Submissions

Author Guidelines

Articles must be written in English or Spanish and have a maximum length of 9,000 words (including tables, figures, and references). In the case of reviews, the minimum length is 2,000 words and the maximum is 2,500 words for single-author books, but it may extend to 4,000 words for collective volumes. Likewise, both articles and reviews must adhere to the following style guidelines:

1. Manuscript formatting

• File type: Word (.docx) or OpenOffice.
• Font: Times New Roman, 12-point.
• Line spacing: Double-spaced throughout the document, including references and footnotes.
• Margins: 2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides.
• Text alignment: Left-aligned (not fully justified).
• Pagination: Page number in the upper right corner.
• Indentation: First line of each paragraph indented by 0.5 inches (1.27 cm).
• Headings: Follow APA 7 heading levels, which define five distinct levels of formatting. The choice of level depends on the hierarchy of information within the document.

• Example of heading levels in a structured document
• Level 1 (Main section title)

• Used for major sections of the text, such as "Methods," "Results," or "Discussion."
• Format: Bold, centered, with title case capitalization.
• Example:

Methods
This study employed a qualitative approach to...

• Level 2 (Subsection within Level 1)

• Used to subdivide a main section.
• Format: Bold, left-aligned, with title case capitalization.
• Example:

Participants
A total of 150 students from various universities were recruited...

• Level 3 (Subsection within Level 2)

• Used when further division within a subsection is necessary.
• Format: Bold, italicized, left-aligned, with title case capitalization.
• Example:

Inclusion Criteria
Only participants with advanced English proficiency were considered...

• Level 4 (Subsection within Level 3)

• Used for additional subdivisions within a Level 3 heading.
• Format: Bold, italicized, indented, followed by a period. Text begins on the same line.
• Example:

Pilot Test. A preliminary test was conducted to assess...

• Level 5 (Subsection within Level 4)

• The lowest level of organization.
• Format: Italicized, indented, followed by a period. Text begins on the same line.
• Example:

Instrument Review. Adjustments were made based on initial feedback...

2. Manuscript Structure

• Title: In Spanish and English, bold, centered, with title case capitalization.
• Abstract: Between 150 and 250 words in Spanish and English. The abstract should include objectives, methodology, results, and conclusions.
• Keywords: Five relevant terms in both languages, separated by commas.
• Main body:
• Introduction
• Theoretical framework (if applicable)
• Methodology
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References: Follow APA 7 formatting (see details below).
• Tables and Figures:
• Numbered (Table 1, Figure 1, etc.).
• Inserted within the text as close as possible to their mention.
• With a descriptive title in bold and source formatted according to APA 7.

Tables and Figures in APA 7

1. Tables and Figures
• Tables: Used to organize and present numerical or textual data in a structured format.
• Figures: Include graphs, diagrams, illustrations, photographs, and any visual elements that are not tables.
2. Descriptive title
   • Incorrect: "Survey Results" (too vague).
   • Correct: "Percentage of Students Preferring Hybrid Learning by Education Level (N = 300)."
• Each table or figure must have a clear and precise title that explains its content without requiring additional text.
• Example:
3. Bold formatting
• According to APA 7, the title of the table or figure should be in bold, placed above the table or figure.
• Example of a table in APA 7:

Table 1
Distribution of Responses on the Use of Technology in the Classroom

1. Source in APA 7 format
   • Figure taken from Jones, L. (2020). The future of digital learning. Cambridge University Press.
   • Note. Data from Smith & Johnson (2018).
• If data or images originate from another source, an attribution note must be placed below the table or figure.
• Proper APA 7 citation must be used.
• Example citation for a figure in APA 7:
• Example citation for a table in APA 7:

3. In-text Citations

There are two main types of in-text citations: narrative and parenthetical.

• Narrative citation (author mentioned within the text):

According to Chomsky (2005), language has an innate structure.

• Parenthetical citation (author mentioned at the end of the sentence):

Language has an innate structure (Chomsky, 2005).

• Citations with two authors:

Language acquisition follows universal patterns (Smith & Johnson, 2018).

• Citations with three or more authors:

Second language learning can be influenced by multiple factors (García et al., 2020).

• Multiple sources in one citation:

The relationship between bilingualism and cognition has been demonstrated (Bialystok, 2011; Cummins, 2000; Peal & Lambert, 1962).

4. Reference Formatting

References should be organized alphabetically and use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches (1.27 cm).

• Book:

Chomsky, N. (2005). The minimalist program. MIT Press.

• Book chapter with an editor:

Crystal, D. (2010). The impact of technology on language. In R. Kaplan (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of applied linguistics (pp. 200-215). Oxford University Press.

• Journal article with DOI:

Nagórka, P. (2023). Iberian-Romance borrowings into English in the fortified wine industry: Implications for wine educators. Revista de Lenguas para Fines Específicos, 29, 94–109. https://doi.org/10.20420/rlfe.2023.618

• Journal article without DOI, retrieved from a website:

García, P., López, R., & Méndez, A. (2020). Bilingualism and cognitive advantages. Linguistics Journal, 15(3), 45-60. Retrieved from https://www.linguisticsjournal.org

5. Additional Considerations

• Inclusive and respectful language: Avoid bias related to gender, ethnicity, age, disability, or other forms of discrimination.
• Peer review process: All manuscripts undergo double-blind review, so no identifiable authorship information should appear in the text.
• Copyright and rights transfer: Authors must ensure they hold the rights to all included materials and comply with open-access policies if applicable.

Table, graph, and image sources: If self-created, indicate as "Source: Own elaboration."