Manuscript Submission Guidelines
Originality and Author’s Responsibility
By submitting a manuscript to Artificial Intelligence Advances in Education, authors confirm that:
- The work is original and has not been published previously in any form.
- The manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere.
- All co-authors (if applicable) and responsible institutional authorities have approved the manuscript for submission.
- Any necessary institutional or ethical approvals have been secured where applicable.
The journal and its publisher are not responsible for claims arising from disputes regarding authorship, permissions, or allegations of ethical misconduct.
Use of Third-Party Material
Authors are required to obtain permission to reuse any material, such as figures, tables, or extended quotations, that has previously been published or is copyrighted by a third party. This includes both print and online formats. Written evidence of such permissions must be uploaded with the manuscript at the time of submission. Submissions lacking this documentation will be assumed to contain original material produced by the authors.
Online Submission Process
Manuscripts must be submitted electronically via our submission system. Please click the “Submit Manuscript” button on the journal’s homepage and follow the step-by-step instructions provided. All required metadata and files must be completed and uploaded for the submission to be processed.
File Preparation and Source Files
To facilitate peer review and production, please submit your manuscript in Microsoft Word or LaTeX. Ensure that you include all necessary source files, including manuscript title page, cover letter, highlights, and supplementary materials, at every stage of submission and revision. Incomplete submissions will be returned or delayed in processing.
Declaration of Interests
All submissions must include the following declarations via the online submission interface:
- Author Contributions: Clearly describe the role of each author in the development of the manuscript. Refer to the authors by the initial of their names and declare their respective contributions.
- Competing Interests: Disclose any potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. Editorial board members submitting as authors must explicitly declare their role in the Competing Interests section.
Please do not submit your articles via email. Only the works submitted via our submission portal will be considered by the journal.
Title Page
All submissions undergo a double-blind peer review process. To preserve author anonymity, please ensure that all identifying details are included only on the title page and not in the main manuscript.
The title page must include the following:
Title of the Manuscript
Provide a clear, concise, and informative title that accurately reflects the content of your manuscript.
Author Information
- Full name(s) of all author(s) in the correct order of contribution
- Institutional affiliation(s): include department, institution, city, and country
- Email address of the corresponding author (at least one should be designated)
If an author is currently unaffiliated, only the city and country of residence will be listed.
Abstract
All submitted manuscripts must include a clear, concise, and factual abstract not exceeding 300 words. The abstract should provide a standalone summary of the research, suitable for use in databases and indexing platforms.
Your abstract should:
- Clearly state the purpose and scope of the study
- Summarize key methods and primary findings.
- Emphasize the main conclusions and significance of the work.
Please note:
- The abstract must be fully self-contained and not rely on content from the main article.
- Avoid references. If absolutely necessary, cite using author(s) and year(s) without full bibliographic details.
- Avoid non-standard abbreviations. If abbreviations are essential, define them at first mention.
Keywords
You are required to provide 5 to 7 keywords for indexing purposes. These terms will enhance the discoverability of your article and must be written in the English language.
Guidelines:
- Use single, specific terms rather than phrases or compound keywords (e.g., avoid “machine learning and education”).
- Only use abbreviations if they are widely recognized and firmly established in your field.
- Select terms that are commonly used by other researchers to search for related content.
Highlights
All authors must submit a set of 3 to 5 article highlights at the time of submission. These brief bullet points should convey the novelty, impact, and methodology of your study.
Instructions:
- Upload highlights as a separate editable file (e.g., .docx) and include the word “Highlights” in the filename.
- Each bullet point should be no more than 85 characters, including spaces.
- Focus on key findings, novel contributions, or new methods introduced in your work.
Example:
- Developed a novel framework for adaptive learning in higher education
- Demonstrated significant performance gains using a hybrid AI model
- Introduced a reproducible protocol for measuring learning outcomes
Main Body of the Manuscript
The main body of your manuscript should be well-organized, clearly written, and logically structured to communicate your research effectively. The total word count for the main text (excluding references, tables, and figure captions) should not exceed 8,000 words.
Section Numbering
Divide your article into clearly defined and numbered sections.
- Use a decimal system for section headings:
- Main sections: 1, 2, 3, etc.
- Subsections: 1.1, 1.2, etc.
- Do not number the abstract or include it in the section numbering.
- Headings should appear on a separate line, and you may include a brief title for each.
- When referring to specific parts of your manuscript, use section numbers rather than phrases like “the text above.”
Tables
Tables should be submitted in editable text format, not as images or screenshots. They should be designed to present data clearly and efficiently without duplicating information discussed elsewhere in the manuscript.
Submission and Formatting Guidelines:
- Position tables either within the main text near their first citation or grouped at the end of the manuscript in a separate section.
- Cite each table explicitly in the manuscript text (e.g., “see Table 1”).
- Number tables sequentially in the order they appear (Table 1, Table 2, etc.).
- Include a descriptive caption above each table.
- Any additional explanatory notes (e.g., statistical significance, abbreviations) should be placed below the table body.
- Avoid using vertical lines or cell shading, and keep formatting minimal for ease of review and typesetting.
Please use tables only when they add value to the narrative and data cannot be effectively communicated through text.
Figures
All visual media, including figures, illustrations, charts, diagrams, and other artwork, must be submitted with high resolution (300dpi) and as part of the main manuscript. Low-quality images will result in the manuscript being returned to the authors for revision.
Submission and Formatting Guidelines
- Cite all figures in the manuscript text (e.g., “see Figure 2”).
- Number figures in the order of appearance (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.).
- Captions for all figures and artwork should be provided in the manuscript file, not as part of the image file. Captions should clearly describe the content and significance of the figure.
- Avoid excessive text within the image itself; keep labels and annotations minimal.
Captions for Figures and Tables
All figures, images, and tables must include clear and informative captions to support reader understanding and ensure accessibility.
Caption Guidelines
- Each caption should include a brief, descriptive title (not embedded in the figure or table itself) followed by a concise explanation of the content.
- Captions should enable the figure or table to be understood independently of the main text.
- Define all symbols, abbreviations, or acronyms used in the figure or table within the caption to ensure clarity for all readers.
- Captions should be placed above tables and below figures in the manuscript.
Acknowledgements
Please include any acknowledgements for the financial and technical support received during your research. Ensure your acknowledgment is placed only on the title page. Do not include acknowledgements within the main manuscript or as footnotes, in order to maintain the integrity of the double-anonymized peer review process. Acknowledgements will be published in the final article but must be excluded from the blinded version submitted for review.
Author Contributions
All submissions must include the authors’ contribution statement as part of the title page. This statement should outline the specific contributions of each author across relevant roles.
Please choose from the following contributor roles:
- Conceptualization
- Data curation
- Formal analysis
- Funding acquisition
- Investigation
- Methodology
- Project administration
- Resources
- Software
- Supervision
- Validation
- Visualization
- Writing – original draft
- Writing – review and editing
Note:
- Not all roles will apply to every manuscript.
- Authors may be assigned multiple roles based on their actual contributions.
The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the authors’ contribution statement.
Funding Sources
Authors must clearly disclose all sources of financial support received for the research and/or preparation of the manuscript within the acknowledgement section.
Use the following standard format for consistency and compliance:
- Funding: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [grant numbers xxxx, yyyy]; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA [grant number zzzz]; and the United States Institute of Peace [grant number aaaa].
If no external funding was received, please include the following statement:
- Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
When funding is internal or institutional (e.g., seed funds), please name the institution only.
Supplementary Section
Supplementary material that is optional and not compulsory can be included if necessary. If the addition of a supplementary section would help readers understand the main text, it may be included. The supplementary section should be submitted as a separate document.
Formatting Guidelines
- Label each supplementary section clearly (e.g., supplementary section A, supplementary section B, etc.).
- Equations should be numbered separately within each appendix (e.g., Eq. (S.1), Eq. (S.2), etc.).
- Similarly, label figures and tables as Fig. S.1, Table S.1, and continue sequentially within each appendix.
- Refer to each supplementary section in the main manuscript where appropriate.
References in Text
- Every reference cited in the text must also appear in the reference list, and vice versa.
- References mentioned in the abstract must be provided in full.
- Personal communications and unpublished results are best mentioned only in the text, not in the reference list. If they are included, they must follow the journal’s standard reference style. Replace the publication date with “personal communication” or “unpublished data.”
- Items marked as “in press” indicate acceptance for publication.
- The inclusion of DOIs is strongly encouraged, as they ensure permanent accessibility of cited works.
Reference Style
- References should follow the APA Seventh Edition (2020).
- The reference list must be arranged alphabetically by the first author’s surname, and chronologically within each author.
- Multiple works by the same author(s) in the same year should be distinguished using letters (“a,” “b,” “c”).
Examples
- Journal article:
Martinez, R., Chen, Y., & O’Connor, L. (2021). Integrating artificial intelligence into higher
education: Opportunities and risks. International Journal of Educational Technology, 28(3), 145-162.
https://doi.org/10.1186/ijet-2021-452 - Journal article with article number:
Singh, P., Alvarado, J., & Brown, T. (2023). Renewable energy forecasting using hybrid neural networks.
Energy Informatics, 6, Article 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42162-023-00219-4 - Book:
Nguyen, K., & Patel, D. (2018). Innovation in digital learning environments. Oxford University
Press. - Book chapter:
Harris, A., & López, G. (2021). Building ethical frameworks for AI in education. In R. Thompson & M.
Green (Eds.), Responsible innovation in digital society (pp. 75-101). Springer. - Website:
World Health Organization. (2022). Mental health and COVID-19: Early evidence of the pandemic’s impact.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-mental-health-covid19-2022 - Dataset:
[dataset] Silva, R., Nakamura, T., & Brooks, P. (2020). Global temperature anomalies from 1880-2020
[dataset]. Harvard Dataverse, V3. https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/CLIMATE20 - Conference paper or poster:
Klein, M., & Zhao, L. (2022, July). Enhancing collaborative learning with augmented reality: Results from a
pilot study. Paper presented at the 12th International Conference on Learning Sciences, Hiroshima,
Japan. - Software:
Rodriguez, J., Meyer, S., & Gupta, A. (2021). EduSim: A classroom simulation platform (Version 2.1)
[Computer software]. GitHub. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5567823
Web References
Web citations should include at a minimum the URL and the date last accessed. Provide additional details (author, title, publication year, DOI) when available.
Data References
When citing datasets, include:
- Author(s)
- Dataset title
- Repository name
- Version (if applicable)
- Year
- Persistent identifier (DOI or similar)
Use the prefix
[dataset] before the reference to aid in indexing.
Preprint References
- Clearly identify preprints as “preprint” and provide the DOI or server name (e.g., arXiv, SSRN, bioRxiv).
- If the preprint has later appeared in peer-reviewed form, cite the published version.
Important preprints central to your work may be cited if no formal publication information is available.
Responding to Reviewers’ Comments
Authors are required to address all reviewer comments carefully and systematically. To ensure clarity and consistency, please follow these general guidelines when preparing your response:
- Use the official response template provided on the journal’s website. Submissions without this completed template will not proceed to the next stage of review. You can download the template here.
- Address each comment individually. Copy each reviewer’s point into the template, followed by your detailed response.
- Be specific and concise. Indicate clearly how and where changes have been made in the revised manuscript. Use page and line numbers to guide the reviewer and editor.
- Provide justifications where changes are not made. If you choose not to implement a suggested revision, explain your reasoning respectfully and with appropriate evidence.
- Maintain a professional and constructive tone. Responses should reflect collegial dialogue, even when you disagree with a comment.
- Highlight revisions. Ensure that modifications to the manuscript are clearly marked (e.g., track changes or highlighting), in addition to the explanations in the template.
By adhering to this structured approach, you help facilitate a fair and efficient review process and improve the chances of your manuscript’s acceptance.
Code of Ethics and Authors’ Responsibility
Authorship Responsibilities
All authors must significantly contribute to the research, including its conception, data collection, analysis, interpretation, drafting, critical revision, and final approval. A designated corresponding author will handle all communications with Artificial Intelligence Advances in Education during the editorial process. Authors are collectively responsible for the integrity and accuracy of the work.
Submission Guidelines
Manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere. Submissions are accepted electronically through the journal’s online submission platform. All manuscripts undergo a rigorous, anonymized peer-review process. The editorial team reserves the right to reject submissions that do not align with the journal’s scope, lack scholarly rigor, or fail to meet formatting standards.
Open Access and Fees
Artificial Intelligence Advances in Education operates an Open Access model. All published articles are freely accessible to the public, subject to an Article Processing Charge (APC). A discounted APC applies for the first two years of publication. Authors retain the option to publish under this model, ensuring broad dissemination of their work.
Manuscript Standards
Submissions must adhere to high academic writing standards, using clear, inclusive, and non-discriminatory language. References should follow a consistent citation style, with all cited works included in the reference list. High-quality figures and artwork must be submitted separately in high-resolution formats (e.g., JPG or TIF).
Publication Rights
Upon acceptance, authors will transfer publication rights to the journal, enabling distribution while maintaining the Open Access framework. For further details on the APC or submission process, visit the journal’s website.
IRB Approval and Ethical Oversight
For studies that involve human participants, animals, or sensitive data, authors must obtain approval from the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or ethics committee prior to conducting the research. The name of the approving body and the approval reference number must be clearly stated in the methodology section. Authors must also confirm that informed consent was obtained where applicable.
The informed consent and the IRB approval must be submitted as part of the submission package.
Responsible AI Use and Authorship Policy
The responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in the preparation of scientific manuscripts is permitted under specific and transparent conditions. All authors remain fully accountable for the integrity, originality, and accuracy of the submitted work. The following guidelines apply.
Authorship and Accountability
AI tools, including Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, do not qualify as authors. Authorship entails accountability for the work, and this responsibility cannot be attributed to AI tools. AI technologies must therefore not be listed or cited as authors or co-authors under any circumstances.
Writing and Language Support
The use of AI in the writing process is allowed only to enhance grammar, clarity, or readability. Authors must carefully review and edit the AI-assisted content, ensuring that no scientific ideas or substantive content were AI generated. Any such use must be transparently declared. A statement should be included at the end of the manuscript, following the “Declaration of Interests” section, specifying the name of the tool used, its purpose, and affirming that the authors take full responsibility for the final content. For example: “During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [TOOL NAME] to [REASON]. The authors reviewed and edited the content and take full responsibility for its accuracy and integrity.”
Research Design and Content Generation
AI must not be used to generate or contribute to the scientific foundation of the research. This includes the identification of research gaps, formulation of hypotheses, or the design of experiments. All such intellectual work must be carried out by the authors themselves.
Data Analysis and Categorization
AI tools may be used for data analysis, summarization, pattern recognition, and text categorization, provided that its use is explicitly and clearly described in the methodology section of the manuscript. This description should include the specific tools used, their versions, and the methods applied.
Figures, Images, and Artwork
The creation or modification of images and artwork using generative AI or AI-assisted tools is generally not permitted. Exceptions are limited to cases where AI use is part of the research methodology, in which case the application must be reproducible and described in detail, including the tool name, version, and developer information. The use of AI-generated content is also allowed in composite images when suitable Creative Commons visuals are unavailable, but this must be clearly disclosed in the image caption. AI-generated graphical abstracts are not permitted. In rare cases, cover art generated with AI may be accepted with prior permission from the editor, provided that rights have been cleared and attribution is correct.
References and Citation Integrity
Authors must not rely on AI tools to suggest references. All citations should be extracted directly from scientific databases and verified for accuracy, precision, and credibility.
Disclosure and Institutional Policies
All AI usage must be disclosed at the time of submission. Authors are advised to check with their respective institutions to ensure compliance with institutional policies regarding the use of AI in scientific writing and research.
