Author Guidelines

Everything you need to prepare, format, and submit your research manuscript to the Global Youth Science Journal.

100% Free Open Access ($0 APC) Single-Blind Peer Review Standard & Optional Fast-Track Tracks Free Registered Article DOI CC BY 4.0 Licensing

1. Author Eligibility & Ethics

Topics & Accepted Disciplines

Explore accepted STEM fields: biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, computer science/AI, engineering, and medicine.

Animal & Human Research Ethics

IRB / IACUC ethical rules, informed consent requirements, and mandatory ethics approval statements.

AI & Academic Honesty Policy

Our policy on generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude), required Acknowledgments disclosures, and human authorship responsibility.

Avoiding Plagiarism & Originality

Originality standards, proper paraphrasing, self-plagiarism prohibition, and automated similarity index screening.

2. Writing & Formatting Your Manuscript

Manuscript Format & Structure

Page limits, typography, line spacing, margins, and standard 8-section layout breakdown.

Figure & Table Formatting

Captions below figures, editable Word tables with captions above, 300 DPI resolution, and axis unit labels.

Reference Formatting (Chicago Style)

Detailed citation examples for peer-reviewed journals, books, websites, DOIs/URLs, and multi-author rules.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Top screening pitfall warnings with actionable "Problem vs. Fix" breakdowns to ensure smooth peer review.

3. Submission, Review & Open Access

Author Submission Checklist

Complete step-by-step pre-submission verification checklist before submitting through our user dashboard.

Single-Blind Peer Review Process

Full 6-stage editorial workflow, standard free review (3–6 weeks), and optional expedited Fast-Track review (5–7 days SLA).

Copyright & CC BY 4.0 Licensing

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 terms, 100% author copyright retention, and immediate self-archiving rights.

Supplementary Video Abstracts

Guidelines for preparing 2-5 minute research video walkthroughs and uploading MP4/MOV files up to 250MB.

Standard Manuscript Blueprint

Quick reference guide to structuring your scientific paper before submission.

Title Page & Keywords

Descriptive title, full names of all student researchers, school/institutional affiliations, contact emails, and 3-5 keywords.

Abstract (150–250 Words)

Standalone, single-paragraph summary of background, problem, methods, key findings, and conclusions. No references or figures.

Introduction

Contextual scientific background, significance, literature gap, research objective, and explicit hypothesis.

Materials & Methods

Past-tense narrative paragraphs detailing exact procedures, apparatus, software, controls, and ethical approval statements.

Results

Objective data presentation supported by high-res figures and editable Word tables with captions, sample sizes (n), and p-values.

Discussion & Limitations

Interpretation of results, comparison with existing literature, study limitations, practical implications, and future directions.

Acknowledgments

Recognizing lab mentors, school advisors, funding sources, and mandatory generative AI tool usage disclosures.

References (Chicago Style)

Formatted in Chicago style with working DOIs or URLs starting with https:// for all online sources.

Documented Publication Frequency & Serial Taxonomy

The Global Youth Science Journal operates on a formalized serial publication frequency adhering to ISSN International Centre standards for continuous serial continuity:

Continuous Publication Model

Accepted manuscripts are published online immediately upon completion of peer review and copy-editing (Continuous Publication Model), ensuring zero publication backlog. Papers are sequentially collated into numbered issues per volume/year (with each finalized issue collection maintaining a strict quorum of 5+ articles).

Uniform Volume & Issue Taxonomy

Standardized across all pages, PDFs, and repository archives as Volume X, Issue Y (Year). Single articles are never released haphazardly without volume and issue assignment.

Article PDF Running Headers & Footers

Every downloaded article PDF carries official serial identification in its header and footer: Global Youth Science Journal, Vol. X, No. Y, pp. 1–N (Year) with registered DOI and CC BY 4.0 license attribution.

Complete Issue Compilations

Upon issue closure, complete multi-article issue PDFs are compiled and preserved in long-term academic repositories including Zenodo and PKP PN. Browse complete issues in our Issues Archive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can student authors submit their own work directly to GYSJ?

Yes. At GYSJ, student authors are fully empowered to create an account and submit their research directly through our online user dashboard. While adult mentors, teachers, or parents can serve as co-authors or advisors, parent or adult submission is not mandatory.

Who is eligible to submit to GYSJ, and how are authors listed?

Submissions are open to middle-school, high-school, and youth researchers who conducted their original research prior to enrolling in university. Authors should be listed in order of contribution (primary student investigator first). Mentors or advisors may be included as co-authors or acknowledged in the manuscript. Equal contributions can be indicated with an asterisk (*).

How long does the review process take and can I get an extension on revisions?

The standard peer review process generally takes between 3 and 6 weeks depending on submission volume and volunteer reviewer turnaround. For authors with impending deadlines (such as college application deadlines, upcoming conferences, or graduation requirements), an optional Fast-Track Review track is available targeting an initial peer review decision within 5 to 7 days and final publication within 1 to 2 weeks. Revision deadlines are soft milestones meant to keep your work progressing smoothly—if you need extra time due to schoolwork or personal commitments, simply let the editorial team know through your dashboard.

Do you accept international submissions outside of the United States?

Yes. GYSJ welcomes submissions from middle-school, high-school, and youth researchers worldwide across our global locations and affiliated schools (see For Schools). All manuscripts must be written in English.

Is there a submission fee or publication fee for GYSJ?

No. GYSJ is a 100% free, open-access publication platform. There are no submission fees and no mandatory publication charges ($0 APC) for authors. Financial constraints will never impede youth scientific publication. For authors seeking accelerated turnaround under strict timelines, an optional Pay-What-You-Wish Fast-Track review service is available. Fast-tracking solely accelerates reviewer scheduling and logistics under an SLA; it has zero bearing on academic evaluation, rigor, or acceptance decisions.

What is Fast-Track Review and does it guarantee acceptance?

Fast-Track Review is an optional priority service for authors working under urgent deadlines (such as college admissions deadlines, science fair submissions, or scholarship applications). It provides a dedicated reviewer assignment with a target decision time of 5 to 7 days and final publication within 1 to 2 weeks (backed by a full SLA refund guarantee if the timeline is not met). Contributions directly compensate volunteer peer reviewers for their expedited time commitment and support platform upkeep. Fast-track review never guarantees acceptance or influences editorial decisions; manuscripts undergo the exact same rigorous single-blind peer review and quality evaluation as standard submissions.

What is a DOI and will my published paper receive one?

A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent, persistent hyperlink assigned to scholarly publications. All published articles receive a free registered DOI, securely preserved under our Digital Archiving Policy and harvestable through our OAI-PMH Gateway.