Author Guidelines

The editors invite scholars, practitioners, and enthusiasts in Islamic and interdisciplinary studies to submit research articles. Articles must be original, research-based, unpublished, and not currently under review for publication in another journal. All submitted articles will be reviewed by the editor, editorial board, and reviewers. Manuscripts that do not meet the guidelines will be rejected without review.

Registration

To submit an article to ISTIWA, you must first register as an Author. Be sure to check the "Author" box during registration; otherwise, you will only be registered as a Reader and cannot access the "New Submission" option upon logging in.

Online Submission Guidelines

Manuscripts must be sent online to the Istiwa portal.

Written Language

  1. The manuscript is written in Indonesian and English.
  2. Use formal, clear, and coherent scientific language; avoid non-scientific expressions, idioms, or unexplained local terms.
  3. For English-language manuscripts, professional proofreading is highly recommended, ensuring grammar, spelling, and academic style meet international standards.
  4. Use consistent technical terms and spelling of names of figures, institutions, or foreign terminology according to the original source.

Originality and Publication Ethics

  1. Manuscripts must be original and have not been published or are currently being processed in other journals.
  2. Maximum similarity level of 20%, checked using Turnitin or iThenticate. Include proof of plagiarism check.
  3. Authors are required to attach a Statement of Originality and Publication Ethics.
  4. All quotes, data, tables, and figures from other sources must be cited according to APA 7th Edition rules. Please see APA Referencing Style.
  5. Authors must include a Conflict of Interest Statement, especially if it relates to affiliations, sponsorship, or research support.
  6. Any act of data manipulation, duplication, or plagiarism will result in rejection and blacklisting.

Manuscript Length and Typing Format

  1. Manuscript length 10–15 pages (including tables, figures, and bibliography).
  2. Typeface:
    • Ancient Book 12 pt for the title.
    • Cambria 11 pt for the main text content.
    • Caliber 10 pt for abstracts and tables/figures.
    • Times New Roman 10 pt for footnotes.
  3. Spacing: 1.5 for main text; 1.0 for abstract, tables, and references.
  4. Margin: left 3 cm, right 2.5 cm, top 2.5 cm, bottom 2.5 cm.
  5. Page numbering: in the top right corner.
  6. File format: Microsoft Word/doc or .docx, compatible with OJS system.
  7. Text alignment: justify (left-right alignment).
  8. Use hierarchical heading numbering (1, 1.1, 1.1.1).

Manuscript Structure

  1. Title
    • Maximum 16 words, informative, and describes the contents of the article.
    • Avoid uncommon abbreviations.
    • Use capital letters at the beginning of important words.
  2. Author Name and Affiliation
    • Write your full name without academic title.
    • Include affiliation (institution, city, country).
    • Include email corresponding author with an asterisk (*).
  3. Abstrak (Abstract)
    • 150–250 words, in two languages ​​(English and Indonesian).
    • Contents include: objectives, methods, main results, and conclusions.
    • Avoid unexplained references and abbreviations.
    • Include 3-4 keywords.
  4. Introduction (Introduction)
    • Background explains the phenomena, issues, or problems that form the basis of the research.
    • Research Urgency shows the relevance and urgency of research both academically and practically.
    • Previous research reviews the results of relevant previous research, showing the strengths and limitations of previous research.
    • Research Gap shows the gap in knowledge that has not been answered by previous research, becoming the basis for problem formulation and research focus.
    • The formulation of the problem/focus of research is formulated as a research question or statement of research focus, it must be specific, clear, and directly related to research gap.
    • The research objective specifically describes what is to be achieved as an answer to the problem formulation.
    • Scientific Contribution & Novelty emphasizes the added value of the research and its novelty compared to previous research.
  5. Theory/Literature Review
    • Describe the theory, concept, or framework of thought that forms the basis of the research in detail, including principles, variables, and their relevance.
    • Connect theory with previous research to show the development of the study, research context, and identification research gap.
    • Explain how the theory or concept is applied in this research.,for example in design, methods, or data analysis, so that the relationship between the theoretical basis and the research is clear. (write the name of the theory or concept used in the research)
  6. Research methods (Methodology)

    This section is written in a concise, systematic and replicable manner. (reproducible) by other researchers.

    • Types of research (Research Design): Explain the type of research used (qualitative, quantitative, experimental, case study, R&D, or mixed) along with the reasons for its selection.
    • Data Types and Sources(Types and Sources of Data): State the type of data (primary or secondary) and its source, such as respondents, documents, or observation results.
    • Data Collection Techniques (Data Collection Techniques): Describe data collection methods (questionnaires, interviews, observations, document studies, etc.) and research ethics procedures, including institutional permission and respondent consent.
    • Data Validity(Data Validity): Explain techniques to ensure the validity of data, such as validity and reliability tests (for quantitative research) or triangulation of sources, techniques, and time (for qualitative research).
    • Data Analysis Techniques(Data Analysis Techniques): Explain how the data was processed and analyzed, both descriptively and inferentially. List the software or analysis tools used, such asSPSS, SmartPLS, AMOS, NVivo,or others.
  7. Results and Discussion (Results and Discussion)
    • Presentation of research results: Present results systematically and logically, divided into sub-chapters for easy understanding. The results should answer the research problem and support the research objectives. Use tables, graphs, diagrams, or images. to clarify the data, and provide an interpretive narrative, not just a numerical description.
    • Discussion of findings: Discuss the results in depth and critically by: Comparing the findings with relevant theories.Linking results with previous research, both supporting and differing. Demonstrate the scientific significance of the findings, not just the presentation of data.
    • Academic and practical implications: Explain the scientific contribution of the research results to the development of science, theory, or practice in the field. Also include applicable recommendations for practitioners, educators, or policy makers.
    • Clarity and originality of discussion: Avoid repeating raw data from the results (e.g., tables are explained again literally). Use interpretive, argumentative, and reflective analysis, demonstrating the researcher's critical thinking.
  8. Conclusion (Conclusion)
    • Summary of key findings: Conclusions should be written concisely, concisely, and clearly, directly addressing the research objectives. State the core findings without repeating detailed discussion or data.
    • Scientific contribution: Emphasize the original contribution and novelty of the research to the development of knowledge, theory, or professional practice in the field.
    • Practical implications and suggestions: If relevant, include applicable or policy recommendations based on the research findings, which can be used by practitioners, educators, institutions, or the wider community.
    • Directions for further research: Provide suggestions for future research, whether in the form of developing methodology, expanding objects, or exploring new variables that have not been discussed in depth.
    • No new data: Do not add new data, tables, or citations in the conclusion. This section serves as a final statement, not a place to present additional results.
  9. Bibliography (References)
    • Number and composition of references:Use at least 25 scientific reference sources with the ideal composition:≥ 80% comes from scientific journal articles (nationally indexed such as SINTA or internationally indexed such as Scopus, WoS, DOAJ, or Crossref).≤ 20% comes from supporting sources such as books, proceedings, official reports, or policy documents. This shows that the research is based on state of the art recent academic literature.
    • Recency of sources: Use references from the last 5 years, exceptions only for classical theories, fundamental figures, or basic historical approaches, maximum references 15 years old.
    • Citation styles and reference management tools:Apply writing style APA (American Psychological Association) 7th Edition consistently — both in the text and in the bibliography. Use Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote to maintain formatting consistency and prevent citation errors.
    • In-text citation integrity) : Make sure that every reference listed in the bibliography is actually cited in the text of the article, and vice versa. Scopus and SINTA 2 place great emphasis on consistency between citations in the text and the bibliography (there should be no orphaned references).
    • Quality and authenticity of sources: Prioritize references from: Reputable and peer-reviewed journals, Academic books from credible publishers, Avoid blogs, Wikipedia, or non-academic sources.
    • Also make sure all sources have a DOI, ISBN, or official link.

Review and Publication Process

  1. Manuscripts will be reviewed indouble-blind peer review by at least two reviewers.
  2. The editor has the right to make edits without changing the substance of the content.
  3. The publication process includes:submission – review – revision – acceptance – layout – publication.

Manuscript Submission (Manuscript Submission)

  1. Online Submission System: Manuscript submissions are made online via the system.Open Journal System (OJS) on the official journal page: https://ejournal.setiaws.ac.id/index.php/istiwa
  2. Author Registration: Authors are required to register as an Author in the OJS system before submitting a manuscript. Ensure all profile information (full name, affiliation, active email address, and ORCID ID, if applicable) is filled in correctly and reflects your academic credentials.
  3. Compliance with the Submission Checklist: Before submitting a manuscript, authors must ensure that all requirements in the submission checklist have been met, including:
    • Manuscripts are in accordance with the focus and scope of the journal.
    • The writing format follows the official ISTIWA template.
    • The manuscript has never been published or is being processed in another journal.
    • All references are cited and written in APA 7th Edition style.
    • Files are sent in Microsoft Word format (.doc/.docx).
    • Tables, figures, and appendices are arranged in an editable format.
  4. Submission Confirmation and Communication: Upon successful submission, authors will receive an automated confirmation email from the OJS system. All communications regarding the editorial, revision, and publishing process are conducted through the OJS account dashboard and the author's official email address.
  5. Publication Ethics Compliance: By submitting a manuscript, the author is deemed to have agreed to the publication ethics statement (Publication Ethics Statement) and guarantee the authenticity and scientific integrity of the submitted work.