Author Guidelines

Manuscripts must be prepared using Microsoft Word or PDF (generated from MS Word) and submitted via the International Journal of Community Service and Sustainability (IJoCSS) Online Submission System at https://ijocss-njm.org/ijocss/index.

The manuscript must not exceed 25 pages (A4 size, 1.5 line spacing), including the abstract, figures, tables, and references.

All manuscripts must be written in English, using SI units (Système International d’Unités) for all measurements. Authors must adhere to the following formatting guidelines:

  • Font: Times New Roman, 11 pt

  • Line spacing: 1.5

  • Paragraph spacing: 12 pt after each paragraph

  • Heading spacing: 24 pt before each new section

  • Margins: Top 1.75 cm; Bottom 1.55 cm; Left & Right 3 cm

Figures and tables must be clear, legible, and properly captioned. Equations should be created using Microsoft Equation Editor or MathType, and numbered consecutively at the right margin (e.g., (1), (2), etc.).

References must be formatted in IEEE citation style and managed using tools such as Mendeley, EndNote, or Zotero. At least 80% of the references should come from primary sources (journal articles, conference proceedings, academic books) published within the last five years.

A manuscript template (MS Word) is available for download on the journal’s website.

Title of the Manuscript

The title must be brief, clear, and informative, not exceeding 12 words. It should use Times New Roman, 18 pt, bold, and capitalize the first letter of each word. Avoid the use of abbreviations.

Author Name and Affiliation

Author names must be written without academic degrees. For multiple authors, names should be separated by commas. Single-word names must be written in full.

  • Author name: Times New Roman, 13.5 pt, bold italic, left aligned

  • Affiliation: Department, Faculty, University (Times New Roman, 10 pt, italic)

The corresponding author’s address should be included in the footer on the first page, and must include:
Street, postal code, city, country, and email address.

Abstract and Keywords

The abstract must stand alone (no citations) and clearly state the purpose, methodology, main findings, and conclusions of the study.

  • Format: Times New Roman, 10 pt, single spacing

  • Length: 150–200 words

  • Keywords: 5–10 keywords or phrases, written alphabetically, separated by semicolons (;)

Introduction

The introduction should:

  • Provide sufficient background and context

  • Identify research gaps

  • Summarize state-of-the-art studies

  • Clearly state the novelty and research objectives

Avoid lengthy, author-by-author literature reviews. Instead, synthesize previous studies thematically. Conclude this section with a clear statement of the objectives and the novelty of the work.

Research Method

This section must present the research procedures in detail, including:

  • Research design or development stages

  • Materials, tools, or software used

  • Sampling techniques and data collection methods

  • Measured variables and applied statistical models

Sufficient detail must be provided to ensure reproducibility. Reference established methods; detailed descriptions are only necessary for modifications or new methods.

Results and Discussion

Results should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate data. The discussion must:

  • Interpret the findings scientifically

  • Relate results to research objectives

  • Compare with prior studies

  • Explain similarities/differences

  • Highlight new insights and contributions

Avoid repeating results without analysis.

Conclusion and Future Research

The conclusion must:

  • Address the research objectives

  • Summarize the contribution to knowledge and practice

  • Highlight practical implications

  • Provide suggestions for future research directions

Avoid simply repeating data from the Results section.

Acknowledgments (Optional)

Authors may acknowledge:

  • Individuals or institutions that contributed significantly but do not meet authorship criteria

  • Funding bodies or sponsors

Do not include co-authors in the acknowledgment.

References

All references cited in the text must appear in the References list, and vice versa.

  • Minimum 10 references, at least 80% from primary sources published within the last five years

  • Use IEEE citation style with references numbered in brackets: [1], [2], etc.

Examples:

  • Journal: A. Author, B. Author, "Article title," Journal Name, vol. x, no. x, pp. xx–xx, Year.

  • Book: A. Author, Book Title. Place: Publisher, Year.

  • Conference: A. Author, "Paper title," in Proc. Conference Name, Year, pp. xx–xx.

Footnotes should be used sparingly and must not appear in the abstract or the References section.