Author Guidelines

AUTHOR GUIDELINES

Science Education and Application Journal (SEAJ)

Effective for manuscripts submitted from Volume 9, Number 1, March 2027

Science Education and Application Journal (SEAJ) publishes scholarly articles in the field of science education and related applications. Authors are required to carefully follow these guidelines when preparing and submitting manuscripts.

All manuscripts must be written in clear and grammatically correct English. Authors whose first language is not English are strongly encouraged to seek assistance from a qualified English language editor or professional translator before submission.

1. GENERAL AUTHOR GUIDELINES

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the SEAJ Online Submission System:

https://jurnalpendidikan.unisla.ac.id/index.php/SEAJ/index

Authors must register as an Author before submitting a manuscript. Authors who experience technical or submission-related problems may contact the Editorial Office at:

Email: seaj@unisla.ac.id

SEAJ accepts the following types of manuscripts:

1. Original Research Articles;

2. Short Communications; and

3. Review Articles, preferably by invitation.

Authors must ensure that the submitted manuscript is original, has not been published previously, and is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that the manuscript complies with the journal's publication ethics, authorship, originality, copyright, peer-review, and artificial intelligence policies.

2. MANUSCRIPT TEMPLATE

Manuscripts must be prepared using the official SEAJ manuscript template.

Authors must use the latest version of the template available from the journal website.

Manuscript Template: TEMPLETE DOWNLOAD

Authors are strongly encouraged to prepare their manuscripts directly within the official template to ensure consistency in formatting, structure, headings, tables, figures, references, and other editorial requirements.

Manuscripts that do not follow the required format may be returned to the authors for technical correction before entering the review process.

3. MANUSCRIPT TYPES

3.1 Original Research Article

Original Research Articles must present original research findings supported by an appropriate research design, methodology, analysis, and discussion.

3.2 Short Communication

Short Communications should present concise but scientifically significant findings, methodological developments, preliminary findings, or other research contributions appropriate for rapid communication.

3.3 Review Article

Review Articles should provide a critical, systematic, or comprehensive synthesis of relevant literature and should clearly demonstrate the contribution of the review to the field.

Review Articles are preferably submitted upon invitation or prior consultation with the Editorial Office.

4. PEER REVIEWING OF MANUSCRIPTS

Every submitted manuscript is independently reviewed by at least two peer reviewers.

The decision regarding publication, revision, or rejection is made by the Editor based on the reviewers' evaluations, recommendations, and the overall editorial assessment.

The Editor may request additional reviews when necessary.

The peer-review process is conducted to assess the scientific quality, originality, methodological rigor, relevance, clarity, and contribution of the manuscript.

5. REVISION OF MANUSCRIPTS

Manuscripts returned to authors for revision should be revised carefully according to the comments and recommendations provided by the reviewers and Editor.

Revised manuscripts must be submitted through the SEAJ Online Submission System.

Authors should provide a clear response to reviewers' comments and indicate the changes made in the revised manuscript when requested by the Editor.

A revised manuscript that is not returned within the period specified by the Editor may be considered withdrawn or treated as a new submission.

6. ONLINE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Authors must first register through the SEAJ online submission system:

https://jurnalpendidikan.unisla.ac.id/index.php/SEAJ/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions

After registration, authors can submit a manuscript through the New Submission menu.

The online submission process consists of the following steps:

Step 1 – Starting the Submission

Authors should:

• select the appropriate manuscript section;

• select the relevant submission checklist items;

• confirm compliance with the journal's submission requirements; and

• provide a Cover Letter or Letter to the Editor when required.

Step 2 – Uploading the Submission

Upload the manuscript file in the required MS Word format (.doc or .docx).

The main manuscript should be uploaded as the submission file. Cover letters and other supplementary documents should not be uploaded as the main manuscript.

Step 3 – Entering Submission Metadata

Authors must enter complete and accurate metadata, including:

• manuscript title;

• author names;

• affiliations;

• email addresses;

• corresponding author information;

• abstract; and

• keywords.

The metadata must exactly match the information contained in the submitted manuscript.

Step 4 – Uploading Supplementary Files

Supplementary files may include:

• Cover Letter;

• Copyright Transfer Agreement;

• research instruments;

• supplementary data; and

• other documents requested by the Editor.

Step 5 – Confirming the Submission

Authors must carefully check all uploaded files and metadata before completing the submission.

After confirming that all information is correct, the corresponding author should complete the submission.

Authors will receive an acknowledgement email and can track the progress of the submission through the online system.

7. MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION GUIDELINES

7.1 Manuscript Format

The manuscript must follow the official SEAJ manuscript template.

The manuscript should contain the following main sections:

1. Title;

2. Authors and Affiliations;

3. Corresponding Author Email;

4. Article Information;

5. Abstract;

6. Keywords;

7. Introduction;

8. Methods;

9. Results and Discussion;

10. Conclusion;

11. AI and AI-Assisted Technologies Declaration in the Writing Process, when applicable; and

12. References.

Acknowledgements may be included when applicable.

Authors must follow the formatting specifications provided in the official manuscript template, including font, spacing, margins, page layout, heading styles, tables, figures, and other formatting requirements.

The latest SEAJ template takes precedence over older formatting instructions.

8. MANUSCRIPT TITLE

The title must be:

• clear;

• concise;

• informative;

• directly related to the research;

• free from unnecessary abbreviations and formulas; and

• no more than 15 words.

Authors should avoid including unnecessary locations, years, or methodological details in the title unless they are essential to understanding the study.

The title must follow the formatting requirements specified in the official SEAJ template.

9. AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS

All authors must be listed using their full names without academic degrees or unnecessary abbreviations.

The manuscript must provide:

• full author names;

• institutional affiliations;

• complete institutional addresses where required; and

• email address of the corresponding author.

All authors listed in the manuscript must have made a substantial contribution to the research and must approve the final manuscript.

Artificial Intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, Large Language Models, and Generative AI systems, must not be listed as authors or co-authors.

10. ABSTRACT

The abstract must be informative, concise, and self-contained.

The abstract should clearly present:

• the research problem or background;

• the research objective;

• the methodology or approach;

• the main findings;

• the research contribution, significance, or implications; and

• the conclusion.

The abstract must follow the word limit and formatting requirements specified in the official SEAJ manuscript template.

The abstract should not contain unnecessary citations, unexplained abbreviations, or excessive statistical details.

11. KEYWORDS

Authors should provide 3–5 keywords or phrases that accurately represent the content and focus of the manuscript.

Keywords should:

• be specific and relevant;

• avoid overly general terms;

• avoid unnecessary plural forms;

• avoid terms already appearing in the manuscript title where possible; and

• be arranged alphabetically.

Keywords are used to support indexing and discoverability of the article.

12. INTRODUCTION

The Introduction should provide a clear and logical background to the research.

It should include:

• the context and background of the study;

• the research problem;

• relevant and recent literature;

• the urgency or significance of the research;

• the State of the Art;

• the Research Gap;

• the research position in relation to previous studies;

• the novelty or contribution of the study; and

• the research objective.

Authors should clearly demonstrate how the current study differs from or contributes to previous research.

The Introduction should avoid excessive repetition of information and should not present detailed research results.

13. METHODS

The Methods section must provide sufficient information to allow competent readers to understand and, where appropriate, reproduce the research.

Authors should clearly describe:

• research design;

• research setting or context;

• participants or data sources;

• sampling procedures;

• research instruments;

• data collection procedures;

• research stages or procedures;

• data processing;

• data analysis techniques; and

• relevant software or tools used in the research.

Any methodological modification or adaptation must be clearly explained and supported by appropriate references.

For studies involving simulations, modeling, programming, data processing, or computational analysis, authors should provide sufficient information regarding the hardware and software used to support reproducibility.

AI-Assisted Methods

If Artificial Intelligence or AI-assisted technologies are used for substantive methodological purposes, such as:

• data processing;

• statistical analysis;

• coding;

• programming;

• simulation;

• modeling;

• data visualization; or

• other research-related computational procedures,

authors must clearly describe:

1. the AI tool or service used;

2. the model or version, where relevant;

3. the specific purpose of its use;

4. the procedure in which the AI tool was involved; and

5. the verification and validation procedures performed by the authors.

AI-generated or AI-assisted analytical results must be independently verified by the authors and must be reproducible where applicable.

14. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The Results and Discussion should clearly present and interpret the findings of the study.

Results may be presented using:

• tables;

• figures;

• graphs;

• diagrams; or

• other appropriate forms of scientific visualization.

The results must be presented accurately and directly related to the research objectives.

The Discussion should explain:

• what the findings mean;

• why the findings occurred;

• how the findings relate to previous research;

• similarities and differences with previous studies;

• possible explanations for inconsistencies;

• theoretical or practical implications; and

• the contribution of the findings to the field.

The Discussion should not merely repeat numerical results. It should provide meaningful scientific interpretation and demonstrate the significance of the findings.

15. CONCLUSION

The Conclusion should clearly and concisely answer the research objectives.

It should summarize the principal findings, contribution, and implications of the research without simply repeating the Results and Discussion.

Recommendations or suggestions may be included when they are directly supported by the research findings.

16. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgements may be included when appropriate.

Authors may acknowledge:

• funding agencies;

• institutions;

• research assistants;

• technical assistance;

• individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet authorship criteria; and

• other relevant forms of support.

If appropriate, general AI-assisted writing support may also be acknowledged. However, substantive use of Generative AI or Large Language Models must be disclosed separately according to the AI policy described below.

17. AI AND AI-ASSISTED TECHNOLOGIES

17.1 General Policy

Science Education and Application Journal recognizes that Large Language Models (LLMs), ChatGPT, and other Generative AI technologies may assist authors in manuscript preparation.

AI tools may be used for appropriate supporting purposes, including:

• language refinement;

• grammar correction;

• brainstorming;

• content organization;

• literature summarization;

• drafting assistance for non-critical sections; and

• other appropriate supporting activities.

However, AI cannot replace human creativity, critical thinking, scientific judgment, ethical reasoning, or intellectual responsibility.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and scientific validity of their manuscripts.

17.2 AI Cannot Be an Author

Artificial Intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, Large Language Models, and Generative AI systems, cannot be listed as authors, co-authors, or authorship contributors.

AI systems cannot accept responsibility for the content or integrity of a scholarly publication and therefore do not meet the criteria for authorship.

17.3 Permitted Use of AI

Authors may use AI tools for:

• language and grammar refinement;

• spelling and readability improvement;

• brainstorming and idea organization;

• preliminary drafting of non-research-critical sections;

• literature summarization;

• programming assistance;

• data analysis assistance; and

• visualization assistance,

provided that the use is subject to appropriate human supervision and verification.

17.4 Prohibited Use of AI

AI must not be used to:

• fabricate or falsify research data;

• fabricate research findings;

• generate fictitious participants or observations;

• create nonexistent references or citations;

• manipulate research evidence;

• replace the authors' core intellectual contribution;

• commit plagiarism;

• intentionally misrepresent research methods or findings; or

• disclose confidential manuscript, reviewer, editorial, or research information through inappropriate AI services.

Authors are responsible for checking AI-generated content for possible plagiarism, bias, factual errors, fabricated references, and misleading statements.

17.5 AI Disclosure Requirement

Authors must disclose substantive use of Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in the preparation of their manuscript.

The disclosure must identify:

• the name of the AI tool or service;

• the model or version where relevant;

• the purpose of use;

• the manuscript section or research stage affected; and

• confirmation that the AI-assisted content was reviewed and validated by the authors.

The declaration must appear at the end of the main manuscript, immediately before the References section, under the following heading:

AI AND AI-ASSISTED TECHNOLOGIES DECLARATION IN THE WRITING PROCESS

Authors should use the following statement and modify it as necessary:

During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [PURPOSE]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the publication.

17.6 When an AI Declaration Is Not Required

A specific AI declaration is not required when AI-assisted software is used only for routine functions such as:

• basic spelling checks;

• basic grammar checks;

• punctuation correction;

• routine reference formatting; or

• similar basic language-support functions.

If no Generative AI or AI-assisted technology was used substantively in the preparation of the manuscript, no declaration is necessary.

17.7 Verification of AI-Generated Content

Authors must independently verify:

• factual statements;

• scientific claims;

• data;

• statistics;

• citations;

• references;

• quotations;

• images; and

• other substantive information generated or suggested by AI.

AI-generated references must be checked against the original sources. Authors should cite the original scholarly sources rather than treating AI-generated output as a substitute for the original literature.

17.8 AI-Generated Images and Visual Materials

When AI is used substantively to create figures, illustrations, diagrams, or other visual materials included in the manuscript, authors must disclose the AI tool used and the purpose of its use.

AI must not be used to create or manipulate research images in a manner that misrepresents research evidence, experimental results, observations, or findings.

17.9 Confidentiality and Peer Review

Authors, editors, and reviewers must protect confidential information.

Editors and reviewers must not upload confidential manuscripts, reviewer reports, unpublished research data, editorial correspondence, or other confidential peer-review materials to publicly accessible AI systems when such use could compromise confidentiality, copyright, privacy, or the integrity of the peer-review process.

17.10 Consequences of AI Policy Violations

Undisclosed or inappropriate use of AI may constitute a breach of publication ethics.

Depending on the nature and severity of the violation, the journal may:

• request clarification;

• require manuscript revision;

• reject the manuscript;

• suspend the publication process;

• issue a correction;

• retract a published article; or

• take other appropriate editorial or ethical action.

If undisclosed AI use is discovered after publication, the journal may take appropriate corrective measures to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

18. REFERENCES

References must be accurate, relevant, and sufficiently detailed to allow readers to locate the cited sources.

Authors must ensure that:

• every citation in the manuscript appears in the reference list;

• every reference in the reference list is cited in the manuscript;

• references are relevant to the research;

• recent and reputable scholarly sources are prioritized;

• excessive self-citation is avoided; and

• all references are formatted consistently according to the journal's required referencing style.

SEAJ requires APA Style 7th Edition unless otherwise specified by the Editor.

Authors are strongly encouraged to use reference-management software such as Mendeley or Zotero.

Authors must verify all references before submission, particularly references obtained or suggested through AI tools.

19. NOMENCLATURE AND UNITS

Authors should ensure that terminology, symbols, abbreviations, and acronyms are clearly defined and widely understandable.

Abbreviations and acronyms should be written in full at their first occurrence in the manuscript.

SI units are strongly recommended.

If non-SI units are used, the corresponding SI equivalent or conversion factor should be provided.

Use a decimal point rather than a decimal comma in numerical values.

20. FIGURES AND ARTWORK

Figures must be:

• high quality;

• clearly visible;

• appropriately numbered;

• cited in the manuscript;

• positioned close to their first citation where permitted by the template;

• provided with clear captions; and

• submitted in an editable or appropriate original format when requested.

Figures should not contain unnecessary information.

Figure captions must be sufficiently descriptive to allow readers to understand the figure independently of the main text.

All labels and text within figures should follow the language and formatting requirements of the journal.

Where AI has been used substantively to create or modify a figure, the use must be disclosed according to the journal's AI policy.

21. TABLES

Tables must be submitted in an editable format and must not be provided solely as images.

Tables should:

• be numbered consecutively;

• be cited in the manuscript;

• contain concise and informative titles;

• include appropriate notes where necessary;

• avoid unnecessary duplication of information presented in the text or figures; and

• fit within the designated text area.

Tables copied directly from statistical software should be appropriately processed and reformatted before submission.

If AI-assisted tools were used to generate or process a table substantively, the use must be verified and disclosed according to the journal's AI policy.

22. COVER ARTICLE

Authors may be required to provide a cover article or graphical representation that visually describes the main content of the article.

The image should have sufficient resolution and be submitted in an appropriate image format such as PNG or JPG.

The cover article should accurately represent the research and must not contain misleading or fabricated information.

If Generative AI is used substantively to create the cover article, the use must be disclosed according to the journal's AI policy.

23. COMPLIANCE WITH AUTHOR GUIDELINES

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscript complies with all requirements of the latest SEAJ Author Guidelines and manuscript template.

Manuscripts that do not fulfill the essential requirements may be returned to authors for technical correction before entering the peer-review process.

Compliance with the Author Guidelines does not guarantee acceptance or publication. All manuscripts remain subject to editorial assessment and peer review.

24. IMPORTANT PUBLICATION ETHICS POLICIES

Authors are also required to comply with the journal's policies concerning:

• authorship and contributorship;

• originality and plagiarism;

• conflicts of interest;

• research ethics;

• data integrity;

• copyright and licensing;

• peer-review ethics;

• corrections and retractions; and

• ChatGPT and Generative AI.

The complete ChatGPT and Generative AI Policy is available on the journal's Publication Ethics or Policies page.

Effective Date

This integrated Author Guidelines document applies to manuscripts submitted for publication in:

Science Education and Application Journal
Volume 8, Number 2, September 2026 and subsequent issues.

The journal reserves the right to update these guidelines periodically to reflect developments in scholarly publishing, research ethics, editorial practice, and emerging technologies.