Author Guidelines
Editorial Guidelines
Manuscripts submitted to the journal must comply with the editorial guidelines established by the Editorial Committee according to their respective section and submission type. All contributions must be original and previously unpublished, must not have been published elsewhere, and must not be under consideration by another journal or publishing outlet. In addition, submissions must align with the journal’s scope, thematic areas, and sections, and adhere to the academic, ethical, and editorial standards described herein.
As a multidisciplinary journal, Applied addresses cross-cutting themes in both Scientific Dissemination and Science Outreach. It welcomes contributions from a wide range of fields and disciplines, with particular emphasis on work that generates territorial impact and is oriented toward applied research, sustainable development, innovation, technology transfer, and the development of participatory governance models.
Priority is given to contributions related to strategic thematic areas such as agri-food sustainability, sustainable manufacturing, environmental sustainability, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence, as well as to initiatives that foster innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems. The journal also welcomes work addressing contemporary environmental and social challenges, including climate change, mobility, and food systems. In addition, experiences of collaboration among public, private, and social-sector institutions in related projects are highly valued. Through this approach, Applied seeks to promote the generation of knowledge and solutions with meaningful impact in areas of significant scientific, technological, and social relevance.
Applied Research Papers
The Applied Research section is intended for manuscripts that present research results with practical application and potential social, environmental, or productive impact.
Manuscripts must have a length of 6,000 to 7,000 words and be submitted in single-column format, using Times New Roman 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing, and 3 cm margins on all sides.
Images, figures, and graphs must be embedded within the main text in their corresponding locations to facilitate their review during the evaluation process. Additionally, each visual element must be submitted as a separate JPG file, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi and using the RGB color space. The numbering, title, and source of each item must be indicated, and authors must ensure that they hold the appropriate rights when the material is not original.
Innovation Papers
The Innovation section is intended for the presentation and analysis of innovative proposals, processes, methodologies, or developments in the scientific and technological fields, with potential social, environmental, or productive impact.
Manuscripts must have a length of 6,000 to 7,000 words and be submitted in single-column format, using Times New Roman 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing, and 3 cm margins on all sides.
Images, figures, and graphs must be embedded within the main text in their corresponding locations to facilitate their review during the evaluation process. Additionally, each visual element must be submitted as a separate JPG file, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi and using the RGB color space. The numbering, title, and source of each item must be indicated, and authors must ensure that they hold the appropriate rights when the material is not original.
General Manuscript Elements for Applied Research Articles and Innovation Articles
- Submissions must be original and unpublished.
- Manuscripts must not be under review by another journal or publishing outlet.
- Author details must be included: email address, ORCID, and institutional affiliation.
- Individual contributions must be specified in terms of conceptualization, research development, analysis, and/or writing.
- Submissions are accepted in Spanish and English.
- Abstract of 150 to 200 words, clearly presenting the objective, approach, methodology, and main findings of the study.
- 3 to 5 keywords in Spanish and English, respectively.
Content Structure in Both Cases
- Introduction providing context, stating the research problem, and defining the study objectives.
- Presentation of the original contributions of the work.
- Theoretical framework or state of the art supporting the research and engaging with relevant literature.
- Description of the methodology used.
- Presentation and/or analysis of research findings.
- Discussion focused on the critical interpretation of results in relation to the theoretical framework and research objectives.
- Presentation of the scope and limitations of the study.
- Contributions or relevance of the work, highlighting its social, technological, or environmental implications.
- Conclusions summarizing the findings and outlining future research directions.
- References formatted according to APA 7th edition.
Science Outreach Contributions
The Science Outreach section is aimed at a non-specialized audience and seeks to communicate scientific, technological, and social knowledge, advances, and issues in a clear, accessible, and engaging way, without losing conceptual rigor.
Submissions may include:
- Science outreach essays, focused on the interpretation of concepts, theories, or issues from an accessible and socially relevant perspective, which not only explain but also offer an understandable reading for non-specialized audiences.
- Research for all (Research translation), aimed at adapting research findings (either the authors’ own or existing work) into non-specialized language, emphasizing the clarity and comprehensibility of the results.
- Illustrative case studies, presented with an emphasis on clear and detailed contextualization of the case, so as to enable an understanding of its setting, conditions, and particularities, highlighting its social or territorial relevance.
- Reflections, which articulate analysis grounded in academic knowledge and are oriented toward implementation processes, in which the author proposes an idea or derivation of scientific knowledge and explains how it can be translated into actions with economic, social, environmental, territorial, cultural, or other forms of impact.
Authors must explicitly indicate in their manuscript which of these four contribution types their work corresponds to (Science outreach essay, Research for all/research translation, case study, or reflection).
Manuscripts must be between 1,000 and 2,500 words and submitted in single-column format, using Times New Roman 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing, and 3 cm margins on all sides.
Images, figures, and graphs must be embedded within the main text in their corresponding locations to facilitate their review during the evaluation process. Additionally, each visual element must be submitted as a separate JPG file, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi and using the RGB color space. The numbering, title, and source of each item must be indicated, and authors must ensure that they hold the appropriate rights when the material is not original.
General manuscript requirements
- Submissions must be original and unpublished.
- Manuscripts must not be under review by another journal or publishing outlet.
- Author details must be included: email, ORCID, institutional affiliation.
- Individual contributions must be specified in terms of conceptualization, research development, analysis, and/or writing.
- Submissions are accepted in Spanish and English.
- Abstract of 100 to 150 words, clearly presenting the objective, approach, methodology, and main findings of the study.
- 3 to 5 keywords in Spanish and English, respectively.
Content structure
Manuscripts are not required to follow a rigid structure such as that of scientific articles. However, the following elements are suggested:
- Introduction contextualizing the topic through a question, problem, relevant situation, or striking fact.
- Explanatory development presenting key concepts, background, or central ideas.
- Presentation of findings, arguments, contributions, or reflections, integrated in an accessible narrative. Tables and highly technical structures should be avoided.
- Linkage to implications or applications, highlighting relevance in social, environmental, technological, or everyday contexts. Consider the following questions: Why does this matter? How does it relate to daily life, social problems, the environment, or decision-making?
- Closing or conclusion summarizing the main ideas briefly and/or proposing new reflections or questions.
- References (optional or selective), in APA 7th edition format. A lengthy reference apparatus is not required.
Additional considerations
Avoid excessive use of technical terminology; when used, it must be explained. Examples, cases, or concrete situations that facilitate understanding may be included, and citations should be used sparingly and preferably integrated naturally into the text.
