Author Guidelines
Article submission deadlines:
(1) for the first issue of the current year – by April 1
(2) for the second issue of the current year – by November 1
Abstract – a concise description of the article that presents the content, topic, and main points of the research without excessive detail, along with 5–7 keywords.
• For articles written in Ukrainian – the abstract in Ukrainian should be 800 (±100) characters, and in English – 1800 (±100) characters (without spaces).
• For articles written in English (or another EU language) – the abstract in English should be 800 (±100) characters, and in Ukrainian – 1800 (±100) characters (without spaces).
Relevance of the study. General formulation of the research problem and its connection to important scientific or practical tasks.
Review of previous research. Analysis of recent studies and publications that initiated the solution to the problem and form the basis for the author’s work; identification of aspects of the general problem that remain unresolved and are addressed in the article.
Purpose of the study. Formulation of the article’s objectives.
Research methods.
Research results. Presentation of the main research material with full justification of the obtained scientific findings.
Conclusions. Conclusions of the study and prospects for further research in this field.
Acknowledgements (optional)
Funding information (optional)
Note (as needed):
List of References and References section
The List of References and the References section must be formatted according to APA style.
Recommendations for formatting the reference list (links provided):
— Transliteration site for Ukrainian texts (1) – UKRLIT.ORG
— Transliteration site for Ukrainian texts (2) – Grafiati
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ARTICLE
The electronic version must be prepared in .doc format (Microsoft Word), using Times New Roman font, size 12, line spacing 1.5, all margins set to 2 cm, and a paragraph indent of 1.25 cm. Subheadings of structural sections must be in bold. Figures, photos, graphs, and diagrams must be placed directly in the text and also provided as separate JPEG files with a resolution of no less than 300 dpi. Page orientation must be portrait. Text must be justified.
SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
Files should be sent to landscapeurope@gmail.com with the signature of the first author.
Required materials:
-
The article formatted according to the above requirements;
-
Figure files (numbered accordingly);
- Author information and contact details (in Ukrainian, English, and Polish): full name, academic title, degree, place of work, position, address, phone numbers (for editorial board only), ORCID, e-mail.
Manuscript Template for Authors: Download File
Example of file naming: Surname_article; Surname_figure1; Surname_figure2; Surname_information.
PUBLICATION ETHICS AND EDITORIAL POLICY
Objectivity and Impartiality
A reviewer must provide an independent and professional assessment of the manuscript. Personal preferences, professional disagreements, or potential conflicts of interest must not influence the conclusions. If any circumstances arise that could compromise impartiality, the reviewer should notify the editorial office and decline the review.
Confidentiality
Materials submitted for review are confidential and must not be disclosed or used for personal purposes. Any data, ideas, or research results must not be cited or shared with third parties prior to official publication.
Reviewer Competence
The review should be conducted by a specialist with expertise in the subject of the study. If the reviewer feels insufficiently qualified to provide a thorough evaluation, they must inform the editorial office.
Thoroughness of Analysis
The review should include a comprehensive assessment of the main elements of the article:
- Scientific novelty and relevance of the topic;
- Quality of theoretical and methodological approaches;
- Accuracy in the use of data, methods, and interpretations;
- Structural logic and completeness of presentation;
- Alignment of conclusions with the obtained results;
- Correct formatting and compliance with journal requirements.
Academic Integrity
The reviewer should be alert to possible violations of academic integrity, including:
- Plagiarism or failure to provide proper citations;
- Duplication of previously published material;
- Data manipulation;
- Breaches of research ethics.
In case of suspicion of such violations, the reviewer must report them to the editorial office with reasoned explanations.
Constructive and Respectful Feedback
Reviewer comments should be clear, well-reasoned, and aimed at improving the scientific quality of the manuscript. Criticism must be professional and respectful, avoiding biased or offensive language.
Recommendations
The reviewer should provide clear recommendations regarding the manuscript’s disposition:
- Recommend for publication;
- Recommend with editorial revisions;
- Suggest major revisions with re-review;
- Do not recommend for publication.
Adherence to Review Deadlines
The reviewer must complete the evaluation within the timeframe established by the editorial office. If meeting the deadline is not possible, the reviewer should notify the editorial office in advance.
Plagiarism Screening
The journal conducts mandatory plagiarism screening of all submitted manuscripts as part of the initial editorial assessment prior to peer review. Screening is carried out systematically for all submissions using specialized plagiarism detection software (Identific) to identify textual similarities.
The editorial team reviews the similarity report and makes decisions in accordance with international publication ethics standards, including the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). In cases where inappropriate or unethical borrowing is identified, the manuscript is returned to the author for revision or rejected.
Peer Review Policy
The journal’s peer review policy includes the following provisions:
Reviewer status.
All manuscripts are reviewed by external, independent experts who are not members of the journal’s editorial board and who have no conflicts of interest with the authors or the subject matter of the submitted manuscript.
Type of peer review.
The journal applies a double-blind peer review procedure, under which neither the authors know the identity of the reviewers nor the reviewers know the identity of the authors.
Final decision-making.
The final decision on acceptance, revision, or rejection of a manuscript is made by the Editor-in-Chief based on the reviewers’ reports and taking into account the scientific quality, originality, and relevance of the manuscript to the journal’s scope.
Review timelines.
The standard timeframe for the initial round of peer review is approximately 3-4 weeks from the date the manuscript is sent to reviewers. If revisions are required, subsequent rounds of review may take an additional 2-3 weeks.
DOUBLE-BLIND PEER REVIEW POLICY
Key Principles
Double-blind peer review means that the authors of a manuscript do not know the identities of the reviewers, and the reviewers do not know the authors. This approach ensures objective evaluation and minimizes bias based on personal characteristics, institutional affiliation, country, or previous publications of the authors.
Submission and Review Procedure
Authors submit the manuscript in accordance with the journal’s guidelines. The submission must not contain any information that directly or indirectly identifies the authors (e.g., names, institution, or specific details).
The editorial office checks the manuscript for compliance with formal requirements and for potential conflicts of interest.
The editor assigns two reviewers based on their subject-matter expertise.
Reviewers receive the manuscript without any author-identifying information. They evaluate scientific novelty, methodology, reliability of results, logical structure, and adherence to ethical standards.
Reviewers provide written comments and recommendations (accept, revise, or reject) to the editorial office.
Advantages of Double-Blind Peer Review:
- Enhances the impartiality of evaluation;
- Promotes fair competition among authors;
- Reduces the risk of discrimination based on personal or institutional factors;
- Encourages authors to prepare their manuscripts carefully and provide well-supported arguments.
Responsibilities of Reviewers and the Editorial Office
Reviewers must maintain confidentiality and not disclose any information received;
The editorial office ensures that the process remains anonymous and transparent;
If a conflict of interest arises, the reviewer or editor must report it and avoid evaluating the specific manuscript.
Final Provisions
Double-blind peer review is the standard procedure for ensuring the high scientific quality of publications. The journal reserves the right, in certain cases, to apply alternative review types, but authors will be informed in advance.
Removal of Hidden Data and Personal Information from the Manuscript File
To ensure the confidentiality of the editorial process and compliance with the double-blind peer review procedure, authors must remove all hidden data and personal information from the Microsoft Word manuscript file before submission, especially any information that may identify the author or the affiliated institution.
In particular, authors should check and remove the following from the manuscript file: the name of the author or co-authors in the document properties; the name of the institution, department, laboratory, or other structural unit; comments, notes, and tracked changes; hidden text; data on previous versions of the document; user names of those who created or edited the file; and any other metadata that may reveal the identity of the author.
The manuscript text should also avoid wording that directly indicates authorship, for example: “in our previous studies…”, “at the department…”, “at Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University…”, if such information may allow the author to be identified. Where necessary, such passages should be replaced with neutral wording or temporarily removed until the peer review process has been completed.
To remove hidden data in Microsoft Word, authors are advised to use the following function:
File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document → Inspect → Remove All in the relevant sections.
Submission of an anonymized manuscript file is a mandatory condition for sending the manuscript for peer review. The Editorial Board reserves the right to return the manuscript to the author for technical revision if hidden data or personal information that violates the principles of double-blind peer review is found in the file.
Reviewer Form
An uncompleted reviewer form template used in the expert evaluation of manuscripts is available on the journal’s website. Its publication is intended to ensure the transparency of the journal’s editorial policy and to inform authors about the main peer review criteria.
The form covers the assessment of the manuscript’s relevance to the journal’s scope, topicality, scientific novelty, methodological soundness, reliability of results, quality of presentation, accuracy of citation, and compliance with the principles of academic integrity.
Completed reviewer forms, peer review reports, confidential comments, information about reviewers, and editorial correspondence are not made publicly available and are used exclusively within the editorial process in accordance with the principles of confidentiality and double-blind peer review.
Payment and Publication
The journal does not charge any fees for manuscript submission, publication, or open access. Article processing charges (APCs) are not applied, and the journal does not offer paid options for expedited review or publication.
All materials published in the journal «Landscape Science» undergo review by the Scientific and Methodological Council of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University and are recommended for publication by the decision of the Academic Council of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University.
All materials should be sent to: landscapeurope@gmail.com
Complaints should be sent to the following address: landscapeurope@gmail.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Editorial Office of the journal Landscape Science
Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University
32 Ostrozkoho St., Vinnytsia, 21001, Ukraine
Managing Editor: Volodymyr Kanskyi +380975810949
Editor-in-Chief: Hryhoriy Denysyk +380965268714