1. About the Journal

CITRAKARA is a peer-reviewed academic journal focusing on Visual Communication Design and related creative disciplines. The journal publishes original research articles, review articles, and practice-based research that contribute to the development of design knowledge through theoretical, methodological, cultural, technological, and creative approaches.

CITRAKARA welcomes interdisciplinary research addressing the relationship between visual communication, design, culture, society, technology, and creative practices. The journal is committed to the principles of publication ethics and editorial independence set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and to the transparency criteria of the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).

2. Journal Policies at a Glance

The table below summarises the journal's editorial and publishing policies. Full details are provided in the corresponding sections.

Policy	Description
Peer review model	Double-blind peer review by a minimum of two independent reviewers
Publication ethics	COPE Core Practices; ICMJE authorship criteria
Open access licence	Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), unless stated otherwise
Article processing charge (APC)	As stated on the journal website at the time of submission; waiver requests are considered case by case
Digital preservation / archiving	Deposited with a recognised digital archive (e.g., LOCKSS/CLOCKSS/Portico or national repository) and assigned a DOI
Preprints	Posting to a recognised preprint server prior to submission is permitted and should be disclosed at submission
Plagiarism screening	All submissions are screened with similarity-detection software; see Section 20
Publication frequency	As stated on the journal website

3. Types of Articles

3.1 Original Research Articles

Research articles presenting original findings based on systematic research. Manuscripts should demonstrate:

• a clearly formulated research problem or research question;
• relevant theoretical or conceptual foundations;
• an appropriate research methodology;
• systematic data analysis;
• discussion of research findings; and
• a clear scholarly contribution.

3.2 Review Articles

Review articles critically synthesise and evaluate existing scholarly literature on a specific topic within visual communication design or related disciplines. Systematic reviews are encouraged to follow a recognised reporting framework (e.g., PRISMA) where appropriate.

Review articles should not merely summarise previous studies but should identify relevant:

• research trends;
• theoretical debates;
• methodological developments;
• research gaps; and
• opportunities for future research.

3.3 Practice-Based and Practice-Led Research

CITRAKARA welcomes research in which creative practice constitutes an important component of the research process. However, a design product or creative output alone is not sufficient to constitute a research article.

Practice-based or practice-led manuscripts should clearly demonstrate the relationship between:

research problem → theoretical/conceptual framework → research methodology → creative process → analysis/reflection → findings → scholarly contribution.

4. Research Contribution

Submitted manuscripts should demonstrate a clear contribution to design knowledge. The contribution may include:

• theoretical contribution;
• methodological contribution;
• empirical findings;
• cultural interpretation;
• design framework;
• design model;
• visual or design strategy;
• technological innovation;
• creative methodology; or
• critical reflection on creative practice.

Manuscripts should not present a design project solely as a portfolio, project report, or description of the design process without a clear research contribution.

5. Language

Manuscripts may be submitted in English or Indonesian. Authors are strongly encouraged to submit manuscripts in English to increase the international visibility and readership of the journal.

Manuscripts written in English must use clear, accurate, and appropriate academic language. Authors whose first language is not English are encouraged to have their manuscript professionally proofread or edited prior to submission. Authors are responsible for ensuring the linguistic quality of their manuscripts.

6. Manuscript Preparation and Technical Formatting

Manuscripts should follow the CITRAKARA article template and formatting requirements provided by the journal. Authors should ensure that the submitted manuscript is clearly structured, consistently formatted, free from unnecessary typographical errors, appropriately referenced, and prepared according to the journal's submission requirements.

6.1 Standard Technical Specifications

Element	Specification
Paper size	A4
Font	Times New Roman 12 pt (or journal template default)
Line spacing	1.5
Margins	2.5 cm on all sides
Manuscript length	Approximately 5,000–8,000 words (excluding references); review articles may extend to 10,000 words
File format	Microsoft Word (.docx)
Anonymisation	Author identity must be removed from the manuscript body for double-blind review

7. Author Information

The manuscript should include the following information for each author:

• full name;
• institutional affiliation;
• department/program;
• city and country;
• institutional email address; and
• ORCID iD (mandatory for the corresponding author; strongly recommended for all co-authors).

Authors should use their institutional affiliations consistently throughout the manuscript and publication process. One author must be designated as the corresponding author, responsible for communication with the editorial office throughout the submission, review, and publication process.

7.1 Author Contribution Statement (CRediT)

Authors are required to specify each author's contribution using the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT), e.g., conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, writing – original draft, writing – review and editing, supervision, and funding acquisition. The statement should be included on the title page of the submission.

8. Abstract

The abstract should be written in English and should contain approximately 150–250 words (an Indonesian-language abstract may also be included for manuscripts submitted in Indonesian).

The abstract should clearly present:

• research background or problem;
• research objective or question;
• research methodology;
• main findings; and
• contribution or implications.

The abstract should be written as a coherent paragraph and should not contain citations, references, unexplained abbreviations, or information that is not addressed in the manuscript.

Authors are encouraged to structure the abstract according to: Background – Objective – Method – Findings – Contribution.

9. Keywords

Authors should provide 3–5 keywords. Keywords should represent the main concepts of the manuscript, be specific and relevant, use commonly recognised academic terminology drawn where possible from an international thesaurus (e.g., ERIC, Getty AAT, or a discipline-specific controlled vocabulary), and avoid unnecessary duplication of the title.

10. Introduction

The Introduction should establish the academic context and significance of the research and should generally include:

10.1 Research Context

Explain the broader phenomenon or issue addressed by the study.

10.2 Research Problem

Identify the specific problem that requires investigation.

10.3 Previous Research

Discuss relevant scholarly literature and establish the current state of knowledge.

10.4 Research Gap

Clearly identify what remains unresolved, underexplored, or insufficiently explained in previous research.

10.5 Research Objective or Question

Clearly state the purpose of the research and, where appropriate, formulate the research questions.

10.6 Research Contribution

Explain the expected contribution of the research to design knowledge, theory, methodology, practice, or related fields.

The Introduction should develop a clear logical progression from: research context → problem → previous research → research gap → research objective/question → contribution.

11. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

The Literature Review or Theoretical Framework should provide a critical foundation for the research. Authors should prioritise peer-reviewed journal articles, authoritative academic books, relevant theoretical works, recent scholarly publications, and appropriate primary sources.

Authors are encouraged to engage with current academic literature, with at least 60% of cited works published within the last 5–10 years, while retaining seminal or foundational works when theoretically necessary. International literature is encouraged in order to situate the research within global scholarly debates.

The literature review should demonstrate: what is known → what is debated → what remains unresolved → how the present study addresses the gap.

A literature review should not merely provide a collection of definitions or summaries of previous studies.

12. Methodology

The Methodology section must clearly explain how the research was conducted. Depending on the research design, authors should describe:

• research approach;
• research design;
• research object or participants;
• data sources;
• sampling or selection criteria;
• data collection techniques;
• analytical procedures;
• theoretical or conceptual framework used for analysis;
• validity, reliability, or trustworthiness procedures, where applicable; and
• ethical considerations, where relevant.

For qualitative research, authors should explain the analytical process rather than simply stating that the data were analysed descriptively. For design and practice-based research, authors should clearly distinguish between the design process and the research methodology.

12.1 Data Availability Statement

Authors are encouraged to include a Data Availability Statement indicating whether, and how, the underlying research data, interview transcripts, or visual/archival materials can be accessed, subject to ethical and confidentiality constraints.

13. Results

The Results section should present the findings systematically and objectively. Depending on the research approach, findings may include empirical findings, visual analysis, thematic findings, statistical results, design frameworks, models, prototypes, experimental results, or documented creative outcomes.

Tables, figures, diagrams, and visual materials may be used where they directly support the presentation of research findings.

14. Discussion

The Discussion section should provide critical interpretation of the research findings. Authors should explain what the findings mean, why the findings are significant, how the findings relate to previous studies, whether the findings support, extend, or challenge existing theories, the cultural, social, technological, or design implications, and the contribution of the findings to design knowledge.

The Discussion should not simply repeat the Results. Authors are encouraged to develop the discussion through the following analytical sequence:

Finding → Interpretation → Comparison with Previous Research → Theoretical/Practical Implication → Contribution.

15. Conclusion

The Conclusion should directly address the research objectives or research questions. It should summarise the main findings, theoretical and/or practical contributions, implications, research limitations, where appropriate, and recommendations for future research.

The Conclusion should not introduce new data or arguments that have not been discussed previously.

16. Figures and Visual Materials

CITRAKARA welcomes visual materials that directly support the research. All figures should be relevant to the research, have sufficient resolution (minimum 300 dpi for print-quality reproduction), be numbered consecutively, include descriptive captions, be referred to in the manuscript, and include an appropriate source.

Example:

Figure 1. Development of the visual identity concept.

Source: Author, 2026.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all third-party visual materials comply with applicable copyright and licensing requirements, and must obtain and, where requested, submit written permission for reproduction of copyrighted images.

17. Tables

Tables should be numbered consecutively, have concise and informative titles, be referred to in the manuscript, present information systematically, and avoid unnecessary duplication of information presented in the text.

Example:

Table 1. Analytical Dimensions of Visual Identity

18. Citation and References

CITRAKARA uses the APA 7th Edition citation and reference style. Authors are encouraged to use reference management software such as Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote.

All sources cited in the manuscript must appear in the reference list, and all references listed must be cited in the manuscript.

Authors should prioritise scholarly and primary sources, including peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, conference proceedings where appropriate, official research reports, and authoritative institutional publications.

Authors should avoid excessive reliance on blogs, commercial websites, Wikipedia, unverified online sources, and non-academic websites.

19. Reference Quality

For research articles, authors are required to use at least 20 relevant scholarly references, although the appropriate number may vary depending on the nature and scope of the manuscript. At least 80% of references should derive from peer-reviewed journal articles or academic books, and authors are encouraged to include a meaningful proportion of international (non-domestic) sources to demonstrate engagement with global scholarship.

References should demonstrate relevance to the research topic, appropriate recency, diversity of scholarly sources, engagement with international literature, and appropriate use of seminal references.

The quality and relevance of references are more important than the number of references.

20. Originality, Plagiarism, and Similarity Screening

Submitted manuscripts must be original and must not have been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal (with the exception of a disclosed preprint; see Section 21.4).

Authors must properly acknowledge all sources and avoid plagiarism, duplicate publication, self-plagiarism, fabricated data, falsified data, and other forms of publication misconduct, in accordance with COPE guidelines.

All manuscripts are screened using recognised similarity-detection software (e.g., Turnitin or iThenticate). A manuscript with an overall similarity index exceeding 20%, or with any single-source similarity exceeding 5%, will normally be returned to the author for revision prior to peer review.

Manuscripts that violate publication ethics may be rejected, and published articles found to violate these standards may be corrected, retracted, or subjected to an Expression of Concern in accordance with COPE retraction guidelines (see Section 25).

21. Authorship, AI Use, and Research Integrity

21.1 Authorship Criteria

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research and manuscript. Consistent with the ICMJE recommendations, an author must meet all of the following criteria:

1. substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data;
2. drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content;
3. final approval of the version to be published; and
4. agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet all four criteria (e.g., general supervision, funding acquisition alone, or technical assistance) should be listed in the Acknowledgements rather than as authors.

Any change in authorship after submission must be justified in writing and approved by all affected authors and the editorial team.

21.2 Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, institutional, personal, or professional relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation. Editors and reviewers must also disclose potential conflicts of interest and should not participate in the evaluation of manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.

21.3 Generative AI and AI-Assisted Tools

Authors may use generative AI or AI-assisted tools for limited purposes such as grammar and language improvement, translation, formatting assistance, preliminary organisation of ideas, and other appropriate editorial assistance.

Consistent with ICMJE and COPE positions, generative AI tools do not meet the criteria for authorship, cannot be listed as an author or co-author, and cannot be held accountable for the content of the manuscript.

Any substantial use of generative AI in the research or writing process must be disclosed in the Methodology or Acknowledgements section, specifying the tool, version, and the nature of its use. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy of the manuscript, originality, interpretation, citations and references, data, arguments, visual materials, and compliance with research ethics, and must independently verify all factual claims, references, citations, and other information generated or assisted by AI tools.

21.4 Preprints and Self-Archiving

CITRAKARA permits authors to post their manuscript to a recognised preprint server prior to or during peer review, provided this is disclosed at the point of submission. Authors may self-archive the accepted manuscript or published version in an institutional or subject repository in accordance with the journal's copyright and licensing policy (see Section 26).

22. Ethical Considerations

Research involving human participants, interviews, surveys, personal data, or sensitive cultural materials must comply with applicable ethical standards, in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and applicable national research-ethics regulations.

Where relevant, authors should provide information regarding:

• informed consent;
• participant protection and anonymity;
• confidentiality;
• ethical approval, including the name of the approving body and approval/reference number; and
• data protection and, where applicable, compliance with data-privacy regulations.

Research involving culturally sensitive materials, indigenous or traditional artistic practices — including craft communities such as those documented in fieldwork-based studies — should also demonstrate appropriate community consent and respectful representation.

23. Peer Review Process

CITRAKARA operates a double-blind peer review process. Manuscripts are evaluated by a minimum of two independent expert reviewers who are not affiliated with the author's institution.

Stage	Typical Outcome / Timeframe
Editorial screening	Assessment of scope, originality, and basic compliance (see Section 27); 1–2 weeks
Peer review	Evaluation by ≥2 independent reviewers; 4–8 weeks
Editorial decision	Accept / Minor Revision / Major Revision / Reject
Revision	Authors normally have 2–4 weeks to submit a revised manuscript with a point-by-point response to reviewers
Final decision and production	Copyediting, typesetting, DOI assignment, and online publication

Reviewers and editors are required to treat manuscripts as confidential documents and to declare any conflict of interest. Reviewer identities are not disclosed to authors unless the reviewer explicitly consents to open identification.

24. Appeals and Complaints

Authors who wish to appeal an editorial decision may submit a written appeal to the editorial office, stating the specific grounds for the appeal and responding to reviewer comments. Appeals are considered by an editor not involved in the original decision, where feasible.

Complaints regarding editorial conduct, peer review, or publication ethics may be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief and will be handled in accordance with COPE guidelines on complaints and appeals.

25. Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

CITRAKARA follows COPE guidelines on post-publication amendments. Minor errors that do not affect the scholarly integrity of a published article may be addressed through a formal Correction or Erratum.

Articles found to contain serious errors, fabricated or falsified data, plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other violations of research integrity may be retracted or accompanied by a formal Expression of Concern, with the reason for the action stated transparently and linked to the original article.

26. Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain copyright of their published work. Upon acceptance, authors grant CITRAKARA the right of first publication, and the article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence, unless a different licence is specified on the journal's website, allowing others to share and adapt the work with appropriate attribution.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all submitted materials comply with applicable copyright and intellectual property regulations and must obtain appropriate permission for copyrighted materials that are not their own. Copyright and licensing conditions applicable to published articles are stated on the CITRAKARA website and in the published article.

27. Digital Preservation, Indexing, and Article Identifiers

Every published article is assigned a persistent Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Published content is deposited with a recognised digital preservation service to safeguard long-term access. Authors are encouraged to consult the journal's website for current information on abstracting and indexing coverage (e.g., DOAJ, Google Scholar, and relevant national or international indexing services).

28. Submission Checklist

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that:

• the manuscript fits the Focus and Scope of CITRAKARA;
• the manuscript presents a clear research problem or research question;
• the research methodology is clearly explained;
• the manuscript demonstrates an academic contribution;
• the manuscript follows the required article structure;
• the abstract is provided in English (approx. 150–250 words, structured);
• three to five keywords are provided;
• all figures and tables are numbered and cited;
• all sources cited in the manuscript appear in the reference list;
• references follow APA 7th Edition, with at least 20 scholarly sources;
• the manuscript is original, has not been simultaneously submitted elsewhere, and any preprint posting is disclosed;
• copyright permissions have been obtained where necessary;
• author information is complete, including ORCID iD for the corresponding author;
• a CRediT author-contribution statement is included;
• relevant ethical considerations and approvals are disclosed;
• AI use has been disclosed where applicable; and
• the manuscript has been checked for language, similarity/plagiarism, and formatting.

29. Editorial Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial screening before peer review. The editorial team evaluates relevance to the journal's Focus and Scope, originality, research contribution, methodological adequacy, manuscript structure, publication ethics, plagiarism/similarity, language quality, and compliance with the journal's submission requirements.

Manuscripts that do not meet the basic requirements may be returned to the authors for revision or rejected before peer review.

30. Manuscript Submission

Authors should submit manuscripts through the CITRAKARA online submission system. Authors must ensure that all required metadata are entered accurately, including article title, abstract, keywords, author names, affiliations, ORCID iDs, email addresses, CRediT contribution statement, conflict-of-interest and funding statements, and references.

Failure to provide complete and accurate metadata may delay the editorial and publication process.