Guidelines for Authors

1. Types of Manuscripts

The journal accepts original and unpublished contributions in the five thematic areas of PAC-DHCAI. The following table specifies the document typology, required structure, permitted number of authors, length, and reference ranges.

1.1 Description of Manuscript Types

Research Articles

These report original and unpublished research framed within PAC-DHCAI areas. They must articulate a solid theoretical problem, employ clear methodologies, and develop exhaustive analyses, culminating in conclusions that contribute significantly to the field. Qualitative, quantitative, mixed, and digital humanities-based designs are accepted.

Academic Essays

Reasoned reflections on theoretical, philosophical, or critical issues related to digital humanities, artificial intelligence, and Pan-American cultural studies. Argumentative strength and rigor in sources are central evaluation criteria.

Systematic Literature Reviews

These articulate and synthesize the state of knowledge on specific topics with a rigorous methodological approach. The use of the PRISMA protocol is recommended. The integration of AI tools for screening and bibliographic synthesis is welcome and must be declared according to Section 6.

Digital Art and Digital Humanities Projects

Contributions that document and theorize artistic, cultural, or digital humanities practices. They must include an academic report contextualizing the project, describing the process, and explaining its relevance. Enriched formats with links to digital platforms or repositories are accepted.

2. Language, Translation, and Linguistic Equity

PanAmerican DH&AI operates under a principle of linguistic equity. American English is the primary language of publication; Spanish is mandatory for review and abstracts. The journal accepts manuscripts originally written in Spanish, Portuguese, or French, provided the author supplies the English version at submission or requests editorial translation support.

2.1 Language Requirements by Manuscript Section

The use of AI tools for translation or improvement of academic English by non-native authors constitutes Level 1 use under the AI Policy (Section 6) and requires no additional declaration. This provision is a concrete expression of the journal's commitment to Pan-American epistemic equity.

3. Manuscript Format and Presentation

3.1 Technical File Specifications

3.2 General Manuscript Structure

Manuscript elements must appear in the following order:

  • Title page (separate from the body text to ensure blind review)
  • Main title in English and title in Spanish
  • Abstract in English and abstract in Spanish
  • Keywords in English and Spanish
  • Article body according to typology
  • Artificial Intelligence Use Declaration (if Level 2 or Level 3 applies)
  • Acknowledgments (optional)
  • Conflict of interest declaration
  • Bibliographic references
  • Appendices (if applicable)

3.3 Title Page

The title page must be submitted as a separate document and include: full title in English and Spanish; full name of each author; institutional affiliation (institution, department, city and country); ORCID of each author; email of the corresponding author; conflict of interest declaration; funding source (if applicable).

3.4 Title

The title encapsulates the essence of the study and is the first impression for the reader and indexing systems. The following criteria are established:

  • Recommended length: between 12 and 20 words.
  • Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns (APA 7th ed. standard).
  • Avoid acronyms and abbreviations unless universally used in the field.
  • The Spanish title must be a precise translation, not a paraphrase.
  • Formal, precise language that is directly descriptive of the content.

3.5 Abstract

The abstract must encapsulate the purpose of the study, the methodology employed, the central findings, and the derived conclusions. Maximum length: 250 words. Undefined abbreviations and internal bibliographic references are prohibited. Language should be direct, in the active voice, and accessible to readers from different disciplines.

3.6 Keywords

Between 5 and 8 keywords in English and between 5 and 8 keywords in Spanish are required. It is recommended to use the UNESCO Thesaurus as a guide. Keywords must capture the main topics, methodology, and geographic or cultural area when relevant.

3.7 Authorship Contributions and Roles (CRediT)

To ensure transparency in authorship, the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) is used. Each author must be assigned to the roles corresponding to their contribution. Recognized roles are: conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, funding acquisition, investigation, methodology, project administration, resources, software, supervision, validation, visualization, writing — original draft, writing — review and editing.

Regular participation is one manuscript as lead author per volume and up to two as co-author. Requests for greater participation must be directed in writing to the Editorial Committee.

4. Style, Citation, and Reference Standards

4.1 Citation System

All manuscripts must rigorously follow the APA Publication Manual, 7th edition. Verbatim quotes of fewer than 40 words are presented in double quotation marks integrated in the paragraph, with author's surname, year, and page number in parentheses. Quotes of 40 words or more are presented in an independent block with 1.27 cm indent, without quotation marks.

4.2 Bibliographic References

References are presented in alphabetical order at the end of the manuscript. The following criteria are established:

  • At least 60% of references must be recent, with a maximum age of five years.
  • At least 50% must come from prestigious indexed databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Redalyc, SciELO).
  • A maximum of 30% non-indexed sources are permitted (theses, institutional reports, websites of recognized organizations).
  • Self-citations are limited to 15% of total references.
  • All references must include DOI or URL when available.

4.3 Tables

Tables are numbered consecutively (Table 1, Table 2…). The title is placed above the table, in italics and without a period, preceded by 'Table Number' in bold. Only horizontal lines are used. Explanatory notes are placed below in order: general note, specific notes (letters), and statistical notes (symbols).

4.4 Figures

Figures are numbered consecutively (Figure 1, Figure 2…). The title is placed immediately below the figure, in italics and without a period. Minimum resolution: 300 dpi for graphs and 600 dpi for diagrams. Graph axes must be clearly labeled. Figures from other sources include a full citation in the note at the bottom of the figure.

4.5 Academic Integrity and Similarity Detection

All manuscripts are evaluated with similarity detection software (Turnitin or equivalent). Manuscripts with a similarity index above 20% will be rejected, excluding bibliographic references and properly marked citations. If plagiarism is detected, the journal applies COPE guidelines at all stages, including retraction of published articles.

5. Editorial Process

5.1 Manuscript Submission

Manuscripts are submitted through the journal's OJS platform. The author must register and upload the following documents:

  • Anonymous manuscript in Word format — without any author identification data in the body of the text.
  • Title page with complete data of all authors (separate file).
  • Artificial Intelligence Use Declaration Form (see Section 6), complete or with a declaration of non-use.
  • Cover letter to the editor: content summary, declaration of originality, absence of simultaneous submission, and conflict of interest declaration.
  • CRediT Authorship Roles Declaration.

5.2 Preliminary Editorial Review

Upon receipt, the Editorial Committee conducts a formal compliance review within a maximum of 15 business days: adherence to guidelines, thematic relevance, and minimum required quality. Manuscripts that do not pass this review are returned without peer review.

5.3 Peer Review (Double Blind)

Manuscripts that pass the preliminary review are evaluated under the double-blind peer review system. Reviewers are selected for their expertise and, expressly, for their understanding of research assisted by digital technology. Evaluation criteria include: originality, methodological rigor, theoretical soundness, writing quality, reference relevance, and adherence to guidelines.

5.4 Editorial Decisions and Timelines

The estimated timelines for the editorial process are as follows:

Possible decisions are: accepted without changes, accepted with minor revisions, requires major revision (new round of evaluation), or rejected. All decisions are communicated in writing with justification.

6. Artificial Intelligence Use Policy

6.1 Foundational Principles

This policy is based on five principles that define this journal's relationship with artificial intelligence in research:

  • AI is a methodological tool, not an ethical problem.
  • The researcher is the sole intellectual author and the sole responsible party.
  • Declaring AI use is an act of rigor, not confession.
  • Epistemic equity is an explicit editorial value.
  • Reflection on AI use is new knowledge.

6.2 The Three-Tier Model

The level of use determines the type of declaration required:

6.3 Absolute Limitations

The following provisions are mandatory and non-derogable:

  • No AI system may be named as author, co-author, or official collaborator of the manuscript.
  • Personal or identifiable data of human participants may not be entered into AI tools without prior anonymization — a fundamental ethical obligation.
  • All factual information generated or retrieved with AI must be independently verified by the researcher.
  • Undeclared use of AI at Level 2 or Level 3 constitutes a violation of editorial policy and will be handled in accordance with COPE guidelines.
  • Conclusions, theoretical positioning, and judgment on the significance of findings are the exclusive responsibility of the researcher.

6.4 AI Use Declaration Form

All manuscripts must include the Artificial Intelligence Use Declaration Form as a separate document at submission. If AI was not used at any level, the author must explicitly indicate this. The complete form is found in the Artificial Intelligence Use Policy, Version 1.0 (2026).

7. Publication Ethics

PanAmerican DH&AI adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines as the governing framework for its editorial conduct. Authors, reviewers, and editors are subject to these guidelines at all stages of the process.

7.1 Originality and Unpublished Work

Submitted manuscripts must be original and unpublished. They cannot be under simultaneous review in another publication. Manuscript submission implies explicit declaration of these commitments by all authors.

7.2 Conflict of Interest

All authors must declare any financial, institutional, or personal relationship that could influence the development or interpretation of the research. The absence of conflict of interest must also be explicitly declared.

7.3 Ethical Considerations with Human Participants

Research involving human participants must declare the approval of the corresponding institutional ethics committee and confirm that participants provided informed consent. Data anonymization is mandatory before any use, including processing with AI tools.

7.4 Copyright and Permissions

Authors are responsible for obtaining the necessary permissions to reproduce copyrighted material (images, tables, figures, instruments). The journal publishes under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 license, which allows redistribution and adaptation with attribution, for non-commercial purposes.

7.5 Retraction and Corrections

The journal reserves the right to retract published articles in which substantial errors, plagiarism, data fabrication, or ethical violations are identified, following in all cases the procedures established by COPE.

8. Indexing, Access, and Dissemination

8.1 Publication Model

PanAmerican DH&AI operates under the Diamond Open Access model: full and free open access for readers, with no article processing charges (APC) for authors. Publication is continuous in digital format, without waiting for the close of an issue.

8.2 Repositories and Indexing

The journal actively works toward indexing in regional and international repositories and databases, including: Latindex, Redalyc, SciELO, DOAJ, Google Scholar, and, in a medium-term perspective, Scopus and Web of Science. Authors are invited to deposit their works in institutional repositories or on Academia.edu and ResearchGate.

8.3 Persistent Identifiers

Each published article receives a DOI (Digital Object Identifier). Authors who have an ORCID must include it on the title page. The journal recommends that authors without ORCID register at www.orcid.org free of charge.

9. Author Checklist

Before submitting your manuscript, confirm that you have complied with all items on this list. Non-compliance with formal requirements may result in the return of the manuscript without evaluation.