Submissions

Author Guidelines

Ettisal: Journal of Communication invites authors to submit high-quality original research articles in the field of communication studies. Authors are requested to carefully read and follow these step-by-step guidelines to ensure their manuscripts meet the journal's editorial standards before submission.

Step 1: General Formatting and Language Requirements

Articles submitted to Ettisal: Journal of Communication must represent original, unpublished research in communication studies written in either English or Indonesian. The manuscript must be prepared using Microsoft Word (.docx) with Times New Roman 12 pt font size, double line spacing, and standard margins (3 cm top/right and 4 cm left/bottom) on A4 paper format. The total length of the manuscript must strictly range between 7,000 and 9,000 words, including all sections, abstract, tables, figures, and references. To support the journal's double-blind peer review policy, authors must ensure that the manuscript file uploaded for review contains no direct author names, affiliations, or identifying disclosures, as author metadata will be entered separately into the journal submission system.

Step 2: Metadata, Title, and Abstract Preparation

The manuscript must begin with a concise, informative title that accurately reflects the core research topic, preferably not exceeding 15 words. For articles written in Indonesian, an English translation of the title, abstract, and keywords must be provided to fulfill international indexing standards. The abstract must be presented in both Indonesian and English in a single structured paragraph ranging between 150 and 200 words. It must concisely outline the research problem, main objectives, methodological approach, key findings, and primary theoretical or practical implications. Immediately following the abstract, authors must provide 3 to 5 relevant keywords separated by semicolons to assist in digital searchability and indexing.

Step 3: Framing the Introduction Section

The Introduction section should constitute approximately 15% to 20% of the total manuscript length and must be presented continuously in narrative paragraph form without sub-headings. Authors must establish the broader theoretical or practical context of the study, synthesize relevant literature, and identify explicit research gaps, such as empirical inconsistencies, unexamined cultural phenomena, or theoretical limitations. For quantitative studies, the introduction should logically progress toward clearly stated theoretical hypotheses or measurable research questions. For qualitative studies, the introduction should emphasize conceptual sensitivity and define guiding questions aimed at exploring complex social processes or human experiences. The section must close with a clear statement of the study's research purpose and its expected academic contribution.

Step 4: Detailing the Research Methodology

The Method section should comprise roughly 10% to 15% of the article and must provide sufficient detail to allow replication and critical evaluation of the research design. Quantitative manuscripts must clearly explain the research design, target population, sampling techniques, operational definitions of variables, measurement instruments (including validity and reliability metrics), data collection procedures, and statistical software or tests applied. Qualitative manuscripts must identify the specific qualitative tradition, detail participant selection criteria, describe data collection tools (such as in-depth interviews or observations), outline analytical coding procedures, and explain strategies used to establish trustworthiness (such as triangulation or reflexivity). Ethical considerations, including informed consent and participant confidentiality, must also be explicitly stated.

Step 5: Presenting Results/Findings and Discussion

The Results or Findings and Discussion section represents the core of the manuscript, accounting for 40% to 60% of the total length. The Results (for quantitative studies) or Findings (for qualitative studies) must present empirical data, statistical outputs, or thematic insights objectively without interpretive bias, utilizing clear tables and figures where necessary. The Discussion must follow immediately by interpreting the significance of these outcomes, directly comparing them with existing communication theories and prior published literature. Authors must clearly articulate the broader theoretical, practical, and societal implications of their findings while acknowledging any methodological limitations encountered during the study.

Step 6: Formulating the Conclusion Section

The Conclusion section should make up 5% to 10% of the manuscript length and must be written in clear paragraph form without bullet points. It must synthesize the core findings and explicitly answer the primary research questions or hypotheses without introducing new empirical data or repeating detailed statistical outputs. Authors should summarize the theoretical and practical contributions of the work, state any overall study limitations honestly, and offer meaningful, practical directions for future scholarly research in communication studies.

Step 7: Reference Formatting and Citation Management

The reference list must include only sources directly cited within the manuscript text, and all in-text citations must be reflected in the references using APA Style 7th Edition format. Authors are strongly encouraged to use reference management software such as Mendeley or Zotero to ensure consistency and citation accuracy. At least 80% of the cited references must consist of primary sources, specifically peer-reviewed journal articles or research reports published within the last 10 years. Reference entries must be arranged alphabetically by the first author's last name with a hanging indent, and active Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) must be provided for all eligible electronic sources.