Guidelines for authors

The manuscripts submitted to Desafíos must be original and unpublished, that is, they must not have been previously published or be under evaluation by another journal. Likewise, manuscripts that are being simultaneously considered by other publications will not be accepted. The papers may be submitted in Spanish or English, according to the origin and preference of the authors. The submission of manuscripts is carried out exclusively in digital format through our OJS editorial platform.

When submitting a manuscript to Desafíos, the corresponding author must obligatorily attach the following documents:

  • The complete article, written in accordance with the guidelines established in these instructions for authors. (Click to download template)
  • Sworn declaration of originality and authorship, duly completed and signed by the main author, with the express authorization of all co-authors (if applicable). This document must be submitted in PDF format. (Click to download declaration)

The omission of any of these requirements will prevent the start of the editorial process.

Desafíos accepts the following types of contributions:

  • Original article: A detailed report of unpublished empirical, theoretical, or methodological research. It must include an introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusions. Its length ranges between 4,000 and 8,000 words, excluding references.
  • Review article: A critical and systematic analysis of the scientific literature on a specific topic, aimed at identifying trends, gaps, and projections. Its length ranges between 5,000 and 10,000 words, excluding references.
  • Essay: An argumentative text that presents a critical reflection on a topic related to education, supported by theoretical foundations and academic sources. The suggested length is between 3,000 and 6,000 words.
  • Letter to the Editor: A short communication aimed at commenting on articles previously published in the journal, making critical observations, or sharing academic reflections. Letters to the editor must not exceed 3,000 words, including the title, body of the text, and author information.

The first page of the manuscript must contain the following information:

  • Title: Clear and concise, with a maximum of 20 words. Do not include acronyms.
  • Author identification: The full name of each author must be included as it appears in their usual publications, along with their ORCID ID, email address, full institutional affiliation (name of the institution, faculty or department, city, and country), and highest academic degree.
  • Abstract: A structured summary must be provided, including a brief introduction, the objective of the study, the methodology used, the main results, and the most relevant conclusions. Maximum 200 words.
  • Keywords: Five keywords must be included, separated by commas, and must not repeat the terms used in the title.

Both the title, abstract, and keywords must be presented in Spanish and English, ensuring a faithful and technically accurate translation.

Next, for original articles and review articles, the manuscript must follow the IMRAD structure, consisting of the following sections:

  • Introduction: Presents the general context of the study, the research problem, relevant background information, and the objectives or hypotheses of the work.
  • Method: Clearly and thoroughly describes the study design, population or sample, data collection instruments, analysis procedures, and ethical considerations. It must ensure the reproducibility of the study. Review articles must rigorously describe the process of gathering, selecting, and analyzing the scientific literature on a specific topic in the educational field, following recognized and validated methodologies, such as the PRISMA model or other relevant guidelines.
  • Results: Presents the findings clearly and objectively, accompanied by tables or figures when appropriate. In quantitative studies, this section must be limited to the description of the results without including interpretations or value judgments. In contrast, in qualitative studies, interpretations may be included as part of the data analysis.
  • Discussion: Analyzes and interprets the results based on the stated objectives and in comparison with previous studies. The theoretical or practical implications of the study and its limitations must be indicated. If the author deems it appropriate, the Results and Discussion sections may be integrated into a single section titled Results and Discussion, as long as the clarity and coherence of the exposition are maintained.
  • Conclusions: Summarizes the main findings, highlighting their scientific or practical contribution. No new data should be included.

At the end of the main body of the article, the following sections must be included:

  • Acknowledgements (optional): This section allows for recognition of individuals or institutions that provided technical, academic, or logistical support in the development of the research, without meeting authorship criteria.
  • Conflict of interest: Authors must declare whether there is any conflict of interest that may have influenced the study. If none exist, the following statement must be included: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”
  • Funding: It must be specified whether the research received financial support from any institution, competitive fund, or specific program. If not, the following statement must be included: “The research did not receive external funding.”
  • Data availability: If datasets supporting the study are available, the corresponding repository link must be included. If the data are not available, a brief justification must be provided.
  • References: Original articles must include a minimum of 25 references, and review articles at least 40. All citations must be referenced and vice versa. Desafíos adopts the APA 7th edition referencing style in English or Spanish. All cited internet sources must include a DOI link or URL. It is important to ensure that at least 70% of the references come from scientific articles published in indexed academic journals and be no older than five years. We recommend the use of reference managers, preferably Mendeley.
  • Appendices (optional): Supplementary information may be included to support the content of the article, such as data collection instruments, extended tables, additional graphs, technical sheets, or relevant documents that are not part of the main text.

For academic essays, in addition to including the first page of the manuscript with the required information (title, author identification, abstract, and keywords), the main text must be presented in a continuous manner, with clear and argumentative writing. Although a rigid structure is not required, it is suggested to organize the content into three parts: introduction, development, and conclusions, in order to facilitate the document’s coherence and understanding.

In the case of letters to the editor, the text must include a clear and concise title, followed by one or more brief paragraphs that accurately express the author’s opinion, comment, or reflection. It is not necessary to include an abstract or keywords.

If symbols, formulas, abbreviations, or units of measurement are used, it is recommended to follow the corresponding international standards, such as:

  • Scientific and mathematical symbols: use standard notation recognized by the scientific community (e.g., Greek symbols, mathematical operators, etc.).
  • Units of measurement: must be expressed in accordance with the International System of Units (SI).
  • Abbreviations: must be defined the first time they are mentioned in the text, and used consistently throughout the manuscript.

The correct use of these elements is essential to ensure clarity, precision, and understanding of scientific content.

Disclaimer. The statements, judgments, and opinions expressed in the published articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Editorial Committee of the journal Desafíos.

Date of update of author guidelines: June 10, 2025