Author guidelines

1. General Considerations

Aulacero Journal, edited by Metagrama Editorial, aims to disseminate original and rigorous scientific knowledge in the field of Educational Sciences. Authors are requested to ensure that their manuscripts are unpublished, not under simultaneous evaluation in other journals, and strictly comply with the ethical principles and integrity governing scientific publication.

2. Types of Contributions

The journal considers the following manuscript types for publication, which must adhere to the length and content specifications detailed below:

2.1 Research Articles

  • Nature: Report of results from original empirical research.
  • Length: 10 to 15 pages (including references and appendices).
  • References: Minimum 10 and maximum 15 references.

2.2 Systematic Reviews

  • Nature: Synthetic and critical studies of the state of the art on a specific topic.
  • Length: 20 to 30 pages (including references and appendices).
  • References: Minimum 20 and maximum 30 references.

2.3 Letters to the Editor

  • Nature: Critical opinions, comments, or brief communications on published topics or current scientific issues.
  • Length: 1 to 3 pages.

2.4 Editorials

  • Nature: Opinion or context articles invited by the Editorial Committee.
  • Condition: Exclusive publication by formal invitation.

3. Manuscript Structure

To ensure clarity and methodological rigor, Research Articles and Systematic Reviews must follow the IMRaD logical structure:

  • Introduction: Problem statement and objectives.
  • Methodology: Design, procedures, and analysis techniques.
  • Results: Presentation of findings.
  • Discussion and Conclusions: Analysis, interpretation, and closure of the study.

4. Languages

Aulacero Journal accepts manuscripts in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. To ensure maximum international dissemination of the work, all manuscripts must include:

  • Title in all three languages (Spanish, English, and Portuguese).
  • Abstract in all three languages.
  • Keywords in all three languages.

5. Abstract and Keywords

The abstract must function as a structured summary independent of the main text.

  • Length: Between 150 and 250 words per language.
  • Content: Must clearly describe the objective, methodology, results, and conclusions.
  • Keywords: Between 3 and 5 terms per language, facilitating indexing and document retrieval.

6. Manuscript Format

To ensure standardization in the layout process, manuscripts must strictly meet the following parameters:

  • File format: Microsoft Word (.docx).
  • Font type: Times New Roman or Arial.
  • Font size: 12 points.
  • Line spacing: 1.5 lines.
  • Text alignment: Justified.

7. Citation and Reference Standards

Authors must use the APA (American Psychological Association) citation style, 7th edition (latest version). The following bibliographic quality requirements must be observed:

  • Currency: At least 50% of the bibliographic references must be from publications in the last 5 years.
  • Correspondence: All sources cited in the text must appear in the reference list and vice versa.

8. Authorship and Affiliation

It is the authors' responsibility to ensure that the authorship list accurately reflects intellectual contribution. The manuscript must include:

  • Full names of all authors.
  • Complete institutional affiliation (Department, Institution).
  • Country of institutional residence.
  • Institutional email address for each author.
  • ORCID identifier: Mandatory for all authors.
  • Corresponding author: Must be clearly identified as the author responsible for editorial communication.

9. Tables, Figures, and Images

Graphic elements must be of high quality to ensure readability.

  • They must be numbered consecutively (Table 1, Figure 1, etc.).
  • A descriptive title and source must be included.
  • Format: JPG or PNG.
  • Resolution: Minimum 300 dpi (dots per inch).

10. Mandatory Declarations

During the submission process, authors must attach the following declarations:

  • Declaration of Originality: Certifying that the work is original and unpublished.
  • Declaration of Conflicts of Interest: Transparency regarding any financial or personal relationships that could influence the study.
  • Acceptance of Editorial Policies: Compliance with Aulacero Journal's policies.

11. Ethics and Good Practices Policy

The journal strictly adheres to the principles and codes of good practice of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Non-compliance with these standards, as well as the existence of scientific misconduct, will result in immediate rejection of the manuscript or retraction of the article if already published.

12. Plagiarism Detection

All submitted manuscripts will undergo a verification process using advanced similarity detection tools (e.g., DupliChecker). The journal has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism; any proven evidence of undue content duplication will result in immediate rejection.

13. Manuscript Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted exclusively through the journal's Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform. Authors are advised to verify that the manuscript meets all listed requirements before starting the submission process to avoid delays in the editorial process.

14. Preprint Policy

In line with open science principles, Aulacero Journal allows consideration of manuscripts previously deposited on preprint servers. This condition must be notified and explicitly declared by the authors at the time of submission.

15. Self-Archiving

Authors have the right to deposit (self-archive) their work in institutional repositories, subject-specific repositories, or personal websites, thus promoting the free circulation of scientific knowledge in accordance with the journal's open access policy.