Submissions

Author Guidelines

Preparation of the Manuscript

1. General Formatting:
   • Use a standard word processor (Microsoft Word or others).
   • Use the template suggested by the journal, in DOC or DOCX format.
   • Typeface: 12-point Times New Roman (unless otherwise required for some sections).
   • Page size: A4.
   • Language: Articles may be submitted in Spanish or English.
   • Columns: Single column, single spaced.
   • Line spacing: Use 1.0 line spacing throughout the document. There should be a space between each paragraph and reference (equivalent to an "Enter" on the keyboard).
   • Margins: Use uniform 2 cm margins on each side.
   • Paragraphs and indentation: Use ½ inch (1.27 cm) indentation at the beginning of a paragraph. Paragraphs are justified.
   • Page Breaks: Do not insert page breaks in the text. Do not insert extra spaces to avoid widows or orphans.
   • Heading levels: Use up to 2 levels of headings, according to APA Standards 7th Edition.
   • Text: If you wish to highlight words or phrases in the text, do not use bold type but italics. Decimals should be marked with a comma (,) and not with a period. Thousands and millions should be indicated with a thin space. Avoid footnotes.
   • Page numbers: Each page shall be numbered at the bottom margin in a centered position.
2. Elements of the Manuscript:
   • Title: It should be clear, concise and reflect the content of the manuscript, the approximate length is 10 to 15 words. Avoid abbreviations, acronyms.
   • Abstract: Between 150 and 250 words, briefly describing the objective, methodology, results and conclusions of the study.
   • Keywords: Between 4 and 6 relevant keywords.
   • Introduction: Provides the context and objectives of the study. Summarizes the relevant literature and justifies the need for the study. It establishes the objectives and proposes hypotheses.
   • Methodology: Details the methods and procedures used for the research.
   • Results: It presents the findings of the study, with tables and figures if necessary.
   • Discussion: Interprets the results in the context of the existing literature.
   • Conclusions: Summarizes the main findings and their implication.
   • References: Cite all sources following the specific citation style of the American Psychological Association (APA 7). Bibliographic references and infographics should be included at the end of the article with an antiquity of no more than 10 years, 25% should correspond to publications indexed in Scopus, and 25% should correspond to publications of Revista de la Universidad de Guayaquil or other journals.
3. Tables and Figures:
   • Number all tables and figures consecutively.
   • Provide clear and concise titles for each table and figure.
   • Ensure that all tables and figures are referenced in the text.

Ethics Policy

1. Originality and Plagiarism:
   • Manuscripts must be original work that has not been previously published or under consideration in another journal.
   • All manuscripts will be reviewed for plagiarism with the TURNITIN tool. Manuscripts that do not meet a percentage of similarity less than or equal to 10% will be rejected.
2. Ethical Clearance:
   • If the study involves human or animal subjects, it must have received ethical approval and follow relevant ethical guidelines.
   • Authors should provide details on informed consent of participants when applicable.
3. Conflicts of Interest:
   • Authors must declare any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that may influence the results or interpretation of the study.

Submission Process

1. Manuscript Submission:

1. • Manuscripts should be submitted through the journal's online manuscript management system.
   • Complete all the information required in the submission form.
   • Prepare the paper according to the indications in the Instructions for Authors section and use the format established by the journal.
2. Supplementary Documents:

• • Cover Letter: Including a statement that the manuscript is original and not submitted for consideration in another journal.
  • Manuscript and author information.

Review Process

1. Double Blind Review:
   • All manuscripts will be reviewed using a double-blind process to ensure fairness.
   • Authors must ensure that the manuscript does not contain any information that directly or indirectly identifies them.
2. Reviews and Decisions:

• • Authors will receive comments from reviewers and the editor's decision (acceptance, rejection, major revision, or minor revision).
  • If a revision is requested, authors must respond to all reviewers' comments and submit a revised version of the manuscript.

Publication

1. Final Acceptance:
   • Accepted manuscripts will go through a final proof review prior to publication.
   • Authors will receive proofs for review and must return them with necessary corrections within the specified time frame.
2. Open Access:
   • All articles will be published in open access under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license, allowing free access and distribution of the work, with proper attribution to the authors.

These guidelines will help authors to prepare and submit their manuscripts effectively, ensuring that they adhere to the journal's standards of quality and ethics.