Author Guidelines

SUBA: Journal of Community Engagement

(SUBA: Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat)

 

1. Types of Manuscripts

SUBA: Journal of Community Engagement accepts the following types of manuscripts:

1.1 Community Engagement Articles

These articles report the implementation and outcomes of community engagement activities conducted by lecturers, researchers, students, practitioners, institutions, or collaborative teams.

The article should explain:

• the background and community needs;
• the objectives of the activity;
• the target community or partners;
• the methods and stages of implementation;
• the results and outcomes;
• the impact of the activity;
• the challenges and solutions;
• lessons learned or implications; and
• conclusions and recommendations.

1.2 Conceptual or Methodological Articles

The journal may also consider conceptual or methodological articles that provide innovative approaches, models, strategies, or frameworks for community engagement, particularly when supported by relevant literature and practical experience.

 

2. General Requirements

Authors should observe the following requirements:

1. The manuscript must be relevant to the focus and scope of SUBA: Journal of Community Engagement.
2. The manuscript must report an actual community engagement activity or provide a clearly justified conceptual contribution to community engagement.
3. The manuscript must be original and must not have been previously published.
4. The manuscript must not be simultaneously submitted to another journal.
5. The manuscript must be written in academic and clear language.
6. The manuscript must follow the journal's prescribed structure and formatting requirements.
7. All sources cited in the manuscript must appear in the reference list, and all references listed must be cited in the manuscript.
8. Authors must use appropriate and consistent citation practices.
9. Authors must disclose any potential conflict of interest.
10. Authors must comply with applicable ethical standards when activities involve human participants, personal information, vulnerable groups, or other sensitive matters.
11. Photographs or other materials that identify community members should only be included when appropriate permission or consent has been obtained.
12. Authors are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of all information presented in the manuscript.

 

3. Manuscript Language

Manuscripts may be submitted in English or Indonesian.

Authors are expected to use clear, formal, and academically appropriate language.

Manuscripts written in English should be carefully proofread before submission to ensure proper grammar, spelling, terminology, and academic style.

 

4. Manuscript Length

The recommended length of the manuscript is approximately 4,000–7,000 words, including the abstract, tables, figures, references, and other supporting material.

Authors should avoid unnecessary repetition and ensure that the manuscript provides sufficient detail regarding the community engagement activity and its outcomes.

 

5. Manuscript Structure

The manuscript should generally follow the structure below:

5.1 Title

The title should:

• be concise and informative;
• clearly reflect the main activity or contribution;
• identify the target community or location where relevant;
• avoid unnecessary abbreviations; and
• preferably not exceed approximately 15–20 words.

5.2 Author Information

The manuscript should include:

• Full name of each author;
• Institutional affiliation;
• Department or study program, where applicable;
• Institution address;
• Country; and
• Email address of the corresponding author.

The corresponding author must be clearly identified.

5.3 Abstract

The abstract should briefly describe the manuscript and should normally include:

• Background or community problem;
• Objective;
• Method or approach;
• Main results or outcomes; and
• Conclusion or implication.

The abstract should be concise and informative and should generally contain approximately 150–250 words.

5.4 Keywords

Provide 3–5 keywords that represent the main concepts discussed in the article.

Keywords should be specific and relevant to the content of the manuscript.

5.5 Introduction

The introduction should provide:

1. The background of the community problem or situation;
2. Relevant contextual information about the target community;
3. The urgency and significance of the activity;
4. Relevant previous studies or community engagement activities;
5. The gap, problem, or need addressed by the activity;
6. The objectives of the community engagement activity; and
7. Where relevant, the contribution or novelty of the activity.

The introduction should demonstrate why the community engagement activity was necessary and how it contributes to the development of knowledge and/or community welfare.

5.6 Methods

The methods section should describe the implementation of the community engagement activity in sufficient detail to allow readers to understand and evaluate the approach.

It may include:

• Location and period of implementation;
• Target community or partners;
• Participant characteristics;
• Community needs assessment;
• Approach or intervention strategy;
• Stages of implementation;
• Training, mentoring, or facilitation methods;
• Instruments or materials used;
• Data collection methods;
• Evaluation procedures; and
• Methods used to assess outcomes or impact.

For community engagement activities involving Islamic approaches or values, authors should clearly explain how the relevant Islamic principles, teachings, or values were integrated into the activity.

5.7 Results and Discussion

The Results and Discussion section should present the outcomes of the community engagement activity and interpret their significance.

Authors should present:

• Major activities conducted;
• Participation of the community and partners;
• Outputs produced;
• Changes or improvements observed;
• Evidence of community participation;
• Challenges encountered;
• Solutions or adaptations implemented;
• Outcomes and impacts; and
• Comparison with relevant previous studies or community engagement activities.

The discussion should not merely describe activities. It should explain the significance of the results and demonstrate how the activity contributes to community development.

Where appropriate, the discussion should connect the findings with relevant theories, previous studies, local wisdom, and Islamic values.

5.8 Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the main outcomes and contributions of the community engagement activity.

The conclusion should:

• directly address the objectives;
• highlight the most important outcomes;
• explain the practical or academic implications; and
• provide recommendations where appropriate.

The conclusion should not simply repeat the Results and Discussion section.

5.9 Acknowledgments

Authors may acknowledge institutions, funding agencies, community partners, organizations, individuals, or other parties that contributed significantly to the implementation of the community engagement activity.

5.10 References

All references must be relevant to the manuscript and should be cited appropriately within the text.

Authors are encouraged to use recent and relevant scholarly sources, particularly peer-reviewed journal articles.

 

6. Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be used only when they provide meaningful information that improves the clarity of the manuscript.

Authors should:

1. Number tables and figures consecutively;
2. Provide clear and informative titles or captions;
3. Refer to every table and figure in the text;
4. Ensure that tables and figures are legible;
5. Provide the source of information where applicable; and
6. Obtain permission for copyrighted materials where necessary.

Photographs documenting community engagement activities should be of sufficient quality and should comply with applicable privacy and consent requirements.

 

7. Citations and References

SUBA: Journal of Community Engagement recommends the use of a consistent academic citation style.

Authors should use APA Style, 7th Edition, unless otherwise specified by the journal's manuscript template.

Examples:

In-text citation:

(Author, 2024)

or

Author (2024)

For two authors:

(Author & Author, 2024)

For three or more authors:

(Author et al., 2024)

Authors are strongly encouraged to use a reference management tool such as Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote to ensure consistency.

Where available, authors should provide DOI information for cited journal articles.

 

8. Originality and Plagiarism

All submitted manuscripts must be original.

SUBA: Journal of Community Engagement maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism and academic misconduct.

Manuscripts may be checked using plagiarism or similarity-detection software.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• Copying text without appropriate citation;
• Presenting another person's ideas or work as one's own;
• Excessive reuse of previously published material;
• Self-plagiarism without appropriate acknowledgment;
• Unattributed translation; and
• Reuse of substantial portions of previously published work without disclosure.

Manuscripts containing substantial plagiarism may be rejected.

 

9. Authorship

Authorship should reflect substantial contributions to the manuscript and the reported community engagement activity.

All listed authors should:

1. Make a substantial contribution to the work;
2. Participate in drafting or substantially revising the manuscript;
3. Approve the final version; and
4. Accept responsibility for the integrity of the work.

SUBA does not permit guest authorship, honorary authorship, gift authorship, or ghost authorship.

 

10. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that may influence the implementation of the activity or the preparation and publication of the manuscript.

Conflicts of interest may include financial, professional, institutional, personal, academic, or other relevant relationships.

If no conflict of interest exists, authors may state:

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.

 

11. Funding Statement

Authors should disclose the source of financial or institutional support for the community engagement activity.

If the activity received no specific funding, authors may state:

Funding: This community engagement activity received no specific funding from any public, commercial, or non-profit funding agency.

Where funding was provided by IAIN Ternate, government agencies, partner institutions, or other organizations, the funding source should be clearly identified.

 

12. Use of Artificial Intelligence

Authors may use artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tools for limited purposes, such as:

• language improvement;
• grammar checking;
• translation;
• formatting assistance; or
• other technical support.

AI tools must not be listed as authors.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and ethical compliance of the manuscript.

AI tools must not be used to fabricate data, references, citations, participant information, community engagement activities, findings, or other scholarly content.

Where AI has substantially contributed to the development of the manuscript, authors should disclose its use in accordance with the journal's policies.

 

13. Submission Procedure

Manuscripts should be submitted through the journal's official online submission system.

Before submission, authors should ensure that:

1. The manuscript follows the Author Guidelines;
2. The manuscript uses the prescribed journal template;
3. The manuscript is within the journal's scope;
4. All authors have approved the manuscript;
5. The corresponding author has been identified;
6. All sources are properly cited;
7. The reference list is complete;
8. Conflict of interest information has been provided;
9. Funding information has been provided where applicable;
10. Ethical requirements have been fulfilled; and
11. The manuscript has not been simultaneously submitted elsewhere.

 

14. Editorial and Peer-Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to SUBA: Journal of Community Engagement undergo an initial editorial assessment.

The general publication process consists of:

Submission → Initial Editorial Screening → Desk Review → Peer Review → Revision → Final Editorial Decision → Copyediting/Production → Publication

The journal applies a double-blind peer-review process.

Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's basic requirements, scope, or ethical standards may be rejected during the initial screening process.

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are normally evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.

Editorial decisions may include:

• Accept;
• Accept with minor revisions;
• Major revisions / revise and resubmit; or
• Reject.

The final decision is made by the editor based on the quality of the manuscript, reviewer recommendations, relevance to the journal, and compliance with the journal's policies.

 

15. Revision

Authors whose manuscripts require revision should carefully address the comments and recommendations provided by the editors and reviewers.

When submitting a revised manuscript, authors may be required to provide a response explaining how each substantive reviewer comment has been addressed.

The revised manuscript should be submitted within the timeframe specified by the editor.

Failure to submit a revision within the specified period may result in the manuscript being considered withdrawn.

 

16. Copyright and Licensing

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts do not infringe the intellectual property rights of others.

All sources, figures, photographs, tables, instruments, and other copyrighted materials must be appropriately acknowledged and used with permission where required.

Copyright and licensing arrangements for published articles shall follow the journal's applicable policies.

Authors should consult the journal's Copyright Notice and Licensing Policy for detailed information.

 

17. Complaints and Appeals

SUBA: Journal of Community Engagement provides a fair and transparent mechanism for handling complaints and appeals.

Authors may appeal an editorial decision when they have substantive reasons to believe that the decision resulted from a significant procedural error, misunderstanding, or inappropriate evaluation.

Appeals should be submitted through the journal's official communication channel and should provide clear and substantive reasons.

Complaints concerning editorial decisions, reviewers, authors, publication procedures, or other aspects of journal management will be handled confidentially, fairly, and objectively.