Authors Guidelines

1. Scope and Suitability

  • Submissions should align with the journal’s focus on computational and psychological approaches. Articles that do not fit the scope or meet minimum quality standards will be returned without external review.
  • Manuscripts must present original work. Submissions under consideration elsewhere or containing significant overlap with published material may be rejected.

2. Authorship Criteria

  • Author Contributions:
    • Individuals must have made a substantive intellectual contribution (study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or manuscript drafting).
    • All co-authors share responsibility for the final content.
    • Computational Psychology has ratified the CReDIT Taxonomy to describe the author’s contributions to the work.
  • Changes in Authorship: Must be justified and agreed upon in writing by all authors and the Editorial Office.

3. Use of AI/Generative Tools

  • Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, DALL·E, Midjourney) do not meet criteria for authorship and should not be listed as authors.
  • If AI tools assisted with writing (e.g., copyediting), content generation, or image creation, describe how and to what extent these tools were used in the Methods section or in an Acknowledgments statement.
  • Authors remain accountable for verifying the accuracy, originality, and ethical compliance of AI-derived material.

4. Manuscript Preparation

4.1 Title

The title should accurately reflect the main finding or topic. Avoid vague or purely interrogative titles.

4.2 Abstract

  • State the purpose, key methods, main results, and conclusions.
  • For clinical trials: Include registry name, URL, and unique identifier at the end of the abstract.

4.3 Keywords

  • Include 5-8 keywords, specific enough to allow proper indexing.
  • Placement: Below the abstract.

4.4 Main Text

  • Organization:
    • Introduction: Rationale, hypothesis, and relevant background literature.
    • Results: Clear data presentation with statistics and references to figures/tables.
    • Discussion: Interpret findings, mention limitations, compare with existing literature, and highlight future research directions.
    • Methods: Sufficient detail for replication; includes ethics statements, AI usage (if any), and relevant protocols.
  • Language and Readability:
    • Avoid unnecessary jargon; define or explain any technical terms.
    • Write with precision and clarity to be accessible to multidisciplinary readers.

4.5 Formatting and File Types

  • Initial Submission:
    • PDF, Word, or TeX/LaTeX are accepted for the main text. If using TeX/LaTeX, compile to a PDF for review.
  • Final Submission:
    • Upon acceptance, authors will be asked to provide editable source files (Word or LaTeX + figures in high-resolution formats).

5. Cover Letter

  • Purpose: Explain the significance of the work, relevance to Computational Psychology, and any prior editorial discussions.
  • Double-Blind: Remove all author-identifying information from the manuscript and provide it exclusively in the cover letter (or a separate title page file).
  • Suggested Reviewers (Optional): Authors may recommend or exclude reviewers, providing justifications.

6. Supplementary Information

  • Supplemental Materials: Include additional figures, tables, videos, or extended data that are not crucial to the main findings but support reproducibility or offer extended context.
  • File Types: Provide in accepted supplemental file formats (e.g., .docx, .pdf, .xls, video file formats).
  • Availability: Supplementary items will be shared with reviewers and published online if the manuscript is accepted.

7. Extended Data

  • Nature of Extended Data: Figures, tables, or protocols critical for understanding methods or background but too extensive for inclusion in the main text.
  • Limit: Up to 10 extended data items, each clearly labeled and cited in the text.

8. Ethics and Consent

  • Ethical Approvals:
    • Clearly state in both the Methods section and a “Statements and Declarations” section whether ethical approval (IRB or equivalent) was obtained or waived.
    • List the name of the approving institution and any reference numbers.
  • Human Participants:
    • Confirm that informed consent (written or verbal) was obtained from all participants.
    • If consent was waived, provide justification and name the approving ethics committee.
  • Consent for Publication: For studies including identifiable information (images, videos), confirm that participants granted explicit consent for publication.

9. Data Availability and Reproducibility

  • Open Data Encouragement: Authors are urged to deposit raw data, code, and step-by-step protocols in public repositories (e.g., OSF, GitHub, protocols.io).
  • Data Availability Statement: Include a statement describing where and how readers can access your data. If data cannot be shared for legal or ethical reasons, clearly state this.

10. Figures, Tables, and Artwork

  • Clarity and Quality: Use high-resolution formats (300 dpi or higher) for images.
  • Captions: Each figure and table requires a descriptive caption explaining the content.
  • Reproduction Permissions: Authors must secure permission for any previously published figures or tables.

11. Reference Style and Citations

  • In-Text Citations: Computational Psychology uses superscript Vancouver system. Each in-text citation must match a corresponding entry in the References list.
  • Reference List:
    • List references numerically.
    • Include complete details (authors’ full names if needed, article title, journal title, volume, page range, DOI).
    • Update any preprint citations if a peer-reviewed version becomes available before final publication.

12. Statements and Declarations

At the end of the manuscript, include a section titled “Statements and Declarations” with the following subheadings:

  1. Ethical Considerations: Summarize IRB or ethics review details (or provide justification for exemption).
  2. Consent to Participate: Outline how participant consent was obtained or waived.
  3. Consent for Publication: Confirm the participants’ consent to publish identifying details.
  4. Declaration of Conflicting Interest: Disclose any potential conflicts of interest. If none, explicitly state “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”
  5. Funding Statement: Identify all sources of financial support. If none, state “This research received no external funding.”
  6. Data Availability: Provide or reference the data availability statement.
  7. Acknowledgments: Name collaborators, third-party writing/editing assistance, or any other individuals who contributed but do not meet authorship criteria.

13. Language and Editing Services

  • Ensure clarity, correct grammar, and readability.
  • If English is not your first language, consider using professional language editing or AI-assisted copyediting tools. However, the final responsibility and accuracy remain with the authors.

14. Revision and Final Decision

  • If revisions are requested, provide a point-by-point response to reviewers’ comments.
  • Final acceptance is contingent on satisfactory revision, editorial approval, and fulfillment of all formatting and ethical requirements.

15. Post-Publication Updates

  • If errors are discovered after publication, authors should promptly contact the journal to issue a correction.
  • In cases of serious error or ethical breach, the journal may retract the article according to established guidelines.

For questions or clarifications regarding these guidelines, please contact the Editorial Office.

By submitting to Computational Psychology, authors acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to abide by these guidelines.