Thank you for considering submitting your work to MELA Notes Journal. To maintain consistency and quality across publications, please adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Manuscript Length:

   - Articles submitted to MELA Notes Journal should have a length ranging between 5000 to 8000 words.

2. Structure:

   Each article must include the following components:

•      Abstract: A concise summary of the article's main points and findings.
•      Keywords: Provide a list of up to 10 keywords that accurately reflect the content of the article.
•      Introduction: Set the context and outline the objectives of the article.
•      Body: Present the main arguments, analysis, and evidence in a clear and organized manner.
•      Conclusion: Summarize the key findings and implications of the article.
•      Author Biography: A brief (50 words maximum) biography of the author(s) should be included at the end of the manuscript.

3. Transliteration:

    Authors should use the ALA-LC Romanization Tables for transliterations to ensure consistency and accuracy in rendering non-Latin scripts into the Latin alphabet.

4. References and Endnotes:

    Citations and references should follow the guidelines outlined in the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition. Please ensure accuracy and consistency in formatting both in-text citations and the bibliography.

    Endnotes should be used for additional explanations, comments, or citations that are not appropriate for inclusion within the main text.

5. Peer-review Process:

     All submitted articles will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process to ensure the quality and integrity of published content. Authors' identities will be anonymized during this process to maintain impartiality.

6. Author's Agreement: 

    Authors are required to sign the Author's Agreement attached to these Guidelines for Contributors. By submitting their work to MELA Notes Journal, authors acknowledge their agreement to the terms and conditions outlined in the agreement.

Research Integrity in the Age of AI: Scholarly Guidelines

AI tools are software systems that generate content using machine learning algorithms, including platforms like ChatGPT and Bard. These guidelines establish strict boundaries for their academic use.

Fundamental Principles:
Research must exclusively utilize traditional scholarly sources: peer-reviewed journals, scholarly books, official publications, institutional reports, and primary sources. AI technologies can provide auxiliary support—such as language editing, brainstorming, and formatting—but cannot contribute substantive research content.

Compliance and Consequences:
Researchers must fully disclose any AI interactions. Non-compliance may result in research retraction and publication disqualification. The policy will undergo annual reviews to adapt to technological advancements, ensuring continued protection of academic integrity.

Ethical Commitment:
These guidelines aim to prevent misinformation, maintain research credibility, and uphold the rigorous intellectual standards fundamental to scholarly work by establishing clear boundaries around AI usage.

Submission Process:

•    Manuscripts should be submitted electronically via the online submission system on the eScholarship website (Open Access Publications from the University of California).
•    Authors should ensure that their submissions comply with the formatting and style requirements outlined in these guidelines.

We appreciate your interest in contributing to MELA Notes Journal. Should you have any further inquiries or require assistance, please contact the editorial team at mailto:melanoteseditor@mela.us.

Instructions for Book Reviews:

Should you accept the offer of the MELA Notes Book Review Editor to review a book, please be mindful of the following:

• Limit your review to fewer than 1000 words (about three pages of double-spaced, 12pt text).
• Please submit your review to the Book Review Editor in a word document format.
• Please include your name and institutional affiliation at the end of the text of the review.
• If, for any reason, you are unable to complete the review, please return the volume to the Book Review Editor. The Editor will greatly appreciate your suggestion of someone else qualified to complete the review.
• If you find that you cannot meet the deadline for submitting the review after having accepted the offer, please either consult with the Book Review Editor about extending the deadline or return the book to the Editor as soon as possible.
• Publishers send books to MELA Notes with the expectation that reviews will appear in the journal within a reasonable time. The editors are determined to avoid the dubious notoriety of accumulating books, few of which are ever reviewed, and thus forfeiting future opportunities to receive books for review. 

Please send books for review directly to the MELA Notes Book Review Editor at mailto:melanoteseditor@mela.us.

Note: These guidelines are subject to periodic review and revision. Authors are advised to consult the most recent version of the guidelines before submitting their work.