UE Research Journal

University of the East Research Journal

UERJ 2024

UERB 2023

UERB 2022

Aims and Scope

The University of the East Research Journal (UERJ) publishes original, peer-reviewed scholarly articles that contribute to knowledge and practice in relevant academic disciplines. Submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by other journals.

Frequency

The University of the East Research Journal (UERJ) is published biannually, with issues released every June and December of each year.

Peer Review Process and Author Guidelines

Guidelines for Submission of Manuscripts to the University of the East Research Journal (UERJ) following the American Psychological Association (APA) latest in-text and referencing style, i.e., 7th Edition Format.

1. Types of Manuscripts Accepted

The journal accepts the following types of manuscripts:

Original Research Articles
Review Articles
Case Studies

2. Manuscript Preparation (APA 7th Edition)

Manuscripts must strictly follow American Psychological Association (APA), 7th Edition, formatting guidelines:

File format: Microsoft Word
Paper size: 8 1/2 x 11
Margins: 1 inch on all sides
Font: Bookman Old Style, 10
Line spacing: Single-spaced throughout (including references)
Text alignment: Justify
Page numbers: Bottom of page, aligned right
Paragraph indentation: First line indented by 0.5 inch
Language: Clear, formal academic English

Organization of the Manuscript
1. Title Page	The title page should include: Title of the manuscript (All caps, bold, centered, concise) Full name(s) of author(s) Institutional affiliation(s) Corresponding author’s email address Author notes (if applicable), including acknowledgements, disclosures, and a clear statement of the authors’ contribution to the manuscript)
2. Abstract	Maximum of 250 words Written as a single paragraph Should briefly describe the research problem, methodology, results, and conclusions The word “Abstract” should be all caps, centered, and bold.
3. Keywords	Three (3) to five (5) keywords Indented and italicized, placed immediately below the abstract
4.Main Text	The main body of the manuscript should generally include the following sections: Introduction (contains statement of objectives/thesis/hypotheses/assumptions, research or knowledge gap being filled in by the research, scope and limitations of the study; 1-2 pages) Review of Related Literature (RRL) (contains present knowledge about the study, debates and conflicts, issues not yet covered, uniqueness of the study, materials that can be used to prove the hypothesis or develop the thesis; 2-3 pages) Theoretical Framework (studies that contribute to the present research, research questions raised in developing the thesis, contributions that this study will make 1-2 pages) Methodology/Research Design (experimental or non-experimental; quantitative or qualitative and if experimental include the research questions, research hypothesis, subjects used in the study, test materials, data collection methods, data analysis procedures; 3-5 pages) Under methodology, if study involves human subjects, indicate if an ethical review has been made, when the clearance was granted and what ethics review committee did the review. Presentation and Discussion of Results (presentation of results using figures, graphs, tables as needed. Discussion should explain results whether positive or negative. Results are compared with previous studies and attempt to describe similarity or difference from previous studies. Significance and possible implications of the results should be described. Possible limitations of the study should also be explained; 6-8 pages) Conclusions (brief presentation of the findings of the study based on the objectives; 1 – 1.5 pages) Acknowledgements (Short expression of gratitude to funding agencies and people who might have helped in the research; preparation of figures or graphs, etc. 1 page) References (should include all the references cited in the text in APA 7th ed. Format; 2-4 pages)

5. Tables and Figures

Tables and figures must conform to APA 7th Edition style.
Each table and figure should be numbered consecutively (e.g. Table 1, Figure 1).
Titles should be italicized and placed above tables and below figures.
Tables and figures must be cited in the text and placed as close as possible to their first mention.

6. In-Text Citations

Use the author-date citation format

Examples:

Parenthetical citation: (Smith, 2020)
Narrative citation: Smith (2020)
For direct quotations or blocked citations, include page/paragraph numbers.

7. References

All references must follow APA 7th Edition guidelines

The reference list should:

Begin on a new page titled References (bold and centered)
Use hanging indentation (0.5 inch)
Include only sources cited in the manuscript.

8. Ethical Considerations

Manuscripts must be free from plagiarism.
Studies must indicate ethical approval.
Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest or sources of funding.

9. Peer Review Process

All submissions undergo a double-blind peer review process conducted by external reviewers who are not affiliated or connected with UE.
Authors may be required to revise their manuscripts based on reviewers’ comments before final acceptance.

10. Submission Procedure

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically through the journal’s official submission system or designated email address. The corresponding author will receive an acknowledgement of submission.

Step 1. The deadline for submission of proposed articles is every last week of March for the June issue and every last week of October for the December issue to allow time for the refereeing process.

Step 2. The author submits to the ORC Director a letter requesting to have his/her article published. The author follows the prescribed format as set by ORC.

Step 3. The manuscript undergoes preliminary review to ensure compliance with the formatting guidelines prescribed by the ORC.

Step 3. The ORC Director submits the article to at least two (2) external referees who are experts in the field and are not affiliated with UE, following a double-blind refereeing system. The identity of the author is withheld from the referee. Referees are identified in published issues of the Bulletin.

Step 4. Referees review the article and submit a summary of their comments as well as marginal comments on the article itself.

Step 5. ORC Director forwards the comments with the article to the author. If the article needs to be corrected as directed by the referees, the author is given at least two weeks to revise the article.

Step 6. After the author has incorporated the comments of the referees, the article is returned to the referees. The referees, in turn, could either recommend the article for publication as corrected or make further suggestions or comments to improve the article.

Step 7. After the manuscript has been approved by the two external reviewers, it is forwarded to the Editorial Board for the next review. A member of the Editorial Board reviews the revised manuscript that incorporates the comments of the two reviewers.

Step 8. The manuscript is returned to the author to address the comments of the reviewer from the Editorial Board.

Step 9. The revised manuscript is returned to the reviewer from the Editorial Board for a second review and approval.

Step 10. The revised manuscript is submitted to the ORC director for final review as managing editor of the UERJ. A decision for acceptance is eventually made.

Step 11. If there are additional comments or suggested revisions from the managing editor, the manuscript is returned to the author/s for revision. If the appropriately revised manuscript is found acceptable by the managing editor, then the manuscript is processed for publication.

Step 12. The author is informed of the final acceptance of the paper for publication in the UE Research Journal.

11. Copyright and Originality

By submitting a manuscript, authors affirm that the work is original and agree to transfer copyright to the UERJ upon acceptance.

12. Contact Information

For inquiries regarding manuscript submission, please contact:

Email address: orc@ue.edu.ph

List of Editorial Board Members and their Affiliations

Dr. Rex P. Bringula

Dr. Bringula is a full professor at the University of the East (UE) College of Computer Studies and Systems. He received his BS Computer Science degree from UE as a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholar. He finished his Master in Information Technology and PhD in Technology Management at the Technological University of the Philippines and Ph.D. in Computer Science at the Ateneo de Manila University.

He has conducted various school and government-funded research projects and actively participates in local and international conferences. He has published four book chapters and numerous papers in Scopus-indexed and Clarivate Analytics- listed journals. He received international research paper awards from the International Association of Engineers, IEEE Teaching, Assessment, Learning in Engineering Education (TALE) 2020, and IEEE EDUCON 2021. He also serves as a peer reviewer and associate editor for several international journals.

Dean Eva Aurora D. Callueng

Dr. Callueng is presently the dean of the College of Education, University of the East Manila. She obtained her PhD in Education, Master of Education in Philosophy, and Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy all from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Dr. Callueng is a member of the Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education, Inc. (FUSE), the Asia-Pacific Consortium of Researchers and Educators, Inc. (APCORE) and a Regional Assessor of CHED-NCR Regional Quality Assurance Team (RQAT) since 2019. She has been involved in different projects and publications such as the Online Module on Addressing Learner’s Gender, Needs, Strengths, Interests, and Experiences, Buhay Bahaghari and the Filipino LGBT Chronicles published by the UP Center for Women’s Studies to name a few.

She is currently the Asia-Pacific representative in the board of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics, the current and founding president of Rainbow Catholics Philippines, and a board member of Babaylanes, Inc.

Chancellor Louie A. Divinagracia

Dr. Divinagracia is currently the Chancellor of the University of the East Manila. He has written and co-written more than 50 scientific papers half of which were published internationally and nationally in various refereed and academic-related publications.

Chancellor Divinagracia has been awarded international fellowships and grants, academic awards for teaching excellence, and academic awards for research and outstanding academic achievement. He has over 40 years of leadership and academic experience, including management of higher education in Indonesia and the Philippines; research, action research, project management, and finance and administration of non-profits in Southeast Asian developing economies.

Dr. Lydia R. Leonardo

Dr. Leonardo is presently the director of the Office of Research Coordination of the University of the East. Prior to her appointment, she was with the University of the Philippines Manila as professor in Parasitology at the College of Public Health doing research on various parasitic diseases particularly schistosomiasis, food-borne helminthiases and soil-transmitted helminthiases. She was given the UP Scientific Productivity Award (as UP Scientist 1) for the period 2015-2017 for the researches that she finished and the publications that she turned out from these researches. She received the Gawad Chancellor Award for Outstanding Researcher of UP Manila in 2016.

She was also appointed as a technical advisor to the World Health Organization and a member of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Neglected Tropical Diseases of the World Health Organization from March 2016-2018. After her retirement in 2017, she was appointed by UP Manila as professor emeritus in 2019. She does part-time teaching at the College of Arts and Sciences UP Manila, Institute of Biology in UP Diliman and UERM Graduate School. In 2019, she received the Distinguished Parasitologist Award by the Philippine Society of Parasitology. She was a member of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Schistosomiasis and Soil-transmitted Helminthiases until 2024.

Prof. Dr. Badaruddin Mohamed

Prof. Dr. Badaruddin is a professor in Tourism Planning and Development at the School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). He is also the founder of Sustainable Tourism Research Cluster (STRC) as well as the Local Knowledge Research Group at the university. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa, majoring in Environmental Planning. He later completed his master’s and PhD degrees in Tourism Planning and Development at Rikkyo University, Tokyo.

He is now sitting as an academic advisor for tourism programs for many universities. He is a visiting professor in Rikkyo University (Tokyo), Maejo University (Chiang Mai), and National Institute of Development Administration (Bangkok), and the Management Science University (Malaysia). He was also the former President of Tourism Educators Association of Malaysia (TEAM). His research interests include tourism planning and development, urban tourism, tourism growth trends, sustainable tourism, urban planning, and local wisdoms. He is the lead consultant for Penang Tourism Master Plan and has been an active researcher and consultant to many international, state, and federal projects.

Dr. Daniel Susilo

Dr. Susilo is an associate professor in Media Studies, Universitas Bunda Mulia Jakarta. He also serves as a visiting research fellow at several World Class Universities such as Vrije University Amsterdam (2022) Leiden University Netherlands (2018), and Waseda University Tokyo (2019).

Dr. Susilo is also an associate editor of Plaridel: A Philippine Communication Journal (Scopus Indexed) published by UP Diliman. He is also actively involved in the National Committee of Scientific Journal Accreditation, Ministry of Higher Education, Republic of Indonesia, and Committee of Internationalization and Scientific Publication for Association of Communication Science Higher Education Program, one of the Indonesian organization that facilitated networking among superintendents of communication science higher education in Indonesia.

Dr. Weerapon Thongma

Dr. Thongma is an associate professor and currently the president of Maejo University, Sansai, Chiang Mai, Thailand. He has an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Technology and a master’s degree in Agricultural Technology from Maejo Institute of Agricultural Technology and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

His research interests include ecotourism management, research methodology, community-based tourism, organization management, tourism planning strategic management, agrotourism, and sustainable tourism. He is also the editor-in- chief of International Journal of Asian Tourism Management and a member of several editorial boards particularly that of the International Journal of Agricultural Travel and Tourism Management. Dr. Thongma has several international publications in Scopus-indexed journals.

Dr. Melvin A. Vidar

Dr. Vidar is the current director of Office of Curriculum Development and Instruction of the University of the East. He has an undergraduate degree in Statistics from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), a master’s degree in Mathematics Education from the Centro Escolar University (CEU) and a PhD in Mathematics from the De la Salle University (DLSU).

He is also a member of Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines-Tertiary Level (MTAP-TL), Philippine Statistical Association, Inc. and Foundation for the Upgrading of Standard of Education (FUSE). His research interests are on mathematics education, theoretical mathematics, and technology for instruction. Dr. Vidar teaches mathematics and statistics courses at the UE Graduate School.

Publication Ethics Statement

The University of the East Research Journal (UERJ) is committed to upholding the highest standards of research ethics and integrity. The UERJ adheres to institutional policies of the University of the East (UE), particularly those implemented by the Office of Research Coordination (ORC) and the Ethical Review Committee (ERC), ensuring that all published works meet established ethical, academic, and professional standards.

1. Ethical Standards for Authors
Authors submitting manuscripts to UERJ must ensure observation of the following.
Originality and Plagiarism: All submissions are original works. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical behavior and is unacceptable.
Multiple or Concurrent Submission: Manuscripts must not be under consideration or published elsewhere.
Proper Acknowledgments: All sources of information must be properly cited following APA 7th Edition guidelines.
Authorship: Only individuals who have made significant contributions to the research should be listed as authors.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that may influence the results or interpretation of their work.
Ethical Compliance: Research involving human participants or sensitive data must have prior approval from a recognized ethics review body (i.e., ERC). Evidence of ethical clearance must be indicated in the manuscript.
Data Integrity: Authors must ensure that data presented are accurate and not fabricated, falsified, or manipulated.

2. Responsibilities of the Editorial Board
The Editorial Board of UERJ is responsible for:
Publication Decisions: Deciding which manuscripts are accepted for publication based on scholarly merit, originality, relevance, and compliance with ethical standards.
Confidentiality: Maintaining confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and not disclosing any information to unauthorized parties.
Fair Evaluation: Evaluating manuscripts solely on academic merit without discrimination based on gender, race, institutional affiliation, or beliefs.
Conflict of Interest Management: Avoiding handling manuscripts where conflicts of interest may exist.

3. Peer Review Process
UERJ follows a double-blind peer review process:
Manuscripts are evaluated by at least two external reviewers.
The identities of both authors and reviewers are concealed to ensure impartiality.
Reviewers provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback.
Authors are required to revise manuscripts in response to reviewers’ comments before final acceptance.

4. Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers are expected to:
Maintain Confidentiality: Treat all manuscripts as confidential documents.
Provide Objective Evaluation: Offer constructive feedback supported by clear arguments.
Acknowledge Sources: Identify relevant published work not cited by the authors.
Avoid Conflicts of Interest: Decline review if conflicts of interest exist.
Adhere to Timelines: Complete reviews within the agreed period.

5. Ethical Oversight and Compliance
UERJ ensures that:

All research involving human participants undergoes ethical review and approval through the UE Ethical Review Committee (ERC) or an equivalent body.
Submissions from both UE and non-UE researchers comply with institutional ethical standards and data privacy requirements.
Monitoring mechanisms are in place through the ORC to ensure adherence to approved research protocols and ethical conditions throughout the research lifecycle.

6. Handling of Ethical Issues and Misconduct
In cases of suspected ethical misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship disputes):
The journal will conduct an investigation in coordination with the ORC and, when necessary, the ERC.
Authors may be required to provide explanations or supporting documentation.
Proven cases may result in rejection, retraction, or withdrawal of the manuscript, and notification to relevant institutions.

7. Copyright and Intellectual Property
Authors retain responsibility for the originality of their work.
Upon acceptance, authors agree to transfer copyright to UERJ.
Proper acknowledgment of intellectual contributions must always be observed.

8. Transparency and Accountability
UERJ promotes transparency in all stages of publication, including submission, review, decision-making, and dissemination of research outputs. The journal continuously improves its processes in line with institutional quality assurance mechanisms and international publication standards.