Publication Manual

E-psychologie welcomes manuscripts that are within its scope and are written in non-biased and non-offensive language with high professional standards.
Authors need to comply with all editorial and ethical policies. E-psychologie welcomes partial or pilot research results or detailed research protocols. We also welcome articles based on the author's thesis or dissertation as long as that is the only form the content was published (and is available in an online repository), and it is in line with the author's university policy. The inclusion of material from theses or dissertations needs to be described in the Acknowledgment section and properly cited.

Submit your manuscripts to the editorial system here. Once your manuscript is submitted, you will receive an email confirmation of acceptance from the editorial office within 5 days.

Copyright and fees
Authorship and CRediT Author Statement
Bias-Free Language
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Cover Letter
Data files
Article types
Manuscript length
Format
References
Essentials for all contributions

Structure of an original research study
Structure of the method study
Structure of the theoretical study
Structure of the research protocol (study protocol)
Structure of a literature review study
Structure of systematic review study and meta-analysis
Structure of a case study
Structure of a practice reflection
Structure of the discussion
Peer-review process

Copyright and fees

The authors retain copyright to their published paper, and by submitting a manuscript they grant E-psychology the right of first publication: the paper is also licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. More about copyright in E-psychologie here.

Publication of papers that are funded by specific grants or projects that are acknowledged in the text of the manuscript is subject to Article Publishing Charges (APC). The corresponding author of such a manuscript accepted for publication is obliged to ensure the payment of the APC of 3000 CZK. The amount is payable upon completion of the review process and approval of the manuscript for publication, prior to publication (valid for manuscripts submitted after 1 September 2023), based on an invoice issued by the E-psychology Editorial Office.
Publication of manuscripts without a project or grant funding acknowledgement is free of charge.

Authorship and CRediT Author Statement

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that the descriptions are accurate and agreed upon by all authors. The role(s) of all authors should be listed, using the relevant categories in accordance with the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT). CRediT statement appears above the acknowledgement section of the published paper. For the authors‘ roles see Brand et al. (2015).
Authors should not list AI and AI-assisted technologies as an author or co-author. Authorship is described in detail in Publication Ethics.

Bias-Free Language

E-psychologie endorses the APA bias-free language guidelines that contain both general guidelines for writing about people without bias across a range of topics and specific guidelines that address the individual characteristics of age, disability, gender, participation in research, racial and ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. These guidelines and recommendations were crafted by panels of experts on APA’s bias-free language committees and should be used in conjunction with APA’s Inclusive Language Guidelines.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

E-psychologie supports equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in its practices. More information on these initiatives is available under APA’s equity, diversity and inclusion section.
Authors are required to avoid using terms that imply bias toward one group as the norm and regard those outside that group as abnormal.

Cover Letter

When submitting a manuscript, authors need to attach a cover letter which includes:

  • the title of the manuscript and the article type,
  • main findings (highlights),
  • authors' statements including assurance that
    • all authors agree with the content of the manuscript and with the order of authorship,
    • the submitted manuscript is not considered for publication or has not been published elsewhere,
  • a statement of any conflict of interest,
  • information on access to the data (alternatively, it may state that the data is available in one of the public repositories such as the Open Science Framework),
  • an ethics committee approval and signing of informed consent by all study participants, or other relevant verification that the treatment of human participants or animal subjects was in accordance with ethical standards.

Data files

We support open science. We recommend using one of the research data repositories, such as the Open Science Framework. More about OSF here: Foster, E. D., & Deardorff, A. (2017). Open Science Framework (OSF). Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, 105(2), 203–206. https://doi.org/…jmla.2017.88. More about the various repositories here: https://www.nature.com/…repositories#…

Article types

The sections that are subject to double-blind (mutually anonymous) peer review are:

Original research studies
Method studies
Study protocol
Review studies (literature reviews; systematic reviews and meta-analyses)
Case studies

Rubrics for which manuscripts are included by editorial decision:
Practice reflection
Discussion
News (on research projects, professional events, etc.)
Book reviews
Note: The articles in these sections do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of E-psychologie or the CMPS.

Manuscript lengths

Empirical, review, and methodological manuscripts: 9–15 pages
Practice reflection, discussion: 3–10 pages
Reports and book review: 1–3 pages

Format

  • font Times New Roman, size 12
  • text in document format (.doc, .docx)
  • line spacing 1,5
  • title in bold
  • author's name in italics
  • align in a block
  • all abbreviations should be explained when used for the first time, abbreviations can be used without explanation in the following text
  • tables and figures need to be numbered and have a caption, each needs to be referred to in the text.

Requirements for images, graphs: preferred format is .png at 300 dpi. Graphs are welcome separately in xls file. Photos, graphs, tables should be inserted with captions in the text of the paper. Graphical representations adopted must be properly cited.

References

References to the literature used in the text and the list at the end of the paper must be in APA, 7th edition format.

Essentials for all contributions

  • At the beginning: title (Czech/Slovak and English), author's name
  • Abstract or annotation in Czech/Slovak and English
  • Body of the paper according to the guidelines below, depending on the type of article
  • At the end: basic information about the author (titles, where he/she works or studies, what he/she specializes in), contact details (e-mail and mailing address)
  • The articles may include photographs (from conferences, etc.).

Structure of an original research study

  • Abstract in Czech/Slovak and in English, each should contain about 1500 characters without spaces (translation into the Czech language can be provided by the editors)
  • From three to five keywords in Czech/Slovak and English (translation of keywords into the Czech language can be provided by the editors)
  • Main body of the article:
    • A brief introduction, theoretical background, research objective, research questions or hypotheses,
    • Research sample and methods used,
    • Analyses and results,
    • Discussion and study limitations,
    • Conclusions may be accompanied by recommendations for practice.
  • References

We recommend structuring according to the internationally valid guidelines for:
https://www.equator-network.org/…nes/consort/
https://www.equator-network.org/…d-statement/
https://www.equator-network.org/…ines/strobe/
https://www.equator-network.org/…elines/srqr/
https://www.equator-network.org/…ines/tidier/

Levitt, H. M., Bamberg, M., Creswell, J. W., Frost, D. M., Josselson, R., & Suárez-Orozco, C. (2018). Journal article reporting standards for qualitative primary, qualitative meta-analytic, and mixed methods research in psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board task force report. American Psychologist, 73(1), 26–46. http://dx.doi.org/…7/amp0000151

Structure of the method study

The method studies are intended to describe new procedures, changes to existing methods, standardization of foreign methods, or discussion of different approaches to data analysis.

  • Abstract in Czech/Slovak and in English, each should contain about 1500 characters without spaces (translation into the Czech language can be provided by the editors)
  • From three to five keywords in Czech/Slovak and English (translation of keywords into the Czech language can be provided by the editors)
  • Main body of the article:
    • A brief introduction, theoretical background, study objective, and outline of the protocol
    • Method (including materials used, objectives and validation of the method, step-by-step procedures, timing); research sample,
    • Data analyses, (expected) results,
    • Discussion, including comparisons with similar standard methods, (dis)advantages, possible pitfalls and any troubleshooting measures to counteract them, study limitations,
    • Conclusions.
  • References

Structure of the theoretical study

The theoretical studies may interdisciplinarily discuss previously published articles and their conclusions; relate to a class of theoretical models in a given field; discuss alternative theoretical approaches; include metatheoretical discussions of theory testing and related topics; propose new conceptual models, etc.

  • Abstract in Czech/Slovak and in English, each should contain about 1500 characters without spaces (translation into the Czech language can be provided by the editors)
  • From three to five keywords in Czech/Slovak and English (translation of keywords into the Czech language can be provided by the editors)
  • Main body of the article:
    • short Introduction: objectives of the thesis, background. Avoid a detailed literature review or summary of results.
    • Method/materials: provide sufficient detail to allow the work to be reproduced by an independent researcher. Methods that have already been published should be summarised and referenced. If quoting directly from a previously published method, use quotation marks and cite the source. Any modifications to existing methods should also be described.
    • Theory/Calcula­tions: the Theory section should expand, not repeat, the background to the paper already covered in the Introduction section and lay the groundwork for further work. In contrast, the Calculations section should show practical developments on a theoretical basis.
    • (expected) Results: clearly and concisely stated.
    • The discussion should explore the significance of the results of the work, not repeat them. A combined Results and Discussion section is often appropriate. Avoid extensive citations and discussion of already published literature.
    • The main conclusions of the study can be presented in a short Conclusions section, which can stand alone or form a subsection of the Discussion section or the Results and Discussion section.
  • References

Structure of the research protocol (study protocol)

The research protocol describes the planned or conducted studies (most often prospective, experimental, clinical). It mainly specifies the hypotheses (including the theoretical background) and methods of the study (especially the procedure of participant sampling, operationalization – method of measurement – of variables and planned statistical analysis).

The recommended structure for papers of this type is:

  • Abstract in Czech/Slovak and English, each approx. 1500 characters without spaces
  • Title of the article in Czech/Slovak and English
  • 3–5 keywords in Czech/Slovak and English
  • Main body of the article:
    • Introduction (research aim and justification)
    • Methods (method of sample selection including (expected) size, description of variables measured, plan for data processing and statistical analyses/hypotheses and how they will be verified)
    • Ethical aspects of the research
    • Plan for dissemination of research results
    • Discussion/con­clusion (summary of the contribution of the planned research in the context of current knowledge, highlighting the limitations of the research and possible risks of implementation)
  • References

For experimental studies we recommend following the SPIRIT guidelines (https://www.spirit-statement.org), for review and meta-analytic studies we recommend following the PRISMA guidelines http://www.prisma-statement.org/…otocols.aspx).

Structure of a literature review study

Literature review studies describe current scientific issues from different perspectives. They are not only a summary of the available literature but should also offer their own perspective in the discussion.

  • Abstract in Czech/Slovak and in English, each abstract should contain about 1500 characters without spaces (translation into the Czech language can be provided by the editors)
  • From three to five keywords in Czech/Slovak and English (translation of keywords into the Czech language can be provided by the editors)
  • Main body of the article:
    • A brief introduction, the aim of the study,
    • The main body of the article be divided into subchapters with titles in compliance with the particular presented classification or the history of developing theories/rese­arches/method­s/etc,
    • Current research gaps, controversies,
    • Conclusion with potential implications for practice or empirical research.
  • References

Structure of systematic review study and meta-analysis

Systematic review articles and meta-analyses should offer a synthesis of existing scientific knowledge on a given topic, clearly defining the process of material selection and analysis.

  • Abstract in Czech/Slovene and English, each approximately 1500 characters without spaces
  • 3–5 keywords in Czech/Slovak and English
  • Main body of the article:
    • Short introduction and aim of the study,
    • Methods (selection criteria, source platforms, search strategies, data extraction, etc.),
    • Method of data analysis and results,
    • Discussion including main conclusions, limitations of the study,
    • Conclusion with possible implications for practice or empirical research.
  • References

We recommend a structure according to internationally accepted guidelines Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement | The EQUATOR Network (equator-network.org)

Structure of a case study

The case study describes unique cases of patients who present with an unexpected diagnosis, treatment or therapy outcome, or clinical course. Informed consent from the patient/client must be obtained for publication (to be stated in the case description). For further information, see e.g. https://www.care-statement.org/

  • Abstract in Czech/Slovak and English, each approximately 1500 characters without spaces
  • 3–5 keywords in Czech/Slovak and English
  • Main body of the article:
    • Introduction: including what is unique about the case and psychological literature references,
    • Case description: including de-identified patient information, relevant physical examination and other clinical findings, relevant past interventions, therapies and treatments, and their outcomes,
    • A figure or table showcasing a timeline with relevant data from the episode of care,
    • Diagnostic assessment, details on the therapeutic intervention, follow-up, and outcomes, as specified in the CARE guidelines, discussion: strengths and limitations of the approach to the case,
    • Discussion of the relevant psychological literature (similar and contrasting cases), take-away lessons from the case,
    • Patient perspective.
  • References

Structure of a practice reflection

  • The abstract in Czech/Slovak and in English, each should contain about 1500 characters without spaces (translation into the Czech language may be provided by the editors)
  • From three to five keywords in Czech/Slovak and English
  • The text of the article (a brief introduction, the specification of the type of clients or psychological practice, the experience with solving problems and its reflection, the conclusion with potential implications for practice or empirical research)
  • References

Structure of the discussions

  • Abstract in Czech/Slovak and in English, each should contain about 1500 characters without spaces (translation into the Czech language may be provided by the editors)
  • From three to five keywords in Czech/Slovak and English
  • The text of the article (a brief introduction, the specification of the context of the problem for discussion, the reflection of different views or approaches, the opinion of the author, conclusion)
  • References

Peer-review process

The peer-review process is double-blind (anonymous on both sides). All original research, methods, literature and systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and case studies go through it. A minimum of two reviews is prepared for each paper. Other papers undergo only editorial review.

Information on the editorial review criteria used to decide on inclusion in the review process:

  • Is it a professional paper basically suitable for the focus of E-psychologie? *
  • Is the research question meaningful from a professional perspective? *
  • Does the paper fit the target rubric in terms of its focus?
  • Does the content of the abstract match the content of the manuscript?
  • Is the research question or hypothesis stated?
  • Does the title match the research question and results?
  • Does the content of the introduction relate to the research question or hypothesis?
  • Does the discussion answer the research question?
  • Does the scope and structure of the paper meet the requirements for the selected section?
  • In the case of an original research or case study, is the obtaining of ethics committee approval and signing of informed consent indicated in the text, or is the reason why it was not addressed?
  • Are relevant sources (literature) used?
  • Is the APA 7th citation format used?

If all answers are yes, then the study can be included in the peer-review process. If no, it is returned from the editorial office to the author for completion or rejection. If the answers are NO to the basic questions (*) the paper is always rejected.

Timeline of manuscript progress through the peer-review process:

  • Acknowledgment of acceptance to the editorial office: within 5 days of receipt
  • Distribution of manuscripts for editorial review: 2 times per month
  • Notification to the author: within 3 weeks thereafter
  • In case of return for editing from the editorial office: send the edited manuscript back within 3 weeks at the latest
  • Deadline for the reviewer: 1 month
  • Author's edits: 1 month
  • Deadline for the reviewer to comment on revisions: 3 weeks
  • Notification to the author of the outcome of the review: within 5 days of receipt of the chief editor's statement.