GUIDE FOR AUTHORS

Pedagogical Perspective (PedPer)

ISSN: 2822-4841  |  Open Access  |  CC BY 4.0  |  No APC

1)  About the Journal

Pedagogical Perspective (PedPer) is an international, non-profit, double-blind peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research and scholarly syntheses to advance evidence-informed teaching and learning across educational contexts. The journal connects pedagogical theory with classroom practice and demonstrable learning outcomes, offering clear implications for educators, teacher educators, and education stakeholders.

PedPer welcomes interdisciplinary work that strengthens educational practice through rigorous quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research.

Editor-in-Chief: Emrah Akman — Ordu University, Faculty of Education, Ordu, Türkiye

Publication schedule: Biannual (March and October)

Website: https://pedagogicalperspective.com

Contact: editor@pedagogicalperspective.com

Indexing: ERIH PLUS, EBSCO, H.W. Wilson Education, Google Scholar, Crossref, MIAR, Ulrichweb, Türk Eğitim İndeksi

2)  Article Types & Word Limits

All manuscripts must be original works not previously published or under review elsewhere. PedPer accepts the following article types:

* Word limit applies to the main body only. Excludes title page, abstract, keywords, tables, figure captions, footnotes, and references.

Note:  If your manuscript cannot comply with the above limits, contact editor@pedagogicalperspective.com before submitting.

3)  Submission Requirements

3.1   Required Documents

Every submission must include the following files:

• Title Page (Word format) — author names, affiliations, ORCID IDs, corresponding author contact, declarations, and ethics statement.
• Blind Manuscript / Main Document (Word, 2003 or later) — all author names and institutional identifiers must be removed. Ethics committee name must also be anonymized.
• Figures (if applicable) — embedded in the main document and uploaded separately in TIFF, PNG, or EPS format at minimum 300 DPI.
• Cover Letter — pasted into the submission system (not uploaded as a file).
• Supplementary materials (if applicable).

3.2   Cover Letter

A cover letter is mandatory and must include:

• Confirmation the manuscript has not been previously published.
• Confirmation it is not under review by another journal.
• Confirmation all authors have approved the submission.
• Disclosure of any AI-assisted tools used in manuscript preparation.

3.3   Publication Policy

• The manuscript must report original educational research or scholarly discussion on education-related topics.
• The same author(s) may not submit more than one manuscript to PedPer as author or co-author within a single year.
• Manuscripts are accepted in English only.
• There are no Article Processing Charges (APCs). Publication is free of charge.

4)  Manuscript Formatting Guidelines

4.1   Page Layout

Paper size: A4 portrait

Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides

Font: Aptos, 11-point throughout (including abstract and references)

Line spacing: Double-spaced throughout

File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

Page numbers: Bottom center

Note:  The earlier PedPer template used Amasis MT Pro at 1.15 spacing. From 2025, the current standard is Aptos 11pt, double-spaced.

4.2   APA 7 Heading Levels

Use APA 7 heading levels consistently. Do not number headings or use bullet points for them.

4.3   Manuscript Title

• 10 to 12 words in length.
• Sentence case (capitalize only the first word and proper nouns).
• No abbreviations or acronyms.
• Clearly reflect the content without exceeding two lines.

4.4   Paragraphs

• Each paragraph must contain at least three sentences and rarely more than ten.
• Do not cite references in the opening or closing sentence of a paragraph.
• Each paragraph should follow: argument/claim → evidence/proof → summary.
• Do not begin the Introduction with a citation in the first paragraph.

5)  Manuscript Structure

The main document must follow this structure. All headings must be bold.

5.1   Abstract

Structured abstract of 250–300 words with the following required subheadings:

• Purpose: State the problem in the field, then explain the purpose of the study.
• Method: Specify the research design, sample, instruments, and data analysis approach.
• Findings: Highlight significant, interesting, or surprising results.
• Conclusion / Implications for Research and Practice: Describe the main takeaways and implications.

Rules: No citations or undefined acronyms. For conceptual papers, subheadings may be adapted to: Background, Purpose of Study, Sources of Evidence, Main Argument, and Conclusions.

5.2   Keywords

• 3 to 7 keywords following the abstract.
• Specific to your field or sub-field; represent the manuscript content.
• Do not repeat words already in the title.

5.3   Introduction

Must include these elements in order:

1. A general statement of the topic area.
2. A summary of what the existing literature has found.
3. A clear identification of the gap or unanswered question.
4. The aim and purpose of the current study.
5. A brief description of the research approach.

Conclude with clearly stated research questions or hypotheses.

5.4   Method

Must include the following subsections:

• Research Design — paradigm, approach, and justification.
• Participants / Study Group — number, characteristics, eligibility criteria, and sampling procedure.
• Data Collection Instruments — validity and reliability evidence; cite original sources for adapted instruments.
• Procedure — step-by-step data collection, timeline, setting, and ethical procedures.
• Validity and Reliability — quantitative: Cronbach's alpha etc.; qualitative: inter-coder reliability, transferability, credibility.
• Data Analysis — statistical tests or qualitative coding, software used, significance thresholds.

If ethics committee approval was obtained, state this here using an anonymized reference (e.g., "Approved by the XXX Ethics Committee").

5.5   Findings

Present all findings objectively. Do not merely insert tables or figures — each must be explicitly discussed. Statistical results should include descriptive statistics (means, SDs), inferential statistics (test values, p-values), and effect sizes where applicable.

5.6   Discussion, Conclusion & Recommendations

This section must cover:

• Opening sentence restating the purpose.
• Brief restatement of the problem and methodology.
• Summary of the main results.
• Connection to prior research and theoretical framework.
• Critical discussion of the results.
• Recommendations for educators and policymakers.
• Implications for research and practice.
• Suggestions for future research.
• Limitations (sample size, single-site, generalizability, etc.).

Conclusion and Discussion must appear under separate subheadings. Do not cite references in the Conclusion or Recommendations.

5.7   Declarations

All declarations must appear on the Title Page and in the main document under a "Declarations" heading:

• Conflict of Interest — or state: "The author(s) declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose."
• Author Contributions (CRediT taxonomy) — Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Writing, etc.
• Funding — or declare: "This research received no specific funding."
• Ethics Committee Approval — name, date, and number (title page); anonymized in main document.
• Data Availability — how the supporting data can be accessed.
• Generative AI Declaration — or state: "The authors declare that no generative AI tools were used."
• Acknowledgements — non-author contributors (assistants, language editors, etc.).

6)  Tables & Figures

• Is the table or figure necessary? Simple descriptive statistics should appear in the text, not in a table.
• All tables and figures must be cited in the text before they appear.
• Place them close to the relevant paragraph, not at the end of the manuscript.
• Number consecutively: Table 1, Table 2 …; Figure 1, Figure 2 …
• Provide a descriptive title above each table/figure.
• Follow APA 7 style (no vertical lines; avoid excessive grid lines).
• Maximum size: 16 × 20 cm.
• Figures must be in vector (EPS, WMF, SVG) or bitmap format at minimum 300 DPI.
• If a visual was not created by the authors, include the source in the References.
• Limit to 3–5 for standard research articles; maximum is 10 (see Article Types table).
• Tables must be created using Word/Google Docs tools. Do not embed tables as images.
• All abbreviations in a table must be defined in a footnote beneath it.

7)  References & Citations

7.1   General Rules

• Use APA 7th edition style throughout.
• Every in-text citation must appear in the reference list, and vice versa.
• Maximum 50 references; preferably from the last 10 years, supplemented by seminal works.
• Alphabetical order by first author surname; hanging indent of 0.5 in (1.27 cm).
• Include DOI hyperlinks for all entries where available.
• Reference management tools (Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote) are strongly recommended.

7.2   In-Text Citation Format

Parenthetical: (Author, Year) — e.g., (Smith, 2021)

Narrative: Author (Year) — e.g., Smith (2021) found that…

Three or more authors: use "et al." from first citation — e.g., (Jones et al., 2020)

Multiple citations: alphabetical, separated by semicolons — e.g., (Adams, 2019; Brown, 2021; Chen, 2020)

7.3   Reference Format Examples

Journal article with DOI:

McCauley, S. M., & Christiansen, M. H. (2019). Language learning as language use: A cross-linguistic model of child language development. Psychological Review, 126(1), 1–51. https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000126

Authored book with DOI:

Brown, L. S. (2019). Feminist therapy (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000092-000

Chapter in an edited book:

Balsam, K. F., Martell, C. R., Jones, K. P., & Safren, S. A. (2019). Affirmative cognitive behavior therapy with sexual and gender minority people. In G. Y. Iwamasa & P. A. Hays (Eds.), Culturally responsive cognitive behavior therapy (2nd ed., pp. 287–314). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000119-012

Article published in another language:

Yaylak, E. (2020). Sosyal bilgiler öğretmenlerinin öğretim yöntem ve uygulamalarının değerlendirilmesi [Evaluation of teaching methods and practices of social studies teachers]. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 6(1), 187–205. https://doi.org/10.31592/aeusbed.621664

Full APA 7 reference examples: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples

8)  Ethics, Authorship & AI Policy

8.1   Authorship Criteria (COPE)

All listed authors must satisfy all four criteria as defined by COPE guidelines (https://publicationethics.org/):

1. Substantial contributions to conception, design, acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
2. Drafting or critically revising the manuscript for important intellectual content.
3. Final approval of the version to be published.
4. Accountability for all aspects of the work.

Contributors who do not meet all four criteria must be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section, not listed as authors.

8.2   Ethics Committee Approval

• Studies involving human participants require ethics committee approval.
• State approval in the Method section (anonymized) and on the title page (full details: committee name, date, approval number).
• Studies involving minors require participant assent and parental/guardian consent.
• All procedures must comply with the Declaration of Helsinki.

8.3   Use of Generative AI

PedPer complies with COPE guidelines on AI use. Authors must:

• Disclose in the cover letter whether any AI-assisted technology was used.
• If used for writing: declare on the Title Page the tool name, manufacturer, date(s), and scope of use.
• If used for data collection or analysis: describe in detail in the Method section.
• AI tools cannot be listed as authors.
• Failure to disclose AI use may result in reversal of acceptance or retraction.

8.4   Conflict of Interest

Declare all financial, commercial, legal, or professional competing interests on the title page. If none: "The author(s) declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose."

8.5   Data Availability

State how the underlying data can be accessed. If openly deposited, provide the repository name, DOI, or URL.

9)  Anonymity & Peer Review

PedPer uses a double-blind peer review process. The Blind Manuscript must be fully anonymized:

• Remove all author names, affiliations, and identifying information from the document and file metadata.
• Replace self-citations with "Author (Year)" in the text and "[Author reference removed for review]" in the reference list.
• Anonymize the ethics committee name (use "XXX Ethics Committee").
• Anonymize the institution where the study was conducted.

The title page — which contains full author information — is kept separate and is not shared with reviewers.

10)  Plagiarism & Similarity Policy

All accepted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism and AI-generated text. Authors must submit a similarity report in PDF format (iThenticate, Turnitin, Grammarly Plagiarism Checker, or similar) after acceptance. The report must cover the full text including tables and figures, but excluding the bibliography.

Important:  The manuscript will only be published after a satisfactory similarity report has been submitted.

11)  Language & Proofreading

• PedPer publishes in English only.
• Manuscripts must comply with English grammar and academic writing conventions.
• All accepted manuscripts undergo complimentary language proofreading via Paperpal by Editage. Authors may use another professional service as an alternative.
• The editorial team may request language editing at any stage of evaluation.
• For authors writing in Turkish: convert all Turkish alphabet characters to Latin equivalents. Use a decimal point (not a comma) for numerical values (e.g., 3.14 not 3,14).

12)  On Acceptance & Publication

After acceptance, authors must:

1. Revise the manuscript according to all reviewer and editorial recommendations.
2. Reformat the final version using the official PedPer Manuscript Template (available at Templates and Forms on the journal website).
3. Submit the finalized manuscript along with the plagiarism/similarity report in PDF format.
4. Ensure all mandatory declarations (ethics, COI, authorship, AI, funding) are present and complete.

Important:  Articles not formatted in accordance with the PedPer Manuscript Format will be removed from the publication process.

Reminder:  Please avoid the use of political tone or comments regarding any region, race or ethnic group, religion, class, or caste in any part of the manuscript.

13)  Final Submission Checklist

Before submitting, verify that you have completed each of the following:

For submission enquiries: editor@pedagogicalperspective.com