Author Guidelines

By submitting a manuscript to MATCHA: Journal of Modern Approaches to Communication, Humanities, and Academia, authors confirm the following:

- The submission is original, free from plagiarism (in terms of text, data, and figures).

- The submission has not been published elsewhere and is not under consideration by another journal.

- All co-authors and relevant authorities (such as institutions or sponsors) have approved the submission.

- The manuscript has been written in clear English, free of grammatical errors. It is strongly recommended to submit the manuscript in English. The manuscript has been proofread using tools like Grammarly and, if possible, reviewed by a language editor.

Submission Guidelines:

Submissions must be made through the journal's online system. There are no strict formatting requirements for the initial submission, as long as the article follows the journal’s structure guidelines. Manuscripts that advance to the revision stage will need to be properly formatted as per the journal’s instructions. This approach helps authors focus on the scientific content and speeds up the processing time.

Author Registration:

Authors without an existing account on the MATCHA: Journal of Modern Approaches to Communication, Humanities, and Academia platform must create one. Ensure the “Author” role is selected from the Role dropdown; otherwise, the submission cannot proceed.

Author Data:

During submission, authors must provide complete and accurate author details, including full affiliations as they appear in the manuscript.

Manuscript Metadata:

Ensure that the manuscript includes:

- Title: Entered in sentence case.

- Abstract: Pasted into the appropriate field, ensuring formatting consistency.

- Keywords: Provide up to six keywords/phrases separated by semicolons.

- References: Follow APA 7th edition format with journal names written in full and individual references separated by a blank line.

Cover Letter:

A brief cover letter should accompany the submission, highlighting the study's significance, novelty, and relevance to the journal's audience. Authors may optionally recommend two potential reviewers from different institutions with whom there is no conflict of interest.

Manuscript Structure:

1. Title Page: Includes the manuscript title, author names, affiliations, and corresponding email address.
2. Appendix: Supplemental files such as questionnaires or supporting data, not exceeding three pages.

Sections:

- Title

Concise, informative, and reflective of the main topic or findings; maximum 16 words.

- Affiliation

Provide the full postal address for each author’s institutional affiliation, including department, institution, street, city, postal code, and country.

- Abstract

A single paragraph of no more than 200 words. Summarize the study’s background, objectives, methodology, key findings, and conclusions. Avoid abbreviations, acronyms, and citations.

- Keywords

Up to six keywords, listed alphabetically and separated by semicolons. Keywords should reflect the core themes or concepts of the study.

- Introduction

Introduce the research topic and its significance. Explain the broader context, clearly outline the problem being addressed, and state the objectives of the study. Mention any societal, theoretical, or practical challenges and needs the research addresses.

- Literature Review

Summarize and critically assess existing research relevant to your study. Identify gaps, inconsistencies, or limitations in previous studies that justify the need for your research. Highlight how your study builds upon or diverges from existing literature.

- Method

Describe the research design, data collection, and analytical procedures in sufficient detail to allow replication. Mention any modifications to established methods and justify methodological choices. Ensure ethical considerations and approvals are addressed if applicable.

- Findings/Results

Objectively present the results of the study. Use clear text supported by appropriate tables and figures. Avoid interpretation, speculation, or discussion in this section.

- Discussion

Interpret and contextualize the findings. Discuss how the results align or contrast with previous studies. Highlight the implications, significance, and potential applications. Address any limitations and propose directions for future research.

- Conclusion

Summarize the main findings and their importance. Reinforce how the study addresses the research question or problem. This section can be standalone or integrated into the discussion.

- Acknowledgments

Recognize any non-author contributions, institutional support, or funding sources that supported the research.

- References

List all sources in APA 7th Edition format. Arrange entries alphabetically by the first author's last name. Include 10–40 references, with at least 70% from peer-reviewed journal articles and 30% from books. Prioritize recent and relevant sources.

Review Process:

Manuscripts are rigorously reviewed to ensure they fit the journal’s scope and meet quality standards.

- Desk Review: The manuscript is checked for basic requirements, including word count, reference reliability, and plagiarism (using Turnitin).

- Initial Evaluation: If the manuscript passes the desk review, it undergoes a double-blind peer-review process.

- Single-Blind Peer Review: If accepted, the manuscript is reviewed by an expert, with a decision based on originality, methodology, ethics, scientific analysis, and proper referencing.

- First Decision: Based on the review, the manuscript can be (1) rejected, (2) revised (major/minor), (3) accepted, or (4) recommended for resubmission.

- Final Decision: The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision, based on the peer review and editorial feedback.

 

Language Editing:

While language editing is not part of the review process, authors are encouraged to seek professional editing services to improve manuscript clarity. The journal also offers optional language editing and translation services at an additional cost.

Finalization and Publication:

Once accepted, the manuscript undergoes copyediting and proofreading before typesetting. Authors must approve the final version before it is published.

Manuscript Processing Time:

Review time depends on the referees' responsiveness. In cases of delays, additional expert opinions may be sought.