Author Guidelines

0) Manuscript Template

Use the journal template: MEMOIRS-C Template. Submissions not conforming to the template may be returned for technical revision prior to review.

1) Article Types & Eligibility

• Original Article — Full empirical/methodological studies advancing research and community practice.
• Short Communication — Concise, actionable reports (incl. community service outcomes) with robust methods.
• Letter — Brief, timely contributions (commentary, policy notes, practice briefs).
• Review — By invitation only; unsolicited reviews are not considered.

2) Length, Structure, and Limits

• Original Article: 5,000–8,000 words; Abstract 150–250 words; ≤8 figures/tables combined; ~30–50 references.
• Short Communication: 1,500–3,500 words; Abstract 120–250 words; ≤4 figures/tables; ~10–30 references.
• Letter: 800–1,200 words; no abstract; ≤2 display items; ~5–15 references.
• Invited Review: 6,000–10,000 words; Structured Abstract 200–300 words; figures/tables as needed; curated references.

Standard structure (Original/Short): Title; Authors & affiliations; Abstract; Keywords; Introduction; Methods; Results; Discussion; Conclusions; Acknowledgements; Declarations (Ethics, AI Use, Competing Interests, Funding, Data Availability, Author Contributions); References; Appendices (optional).

3) Formatting & Style

• Use the template (A4, single-column). Body text 11–12 pt; 1.15–1.5 line spacing; continuous page numbering.
• Define abbreviations at first mention; use SI units and standard nomenclature.
• Place figures/tables near first mention; provide clear captions and in-text citations.
• Provide vector artwork or ≥300 dpi images where possible; ensure legibility.
• Language: Clear, precise academic English appropriate for interdisciplinary audiences.

4) References — IEEE Style (Mandatory)

• In-text citation: Use numbered brackets in order of appearance, e.g., [1], [2]–[4]. The reference list is numeric, matching citation order (not alphabetical).
• Author names: Use initials before surnames (e.g., “A. B. Smith”). List up to 6 authors; for more, use “et al.” after the 6th (unless the template specifies otherwise).
• Titles: Article/chapter titles in sentence case; journal/book titles in Title Case and italicised where applicable.
• Details: Include volume(issue), pages, month/year. Provide DOI/URL where available. For online sources, add access date (e.g., “Accessed: Oct. 15, 2025”).
• Consistency: Ensure one-to-one match between citations and the reference list; verify every URL/DOI.

Use the template’s reference formatting or a reference manager configured for IEEE. Do not mix styles.

5) Ethics, Consent, and Community Safeguards

For studies involving humans/communities, include ethics approval identifiers (if applicable), consent/assent processes, and privacy safeguards. For community-engaged work, outline local permissions, cultural considerations, benefit sharing, and respect for Traditional Knowledge (TK) and community IP. See the journal’s Publication Ethics and Malpractice policy.

6) Mandatory Declarations

• Ethical Approval & Consent (if applicable)
• Declaration of AI Use (as per journal AI Policy)
• Competing Interests
• Funding Statement (and funders’ role, if any)
• Data Availability Statement (with repository links/conditions)
• Author Contributions (taxonomy or narrative, aligned with substantial contributions)

7) Figures, Tables, and Supplementary Material

• Figures: Vector files or ≥300 dpi; ensure legible labels and legends.
• Tables: Concise titles; explanatory footnotes; avoid duplication with figures.
• Supplementary: Name clearly (e.g., “Supp. Fig. S1”); cite in-text; describe briefly.
• Permissions: Secure written permissions for third-party content; indicate in captions/acknowledgements.

8) Statistical and Reporting Expectations

• Describe design, sampling, data sources, and methods for reproducibility.
• Report effect sizes and confidence intervals where applicable; avoid exclusive reliance on p-values.
• State limitations candidly; discuss generalisability to community settings when relevant.
• For qualitative/mixed-methods, clarify coding, triangulation, and trustworthiness strategies.

9) Preprints, Prior Dissemination, and Data/Code

Preprints are permitted. Cite all prior versions transparently. Share data/code in trusted repositories with persistent identifiers where feasible, subject to ethics/privacy/community constraints.

10) Peer Review Model

Submissions undergo editorial screening for scope, quality, and ethics, followed by external peer review suited to the article type. Letters and Short Communications are expedited where feasible. Final decisions rest with the Editor-in-Chief or designate.

11) Submission Preparation Checklist

• Manuscript uses the MEMOIR&C template.
• Article type: Letter / Short Communication / Original Article / Invited Review only.
• Abstract, keywords, figures, tables, and limits follow these Guidelines.
• Ethics approvals, consent, and community permissions are documented where applicable.
• Declarations included: AI Use, Competing Interests, Funding, Data Availability, Author Contributions.
• References follow IEEE style; in-text citations are numeric [1], and the list is in citation order.
• All DOIs/URLs verified; figures are high-resolution or vector; third-party permissions secured.