Submissions

Author Guidelines

REGISTRATION

• If you are not yet registered with RAS, click on "Registration", fill out the form, and agree to all terms. A confirmation email will be sent to validate your registration.
• Next, click on your username (upper right corner) and, under “Profile,” go to the “Roles” tab. Enable the boxes for “Reader” and “Author.” For professionals or researchers with a PhD who wish to serve as reviewers, also enable the “Reviewer” option. Don’t forget to save.

SUBMISSION

• Go to “Submissions.” You will see the options “Make a New Submission” or “View Your Pending Submissions.” Choose the appropriate option.
• On the “Submit an Article” page, under item 1. Start, select the language of submission (Portuguese, English, or Spanish), optionally include “Comments for the Editor,” agree to the “Submission Requirements,” and “Accept the Copyright Statement.” Click “Save and Continue.”
• Under 2. Upload Submission, upload the main manuscript file. Before doing so, carefully read the Guidelines for Preparing a Scientific Article below and ensure your manuscript follows them. Click “Save and Continue.”
• In 3. Enter Metadata, fill in all relevant submission data and include the authors’ names and affiliations. Click “Save and Continue.”
• In 4. Confirmation, click “Finish Submission.”
•  In 5. Next Steps, the corresponding author will receive information about what happens next.

TRACKING YOUR SUBMISSION

• The corresponding author can follow the progress of the peer-review process by logging into the system, clicking on the username (top right), and accessing “Submissions.”
• Reviewer comments will be available for reading and download.

GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING A SCIENTIFIC PAPER

Manuscripts submitted for preliminary review must be prepared in Microsoft Word or a compatible format, using Arial 11 pt, double spacing, A4 paper, 2.5 cm margins, single column layout, and no page numbering. The manuscript should have a maximum of 8,000 words (excluding references) and may include up to 6 tables and 12 figures. Line numbering is mandatory (in Word: Layout > Line Numbers > Continuous).
These rules are intended to accelerate the peer-review process.

IMPORTANT: Author names, affiliations, and correspondence addresses must not appear in the text. Identification will be made through the metadata fields and the automatically generated submission ID. References to the authors’ own publications in the text or bibliography should appear only as “AUTHOR” to ensure a secure blind review.

RAS accepts submissions in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, and articles are published in the original language of submission. All articles must include abstracts in both Portuguese and English. For manuscripts written in Spanish, a third abstract in English must also be included.

The title (maximum 40 words) should appear on the first page, without author identification. The text should be written objectively, clearly, precisely, and in impersonal form (avoid first-person statements).

Before the main text, include two abstracts (Portuguese and English). Each abstract must be a single paragraph of up to 300 words, briefly and objectively presenting the background, methods, main results, and conclusions. Below each abstract, list five keywords (avoid repeating words already in the title).

Abbreviations should be defined the first time they appear. Units of measurement must follow the International System of Units (SI).

Tables must be numbered sequentially, inserted within the text, and have concise titles placed above. Notes or data sources should appear below the table in smaller font size and single spacing.

Figures (maps, photos, profiles, graphs, diagrams, etc.) must also be numbered sequentially, with titles placed below. Legends or additional information should follow in smaller font. Figures must be high-resolution (over 1 MB), and text within them must remain legible after reduction (minimum 1 mm character height).

Citations should follow the Author–Date format according to ABNT NBR 10520 (August 2002) or the most recent version.

MANDATORY PLAGIARISM CHECK

All manuscripts will be screened for plagiarism using CopySpider(free software) prior to peer review. Authors are encouraged to perform this check themselves before submission. Manuscripts showing similarity above 10% will not be accepted.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

By submitting a manuscript to RAS, authors jointly declare their consent for publication, acceptance of reviewers’ recommendations, and confirmation that the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere.

The journal uses a double-blind peer-review system—reviewers and authors remain anonymous to each other. Each submission is reviewed by at least three reviewers, who provide independent recommendations regarding publication and necessary revisions. If the paper is rejected, authors will receive a brief statement of reasons.

After making the required revisions, authors must submit the final digital version for editorial review. Editors reserve the right to make minor formatting adjustments to maintain consistency within the journal.

Before publication, a proof version will be provided for final verification of typographical or layout errors. No changes to content will be accepted at this stage. Authors must approve the proof within five (5) days; failure to do so will be considered tacit approval for publication.