Manuscripts submitted to Spectrum: Journal of Science Education must represent original scholarly work that has not previously been published and is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.

Authors should ensure that:

• The manuscript is relevant to the focus and scope of Spectrum;
• The manuscript contains a clear research problem, research gap, and scholarly contribution;
• The research methodology is scientifically appropriate and sufficiently described;
• The results are presented accurately and supported by appropriate evidence;
• The discussion critically interprets the findings and relates them to relevant literature;
• All sources are properly cited and included in the reference list;
• Research and publication ethics have been observed;
• All listed authors have approved the submitted version of the manuscript.

Spectrum welcomes manuscripts addressing, but not limited to, the following fields:

Original research articles should generally contain the following sections:

The title should clearly represent the content of the study and avoid unnecessary words, uncommon abbreviations, or overly broad statements. Author information should include each author's full name and institutional affiliation. One author should be designated as the corresponding author and provide an active email address for editorial communication.

The abstract should provide a concise and self-contained summary of the study. It should normally include the research problem or background, objective, methodology, principal findings, and conclusion.

Authors should provide 3–5 keywords that accurately represent the principal concepts of the manuscript and facilitate academic discovery.

The Introduction should establish the importance of the research problem and provide sufficient theoretical and empirical background. Authors should critically review relevant literature, identify the research gap, explain the novelty or scholarly contribution, and clearly state the research objectives or research questions.

The Research Method should provide sufficient information to evaluate the validity, reliability, and reproducibility of the study. Where applicable, authors should describe:

• Research design or methodological approach;
• Research setting and context;
• Population, sample, or participants;
• Sampling procedures;
• Research instruments;
• Instrument validity and reliability;
• Data collection procedures;
• Data analysis techniques;
• Ethical procedures and informed consent, where applicable.

The Results section should present the findings clearly, objectively, and logically. Tables and figures may be used when they improve the presentation of the findings, but information should not be unnecessarily duplicated.

The Discussion should explain what the findings mean, why they occurred, how they compare with previous research, and how they contribute to science education. The discussion should demonstrate critical analysis rather than merely repeating the results.

The Conclusion should directly address the research objectives and summarize the principal contribution of the study. Where appropriate, authors should identify educational implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research. The conclusion should not simply repeat the abstract or reproduce the discussion.

• Tables and figures must be numbered consecutively;
• Each table and figure must contain a clear caption;
• Tables and figures should be cited in the manuscript text;
• Figures should have sufficient quality and resolution;
• Tables should contain only information necessary for understanding the results;
• Sources must be acknowledged for reproduced or adapted materials;
• Equations should be prepared using an appropriate equation editor and numbered when referenced in the text.

APA 7th Edition

Citations and references should follow the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th Edition. Authors should prioritize relevant scholarly literature, particularly peer-reviewed journal articles related directly to the research problem.

Authors are strongly encouraged to use reference-management software such as Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote to maintain consistency. Where available, the DOI or stable URL of the reference should be included.

Research involving human participants, including students, teachers, educators, or other individuals, must comply with appropriate ethical standards.

Where applicable, authors should address:

• Informed consent;
• Participant confidentiality and privacy;
• Voluntary participation;
• Institutional or ethical approval;
• Protection of minors and vulnerable participants;
• Responsible management of research data.

Submitted manuscripts must be original. Authors are responsible for ensuring that text, ideas, data, figures, tables, and other materials taken from previous publications are properly quoted, cited, or acknowledged. Spectrum may use similarity-detection software as part of the editorial screening process. Evidence of plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication, falsification, or other serious publication misconduct may result in rejection or appropriate post-publication action.

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made meaningful intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript. All authors should approve the final manuscript and accept responsibility for the integrity of their contribution. Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet authorship criteria may be acknowledged in an appropriate section.

Artificial intelligence tools may be used responsibly to assist manuscript preparation, but AI systems cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, references, interpretations, and integrity of all submitted content. Substantive use of generative AI should be disclosed transparently in accordance with Spectrum's AI Tools Usage Policy.

Before submission, authors should confirm that:

Submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening before being sent for peer review. The Editorial Team may evaluate scope suitability, manuscript structure, academic quality, originality, research ethics, similarity, language quality, and compliance with the journal template. Manuscripts that do not meet the minimum editorial requirements may be returned to the authors for revision or declined before external peer review.

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening are evaluated through a double-blind peer-review process. Reviewers assess the originality, methodology, scientific contribution, clarity, validity of findings, quality of discussion, and relevance of the manuscript to science education. The final publication decision rests with the Editorial Team based on the reviewers' recommendations and the journal's editorial standards.