Word Article Format Guidelines

Manuscript Preparation & Formatting Guidelines (MS Word)

To ensure a smooth peer-review process and accelerate production layout timelines, all manuscripts submitted to the Bharat Journal of Integrated Knowledge Systems (BJIKS) must be prepared strictly in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) according to the precise structural rules detailed below.

1. General Document Setup

File Format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx only).
Page Layout: Standard A4 size with exact 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins on all four sides.
Typography: Times New Roman font exclusively throughout the entire manuscript.
Line Spacing: 1.5 line spacing with fully justified body text.

2. Part I: Title Page (Must be separated from the Article Body)

To facilitate a fair, double-blind peer-review process, the Title Page must be formatted as a distinct, separate section at the very beginning of the document. It must contain the following structural fields:

Type of Article: Clearly state the manuscript category at the very top left (e.g., Original Research Article, Review Article, Case Study, Short Communication). Font size 12, Italicized.
Manuscript Title: Font size 16, Bold, Centred, Title Case (Capitalize main words).
Author Names: Font size 12, Regular text, Centred. Author names must strictly follow the international format: Given Name first, Family Name (Surname) second (e.g., Srinivas Katherasala).
ORCID ID: Every listed author must provide their unique, active ORCID identifier URL directly underneath their name (e.g., https://orcid.org/0000-000X-XXXX-XXXX).
Complete Institutional Address: Font size 10, Italicized, Centred. Provide full organizational details for every author: Department, Faculty/College, University or Institution, City, State, and Country with Postal Code.
Corresponding Author Details: Explicitly mark the corresponding author with a superscript asterisk (*) and provide their active professional/institutional email address.

3. Part II: Article Body & Main Text Structure

The main article body begins on a new page directly following the Title Page. Authors must organize their content strictly according to the numbered headers listed below:

Section 1: Abstract and Keywords

Abstract: A single, continuous paragraph containing 150 to 250 words. It must clearly summarize the study’s background, objectives, methodology, core statistical/qualitative results, and final conclusions. Font size 11, Italicized. Do not include in-text citations or abbreviations.
Keywords: Provide exactly 5 to 7 precise keywords, listed in alphabetical order and separated strictly by a semi-colon (e.g., Agriculture; Knowledge systems; Rural sociology; Soil health).

Section 2: Introduction

Formatting: Heading must be written as 2. Introduction (Font size 12, Bold, First word capitalized).
Subheadings: Any secondary subdivisions within the introduction must use the decimal numbering system (e.g., 2.1 Historical Context, 2.2 Theoretical Framework).

Section 3: Objectives and Importance of Study

Clearly state the primary research questions, hypotheses, or objectives of the project, along with its specific academic or social relevance.

Section 4: Material and Methods

Detail the research design, sample selection, data collection methods, and analytical tools used (e.g., qualitative frameworks or quantitative SPSS datasets).

Section 5: Results

Present findings clearly using running text, tables, or high-resolution figures. Tables must be built using Word’s native table tool (captions placed above the table). Figures must be clear and sharp (captions placed below the figure).

Section 6: Discussion

Interpret the results, compare findings with existing scholarly literature, and explain the underlying implications.

Section 7: Conclusion

Provide a definitive summary of the study’s outcomes, limitations, and future research recommendations.

4. In-Text Citation Rules (APA 7th Edition)

All empirical claims, literature reviews, and analytical statements throughout the Article Body must be meticulously cited using the APA 7th Edition style manual. Authors must strictly adhere to the following formatting templates:

Single Author:
- Parenthetical: Recent shifts in sustainable soil management show significant environmental degradation risks (Katherasala, 2026).
- Narrative: Katherasala (2026) argued that modern synthetic fertilizers compromise long-term soil architecture.
Two Authors:
- Parenthetical: Empirical analyses of rural development point to systemic structural shifts (Suresh & Rajesh, 2026).
- Narrative: According to Suresh and Rajesh (2026), agricultural policies must be localized.
Three or More Authors:
- Parenthetical: Large-scale multi-centric studies emphasize integrated knowledge systems (Suresh et al., 2026).
- Narrative: Suresh et al. (2026) demonstrated that collaborative academic support frameworks improve publishing output.

5. Mandatory End-Matter Sections

Directly following the Conclusion, authors must include the following statements prior to the reference list. If a section is not applicable, state “Not Applicable”.

8. Conflict of Interest: Disclose any potential financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest. If none exist, state: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
9. Funding Acknowledgement: Disclose any external funding agencies, grants, or institutional financial support.
10. Acknowledge: Express gratitude to mentors, administrative bodies, or field assistants who supported the study but do not qualify for authorship.
11. Author’s Contribution: Specify the exact role of each author in the conceptualization, data collection, SPSS analysis, manuscript drafting, or critical editing of the paper.
12. Declaration on the Use of AI and AI-Assisted Technologies: Authors must transparently disclose the use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) in the writing process, data analysis, or graphic generation.
- Standard Disclosure Template: “During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) utilized [Name of Tool/Service] in order to [Reason (e.g., refine the English grammar and readability / support coding scripts)]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the final contents of the publication.”
- If no AI was used, state: “The authors declare that no generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were utilized in the writing, data analysis, or structural generation of this manuscript.”

6. Section 13: References (APA 7th Edition)

The bibliography must be listed under the unnumbered heading REFERENCES at the end of the manuscript.
All entries must be arranged alphabetically by the primary author’s surname.
The use of standard reference management software tools—such as EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero—is highly preferred and recommended to ensure flawless metadata parsing during our LaTeX conversion phase.
DOIs: Every reference entry must include a complete, active, and clickable Digital Object Identifier (DOI) link wherever available.

Word Article Format Guidelines