Publishing standards

Publication orientation

ECM accepts articles written by authors of different religious beliefs. However, the focus of the journal, like that of the School of Theology where ECM is developed, is biblical Christian. Therefore, the choice of articles for publication takes into account their relationship to the biblical Christian endeavor and the high standards of research.

Languages accepted by ECM

Although the journal prefers the academic language Spanish, the possibility of publishing articles in languages such as Portuguese and English is considered.

PRESENTATION OF ARTICLES

ECM is aimed at researchers, pastors, educators and church leaders. It admits the publication of

Documentary articles
Empirical research articles.
Essays,
Sermons and
Recensions,

on the following topics: applied theology, church, mission, lifestyle, society, family, leadership and current issues.

All manuscripts should be submitted as a Word (.docx) attachment with the following characteristics:

They must contain:

Title of the paper in the language of the text,
Name, e-mail and institution of the author(s),
ORCID
Abstract in Spanish and English up to 200 words, with the same logical structure of a research plan (introduction, method and results),
Keywords in Spanish and English, key phrases (noun phrases) can be used, but no more than six words in total are recommended.
It should be between 2,000 and 10,000 words.

Organization of the article

Documentary articles

The general three-part outline should be followed in the writing of papers: 1) Introduction, 2) Body, 3) Conclusion, and the Bibliography. However, if the author's intention is to publish his work in a specific category of the seven categories published by the journal, the necessary requirements of the category should be taken into account for the body of the document. The specific indications for the six types of papers published in the journal are available in summary form at the beginning of each category.

Empirical research articles.

The IMRaD scheme, an acronym that stands for introduction, methods, results and discussion, should be followed in the writing of papers. It is the most commonly used format for scientific articles. The following is a summary of what each part of the IMRaD scheme should contain.

1. Introduction - Justification of the Research

This part explains the importance or necessity of the research. Begin by detailing the problem or situation that motivates the research and continue by examining the current state of research in the field. Subsequently, highlight a "gap" or problem identified in the existing literature. Conclude by stating how the present research offers a solution to the problem or gap. If the study contains hypotheses, these are presented at the end of the introduction.

2. Methods: How did you approach the problem?

This part provides readers with a detailed explanation of how the study was conducted. It includes information on the population, sample, methods, and equipment used. The fundamental premise of this section is to enable readers to replicate the study. Generally, subheadings are used, the writing is in the past tense, and the passive voice is frequently used.

3. Results - Findings

This section presents only the results of the study. Generally, the results section includes only the findings, without providing detailed explanations or comments. This section is usually written in the past tense. It is essential to label and number all tables and figures according to the Turabian format.

4. Discussion - Interpretation and Significance

This section summarizes the main findings, discusses them and links to other relevant research. It also addresses the limitations of the study, using these limitations as a basis for proposing additional future research.

The most recent issues of the journal serve as the best guide for the format and writing style. However, for this purpose, ECM follows the eighth edition of the Turabian format (Turabian, Kate L., A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers. 8th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013). Abbreviations and specific biblical usages can be found in the SBL manual (Alexander, Patrick H., and Society of Biblical Literature. The SBL Handbook of Style: For Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999). Some important guidelines in this regard include:

• Articles must be double-spaced, using Times New Roman font, size 12.
• The document's language should be inclusive (use "humanity" instead of "man" or "masculine gender" instead of "man"), and writing should be in the third person.
• References and notes should be placed at the bottom of the page and not at the end of the document, and numbering should not reset on each page.
• If using Greek, Hebrew, or another non-Latin alphabet, use SBL fonts. In the document, these words should be in parentheses, with transliteration included in the running text (see the transliteration guide provided in one of ECM's issues each year). SBL fonts can be downloaded from the SBL website.
• It is recommended to use a bibliographic reference system such as EndNote or a similar tool to facilitate editing work.
• Biblical references should be in the running text, specifying the Bible version used with standardized abbreviations (refer to the abbreviation guide provided in one of ECM's issues each year). There should be no space between the colon and the numbers; abbreviations are preferred over full names when the biblical reference is in parentheses (Examples: 1 Cor 3:7-21; Rev 6:1, 4, 7, 8:2, 5), but if in the running text, the full book name is preferred (Examples: Isaiah 40-66; Revelation 1:2).
• If using abbreviations like AT for Old Testament or NT for the New Testament, specify them the first time and note this choice in a footnote. However, the journal prefers not to use such abbreviations.
• Quotations longer than four or five lines should be presented in block format without quotation marks, but direct quotes of up to three lines should follow normal text rules, enclosed in quotation marks.
• Page numbers in references should not include the letter "p"; follow this model: 42-54, 147-9, 116-27.

Illustrations and Tables

Authors wishing to include illustrations in their article for publication should provide them separately and in high resolution (300 pixels per inch for photos and 1200 pixels per inch for black and white line drawings), identifying their location. Photocopied images are not accepted. Permission for image reproduction is essential, whether the image is owned by the author or not. Images should preferably be in .jpg or .png format. Regarding tables, these should not exceed 11 x 13 centimeters. If a larger table is necessary, the author should submit a request to the journal's editorial board or divide the table into two. Both tables and illustrations should be numbered (e.g., Table 1: ..., Image 1: ...) and accompanied by a title.

Copyright

ECM reserves the right to make necessary modifications to articles to align with the journal's style and theme. Manuscripts submitted, being original works, should not have been published in abbreviated form or otherwise by another means. Publication is conditional on authors granting an exclusive license to ECM for their document. This means that if a third party wishes to publish the document in its original version or as a translation, they must obtain the appropriate permission from the journal's editors. Authors may use their material in other publications as part of the copyright agreement, provided proper reference is made to the original publication source, in this case, ECM.

Evaluation

Manuscripts will be reviewed by at least two external evaluators. The review is conducted anonymously; thus, author names, email addresses, and affiliations are replaced with a code before being sent to the article evaluators. Article evaluators only communicate with ECM editors, who handle receiving the evaluated article and forwarding it to the author. Contact information for the author, particularly the email address, must be active, as acceptance, recommendations, or suggestions will be sent to that address. ECM avoids unnecessary paper use. After the document is returned to the author, a waiting period of seven business days is expected for resubmission and future approval.

Publication

If the article is accepted for publication, a PDF proof of the article will be sent via email. Instructions for final corrections will accompany the PDF file. The proof should be evaluated promptly, and the document should be returned to the editors within 48 hours; failure to do so indicates agreement with the final correction.

Benefits

Authors will receive subsidized access to the most recent digital versions of the journal, a printed copy of the issue in which their document is published, and access to all articles published in the journal over two years ago, classified as private.

Criteria for Authorship Recognition

Authorship recognition in ECM is based on the recommendations outlined in Yale University's academic integrity policies, which consider the distinct roles of the author, lead author, and co-author of a document:

1. The author is the sole creator of the published document.
2. The lead author is the primary creator of the published document.
3. The co-author is one of the creators of the published document.
4. Every author or co-author must be involved in the following three aspects:
   • Planning, conception, analysis, or design of the research leading to the publication of the document.
   • Writing of the document, either in its final stage or as an initial draft.
   • Review and approval of the manuscript before its publication in ECM.
5. Every author or co-author of a document assumes responsibility for all aspects of the manuscript, ensuring that matters related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of it were appropriately investigated and resolved.

Claims or Suggestions:

In case authors have suggestions or complaints (related to peer review issues, timing issues, etc.), they can send their claim to ECM's email: estrategias@upeu.edu.pe.