Article Preparation Guidelines

Structure: Organize your article in the following sequence:

1. Title page
2. Abstract
3. Keywords
4. Introduction
5. Statement of the Problem
6. Research Objectives
7. Research Questions
8. Significance of the Study
9. Theoretical Framework (If Applicable)
10. Review of Literature
11. Methodology
    1. Method
    2. Study Population and Sample
    3. Data Collection
    4. Data Analysis
    5. Ethical Considerations
12. Findings
13. Discussion of Findings
14. Conclusion, Recommendations, and Future Study
15. Acknowledgments
16. Declaration of interest statement
17. References
18. Appendices (as appropriate)

Word Limits: Include a word count for your article. Ensure your submission adheres to the specified limits:

• A typical article for this journal should not exceed 6000 words.
• This limit includes tables, references, figure or table captions, footnotes, and endnotes.

Article Submission

• The study and its attachments are submitted to the journal through the journal's electronic submission system.
• The author is notified upon receipt of the scientific study.

Review

1. Initial Review

• The journal's editorial board conducts an initial review of the study to determine whether it complies with the formal publishing guidelines and is eligible for peer review.
• The editorial board relies on the following criteria during the initial review: the authenticity of the study, its relevance to the journal's scope, the type of study, language accuracy, and adherence to the documentation system approved by the journal, and no violation of scientific publishing ethics.
• The author is informed of the receipt of the scientific study and the outcome of the initial review by the editorial board.
• The editorial board reserves the right to request the author to revise and develop the study if it finds that the study is significant and publishable but requires pre-peer review improvements. At this stage, the author is provided with guidance or recommendations to improve their paper to prepare it for peer review.

2. Peer Review

• Every study submitted to the journal undergoes double-blind peer review (researchers' and reviewers' names are concealed).
• The author is notified of the editorial board's decision.
• A report summarizing the editorial board's comments and any required revisions, if any, along with the reviewers' comments, is sent.

3. Revision Process

The author makes the required revisions to the study based on the peer review results and resubmits it to the journal through the journal's electronic submission system, highlighting the changes in a different color. Additionally, a separate file is attached with the modified study addressing all the comments provided by the editorial board and the reviewers.

4. Acceptance and Rejection

• The journal reserves the right to accept or reject based on the author's compliance with the publishing guidelines, the guidance of the journal's editorial board, and the revisions requested by the reviewers.
• If one of the reviewers reports that the author has not made the required revisions, the author is given a final opportunity to do so. Otherwise, the study is rejected and not published in the journal.

Submission Checklist

1. Author Details:

• Ensure all listed authors meet the journal authorship criteria.
• Include full names and affiliations on the manuscript's cover page.
• Provide ORCiDs.
• Identify one author as the corresponding author with their email address for display in the article PDF and online version.
• Authors' affiliations should reflect where the research was conducted. Note that changes to affiliations cannot be made after acceptance.

2. Topic Relevance:

• Ensure that the article aligns with the interests and scope of the journal.

3. Paper Title:

• The title should be bilingual (Arabic and English) and directly reflect the article's aim. Avoid using abbreviations and formulas whenever possible.

4. Abstract:

• Include an abstract of 300 words.

5. Keywords: Include between 5 and 7 keywords. Discover tips on making your article more discoverable and optimizing for databases and search engines.
6. Funding Details:

• Provide all required details for funding and grant-awarding bodies.
• For single agency grants, state: "This work was supported by the [Funding Agency] under Grant [number xxxx]."
• For multiple agency grants, specify each funding agency and grant number.

7. Disclosure Statement:

• Acknowledge any financial or non-financial interests resulting from your research.
• If no relevant competing interests exist, declare: "The authors report there are no competing interests to declare." Further guidance on conflict of interest disclosure can be found [here](link to conflict of interest guidelines).

8. Data Availability Statement:

• If a data set is associated, provide information on where it can be found.
• Include the hyperlink, DOI, or other persistent identifier associated with the data set(s).

9. Figures:

• Ensure high-quality figures (1200 dpi for line art, 600 dpi for grayscale, and 300 dpi for color).
• Supply figures in preferred formats: EPS, PS, JPEG, TIFF, or Microsoft Word (DOC or DOCX). Word-drawn figures are acceptable.

10. Tables:

• Tables should present new information without duplicating text.
• Supply editable files for tables.

11. Equations:

• Ensure equations are editable, especially if submitting as a Word document.

Citation Style: APA (American Psychological Association)

The journal adheres to the guidelines set forth by the American Psychological Association (APA) for the citation and referencing of sources. Authors are expected to follow the APA style in formatting citations and references to ensure consistency and clarity in scholarly communication.

1. In-Text Citations:

In-text citations should include the author's last name and the year of publication. For direct quotations, page numbers should also be provided.

• Example: (Smith, 2019)
• Example (direct quote): (Jones, 2020, p. 45)

2. Reference List:

The reference list at the end of the manuscript should include complete and accurate details for each cited source. Entries should be arranged alphabetically by the last name of the first author.

• Book: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher.
• Journal Article: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number (issue number), page range.
• Online Source: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of document. Site Name. URL

3. Electronic Sources:

When citing electronic sources, include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if available. If a DOI is not available, provide the direct URL. It is important to include the retrieval date for online sources.

• Example (with DOI): Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number (issue number), page range. DOI
• Example (without DOI): Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number (issue number), page range. URL

4. Additional Guidelines:

For more detailed information on APA citation style, authors are encouraged to refer to the latest edition of the APA Publication Manual. The manual provides comprehensive guidance on citing various sources, formatting manuscripts, and preparing references.

5. Compliance Check:

Submissions to the journal will undergo a compliance check to ensure adherence to the APA citation style. Authors are advised to thoroughly review and format their citations in accordance with APA guidelines before submitting their manuscripts.

Adhering to the APA citation style enhances the clarity and professionalism of scholarly writing. Authors are encouraged to consult the APA guidelines and use appropriate tools to facilitate accurate and consistent citation practices.

Thank you for adhering to these guidelines. Should you have any queries, please refer to our Author Services website or contact us at journals_asds@mod.gov.om