Author Guidelines

DISTINCTION: Journal of Communication and Society welcomes original scholarly manuscripts that contribute to the development of communication studies and its relationship with society, culture, media, technology, institutions, and social life.

Authors are strongly encouraged to read these guidelines carefully before submitting a manuscript. Submissions that do not comply with the journal's requirements may be returned to the authors for revision before entering the peer-review process.

1. General Requirements

  • Manuscripts must be original and must not have been published previously.
  • Manuscripts must not be under consideration by another journal at the time of submission.
  • The manuscript must fall within the Focus and Scope of DISTINCTION.
  • Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, originality, and ethical integrity of the submitted work.
  • Manuscripts may be written in English or Bahasa Indonesia.
  • Authors are expected to use clear, coherent, and academically appropriate language.

2. Types of Manuscripts

DISTINCTION accepts the following types of manuscripts:

  • Original Research Articles – empirical studies employing qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, computational, or other appropriate research approaches.
  • Review Articles – systematic, integrative, narrative, or critical reviews of relevant scholarly literature.
  • Conceptual Papers – manuscripts that develop, refine, evaluate, or critically discuss concepts, theories, models, or analytical frameworks in communication and society.

3. Manuscript Length

Manuscripts should contain approximately 3,000–6,000 words, including references, tables, and figures.

Manuscripts exceeding this limit may be considered when academically justified and approved by the editorial team.

4. Manuscript Structure

Original research articles should generally contain the following sections:

  1. Title
  2. Abstract
  3. Keywords
  4. Introduction
  5. Literature Review / Theoretical Framework (when applicable)
  6. Research Method
  7. Results / Findings
  8. Discussion
  9. Conclusion
  10. Acknowledgements (if applicable)
  11. Funding Statement (if applicable)
  12. Conflict of Interest Statement
  13. References

Review articles and conceptual papers may use a different structure according to the nature and objectives of the manuscript, provided that the organization remains clear, systematic, and academically appropriate.

5. Title

The title should be concise, informative, and accurately reflect the main topic of the manuscript.

Authors are encouraged to avoid overly long titles, unnecessary abbreviations, and vague terminology.

6. Abstract

The abstract should contain approximately 150–250 words and provide a concise overview of the manuscript.

For research articles, the abstract should normally include:

  • Research background or problem;
  • Research objective;
  • Methodology;
  • Main findings;
  • Major conclusion or contribution.

The abstract should be written as a single coherent paragraph and should not contain citations.

7. Keywords

Authors should provide 3–5 keywords that accurately represent the main concepts, topics, or analytical dimensions of the manuscript.

Keywords should be separated by semicolons.

8. Introduction

The introduction should clearly present the research context, problem, academic relevance, objectives, and contribution of the study.

Authors should explain the research gap or scholarly problem addressed by the manuscript and demonstrate its relevance to communication and society.

9. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

The literature review should critically engage with relevant previous studies rather than merely summarize them.

Where applicable, authors should clearly explain the theoretical framework, concepts, or analytical perspectives employed in the study.

10. Research Method

For empirical research articles, the research method must be described clearly and sufficiently to enable readers to understand how the study was conducted.

Authors should provide information, where applicable, regarding:

  • Research design;
  • Research setting or context;
  • Participants, population, or sample;
  • Sampling procedures;
  • Data collection methods;
  • Research instruments;
  • Data analysis procedures;
  • Validity, reliability, credibility, or trustworthiness;
  • Ethical considerations.

11. Results / Findings

The results or findings section should present the main outcomes of the study clearly, systematically, and objectively.

Tables, figures, quotations, or other forms of evidence may be used where appropriate to support the presentation of findings.

12. Discussion

The discussion should interpret the findings and explain their significance in relation to the research objectives, theoretical framework, and previous scholarship.

Authors are expected to demonstrate the scholarly contribution of the findings rather than simply repeat the results.

13. Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the main findings or arguments and clearly state the contribution of the manuscript.

Where relevant, authors may include implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research.

14. References and Citation Style

DISTINCTION: Journal of Communication and Society uses the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition (APA 7th Edition) for all in-text citations and reference lists.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all sources cited in the manuscript are accurate, complete, and consistently formatted according to APA 7th Edition.

Each manuscript must contain a minimum of 30 references. Authors are encouraged to use relevant, credible, and scholarly sources that directly support the arguments, theoretical framework, methodology, and discussion presented in the manuscript.

There is no specific requirement regarding the publication year of references. Authors may use both classical and contemporary sources when they are academically relevant to the study.

Authors are strongly encouraged to use reference-management software such as Mendeley, Zotero, EndNote, or similar applications to ensure consistency and accuracy.

14.1 In-Text Citations

DISTINCTION uses the author-date citation system of APA 7th Edition. Citations may appear in either parenthetical or narrative form.

Examples:

One author

  • Parenthetical citation: (McQuail, 2010)
  • Narrative citation: McQuail (2010) argues that...

Two authors

  • Parenthetical citation: (Couldry & Hepp, 2017)
  • Narrative citation: Couldry and Hepp (2017) explain that...

Three or more authors

For works written by three or more authors, use the first author's surname followed by et al. from the first citation.

  • Parenthetical citation: (Smith et al., 2023)
  • Narrative citation: Smith et al. (2023) found that...

14.2 Multiple Sources in One Citation

When citing more than one source within the same parentheses, arrange the sources alphabetically by the surname of the first author and separate them with semicolons.

Example:

(Couldry & Hepp, 2017; Jenkins, 2006; McQuail, 2010)

14.3 Authors with the Same Surname

When two or more authors have the same surname, include their initials in the in-text citation to avoid ambiguity.

Example:

(A. Smith, 2020; B. Smith, 2021)

14.4 Same Author and Same Publication Year

When an author has more than one publication in the same year, distinguish the publications by adding lowercase letters after the year.

Examples:

  • (Hall, 2020a)
  • (Hall, 2020b)

The same letters must also appear in the reference list.

14.5 Institutional or Organizational Authors

When a publication is authored by an institution, organization, government agency, or other collective body, use the name of the organization as the author.

First citation:

(World Health Organization [WHO], 2023)

Subsequent citation:

(WHO, 2023)

14.6 Direct Quotations

Direct quotations must include the author's surname, publication year, and page number.

Example:

According to Author (2022), "communication practices are embedded within broader social structures" (p. 25).

Alternatively:

"Communication practices are embedded within broader social structures" (Author, 2022, p. 25).

For quotations spanning more than one page, use pp.

Example:

(Author, 2022, pp. 25–26)

14.7 Quotations from Sources without Page Numbers

For online sources without page numbers, authors may use paragraph numbers, section headings, or another appropriate locator.

Example:

(Author, 2023, para. 4)

14.8 Secondary Citations

Authors are strongly encouraged to consult and cite original sources whenever possible.

When an original source cannot be accessed and is cited through another source, use the phrase as cited in.

Example:

(Bourdieu, 1984, as cited in Author, 2022)

Only the source actually consulted should appear in the reference list.

14.9 Personal Communications

Personal communications, including private interviews, emails, personal messages, or unpublished conversations that cannot be retrieved by readers, should be cited only in the text and should not be included in the reference list.

Example:

(A. Rahman, personal communication, March 15, 2026)

14.10 Reference List

The reference list must appear at the end of the manuscript under the heading References.

Authors must ensure that:

  • All works cited in the manuscript appear in the reference list.
  • All works included in the reference list are cited in the manuscript.
  • References are arranged alphabetically according to the surname of the first author.
  • Entries by the same author are arranged chronologically from the earliest to the most recent publication.
  • APA 7th Edition punctuation, capitalization, italicization, and DOI formatting are used consistently.
  • DOIs should be presented as active URLs whenever available.

14.11 Journal Article

General format:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Journal Title, volume(issue), page–page. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Example:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (2024). Communication practices in contemporary digital communities. Journal of Communication Studies, 15(2), 101–118. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx

14.12 Journal Article without DOI

Author, A. A. (2023). Media consumption and social interaction among young adults. Communication Research Journal, 10(1), 22–39.

14.13 Book

General format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of the book. Publisher.

Example:

McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail's mass communication theory (6th ed.). Sage.

14.14 Book with Two Authors

Couldry, N., & Hepp, A. (2017). The mediated construction of reality. Polity Press.

14.15 Chapter in an Edited Book

General format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of chapter. In B. B. Editor & C. C. Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xx–xx). Publisher.

Example:

Author, A. A. (2023). Digital communication and contemporary society. In B. B. Editor & C. C. Editor (Eds.), Perspectives on communication and society (pp. 45–62). Academic Press.

14.16 Edited Book

Editor, A. A., & Editor, B. B. (Eds.). (2023). Communication, media, and social transformation. Academic Press.

14.17 Website

General format:

Author or Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. Website Name. URL

Example:

World Health Organization. (2024, January 10). Digital communication and public health. https://www.example.org

14.18 Online News Article

General format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Name of News Organization. URL

Example:

Author, A. A. (2024, February 15). The changing landscape of digital communication. Example News. https://www.example.com

14.19 Report

General format:

Organization Name. (Year). Title of report. Publisher. URL

Example:

Organization Name. (2024). Digital media and society annual report. Organization Name. https://www.example.org

14.20 Thesis or Dissertation

Published thesis or dissertation:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of thesis or dissertation [Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis, University Name]. Repository Name. URL

Example:

Author, A. A. (2023). Digital communication practices among urban communities [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. Institutional Repository. https://www.example.edu

14.21 Conference Paper

General format:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day–Day). Title of paper [Paper presentation]. Name of Conference, City, Country.

Example:

Author, A. A. (2024, July 10–12). Artificial intelligence and changing communication practices [Paper presentation]. International Conference on Communication Studies, Jakarta, Indonesia.

14.22 Social Media Content

When social media content constitutes research data or an important source, authors should follow APA 7th Edition guidelines appropriate to the platform and type of content.

General format:

Author or Account Name [@username]. (Year, Month Day). First words of the post up to approximately 20 words [Description of audiovisuals] [Type of post]. Platform. URL

14.23 Audiovisual Sources

Films, television programs, YouTube videos, podcasts, and other audiovisual materials should be cited according to their respective APA 7th Edition formats.

Example of an online video:

Account Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL

14.24 Dataset

General format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dataset (Version) [Data set]. Publisher or Repository. https://doi.org/xxxxx

14.25 Reference Management

Authors are encouraged to use reference-management software to minimize citation and formatting errors. However, authors remain responsible for checking all automatically generated citations and references before submission.

Reference-management software may produce incorrect capitalization, punctuation, author names, DOI formats, or document types. Therefore, all references must be manually checked against APA 7th Edition requirements.

14.26 Accuracy of References

Authors are responsible for verifying the accuracy and accessibility of all references.

References should not be included solely to increase the number of citations. Every source listed must have a clear scholarly relationship to the manuscript.

Fabricated references, unverifiable citations, citation manipulation, and references generated inaccurately by artificial intelligence tools are considered serious academic integrity concerns.

14.27 Use of Artificial Intelligence for References

Authors who use generative artificial intelligence tools during manuscript preparation remain fully responsible for verifying every citation and reference.

Generative AI tools may produce inaccurate, incomplete, or fabricated references. Authors must therefore verify the existence, authorship, publication details, DOI, URL, and content of every source before including it in the manuscript.

Submitting fabricated or unverifiable references may result in manuscript rejection or further action in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics and Policy on the Use of Generative AI.

15. Tables and Figures

Tables and figures should be numbered consecutively and provided with clear titles or captions.

Each table or figure must be referred to in the main text.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted tables, figures, images, or other materials from external sources.

16. Language and Writing Style

DISTINCTION accepts manuscripts written in Bahasa Indonesia or English.

Regardless of the language used, manuscripts should employ clear, concise, formal, and academically appropriate language.

The editorial team may request language revision when necessary to improve readability, clarity, and academic quality.

17. Plagiarism and Originality

All submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism-detection software.

Authors must ensure that all ideas, quotations, data, and materials obtained from other sources are properly cited.

Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, inappropriate text recycling, fabrication, and falsification are considered violations of publication ethics.

Further information is available in the journal's Plagiarism Screening Policy.

18. Authorship

All individuals listed as authors must have made substantial scholarly contributions to the manuscript.

All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for the integrity of the work.

Guest authorship, honorary authorship, and ghost authorship are not permitted.

Providing an ORCID iD is recommended but not mandatory.

19. Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, professional, or other relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or interpretation of findings.

If no conflict of interest exists, authors should include an appropriate statement indicating this.

20. Research Ethics

Authors are responsible for ensuring that research involving human participants complies with applicable ethical standards and institutional or national requirements.

Where required, authors should provide information regarding ethical approval and informed consent.

21. Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence

Authors who use generative artificial intelligence tools in the preparation of a manuscript must disclose their use in accordance with the journal's Policy on the Use of Generative AI.

Generative AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and academic quality of all submitted content.

22. Manuscript Submission

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the DISTINCTION Online Journal System (OJS).

Authors must register or log in to the journal website and follow the submission steps provided by the system.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all submission metadata, including author names, affiliations, email addresses, title, abstract, and keywords, are entered correctly.

23. Peer Review

Manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening will proceed to peer review in accordance with the journal's Peer Review Process.

The editorial team reserves the right to reject manuscripts that fall outside the journal's scope, do not meet academic standards, contain serious ethical concerns, or fail to comply with these author guidelines.

24. Revision

Authors receiving a revision decision are expected to respond carefully to reviewer and editor comments.

Revised manuscripts should be accompanied by a response document explaining how each reviewer or editor comment has been addressed.

When authors choose not to implement a recommendation, a clear scholarly justification should be provided.

25. Proofreading and Publication

After a manuscript is accepted, authors may be asked to review proofs before publication.

At the proofreading stage, authors should correct only typographical, formatting, or minor factual errors. Substantial changes may require editorial approval.