Author Guidelines

CREATE: Contemporary Research in Education and Teaching welcomes original research articles, review papers, theoretical and conceptual studies, methodological contributions, and other scholarly works that are relevant to the journal's focus and scope. All manuscripts must demonstrate academic originality, methodological rigor, clarity of argument, and a meaningful contribution to contemporary education and teaching.

Authors are required to carefully follow these guidelines before submitting a manuscript. Submission of a manuscript to CREATE indicates that the work has not been published previously and is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts comply with the journal's ethical, technical, and scholarly requirements.

1. General Requirements

CREATE: Contemporary Research in Education and Teaching welcomes original research articles, review papers, theoretical and conceptual articles, and other scholarly contributions within the field of education and teaching. Manuscripts should make a clear and substantive contribution to educational scholarship, practice, policy, or theory.

Submitted manuscripts must be original works that have not been previously published and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Authors must ensure that all sources, data, figures, tables, and other materials used in the manuscript are appropriately acknowledged and cited.

Manuscripts must be written in clear and coherent academic English and should demonstrate originality, methodological rigor, appropriate use of scholarly literature, transparent reporting, and relevance to contemporary educational issues.

2. Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts should follow a logical and systematic structure appropriate to the type of scholarly contribution. For original research articles, authors are generally expected to organize the manuscript according to the following structure:

a. Title

The title is the first element encountered by readers and should clearly and concisely reflect the central focus of the study. An effective title should identify the principal topic, variables, research object, or educational context and, where appropriate, indicate the methodology or setting of the study. Titles should be specific, informative, concise, and free from unnecessary abbreviations, ambiguous expressions, or overly complex terminology. Authors should avoid titles that are excessively broad or do not accurately represent the content of the manuscript.

As a general recommendation, the title should contain approximately 10–20 words, unless the nature of the study requires otherwise. Authors should also consider the use of precise and searchable terminology to improve the discoverability of the article in academic databases and search engines.

b. Author Information

The manuscript must provide the full name of each author, institutional affiliation, country, and valid email address. The corresponding author should be clearly identified and is responsible for communication with the editorial office during the submission, peer-review, revision, and publication processes.

Authors should ensure that the order and spelling of author names are correct at the time of submission. Changes to authorship after submission should only be made when justified and in accordance with the journal's authorship and publication ethics policies.

c. Abstract

The abstract should provide a concise and accurate summary of the entire manuscript. For empirical research, it should normally identify the research background or problem, objective, methodology, participants or data sources, principal findings, and conclusion. Where appropriate, the abstract may also briefly indicate the theoretical or practical implications of the findings.

The abstract should be written as a single coherent paragraph and should not contain citations, footnotes, tables, figures, or unexplained abbreviations. Authors should ensure that the abstract accurately represents the content of the article and does not introduce information that is not discussed in the manuscript.

Three to five relevant keywords should be provided immediately after the abstract. Keywords should represent the principal concepts, variables, methods, or educational contexts discussed in the manuscript.

d. Keywords

The Keywords section should contain three to five significant terms or phrases that accurately represent the main topics, concepts, variables, methods, or research context of the article. Keywords should be selected from the title, abstract, and core content of the manuscript and should use standardized or widely accepted scholarly terminology whenever possible.

Authors should avoid unnecessary repetition and should not use terms that are too general to distinguish the article from other publications. Keywords should be separated consistently using semicolons and should facilitate indexing, retrieval, and discoverability in academic databases.

e. Introduction

The introduction should establish the background and significance of the research problem. Authors should explain the broader educational context, identify the specific problem or issue being addressed, and support the discussion with relevant and up-to-date scholarly literature.

A strong introduction should demonstrate the current state of knowledge and identify a clear research gap. The gap may concern limitations in existing theories, inconsistencies in previous findings, methodological limitations, under-researched contexts, or emerging educational challenges. Authors should clearly explain how the present study addresses the identified gap and what new contribution it provides.

The introduction should conclude with a clear statement of the research objective or objectives and, where appropriate, the research questions or hypotheses. The presentation should progress logically from the general context to the specific research problem and objectives.

f. Methods

The Methods section must describe the research procedures in sufficient detail to enable readers to understand how the study was conducted and, where appropriate, allow other researchers to replicate or evaluate the research. Authors should report the research design, study setting and period, participants or data sources, sampling procedures, research instruments, variables or constructs, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques as applicable.

Quantitative studies should provide sufficient information about measurement procedures, statistical techniques, assumptions, and analytical procedures. Qualitative studies should clearly describe the research approach, participant selection, data collection, analytical procedures, and strategies used to establish credibility or trustworthiness. Mixed-methods studies should explain the rationale for integration and how quantitative and qualitative evidence were combined.

Research involving human participants, animals, sensitive information, or other ethically regulated materials must comply with applicable ethical standards. Where required, authors should report the name of the relevant ethics committee or institutional review board, approval information, and informed consent procedures.

g. Results

The Results section should present the findings of the study clearly, systematically, and objectively. Results should be organized according to the research objectives, questions, hypotheses, or analytical framework. Tables, figures, graphs, and other visual representations may be used when they improve the clarity and interpretation of the findings.

Authors should avoid unnecessary duplication between the narrative text and tables or figures. Statistical or qualitative findings should be reported accurately, and interpretations that go beyond the evidence should be avoided in the Results section.

h. Discussion

The Discussion section should explain the meaning and significance of the findings rather than merely repeat the Results. Authors should interpret the findings in relation to the research objectives, theoretical framework, and relevant previous studies.

Authors should explain possible reasons for the observed findings, identify similarities or differences with previous research, and discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the results. When findings contradict previous studies, authors should provide evidence-based explanations rather than attempting to conceal or minimize inconsistencies.

The Discussion should clearly demonstrate the contribution of the research to educational knowledge, teaching practice, policy, or future research. Claims should remain proportionate to the evidence generated by the study.

i. Conclusion

The Conclusion should provide a concise synthesis of the principal findings and directly address the research objectives or research questions. It should not simply repeat the Results or Discussion but should emphasize the central contribution and significance of the study.

Where appropriate, authors may discuss the implications of the findings for educational theory, teaching practice, policy, or professional development. Limitations of the study may also be acknowledged, particularly where they affect the interpretation or generalizability of the findings.

The conclusion should remain evidence-based and should not introduce new findings, arguments, or references that have not been addressed in the main body of the manuscript.

j. Acknowledgments

The Acknowledgments section may recognize individuals, institutions, funding agencies, research assistants, technical personnel, language editors, or other contributors who supported the research but do not qualify for authorship.

Funding sources should be identified using their official names and, where applicable, grant or project numbers. Acknowledgments should be concise, professional, and directly related to the research.

k. References

The References section must contain all sources cited in the manuscript and must follow the APA 7th Edition referencing style. Every source cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and every reference listed must be cited in the manuscript.

Authors are encouraged to prioritize recent, relevant, and high-quality scholarly sources, particularly peer-reviewed journal articles. Reference-management software such as Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote is strongly recommended to maintain consistency and minimize citation errors.

3. Formatting Guidelines

Manuscripts should contain approximately 5,000–8,000 words, excluding the reference list and supplementary materials, unless otherwise specified by the editorial team. The manuscript should be prepared using a consistent academic format to facilitate readability, editorial assessment, and peer review.

The manuscript file should use Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1.15 line spacing and 2.0 cm margins on all sides. Pages should be numbered consecutively. Section headings and subheadings should follow a consistent hierarchical structure.

Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively, provided with clear descriptive titles, and explicitly cited in the manuscript. Authors should follow APA 7th Edition guidelines for formatting citations, references, tables, figures, abbreviations, numbers, and other scholarly elements.

4. Citation and Reference Style

All manuscripts submitted to CREATE must use the APA 7th Edition citation and reference style. Authors should ensure that citations are accurate, complete, and consistent with the reference list.

Authors should provide DOI information whenever a cited scholarly article has an available DOI. Reference entries should contain sufficient bibliographic information to allow readers to identify and retrieve the cited source.

Example: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx

5. Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be included only when they make a meaningful contribution to the presentation, analysis, or interpretation of the research. All tables and figures must be numbered consecutively according to their first appearance in the manuscript, such as Table 1 or Figure 1, and must be explicitly referred to in the text.

Each table and figure should have a concise and descriptive title. Figures, photographs, graphs, diagrams, and other visual materials should be submitted at sufficient resolution to ensure readability in the final publication. Authors should avoid presenting identical information in both a table and a figure unless there is a clear scholarly justification.

Any material reproduced or adapted from another source must include an appropriate source acknowledgment and comply with applicable copyright requirements. Formatting should be consistent with APA 7th Edition.

6. Ethical Considerations

Authors must conduct and report research according to recognized standards of academic integrity and research ethics. Manuscripts must be original and must not contain plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, duplicate publication, inappropriate image manipulation, or other forms of research misconduct.

All ideas, statements, data, quotations, and findings derived from other sources must be appropriately cited. Research involving human participants, animals, personal information, or sensitive data must comply with relevant ethical requirements and obtain approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board when required.

Authors must disclose financial, professional, institutional, or personal conflicts of interest that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation. Ethical compliance is a condition of publication in CREATE.

7. Plagiarism Policy

All submitted manuscripts may be screened for plagiarism and excessive textual similarity using appropriate plagiarism-detection software, including Turnitin, before or during the editorial and peer-review process.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are original and that all borrowed ideas, words, data, figures, and other materials are properly cited. A similarity score should not be interpreted solely as a numerical threshold because editorial assessment must also consider the nature, source, distribution, and context of matched text.

Manuscripts containing substantial inappropriate similarity, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other forms of academic misconduct may be returned for correction, rejected, withdrawn, or subjected to further editorial action in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policy.

8. Submission Process

Authors must submit manuscripts through the official Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform of CREATE: Contemporary Research in Education and Teaching. Authors must register or log in using valid account information and complete the required submission steps.

During submission, authors must upload the manuscript according to the journal's formatting requirements and provide accurate metadata, including the manuscript title, author names, affiliations, abstract, keywords, and other required information. Authors should carefully verify all metadata before completing the submission.

The manuscript must represent original work and must not be simultaneously submitted to another journal. Incomplete submissions may be returned to the authors before entering the editorial assessment process.

9. Peer Review Process

CREATE applies a double-blind peer-review process to promote fair, objective, and rigorous evaluation of submitted manuscripts. In the double-blind system, the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from one another during the review process, subject to the journal's technical and editorial procedures.

Reviewers assess manuscripts according to relevant scholarly criteria, which may include originality, significance, theoretical foundation, methodological rigor, clarity of analysis, quality of presentation, validity of conclusions, ethical compliance, and contribution to the field.

Editorial decisions may include acceptance, revision, or rejection. Authors receiving a revision decision are expected to respond systematically to reviewer and editor comments and submit a revised manuscript within the specified period. The final publication decision remains the responsibility of the editorial team.

10. Article Processing Charges (APC)

CREATE: Contemporary Research in Education and Teaching does not charge authors an Article Processing Charge (APC) for the standard submission, peer-review, editorial processing, or publication of accepted manuscripts, unless a separate fee policy is officially announced by the journal.

Authors should rely only on official journal announcements and communication from the editorial office concerning any publication-related fees. No unofficial payment request should be considered an authorized journal charge.

11. Copyright and Licensing

Articles published by CREATE are made available under the journal's stated Creative Commons licensing terms. Unless otherwise specified in the publication agreement, authors retain copyright in their scholarly work while granting the journal the necessary rights to publish, distribute, preserve, and make the article publicly available.

Readers may reuse, share, and adapt published material in accordance with the applicable Creative Commons license, provided that appropriate attribution is given to the authors and the original publication. Users must comply with the conditions of the license and applicable copyright law.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submissions do not infringe the copyright, privacy, or other rights of third parties.

12. Data Availability Statement

Authors should provide a Data Availability Statement describing whether the data supporting the findings are publicly available, deposited in a recognized repository, available upon reasonable request, or subject to restrictions.

When data cannot be publicly shared because of privacy, ethical, legal, confidentiality, or other legitimate restrictions, authors should clearly explain the applicable limitations. Where data are deposited in a repository, authors should provide the relevant persistent identifier or access information where appropriate.

Transparent data availability practices are encouraged to support research integrity, reproducibility, verification, and responsible reuse of scholarly data.

13. Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring that submitted manuscripts are original, accurate, ethically conducted, and appropriately documented. Authors must ensure that the reported methods, data, analyses, references, and conclusions accurately represent the research that was conducted.

Authors are responsible for responding appropriately to editorial and reviewer comments and for submitting revisions within the timeframe specified by the editorial office. Any substantial disagreement with reviewer comments should be explained clearly and professionally.

Authors must also disclose relevant conflicts of interest, funding sources, ethical approvals, data availability, and substantive use of artificial intelligence or other automated tools when required by the journal's policies.

14. Artificial Intelligence and Automated Tools

Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, integrity, and scholarly accountability of their manuscripts. Artificial intelligence or automated tools may not be listed as authors because such tools cannot assume responsibility for the content of a scholarly publication.

Where artificial intelligence or automated tools have been used substantively in the preparation of a manuscript, authors should disclose such use in accordance with the journal's AI Usage Policy. AI tools must not be used to fabricate or falsify data, manipulate evidence, generate deceptive citations, or misrepresent authorship or research procedures.

Authors are responsible for verifying all AI-assisted content, references, quotations, statistical information, and factual claims before submission.

15. Final Remarks

Authors should carefully review their manuscripts before submission to ensure full compliance with the requirements of CREATE: Contemporary Research in Education and Teaching. Compliance with the author guidelines helps facilitate efficient editorial screening, peer review, copyediting, and publication.

Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's minimum requirements may be returned to authors for correction before entering the peer-review process. The editorial team may make minor language, formatting, and style adjustments to accepted manuscripts to improve clarity and consistency without changing the scientific meaning of the work.

Final decisions concerning publication are made by the editorial team based on the manuscript's scholarly quality, relevance to the journal's focus and scope, ethical compliance, methodological rigor, reviewer evaluations, and adherence to the journal's publication policies.