Author Guidelines

Submission Guidelines

Manuscript Preparation Guidelines

General Formatting

• File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)
• Font: Times New Roman, 12‑point
• Line spacing: 1.5
• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides
• Text alignment: left‑aligned
• Page numbers: bottom right or centre

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title Page (Submitted Separately)

The title page should include:

• Title of the manuscript
• Author(s) full name(s)
• Institutional affiliation(s)
• Corresponding author’s email address
• ORCID iD(s), where available

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anonymous Manuscript

The main manuscript should exclude all author identifiers and contain the following sections:

1. Title
2. Abstract
3. Keywords
4. Main text
5. References
6. Appendices (if applicable)

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abstract and Keywords

• Abstract length: 150–250 words
• The abstract should state:
• Purpose of the study
• Methodology
• Key results or arguments
• Main implications
• Provide 4–6 keywords, listed alphabetically.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Structure of Research Articles

Research articles should normally include the following sections:

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Results / Findings
• Discussion
• Conclusion and Implications

Sub‑sections should be clearly labeled and consistently formatted.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Tables, Figures, and Illustrations

• Tables and figures must be numbered consecutively (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1).
• Titles should appear above tables and below figures.
• All tables and figures must be referenced in the text.
• Use black‑and‑white or grayscale formatting unless colour is essential.

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Referencing Style

The journal uses the APA Referencing Style (7th edition).

In‑text citation examples:

• (Mhindu, 2025)
• (Mokibelo & Pansiri, 2021)
• (Akinkurolere, 2024, p. 83)

Reference list examples:

Journal Article

• Nkhi, S.E., & Mofana, M. (2025). Social Media and the Integration of Minority Indigenous Languages in Political Participation: Challenges and Prospects. Journal of Asian and African Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/002219096251352489

Book

Hyland, K. (2019). Second language writing. Cambridge University Press.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Submission Procedure

Authors should submit the following documents:

• Title page
• Anonymous manuscript
• Declaration of originality

Submissions should be made via the journal’s official submission platform.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Copyright and Author Rights

• Copyright of accepted articles rests with BJCSAL.
• Authors may archive their published work in institutional repositories with acknowledgment of the journal as the original source.

Information for Authors

Interested in submitting to this journal? We recommend that authors review the About the Journal page for the journal’s section policies, as well as the Submission Guidelines. Authors need to register with the journal prior to submitting or, if already registered, can simply log in and begin the submission process.

 Peer Review Process

a). Upon receipt of a manuscript submission, an email confirmation will be sent to the author(s) immediately. If the author does not receive this confirmation, the submission may not have been received properly, and the author should contact the editorial office in time.

b). All submissions are subject to a double blind peer review. The review process may take 4–10 weeks. In rare cases, based on the recommendations of editors and reviewers, a second round of peer review may be initiated.

c). Authors are notified of the result of the review by email.

d). Authors of accepted papers are expected to revise their manuscripts in line with reviewers’ comments and editorial suggestions.

e). The final published version of the article is made available on the journal’s webpage and can be downloaded free of charge.

Indexing and Abstracting

The journal is working to gain indexing in reputable academic databases

Ethical Guidelines

The Botswana Journal of Communication Studies and Applied Linguistics (BOJCAL) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct, academic integrity, transparency, and accountability in scholarly publishing. These guidelines apply to all participants in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, and editors.

Purpose and Scope

These Ethical Guidelines define the principles and responsibilities governing the submission, review, publication, and dissemination of scholarly work in the Journal. The Journal adheres to internationally recognised best practices in academic publishing and strives to maintain trust in the scholarly record.

Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Originality and Plagiarism

• Submitted manuscripts must be original works that have not been published previously and are not under consideration elsewhere.
• Proper acknowledgment and citation of all sources is required.
• Plagiarism, self‑plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, and improper image manipulations are strictly prohibited.

Authorship and Contributions

• Authorship is limited to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research.
• All listed authors must approve the final version of the manuscript prior to submission.
• Requests for changes in authorship after submission must be justified and approved by all authors.

Data Integrity and Transparency

• Authors are responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and honest reporting of research data.
• Data supporting the findings should be retained and made available where reasonable.
• Selective reporting or misrepresentation of results is considered unethical.

Research Ethics and Approval

• Studies involving humans or animals must comply with relevant ethical standards and regulations.
• Approval from an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board must be stated where applicable.
• Informed consent must be obtained when required.

Conflicts of Interest

• Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, or personal relationships that may influence the research.
• All funding sources must be clearly acknowledged.