Submissions

Author Guidelines

SELF-ASSESSMENT GRID

 Following the criteria of a self-assessment grid helps to ensure the scientific quality of the study and its chances of acceptance for publication. Some of the advantages of following the aspects identified in the self-assessment grid are:

1. It contributes to ensuring the study's quality and methodological rigour by ensuring that all the essential elements are present and correctly described.
2. It facilitates peer review because it allows both the author and the reviewer to check the structure and content of the article systematically.
3. It promotes the transparency and replicability of the work by clearly explaining the procedures carried out.
4. It ensures the presentation's completeness according to the publication rules (in this case, APA 7th edition).
5. It helps to identify potential issues, omissions, or areas of improvement in the manuscript before submission.
6. It contributes to the acceptance of the manuscript in the PsychTech & Health Journal by demonstrating care in its preparation, thus compliance with pre-defined standards.
7. It makes it easy to communicate the study results in an accessible and organised way for readers.

Article Title

Here are some precautions to be taken when writing the title of a scientific article:

1. Be clear and direct, summarising in a few words (up to 12) what the article is about.
2. It should precisely reflect the objectives of the research and the results obtained.
3. You should avoid overly generic terms like "study", "research", and "analysis".
4. It uses technical terms whenever possible to identify variables and concepts in the area.
5. It is formulated in a noun phrase (without verbs) whenever the structure of the language allows it.
6. Written in English and Portuguese.
7. Avoid unconventional abbreviations that may create ambiguity.
8. It should be attractive enough to pique the reader's interest.
9. Does it inspire curiosity? It leaves you wanting to know more. It's not generic.
10. It must be coherent and directly related to other elements, such as the objectives, summary, and methods.
11. Finally, review spelling, punctuation, and formatting according to APA 7th Edition standards.

 Summary

The abstract is crucial for the dissemination of the study. Provides an overview of the study. It should faithfully synthesise your content in an accessible way. Is this the element of the work that logically guides the reader between the objectives, methods, results, and conclusions?

Here are some precautions in the preparation of the abstract according to the standards of the APA 7th edition:

1. It should be structured into objectives, methods, main results and conclusions.
2. It summarises concisely but completes all the core elements of the study.
3. It should not include extraneous information in the body of the article,
4. It should not include references.
5. It should be between 150 to 250 words for research papers.
6. It should use verbs in the past tense to describe methods and results.
7. It should specify the sample, instruments, procedures, and data analysis.
8. It should present results with relevant quantitative or qualitative data.
9. It presents reflections on the main conclusions, their importance and limitations.
10. It should avoid value judgments or interpretations in the abstract.
11. Follow a one-paragraph structure with no indentation or section numbering.
12. Write for a reader in the field but not an expert on the topic or objectives.
13. Carefully revise at least twice while maintaining clarity and condensation.

 Keywords: Must have 4 keywords that identify the theme, population, and study method.

Introduction

This section is essential to highlight the motivation and interest of the study. It should be written from the general to the particular. It should contextualise the problem comprehensively and gradually, clarifying the specific objectives. It should also highlight its scientificity, revealing a theoretical and consolidated foundation.

According to the APA 7th edition guidelines, authors should keep the following aspects in mind when writing the literature review:

1. Theoretically contextualise the theme comprehensively and progressively to the objectives.
2. Integrate and synthesise key research and conclusions previously published and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
3. Present the most relevant contributions in the scientific literature, chronologically or by theme.
4. Correctly cite primary sources according to APA citation standards, 7th edition.
5. Comment on the conclusions and limitations found in the analysed studies as they are relevant to contextualising the problem intended to be studied.
6. Demonstrate up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of the scientific production on the subject.
7. Identify the gaps in the accumulated knowledge and how the current study will contribute to its enrichment.
8. Present clearly and succinctly the key variables that will be studied and the objectives or questions intended to be answered.
9. In writing, maintain an impersonal academic style with short, to-the-point sentences.
10. Always use verbs in the present or past tense.
11. Thoroughly check the correspondence between what is in the text and the list of references.
12. Limit yourself to the most relevant and recent sources, between 5 to 10 years.

Methods

This section substantiates the validity and reliability of the results obtained.

Here are some precautions to be followed in the preparation of the Methods section, according to the APA 7th edition:

1. Clearly explain the type of study (i.e. quantitative, qualitative, mixed).
2. Describe in detail the sample and the recruitment and selection processes of the subjects.
3. Identify the key variables and define them conceptually.
4. Present and describe the instruments and materials used, including their validity/reliability.
5. Describe the procedures for collecting and recording data so that it can be replicated.
6. Explain the statistical analysis procedures specific to the variables/objectives, presenting the evidence that the theoretical requirements for their use have been met.
7. Include statistical decision criteria (significance level, descriptive/inferential statistical).
8. Refer to the approval of the study by an Ethics Committee or Scientific Committee that has approved the scientific project.
9. Use verbs in the past tense and short/clear sentences that are easy to understand.
10. Organise the information using subheadings when appropriate.
11. Provide the details that allow the methodological replication of the study.

 Here are some precautions to be taken in the preparation of the Results section according to the standards of the APA 7th edition:

1. Present the data/results obtained objectively, without any type of interpretation.
2. Organise the presentation of data in a logical order following the order of presentation of the specific objectives/hypotheses.
3. Include only a summary, essential tables, and/or figures (maximum 4).
4. Number the tables and figures continuously and reference them in the text.
5. Clearly describe each table/figure in the title and notes.
6. Present the quantitative results with the appropriate descriptive statistics.
7. Communicate qualitative results through examples, narratives, or categories.
8. Use standard formatting (follow APA 7th edition guidelines for tables (fonts, headings, row/column labels).
9. Present the results throughout the text efficiently and understandably, following the order of presentation of the specific objectives.
10. Highlight only the most relevant and consistent findings of the objectives.
11. This section does not make evaluations or draw conclusions. The evaluations are presented in the discussion, and the conclusions are in the respective section.

 Discussion

In this section, the scientific relevance of the results obtained is based. In the writing of this component, according to the standards of the APA 7th edition, authors must take into account the following aspects:

1. Begin by briefly recalling the objectives of the study.
2. In this section, comparisons should be made, differences should be highlighted, and the main results obtained should be related to the studies presented in the literature review.
3. Interpret the similarities and differences found between studies critically.
4. Develop possible theoretical explanations for the study's findings.
5. Discuss the importance and contributions of the results to the area of knowledge.
6. Situate the results in the context of the theoretical framework initially presented.
7. Present recommendations and clues for future research arising from the results.
8. Always use active voice and verbs in the present tense.
9. Present citations from the literature following APA 7a standards.
10. Maintain writing with a direct and objective style, avoiding judgments or conjectures.
11. Organise the information into thematic paragraphs when appropriate, following the order of the specific objectives.

Conclusions

The conclusions should answer each of the study's objectives based on the results obtained and presented.

Precautions to be taken in the preparation of the Conclusions section according to the APA 7th edition:

1. Concisely but thoroughly summarise the main findings of the study.
2. Present the findings straightforwardly without repeating details from other sections.
3. Respond directly to each of the objectives initially formulated in the introduction.
4. Highlight the contribution and innovation evidenced by the results obtained for the scientific area under analysis.
5. Refer to the limitations of the study in a structured and concise manner.
6. Point out possibilities and recommendations for future research.
7. Use verbs in the past tense to refer to the study procedures.
8. Maintain an objective tone without speculation or subjective evaluations.
9. Write in one or, at most, two short and precise paragraphs.
10. Avoid references to other studies in this section.
11. Critically review whether the conclusions cover all objectives and be careful not to be repetitive.

References

This section is essential to support and clearly identify the sources used.

The following are some precautions in the preparation of the Bibliographic References section according to the APA 7th edition, limiting it to 20 references:

1. Include only the sources directly cited in the body of the text.
2. Sort alphabetically by first author's last name.
3. Thoroughly check all the elements of each reference.
4. Follow the standard format for each document type (books, articles, theses, etc.).
5. Use as few rows per reference as possible.
6. Carefully check the identification of authors, years, titles, volumes, and editions.
7. Check the formatting of the citations in the body of the text and ensure they are consistent with those in the references.
8. Prioritise primary and published sources from the last 10 years.
9. Limit yourself to 20 references that are most recent and relevant to the study's objectives.
10. Delete unpublished materials as appendices or attachments.
11. Do not number the list of references sequentially.
12. Include only the sources actually cited (no additional bibliography).

 Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

The idea is for readers to evaluate the work's objectivity in light of the relationships confessed by the authors. The APA highlights some of the main types of conflicts of interest that must be declared:

1. Financial: Resource from sources such as companies, interest groups, or investors in the surveys.
2. Relational: Family ties or close friendships with people involved in the study.
3. Academic: Competitions for resources, reputation, or patents in the field researched.
4. Ideological/political: Members of organisations or advocacy for causes related to the topic.
5. Personal: Firm and preconceived opinions on the topic or people involved.
6. Materials: Receipt of materials, equipment, or benefits from stakeholders.
7. Commercial: Investments or participation in organisations affected by the results.
8. Institutional: Funding of the research or links with entities involved in the study.
9. Hidden: Any unstated relevant relationship that may influence the analysis.

Submitting the Article

Articles should be submitted electronically via the OJS (Open Journal Systems) platform of the PsychTech-Journal, accessible from https://www.psychtech-journal.com. New users should register in advance.

Once the author is registered in the PsychTech & Health OJS platform they must provide the requested data and submit the manuscript, which involves 5 steps:

1. After selecting the Online Submissions link, it is necessary to indicate the article type/section, select the main language of the manuscript, and accept the general conditions of submission. Authors may also make some optional comments to editors, such as indicating the scientific area of the article submitted.
2.  In the second step, the final version of the manuscript should be submitted, according to the norms of the journal. This file should not contain any identifiers of the authors in the body of the text or in the properties of the document.
3. After transferring the manuscript to the system, the complete contact information of all authors (name, surname, institution, address, e-mail address) should be included. It will also be requested to appoint an author who performs the duties of the corresponding author, who will be solely responsible for establishing contacts with the editors and keep informed the other co-authors of all decisions and modifications relating to the manuscript. The submission of the title, abstract (up to 250 words), and keywords of the main language of submission will also be performed in this step. Preferably, they should use the descriptors in the health area.
4. The fourth step, which is optional, allows the transfer of supplementary documents that the authors consider as an added value for the evaluation/revision of the manuscript. The submission of the letter of submission and its mandatory attachments, indicated below, should not be carried out at this time.
5. In the fifth step, the corresponding author must confirm the correct submission and record the respective reference (ID) assigned to the manuscript. This reference should be used in all subsequent contacts with the editors concerning the manuscript submitted.

After confirming the correct manuscript submission, the corresponding author should send an email to jm@psychtech-journal.com, carefully including in the "subject" box the article code assigned by the OJS system to the manuscript submitted. Authors should be careful to send the following documents to the Editor: (1) a letter of submission and presentation of the theme and authors; (2) a statement on the contribution of each of the authors to the work; (3) a declaration of assignment of copyright; (4) statement of possible conflicts of interest; and (5) a statement of ethical conduct / favorable opinion from the ethics committee or scientific committee that oversees the conduct of research in its institutions.

The review process is double-blind (neither the author nor the reviewer knows the other's identity) and each work is reviewed by at least 2 reviewers.

PUBLICATION FEE

O PsychTech & Health Journal follows the rules for open-access content allowing quick dissemination of the authors' manuscripts. PsychTech &Health is indexed in prestigious international databases.

Manuscripts, galley proofs are sent to the authors once accepted for publication. Authors must pay a publication fee of 125.00 euros (plus 23% of VAT). After completing the transaction, a receipt will be issued and provided to the authors. The responsible Journal authorities will give the details on how to proceed with the payment.