Author Guidelines for International Journal of Community Service

1. General Information

The International Journal of Community Service (IJCS) is an international, peer-reviewed journal publishing high-quality research and case studies on community service, engagement, and development. We welcome submissions from academics, practitioners, and researchers worldwide. All submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

2. Types of Submissions

IJCS accepts the following types of submissions:

  • Research Articles: Original research studies with significant contributions to the field of community service.
  • Case Studies: Detailed descriptions and analyses of community service projects or initiatives.
  • Review Articles: Comprehensive reviews of existing literature on community service topics.
  • Short Communications: Brief reports on ongoing or preliminary research findings.
  • Book Reviews: Critical evaluations of recent books relevant to community service.

3. Submission Requirements

3.1 Originality and Ethical Standards

  • Submissions must be original and not previously published or under review elsewhere.
  • Authors must adhere to ethical guidelines, including properly citing sources and avoiding plagiarism.
  • Any potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed.

3.2 Language and Formatting

  • Manuscripts must be written in English.
  • Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, and 1.5 line spacing.
  • Manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or.docx) format.
  • Follow the APA (7th Edition) citation style for references and in-text citations.

3.3 Structure of Manuscripts

  • Title: Concise and descriptive, reflecting the content of the manuscript.
  • Abstract: A summary (150–250 words) outlining the purpose, methods, results, and conclusions.
  • Keywords: 4–6 keywords to facilitate indexing and searchability.
  • Introduction: Background, objectives, and significance of the study.
  • Methods: Detailed description of the research design, participants, and procedures.
  • Results: Clear presentation of findings, supported by tables, figures, or charts where applicable.
  • Discussion: Interpretation of results, implications, and recommendations.
  • Conclusion: Summary of key findings and their relevance to community service.
  • References: A complete list of all cited works, formatted according to APA style.

3.4 Figures and Tables

  • All figures and tables must be numbered and include captions.
  • Ensure that figures and tables are of high quality and legible.
  • Submit figures in JPEG, PNG, or TIFF format with at least 300 dpi resolution.

4. Submission Process

  • Online Submission: Manuscripts must be submitted through the IJCS online submission system.
  • Cover Letter: Include a cover letter stating the significance of the study and confirming that the manuscript is original and not under consideration elsewhere.
  • Peer Review: All submissions undergo a double-blind peer review process. Authors will be notified of the review outcome within 8–12 weeks.
  • Revisions: If revisions are requested, authors must submit the revised manuscript within 30 days.

5. Copyright and Open Access

  • Authors retain the copyright of their work but grant IJCS the right to publish the article under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0).
  • IJCS is an open-access journal, and all published articles are freely available to readers worldwide.

6. Publication Fees

IJCS charges an Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover publication costs. Waivers or discounts may be available for authors from low-income countries or those with financial constraints.

7. Contact Information

For inquiries or assistance, don't hesitate to get in touch with the editorial office at:

8. Copyright & Licensing

Authors who publish in International Journal of Community Service (IJCS) retain the copyright of their work. Authors grant the journal the right of first publication.

All content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license allows anyone to read, share, remix, adapt, and reuse the content for any purpose, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author and source.