery.

Sections

Authors of Original Research articles are expected to adhere to the prescribed format to ensure both logical presentation and academic rigor. Other article types may have more flexible structures.

• Introduction: Establishes the research context and significance by reviewing relevant literature, identifying a specific knowledge gap, and stating the study's objectives and hypotheses.
• Materials and Methods: Describes the research design, materials, participants, and procedures in sufficient detail to ensure reproducibility. Includes ethics statements where applicable.
• Results: Presents key findings objectively using clear subheadings and numbered figures/tables. Reports data without interpretation.
• Discussion: Interprets results in context of existing knowledge, explains their significance, addresses limitations, and suggests future research directions.
• Conclusion: Summarizes main findings and their implications for the field, providing a concise final perspective on the study's contribution.

Author's Contributions

An Authorship Contribution Statement shall be included, detailing the individual contributions of each author. This is required to confirm that all listed authors have made substantial intellectual contributions to the manuscript. Adhering to the authorship guidelines established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), all authors must fulfill all four criteria:

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
• Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content;
• Final approval of the version to be published;
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

To describe contributions transparently, authors are encouraged to use the standard Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) (Using CRediT roles complements but does not supersede the ICMJE criteria; fulfilling a role does not automatically confer authorship)

Data Availability Statement

A Data Availability Statement is mandatory for all research articles. This statement must be included in a dedicated section of the manuscript and clearly articulate:

• Whether the data supporting the study's findings are publicly available.
• If publicly available, the name of the repository (e.g., GenBank, PDB, Figshare, Zenodo), along with the persistent identifier, such as a DOI, URL, or accession number.
• If the data are not publicly available due to ethical, legal, privacy, or commercial restrictions, a detailed explanation for the restrictions and the conditions under which the data can be accessed must be provided.

A statement on whether and how the data supporting the findings of this study are available is mandatory. Choose or adapt one of the following:

Openly available in a repository:

"The data supporting this study are openly available in [Repository Name] at [DOI/URL/Acc. Number]. "

Available on request (with clear conditions):

Use if data are subject to ethical, privacy, legal, or commercial restrictions. "The data are not publicly available due to [state specific reasons] but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. "

Embedded within the article:

"All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files. "

Third-Party Data:

Use if data were obtained from and controlled by an external source. "The data underlying this study were provided by [Third-Party Name] under license/agreement and cannot be redistributed by the authors. Requests may be directed to [Third Party]. "

Not Applicable:

"Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study (e.g., for theoretical or review articles)."

Data Not Yet Available (For Future Release)

Use if data will be released later (e.g., embargo, ongoing analysis). "The datasets from this study are not yet publicly available. They will be deposited in [Repository Name] and released after [specific date or event]."

Funding

All supporting financial sources for the research must be transparently declared. This includes external grants, institutional awards, and any funding specifically allocated for publication costs. For each source, authors must provide the funder's complete legal name, the specific grant or award number, and the initials of the affiliated author(s).

The funding statement must be included as follows:

For funded research: "This research was funded by [Name of Funder], grant number [xxx]." If applicable, add: "The APC was funded by [xxx]."

For unfunded research: "This research received no external funding."

This declared information must also be accurately entered into the relevant metadata field during the submission process. Authors are responsible for the correctness of these details.

Ethics Approval

For studies with human participants: "The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by [Full name and affiliation of ethics committee] (approval number: XXXX)." The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

For studies with animals: "The studies involving animal experiments were reviewed and approved by [Full Name of IACUC/Committee] (approval number: XXXX) and conducted in accordance with the [relevant national/institutional guidelines]." OR "Not applicable" for studies not involving humans or animals.

If ethics approval was not required: Provide a formal statement from the ethics committee or a justification based on national regulations.

Acknowledgements

Individuals who have contributed to the work but do not meet authorship criteria are not eligible for authorship and should be acknowledged and listed in the Acknowledgements. Recognizable contributions include technical assistance, academic advice, provision of materials, or other non-financial support.

The use of artificial intelligence tools (e.g., for drafting, editing, or analysis) must be disclosed here. Specify the tool and its purpose (e.g., “OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4 was used for language polishing.”).

Consent for Publication

For manuscripts containing figures, tables, equations, or content related to image integrity, include:

Written informed consent was obtained from the individual(s) for the publication of any potentially identifiable data included in this article.

Conflict of Interest

All authors must declare financial/commercial conflicts of interest. If the authors have no conflicts of interest, this should be stated.

"The author(s) declare(s) no conflicts of interest to report regarding the present study."

Supplementary Material

Selecting supplementary material

Supplementary Material comprises standalone electronic files published online alongside the article, containing content that cannot be included in the main text due to format or space constraints. Supplementary Material enhances the depth, transparency, and reproducibility of the published research.

It includes, but is not limited to:

• Extensive datasets, code repositories, and analysis scripts.
• Multimedia files (videos, audio recordings, 3D models).
• Large or complex tables and figures.
• Detailed experimental protocols, surveys, or instrument schematics.

Submission

All Supplementary Material files must be uploaded simultaneously with the manuscript via the journal's online submission system. Each file must be cited sequentially in the main text (e.g., Supplementary Video S1, Supplementary Dataset S1). Clearly label files (e.g., Figure_S1_SuppInfo.pdf, Dataset_2_Supp.xlsx).

Formatting & Technical Specifications

Self-Contained Files: Each file must have a clear, descriptive title and a detailed legend/caption. Do not include the manuscript title, author list, or affiliations.

Accepted Formats:

Documents: PDF, DOCX, XLSX, CSV, ZIP.

Images: TIFF, EPS, PDF, PNG, JPEG (minimum 300 DPI, RGB color mode).

Video: MP4, MOV, AVI.

Audio: MP3, WAV.

Ethical Compliance: Authors are responsible for the integrity of all supplementary material. Ensure participant anonymity where required and secure permissions for any third-party content. Supplementary material is subject to full peer review alongside the main manuscript. After final acceptance, changes to supplementary material are restricted to the correction of critical errors and require editorial approval.

Appendices

Definition & Appropriate Content

Appendices contain concise material that is integral to the article but would interrupt the reading flow if placed in the main text. Suitable content includes:

• Detailed mathematical derivations or proofs.
• Supplementary tables or figures that are critical but concise.
• Extended methodological descriptions referenced in the main text.
• Full questionnaire items for a survey summarized in the article.

Format & Length Requirements

Location & Labeling: Place Appendices after the References section. Label sequentially as Appendix A, Appendix B, etc., and cite them in the main text where relevant.

Length Limit: Each individual Appendix must not exceed one (1) standard manuscript page. The total length of all Appendices counts toward the journal's overall page limit for the manuscript.

Longer Content: Content exceeding one page should be submitted as Supplementary Material.

Appendices are subject to the same peer review process as the main manuscript. They are typeset and published as part of the article's formal PDF, ensuring permanent integration with the core text. Post-acceptance edits follow the same proof correction process as the main manuscript.

 

References

Purpose and Scope

This policy outlines the mandatory requirements for reference and citation formatting in all manuscripts submitted to Star Mountain Publishing. All manuscripts are required to adhere to Vancouver (numbered) reference style or the APA (American Psychological Association 7th Edition) style. Correct formatting is essential for manuscript processing and is a mandatory requirement for all submissions.

To assist in preparing correctly formatted references, authors are encouraged to use online referencing tools such as Zotero, Mendeley, or similar software.

General Principles and Author Responsibilities

Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, and correct formatting of all references and citations.

• Rely primarily on academic literature and avoid citing non-academic sources such as blogs, commercial websites, or anonymous materials.
• References should be directly relevant to the manuscript's content and the journal's scope. Avoid over-citation of the same authors, institutions, or a single viewpoint. Excessive self-citation is discouraged.
• Ensure the number of references is appropriate for the article type, covering the essential literature without being excessive.
• All sources cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and every entry in the list must be cited in the text. All provided URLs and Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) must be functional at the time of submission.

Vancouver (Numbered) Reference Style

This guide outlines the essential citation and reference formatting rules of the Vancouver (Numbered) Reference Style. Adherence to these guidelines for in-text citations and the reference list is required to ensure consistent and proper source attribution. The key requirements are detailed in the following two sections:

In-Text Citations

• Citations should use Arabic numerals.
• A unique reference number is assigned to each source upon its first citation. This number should be formatted in square brackets (e.g., [1])
• The citation number should be placed at the end of the sentence or clause that contains the reference, and before the final punctuation (such as a period or comma). (e.g., “This finding is supported by previous work [1, 5].”)
• The same citation number is used if a work is cited more than once.
• The reference list is ordered by the sequence in which the citations appear, rather than alphabetically.
• Each reference should be assigned a unique number, corresponding to its first citation in the text. Once a source is cited, its number is fixed and must not be changed or reused.
• When citing multiple sources, separate individual reference numbers with commas (e.g., [2,4,7]). For a sequence of consecutive numbers, give the first and last, separated by an en-dash (e.g., [3–6]).

Reference List

• The list must be titled “References”.
• Entries are listed in numerical order (1, 2, 3...), corresponding to their first appearance in the text.
• Journal Titles: Abbreviated according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) standard. Verify abbreviations using the NLM Catalog.
• Authors: List up to six authors. For sources with more than sixauthors, list the first six followed by “et al." Format: Last name followed by initials (e.g., Johnson DB).
• Date Format:Use the YYYY Mon DD format (e.g., 2024 Mar 15). Abbreviate months to three letters (Jan, Feb, Mar, etc.). 
• Page Numbers: Page numbers should not be preceded by “p.” or “pp.”, with the key exception that in references for a chapter within a book, the page range must be preceded by to designate it. Abbreviate ranges by omitting repeated digits (e.g., 1561-72). Exceptions include Conference Proceedings, where full numbers are typical. Exception: Page numbers for Conference Proceedings are typically given in full (e.g., 455-460).
• Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs): Provide in the format: doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx (the full URL https://doi.org/... is also acceptable).
• Online Sources: Must include the access date in the format [cited YYYY Mon DD] and a stable URL preceded by “Available from:”.

Common Reference Examples

Reference Type	Example
Journal Article	Standard Journal Article: Johnson DB, Reynolds KL, Sullivan RJ, Balko JM, Patrinely JR, Cappelli LC, et al. Immune checkpoint inhibitor toxicities: systems-based approaches to improve patient care and research. Lancet. 2020;395(10238):1561-72.
	Journal Article with a DOI: Chen Z, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Wang J. The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2021;1867(10):166204. doi:10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166204.
Book	Zhou L, Nunes J. Knowledge sharing in Chinese hospitals: identifying sharing barriers in traditional Chinese and western medicine collaboration. Berlin; Heidelberg: Springer; 2015.
Book Chapter	Kone BC. Metabolic basis of solute transport. In: Brenner BM, Rector FC, editors. Brenner and Rector’s the kidney. 8th ed. Vol. 1. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier; c2008. p. 130-55.
Website	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease facts. CDC.gov. Updated July 15, 2022. [cited 2024 Feb 5]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
Patent	Langer R, Vacanti JP. Tissue engineering scaffolds for organ regeneration. US patent 5,770,193. 1998 Jun 23.
Preprint	Kim S, Lee J. Exploring neural network architectures for image recognition. arXiv [Preprint]. 2023 [posted 2023 Jan 29; cited 2023 Nov 15]. Available from: https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.12345
Conference Proceeding	Rodriguez A, Kim S, Patel N, Chen L, Wong T, Davis R, et al. Advanced neural networks for real-time diagnostics. In: Lee SM, editor. Proceedings of the 2023 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine; 2023 Oct 15-18; Boston, MA. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2024. 456-60.
Online Resource/Report	World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2023 [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023 [cited 2024 Nov 20]. Available from: https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/tb-reports/global-tuberculosis-report-2023
Dissertations and Theses	Gupta S. Machine learning approaches for early detection of diabetic retinopathy [dissertation]. San Diego (CA): University of California, San Diego; 2023 [cited 2024 Nov 20]. Available from: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. Accession No. 30456789.

 APA Style (7th Edition)

This guide outlines the essential citation and reference formatting rules of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition). Adherence to these guidelines for in-text citations and the reference list is required to ensure consistent and proper source attribution. The key requirements are detailed in the following two sections:

In-Text Citations

• Cite sources in parentheses within the text using the author's surname and publication year: (Smith, 2020)
• For 1-2 authors, list all names every time: (Miller & Jones, 2023).For 3 or more authors, use the first author followed by “et al.” for all citations: (Chen et al., 2022).
• Group Authors: Use the full name or a standard abbreviation (WHO, 2022).
• No Author: Use the source title in quotation marks.
• Direct Quotes: Must include a page number: (Johnson, 2021, p. 45).

Reference List

• The list must be titled “References” (centered, bold), on a new page.
• Alphabetized by the surname of the first  For multiple works by the same author(s), list chronologically (earliest to latest). Formatted with a hanging indent.
• List all authors up to 20. For 21 or more, list the first 19, an ellipsis (…), and the final author.
• The DOI must be presented as a functional, permanent link in the format: https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxx. For sources without a DOI, a stable URL to the publication's homepage should be provided.
• Page ranges for a chapter in an edited book must be preceded by "" (e.g., pp. 11-26), while those for a journal article are written directly without "p." or "pp." (e.g., 772-788).
• Citations and references in the Supplementary Materials are permitted provided that they also appear in the reference list here.

Common Reference Examples

Reference Type	Example
Journal Article	Niepel, C., Hausen, J. E., Weber, A. M., & Möller, J. (2025). Understanding mean-level and intraindividual variability in state academic self-concept: The role of students’ trait expectancies and values. Journal of Educational Psychology, 117(5), 772–788. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000946
Book	Hoffman, R., Benz, E. J., & Silberstein, L. E. (2018). Hematology: Basic principles and practice (7th ed.). Elsevier.
Edited Book Chapter	Zeleke, W. A., Hughes, T. L., & Drozda, N. (2020). Home–school collaboration to promote mind–body health. In C. L Maykel & M. A. Bray (Eds.), Promoting mind–body health in schools: Interventions for mental health professionals (pp. 11–26). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000157-002
Website	Chandler, N. (2020, April 9). What’s the difference between Sasquatch and Bigfoot? howstuffworks. https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/sasquatch-bigfoot-difference.htm
Patent	Smith, J. A., & Zhou, W. (2021). Gene editing composition and methods of use (U.S. Patent No. US 11,234,567 B2). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=11234567
Preprint	Hampton, S., Rabagliati, H., Sorace, A., & Fletcher-Watson, S. (2017). Autism and bilingualism: A qualitative interview study of parents’ perspectives and experiences. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/76xfs
Conference Proceeding	Davidson, R. J. (2019, August 8–11). Well-being is a skill [Conference session]. APA 2019 Convention, Chicago, IL, United States. https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/a5ea5d51/files/uploaded/APA2019_Program_190708.pdf

 

Special Case: Citing AI-Generated Content

Artificial intelligence tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney) are not eligible for authorship as they cannot take responsibility for the work. Content generated by these tools lacks permanence and cannot be reliably verified as a stable source.

In-Text Citation

AI-generated content should be cited within the text, not as a primary reference, but as a personal communication or a descriptive note. The citation should clearly identify the AI model, the company that created it, the date of the interaction, and the nature of the query.

Example (Parenthetical): (OpenAI. ChatGPT-4. Interaction with the author. 2024 May 20.)

Example (Footnoted): The structure of this section was drafted with the assistance of an AI language model.

Corresponding Footnote: ¹Content generated by OpenAI's ChatGPT-4 (2024 May 20).

Reference List: Do not include AI-generated content in the main reference list, as it is not a permanently achievable, published source. For the purpose of editorial review, authors may be requested to provide the full transcript of AI interactions as a supplementary appendix.

Transparency Requirement: Authors must disclose the use of AI tools in the Acknowledgements section of their manuscript. This disclosure should describe the purpose of use, the specific prompts used (if relevant), and the extent of the AI's contribution. The full interaction log must be saved and may be requested by the editors during the peer-review process.

 

Figures, Tables, Equations, and Image Integrity

To ensure the clarity, accuracy, and veracity of scientific presentation, authors must adhere to the following policies concerning the preparation of figures, tables, equations, and image data.

Figures, Tables, and Equations

Placement and Citation

All figures and tables are to be explicitly cited within the main text at the logically relevant point. They are to be numbered sequentially (e.g., Figure 1, Table 1) in the order of their first citation. The label (e.g., "Figure 1," "Table 2") must be centered and placed directly above a table or below a figure.

Captions and Legends

Each figure and table must have a concise, descriptive caption that summarizes its overall content without referring to specific panels. This must be followed by a detailed legend that explains each panel or section, includes relevant statistical measures of variation and significance, and declares any re-use of control images.

Equations

Equations should be left-aligned within the text. Equation numbers must be consecutive, enclosed in parentheses, and aligned with the right margin. Equations must be created using an appropriate tool that produces an editable format (e.g., MathType). Non-editable image files of equations are not acceptable for editorial processing.

Image Acquisition, Processing, and Integrity

The journal upholds the highest standards of image data integrity. Any form of image manipulation that could mislead the reader is strictly prohibited.

Core Principle: Prohibition of Misrepresentation

Do not modify, obscure, move, remove, introduce, or enhance individual features or specific areas within an image.

Permissible Processing and Mandatory Disclosure

Global Adjustments: Global adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance are permitted only if applied uniformly across the entire image, they do not obscure, eliminate, or misrepresent any information present in the original data, and the fact of such adjustment is stated in the figure legend (e.g., "Images were globally adjusted for contrast").

Splicing and Grouping: Any grouping of images from different fields, or splicing of images from different parts of the same original or from different sources, must be explicitly stated in the figure legend. The boundaries between such composite images must be clearly indicated by dividing lines (e.g., white or black lines).

Declaration of Processing: If any image processing is essential for data interpretation, the software (name and version), specific techniques used, and the rationale must be declared in the Methods section.

Copyright for Third-Party Material

For any image not originally generated by the authors (e.g., adapted from other work):

Permission: Obtain prior written permission from the copyright holder.

Attribution: Cite the original source in the figure legend.

License Compliance: Follow all terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. 

 

Article Types

We publish a variety of article types to help researchers share their work effectively. This list outlines the core article types supported across our publishing portfolio. For specific policies and submission criteria, always refer to the target journal's Author Guidelines. If you have research within our scope that does not fit a standard category, please contact the editorial office to discuss its suitability for publication.

Original Research

An Original Research Article (Article) is the primary form of scholarly publication, presenting novel, previously unpublished findings from a systematic investigation. It typically adheres to the standard IMRaD structure: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.

Brief Report

A Brief Report (Brief Rep.) is a concise format for the expedited publication of significant preliminary findings or short complete studies. Structured like a full article but with strict length limits, it facilitates rapid dissemination while maintaining scientific rigor through a detailed, reproducible methods section.

Communication

A Communication (Commun.) is a short article for the prompt announcement of groundbreaking preliminary results or cutting-edge methodologies. It is structured similarly to a full article but is more concise, serving to rapidly communicate findings of immediate interest.

Review Article

A Review Article (Rev.) is a comprehensive synthesis and critical evaluation of previously published literature on a specific topic. It does not report new data but summarizes current knowledge, identifies trends and gaps, and proposes future research directions, often authored by invited experts.

Perspective/Opinion

A Perspective/Opinion (Perspect., Opin.) is a short article presenting the author's personal viewpoint or speculative commentary on current trends. A Perspective offers a forward-looking assessment, while an Opinion focuses on a specific stance, both aiming to stimulate academic debate.

Book Review

A Book Review (Book Rev.) is a critical analysis assessing the content, merit, and style of a recently published academic book. It includes full bibliographic details and is structured as a cohesive narrative without formal sections.

Editorial

An Editorial (Editorial) is a concise, non-peer-reviewed article authored by a member of the journal's editorial board (e.g., Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board Member) or by an authority formally invited by the board. It announces significant journal developments or provides commentary on timely issues, without presenting original research. A conflict of interest statement is mandatory.

Conference Report

A Conference Report (Conf. Rep.) is a comprehensive narrative summary of a conference, documenting its themes, sessions, and key discussions. As a secondary publication, it does not present new data but may reference abstracts presented at the event.

 

Language Requirements Policy

Purpose: To ensure that all published research is clear, accurate, and accessible, maintaining the highest standards of scholarly communication.

Primary Language Standard

Language: All submitted materials, including the main manuscript, abstracts, and supplementary files, must be written in clear, correct, and formal academic English.

Grammar and Style: The text must demonstrate grammatical accuracy, proper punctuation, and stylistic consistency. Inconsistent tense, ambiguous phrasing, colloquialisms, and informal language are not acceptable.

Terminological Consistency: Technical terms, abbreviations, symbols, and units of measure must be defined at first use and employed uniformly throughout all parts of the submission.

Language Editing

We recognize the challenge of writing in an additional language and are committed to supporting authors in meeting our standards.

Authors whose first language is not English are strongly advised to employ professional language editing services prior to submission. The Academic Editors reserve the right to request certification of professional language editing at any stage of the review process. Manuscripts that do not meet the minimum standards of English proficiency may be returned to the authors for revision before the initiation of peer review.

Inclusive Language

Our journal is dedicated to an equitable and respectful scholarly environment. All submissions must use language that is inclusive and accessible to a global readership. Authors are required to adhere to the following principles:

• Use Person-First and Non-Discriminatory Language: Frame language around individuals, not conditions or attributes. Avoid language that stereotypes, stigmatizes, or excludes.
• Ensure Relevance: Mention personal or demographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, socioeconomic status) only when they are critically relevant to the research question, methodology, or analysis. Justify their inclusion in the methods section.
• Maintain Neutrality: Avoid presenting any specific culture, group, demographic, or methodology as the universal norm or default standard against which others are compared.
• Prioritize Precision and Respect: Adhere to established best-practice reporting guidelines (e.g., the SAGER guidelines for sex and gender research). Use the specific terminology preferred by and respectful to the communities being studied or discussed. When in doubt, consult current literature from those communities.
• Acknowledge Evolving Terminology: Be aware that language and community-preferred terminology evolve. Authors should strive to use contemporary terms and remain sensitive to historical and regional contexts.
• Consider Inclusivity in Study Design: Where applicable, demonstrate consideration of diversity and inclusivity in the design of the research itself. This may include, for example, the description of inclusive participant recruitment strategies or the use of non-binary gender options in data collection instruments.

Multimedia Accessibility: To ensure access for all readers, subtitles or captions are required for all video and audio supplementary files. Descriptive audio tracks are strongly recommended for videos where key content is conveyed visually.

Compliance: Adherence to this policy is mandatory. Manuscripts failing to meet these standards may be returned to the authors for language revision or, in cases of severe deficiency, be declined for publication prior to peer review. Authors are directed to the journal’s website for a list of recommended professional editing services and academic writing resources. The responsibility for the final linguistic quality of the submission rests entirely with the authors.