Directrizes para autores

1. General Considerations

The journal Metaeje, published by Metagrama Editorial in Ecuador, is an international open-access scientific publication with a multidisciplinary focus. It disseminates original research results in social and human sciences, life sciences, technological development, agricultural sciences, business sciences, and other disciplines that contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

Manuscripts must be unpublished, not under evaluation in another journal, and comply with ethical principles and scientific integrity.

2. Types of Contributions

The journal accepts the following types of manuscripts:

  • Scientific research articles
    - Reports of original empirical studies (experimental, theoretical, or field).
    - Length: 10–20 pages.
    - References: between 10 and 25.
  • Systematic literature reviews
    - Critical and synthetic studies of the state of the art with explicit and reproducible methodology.
    - Length: 20–50 pages.
    - References: between 20 and 50.
  • Letters to the editor
    - Critical opinions or brief comments on published topics or current scientific issues.
    - Length: 1–3 pages.
  • Editorials
    - Opinion or reflection articles, published only by invitation of the Editorial Committee.

3. Manuscript Structure

Research articles and systematic reviews must follow the IMRaD structure:

  • Introduction: problem, background, objectives, and justification.
  • Methodology: design, procedures, and analysis techniques.
  • Results: clear and objective presentation of findings.
  • Discussion and conclusions: interpretation, comparison with previous studies, limitations, and closure.

4. Languages

Manuscripts are accepted in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. It is mandatory to include:

  • Title in all three languages.
  • Abstract in all three languages.
  • Keywords in all three languages.

5. Abstract and Keywords

  • Length: 150–250 words per language.
  • Content: objective, methodology, results, and conclusions.
  • Keywords: 3–5 terms per language.

6. Manuscript Format

  • File: Word (.docx).
  • Font: Times New Roman or Arial, size 12.
  • Line spacing: 1.5.
  • Text justified.
  • Margins: 2.5 cm on all four sides.

7. Citation and Reference Standards

  • Style: APA 7th edition.
  • At least 50% of references must be from the last 5 years.
  • All sources cited in the text must appear in the reference list.

8. Authorship and Affiliation

The manuscript must include:

  • Full name of the authors.
  • Institutional affiliation (department and institution).
  • Country of institutional residence.
  • Institutional email address.
  • ORCID identifier (mandatory).
  • Corresponding author clearly identified.

9. Tables, Figures and Images

  • Numbered consecutively.
  • With descriptive title and source.
  • Format: JPG or PNG.
  • Minimum resolution: 300 dpi.

10. Mandatory Declarations

Authors must attach:

  • Declaration of originality.
  • Declaration of conflicts of interest.
  • Acceptance of editorial policies.

11. Ethics and Good Practices

The journal follows the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Non-compliance with these standards or the existence of scientific misconduct may result in immediate rejection or retraction of the article.

12. Plagiarism Detection

All manuscripts will be checked using tools such as DupliChecker or Turnitin. Proven plagiarism or self-plagiarism implies immediate rejection.

13. Manuscript Submission

Submission is made exclusively through the journal's OJS platform. It is recommended to verify compliance with these guidelines before starting the process to avoid delays.

14. Preprint Policy

Manuscripts previously deposited on preprint servers (e.g., arXiv, SSRN, ResearchGate) are accepted, provided this condition is declared at the time of submission.

15. Self-Archiving

Authors may deposit their works in institutional, thematic, or personal repositories. The journal follows the blue color policy, allowing the deposit of:

  • Pre-print (submitted version).
  • Post-print (accepted version).
  • Editorial PDF (published version).