Submissions

The International Student Journal (STEM-ISJ) focuses on coding-based STEM research conducted by high school students in the era of AI. The journal encompasses four distinct research domains and welcomes paper submissions biannually. Each year, four outstanding papers in each category are selected for publication. The primary goal of the journal is to uncover exemplary student research and disseminate it broadly.

  1. AP Research Articles
  2. IB Articles
  3. Honors Research Articles
  4. Research Articles
  5. Review Articles
  6. Research Projects
  7. Research Posters

Submission Policy

The STEM-ISJ accepts submissions all year round. We publish two issues per year, so depending on the time of year you submit and the outcome of the review process, your contribution will fall into one of these two yearly issues. You can either submit a single paper via our submissions portal, or propose a special issue

Notes

  • The first author of the submission must be a high school student enrolled at an accredited academic institution.
  • Manuscripts are NOT ELIGIBLE for publication without a high school affiliation and the contact information of a teacher/advisor. Student authors must have a teacher/advisor who will guide them through the manuscript submission process.
  • The names and email addresses of the teacher/advisor must be listed in the contributor section by clicking “add contributor” during Step 3 of the submission process.
  • Each manuscript submission allows up to 5 authors, including advisors, free of charge. For additional author charges, please refer to the Article Processing Charge (APC) section.

Submission Process

  1. Account Creation:
    • Register and create a new account on the journal portal.
    • Log in using your username and password to access the dashboard and Active Submissions queue.
  2. Submission Steps:
    • The submission process consists of five steps, with guidance provided at each step.
    • Authors can save their progress and return to incomplete submissions.

Submission Requirements

Eligibility

The first author of the submission must be a student in Grade 7 or above at an accredited academic institution.
Global Participation

Submissions are welcome from students worldwide. There are no geographic restrictions.
High School Affiliation

Manuscripts are NOT ELIGIBLE for publication without a high school affiliation and the contact information of a teacher/advisor. Student authors must have a teacher/advisor who will guide them through the manuscript submission process.

Manuscript Formatting

Manuscript Formatting

  • File Format: Microsoft Word document (Docx).
  • Page Layout: Single-spaced, 8.5″ x 11″ (Letter size), 20 pages maximum.
  • Font: Times New Roman, 10-point black font, 1-inch margins on all sides.
  • Headings:
  • Article Title: Bolded, Size 18.
  • Heading Level 1: Bolded, Size 14.
  • Heading Level 2: Size 12.
  • Heading Level 3: Italicized, Size 12.
  • Heading Level 4: Underlined, Size 10.
  • Title Length: Maximum 100 characters, including spaces.
  • Abstract: Maximum 250 words.

Illustrations and Figures

  • Placement: Within the text at appropriate points, centered.
  • Format: PNG or JPEG files, named appropriately (e.g., Fig1.png, Fig2.png).
  • Title and Legend: Placed under the figures/graphs/charts.
  • Multi-Panel Figures: Single image file with labeled panels (e.g., (1a), (1b)).

Tables and Equations

  • Tables: Created within the Word document, not as images. Title placed above the table.
    Equations: Created using the Insert Equation tool in Word, not as images.
    References:
  • Style Guide: APA or discipline-specific reference style.
    Formatting: Single line spacing between each reference, URLs or DOIs provided where available.

Additional Requirements

  • IRB Documentation: Uploaded during Step 2 if required.
  • Supplemental Files: Uploaded during Step 2 (e.g., images, appendix, forms, surveys).
  • AP Research Paper: AP score typed in “Comments for the Editor” textbox during Step 1 and uploaded during Step 2.
  • Originality: Submission must not be previously published or under consideration elsewhere.

Coding and Data Requirements

Code Documentation

  • Clarity: Code must be well-documented with clear comments explaining functionality.
  • Organization: Code should be organized into logical sections/modules.
  • Reproducibility: Provide clear instructions on how to run the code and reproduce results.


Data Analysis and Visualization

  • Data Sources: Clearly describe the data sources used in the research.
  • Preprocessing: Detail steps for data cleaning, transformation, and preprocessing.
  • Visualization: Include graphs, charts, and tables to effectively present results, with appropriate titles and legends.


Machine Learning or Statistical Modeling

  • Algorithms: Describe the machine learning algorithms or statistical models used.
  • Rationale: Explain the choice of models and parameters.
  • Results: Present model results with evaluation metrics and criteria.

Metadata and Indexing

Metadata Elements

  • Title: Enter the topic of the paper (100 characters with spaces).
  • Abstract: Summary of the research from introduction to conclusion.
  • Contributors: List main author’s name and email; include additional contributors and advisors.
  • Categories: Select grade classification of the first author.
  • Discipline: Specify the area of study (e.g., psychology, mathematics, microbiology).
  • Keywords: Provide keywords for visibility (e.g., “artificial intelligence, high school, classroom setting”).
  • Supporting Agencies: List supporting institutions and high school.
  • References: Insert all citations in the text box.


Advantages of Indexing

  • Complete indexing during Step 3 of the submission process.
  • Indexed work is more easily found and cited by researchers.

Types of Manuscript

  1. AP Research Articles
  2. IB Articles
  3. Honors Research Articles
  4. Research Articles
  5. Review Articles
  6. Research Projects
  7. Research Posters

Review Process

Evaluation Criteria

  • Novelty: Are the main claims of the paper novel?
  • Support: Do the results support the claims?
  • Reproducibility: Does the paper offer enough details for reproducibility?
  • Potential: Does the study show sufficient potential for resubmission if initially unsuitable?
  • Clarity: Is the manuscript clear and understandable to non-specialists?
  • Citations: Have previous literature been cited appropriately?


Review Timeline

  • Estimated review process time: 12-24 weeks.
  • Double-blinded review policy.


Reviewer Feedback

  • Reviewers rate significance, originality, quality, and clarity.
  • Scholarly feedback provided to authors for improvement.

Editing Stage

  • Accepted submissions proceed to the editing stage.
  • Authors may be asked to resubmit for further review.
  • By adhering to these detailed guidelines and requirements, student authors can ensure a thorough and high-quality submission that aligns with the journal’s standards for coding-based research.