The Forensic & Security Journal (FORSEC) welcomes original, high-quality, and previously unpublished research articles, review papers, and case studies in the fields of digital forensics, cybersecurity, cryptography, data protection, and related areas. Authors are expected to follow these guidelines to ensure clarity, consistency, and academic integrity.

1. Manuscript Preparation

• Language: Manuscripts must be written in clear, grammatically correct English.
• Format: Articles should be prepared using the journal's provided template in Microsoft Word (.docx) format.
• Length: Recommended length is between 4,000 and 8,000 words, including tables, figures, and references.
• Structure: The manuscript should include (see detailed Manuscript Structure below):
  1. Title Page – Contains the title of the paper (concise and informative), author names, affiliations, and email addresses. A clear and descriptive title should reflect the main findings or purpose of the research.
  2. Abstract – A single paragraph of 150–250 words summarizing the purpose, methodology, key results, and conclusions of the study. Avoid references and undefined abbreviations.
  3. Keywords – 4–6 relevant keywords that represent the main topics of the paper.
  4. Introduction – Describes the background, problem statement, research gap, objectives, and significance of the study.
  5. Literature Review – Presents an overview of related studies, theories, or frameworks that inform the research.
  6. Methodology – Explains research design, data sources, instruments, data collection methods, and data analysis procedures in sufficient detail for replication.
  7. Results – Presents research findings with appropriate figures, tables, and descriptions without interpretation.
  8. Discussion – Interprets the results, compares with previous studies, and explains implications, limitations, and possible future research.
  9. Conclusion – Summarizes the main findings, contributions, and recommendations based on the research.
  10. Acknowledgements (optional) – Credits contributors, funding agencies, or institutions that supported the work.
  11. References – Lists all cited sources in APA (7th edition) style, arranged alphabetically by the first author’s surname.
  12. Appendices (if applicable) – Includes supplementary materials, datasets, or additional methodological details.

2. Citation and References

• Follow the APA 7th edition citation style.
• Ensure all in-text citations are included in the reference list and vice versa.

3. Figures and Tables

• Figures and tables must be clear, of high quality (minimum 300 dpi), and numbered consecutively.
• Titles and captions should be descriptive and placed above tables and below figures.

4. Plagiarism Policy

All submissions will be screened using plagiarism detection software. The acceptable similarity index is below 20%, excluding references. Any manuscript failing this requirement will be rejected.

5. Submission Process

Manuscripts should be submitted electronically through the journal's online submission system. Authors must ensure that all files are complete and in the required format before submission.

6. Peer Review

All manuscripts will undergo a double-blind peer review process involving at least two independent reviewers. Authors may be asked to revise and resubmit their manuscripts based on reviewer feedback.

7. Copyright and Licensing

Upon acceptance, authors will be required to sign a copyright agreement. FORSEC applies an open access policy, allowing unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.