Research Paper Template
Title of the Script
(16pt, Bold, Times New Roman)
First Author’s Name¹* (Apply * to the Corresponding Author)
¹*Affiliation (Department, Faculty/College, Institution/University)
Author’s Email:
Second Author’s Name²
²Affiliation if different (Department, Faculty/College, Institution/University)
Author’s Email:
General Guidelines
The complete length of the manuscript should be 6000–7000 words excluding the Abstract and References.
The manuscript must be formatted on A4 size paper with:
- 12 pt font size for the main text
- 14 pt font size for headings
- Times New Roman font
Abstract
(14pt, Bold, Times New Roman)
The abstract of the manuscript should range between 150–250 words.
The abstract must follow these criteria:
- It must be written as a single paragraph with continuous and coherent sentences.
- No subheadings or bullet points are allowed.
- Any abbreviation must be defined at its first occurrence.
- The abstract should clearly and briefly describe:
- The research problem
- Research methodology
- Author’s contribution
- Key findings or outcomes
- Keywords: For indexing purposes, 3–7 keywords relevant to the article should be provided after the abstract.
Introduction
(14pt, Bold, Times New Roman)
The research article begins with the Introduction, which provides an overview of the research problem, motivation for the study, and the challenges addressed by the research.
The introduction should:
- Clearly state the research problem
- Explain the importance and relevance of the study
- Identify the research gap
- Present the objectives or research questions
- Briefly outline the structure of the article
The introduction should be concise and focused, demonstrating a broad understanding of the topic before narrowing down to the main focus of the research.
Subheadings should be avoided unless necessary.
Background, Literature Review, and Methodology
(14pt, Bold, Times New Roman)
This section provides the theoretical background and review of literature that supports the research study.
Literature Review
The literature review should synthesize previous studies from reputable academic sources, such as:
- Peer-reviewed journals
- Academic books
- Edited volumes
- Conference proceedings
The literature review should:
- Highlight existing research trends
- Identify research gaps
- Demonstrate how the present study contributes to the field
The study should incorporate recent references (preferably from the last 1–2 years) to demonstrate awareness of current developments in educational research.
Direct quotations must appear in quotation marks with italic font, followed by appropriate citation.
Methodology
The methodology section should clearly describe the research design and procedures used in the study.
It should include:
- Problem statement
- Research design (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods)
- Population and sample
- Data collection instruments
- Data collection procedures
- Data analysis techniques
If datasets, statistics, or external data sources are used, they must be properly cited, including:
- Author or organization name
- Dataset title
- Publication year
- Publisher
- URL or access information
This section may contain subsections if necessary for clarity.
Research Outcomes / Results / Findings
This section presents the results of the research study.
It should include:
- Statistical results
- Comparative analysis
- Data interpretation summaries
- Charts, graphs, and tables
The Results section must only present findings and should not include discussion or interpretation.
If data is presented in table form, it must be referenced properly.
Preparation of Tables and Figures (APA Style)
All tables and figures must follow the APA (7th Edition) formatting guidelines and should be embedded within the manuscript at the appropriate location after their first mention in the text. Tables and figures should not be submitted as separate files or placed only at the end of the manuscript unless specifically requested by the journal.
Tables
Tables should be used to present structured numerical or textual data clearly and concisely.
Authors must follow these guidelines:
- Each table must have a table number and a clear, descriptive title.
- The table number should appear in bold (e.g., Table 1) above the table.
- The title should be italicized and placed below the table number.
- Tables must be referred to in the text before they appear (e.g., “As shown in Table 1…”).
- Use horizontal lines only (top, header, and bottom lines). Vertical lines should be avoided.
- Tables should be simple, readable, and self-explanatory.
- If explanatory notes are needed, they should be placed below the table as a table note beginning with Note.
Example of an APA Table
Table 1
Students’ Academic Performance by Teaching Method
|
Teaching Method |
Number of Students |
Mean Score |
Standard Deviation |
|
Traditional Lecture |
40 |
72.5 |
8.4 |
|
Blended Learning |
38 |
78.3 |
7.1 |
|
Online Learning |
35 |
74.6 |
6.9 |
Note. Scores represent final examination results of undergraduate education students.
Figures
Figures include graphs, charts, diagrams, images, or illustrations.
Authors should ensure:
- Each figure is clearly labeled with a figure number (e.g., Figure 1).
- The figure title appears below the figure in italicized text.
- Figures must be referenced in the text before they appear.
- All figures must be high resolution and readable.
- If figures are adapted from another source, the original source must be cited in the figure note.
Example of Figure Caption
Figure 1
Comparison of Student Achievement Across Three Teaching Methods
Note. Adapted from Smith (2023), https://doi.org/xxxxx
Argument, Critique, or Discussion
This section discusses the major arguments, interpretations, and implications of the findings.
The discussion should:
- Relate the findings to existing literature
- Provide critical analysis
- Highlight new insights and theoretical contributions
- Demonstrate the significance of the research
Arguments must be clear, well-supported, and logically structured.
Conclusions
The conclusion should be written in continuous paragraphs.
It should include:
- Main outcomes of the research
- Significance of the study
- Relevance to educational theory or practice
- Study limitations
- Practical applications
- Recommendations for future research
Do not include citations, subheadings, bullet points, or cross-references in this section.
Declarations
Acknowledgements
This section should acknowledge individuals, institutions, or organizations that contributed to or supported the research but are not listed as authors.
Funding Source
If the research received financial support, the funding agency should be acknowledged here with:
- Full name of the funding organization
- Grant number (if applicable)
References
All references must be complete, accurate, authentic, and primary scholarly sources. Authors must ensure that all cited works are properly documented and verifiable.
Acceptable sources include:
- Peer-reviewed journal articles
- Academic books and edited volumes
- Conference proceedings
- Government and institutional reports
- Authenticated educational research databases
The use of grey literature such as Wikipedia, social media, blogs, news portals, or unauthenticated websites is strongly discouraged.
Authors must ensure the following requirements:
- Every reference must include a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) wherever available.
- If a DOI is assigned to the article, it must be included at the end of the reference entry in the format:
https://doi.org/xxxxx - If a source does not have a DOI, authors should provide a stable URL or permanent access link.
- References should be formatted according to the APA citation style (7th Edition) unless otherwise specified by the journal.
- Authors are encouraged to include recent literature (preferably from the last 1–2 years) to reflect current developments in educational research.
- Each in-text citation must correspond to a complete entry in the reference list.
