General Standards

1. Manuscript Preparation:

The Journal of Contemporary Burma Studies (JCBS) requires that manuscripts be submitted in either English or Burmese in order to be considered for publication. Authors are encouraged to consider the relevance of their research to Myanmar studies.

Manuscripts should be prepared according to the (JCBS) style guide.

2. Title

The title should be capitalized, left-aligned, and placed at the top of the page in Tahoma font in English or Pyidaungsu font in Burmese. It should be both clear and concise and accurately reflect the content of the manuscript. Avoid using abbreviations in the title. It’s important to consider whether a thought-provoking title might be misinterpreted as offensive or alarming. In rare cases, the editorial board reserves the right to reject a title and suggest an alternative.

3. Authors and Affiliations

List all names together, separated by commas, ensuring accurate author names along with affiliations and contact information. Identify the corresponding author(s) with a superscript and include their exact contact email address in a separate section below the affiliations.

However, pseudonyms may be considered in consultation with the Editorial Board prior to publication.

4. Headings and Subheadings

In English, authors must use uppercase for headings and capitalize each word in subheadings. Headings should be formatted in Tahoma, size 20, bold, and subheadings should be formatted in Tahoma, size 10, bold.

For Burmese language, use Pyidaungsu font, size 13, bold for heading. Subheadings should be in  Pyidaungsu font, size 11, bold.

5. Abstract

In the abstract, provide a concise summary of the study, containing key information on objectives, methods, results, and conclusions, within a limit of 250 words.

6. Keywords

All article types: you may provide up to 5 keywords; at least 3 are mandatory.

7. Text

For the English version, the body text will be in regular Tahoma font, size 10. The entire document should be single-spaced and include page and line numbers to aid in the review process.

For the Burmese version, the body text will be in Pyidaungsu font, size 11.

8. Sections

Your manuscript is structured using headings and subheadings. For Original Research Articles, it is advisable to arrange your manuscript into the following sections:

9. Introduction
The introduction serves a distinct purpose from the brief abstract. It plays a crucial role in providing the reader with the background of your research and, most importantly, articulates why your study holds significance in its context. What fundamental question does your research aim to answer? Why should the reader find your work compelling?

Therefore, the introduction must explicitly state the research question, objectives, and the importance of the study. The Introduction is intended to stimulate the reader’s curiosity and furnish essential background information necessary for comprehending the rest of the paper. Summarize the problem at hand, offer context on the subject, review prior research on the topic, and clarify precisely what the paper will address, why, and how.

Ensure your introduction is concise, well-structured, and encompasses all the information required to follow the progression of your findings. Avoid overloading the reader by keeping the introduction succinct, getting to the key components of your paper sooner rather than later.

10. Method

In the Method section, provide a detailed account of the research design, sampling methods, data collection, and analysis procedures, taking into account any specific cultural or ethical considerations relevant to Myanmar.

The components outlined above in the research method serve to elucidate how you conducted your research, aiming to: (1) allow readers to assess the work performed, and (2) enable others to replicate your research. It is crucial to articulate precisely what actions you took, detailing how experiments were executed, the quantity and frequency of procedures, the locations, timings, and reasons behind the use of equipment and materials. Striking a balance between conciseness (as it’s not possible to describe every technical aspect) and completeness (offering sufficient detail for readers to comprehend the events) is essential.

The primary goal is to ensure there is enough detail for result verification and for others to replicate the research.

11. Result and Discussion

The aim of the Results and Discussion section is to present your findings in a clear and organized manner, offer interpretations and/or opinions, explain the implications of your findings for Myanmar, and provide suggestions for future research.

Its primary purpose is to address the questions raised in the introduction, elucidate how the results support these answers, and demonstrate how these answers align with existing knowledge on the topic. Often considered the heart of the paper, the Discussion typically requires multiple writing attempts.

While the discussion always links back to the introduction through the research questions or hypotheses and the literature reviewed, it should not merely repeat or rearrange the introduction. Instead, it should clarify how your study has advanced the reader’s understanding of the research problem from where you left them at the end of the introduction.

To ensure clarity, keep the discussion as concise as possible while fully and clearly stating, supporting, explaining, and defending your answers. Discuss other pertinent and directly relevant issues without including side matters, as they can obscure the message.

Exercise caution to avoid over-interpreting the results beyond what the data support. Stick to the facts: the data are the data, nothing more, nothing less. Please refrain from engaging in unwarranted speculation, inflating the importance of findings, delving into tangential issues, or overemphasizing the impact of your research.

13. Work with Graphic:

Using figures and tables is the most efficient method for presenting results. Captions should be self-sufficient, ensuring that figures and tables are comprehensible without reading the entire manuscript. Additionally, the presented data should be easily interpretable.

17. Conclusion
The purpose of the conclusion is to clarify the significance of your research to the reader once they have completed reading the paper. It is more than a mere summary of main topics or a restatement of the research problem; instead, it is a synthesis of crucial points. Ensuring that the conclusion addresses lingering questions is essential.

18. References

Ensure all citations in the text are included in the reference list, and vice versa. References should consist only of published or accepted articles. Include datasets deposited in online repositories in the reference list, indicating the version and unique identifier when available. For accepted but unpublished works, use “in press” instead of page numbers. Cite unpublished data, submitted manuscripts, or personal communications within the text only, if allowed by the article type, and provide a letter of permission for personal communications.

Format in-text citations by the first author’s surname, followed by the year. For works with two authors, include both surnames, followed by the year. For works with more than two authors, use the first author’s surname, followed by et al., and the year. Utilize reference management tools like Mendeley or Zotero and follow the American Psychological Association 7th Edition format. If possible, provide the retrieved link for each reference.

19. Ethical Considerations:

In this section, it is imperative to provide a clear and comprehensive statement regarding the ethical aspects and approvals associated with the research. This includes obtaining necessary approvals for involving human subjects and ensuring proper informed consent procedures are followed meticulously. It is crucial to specifically address any unique ethical considerations that may arise due to the context of the research being conducted in Myanmar. By transparently addressing ethical considerations, researchers not only demonstrate their commitment to upholding ethical standards but also contribute to the overall credibility and integrity of the research process.

20. Submission Process:

Submissions should be made through the JCBS online submission system.

21. Review Process:

Submitted manuscripts will undergo a thorough double-blind peer review process orchestrated by the editorial board. Reviewers selected for this process will possess academic expertise and a nuanced understanding of the Myanmar context. This approach ensures a high-quality and contextually relevant evaluation of the research, emphasizing our commitment to maintaining scholarly excellence and impartial assessment. Manuscripts that successfully pass this rigorous peer review will be accepted for publication on the journal platform.

22. Submission declaration and verification

When submitting an article, it signifies that the described work has not been previously published (except in the form of an abstract, a published lecture, or an academic thesis). It confirms that the work is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is agreed upon by all authors, and either tacitly or explicitly approved by the responsible authorities where the work was conducted. Furthermore, it asserts that, if accepted, the article will not be published elsewhere in the same form, whether in English or Burmese or any other language, including electronically, without the written consent of the copyright-holder.

23. Publication Fees:

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24. Contact Information:

Provide contact details for correspondence regarding the submission.