Submission Guidelines

The Review of Applied Science and Technology (RAST) invites submissions of original research articles, review papers, technical notes, case studies, and applied innovations across all fields of applied science and engineering technology. These submission guidelines are intended to assist authors in preparing high-quality manuscripts and navigating the submission and peer review process effectively.

We strongly encourage contributors to read and follow the instructions below to ensure timely processing and alignment with RAST’s editorial and publishing standards.

 

1.  Manuscript Types Accepted

RAST accepts the following categories of manuscripts:

  • Original Research Articles (5,000–8,000 words): Presenting novel findings in applied science, with clear methodology and real-world relevance.
  • Review Articles (6,000–10,000 words): Comprehensive, up-to-date surveys of existing literature in specific technical domains.
  • Technical Notes/Short Communications (2,000–4,000 words): Brief reports on technological innovations or experimental insights.
  • Case Studies (3,000–5,000 words): Reports detailing engineering implementations, industrial applications, or real-life problem-solving.
  • Applied Innovations/Design Briefs (2,500–6,000 words): Descriptions of prototypes, industrial designs, and field-tested innovations.

All manuscripts must be prepared in clear, professional English.

 

2. Manuscript Formatting Instructions

Authors should submit manuscripts as Microsoft Word documents (.doc or .docx). Please follow the structure below:

  1. Title Page
  • Title of the paper (maximum 20 words)
  • Full names of all authors, along with affiliations and ORCID IDs
  • Email address of the corresponding author
  • Acknowledgments (if any)
  • Funding information (if applicable)
  1. Abstract and Keywords
  • Abstract (150–250 words): Should summarize the objective, methods, key findings, and conclusion.
  • Keywords (4–6): Relevant to the content and indexing of the article.
  1. Main Body

Typical sections for original research articles:

  • Introduction
  • Materials and Methods
  • Results and Discussion
  • Conclusion and Future Work

Use numbered headings (e.g., 1. Introduction, 2. Methodology) for clarity.

  1. References
  • Use APA 7th Edition citation style.
  • All in-text citations must appear in the reference list and vice versa.
  • Examples:
    • Journal article:
      Smith, J. A., & Liu, H. (2022). Smart sensor systems in industry 4.0. Journal of Engineering Applications, 25(3), 134–149.
    • Book:
      Kumar, R. (2020). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide. Sage Publications.
  1. Tables and Figures
  • Embed within the manuscript where they are first mentioned.
  • Each must have a caption, source (if applicable), and be numbered sequentially.
  • Figures should be submitted in high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi).
  1. Formatting
  • Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
  • Line spacing: 1.5
  • Margins: 1 inch
  • Justified alignment
  • Page numbers: Bottom center

 

3. Submission Procedure

Manuscripts must be submitted via email to:
submission@rast-journal.org

Submission email must include:

  • Subject line: “RAST Submission – [Your Manuscript Title]”
  • Attachments:
    • Manuscript (Word document)
    • Cover letter (PDF)
    • Any additional declarations (e.g., conflict of interest, ethical approval)

You will receive an acknowledgment email within 2–3 business days. If you do not receive confirmation, please follow up to ensure successful delivery.

 

4.  Cover Letter Requirements

A one-page cover letter must accompany each submission. It should include:

  • Manuscript title and type (e.g., research article, review)
  • Brief summary of the study and its relevance to RAST’s scope
  • Declaration that the manuscript is original, not under review elsewhere, and approved by all authors
  • Conflict of interest statement
  • Funding support or institutional backing (if any)
  • Waiver request (if applicable)

Address the letter to:
The Editorial Board, Review of Applied Science and Technology

 

5. Peer Review Process

RAST follows a double-blind peer review system, where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other.

  • Each submission is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers.
  • Review criteria include originality, technical soundness, clarity, relevance, and contribution to applied practice.
  • Turnaround time for the initial review decision is typically 3–4 weeks.

Decisions may be:

  • Accept
  • Accept with minor/major revisions
  • Revise and resubmit
  • Reject with feedback

Authors are expected to revise and resubmit within 14 days (minor revisions) or 30 days (major revisions). Extensions may be granted upon request.

 

6. Ethical and Legal Compliance

All authors must comply with RAST’s Ethical Considerations and Plagiarism Policy. This includes:

  • Confirming originality and avoiding plagiarism
  • Securing institutional ethics approval (for studies involving human or animal subjects)
  • Disclosing conflicts of interest and funding sources
  • Obtaining consent for identifiable human data or proprietary content

RAST uses Turnitin/iThenticate to screen submissions for plagiarism. Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 15% without proper attribution may be rejected.

 

7.  Data Availability and Supplementary Materials

Authors are encouraged to provide:

  • Datasets used in the study
  • Supplementary technical drawings, simulation files, or videos
  • Code repositories or tools used in analysis (GitHub, Zenodo, etc.)

All supplementary files must be clearly labeled and referenced in the manuscript.

 

8.  Article Processing Charges (APC)

RAST is a full open-access journal. APCs are applied only after acceptance:

  • Standard Processing (30 days): $200 USD
  • Express Processing (7 days): $300 USD

Waiver requests can be submitted during the initial submission phase, especially for researchers from low-income countries or institutions without publishing support.

 

9. Withdrawal and Revision Policy

Authors may withdraw manuscripts at any stage before acceptance. However, once accepted and production has started, withdrawal is subject to approval by the editorial board.

All revised manuscripts must include:

  • A “response to reviewers” document
  • Tracked changes or highlighted text showing revisions

 

10.  Copyright and Licensing

RAST publishes under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Authors retain full copyright while allowing others to share and adapt the work with proper attribution.

 

11.  Editorial Contact and Support

For any submission-related queries, contact:

submission@americanscholarly.us

We are happy to assist you with clarifications, formatting issues, waiver applications, or manuscript preparation inquiries.