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Athena Journal for High School Research logo – international peer-reviewed student research journal

Submission GUIDELINES

This guide describes how to prepare manuscripts for submissions. We recommend you read and implement this in full before submitting a contribution to Athena Journal for Student Research. 

Manuscript Categories

Research Articles

Presents original research. Manuscripts must include an abstract, an introduction, a conclusion, a maximum of 20 figures and tables, and upto 35 references. Materials and methods, results, discussion, and other sections must be included.

Review Articles

Must present a comprehensive, novel, and insightful analysis of a field, carefully analyzing key research. Manuscripts must include an abstract, an introduction, background, advances, outlook, and a conclusion. A maximum of 70 references and 8 figures and tables can be included.

We will also consider the following article manuscript categories - 

 

  1. Perspectives : Highlights recent, exciting research and emerging themes that are of general interest but do not primarily discuss the author's own work. These articles provide a broader context for new developments in the field and often synthesize multiple studies to offer insights into future research directions.
     

  2. Policy : Presents issues that have public policy implications. These articles analyze the potential impact of recent findings on legislation, regulations, or societal practices.
     

  3. Editorials : Expresses a compelling opinion on a broadly interesting topic. With rare exceptions, they are solicited by the editors. Editorials often address timely issues in the field, professional ethics, or the wider community. They are typically brief and written in an accessible style to engage a wide audience.
     

  4. Opinions : Presents the author's viewpoint on a specific topic, often controversial or debatable, supported by evidence and reasoning. These articles encourage discourse and may challenge conventional wisdom or propose new interpretations of existing information. Opinion pieces are expected to stimulate discussion and sometimes lead to new directions in thinking or practice.
     

  5. Technical Comments : Offers brief, substantive criticism or clarification of a recently published article, typically including new data or analysis. These comments serve as a form of post-publication review, offering alternative interpretations, or providing additional supporting evidence.
     

  6. Letters : Short communications that present concise observations, brief reports, or comments on previously published articles or current issues in the field. Letters are an important medium for rapid communication of preliminary findings, unusual observations, or timely responses to recent publications.

General Formatting Guidelines

American English must be used. 12 point Times New Roman must be used for all paragraph text. Use bold 14 point Times New Roman for main section headers. Subsection headers should be in 12 point italic Times New Roman. 

 

There is a 14 page limit for research papers and an 8 page limit for articles. Any requests for longer manuscripts must be submitted via email.

 

For in-text citations, use superscript numbers¹ that correspond to numbered references at the end of the document. Number citations consecutively in the order they appear in the text. Place citation numbers after punctuation marks. Number figures and tables consecutively, with captions below figures and above tables. Define abbreviations at first use. Use footnotes sparingly, if at all, placing them at the page bottom separated by a short line.

Content Guidelines

All research submissions must have the following sections in this order:

 

  1. Title

  2. Authors and affiliations

  3. Abstract 

  4. Introduction

  5. Materials and Methodology (Background for review papers)

  6. Results (Advances for review papers)

  7. Discussion (Outlook for review papers)

  8. Conclusion

  9. Acknowledgements

  10. References

 

Title

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For the title of a research paper, keep it concise, ideally under 12 words, while ensuring it clearly reflects the main topic or findings of your research. The title should be specific about your research subject, including key variables or relationships studied, but avoid being overly technical. 

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Make it engaging using strong, active words that capture the essence of your work, while maintaining professionalism. Include important keywords to improve discoverability. Generally, phrase the title as a description rather than a question or declarative statement. Capitalize the first letter of all major words, using sentence case for scientific names of species. If necessary, use a colon to separate the main title from a subtitle that provides additional context. 

 

Authors and Affiliations

 

List all authors' full names and institutional affiliations. The corresponding author should be indicated with an asterisk and their contact information (email address) provided. Authors' names should be written as First Name Middle Initial(s) Last Name (e.g., John A. Smith).

 

Affiliations should include the department, institution, city, and country. If authors have multiple affiliations, use superscript numbers to link authors to their respective institutions. List authors in order of their contribution to the work, with the primary author first.

 

Abstract

 

Provide a concise summary of your research, typically between 150-300 words.The abstract should clearly state the purpose of the research, principal results, and major conclusions. It should be self-contained, without abbreviations, footnotes, or references. Include your research question or hypothesis, methodology, key findings, and the significance of your results.

 

Use active voice and past tense for completed actions. Avoid using first-person pronouns. Include 3-5 keywords or phrases below the abstract to aid in indexing. The abstract should be able to stand alone and give readers a clear idea of your study without having to read the entire paper.

 

Introduction

 

Begin with a broad context of the research topic, gradually narrowing to your specific research question. Clearly state the problem or gap in knowledge that your study addresses. Provide a brief overview of relevant literature, highlighting the current state of understanding in the field. 

 

Explain the rationale for your study and its potential significance. Clearly state your research objectives, hypotheses, or questions. Briefly outline your approach and methodology. End with a concise statement of your paper's structure. Keep the introduction focused and engaging, typically 3-5 paragraphs or 10-15% of the total paper length. Use present tense for established facts and past tense for specific previous findings.

 

Materials and Methodology

 

Provide enough detail for others to replicate your study. Organize this section chronologically or by type of experiment. Describe your study design, including controls and variables. Specify all materials, equipment, and software used, including manufacturer details where relevant. 

 

Explain participant selection and characteristics for human or animal studies. Detail all procedures and techniques employed. Describe data collection methods and any statistical analyses performed. If using established methods, cite the relevant papers and only describe modifications. For new methods, provide a complete description. Use past tense to describe what you did. Include any ethical approvals obtained. Be concise but thorough, avoiding unnecessary detail.

 

Background (For Review Papers)

 

Provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge in the field. Start with a broad introduction to the topic and its importance. Organize the background thematically or chronologically, covering major developments and theories. Highlight key studies, consensus views, and areas of controversy or debate.

 

Discuss methodological approaches used in the field. Identify gaps in current knowledge or understanding. Use subheadings to structure this section clearly. Critically evaluate the literature, not just summarize it. Maintain an objective tone, presenting various viewpoints fairly. End with a clear rationale for your review and its potential contributions to the field. Use a mix of present tense for established facts and past tense for specific studies' findings.

 

Results

 

Present your findings objectively without interpretation. Organize data logically, typically in the same order as your methods. Use clear, concise language and past tense for describing what you found. Include only relevant data that directly address your research questions or hypotheses. Present statistical analyses where appropriate, including p-values and confidence intervals. 

 

Use tables and figures to summarize complex data, but don't duplicate information in text and graphics. Describe the main features of each figure or table in the text. 

 

For each major result, briefly state the method used, the result obtained, and its statistical significance. Highlight unexpected findings or trends without speculating on their meaning. Use subheadings to separate different experiments or aspects of your study if necessary.

 

Advances (For Review Papers)

 

Discuss recent significant developments in the field, typically within the last 3-5 years. Organize this section thematically, focusing on major breakthroughs or shifts in understanding.

 

Critically analyze new methodologies, theories, or findings that have impacted the field. Compare and contrast different approaches or competing theories. Highlight how recent advances have addressed previous gaps or challenges in the field. 

 

Discuss the implications of these advances for both theory and practice. Use a combination of present tense for established knowledge and past tense for specific studies. Include relevant figures or tables to illustrate key points. End each subsection with a brief summary of its significance to the overall field.

 

Discussion 

 

Interpret your results in the context of your original research questions and hypotheses. Begin with a brief summary of your main findings. Explain how your results support or contradict your initial predictions. Compare your findings with those of previous studies, explaining similarities and differences. 

 

Discuss the broader implications of your results for the field. Address any unexpected results and propose possible explanations. Acknowledge the limitations of your study and suggest how they might be addressed in future research. Avoid introducing new data not presented in the Results section. 

Use present tense for general conclusions and past tense for specific results. End with a concise conclusion that ties back to your introduction and highlights the main take-away points.

 

Outlook (For Review Papers)

 

Discuss future directions and potential developments in the field. Identify key questions or challenges that remain unanswered. Suggest promising areas for future research or methodological improvements. Discuss potential applications of recent advances. 

 

Consider how emerging technologies or approaches might impact the field. Speculate on possible paradigm shifts or major breakthroughs that could occur. 

 

Discuss any societal, ethical, or policy implications of future developments. Use a balanced approach, acknowledging both the potential and limitations of future directions. 

 

End with a compelling statement about the future importance and potential impact of the field. Use future tense for predictions and present tense for current trends or ongoing work.

 

Conclusion

 

Summarize the main findings of your study or review, emphasizing their significance and broader implications. Restate your research questions or objectives and how your results address them.

 

Highlight the most important contributions of your work to the field. Discuss any limitations of your study that may affect the interpretation of your results. Suggest potential applications of your findings and directions for future research. 

 

Avoid introducing new data or arguments not previously discussed.
 

End with a strong closing statement that reinforces the importance of your work. Keep the conclusion concise, typically 1-2 paragraphs for research papers or 3-4 paragraphs for review papers. Use present tense for general conclusions and past tense for specific findings.

Acknowledgements

 

Briefly recognize individuals, organizations, or funding bodies that contributed to your work but are not listed as authors. Thank those who provided technical assistance, materials, or facilities. Acknowledge any financial support, including grant numbers. Mention anyone who provided critical feedback on manuscript drafts. Keep this section concise and professional. Use full names and titles where appropriate. Obtain permission from individuals before including them. Follow any specific guidelines provided by your funding bodies or institution. Place this section after the main text but before the references.


References

 

For in-text citations, use superscript numbers¹ that correspond to numbered references at the end of the document. Number citations consecutively in the order they appear in the text. Place citation numbers after punctuation marks. In the reference list, format entries according to APA style, but number them to correspond with the in-text superscripts instead of using the author-date format. List references in numerical order, not alphabetically. For journal articles, include authors, year, title, journal name (italicized), volume (italicized), issue (in parentheses), and page numbers. For books, include authors, year, title (italicized), publisher, and DOI if available.

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