Authors' Guidelines

Types of Manuscript

AL-ULUM welcomes two types of manuscript. 1. Original Research Articles. It presents new findings based on empirical, experimental, qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, field-based, survey-based, or analytical systems. Requires explicit methodology segments, statistical or qualitative results, and critical interpretations showing contributions to professional practice or policy development. 2. Review Articles. It provides a critical overview of literature on a focused topic. Rather than listing earlier papers, reviews must synthesize, compare, and evaluate previously published research to isolate major themes, conceptual frameworks, limitations, and future directions within the domain.

A. General Manuscript Requirements

  1. Language: Manuscripts must be written in English.

  2. File Format: Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx).

  3. Font and Spacing: Use Book Antiqua font, size 11 pt. The text should be single-spaced (1.0) or 1.15-spaced, justified, with normal margins (2.54 cm on all sides).

  4. Manuscript Length: The manuscript should be between 6,000 and 9,000 words (approximately 15–25 pages), including tables, figures, and references.

  5. Originality: The submitted manuscript must be original work, not previously published, and not currently under review by any other journal (free from plagiarism).

B. Manuscript Structure and Organization
Manuscripts must be organized in the following order:

  1. Article Title

  2. Author Identity and Affiliation

  3. Abstract and Keywords

  4. Introduction

  5. Research Methods

  6. Findings and Discussion

  7. Conclusion

  8. Acknowledgements

  9. Authors' Contribution

  10. AI Generative Statement

  11. Statement of Conflict of Interest

  12. References

C. Guidelines for Writing Each Section

1. Title and Author Identity

  • Title: Written in Bold, Book Antiqua font, size 14 pt, and centered. The title must be concise, informative, and reflect the core of the research.

  • Authors: Author names are written in Book Antiqua, size 11 pt. Use superscript numbers (1, 2, etc.) to indicate affiliations.

  • Affiliation: Include the name of the institution/university and the country of origin. Provide the email address of the corresponding author.

2. Abstract and Keywords

  • Abstract: Written in a single paragraph with a maximum length of 250 words. The abstract must include specific elements: background, research objectives, methodology, key findings, and research implications. Avoid citations, uncommon abbreviations, and figures/tables in the abstract.

  • Keywords: Consist of 3–5 phrases that represent the core of the research.

  • Article Information: Include the Received, Accepted, and Published dates, as well as the "How to cite" format according to the journal's style.

3. Introduction

  • The introduction must be clear and provide the issue to be discussed in the manuscript.

  • Provide an adequate background and a very short literature survey to record existing solutions, show the best of previous research, and identify the main limitations of those studies.

  • Clearly state the research gap and the scientific merit or novelty of your paper.

  • End the introduction with a comment on the significance of the issue and the research objectives.

4. Research Methods

  • Provide a comprehensive description of the research design (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods) and its specific approach (descriptive, evaluative, correlational, experimental, or developmental), along with a brief rationale for its selection.

  • Participants/Subjects: Report participant characteristics, total number, relevant demographic/academic characteristics, inclusion criteria, sampling technique, justification for the sampling procedure, and considerations regarding sample adequacy and limitations.

  • Procedures: Present the research procedures chronologically, detailing the participant recruitment process, data collection setting and period, tasks completed, data recording/coding, screening, preparation, and relevant ethical considerations (informed consent, confidentiality, anonymization).

  • Instruments: Identify and describe the instruments in terms of purpose, structure, number of items, types of tasks/questions, constructs measured, response format, development/adaptation process, validation procedures, and alignment with theoretical frameworks.

  • Data Analysis: Explain the analytical procedures used to address research questions, including the analytical framework, statistical methods, specific calculations, criteria for interpreting results, and software/tools utilized. Acknowledge any methodological limitations and the measures taken to address them.

5. Findings and Discussion

  • Findings Section:

    • Begin with a single opening paragraph that restates the research questions in narrative form. This serves as a bridge between the Methods and the results, reminding readers of what the study aimed to answer.

    • Present findings according to the order of the research questions. Use clear sub-headings (e.g., RQ1, RQ2, etc.) to mark each question.

    • Present data clearly, factually, and systematically. Use tables or figures to summarize complex numerical information, ensuring every table and figure is clearly explained in the text.

    • Important: This section must present results objectively, without interpretation, speculation, or comparison with previous studies.

    • Table Format: Table titles are placed above the table (e.g., Table 1 Descriptive Statistics of ALFA Scores). Figure Format: Figure titles are placed below the figure (e.g., Figure 1. Al-Ulum Journal).

  • Discussion Section:

    • Begin with a concise opening paragraph that briefly and factually summarizes the main findings.

    • Discuss each major finding in detail: explain what the results mean, why they occurred, and how they relate to existing literature.

    • Compare your findings with previous studies, highlighting areas of agreement, contradiction, or extension, and offer plausible explanations for unexpected results.

    • Conclude by acknowledging the study's limitations, suggesting practical implications, and offering recommendations for future research. Maintain a critical and balanced tone, avoiding overstatement.

6. Conclusion

  • Answer the research objectives and explain how your work advances the field from the present state of knowledge.

  • Provide a clear scientific justification for your work and indicate possible applications and extensions.

  • Do not repeat the Abstract or simply list experimental results. Suggest future experiments or point out those that are currently underway.

7. Acknowledgements

  • Express sincere gratitude to individuals, institutions, or organizations that provided support during the research process but do not qualify as authors (e.g., those granting permission, providing access to participants, or offering logistical/technical/administrative support, as well as colleagues who provided constructive feedback).

  • Avoid mentioning funding sources here (these are typically declared in a separate funding statement if required).

  • Ensure all named individuals have given their permission to be acknowledged.

8. Authors' Contribution

  • Clearly specify the individual contributions of each author to the study and manuscript preparation in narrative form.

  • Use specific action verbs (e.g., conceptualized, designed, conducted, analyzed, interpreted, drafted, revised, supervised, approved).

  • Each author's contribution must be described distinctly, and every named author must be included to ensure transparency and accountability.

9. AI Generative Statement

  • Declare whether and how artificial intelligence tools were used during the preparation of the manuscript.

  • If AI tools were used only for language refinement, grammar checking, or clarity of expression, state this clearly and honestly.

  • Explicitly confirm that all core academic activities—including research conceptualization, data collection, data analysis, interpretation of findings, and final academic decisions—were conducted independently by the human authors.

  • Conclude with a firm declaration that the authors take full responsibility for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of the entire content.

10. Statement of Conflict of Interest

  • Declare that there is no conflict of interest that could have influenced the research, authorship, or publication of this article. If a conflict of interest exists, it must be clearly disclosed in this section.

11. References

  • Reference Management: Authors must use reference management tools such as Mendeley, Zotero, EndNote, or similar.

  • Reference Quality: 80% of the total references must come from reputable international journals (indexed by Scopus and Web of Science). The remaining 20% may come from books, book chapters, or other relevant sources.

  • Citation Style: Must follow the APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Association) style.

  • Examples:

    • Article within a journal: Harris, M., Karper, E., Stacks, G., Hoffman, D., DeNiro, R., & Cruz, P. (2001). Writing labs and the Hollywood connection. Journal of Film Writing, 44(3), 213-245.

    • Article by DOI: Slifka, M.K., & Whitton, J.L. (2000). Clinical implications of dysregulated cytokine production. Journal of Molecular Medicine, 78(2), 74-80. doi:10.1007/s001090000086.

    • Complete book: Calfee, R.C., & Valencia, R.R. (1991). APA guide to preparing manuscripts for journal publication. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    • Book chapter: O'Neil, J.M., & Egan, J. (1992). Men's and women's gender role journeys: Metaphor for healing, transition, and transformation. In B.R. Wainrib (Ed.), Gender issues across the life cycle (pp. 107-123). New York: Springer.

Additional Notes for Authors:

  • Copyright and License: Published articles are licensed under CC-BY-SA (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike). Authors must understand and agree to these terms.

  • Peer-Review Process: The journal employs a blind peer-review system. Authors must be willing to revise their manuscripts based on reviewer feedback.

  • DOI: Every published article will be assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) with the format: https://doi.org/10.30603/au.vX.X.XXXX.

For further format of article journal, please find at journal template HERE.