Authors Style Sheet

This style sheet outlines the guidelines for authors submitting papers to the African Journal for Pan-Vitalism and Social Phenomena and other articles for publishing with us. We prefer and ecourage African authors to take Afrocentric approach in the presentations and engagements. Adherence to these standards ensures uniformity, readability, and professional presentation of published articles.

General Formatting

• Page Layout:
  • Paper size: A4
  • Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides
  • Line spacing: 1.5
  • Alignment: Justified
  • Page numbers: Bottom right corner
• Font:
  • Text: Times New Roman, 12 pt
  • Headings: Bold, Times New Roman, various sizes as specified under "Headings"
• Paragraphs:
  • First-line indent: 0.5 inch (1.27 cm)
  • Space before and after paragraphs: 6 pt

Title and Author Information

• Title: Centered, Bold, 14 pt, Title Case, Limited to 15 words
• Author(s):
  • Full name(s): First name followed by last name
  • Affiliation: Institution, department, city, and country
  • Email address: Include the corresponding author’s email in italics
• Abstract:
  • Word count: 150–250 words
  • Single paragraph, justified alignment, 11 pt font
• Keywords: 3–5 keywords, italicized, separated by commas

Headings

Use a consistent hierarchy of headings:

• Level 1 (Main headings): Bold, 14 pt, Title Case, numbered (e.g., 1. Introduction)
• Level 2 (Subheadings): Bold, 12 pt, Sentence case, numbered (e.g., 1.1 Theoretical framework)
• Level 3 (Sub-subheadings): Italicized, 12 pt, Sentence case, numbered (e.g., 1.1.1 Conceptual background)

Body Text

• Avoid overly long paragraphs.
• Use clear and concise language, ensuring accessibility to a broad audience.
• Avoid jargon and define technical terms when first introduced.

Quotations

Inline quotations: Use double quotation marks. For quotes longer than 40 words, use a block format (indented 0.5 inch on the left, no quotation marks, single-spaced, 11 pt font).

Tables and Figures

• Number all tables and figures sequentially (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1).
• Include a concise caption above tables and below figures.
• Place tables and figures close to their first mention in the text.
• Use Times New Roman, 10 pt font within tables.

Citations and References

• In-text citations: Use APA (7th Edition) style. Examples:
  • (Author, Year)
  • (Author, Year, p. X) for direct quotes
• Reference List:
  • Title: References (bold, left-aligned, 12 pt)
  • Format: Hanging indent (0.5 inch), single-spaced within entries, double-spaced between entries
  • Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
  • Examples:
    • Journal Article: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/XXXX
    • Book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the book (Edition, if applicable). Publisher.
    • Chapter in an Edited Book: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the chapter. In B. B. Editor & C. C. Editor (Eds.), Title of the book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

Additional Guidelines

• Footnotes: Use sparingly and format in 10 pt, single-spaced.
• Language: Articles must be written in English, using British spelling (e.g., "labour" instead of "labor").
• Ethical Compliance: Authors must adhere to ethical research standards and disclose any conflicts of interest.

Submission Requirements

• File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)
• Word count: 5,000–7,000 words (including references, tables, and figures)
• Submission: Through the journal’s online portal or email (provided in the Call for Papers).

Checklist for Authors

1. Manuscript adheres to all formatting guidelines.
2. Abstract and keywords are included.
3. Tables and figures are properly numbered and captioned.
4. In-text citations and reference list follow APA style.
5. Submission file is named: "Author_LastName_ArticleTitle.docx".

We encourage authors to take to Afrocentric perspective in their presentations and analysis.

For queries, contact the editorial team at: submission@journal-library.acipssa.org.za or info@journal-library.acipssa.org.za.