Author Guidelines

Author Guidelines — Selaparang: Journal of Law Studies (SEJALS)

Selaparang: Journal of Law Studies (SEJALS) invites scholars, legal researchers, practitioners, and doctoral candidates to submit original, unpublished manuscripts on contemporary legal issues, normative law, socio-legal studies, constitutional law, and comparative legal frameworks.

 

Submissions must adhere strictly to the following guidelines prior to submission through the journal's Open Journal Systems (OJS) portal.

1. General Submission Criteria

  • Language: Manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically sound English or Indonesian (formal academic register).
  • Originality: The submission must be an original work, not previously published, and not under consideration by any other journal or publication platform.
  • Length: Articles should typically range between 6,000 and 10,000 words, including footnotes, references, tables, and abstract.

 

2. Manuscript Structure

Manuscripts submitted to SEJALS should follow the standard academic structure outlined below:

  1. Title: Concise, informative, and reflecting the core legal issue (maximum 15–20 words).

 

  1. Abstract: A single paragraph of 150 to 250 words summarizing:
    • Research background/context and problem statement
    • Main legal methodology or analytical framework
    • Key findings, legal arguments, or main conclusions

 

  1. Keywords: 3 to 5 relevant terms or phrases for indexing purposes, separated by semicolons.

 

  1. Introduction: Formulates the background, research context, specific legal problem/research question, literature review (gap analysis), and the novelty/contribution of the study.

 

  1. Research Method: Outlines the legal research approach used (e.g., normative legal research, empirical socio-legal research, comparative approach, statutory approach, or conceptual framework).
  2. Results and Discussion: The main body of the paper containing critical legal analysis, statutory interpretation, case analysis, or empirical findings. Subheadings should be used to organize the discussion logically.
  3. Conclusion: Concise summary answering the research questions and presenting legal implications or recommendations. Avoid repeating sentences verbatim from the discussion.
  4. References: Comprehensive, up-to-date bibliography listing all cited primary legal sources and scholarly publications.

 

3. Formatting and Citation Style

  • Font & Spacing: Manuscripts should be formatted in 12-pt Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing, with 2.5 cm (1 inch) margins on all sides.
  • Citation Style: SEJALS strictly follows the APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Association 7th Edition) citation style for references and in-text citations.

 

  • Reference Requirements:
    • Submissions should include a minimum of 15 to 20 primary and recent references (preferably scholarly journal articles published within the last 10 years).
    • The use of reference management software (such as Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote) is strongly recommended.
    • Authors must provide valid DOIs for all referenced journal articles where available.

4. Anonymization for Double-Blind Review

To ensure an unbiased review process:

  • The main manuscript file uploaded for review must not contain author names, affiliations, email addresses, ORCID iDs, or any self-identifying acknowledgments.
  • All author metadata must be entered separately into the OJS submission fields and on a separate Title Page file if required.

5. Submission Procedure

  • All manuscripts must be submitted electronically via the SEJALS OJS submission system.
  • Authors must complete all required OJS metadata fields accurately (co-author names, institutional affiliations, abstract, and references) during the submission process.