Structure of the Research Paper
ISVS e-journal is a research journal. What this means is that it publishes papers generated after conducting research; in otherwards, research papers. Please note that research papers are different from essays. ISVS e-journal cannot publish essays. Therefore, please produce a research paper, adhering to the structure outlined below.
Papers submitted to the ISVS e-journal has to follow a specific structure.
This means that the papers submitted to the ISVS e-journal should have specific components. They include a Title, Affiliation of the authors, Email details, an Abstract, Keywords, the Body of the paper, Conclusions and a List of references to the cited publications.
Title and Information of Authors
The title should directly refer to the general issue investigated and the specific aspect of that issue examined particularly in the paper. It could thus be comprised of a main title and a sub title. The two must be separated by a colon. The title should not be vague and must not have terms that are commonly not known. It should be written in Times New Roman Font size 26, with all the first letters capitalised except, words such as 'a', and 'the'. Titles must not be too long. A title should not also be a question. Avoid obvious phrases such as 'a study of' 'a case study' etc. Do not mention research methods.
Below the title, names of all authors should be mentioned seperated by commaa. Use '&' before the last name, if there are several authors. Use asterics to identify affiliations to be mentioned afterwards.
List affiliations of all the authors, seperated by semi colons. If all the authors are from the same university, do not repeat the same university for each asteric. If only departments differ for the authors, use asterics for each department, but do not mention the same university for each department.
Abstract
The abstract must have three aspects introduced briefly in three separate pragraphs as follows.
1. The issue investigated and its background, ending with a statement about the specific aspect of that issue being examined.
2. Reserach method employed, providing brief details of which data gathering techniques were employed within the reserach method. Be specific and provide practical information. Do not write theory.
3. Conclusions. This must briefly present the specific conclusions derived fron the research. Avoid vague phrases such as 'underscores', 'draws attention to' etc. They are not conclusions, but concluding remarks.
This should be succinct; brief, but do the following. First, introduce the issue and the context that gave rise to this issue. Then explain the methodology employed for collecting data. It is not enough to jut say quantitative or qualitative. Briefly state what the tools and techniques employed. Finally, say what the conclusions of the research are. Please do not write extensive details of any of the above. Please also do not include quotations or references. Statements must be straightforward. Do not write in a roundabout way. Confine the abstract to about 300 words and be within the first page including the keywords.
Introduction
This should explain what the issue is, and how this issue has arisen in some detail; in other wards, the background to the issue. End this with the aims and objectives of the study. Always, aims and objectives must be written starting with 'to” and say what it seeks to achieve. Note that aims are noble, almost-impossiible-to-fully-achieve, long term, unmeasurable intentions. Objectives are achievable, practical, short-term, measurable aspects to be achieved in this paper itself.
Theoretical Framework
If there are complex theoretical issues, then those theoretical ideas and their relationships sould be briefly discussed employing the views of the well-known and outstanding theoreticians. Use the theoreticians voices, with statements such as 'according to Rapoport(1969), or as Oliver (1989) says. The authors of the papers cannot theorize. However, this is not always necessary. It is required only if the paper deals with complex theoretical ideas. Nevertheless, most papers do deal with theoretical ideas, even if they are ordinary; such as 'space' or 'place'. They must be theoretically defined and discussed to lay the framework and foundation to examine them in the paper, and enable the readers to understand their scientific meanings.
Review of Literature
A 'critical' review must discuss the previous research conducted by the most noteworthy researchers on the issue being examined, and compare and contrast their research findings. This must be a discussion: not a list, not a table. It should go beyond saying this person did this and the other person did that. Use the voices of the researchers, with phrases such as “Rapoport (1969) says…”. Research findings must be presented in the present tense and not in the past tense, because this is current knowledge. In fact, this should present and outline the current knowledge and highlight the gaps of knowledge. The review must discuss the research conducted into the particular local context referred to in the paper too. This is the context in which the paper will reside. The next person investigating this issue will refer to this paper as an extension of such a review, if the findings are significant. That is how knowledge will be continuously constructed. This is the context of the paper.
Research Methods
This should explain how the data was collected. Tools and techniques must be presented and the basis must be explained in selecting samples, sample populations, case studies etc. Extensive theoretical explanations about methodologies are not needed, such as explaining what is qualitative research etc. In a way, the details presented must enable another researcher to repeat the research and ascertain if the same findings can be obtained. That is the test of science. Do not use titles such as 'materials and methods'.
Data Analysis and the Findings
The paper should not use the term 'results', unless it reports a scientific experiment (Only experiments have results). Data and Analysis: If the paper is presenting a case study, the case study must be introduced before the Data Analysis. Otherwise present the data and present the outcomes of the analysis of that data. Make sure that data from all the data gathering techniques mentioned earlier must be presented. If interviews were mentioned in the reserach methods, then data from the interviews must be presented. Relate these findings to the aims and objectives. Present tables, graphs, Figures and other means of organizing data to uncover patterns of their existence. Then explain what they mean. Always, acknowledge sources of the diagrams, figures and tables. Titles should be brief. They should not say the obvious. Figure titles should not have phrases such as ‘photo showing …’. it is clear if it is an image; there is no need to say it, ‘showing’ is an unnecessary word. It is clear. It should not use the word 'photos' for images. The ISVS e-journal has standards for these in the template; follow them. It uses Fig. 7: (dot and a colon) instead of Figure. 7. (two dots). Table titles are on top. Fig. titles are at the bottom.
Conclusions
This should present the conclusions derived from the data and analysis, prefereably as a list first and then explained. This should not be 'concluding remarks' that are made in an essay to finish the writing. It should not express personal opinions of the authors here, or refer to aspects not investigated. Conclusion must remain focused with the aims and objectives and confine the findings to what was actually found out. Conclusions must end with a discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of the research presented.
References
The final list must produce all the references cited in text as per the Harvard system and organized according to alphabetical order. Template instructions must be followed. Journals must have volume numbers and page numbers (no Vol. or pp.) and books must have the place of publication followed by the publisher with a colon separating them. Attention must be paid to full stops, commas, colons, semi-colons and capitalization etc.
The papers submitted and accepted for review, if not written with this structure will be returned with comments during the review stage and should be followed during the revision stage. No paper shall be published unless this structure is followed.