Author Guidelines

The Journal of Transformative Praxis (JrTP) is a peer-reviewed, gold, open-access journal committed to publishing high-quality research that advances knowledge in transformative praxis. The journal adheres to the ethical and scientific standards required by major indexing databases, ensuring global visibility and academic credibility. By adhering to the following guidelines, authors contribute to the journal's mission of advancing education scholarship worldwide.

1. Manuscript Types

JrTP considers the following types of manuscripts for publication:

1.1 Research Article
Research articles report the results/insights of original research and evaluate its contribution to the body of knowledge in the field of transformative education research and practice. Such research articles can be structured in many possible ways depending upon the epistemologies that guide the research process. While preparing manuscripts of the research articles, the scholars are encouraged to address the following questions: In what ways is the research problem significant? How transparent is the author in applying the proposed methodology? How do findings and conclusions address the ongoing debate or contribute to the development of new perspectives? Full research articles should consist of 6000 to 8000 words, excluding the abstract (150 to 200 words), keywords (four to five), and the reference list. Correctly linked and well-sized diagrams and pictures may be included.

1.2 Research Note
The journal encourages scholars to submit research notes addressing critical questions, controversies, and debates on methodological and/or conceptual issues; reporting the application of a research method; development and outcomes of a research program; discussing findings and/or impacts of an intervention; delineating a philosophical position, to name but a few. Whilst writing such a research note, it is important that the author should contribute towards advancing the field (or an aspect of it) of transformative education research and practice. The quality of such notes is judged via the clarity of the argument and the appropriate use of rhetorical devices. Full research note contents should be restricted to 4000 to 5000 words, excluding the abstract (between 150 to 200 words), keywords (four to five) and the reference list. Properly linked and well-sized diagrams and pictures may be included.

1.3 Conceptual Papers
Articles offering theoretical insights or proposing innovative frameworks.

1.4 Review Articles
Critical evaluations of existing literature.

1.5 Book Review
Different types of books, such as monographs, handbooks, and encyclopedias that address pertinent issues related to transformative education research and practice are considered as the subject of review. Whilst writing such a review, the contributors are encouraged to respond to the following questions: What is in the book? What are the key contributions to the field? What are its strength and limitations? Full book review contents should be restricted to 2000 to 3000 words, excluding the abstract (between 150 to 200 words), keywords (four to five) and the reference list. Properly linked and well-sized diagrams and pictures may be included.

2. General Submission Requirements

New manuscripts should be submitted through the online portal accessible via the "Submit Manuscript" link on the journal website.

Only manuscripts written in the English language will be considered for publication. Submissions must be relevant to the journal’s scope and prepared in compliance with its Publication Ethics. All authors agree to the submission and share full responsibility for all content presented in the manuscripts, including opinions, results, images, discussions, and conclusions. The article should be original work by authors and not be published before or currently being evaluated for publication in another journal.

All co-author information must be entered on the submission portal at the time of submission. Any request to change authorship (such as adding/deleting authors or modifying the order of authors) during revisions must be well justified, and they are subject to editorial approval. No change in authorship is allowed after the manuscript is accepted for publication.

All manuscripts must be submitted through the journal's electronic submission system. There is no word or page limitation for the manuscripts. Authors must ensure the manuscript adheres to the following guidelines for successful processing.

3. Manuscript Preparation

3.1. Format

Manuscripts must be written in clear, concise English. Authors are responsible for proofreading the papers in English.
Submit files in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx), single-spaced with 1-inch margins.
Use a standard font (e.g., Times New Roman, size 12).
The citations, references and presentation of the manuscript should be compatible with APA 7 guidelines.
Authors are required to provide references and citations in plain text format rather than relying on automated software-generated formats to ensure consistency and accuracy in the final publication.

3.2. Structure

Title Page (separate file):
- Title of the manuscript (concise and informative).
- Author details (full names, affiliations, e-mail addresses, and ORCID iDs).
- Corresponding author's address information.
- List of declarations stated below.
Abstract:
- A summary of up to 200 words, covering objectives, methodology, results, and conclusions.
Keywords:
- Include 4–6 keywords relevant to the study.
Main Text:
- Organized into sections such as Introduction, Literature Review (if applicable), Method, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and Implications.
Tables and Figures:
- Submit high-resolution tables and figures, embedded in the text.
- Provide descriptive titles and legends.
References and Citations:
- Use the APA 7th edition format.
- The latest version of the American Psychological Association (APA) formatting and style guidelines (seventh edition) should be followed in references. Unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI) numbers should be included whenever possible. Make cross-check in-text citations and references, review the references to see whether they were written correctly according to APA 7 and also check DOI's of references from https://doi.crossref.org/simpleTextQuery. More information on references and citations will be provided below.
- References and Citations
  
  The latest version of the APA style should be used as the referencing style. Authors should maintain consistency across the references.
- Each citation inside the text must be included in the list of references. Alternatively, each reference should be cited inside the text.
- Where an author publishes two or more works in the same year, they should be differentiated using 2024a, 2024b, etc.
- op., cit., or ibid. should not be used.
- 'n.d.' should be used to indicate that no date is available, both in in-text citations and references.
- When citing a study done by three or more authors, authors should use et al. within the main text, but provide the full names of all authors in the references section.
- In the text, after the quoted material, authors should provide the author's last name, publication year, and page numbers, if available, i.e. (Dahal, 2024, p. 14).
- All direct citations should include a page reference.
- In-Text Citations
  The submitted manuscripts should follow the American Psychological Association, seventh edition for in-text citations and references. Please visit the website http://www.apastyle.org/ for further information on the APA format of 7^th edition.
  
  Normally, in-text citation follows the author/date format. To cite a specific part of a source, indicate the page, chapter, figure, table, or equation at the appropriate point in text. Always give page numbers for direct quotations. The general rules of in-text citations are as follows:
  
  1 author (Bhandari, 2020) or (Bhandari, 2020, p. 25)
  2 authors (Shrestha & Dhakal, 2016, pp. 24-48)
  3+ authors (Gautam et al., 2017)
  6+ authors (Lohani et al., 2017)
  Chapter (Parajuli, 2016, chapter 2)
  No author (Shortened Title, 2015) when it refers to a book;
  No author ("Shortened Title", 2015) when it refers to a paper or book chapter
  Organization as author (Kathmandu University [KU], 2020), Next cite: (KU, 2020)
  In press (Shrestha, in press)
  Personal communication (These are not included in References) (S. Upretee, personal communication, July 4, 2017)
  Multiple Works (Bhattarai, 2015; Shrestha, 2014; Wagley, 2017)
  No date (Shrestha, n.d.)
  Two authors with the same last name (Sharma, T. N., 2013) (Sharma, A., 2017)
  Multiple works by the same author, same year (Bhandari, 2016a) (Bhandari, 2016b)
  Multiple works by the same author, same citation (Bhandari, 2014, 2016)
  
  References
  
  References should follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style (7^thedition). All references must be in alphabetical order.
  
  References is the listing of all citations made in the text of the paper. At the end of your main text, on a new page, type References, centered, and list all citations in the alphabetical order. No materials should be included in the list that are not cited in the text.
- The following are some examples:
  
  Journal articles
  
  Whitehead, J., & Huxtable, M. (2024). Developing, sustaining and thriving transformative living educational theory research and practice in challenging times and contexts. Journal of Transformative Praxis, 5(1), 9-25. https://doi.org/10.51474/jrtp/15753
  
  Dahal, N., & Luitel, B. C. (2023). Collaborative autoethnography: Emancipatory research for educational researchers. Journal of Transformative Praxis, 4(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.51474/jrtp.v4i1.659
  
  Aryal, R. (2023). Transformative research journey from frustrated learners to critically reflective practitioners. Journal of Transformative Praxis, 4(1), 9-8. https://doi.org/10.51474/jrtp.v4i1.668
  
  Nepal, K., & Shrestha, I. M. (2023). Rethinking pedagogy through storytelling in school mathematics. Journal of Transformative Praxis, 4(1), 29-41. https://doi.org/10.51474/jrtp.v4i1.669
  
  Books
  
  Abramovich, S., & Connell, M. L. (2021). Developing deep knowledge in middle school mathematics. Springer International Publishing.
  
  Barkatsas, T., & McLaughlin, P. (Eds.). (2021). Authentic assessment and evaluation approaches and practices in a digital era: A kaleidoscope of perspectives. Brill.
  
  Chapter in book
  
  Lin, P. L., Chien, Y. T., & Chang, C. Y. (2020). Teachers’ responses to an integrated STEM module: Collaborative curriculum design in Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. In J. Anderson & Y.-P. Li (Eds.), Integrated approaches to STEM education: An international perspective (pp. 491-509). Switzerland: Springer, Cham.
  
  Milford, T. M., & Kiddell, R. B. (2020). Glasser’s choice theory and science education in British Columbia. In B. Akpan & T. J. Kennedy (Eds.), Science education in theory and practice. Springer texts in education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43620-9_3
  
  Conference papers
  
  Bhagat, K. K., Chang, C. Y., & Huang, R. (2017). Integrating GeoGebra with TPACK in improving pre-service mathematics teachers’ professional development. In M. Chang, N.-S. Chen, R. Huang, Kinshuk, D. G. Sampson, & R. Vasiu (Eds.), Proceedings of the 17th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT 2017) (pp. 313-314). IEEE Computer Society.
  
  Chang, C. Y., Chien, Y. H., & Cheng, P. H. (2021, August). Educational reform in Taiwan: Comparison of curriculum contents. Paper presented at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Science Education (JSSE), Kagoshima, Japan.
  
  Internet
  
  Bordeaux, B., & Lieberman, H. R. (2020). Benefits and risks of caffeine and caffeinated beverages. UpToDate. Retrieved February 26, 2020, from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/benefits-and-risks-of-caffeine-and-caffeinated-beverages
  
  CDC . (2020, June 11). Scientists do not know if having antibodies to the virus that causes #COVID19 can protect someone from getting infected again [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/CDCgov/status/1271180413134876672
  
  Fagan, J. (2019, March 25). Nursing clinical brain. OER Commons. Retrieved January 7, 2020, from https://www.oercommons.org/authoring/53029-nursing-clinical-brain/view
  
  Lane, D. A., & Lip, G. Y. H. (2013). Treatment of hypertension in peripheral arterial disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003075.pub3
  
  National Geographic. (n.d.). IGTV [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved December 8, 2019, from https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/channel/
  
  Toner, K. (2020, September 24). When Covid-19 hit, he turned his newspaper route into a lifeline for senior citizens. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/04/us/coronavirus-newspaper-deliveryman-groceries-senior-citizens-cnnheroes-trnd/index.htmlAcharya, M. R. (2002). Nepal culture shift! Reinventing culture in the Himalayan kingdom. Adroit Publishers.
  A book by two or more authors
  Bongartz, H., & Dahal, D. R. (1996). Development studies: Self-help organizations, NGOs and civil society. Nepal Foundation for Advanced Studies.
  An edited book
  Bhattachan, K. B., & Mishra, C. (Eds.). (1997). Developmental practices in Nepal. Central Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Tribhuvan University.
  A single chapter/paper in an edited book
  Dahal, K. R., & Paudyal, B. R. (1998). Legal perspective of decentralization in Nepal. In G. B. Thapa (Ed.), Promoting participatory democracy in Nepal: An assessment of local self-government (pp. 43-57). Political Science Association of Nepal.
  Corporate Author
  Department of Education. (2004). School level educational statistics of Nepal: Flash report I 2004. Authors.
  An article from a print journal or magazine
  Koirala-Azad, S. (2008). Unravelling our realities: Nepali students as researchers and activists. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 28(3), 251-263. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188790802270245
  An article from an online source
  Onta, P. (2000). Nepal education: Finding a ray of hope. https://www.epw.org.in/35-47/comm6.htm#top
  An unpublished thesis/dissertation
  Gnawali, L. (2001). Investigating teacher practices: A proposal for teacher development of secondary school teachers of English in Nepal [Unpublished Masters dissertation]. University of Exeter, Devon, England.
  Non-English book
  Gautam, B., Adhikari, J., & Basnet, P. (Eds.). (2004). Nepalma garibikobahas [Poverty debates in Nepal]. Martin Chautari.
  Translated book
  Bourdieu, P., &Passeron, J. C. (1990). Reproduction in education, society and culture (2nd ed.) (R. Nice, Trans.). Sage. (Original work published 1970)
  In text: (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1970/1990).
  Encyclopedia article
  Bergman, P. G. (1993). Relativity. In The new encyclopedia Britannica (Vol. 26, pp. 501- 508). Encyclopedia Britannica.
  Multiple authors (up to seven)
  Festinger, L., Cramer, C. J., Riecken, H., Boyd, E. C., Cohen, E. G., Gill, T. G., & Schachter, S. (1956). When prophecy fails. University of Minnesota Press.
  Eight or more authors
  Roeder, K., Howard, J., Fulton, L., Lochhead, M., Craig, K., Peterson, R., ... Boyd, E. C. (1967). Nerve cells and insect behavior. Harvard University Press.
  Magazine article
  Sherchan, R., &Sherchan, B. (2002, 30 May-14 June). Gaun-gaunmaibannathalyo mineral water [Mineral water now is produced in villages]. Himal, p. 21.
  Newspaper Article
  Prashrit, M. N. (2002, July 12). Bhanubhaktakosirjana ra rashtriyaekikaran [The creation of Bhanubhakta and national unification]. Kantipur, p. 5.
  
  Tables and Figures
  
  Tables should be self-descriptive and easily understandable. The information in the table should present new information and should not merely a repetition of the text. Tables should include clear and concise captions placed above the table. They should be provided as editable raw data and not as images. Authors should ensure that the tables fit on a single page. If too large, data should be split across multiple datasets.
  
  Figures are visual representations of information, such as photos, maps, charts, drawings, or graphs. Figure captions should be placed below the figure. Original digital files in a major file format (e.g., jpeg, tiff, png, and bmp) for each figure must be supplied separately through the submission portal. They must be of high quality and resolution (300 dpi or better). Lowercase letters (a, b, etc.) should be used to denote multi-part figures. Figure sizes can be adjusted during the production stage to fit inside the journal’s columns.
  
  Tables and figures should be numbered in order of appearance, have their positions clearly marked within square brackets (e.g., [Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3], [Figure 1], [Figure 2]), and be provided on separate sheets after the References in the main text.

4. Ethical Considerations

4.1. Originality and Plagiarism

Submissions must be original works not under consideration elsewhere.
All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin) for similarity index and AI detention. Any evidence of plagiarism will result in rejection.

4.2. Ethical Compliance

Studies involving human or animal subjects must have appropriate ethical approvals.
Include an ethics statement and institutional approval details.

4.3. AI Usage Disclosure

Authors must disclose any use of AI tools (e.g., for data analysis, writing assistance, or figure generation) in a section titled "AI Usage and Assistance."
The role of AI must not compromise authorship integrity or intellectual contributions. Read more at Dahal, N. (2024). How can generative AI (GenAI) enhance or hinder qualitative studies? A critical appraisal from South Asia, Nepal. The Qualitative Report, 29(3), 722-733. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2024.6637

5. Peer Review Process

JrTP uses a double-blind peer review process:

Manuscripts are anonymized to ensure impartiality.
Reviewers evaluate based on originality, methodological rigor, clarity, and relevance.
Authors should anonymize their manuscripts by removing any identifying information.
Following is the editorial flow chart of the JrTP:

6. Post-Acceptance

6.1. Proofs

All authors will receive proofs for review from the journal system before publication. Only minor corrections are permitted at this stage.

6.2. Open Access

Accepted manuscripts are published under an open-access license.

6.3. Copyright

All articles published in JrTP are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

7. Declarations

7.1. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest.

7.2. Funding

Include details of all funding sources, grant numbers, and sponsors.

7.3. Authorship and Contributions

All authors must meet the authorship criteria. Significant contributions (e.g., conceptual design, data collection, analysis) should be acknowledged.

7.4. Ethics and Consent

Confirm ethical approval for studies involving human or animal participants.
Confirm informed consent for participation and publication.

7.5. Data Availability

Authors are encouraged to provide access to the data underlying their findings. Include a Data Availability Statement that:

Indicates whether the data is publicly available or restricted.
Provides repository links or DOIs where applicable.

8. Author Responsibilities for Manuscript Preparation

8.1 Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts should be prepared using word processing software, such as Microsoft Word, and saved in one of the following acceptable file formats: .docx, or .doc. Authors are encouraged to use the following layout options: A4 size, normal margins, portrait orientation, single columns, 1 line spacing, justified text alignment with 12-pt sized standard font Times New Roman. First-, second-, and third-order headings should be distinguishable.

Although there is no limit on the length of the research articles, authors are recommended to keep the main text of the body below 6,000-8,000 words. Review articles should integrate current knowledge with a novel methodology or present important suggestions to shape the area of study, rather than merely summarizing existing literature.

Authors should provide two separate documents during submission: title page and blinded manuscript.

Title page: This document provides the names and institutions of the authors as well as the corresponding author’s contact information. Additional declarations such as contributions of each author, potential competing interests, acknowledgments, and funding should be provided in this document. Title page should not contain any abbreviations. If the work is derived from a thesis or preliminary versions were previously presented in a scientific meeting, details should be included in this document.

Blinded manuscript: This document constitutes the main body of the text. In accordance with the double-blind peer-review rules adopted by the journal, it should not contain information that may disclose the authors’ credentials, including their names, institutions, contact information, and references to their own works. Grammar and punctuation standards should be followed when preparing the content. Authors should try not to use abbreviations, and if unavoidable, they should be cited in parentheses the first time they are used. Figures and tables should be numbered sequentially in the text. The international system of units should be followed to represent all units in the text. Appendices and supplementary materials should be placed after the references.

Blinded text should include the following sections:

Title and Running head: The manuscript should include a title of no more than 12 words, which presents a brief description of the work. The title should not include any abbreviations or acronyms.
Abstract and keywords: In this section, the work should be summarized in a clear and concise manner. The abstract should be no more than 200 words long and should not include any undefined abbreviations or references. Authors should provide four to six keywords (e.g., Transformative Practice. Values of Human Flourishing. Professional Development. Living Educational Theory Research)
Structured text: Authors are recommended to structure their manuscript as follows: Introduction should introduce readers to some background information required to understand the rest of the article, and clearly define the purpose of the research. Materials and Methods should describe how the research was carried out, and provide information such as the study’s design, timeline, context, participant profiles, and interventions. Results should present the data collected and statistical analysis performed during the study. Discussions should explain the significance of the results by comparing them with those of earlier studies. Conclusions should state main conclusions, limitations of the study, and possible future studies.

As you are aware, the Journal of Transformative Praxis (JrTP) operates as an open-access, no-fee journal, ensuring no charges for article submission, review, printing, or access to published articles. As the journal has no external source of income, certain financial responsibilities related to manuscript preparation fall to the authors. Below are the guidelines regarding these obligations:

The Journal of Transformative Praxis shall be indexed in reputable international databases, requiring manuscripts to meet high standards of English proficiency.
The journal does not provide translation or language editing services. However, authors are encouraged to seek assistance from accredited language editing companies and/or centre at Kathmandu University recommended by the journal to ensure their manuscripts meet the necessary language quality. To facilitate the process, the journal provides a list of accredited companies and/or centre for translation, language editing, and formatting services. Authors are encouraged to utilize these services to ensure their manuscripts meet the standards required for publication.
While the journal does not charge submission fees or article processing charges (APCs), authors are responsible for covering specific costs associated with preparing their manuscripts for publication. These include:
- Plagiarism and AI Detection: Ensuring originality and ethical compliance.
- Copyediting and Proofreading: Enhancing clarity, grammar, and style.
- Layout and Galley Preparation: Formatting the manuscript to meet journal standards.
- Reference and Attribution Checks: Verifying accuracy and adherence to citation guidelines.

The total cost may vary depending on factors such as manuscript length and the quality of the initial submission.

9. Final Checking

Authors should consider the following points before submission:

The readers should be able to comprehend and assess the main aspects of your research study with ease.
Ideas are presented in a clear, concise, and complete manner.
The manuscript is free from any repetitions, irrelevant information, or unjustified generalizations.
The theoretical framework is explicitly stated.
All claims are backed up with evidence and references.
The position and significance of research problems in existing literature are emphasized.
The chosen methodology is suitable for the problem.
Study's findings are well presented with sufficient discussions and comparisons to existing literature.
Objective and convincing measures exist to support the validity and reliability of the methodology and results.
Relevant literature is properly cited.
All authors are entered into the submission portal at the time of submission.

10. Manuscript Submission

By adhering to the above guidelines, authors contribute to maintaining the journal's high-quality standards and its commitment to providing free and open access to scholarly research. For further information or assistance, authors may contact the editorial office at jrtp@kusoed.edu.np. Manuscripts should be submitted through the online portal at https://www.editorialpark.com/jrtp. In case of technical difficulties when submitting their works, authors should contact j rtp@kusoed.edu.np.