Submissions

Author Guidelines

Language Policy and Academic Style

All manuscripts submitted to RDJS must be written in clear, coherent, and academically appropriate English. Authors are responsible for ensuring linguistic accuracy, logical flow, and terminological consistency. Where English is not the authors’ first language, professional language editing prior to submission is strongly encouraged. The journal strictly follows the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th edition for academic writing style, grammar conventions, punctuation, citations, references, tables, figures, and overall manuscript presentation.

Types of Manuscripts Accepted

RDJS considers several categories of manuscripts. Original research articles report empirical or theoretical studies and should demonstrate originality, methodological soundness, and scholarly contribution. Review articles should provide critical synthesis of existing literature, identify gaps, and propose directions for future research. Theoretical or conceptual papers should advance new perspectives or frameworks grounded in existing scholarship. Short research reports may present preliminary findings or focused studies of high relevance. All submissions must clearly articulate their contribution to knowledge.

Length of Manuscripts

Original research articles should normally range between 6,000 and 8,000 words, including references but excluding appendices. Review articles may extend up to 9,000 words, provided they demonstrate substantial analytical depth. Conceptual papers should generally fall within similar limits. Short research reports should not exceed 4,000 words. Abstracts must be between 150 and 250 words and accompanied by three to five relevant keywords.

Manuscript Organization and Structure (APA 7th Edition)

Manuscripts must be organized in accordance with APA 7th edition conventions. A standard research article should include a title page, an abstract with keywords, an introduction that clearly states the research problem and objectives, a comprehensive literature review, a detailed methodology section, results or findings, discussion of results, conclusion, and references. Headings and subheadings must follow APA heading levels. Tables and figures should be integrated into the text near their first mention and formatted strictly according to APA standards.

 

Formatting Requirements

All manuscripts must be typed in Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced throughout, including references. Margins should be set to one inch on all sides. Pages must be numbered consecutively. Paragraphs should be left-aligned with a standard first-line indent, except for the abstract. Italics, capitalization, abbreviations, and numbers must follow APA 7th edition rules consistently.

Citation and Referencing Policy

RDJS strictly adheres to the APA 7th edition citation and referencing system. In-text citations must include the author’s surname and year of publication, and page numbers where direct quotations are used. Every source cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and all references listed must be cited in the text. Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, and formatting of all references.

Research Ethics and Integrity Policy

The journal upholds the highest standards of research ethics and academic integrity. Submitted manuscripts must represent original work that has not been published previously and is not under consideration by another journal. Authors must disclose any financial, professional, or personal conflicts of interest that could influence the research. Studies involving human participants must clearly state that ethical approval was obtained from a recognized institutional review board and that informed consent was secured.

Plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, and unethical research practices are strictly prohibited. All submissions may be screened using plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts that violate ethical standards will be rejected without review, and appropriate action may be taken by the editorial board.

Authorship Criteria and Responsibilities

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the conception, design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation of the study. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission. Authors may be requested to provide an author contribution statement clarifying individual roles. The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the journal throughout the submission and review process.

Peer Review Process

RDJS employs a double-blind peer review system to ensure fairness, objectivity, and academic quality. Upon submission, manuscripts are initially evaluated by the editorial office for relevance, originality, quality, and compliance with journal guidelines. Suitable manuscripts are then sent to at least two independent reviewers with expertise in the relevant field. Editorial decisions are based on reviewers’ reports, scholarly merit, and the overall contribution of the manuscript.

Revision and Editorial Decision Policy

Authors may be requested to revise their manuscripts based on reviewers’ comments. Revised submissions must be accompanied by a detailed response indicating how each comment has been addressed. The editorial board reserves the right to make final decisions regarding acceptance, further revision, or rejection. Failure to adequately address reviewers’ concerns may result in rejection.

Open Access Policy

The Ras Dejen Journal of Sciences is an open-access journal. All published articles are freely available to readers without subscription or access fees. This policy aims to promote equitable access to knowledge and wider dissemination of research findings.

Copyright and Licensing Policy

Authors retain the copyright of their published work while granting RDJS the right of first publication. Authors permit the journal to distribute and archive the work in print and electronic formats. Proper attribution to the original publication in RDJS is required for any subsequent use of the work.

Data Availability and Transparency

Where applicable, authors are encouraged to ensure transparency by clearly describing data sources, analytical procedures, and research instruments. Authors may be requested to provide access to data or materials for verification purposes, subject to ethical and legal considerations.

Submission Procedure

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically to the official journal email address or online submission system as announced by the editorial office. Submissions must include a cover letter, a blinded manuscript, and a separate title page containing author names, affiliations, and contact details.

Continuous Improvement and Policy Review

These author guidelines and editorial policies are subject to periodic review and revision by the Editorial Board to ensure alignment with international scholarly publishing standards, advances in research practice, and the evolving scope of the journal.

Detailed Section-by-Section Author Guidelines (APA 7th Edition)

Title

The title should be concise, specific, and informative, accurately reflecting the main focus of the study. It should avoid unnecessary abbreviations and jargon. According to APA 7th edition, the title should be written in bold, centered, and positioned at the top of the first page. The recommended length is no more than 15–20 words.

Author Names

Authors’ full names should be provided directly below the title. Academic titles (e.g., Dr., Prof.) should not be included in the manuscript. The order of authorship should reflect the relative scholarly contribution of each author. All authors listed must have made substantial contributions to the study.

Author Affiliations

Each author’s institutional affiliation should be clearly stated, including department, institution, and country. Affiliations should represent where the work was conducted. If authors are from different institutions, affiliations should be matched correctly to each author, following APA 7th edition conventions.

Corresponding Author Information

One author should be designated as the corresponding author. Full contact details must be provided, including institutional email address and country of residence. This information should appear on the title page only to preserve the integrity of the double-blind review process.

Abstract

The abstract should provide a clear and concise summary of the study, including the research purpose, methodology, key findings, and major conclusions or implications. It should be written as a single paragraph without citations and should range between 150 and 250 words. The abstract should allow readers to quickly understand the essence and contribution of the study.

Keywords

Three to five keywords should be provided immediately below the abstract. Keywords should be relevant, specific, and representative of the core concepts of the study. They should be written in lowercase (unless proper nouns) and separated by commas, following APA guidelines.

Introduction

The introduction should clearly establish the research problem, contextual background, and significance of the study. It should articulate the research objectives or questions and explain how the study contributes to existing scholarship. Relevant literature may be briefly introduced to position the study within current academic debates.

Literature Review

The literature review should present a critical synthesis of relevant and recent scholarly work. Authors should demonstrate familiarity with key theories, empirical findings, and methodological approaches related to the topic. The review should identify gaps in existing research that justify the present study. Citations must strictly follow APA 7th edition style.

Methodology

This section should describe the research design, approach, participants, instruments, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques in sufficient detail to allow replication. Ethical considerations, including approval and informed consent, must be clearly stated where applicable. Subheadings may be used following APA heading levels.

Results / Findings

The results section should present the findings objectively and clearly, without interpretation. Data should be reported systematically using text, tables, or figures where appropriate. Tables and figures must be numbered, titled, and formatted according to APA 7th edition standards.

Discussion

The discussion should interpret the findings in relation to the research questions and existing literature. Authors should explain the significance of the results, highlight similarities or differences with previous studies, and discuss theoretical, pedagogical, or practical implications. Limitations of the study may also be acknowledged.

Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the main findings and contributions of the study without introducing new information. It should highlight the implications of the research and, where appropriate, suggest directions for future research or practice.

Implications of the Study

Authors are required to include a clearly articulated implications section immediately following the conclusion or as a distinct subsection within the discussion or conclusion, in line with APA 7th edition conventions. This section should explain the practical, theoretical, pedagogical, policy-related, or methodological significance of the study’s findings. Implications should be logically derived from the results and discussion, demonstrating how the findings contribute to curriculum development, teaching practice, teacher education, policy formulation, scientific advancement, or future research. Authors should avoid overgeneralization and ensure that implications are grounded in the scope and limitations of the study.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements, if any, should be brief and included after the conclusion. Authors may recognize individuals, institutions, or funding bodies that supported the research but did not meet the criteria for authorship.

Funding Statement

Authors should clearly disclose any financial support received for the research. If no funding was received, a statement to that effect should be included.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research or its interpretation. If no conflict exists, authors should explicitly state this.

References

The reference list should include only sources cited in the manuscript. References must be formatted according to APA 7th edition guidelines, with hanging indents and alphabetical ordering by authors’ surnames. Accuracy and completeness of references are the responsibility of the authors.

Appendices

Supplementary materials such as instruments, extended data tables, or additional analyses may be included as appendices. Each appendix should be labeled and referenced appropriately in the main text, following APA conventions.