AUTHOR GUIDELINES

KOMUNITAS: Jurnal Ilmu Sosiologi (Community: Journal of Sociology), published by Universitas Pattimura, invites original scholarly articles that contribute to the advancement of sociology and the understanding of social phenomena. The journal accepts manuscripts written in Indonesian or English and prioritizes research and development articles relevant to sociological theory, social institutions, community life, culture, social change, social inequality, social movements, development, and other topics within the scope of sociology.

Authors are required to prepare their manuscripts in accordance with the following guidelines and the official article template provided by the journal. Manuscripts that do not meet these requirements may be returned to the authors for technical revision before further editorial consideration.

1. Types of Manuscripts

The journal primarily publishes original research and development articles that contribute to sociological scholarship. Submissions must demonstrate originality, academic relevance, a clear research problem, appropriate methods or theoretical reasoning, and a meaningful contribution to the field of sociology.

2. Language Policy

Manuscripts may be written in either Indonesian or English.

• Manuscripts written in Indonesian must follow the spelling, punctuation, and writing conventions of the Fifth Edition of Enhanced Indonesian Spelling (Ejaan Yang Disempurnakan or EYD V), published by the Indonesian Language Agency.
• Manuscripts written in English must follow internationally recognized standards of academic English, including appropriate grammar, spelling, punctuation, and scholarly terminology.
• Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are linguistically clear, consistent, and suitable for academic publication.

3. General Manuscript Requirements

All manuscripts must comply with the following requirements:

• The manuscript must contain a minimum of 4,000 words and a maximum of 8,000 words.
• The manuscript must be prepared using Microsoft Word in an editable .doc or .docx format.
• The paper size must be A4.
• The main text must use Calibri font, 12-point size, with 1.15 line spacing.
• The manuscript must be original, must not have been previously published in another publication, and must not be under consideration by another journal at the same time.
• All sources, quotations, data, tables, figures, and other materials taken from external works must be properly acknowledged.
• The manuscript must follow the article structure, citation style, reference requirements, and other formatting instructions described below.

4. Article Title

The article title must be concise, informative, engaging, and representative of the manuscript's central subject.

• The title must not exceed 14 words.
• The title must accurately describe the content and main focus of the article.
• The title must not begin with the words “Study,” “Research,” “Analysis,” or “Development.”
• Authors should avoid unnecessary abbreviations, overly broad expressions, and wording that does not communicate the article's main contribution.

5. Author Names and Affiliations

All authors must be identified accurately in the manuscript and in the journal's online submission system.

• Provide the full name of each author.
• Provide each author's institutional affiliation, including the institution's name, address, city, postal code, and country.
• Use numbered superscripts to connect each author with the appropriate affiliation when multiple authors or institutions are involved.
• Identify one corresponding author who will communicate with the editorial team throughout the editorial and publication process.
• Provide one active correspondence email address and a reachable telephone or WhatsApp number for editorial communication. The telephone number is for editorial contact and will not be displayed in the published article, in accordance with the journal template.

Author names, affiliations, and corresponding author information must be consistent across the manuscript and the submission metadata.

6. Abstract

Each manuscript must include an abstract of 150–200 words. The abstract should provide a concise but comprehensive account of the article and should be understandable independently of the main text.

The abstract must cover the following elements, as appropriate to the article:

• The research objective or purpose.
• The methodology, research approach, or analytical framework.
• The principal findings or central argument.
• The conclusion or implications of the article.
• The originality or contribution of the work to sociology.

The abstract must be written as a single, coherent paragraph using Calibri 10-point font and single line spacing. It must not contain subheadings, bullet points, footnotes, mathematical equations, or formulas. References and citations should not be included in the abstract. Non-standard abbreviations should be avoided; if an abbreviation is essential, it must be defined at first use.

7. Keywords

Authors must provide 3–5 keywords or keyword phrases that represent the main topics and concepts of the article.

• Keywords must be selected according to their relevance to the manuscript's content.
• Keywords should be arranged in descending order of relevance.
• Single words or multi-word phrases may be used.
• Abbreviations must not be used as keywords.
• Authors should select terms that can help readers discover the article through academic search and indexing systems.

8. Article Information and Publication Metadata

The journal template includes an article information area for editorial and publication metadata, such as the manuscript receipt date, final revision date, approval date, online access date, and publication date. These fields are normally completed or verified by the editorial team during the publication process. Authors should not independently insert unconfirmed dates, volume numbers, issue numbers, page ranges, or DOI information.

9. Required Article Structure

Authors should organize research articles according to the structure below. The exact organization may be adapted where necessary to suit the research design, provided that the manuscript remains consistent with the journal template.

9.1. Introduction

The Introduction should establish the context and significance of the research. It should include the research background, the problem or research gap, the research questions or problem formulation, the research objectives, the anticipated contribution or benefits, and relevant theoretical studies and previous research findings.

The section should explain how the article relates to existing sociological scholarship and conclude by presenting the research framework or the logical direction of the study. The Introduction should account for approximately 25% of the total manuscript length.

9.2. Research Method

The Research Method section must explain how the study was conducted and how the research objectives were addressed. Depending on the research design, this section should describe:

• The research approach and design.
• The variables, concepts, or analytical categories used, where applicable.
• The data required and the sources from which the data were obtained.
• The selection of research participants, cases, documents, or other data sources, where applicable.
• The data collection procedures and instruments.
• The methods used to process, analyze, and interpret the data.
• The rationale for selecting the research methods and their application in the study.
• Relevant research limitations, where appropriate.

The method must be described clearly enough for readers to understand the basis of the findings and assess the appropriateness of the research procedures. This section should account for approximately 10% of the total manuscript length.

9.3. Results and Discussion

This section presents the principal research findings and explains their significance in relation to the research questions, objectives, theoretical framework, and relevant literature. Authors should not merely describe the data; they must analyze, interpret, and discuss the findings in a manner that demonstrates their sociological significance.

Where a study has multiple research objectives, the presentation of results should be organized consistently with the stated problems and objectives. Subheadings may be used to improve the organization and readability of the discussion.

The Results and Discussion section should account for approximately 50–60% of the manuscript length, in accordance with the journal template.

9.4. Conclusion

The Conclusion must directly answer the research objectives or questions. It should present the principal conclusions derived from the analysis and discussion rather than simply repeat the results section.

The conclusion must be written in paragraph form, not as a bullet-point list or numbered list. Claims in this section must be supported by the findings and discussion presented in the article. The section should account for approximately 5–15% of the total manuscript length.

9.5. Ethical Statement and Disclosure

Every manuscript must include an Ethical Statement and Disclosure section that accurately reports relevant ethical considerations and declarations. Depending on the nature of the study, the statement should address:

• Research ethics and any applicable ethics approval.
• Informed consent and the protection of research participants, where applicable.
• Confidentiality, privacy, and the protection of sensitive information.
• Funding sources or a declaration that no external funding was received.
• Conflicts of interest or a declaration that no conflict of interest exists.
• The use of artificial intelligence tools, where applicable.
• Acknowledgments of relevant contributions, where appropriate.

Authors must adapt this statement to the actual circumstances of their research. Declarations must be truthful and must not be copied from the template as factual statements if they do not accurately describe the study.

9.6. References

The References section must list all sources cited in the manuscript and comply with the American Psychological Association (APA) Style, 7th edition. Authors are encouraged to use reference management software, such as Mendeley, Zotero, RefWorks, or EndNote, to maintain accuracy and consistency.

10. Citation and Reference Requirements

All manuscripts must comply with the following reference requirements:

• The manuscript must contain at least 20 references.
• At least 80% of the references must be primary sources, such as articles published in scholarly journals, dissertations, and theses.
• Other sources, such as books, newspapers, and magazines, should account for no more than 20% of the reference list.
• At least 80% of the cited references must have been published within the last 10 years.
• References published more than 10 years ago should account for no more than 20% of the reference list. Older foundational works may be included where justified, including for historical research.
• Wikipedia, personal blogs, and non-scholarly websites must not be used as references.
• Authors should prioritize relevant, credible, and up-to-date scholarly literature.

Every in-text citation must correspond to a reference-list entry, and every reference-list entry must be cited in the text. Authors must verify the accuracy of author names, publication years, titles, journal names, volume and issue numbers, page ranges, and DOI information where available.

11. APA Style 7th Edition: In-Text Citations

Authors must use APA Style, 7th edition, consistently throughout the manuscript. Examples of in-text citations include:

• One author, parenthetical citation: (Afdhal, 2023).
• One author, narrative citation: Afdhal (2024) explains that ...
• Two authors: (Murwani & Afdhal, 2023).
• Three or more authors: (Afdhal et al., 2023).

These examples are illustrative. Authors should consult the current APA Style, 7th edition, rules when formatting citations for different source types and author combinations.

12. Direct Quotations

Direct quotations must reproduce the source accurately and include an appropriate citation. Page numbers or other relevant location information should be provided where available and required by APA style.

Short quotations: Short quotations should be incorporated into the sentence and enclosed in quotation marks. For example:

“Quoted text from the source” (Author, Year, p. 21).

Long quotations: Quotations longer than four lines should be presented as a separate, indented block without quotation marks, following the formatting instructions in the journal template. The template specifies Calibri 10-point font and single line spacing for block quotations. The citation should appear after the closing punctuation.

All quotations must be accompanied by accurate citations. Authors should avoid excessive quotation and ensure that quotations support the scholarly argument of the article.

13. Tables

Tables must be clear, readable, and editable. Authors must follow these requirements:

• Number tables consecutively using Arabic numerals, such as Table 1, Table 2, and so forth.
• Place the table title above the table.
• Provide the source below the table when the data or material is derived from an external source.
• Do not insert tables as images. Tables must remain editable in the Word document.
• Avoid vertical lines. The journal template specifies horizontal lines at the top and bottom of the table.
• Keep each table together on one page where possible. A table should not be split across pages; if necessary, position it at the bottom of the relevant page.
• Ensure that table text follows the language used in the manuscript.
• Refer to each table in the main text and explain its significance through analysis rather than simply repeating the information it contains.

Example:

Table 1. Table Title

Source: Author or Source, Year of Publication.

14. Figures, Graphs, Maps, and Photographs

Figures and other visual materials must support the presentation and interpretation of the research findings.

• Number figures consecutively using Arabic numerals.
• Place the figure title or caption below the figure, following the journal template.
• Provide the source below the figure when the material is derived from an external source.
• Ensure that figures are legible and suitable for online publication.
• Use the language of the manuscript for text appearing in tables, graphs, and figures where practicable.
• Explain the relevance of each figure in the main text.
• Obtain permission for copyrighted visual materials where permission is required and provide appropriate attribution.

Example:

Figure 1. Figure Title

Source: Author or Source, Year of Publication.

15. Similarity Checking and Plagiarism

Manuscripts must be original and must not contain plagiarism, fabricated data, falsified findings, or other forms of research misconduct. Authors must appropriately acknowledge the ideas, words, data, and materials of other researchers.

According to the journal template, the editorial team uses Turnitin for similarity checking, with a stated tolerance limit of 20%. Similarity reports are considered as part of the editorial assessment, and authors must ensure that quotations, paraphrases, and references are properly attributed. A similarity score alone does not replace an assessment of the nature and context of any matching text.

Manuscripts that fail to meet the journal's originality and publication ethics requirements may be returned for correction, rejected, or handled in accordance with the journal's applicable publication ethics policies.

16. Research Ethics and Integrity

Authors are responsible for conducting research in accordance with applicable ethical standards and relevant institutional and legal requirements.

• Research involving human participants must respect informed consent, confidentiality, privacy, and participant welfare, as applicable.
• Research involving vulnerable participants or sensitive information must include appropriate safeguards.
• Data, methods, and findings must be reported honestly and accurately.
• Any required research ethics approval must be disclosed accurately.
• Authors must disclose relevant funding and conflicts of interest.
• Authors must not fabricate, falsify, manipulate, or misrepresent research data or results.

17. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors must disclose the use of artificial intelligence tools where relevant to manuscript preparation or the research process, in accordance with the journal's applicable policies. Any disclosure must accurately describe the tool used and the purpose of its use.

AI tools must not be listed as authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the manuscript's content, including the accuracy of statements, data interpretations, citations, and references. AI-generated information must be verified, and AI tools must not be used to fabricate data, invent references, conceal plagiarism, or misrepresent research procedures.

Where AI has been used for technical writing assistance or language editing, authors should disclose that use in the Ethical Statement and Disclosure section as appropriate. Authors must also ensure that AI use does not violate confidentiality, privacy, copyright, or research ethics requirements.

18. Authorship and Corresponding Author Responsibilities

All listed authors must have made a meaningful scholarly contribution to the work and must approve the final manuscript. The corresponding author is responsible for coordinating communication with the journal and confirming that all co-authors agree to the submission.

Authors must ensure that authorship information is accurate and that no person who qualifies for authorship is improperly omitted. Any proposed change to the author list after submission must be explained and is subject to editorial consideration and the agreement of the affected authors.

19. Peer Review and Editorial Decisions

Manuscripts are subject to an initial editorial assessment to determine their relevance to the journal's scope, originality, completeness, and compliance with the submission guidelines. Manuscripts that pass the initial assessment may proceed to the journal's double-blind peer review process, normally involving at least two reviewers.

Authors may be required to revise their manuscripts in response to reviewer and editor comments. A revision request does not guarantee acceptance. The final editorial decision is based on the manuscript's scholarly quality, its contribution to sociology, the review reports, and the editor's independent judgment.

Authors should respond to revision requests carefully and provide a point-by-point explanation of how the comments have been addressed. Revised manuscripts must be submitted within the deadline communicated by the editorial team.

20. Copyright and Open Access

Authors should consult the journal's Copyright and License Policy for the applicable provisions on copyright ownership, licensing, and the rights associated with published articles. Authors are responsible for obtaining any permissions required for third-party materials included in their manuscripts.

The journal provides open access to its published articles in accordance with its Open Access Policy. Authors should review the journal's stated license terms and ensure that their submissions comply with the applicable copyright and licensing requirements.

21. Author Fees and Article Processing Charges

KOMUNITAS: Jurnal Ilmu Sosiologi does not charge authors submission fees, Article Processing Charges (APC), or publication fees. Submission, editorial assessment, peer review, and publication are free of charge to authors. No hidden or mandatory publication charges apply. Further details are available in the journal's Author Fees and Article Processing Charges policy.

22. Submission Procedure

Authors must submit their manuscripts through the journal's official Open Journal Systems (OJS) website:

KOMUNITAS: Jurnal Ilmu Sosiologi – Official Journal Website

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should:

• Prepare the manuscript using the official article template.
• Check that the manuscript meets the word count, font, spacing, and paper-size requirements.
• Verify that the title, abstract, keywords, author information, and affiliations are complete and accurate.
• Ensure that all citations and references follow APA Style, 7th edition.
• Check that all tables, figures, quotations, and third-party materials are properly attributed.
• Include the Ethical Statement and Disclosure section with accurate declarations.
• Confirm that all authors have approved the manuscript and that it is not under consideration by another journal.
• Complete all required submission metadata in OJS and upload the manuscript in Word format.

23. Final Checklist

Authors should use the following checklist before completing their submission:

• The manuscript contains 4,000–8,000 words and is prepared on A4 paper using Calibri 12-point font and 1.15 line spacing.
• The title does not exceed 14 words and does not begin with “Study,” “Research,” “Analysis,” or “Development.”
• The abstract contains 150–200 words and is formatted as one paragraph in Calibri 10-point font with single line spacing.
• The manuscript includes 3–5 relevant keywords without abbreviations.
• The article follows the required structure and includes an Ethical Statement and Disclosure section.
• The reference list contains at least 20 sources and meets the journal's requirements for primary and recent references.
• All citations and references follow APA Style, 7th edition.
• Tables and figures are numbered, titled, properly sourced, and discussed in the text.
• The manuscript is original and has been checked for plagiarism and proper attribution.
• All authors have approved the submission and the author information is accurate.
• The manuscript has been carefully proofread and is ready for editorial assessment.

24. Contact Information

For questions regarding manuscript preparation, the submission process, or these guidelines, authors may contact the editorial team through the journal's official website or the following email address:

Email: komunitas.jurnalsosiologi@gmail.com

Journal website: https://ojs3.unpatti.ac.id/index.php/komunitas

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that they have read and agree to follow these Author Guidelines and the journal's applicable editorial, peer review, copyright, open access, and publication ethics policies.