Author Guidelines

Indonesian Journal of Social Issues welcomes original research articles, review articles, conceptual papers, and other scholarly works related to communication science, public administration, public policy, governance, media studies, public services, and related social sciences.

Authors are required to carefully follow the guidelines below before submitting a manuscript.

1. Manuscript Scope

Submitted manuscripts must be relevant to the focus and scope of Journal of Communication Science and Public Administration (JCSPA). The manuscript should provide a clear theoretical, methodological, empirical, or practical contribution to communication science, public administration, governance, public policy, or related fields.

Manuscripts that fall outside the journal's scope may be rejected by the editorial team without proceeding to peer review.

2. Originality and Publication Ethics

Manuscripts submitted to JCSPA must be original and must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal.

Authors must ensure that:

The manuscript is an original work.
The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal.
All sources are properly cited and referenced.
All quotations, ideas, data, tables, figures, and other materials obtained from other sources are appropriately acknowledged.
Any potential conflict of interest is disclosed.
All authors who have made significant contributions to the research are properly included in the author list.

The journal conducts plagiarism and similarity screening on submitted manuscripts.

3. Types of Manuscripts

JCSPA accepts the following types of manuscripts:

Original Research Articles – reports of original empirical or theoretical research.
Review Articles – comprehensive reviews and critical analyses of relevant literature.
Conceptual Articles – theoretical or conceptual discussions that contribute to the development of knowledge in the journal's fields.

4. Manuscript Language

Manuscripts should be written in clear and academically appropriate English. Authors are responsible for ensuring proper grammar, spelling, terminology, and overall language quality.

5. Manuscript Structure

An original research article should generally contain the following sections:

Title
Author Names and Affiliations
Abstract
Keywords
Introduction
Literature Review / Theoretical Framework
Research Method
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Acknowledgments (if applicable)
Conflict of Interest Statement
Funding Statement (if applicable)
References

The structure may be adjusted according to the type and nature of the manuscript.

6. Title

The title should be concise, informative, specific, and accurately reflect the content of the manuscript. Authors should avoid unnecessary abbreviations and overly general statements.

7. Author Information

The manuscript should include:

Full name of each author;
Institutional affiliation;
Department or study program, where applicable;
City and country;
Corresponding author's email address.

The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the editorial office throughout the submission, review, revision, and publication processes.

8. Abstract

The abstract should provide a concise summary of the manuscript and should generally include:

Background or research problem;
Research objective;
Methodology;
Main findings;
Conclusion or implications.

The abstract should be written as a single paragraph and should be sufficiently informative for readers to understand the main contribution of the article.

9. Keywords

Authors should provide 3–6 keywords that accurately represent the main concepts and subjects of the manuscript.

Keywords should be specific and relevant to the article and should avoid unnecessarily broad terms.

10. Introduction

The introduction should establish the research background, identify the research problem or gap, explain the significance of the study, and clearly state the research objectives or questions.

Authors are encouraged to provide relevant and up-to-date references to demonstrate the academic context of the research.

11. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

The literature review should critically discuss relevant previous studies, theories, concepts, and scholarly debates related to the research topic.

Authors should demonstrate how the present study contributes to existing knowledge and clearly identify the research gap addressed by the study.

12. Research Method

The methodology section should provide sufficient information to allow readers to understand and, where appropriate, reproduce the research process.

Depending on the research design, this section may include:

Research approach and design;
Research location and period;
Population and sample or research participants;
Data sources;
Data collection techniques;
Research instruments;
Data analysis techniques;
Validity, reliability, or trustworthiness procedures;
Ethical considerations, where applicable.

13. Results

The results section should present the findings of the research clearly and systematically. Tables, figures, charts, or other relevant visual materials may be used when they improve the presentation and understanding of the findings.

Results should be presented objectively and should not unnecessarily repeat information already presented in tables or figures.

14. Discussion

The discussion should interpret the research findings in relation to the research questions, theoretical framework, and previous studies.

Authors should explain the significance of the findings, similarities or differences with previous research, theoretical implications, practical implications, and limitations where relevant.

15. Conclusion

The conclusion should directly address the research objectives or questions and summarize the principal findings and contributions of the study.

Authors may also include recommendations, implications, or suggestions for future research when appropriate.

16. Tables and Figures

Tables and figures must be relevant to the manuscript and should be clearly numbered and titled.

Authors should:

Refer to every table and figure in the manuscript text;
Use clear and readable titles and captions;
Provide sources for data or materials obtained from other works;
Ensure that figures and tables are of appropriate quality;
Obtain permission for copyrighted materials where necessary.

17. References and Citations

Authors must ensure that every source cited in the manuscript appears in the reference list and that every reference listed is cited in the manuscript.

Authors are encouraged to use recent and relevant scholarly sources, particularly peer-reviewed journal articles.

The journal recommends the use of reference management software such as Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote to maintain consistency in citations and references.

18. Ethical Considerations

Research involving human participants, personal data, or sensitive information should comply with applicable ethical standards and regulations.

Where applicable, authors should provide information regarding ethical approval, informed consent, confidentiality, and protection of research participants.

19. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation.

If no conflict of interest exists, authors should state:

"The authors declare no conflict of interest."

20. Funding

Authors should disclose all sources of financial support received for the research.

If the research received no external funding, authors may state:

"This research received no external funding."

21. Acknowledgments

Authors may acknowledge individuals, institutions, research assistants, funding agencies, or other parties that contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship.

22. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening

All submitted manuscripts are subject to plagiarism and similarity screening.

Manuscripts containing substantial plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other forms of academic misconduct may be rejected or returned to the authors for clarification or revision.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are original and properly cite all sources.

23. Peer Review

JCSPA applies a peer-review process to evaluate the academic quality, originality, relevance, methodology, and contribution of submitted manuscripts.

The editorial team conducts an initial assessment before a manuscript is sent to reviewers. Manuscripts may be rejected at the editorial stage if they are outside the journal's scope, fail to meet basic academic standards, or contain significant ethical or originality concerns.

24. Revision

Authors may be required to revise their manuscripts based on comments and recommendations from reviewers and editors.

Revised manuscripts should be submitted within the period specified by the editorial team and should include appropriate responses to the reviewers' comments.

25. Publication Fee

Any applicable Article Processing Charge (APC) will be communicated transparently by the journal. Authors should not make any payment before receiving an official notification from the journal.

Requests for APC waivers or reductions, where available, will not influence editorial decisions or the peer-review process.

26. Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain copyright of their published work according to the journal's copyright policy and grant JCSPA the right of first publication.

Published articles are made available under the journal's applicable open-access licensing terms.

27. Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted through the official Journal of Communication Science and Public Administration (JCSPA) online submission system.

Before submission, authors should ensure that:

The manuscript follows the journal template and author guidelines;
The manuscript fits the journal's focus and scope;
The manuscript has not been submitted elsewhere;
All authors have approved the final version;
References and citations are complete and consistent;
Tables and figures are properly prepared;
Plagiarism and ethical requirements have been addressed.

Authors are encouraged to carefully review the manuscript before submission to avoid delays in the editorial and peer-review process.

28. Editorial Contact

For questions regarding manuscript preparation, submission, peer review, publication ethics, or other editorial matters, authors may contact the editorial office of the Indonesian Journal of Social Issues through the contact information provided on the journal's official website.