Author and Manuscript Guidelines

Authors are required to carefully follow the journal’s submission and formatting regulations. Manuscripts that do not comply with these requirements may be returned for revision or declined prior to the peer-review process. All submissions must be made through the journal’s online submission system.

Every submitted manuscript will undergo a similarity check using plagiarism-detection software. Authors must submit their manuscript together with a Turnitin plagiarism report. Reports from other plagiarism-checking tools will not be accepted. Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 20% will not proceed to the review process and must be revised accordingly before resubmission.

General Requirements

• Manuscripts must be original, research-based articles that have not been published or submitted elsewhere.
• All manuscripts must be written in English and prepared using Microsoft Word (DOC/DOCX).
• The recommended length of the manuscript is 4,000–6,000 words, excluding the abstract, references, and appendices.
• The manuscript must be typed using Times New Roman, 12 pt, except for the title.
• Line spacing must be Multiple 1.15, Before 0 cm, After 0 cm.
• Paper size must be A4.
• Margins must be Left 3 cm, Top 3 cm, Right 2 cm, and Bottom 2 cm.
• Authors are encouraged to ensure linguistic accuracy by using proofreading tools and, where possible, professional language editing services.
• All references and citations must follow APA 7th Edition and be managed using reference software such as Mendeley or Zotero.

Manuscript Structure

The manuscript should be arranged in the following order:

Title

The title should clearly reflect the research focus and originality of the study. It must be concise, informative, and avoid uncommon abbreviations.

• Font: Times New Roman, 14 pt, Bold
• Alignment: Centered

Abstract

The abstract should provide a concise overview of the study and must not exceed 250 words. It should include the background and research gap, research objectives, methodology, key findings, and research implications. The abstract must be written as one paragraph, without citations, using clear and accessible language.

Keywords

A minimum of three and a maximum of five keywords are required. Keywords should be written in lowercase, except proper nouns, arranged alphabetically, and separated by commas.

Introduction

The introduction section serves to establish the foundation and scholarly context of the study. It should begin by outlining the background of the research, explaining the relevance of the topic, and situating the study within its academic and practical contexts.

This section must integrate a critical overview of recent and relevant literature, including key theories, concepts, and findings from previous studies, to demonstrate the current state of knowledge in the field. Through this integrated discussion, authors are expected to clearly articulate the research gap, showing how existing studies are limited, inconclusive, or underexplored, and how the present research addresses these shortcomings.

The introduction should also emphasize the original contribution and significance of the study in relation to prior research. At the end of the section, the research objectives and/or research questions must be stated explicitly and coherently. The introduction should account for approximately 15–20% of the total manuscript length.

Method

The method section explains how the study was conducted and should include:

• Research design
• Participants or data sources
• Instruments
• Data collection procedures
• Data analysis techniques

This section should be sufficiently detailed to allow replication and should represent 10–15% of the total article length.

Results

The results section reports findings derived from data analysis. Results should directly address the research questions or hypotheses, be presented objectively, and be supported by tables or figures where necessary. Excessive interpretation should be avoided in this section.

Discussion

The discussion interprets the findings and explains their significance. Authors should relate results to the research questions, compare findings with previous studies, explain similarities and differences, and discuss theoretical and practical implications.

The results and discussion sections together should constitute 40–60% of the manuscript.

Conclusion

The conclusion should restate the research objectives, summarize major findings, highlight contributions and implications, acknowledge limitations, and provide recommendations for future research and practice. Authors should avoid repeating sentences from the abstract or results.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments may be included when necessary.

Funding Statement

A funding statement should be included when applicable.

References

All sources cited in the manuscript must be listed in the references section. A minimum of 30 references is required, with at least 75% of them published within the last five years. Citations and references must follow APA 7th Edition guidelines. The use of reference management tools such as Mendeley or Zotero is mandatory.

References must:

• Appear alphabetically
• Use hanging indentation
• Be single-spaced
• Include DOI or URL when available

Reference Examples

Journal Article with DOI

Adinlou, N. A., & Far, L. M. (2014). Self-efficacy and writing strategy use among EFL learners. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 3(4), 221–227. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.3n.4p.221

Journal Article without DOI

Brecht, H. D. (2012). Learning from online video lectures. Journal of Information Technology Education, 11, 227–250. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ990981

Book

Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum development in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Thesis

Harris, L. (2014). Instructional leadership perceptions and practices of elementary school leaders (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Virginia.

Appendices

Appendices may be included when necessary.

Heading Formats

• Heading 1: Bold, Centered, Title Case
• Heading 2: Bold, Left-Aligned, Title Case
• Heading 3: Bold Italic, Left-Aligned, Title Case
• Heading 4: Italic, indented, sentence case, ending with a period. Text continues on the same line.

Table and Figure Formatting

Tables

• Table number must be written in bold, for example: Table 1.
• Table title must be italicized and centered.
• Use horizontal lines only: top, header, and bottom.
• Vertical lines are not permitted.
• Font size: 10 pt.
• Line spacing: single-spaced within the table.

Figures

• Figure number must be written in bold, for example: Figure 1.
• Figure title must be italicized and placed below the figure.
• Figures should be clear and readable in grayscale.

In-Text Citation Examples

One author

Richards (2001) argues that language curricula should be context-sensitive.

Language learning requires systematic planning (Richards, 2001).

Two authors

Taylor and Bogdan (1984) emphasize qualitative inquiry.

(Taylor & Bogdan, 1984)

Three or more authors

Davies et al. (2011) highlight the importance of needs analysis.

(Davies et al., 2011)

Submission Process

1. Authors must register and log in to the journal’s OJS platform.
2. Select New Submission and follow the submission steps.
3. Upload an anonymized manuscript file for blind review.
4. Complete all required metadata accurately.
5. Confirm and submit the manuscript.

Peer Review Process

VISTARA applies a double-blind peer-review process in which both authors’ and reviewers’ identities are concealed. Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.

The review process includes initial editorial screening, peer review, revision if required, and a final decision by the editor. Editorial decisions are based on originality, relevance, methodological rigor, theoretical contribution, and clarity of presentation.

Copyright Notice

Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the journal the right of first publication. Articles are published under an open-access license that permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Privacy Statement

Names and email addresses entered in the journal system will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of the journal and will not be shared with any other party.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

VISTARA is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. Authors must ensure originality, proper citation of sources, and avoidance of plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, and redundant publication.

Editors and reviewers are expected to maintain confidentiality, objectivity, and fairness throughout the review process. Ethical issues or allegations of misconduct will be handled according to established academic publishing standards.