Author Guidlines

WRITING AND FORMATTING

All manuscripts must be prepared using the official submission template provided by the journal. Authors are required to strictly follow the structure, formatting settings, and writing conventions defined in the template. Manuscripts that do not comply with the template may be returned to the authors for technical revision prior to the peer-review process.

The manuscript must be written in English, using clear, concise, and academically appropriate language, and must comply with international standards of scholarly writing. Authors are responsible for ensuring consistency in style, terminology, and formatting throughout the manuscript.

Title
The title of the manuscript must be written with a maximum of sixteen (16) words and must not include the year of the research. The title should be concise and informative, omitting terms that are implicit, and where possible, should clearly state the main result, focus, or conclusion presented in the manuscript. Abbreviations, symbols, and uncommon terms should be avoided in the title.

Abstract
The abstract must be written as a single paragraph and structured according to the IMRAD format, as specified in the submission template. The abstract should provide a clear and coherent summary of the study using the following elements:
Introduction: Briefly describe the topic examined in the paper, provide essential background information, and explain why the topic is important. Clearly state the problem or phenomenon under investigation and specify the research question(s) in one concise sentence.
Novelty: Summarize the novelty of the study by explaining what distinguishes the research from existing studies and why the research question has not been adequately addressed previously.
Methods: Outline the research methods and data used in the study. Explain how the research was conducted without unnecessary detail or speculation.
Results: Present the main empirical findings of the study, followed by a brief discussion in one or two sentences.
Conclusion: State the main conclusions and implications of the research. Clearly communicate the key take-home message of the study.
(References, figures, tables, and undefined abbreviations must not be included in the abstract.)

Keywords
Authors are required to provide four (4) keywords immediately after the abstract. Keywords should be separated by semicolons and reflect the core concepts of the manuscript, as formatted in the template:
KEYWORDS: Keyword1; Keyword2; Keyword3; Keyword4

Manuscript Length
The full manuscript should be between 4,000 and 8,000 words, including all sections of the main text. Manuscripts that do not meet the minimum or maximum word count may be returned to authors for revision prior to review.

Manuscript Sections
The main body of the manuscript must be organized into the following sections, in the order specified in the template:

  • Introduction
  • Method
  • Result and Discussion
  • Conclusion

Each section should be written clearly and logically, with appropriate academic headings. Subsections may be used where necessary, provided they remain consistent with the structure defined in the template.

Template Compliance
Authors must use the official submission template and should not modify preset formatting elements, including margins, spacing, font type, font size, and line numbering. The template includes automatic line numbering on the left margin, which must be retained to facilitate tracking and reference during the peer-review and revision stages.

Language Editing
Submitted manuscripts are required to meet international English language standards to be considered for publication. Authors are strongly encouraged to have their manuscripts reviewed for grammar, clarity, and coherence prior to submission. Language editing does not guarantee acceptance, as editorial decisions are based on academic quality and relevance.

Language Style
The default language style is American English. Authors should ensure consistency in spelling, terminology, and punctuation throughout the manuscript. For guidance on writing style, citations, and references, authors are encouraged to consult the APA 7th edition style manual.

 

GUIDELINES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES

The journal is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity, transparency, originality, and accountability in scholarly publishing. The following policy provides guidance on the acceptable and unacceptable use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)–based tools, including but not limited to generative text and language assistance technologies, in the preparation and submission of manuscripts.

The use of AI tools does not diminish the responsibility of authors. Authors remain fully accountable for the accuracy, originality, ethical compliance, and scholarly quality of all content submitted for publication.

Permitted Uses of AI Tools
Authors may use AI-based tools for limited and supportive purposes that do not alter the scientific substance of the manuscript. Permitted uses include:

  • Language editing, grammar correction, and spelling improvement
  • Enhancing sentence clarity, readability, and structure without changing the meaning or interpretation of the content
  • Assisting in organizing outlines or improving the logical flow of an initial draft

The use of AI in these contexts is intended solely to support communication quality and does not replace the author’s intellectual contribution.

Prohibited Uses of AI Tools
The following uses of AI tools are strictly prohibited:

  • Generating substantial portions of the manuscript, including full sections, analyses, interpretations, or conclusions
  • Creating, fabricating, manipulating, or altering research data, results, figures, or tables
  • Producing or inventing citations, references, or bibliographic information
  • Submitting AI-generated content without proper human review, verification, and acknowledgment

Any violation of these provisions may result in manuscript rejection, retraction after publication, or further investigation by the editorial board, in accordance with publication ethics.

Disclosure and Transparency
Any use of AI-based tools must be clearly and transparently disclosed in the manuscript. Authors are required to state:

  • The name of the AI tool used
  • The purpose of its use (e.g., language editing or structural assistance)
  • The section(s) of the manuscript where assistance was applied

This disclosure should be included in the Acknowledgments or Methods section, where appropriate.

Author Responsibilities
Authors are fully responsible for:

  • Ensuring the scientific accuracy, originality, and integrity of the manuscript
  • Verifying that all content, including text assisted by AI tools, is free from plagiarism and factual errors
  • Complying with ethical standards related to authorship, citation, and data reporting
  • Responding transparently to any editorial or reviewer queries regarding the use of AI tools

AI technologies must not be listed as authors or co-authors under any circumstances.

Policy Review and Updates
This AI usage policy will be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect advancements in AI technologies and evolving best practices in scholarly publishing.

The journal supports the responsible and ethical use of AI tools to enhance clarity, accessibility, and communication quality, while preserving the integrity and originality of scientific research.

 

REFERENCES

Preparing and Formatting References
All manuscripts submitted to the journal must be grounded in relevant, credible, and up-to-date peer-reviewed academic literature. The quality, relevance, and rigor of references are considered a critical indicator of the scholarly merit of a manuscript and will be carefully evaluated during the editorial screening and peer-review process.

Authors are expected to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the current state of knowledge in their research area through the selection of appropriate references. Citations should reflect theoretical foundations, empirical developments, and recent advances that directly support the arguments and findings presented in the manuscript.

The journal strongly encourages authors to prioritize primary sources, particularly articles published in reputable international and national peer-reviewed journals. The use of secondary sources should be limited and must not dominate the reference list.

The minimum number of references required is 30, of which at least 80% must consist of journal articles published in reputable academic journals. Authors are advised to ensure that the majority of references originate from recent publications, preferably within the last ten years, unless citing seminal or foundational works that remain highly relevant.

Non-academic sources such as blogs, commercial websites, anonymous publications, or non-peer-reviewed materials should be avoided or kept to an absolute minimum. References that are not directly relevant to the manuscript’s scope, objectives, or contribution should not be included. Excessive self-citation or repeated citation of the same authors, institutions, or schools of thought without strong justification should also be avoided.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all references are accurate, complete, and accessible, including correct author names, publication years, titles, journal names, volume and issue numbers, page ranges, and Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) where available. All works cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and all items in the reference list must be cited in the text.

Reference Style and Management
The bibliography must be prepared using the American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style, 7th edition. Consistency in formatting, punctuation, capitalization, and ordering is mandatory throughout the manuscript.

To ensure accuracy and consistency, authors are strongly recommended to use reference management software, such as Mendeley, when preparing citations and reference lists. Manual referencing is permitted; however, authors remain fully responsible for any formatting or citation errors.

The reference list should be presented in alphabetical order according to the surname of the first author. Each reference entry must conform strictly to APA 7th edition guidelines.

Failure to comply with these reference requirements may result in the manuscript being returned to the authors for revision prior to peer review.

 

SUBMITTING INFORMATION

Choosing Where to Submit
Authors are required to ensure that their manuscripts are submitted to the appropriate journal within the Sinergi Journal platform that best aligns with the scope, focus, and objectives of their research. Submissions that fall outside the journal’s scope may be returned to the authors without external review.

Prior to submission, authors are encouraged to carefully review the journal’s aims and scope, author guidelines, and article types to ensure suitability. Submitting a manuscript to an inappropriate journal may result in delays or rejection during the initial editorial screening stage.

Open Access and Copyright Policy
All articles published by Yayasan Sinergi Kawula Muda are open access and distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0). Under this license, authors retain full copyright of their work while granting the journal the right to publish, distribute, display, store, and reuse the content.

The CC BY license allows others to copy, distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the published work for both commercial and non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the journal as the original publisher.

This license does not apply to third-party materials included in the manuscript that are subject to separate copyright restrictions. Authors are fully responsible for obtaining permission for any copyrighted materials used and for clearly indicating the copyright status of such materials.

Upon submission, authors grant Yayasan Sinergi Kawula Muda a non-exclusive license to publish the manuscript in its journal platform and associated indexing services.

Registration with Sinergi Journal
All corresponding authors and co-authors are required to register with the Sinergi Journal submission system prior to submitting a manuscript. Manuscripts can only be submitted through an active personal account.

Authors must ensure that the email address used during registration is valid and actively monitored, as all editorial correspondence, review notifications, and publication decisions will be communicated through this account.

The manuscript submission process can be accessed through the journal’s official website at the designated submission link.

Authors and Affiliations
Author names must be written clearly and consistently, without academic titles or professional degrees. All authors should be listed in the order agreed upon by the contributing authors and separated by commas.

Each author must provide a complete institutional affiliation, which should include the faculty or department, institution, city or region, and country. Affiliations must be indicated using superscript numbers corresponding to each author’s name.

One author must be designated as the corresponding author and clearly marked with an asterisk (*). The corresponding author is responsible for all communication with the editorial office throughout the submission, review, and publication process.

Example format:
First Author Name¹*, Second Author Name², Third Author Name³
¹ Faculty/Department, Institution Name, City/Region, Country, [email protected]
² Faculty/Department, Institution Name, City/Region, Country, [email protected]
³ Faculty/Department, Institution Name, City/Region, Country, [email protected]
*Corresponding Author: [email protected]; Telephone: +62-xx-xxxx-xxxx
If any author has a change of institutional address, the present address may be listed below the correspondence details using a distinct superscript symbol linked to the relevant author.

Author Responsibility and Submission Integrity
By submitting a manuscript to the journal, all authors confirm that the work is original, has not been previously published, and is not under consideration by another journal. Authors also affirm that all listed authors have made a significant contribution to the research and have approved the final version of the manuscript.

Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy of the content, ethical compliance, proper citation practices, and adherence to publication standards. Any violations of publication ethics, including plagiarism, data fabrication, or unethical authorship practices, may result in rejection, retraction, or further editorial action.