Author Guidelines

Guide for authors

Introduction

The purpose of this guide is to provide the necessary and sufficient information for authors to get to know the Revista Ciencias Humanas and to prepare their manuscripts for subsequent submission. The first commitment that an author assumes with the journal is to know its policy, which presents the scope, the types of articles published, the ethical policy, the editing process, and other aspects of editorial management. This commitment is a sign of respect for the editor and the entire work team. When an article is received and complies with all the requirements, it assumes the interest and commitment of the authors and guarantees a smooth process. When a submission does not meet the requirements, it is a sign of ignorance and leads to the rejection of proposals. For this reason, we encourage authors to review this guide in detail (See About the journal).

Authors' rights

The Revista Ciencias Humanas guarantees authors the following rights:

• To be treated with respect throughout the editorial process.


• Policies must be applied equally to all, without discrimination or favoritism.


• Evaluations must be fair, impartial, carried out by qualified peers, and within reasonable timeframes.


• Any requested changes should be clear, justified, and in line with the research objectives.


• Confidentiality of the manuscript and personal information of all authors should be maintained throughout the process.


• There should be no charge for the processing of the manuscript (Article Processing Charge).


• The final version of the article must be approved before publication.


• The publication of the article should be in open access, should not be used for commercial purposes, and should be disseminated through all the communication channels of the journal.

About authorship

The Revista Ciencias Humanas adheres to and adopts the authorship criteria recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). For the ECMJE an author must meet the following criteria:

• Make a substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work; or acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work.


• Write the article or make a critical review of important intellectual content.


• Assume responsibility for all aspects of the work, thereby ensuring that queries regarding the accuracy or completeness of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

The journal urges authors not to fall into any of the cases of fraud or violation of publication ethics (see Fraud and violation of ethics).

In collective authorships or co-authorships, all those involved in the writing are requested:

• Approve their final version.


• Approve the order of appearance of all participants.


• Validate and approve institutional affiliations.

Any additions, deletions, or rearrangements to the author list must be made before the manuscript is accepted and must be approved by the editor. To request such a change, the following should be considered:

• The corresponding author must justify the reason for the change in the author list.


• The corresponding author will attach written confirmation (email or letter) from all authors who agree with the addition, deletion, or reordering (this includes confirmation from the author to be added or deleted).

Only in extraordinary situations, the editor will consider the addition, deletion, or rearrangement after approval of the manuscript. While the case is under review, the editor will suspend the publication of the article. If a manuscript has been published, any request approved by the editor will have the effect of correction.

Type of articles and structure

The Revista Ciencias Humanas, when publishing unpublished articles, essays, or chronicles, whether scientific, academic, literary, or cultural, expects them to maintain a structure by the typologies of scientific journals: original research, review papers, as well as reflection papers. It also publishes editorials and book reviews. Each of these typologies is described below and their structure is indicated.

Original research article

An unpublished document that presents, in a detailed and organized manner, the complete results of a completed original research project. Originality is related to the communication of new knowledge or the explanation of its contribution. Unpublished refers to the fact that it has not been published or made known to a community by any means (printed or electronic). It presents final results (not partial) in detail, that is, it gives enough information to be reproduced by other researchers. Organized information means that the document follows a logical presentation (it is structured). This type of article follows the following structure: abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusions (RIMRDyC).

Structure

Home page which is composed of the following information:

Title of the article. It is the most read part of a scientific article, therefore authors should strive to make the title informative, descriptive, specific, understandable, objective, and attractive. It should be neither too short nor too long (between 70 and 110 characters, including spaces). They should not be scandalous, sensationalist, or funny, as they create mistrust. Avoid the use of the following punctuation marks: exclamation marks, question marks, hashtags #, at's, slashes, etc.). They should not be misleading and should avoid ambiguous or polysemic words.

Short title. It is the synthesis of the title and should not exceed 40 characters, including spaces.

Authors. The way authors sign their articles is the key formula to recovering their bibliography and adding to their impact throughout their scientific career, therefore they should pay close attention and always sign the same. The journal suggests that all authors choose a unique signature in IraLIS (register in IraLIS) and requests that they have their respective orcid (register your Orcid) while keeping their signature.

Affiliation. Refers to the institution that funded or supported the research. Contact addresses should be included: postal, telephone, e-mail, and personal web.

Correspondence. Refers to the author responsible for sending the manuscript and interlocutor between the authors and the journal. It should be someone who controls all aspects of the research, assertive in communication, and with a good command of the language.

Financing. Include all sources that supported the research and the writing of the article. Please adopt the following format: name of the institution and project code. For example, "This research was supported by the National Institutes of... [grant numbers we, xxxx,]; the University... [research project number yyyy]; the Institute of... [grant number zzzz]." If no funding was provided for the research, include the following sentence, "This research did not receive any specific grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors."

Declaration of interests. Authors must declare their conflicts of interest even if they have none (there is a form for this purpose). A conflict arises when the author(s) have personal, academic, financial, political, etc. relationships that bias or affect the research or publication.

Data availability. Authors should declare whether all the data necessary and sufficient for the understanding of the research are found in the article or whether part of them are housed in databases, appendices, or supplementary material of the article.

Disclaimer. Authors should declare whether the expressions, opinions, or interpretations expressed in the article are a personal position or an official position of their institutions.

Acknowledgments. If the research or writing of the article was accompanied by people who did not meet the criteria for authorship, this is the space to express their gratitude (for example people who helped in data collection, reviewed the text, gave their opinions, contributed bibliography, and reviewed statistical data or graphs, among others).

Abstract. After the title, it is the most read part of the article. It has been identified as the most important paragraph and most of the time it is the most neglected. Therefore, this section should be the most elaborate, polished, and precise and the one that gathers all the research. It should be in Spanish and English. As it is short (250 words maximum), the abstract should be structured as follows: introduction (I), methodology (M), results (R), and conclusion (C). The introduction about the subject, presents the objective, the question or hypothesis, and justifies the study. The methodology presents the methods adopted, the participants, the variables, the instruments applied, and the analyses used. The results present the most important findings and the conclusion states the implications, hypothesizes solutions, or possible explanations of the results.

Key words. These are standardized terms that increase the probability of retrieval of the article by search engines. An average of twelve words is recommended (no less than ten). Do not use phrases. The words must be standardized, i.e., recognized by databases. For this purpose, it is suggested to select them in the thesauri. The journal recommends the Unesco Thesaurus. Unesco Thesaurus. Keywords should be in Spanish and English.

• Classification JEL (Journal of Economic Literature). Maximum 4 references. Codes are available at https://www.aeaweb.org/jel/guide/jel.php. Be sure to use the codes relevant to your research only. The JEL classification should be in English and Spanish.

Introduction. It presents the subject of the research, its background, the problem, the theoretical concepts, the objective or hypothesis, and the justification for the study.

Methodology. This is one of the most important sections of the article. It is the backbone of the article and from it, the results, discussions, and conclusions are derived. The editors, peers, and researchers return to this section to make decisions and, according to its soundness, there will be confidence in the findings. Therefore, the authors should take care to provide sufficient, detailed, and clear information so that others can replicate the study. It should also state that the research was approved by an ethics committee or a body acting in its stead (when the study involves humans or animals). It should have the following sections:

• Participants. Describe the population that accompanied the study (relevant sociodemographic variables) and how it was selected (inclusion and exclusion criteria). They should be representative samples.


• Instruments. Indicate the main and secondary objectives of the study; report the method used; describe each of the variables and the instruments selected for their measurement (name, manufacturer, etc.); indicate the reasons for the selection of the instruments (reliability, validity, and limitations); describe in sufficient detail the procedure so that others can reproduce it without error.


• Statistics. Describe precisely the statistical methods used, so that other researchers can apply them to the data and obtain the same results (the editor or peer reviewers may request it to confirm the findings). Whenever possible, present confidence intervals and avoid relying only on hypothesis tests such as P-values, as they do not convey important information about effect size. Define or describe statistical terms, abbreviations, symbols, software, and versions used.

Results. Present and describe the results clearly, precisely, and in a logical sequence, and present the most important findings first. Use tables and figures and restrict yourself to the necessary ones. Do not repeat them. Use graphs as an alternative to summarizing tables with many records. Be as technical as possible with statistical terms to avoid misinterpretation.

Discussion. Begin with an introductory paragraph that summarizes the main findings. Focus on each finding and possible explanations in light of the theory or conceptual framework adopted. Relate the results to the objective or hypothesis and discuss them with the selected bibliography. According to the nature of the study, discuss the association of the variables. Do not repeat information developed in previous sections.

Conclusions. Emphasize the most important findings; link the results to the main objective; hypothesize possible explanations, solutions, and applications; leave open questions as a point of interest for other researchers; point out observed trends; show strengths, share limitations and give recommendations.

References. Caution should be exercised in the selection of sources since many of them are misleading, fraudulent, and lacking in rigor; and primary sources should be preferred over secondary ones. In this regard, the following recommendations are given:

1. When conducting research, it is important to use credible sources from accredited scientific journals or publishers that practice peer review.


2. It is recommended to search specialized databases.


3. Cite and reference the sources read.


4. When possible, consult primary sources and reference the originals.


5. It is also important to have broad coverage of sources, including both national and international publications. Make sure that 30% of the sources are from Latin America and 70% from other places.


6. Make sure that the sources you use are sufficient, relevant to your topic, current, and up to date.


7. Avoid frequently citing your work or citing works that are unrelated or irrelevant to your study.

Annexes or supplementary material. If there is additional information that is important for understanding and improving the research presented in an article, authors may include it as an annex. If the annex is extensive, it is recommended to present it in a separate file. Otherwise, it can be placed at the end of the article, after the references. The editor will assess whether it is appropriate to include it. Supplementary documents will be published as submitted in their original formats, such as Excel, PowerPoint, or Word. Please provide a brief, descriptive title for each file, and if any changes are made to the material during the process, be sure to submit an updated version.

Review article

A scientific or technical document that compiles systematizes, and analyzes the published literature on a given topic to provide answers to specific problems (Cué Brugueras et al., 2008). Its strength lies in the critical analysis of the available literature, using systematic methods to arrive at results that can be replicated. Unlike the research article, this type of article reviews a larger proportion of references (doubling or tripling its quantity).

Structure

The review article follows the same structure as the original research article (RIMRDyC), but with a minor variation in its methodology. Therefore, the journal requests to take into account what has been described so far and to apply the systematic review methodology of the Prisma statement. It also recommends reviewing the official publication of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The Prisma Statement or reviewing this version in Spanish: Listas guía de comprobación de revisiones sistemáticas y metaanálisis: declaración Prisma. It also requests to include all the information required in the Home Page item of the original research article.

Reflection paper

A scientific or technical document that analyzes research results from an analytical, interpretative, and critical perspective. The reflection is focused on a specific issue of interest and actuality. Although it is based on a particular (author) or collective (group of authors) position, it must be based on evidence, be argued, and presented in a clear and organized manner, in such a way that it achieves thematic mastery, solvency in the exposition of arguments and orientation to new ideas or perspectives. A reflection article is presented by a researcher with experience in the topic and who has focused on it for a large part of his or her research career. Their position must be well justified and have clear consequences that can be derived from their opinions.

Structure

The structure of the reflection article consists of an abstract, introduction, reflection, conclusions, and references (RIRCyR). The introduction presents the topic, background, theoretical concepts, gaps, objectives, and justification. The reflection is the central part, it develops the researcher's point of view through an objective and critical analysis based on reliable data or sources and leads an argumentative thread towards new ideas or perspectives. As for the conclusions and references, refer to the sections of the research article. Also, ask that all required information be included in the point on the home page of the original research article.

Editorial

The editorial is a document written by the editor or by a guest that the editorial team considers pertinent. Its development may be due to the presentation of the issue, addressing a topic of interest, analyzing a social situation related to the publication, or proposing emerging issues, among other aspects that are directly related to the journal.

Book reviews

A brief document that comments on or makes a reflective reading of a published book on the subject area of the journal. This paper discusses the purpose and contributions to the audience and makes a critical analysis of the topic and its current relevance. It also mentions the importance and relevance of its disciplinary area and gives recommendations to readers.

Note: Editorial and book reviews do not have a specifically defined structure, so they may resemble a short essay or a literary text, respectively.

Manuscript preparation

This section guides the formal aspects that govern the preparation of manuscripts before submission to the journal.

Typeface (fonts)

The font for the manuscript configuration is Times New Roman, with a size of 12 points.

Paper, margins, and line spacing

The paper size should be letter size (21.59 x 27.94 cm). The margins are the default margins provided by Word: 2.5 cm top and bottom; 3.0 cm left and right margins. The line spacing should be 1.5.

Length of articles and number of references

The journal has defined the following length for each of the types of articles and an approximate number of sources (references):

• Original research article. Length of 6,000 words and a minimum of 30 bibliographic sources.


• Review article. Length of 9,000 words and an average of 50 bibliographic sources.


• Reflection article. Length of 5,000 words and a minimum of 30 bibliographic sources.


• Editorial. Length between 1,000 and 2,000 words and a maximum of 10 bibliographic sources.


• Book review. The maximum length of 1,000 words.

Tables

The purpose of a table is to synthesize large volumes of information; therefore, authors are requested that its range be between 5 and 15 records, or, failing that, that it does not exceed the size of one page. For tables exceeding this size, it is recommended to represent the information with graphs. Follow the APA 7th ed. guidelines for their construction and take into account these recommendations:

• Tables should be editable (they should not be inserted into the article as an image or figure).


• They should be numbered consecutively and with Arabic numerals (e.g. Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, etc.).


• They should be named in the article before their appearance (e.g., Table 1 shows...).


• If they have notes, they should be outside and at the end of the table.


• Make sure you are not duplicating information (described elsewhere in the article).


• Do not use shading or designs.


• Do not insert figures or images in the cells.

Figures

A figure is any graphic element (photo, figure, graph, illustration, drawing, etc.). A figure visually and synthetically represents the research data. Follow the guidelines of the APA 7th Ed. for its construction and take into account these recommendations:

• They should have high resolution to avoid data pixelation or uninterpretability (minimum resolution of 300 dots per inch).


• They should be numbered consecutively and with Arabic numerals (e.g. Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, etc.).


• They should be named in the article before their appearance (e.g., Figure 1 can be observed...).


• They should have a note at the end and outside the figure that allows their description.


• Make sure that you are not duplicating information (described elsewhere in the article).


• If figures contain text, try to use Times New Roman or similar fonts.


• A copy of the figures should be sent to the journal in their source format (jpg, png, tiff, Power-Point, Excel, etc.) with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch).

Formulas and equations

If the article contains formulas or equations, please follow the recommendations below:

1. they should be inserted with the support of Microsoft Word: Insert/Equation.


2. They should not be inserted in the article as an image or figure.


3. They should be numbered consecutively and with Arabic numerals (e.g. Eq 1, Eq 2, Eq 3, etc.).


4. They must be named in the article before their appearance (e.g., Eq. 1 represents...).

Citation and referencing standards

The citation and referencing standards adopted by the Revista Ciencias Humanas are those of the American Psychological Association (APA) seventh edition. The journal is strict in its application and will return the articles to the authors when they have not been applied correctly. Generally, in the manuscript the author and the year of publication appear in parentheses (author, year), this form of citation is known as the Harvard method. The bibliography is at the end of the article and is arranged alphabetically. To avoid errors, the use of a bibliographic manager (e.g. Mendeley, EndNote, Zotero, etc.) is suggested. It is also requested to incorporate the DOI of each reference (as long as it has the identifier) or the URL of the consultation (this applies to all digital documents). Check that there is correspondence between citations and references, and vice versa, i.e., that every citation is referenced and every reference is cited. If there are citations that have no reference, include the reference or, failing that, delete the citation. If there is a reference without a citation, check if the citation is missing and include it; otherwise, delete the reference.

Abbreviations

They must be in parentheses after being named for the first time; then the abbreviation is used without parentheses. For example: Unión de Trabajadores de Colombia (UTC). Then, UTC.

Direct quotations

On certain occasions, authors need to make use of direct quotations for possible analysis or demonstrations. Whenever possible, paraphrasing is suggested as a sign of social appropriation of knowledge (giving due credit). If this is not the option, please take into account the following guidelines on direct quotations.

Short direct quotations

They are less than forty words and are included in the text being written between double quotation marks. The author, year, and page(s) should be in parentheses at the end of the quotation, e.g. (Author, year, p xx) or (Author, year, pp. xx-xx).

Long direct quotations

It has forty or more words and should be written in a new paragraph, indented (4 cm), and without quotation marks. Long quotations should not be used unless they are essential to fulfill the objective of the research or the manuscript. The author, year, and page(s) should be in parentheses at the end of the citation, for example (Author, year, p xx) or (Author, year, p xx-xx).

Footnotes

They are used in exceptional cases. The recommendation is not to do so and to keep the reader's attention on the main content being developed. If necessary, they should be incorporated using the same writing style used in the manuscript.

Respectful language

Authors are requested to use appropriate and respectful language that recognizes diversity, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunity. Authors should ensure that writing is free of bias, stereotypes, jargon, or cultural assumptions. We advise seeking neutrality, not making assumptions about readers' beliefs; not handling content that implies that one individual is superior to another based on age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability, or health status. The magazine reserves the right to correct inclusive language, which is presented more as a political stance than an idiomatic position.

Submissions

As part of the process, authors are required to check that their submission meets all the requirements of the policy. It is recommended that before submitting the manuscript to the journal, it be reviewed by a proofreader. This ensures that the content arrives without typing, grammatical, semantic, spelling, linguistic, and citation errors and reduces the likelihood that a peer may reject the manuscript with the argument that carelessness in writing prevented the communication and understanding of the results.

Articles should comply with the following guidelines, under penalty of rejection:

1. The authors have read the policy of the Journal of Ciencias Humanas and agree with it.


2. The manuscript is unpublished; that is, it has not been published in any medium (print or digital) and has not been sent simultaneously to another journal or is not being considered for publication by another publisher.


3. The authors have downloaded the cover letter template, recorded all the information, verified the submission checklist inside, and signed as acceptance at the end of the letter (download template here).


4. All authors have downloaded, read, responded to, and signed, individually, the declaration of interest (download model here).


5. In this submission the authors attach the following files:

• Manuscript


• Cover letter


• Declaration of interests of all authors.


• Figures in their source format (jpg, png, tiff, etc.) with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch). This point applies if figures were used in the article.


• Research approval act of the bioethics committee or bodies that approved the study. This item applies if the object of the study is humans or animals.


• Informed consent for publication: if there are data, photographs, or material that identifies the study participants. This item applies if personal information (as indicated above) was used.


• Authorizations for publication: permissions for the partial or total reproduction of published material that is not in the public domain or licensed for use and that has been used in the article. This item applies if material that is not in the public domain or licensed for use was used.

Note: Subsequently, when the article is positively evaluated by the peers and approved by the editorial committee, the authors will be required to fill out, sign and send the assignment of rights.