HORIZONS: A Graduate Research Journal

About the Journal and Its Guidelines

Horizons: A Graduate Research Journal of Aldersgate College, Inc. is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to the dissemination of scholarly research produced by graduate students, faculty members, researchers, and academic professionals.

Types of Manuscripts

• Original Research Articles: Full-length manuscripts presenting original empirical, theoretical, quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research.
• Review Articles: Systematic, integrative, scoping, or other scholarly reviews that synthesize existing literature and identify research gaps and future directions.
• Case Studies / Case Reports: Detailed examinations of specific institutions, communities, programs, practices, projects, or cases that provide meaningful academic and practical insights.
• Short Communications: Brief reports presenting significant research findings, emerging evidence, innovative practices, or preliminary results that warrant scholarly dissemination.
• Graduate Research Papers: Selected high-quality research papers, theses-derived studies, or scholarly works of graduate students that meet the journal's standards for publication.

Manuscript Preparation Guidelines

General Format

• Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format.
• Use Times New Roman, 12-point font, unless otherwise specified in the journal template.
• Use a single-column format following the official Horizons Manuscript Template.
• Use consistent formatting for headings, tables, figures, references, and citations.
• Manuscripts must be written in clear academic English.

Author Information

The manuscript should include:

• Full name of author/s
• Institutional affiliation and institutional address, where required
• Email address and ORCID iD (if available)
• Corresponding author designation, when applicable

Abstract and Keywords

The abstract should not exceed 250 words, accurately represent the contents of the study, and include a maximum of five (5) keywords. For empirical studies, authors are encouraged to use a structured abstract (Background/Introduction – Objective – Methods – Results – Conclusion).

Recommended IMRaD Structure

For original empirical research, Horizons recommends the following structure:

1. Introduction: Background of the Study, Research Problem/Objectives, Research Questions or Hypotheses, Theoretical/Conceptual Framework, Significance of the Study, Scope and Delimitations.
2. Methodology: Research Design, Participants/Respondents, Sampling, Research Instrument, Data Collection Procedure, Data Analysis, Ethical Considerations.
3. Results: Presentation of findings using appropriate tables, figures, and narrative explanations.
4. Discussion: Interpretation of findings in relation to previous research, theories, literature, and practical implications.
5. Conclusions: Concise synthesis of the major findings and their implications.
6. Recommendations: Evidence-based recommendations arising from the findings.
7. References: Complete and consistent bibliographic entries following the journal's prescribed referencing style.

Submission Workflow and Editorial Screening

1. Manuscript Submission: Submitted through the official submission platform, the ACI Research Director's Office, or official journal email.
2. Initial Editorial Screening: The Editorial Team assesses scope, basic formatting, scholarly content, methodology, ethics compliance, completeness of author information, and originality. Manuscripts may be returned for correction or declined prior to external review if minimum requirements are not met.
3. Plagiarism/Similarity Screening: All submissions undergo similarity screening. A similarity report is evaluated contextually. Authors are responsible for ensuring all sources are properly attributed.
4. Peer Review: Qualified external reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on scholarly quality, originality, relevance, and methodological soundness.
5. Revision and Final Decision: Authors revise according to reviewer comments. Final decisions include Accepted Without Revisions, Accepted With Minor Revisions, or Rejected.
6. Copyediting, Proofreading, and Publication: Copyediting, DOI and metadata assignment, online publication, and digital archiving.

Ethical Standards, AI Disclosure, and Policies

• Artificial Intelligence: Authors must disclose AI tools used in accordance with the AI Declaration Policy. Authors remain fully responsible for accuracy, originality, data validity, and final content. AI tools cannot be listed as authors.
• Research Ethics: Research involving human participants, sensitive information, or clinical data must comply with ACI ethical standards and possess institutional ethics clearance.
• Copyright and Open Access: Authors complete the Copyright Declaration Form before publication. Horizons operates under an Open Access model to facilitate wide dissemination.
• Article Processing Charges (APC): Submission Fee: None. APC is applicable only after the manuscript passes initial editorial evaluation and is accepted for publication.

Publication Timeline and Recognition

Indicative editorial timelines: Initial Screening (2–7 days), Reviewer Assignment (3–7 days), Peer Review (1–4 weeks), Editorial Counterchecking (3–7 days), Copyediting and Proofreading (1–2 weeks). Authors receive a Certificate of Publication, permanent DOI assignment, and inclusion in the published issue.